Crazy for You

Crazy being the operative word.

Quinn is coasting through her life, trying to get through each day with a minimum of fuss, dating the local hero/coach of the high school where she teaches art, because it's easier than turning him down. Until one day a student brings her a stray dog she falls in love with and Bill tells her she can't keep it. That's the day Quinn snaps and decides to take her life back, causing a domino effect in the lives of those around her that is both hilarious and disturbing.

While Crusie writes incredibly entertaining, witty, funny chick-lit, she's frequently featured an ex-boyfriend/husband that's just a little bit...obsessive. Unhealthy mentally. But here, in Crazy for You she outdoes herself. While a lot of her show more other books have just a subtle touch of the creepiness factor, this one oozes creepy. For chick-lit, I found it to be extraordinarily uncomfortable. Still excellent, funny, and steamy, but damn that man creeped me out!

I like this one better than Bet Me because that creepiness, that profoundly disturbing obsessiveness gives the story a much edgier feel - still definitely chick-lit - that makes the story much more compelling. If you read psychological thrillers at all, this one is going to feel like puppies and marshmallow fluff, but if you stay on the more mentally stable side of fictional characterisations, you might find this read an entertaining way of pushing your personal envelope. show less

The first 4/5 or so of this novel worked really well for me: there are funny bits, a relationship that everyone thought was great but actually was Not Okay (the man's a 'nice'-seeming steamroller with huge social privilege who can't't even imagine his partner might have/need agency), a wonderful newly-blossoming dog-human relationship, and sympathetic side characters in interesting pickles.

Then, near the end, the narrative starts having the old good friend and romantic lead's actions and thoughts echo those of the abusive stalker ex-boyfriend, and ... it kind of loses the thread with consent. I *think* maybe Crusie was exploring the difference between images and realities of romantic relationships, and lines between abusive and welcome show more expressions of desire, togetherness, roughness, etc. But if your best friend is literally being stalked and put in physical danger by an ex who won't accept they're broken up, do you really hear "no, stop" or "let go of my wrists" and just keep going because you know she really wants it? Do you tell her that if she broke up with you, you wouldn't accept that either, because you know she's yours? Nooooooope.

In the same part of the book, previously-protective side characters like Quinn's dad just kinda wander off and leave her vulnerable to her stalker, and I get why that's convenient plot-wise, but it makes it hard to finish the book liking anybody but the central character and her brave little rat dog.

So ... loved Katie the dog, loved some of the characters and scenes, am left feeling icky and disturbed rather than warm and fuzzy as desired. show less

This book was a light (with a tinge of darkness), funny, sexy read and I really enjoyed it. It all starts with a dog! Quinn falls in love with a mongrel dog she names Katie. This small dog ends up being the catalyst that changes Quinn's life and the people around her. Her boyfriend, "perfect" Bill, hates the dog and takes Katie to the pound behind Quinn's back. This event spurs Quinn to break up with Bill, move out and buy her own house. Bill, who seemed so perfectly nice, takes a downward spiral. But it's believable. Bill is a control freak who acts normal as long as he gets his own way, but when he is thwarted, he displays progressively worse, obsessive and possesive stalker behavior. Quinn's love interest is Nick, her show more ex-brother-in-law and best friend, who is commitment-phobic. They are very attracted to each other and the sexual tension is high. Crusie's specialty of crisp, snappy dialogue and quirky characters in a small town atmosphere are all present here. (Grade: B+) show less

I'm not a generally a fan of chick lit, but I'd read good things about this book. I was not disappointed (and I was up until 2 am finishing it). Unlike the 20-something shopping/fashion obsessed too-often found in this genre, Jennifer Crusie's Quinn is in her mid-thirties and looking to make some changes in her life - all started by her determination to adopt a stray. Although there is a nice romance story between Quinn and her ex-brother-in-law, the difference in this book is the character of Quinn's ex-boyfriend. Bill is perfect on paper, but because he is suddenly unable to manipulate Quinn into following his agenda (as he had been doing throughout their relationship), he starts to lose his grip on reality and can not accept that she show more has chosen a dog over him (smart girl). The reader starts out feeling sorry for hapless Bill, but then his behaviour becomes very disturbing and dangerous. A great summer read - mostly chick lit, but with a touch a thriller. show less

Loved this immediately. Quinn’s fury over the dog is priceless, and understandable to pet owners everywhere. The author well worked the overlapping relationships in this story. Women everywhere will get the issue the women have, and men reading this might become enlightened. Nick and Quinn are excellent characters for a romance. One word of warning: this book could contain triggering issues for abuse victims, though dealt with well toward the end. A few viewpoints may also seem outdated, but then all books are of their time.

I've been waiting months for this and my literary mouth is drooling....

October 14,2008 Within the last two days, I've been zipping through this novel. I've cleared something like 132 pages in two days which is such a feat considering my schedule.

Crazy For You (C4Y) has driven me crazy in a good way. You've heard about the butterfly effect? When reliable art teacher Quinn McKenzie dumps her boring boyfriend in search of positive change, she inspires nearly everyone she encounters in the small town of Tibbet to change as well. Some residents change for the best, and some change for the worst. The only person who is not willing to change is Quinn's inflexible ex-boyfriend Bill who will not take "no" for answer.

C4Y is so chock full of show more characters that it can be difficult to remember who is who. Some of the characters aren't really there to move the story along but to fill out personality of the town. C4Y is also one of the darkest Jennifer Crusie novels I've read. The stalker storyline kept me on edge as much as the sexual tension between main character Quinn and her hot ex brother-in-law, Nick.

All in all, I couldn't put this book down. I'm definitely a Crusie-o-phile now. show less

Hmmm... Just as I was beginning to think I would love everything Jennifer Crusie ever wrote... This one was a bit off and creepy. Quinn leaving Bill I was completely on board with, but then immediately getting together with Nick? Somehow the narrative made it seem OK, but really? I never believed they had been "best friends". What happened to Nick's "I can't share my life, I can't even sleep in the same bad as some one else"? And then there was Bill becoming more and more deranged and this began to jar badly in what had been a romantic comedy. Max and Darla started off funny/sweet, but then she left her sons (how old were they?) for ages. And then there was the love triangle that was Quinn's parents and Edie... I was skimming the second show more half. (I did like Zoe and Ben, though). show less