The Frog Prince

DNF at 46 percent.

Wait can I say. My patience is at the low end right now. I have no idea how I even got to 46 percent and not one damn thing has gone on in this book besides the main character whining about her life and being single.

I am all for romance novels where the good girl after breaking up with the guy who is not the one, meets the one. Instead we have the main character of Holly still mourning the end of her marriage and being angry that her now ex Jean-Marc didn't love her. I stopped at 46 percent because nothing is happening at this point.

Holly as a character is boring. If the first 1/4 of it was about her getting her life together and then the remaining book being all about how she changes her life for the better I would show more be totally in for that book. Instead she's a very weak character who keeps getting bossed around by her boss and is afraid to tell her mother no. This is where we are at 46 percent. That means that we have a little more than half way for the book to go for her to somehow get past what has happened? I am doubtful that she's going to get there or at least that it will be written in a coherent manner at this point.

It seems the only goal in Holly's life was to be married to an attractive man, have babies, and be a wife and mother. She has no damn personality at all. I can't even tell you what her favorite color, book, outfit, etc. is because she's still crying in the bathroom at work about her ex.

Holly's job as an event planner seems totally uninteresting. We just have Holly's boss Olivia being super inappropriate and getting all up in Holly's personal life and commenting about her clothes and weight. I am still flabbergasted that Holly would not have pushed back or at least told her freaking boss she is out of line. But of course not, Holly let's people walk all over her.

So besides the lack of an interesting main character and a not too clear plot line, this book really is just stuck. There is nothing happening and I don't care to continue.

I stopped after Holly's mother came to visit and got angry about her leaving her husband. Because yes, she has somehow not told her mother why she got divorced from her husband because she has no damn sense.

Why in the world would you just not be upfront with your family and friends. I get that she would feel embarrassed by the whole thing, but why would you make it seem like your fault? I am not a fan of romance novels where the main character doesn't either speak up to their love interest or others. It drives me crazy.

So that's that. A romance novel with at this point no romance at all besides Holly starring at some guy she called Gorgeous Guy in her head and imagining a life with him. And her railing at the wedding industry and her friends and family for not telling her how marriage really is. Yup, totally everyone else's fault her marriage cashed and burned.

Well I hope in the end that Holly does change, that she realizes she doesn't need a man to be happy, and she stops allowing her boss to dictate what she does outside of work. show less

The Frog Prince is the story of Holly Bishop, a woman whose life has been slowly falling apart. As a character, Holly is very well-written. At the beginning, she seems to be a bit of a doormat, letting those around her step all over her. She realizes this partway through the novel and begins to assert herself more and more until the end of the book, when she has the strength to stand up for herself and do what is important to her. That being said, she never is ungracious or rude; she knows when to bow out.

I really enjoyed reading this character development. Too often in a novel, the main character doesn't realize his or her flaws and continues annoying the reader with them through the whole book. In the last 20-30 pages, the character show more finally realizes the problem and corrects it just in time for a happy ending. I liked Porter's approach much better. Holly is pretty down at the beginning of the novel, and it's completely understandable. Her life is in shambles and she has moved to a brand new city where she has no friends in an effort to start over. Her marriage was a sham and ended in less than a year. It is understandable why Holly is sad. However, she doesn't annoy the reader by harping on and on. Instead, as she develops as a character, she faces her problems and insecurities one by one. It's definitely a gratifying process for the reader.

I've really been enjoying Jane Porter, andThe Frog Prince is the last of her chick-lit reads that I had to read (after Odd Mom Out [review], Mrs. Perfect [review], and Flirting with Forty [review].) I have to say, I'm a little sad there aren't any more sitting on my shelf - her books were like a warm blanket. I always knew they would be light, fun reads that still had substance and would never let me down. I can't wait for her next chick lit novel, releasing in July 2009.

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I was really surprised how well I liked this book. It wasn't my usual type of reading, but I found myself identifying with the character on many levels and it kept me thinking long after the book was over.

Not a romance, but a story of empowerment.

I would recommend this book to many women.

Wow, I loved this book. Much more than I expected to. It was one of those random picks; I'd never heard of the book but wanted a chick lit paperback that I could easily read on the bus. The Beaverbrook branch of the Ottawa Public Library had slim pickings for books that fit the bill. (Incidentally, the Hazeldean branch is the opposite; it is a chick lit haven. That's the branch I generally frequent now.)

I actually teared up toward the end, I was so moved by Holly's difficulties in maintaining a comfortable relationship with her mom (I could relate).

It took me a few chapters to get into it. At first, it seemed like it could be another book where everyone in the big city, especially at work, is nasty and uncaring. (As it turns out, show more someone at work being nasty is a catalyst for the main character's development.) show less

I love the cover.. I think the dress and the sneakers just stand out so much.. and I suppose it's supposed to. But anyways, the story was ... delightful I suppose. I liked the way that Jane Porter incorporated her thoughts on fairy tales into the story line.
Holly is this girl who wants her own happily ever after and in blindly wanting this, she loses sight and rushed into a relationship. I don't think her failed marriage is her fault... but like Jane Porter seems to show... fairy tales don't just happen. And it's more important to love and respect yourself before even loving or being loved.
So.. this book isn't about Cinderella or Snow White.. it isn't about relying on a person to be happy. It's about finding your own happiness. It's a show more beautiful, motivate and love yourself, novel that happiness can happen. Just not always in the way we're taught to believe. show less

I was surprised I liked it more than I thought I would. She was a little whiny at first but I enjoyed going on her journey.

What a fun book, and do you not love the cover? The cover is as fun as the book was. This was another book I could not put down. The way the author portrays Holly makes you feel like you are her. The divorcee with nothing but yourself and your thighs that seem to be getting bigger by the day, the girl who has no friends and can not believe that her life is practically over after only being married a year. And we all can relate to the hot stuck up woman who wants to be your friend but in the end they get jealous of you coming out of your shell and making something of yourself and being happy.
I just really enjoyed this book. It was a fun read and kept you entertained. I know the book was long-371 pages- but I feel like it could have been show more more on her relationship at the end. The book teases you, especially with Brian. Then at the end it doesn't say what happened or what is going on. This book could have been another 100+ pages and it still would have held my interest. I think more pages would have completed the book and said where she stood guy wise. It was still a great read though! show less