“Mare Fortune bounded down the stairs of the family home in her ragged blue running shorts just as the wind caught the front door and blew it open, sending coppery dust flowing in.” — First sentence
Synopsis from the back cover:
When she was sixteen, Dee Fortune kidnapped her two younger sisters and ran from danger. Now twenty-nine, she’s still trying to control her shape-shifting power—no easy task when Danny James shows up one Friday morning with his deadly smile and dangerous questions about the past. Lizzie is determined to save her family from financial ruin by turning straw into gold; now, if she could only stop turning forks into bunnies. Then Elric, a sorcerer, appears one Friday—annoyed with the chaos Lizzie is creating in the universe and his heart… The youngest Miss Fortune, Mare, towers above her sisters but her telekinetic power is dwarfed by their gifts. She spends her days at Value Video!! and her nights contemplating the futility of her existence. But then a gorgeous Value Video!! VP and Mare’s long-lost love turn up…and they all turn up the heat on a weekend that no Fortune will soon forget!
The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes by Jennifer Crusie, Eileen Dreyer, and Anne Stuart is a romantic comedy. This post will be in a Q&A style.
What led you to pick up this book?
I read about this book on the following blogs: Melody of Melody’s Reading Corner and Julia of Julia’s Books Corner. It is also one of the five books chosen for the “Romance Reading Challenge” hosted by Naida.
What did you like most about the book?
Every character is interesting and I like the twist. There are many funny moments and cute exchanges between the sisters and their men. Each sister has a unique gift (Dee is a shapeshifter, Lizzie can transmute things, and Mare is a psychokinetic). Their Aunt Xan—who plans to strip them of their powers and take them for herself—is always on the lookout for them. Her plot involves the three men in this story. The book also includes some annoying characters, such as Maxine (one of Xan’s minions), but she adds a nice touch. Although three authors wrote it, the story is seamless.
What did you like least?
I think there is too much emphasis placed on sex. The couples seem to have only that in mind most of the time, never mind Aunt Xan, who casts a libido spell initially intended for her three nieces, but accidentally involves the whole town.
What did you think of the main character?
There are three main pairs: Dee with Danny, Lizzie with Elric, and Mare with Crash. Of the three pairs, I like Lizzie and Elric the most, maybe because Elric is a powerful wizard. Lizzie produces bunnies when she is upset or shoes when she is aroused. All the couples are funny and made for each other. As Aunt Xan puts it, the guys are her nieces’ true love (well, except for Crash).
In Mare’s case, her aunt “allocated” a Jude Law lookalike who is also the vice president of her company, Value Video!! as her true love. So what is Crash, Mare’s former lover, doing here in the story? All in all, I do think they are well paired, and the chemistry is strong. My favourite character is Danny (Dee’s true love). He is a dashing book researcher, and he comes to town to write a book about the Fortune family. I like the part where Dee shapeshifts into a screech owl and follows Danny to his lodgings. There she sees Danny in all his glory. Naked.
What about the ending?
The ending is nice and I like it. The sisters team up to rescue the boys and face off with their evil aunt. You would need to read it for yourself to see how it goes. It was fun.
Would you recommend this book?
Yes, if you like light reading with lots of sexy bits.
Should anyone NOT be encouraged to read it? Why?
There are plenty of explicit sexy scenes in the story, which, in my opinion, are not suitable for young adults. It does not project the right values, although those sexual relationships eventually lead to happy endings.
Would you read more books by these authors?
Yes.
Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of those books?
I have read Anne Stuart’s Ice Series and they are all great stories. They do read like a formula after a while, especially if you read them all at once, which I did.
Would you re-read the book?
Probably not.
