I had a really time getting interested in this book. I wasn't a big fan of the character, Harriet (Jen's mom), and wasn't looking forward to reading too much more about her and her interactions with Jen. Luckily Harriet was not in all that many scenes in the book.
Once I got going with the book I enjoyed it. I found most all the characters likeable. I didn't necessarily feel like I got to Jen all that much but there was enough to work with and relate to.
The book picked up and I sat down and read straight through the last 80 pages. I would recommend it. Learning Curves: A Novel of Sex, Suits, and Business Affairs
This "chick lit" book is better then most - an intelligent heroine does more then just worry about her love life. There is a bit of mystery to it as well. It is not often you read books about MBA students - as an MBA grad myself, it was great!
I can't write, that's why I am not a writer. Here is a game for you: count the number of times the main characters "sigh" or "frown" on each page... The writing is painful: she frowns, he frowned, he sighs, she sighed... I am frowning and sighing trying to get through this book.
Since I used to live in London, I buy any chick-lit that's based there, whether I think it looks interesting or not. This book stuck out at me since it's rare to see a chick-lit book that explores mildly-intellectual things (business ethics for example) while still telling a single-girl-coming-into-her-own story.
The premise of the book is that Jen's mother wants her to infiltrate her estranged father's company to find evidence that he is linked to some illegal business dealings. Jen's parents divorced nastily fifteen years before, and her mother went on to start an "ethical" business consultancy to compete with her father's "big business" company. Jen joins the company, and quickly right becomes wrong, left becomes right, the good guy becomes the bad guy.
With a neat and tidy little twist at the end, the book is clever and tells a good story. It drags on in parts, and the dialogue isn't the greatest (the "real life" conversation between Jen and her boyfriend ordering takeout made me want to scream) but I definitely think it's a great escapist chick-lit book, ranking up there with Sophie Kinsella and Helen Fielding.
Usually Townley's novel are kind of funny and a little over the top. I adored her first book but thought he second was a little boring.
This one does not feel so much like a chick lit novel to me. Yes, there is the requisite single girl and the mother and the misunderstandings with the dad, but this book felt more heavy handed to me. Like the author did not know what to do next and went into a different direction.
The result is a so-so novel. A bit on the "yeah right" side. I had a lot of problems accepting the basic premise which is that our main character applies and gets into an MBA program cauz her mom told her she had to do it in order to help world peace. Its okay as a library rental - don't spend the money to buy this one.
I liked this author's first book, Little White Lies, but this is so much better. Its centred around corporate intrigue, family feuds and corporate greed, and also has a great love story and a character who actually rings true instead of the usual airhead.
This is only the second book I have ready by this author. I loved her first book. I do agree, it took a little longer to get interested in this book, but once I got into it, I have to say, I really enjoyed it. I loved her relationship with Daniel Peterson. if you are looking for a book that just takes you away for a few hours or so a day from day to day life then I definitely recommend reading this book. Just take it as pure fun!
Jennifer Bell has a game plan for her life but getting a M.B.A. was never a part of that plan. Jennifer is the daughter of George and Harriet who divorced years ago. They didn't always get along when they were married and definitely don't get along since their divorce. And to add to the troubling family issues, the parents have vastly different political beliefs.
Harriet is a liberal environmentalist who runs the firm Green Futures. The business is hemorrhaging cash but Harriet is in denial. Jen works for her demanding and omnipotent mother and has been estranged from her father for many years. George runs Bell Consulting.
Jen's mother is convinced that George is involved in a corruption scam in Indonesia and convinces Jen to go "undercover" at her father's firm in order to prove her beliefs. It's difficult to deny Harriet anything, so Jen begins an M.B.A. program at her father's company to find the proof her mother needs in order to implicate him in the corruption ring.
All good plans have problems and Jen's begin when her father discovers her in a closet at the firm's offices. They begin the process of reconciling and it appears that George is not the ogre Harriet believes he is. Or is he?
While working at Bell Consulting, Jen meets Daniel Person who is an executive and M.B.A. lecturer. He's handsome and clever and there is a mutual attraction. But life interferes, as usual, and there are miscommunications and misunderstandings that keep the couple apart.
When Bell Consulting is implicated publicly in a bribery scandal, Jen must decide who is telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Townley has written a quirky, fast-paced and fun romp with Jen at the helm. As her life takes more than a few twists and turns on the journey to truth, we root for the good guys (and there are a few), and we can't wait for the bad guys to get their comeuppance.
Armchair Interviews says: Learning Curves is a fun ride and you'll chuckle all the while you're on it. - Gemma Townley - British - Female Author - Chick Lit'
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