Gone With a Handsomer Man
By Michael Lee West
Publication date: April 12, 2011
The rug is swept from under Teeny Templeton's feet when she catches her fiance Bing cheating on her. Her dreams of a happy marriage are gone the moment she sees him playing naked badminton with two bimbos. Teeny gets her revenge by throwing peaches at them, which it turns out is a criminal act and she ends up in jail. Things only get worse when Bing is found dead and Teeny is accused of his murder. With the help of her high school flame, Cooper O'Malley, who is now a lawyer, Teeny has to find a way to prove her innocence.
Gone With a Handsomer Man was highly recommended to me by another librarian so I was delighted when I was given the opportunity to read it for review. I enjoy Southern fiction and this book sounded like it would be a good blend of humor and romance along with the mystery. In part, I was right. There were some moments when I laughed out loud at Teeny's escapades and I loved reading about her eccentric family. However even though there is plenty of romance, I was disappointed by Teeny's relationship with Cooper (though things could improve in book two). I found it hard to believe that he was the love of her life and thought they reconnected too quickly since she has just come from a relationship with major betrayal. I also didn't buy into the motivations behind Bing's murder.
Still, this is a fun book because of its quirky characters and over-the-top humorous situations. I also really enjoyed reading about Charleston, a city I hope to visit someday and I liked all the food descriptions though some of the recipes in the Templeton Family Cookbook should never be made (especially the ones with poisonous ingredients!). Recipes (of the nonpoisonous variety) are included in the back which I thought was a nice touch.
Janet Evanovich called this book "fun, funny, and fabulous" so her fans might enjoy this one. I haven't read any Stephanie Plum books yet so I can't compare them. In a way, Teeny reminded me of Sookie Stackhouse minus the vampires and weres. If you are looking for a nice light read to take with you on your summer vacation, consider adding Gone With a Handsomer Man to your beach bag. However, if you want a really good mystery or stirring romance then you might want to look elsewhere.
Readalikes: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris, Truly, Madly by Heather Webber
Note: I received an ARC of this book as part of the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review
I just reviewed this book today too. I had a lot of fun with the humor. It definitely took me by surprise. I thought Teeny was similar to Sookie. :) Great review, Christina!
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