“Fools Rush In was hilarious! I grew up in a neighborhood in NY with all Italian neighbors and Thompson has the cultural peculiarities nailed in this novel. It kind of reminds me of the romantic comedy "Return to Me" with Minnie Driver. I think that was one of the reasons I enjoyed the story so much. And that parrot Guido... that characterization was just crazy funny. The spiritual thread in this book also rang true and sounded very natural to me. I found that saint spouting during a crises (done by Aunt Rosa) particularly funny. This is the type of book I might actually read twice. And I can totally see this as a movie. I would definitely go see it and tell all of my friends to check it out because it's the perfect comedy. I loved that the author didn't slam anyone's culture in her attempt at humor, either. She poked fun without insulting and that was absolutely precious to me. Not many authors do this well.
When it comes to romance, I think I smiled and sighed while reading this story more than I have all year, which is why it's making my best fiction of 2009 list (and just in time as the year is almost over!) The hero in this story, DJ, was dreamy in a realistic way. I found his personality and genuine kindness irresistible. I totally adored him. And the heroine, Bella, God bless her, was a real sweetheart. She was a very likable heroine and I enjoyed getting to know her and her family. When DJ and Bella kissed, sparks flew. But they were innocent sparks even though they were incredibly romantic. They had some serious chemistry, but everything they did was so loving and sweet. This story shows that a good romance does not have to have a lie, a secret, a terrible misunderstanding, etc, to have amazing tension. There was not one dull page in this entire book. It was continually building and developing. The pacing was excellent. I cannot say enough good things about this book. I totally loved it!!! Now I must read the second book. I must!
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