The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer

Given that I am exactly the same age as Genie and not married, I thought I might do my review a little differently this time, and intersperse my comments (which could be a little sarcastic - just warning you!) through the back cover blurb. The back cover blurb is in blue and my comments are in black.

Though Genie Michaels would like a husband (To be honest, I'd be happy with a boyfriend), at age thirty-six (what...when did that happen?) and jaded from years of dating fiascoes (in my case jaded from years of not dating fiasco), she's just too tired to make the effort (Abso-freaking-lutely). Lucky for Genie, Prince Charming comes to her in the form of Hugh Spencer (so could not get past thinking about Princess Di's family when I read this name, and especially when they kept on referring to the Spencer family ring), a bestselling author and ideal boyfriend (and where exactly is my Prince Charming?). But when Hugh proposes to the "love of his life" on national television - and it's not Genie (what a jerk)- she's so humiliated that she continues the pretense that she is his fiancee. (Errr...not sure that this is quite the route that I would have taken, but each girl for herself. I would be more likely to drown my sorrows in food, most specifically chocolate)

In no time at all, Genie's parents are booking a reception hall (Trust me, my mother would never book a reception hall for me....and even if she would I so would not want her to. Her idea of a good time and my idea of a good time are veeeerrrryyyy different)! She feels bad about the deception, (and so she should) but her best friend advises her to sit back and enjoy the ride. And just as Genie finally begins to realize that she doesn't need a man to start her life (no, that's totally true, but it would be nice to have one around occasionally)...to buy a home (did that!)...to go after a better job (really should do that)...her real prince shows up. (I could do with a sexy carpenter. The last workman that came to my house to do anything was the very epitome of not sexy).

Readers can count on Sarah Strohmeyer to deliver funny, sexy, big-hearted stories.

I have read all of Sarah Strohmeyer's books and think this is definitely one of her best. It is funny, and romantic, and gave lots of enjoyment as long as you are willing to suspend disbelief about a number of crucial things - like that someone would continue to accept gifts of $1000 cake platters as wedding gifts for a wedding that isn't actually going to happen, and that you could get a really, really big promotion for simply doing two things a bit differently than you normally do.

Whether this book falls into Women's Fiction or Chick Lit, I'm not really sure. The heroine undergoes a fairly typical chick-lit kind of journey from somewhat frumpy to fabulous , there's a love triangle...sort of...and there is a too die for true love. Having said that in the Author note she says that she is writing women's fiction...so I could well be wrong.

It is a lot of fun to read. I have read all of this author's books so far, and I can definitely see her writing getting stronger. I look forward to her next book which is out in June.