Once More with Feeling Series: The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman Louise Plummer Book 1995 Rating:A-

 

In the mood for a fun, funny, romantic Christmas read?  This one should fit the bill perfectly. 

"High-school senior Kate Bjorkman doesn't like romance novels. She thinks they are "disgusting, with kisses that last three paragraphs and make you want to put your finger down your throat to induce projectile vomiting." But she has her own little romantic story to tell, something wonderful that happened to her last Christmas, so she sits down with a copy of The Romance Writer's Phrase Book to try and draft something that will be a little more like "real life."

The resulting novel is both hilarious and touching. Kate's got the perfect cast of characters to work with. There's the hero, Richard, who is her older brother Bjorn's best friend. Richard is kind, charming, and good-looking. Kate's had a crush on him for forever, but she hasn't seen him lately. He's been away at Stanford, but he, Bjorn, Bjorn's wife Trish, and the bright, beautiful Fleur St. Germaine -that's right Fleur St. Germaine - who may or may not be Richard's girlfriend, have come to Wisconsin for Christmas at the Bjorkmans'. Add to this holiday mix Kate's scheming, overly mature friend Ashley who also has the hots for Richard, and you have the perfect recipe for fun.

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman is both a clever satire on romance novels, and a lovely, thoughtful romance in and of itself. It's written like the first draft of a novel with Notes for Revision interrupting the narrative every three chapters or so. Kate doesn't take herself or her book too seriously, and she constantly pokes fun at the purplish descriptive suggestions proferred by The Romance Writer's Phrase Book. But, in a way, the story still follows the basic pattern of a regular romance.

The best thing about this book is the characterization. Each character defies stereotype, and none of them seems the least bit cardboardy. Kate is a very appealing heroine. She's smart, she's confident, and she's even comfortable with her non-romance-novel appearance. This is how she describes herself:

I know I mentioned my height-six feet-but did I mention the glasses? It's a rhetorical question. I didn't mention them on purpose, because I wanted you to imagine me looking like Cindy Crawford. I have worn glasses since I was three years old, and even when I have cool Giorgio Armani frames, my eyes are magnified about three times their size with these plate glass lenses.I know this is a disappointment in someone who is supposed to be the romantic heroine of this book, but unless you're one of those really shallow readers, you'll continue.

One of the most refreshing things about Kate is that she knows herself, she's proud of herself, and she's unwilling to change to attract her hero. The other characters are just as well drawn and appealing, and they aren't exactly what you might think them to be. Kate observes both her parents' and her brother's relationships, and the conclusions she draws helps her to make her own decisions about what a love relationship should be. I really liked these people. They seemed so down-to-earth and normal, but not in the least way boring or predictable."

Click here for the rest of the review. 

This book is out of print, but available super cheap at amazon.com.

 

tags: books  romance novels  all about romance  young adult