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At first I wasn't sure I could relate to any of the characters but I could relate to some of their emotions and dilemmas so I got into it. Sometimes almost cartoony and kooky but real issues underneath the trappings kept me reading.

I liked the resolution after all the nothing like my life twists and turns! I enjoyed the light hearted and playful approach that still had me thinking about speaking up for myself and other life reminders.

Read this while traveling for work. It was entertaining and interesting. I'd love to read more from this author in the future

this story opens on the wedding day of Jersey girl Penny, 23. Moments before she's supposed to take her first steps toward the altar, one of her fiancee's groomsmen comes in with a note from Bram, the groom, that basically just says Can't do it, sorry. Penny goes into such a state of shock that all she can do is comment on the quality of the stationery. Mother of the bride doesn't take the news so lightly. She thinks of the two years her daughter has spent with this man, the $75,000 tab wracked up to pull off this dream day and answers with a momma bear awww helll nah! Penny's mother kidnaps Bram before he's able to leave town, locks him up in the former nursery room of her mansion, and explains to him that since she now has to eat the cost of the wedding, he has to eat all 200 servings of the catered food as well as write out apology / thank you for your gift cards. She also wants answers for his actions. Penny's mom, through a number of comedic twists, is able to keep Bram's whereabouts secret from Penny, who comes to stay at her mom's mansion for a time to lick her emotional wounds.

The story had a cute, humorous concept and it started out well, but I think after awhile the humor got a little stale for me. While there were scenes that did have me quietly chuckling (and I appreciate the Spinal Tap reference in Chapter 3), I felt some of the jokes ran a little long, were hammered a little too heavily, and some of the puns had me cringing.

Then there was Bram. I had mixed feelings about him. At first I was disturbed at his sexualization of Disney's Cinderella, leaving part of me to scream what a creeper! But then later he makes himself seem like a decent guy and when he explains why he did what he did, I was thinking "that kinda makes sense." Not saying the behavior itself wasn't a jerk maneuver, but I could see his logic and felt like given his explanation, deserved a little more slack than he got. Also -- to me anyway -- it seemed like not all that much of the story was spent on Bram in his hostage situation. It felt more like the reader just gets to pop in on him from time to time. Maybe that was just to drag out the story length, but to me it felt odd.

This story is heavily laced with profanity and there are quite a few sexual descriptions / conversations among the main characters. Sex and profanity don't typically bother me unless it's the type that offers nothing to the story and only seems to be there for edge / shock factor. My issue with this story is some of the descriptions were not so much sexy but just bordered on ick. I did have a laugh at the girl getting all excited about throwing down in the back of a town car. If a town car is the height of your fantasies... you might want to check your pulse lol.

I was kinda liking the conversation Bram & Penny get to have near the end but dang, that ending. WEEAAAKK. Just silly.

On the day they were to exchange I do, Bram Shiraz informs Penny Bracket that he cannot marry her, leaving her a note saying he is sorry and not much more. Penny is upset especially since Bram did not have the guts to face her; after all they were seeing one another for two years so he owed her that much.

While Penny wants to know why, her mother Esther, distrustful of men, is outraged by Bram's cowardly negative. She confronts him with a champagne bottle to his head and takes Bram prisoner to her Short Hares, New Jersey vast estate. Esther demands Bram write a personal note apologizing to each of the more than two hundred guests and eat every piece of the massive expensive wedding food that Esther has had shipped to her estate. Bram's widowed father Keith searches for his suddenly vanished son to learn why also. All roads lead to Esther Bracket, but no evidence of his son seems anywhere so perhaps a seduction is in order to obtain the facts.

This tale is obviously over the top but readers will enjoy this zany contemporary romantic comedy. The story line is fast-paced once Esther performs the abduction and never slows down not even for a seduction or a bite or two zillion. The CIA will want to hire Esther as her form of torture (eating quiche for 200 plus guests) make rendition obsolete. Fans will enjoy Valerie Frankel's fun lighthearted romp.

Harriet Klausner

I'm a little upset I bought this book, even though it was in the bargain section- I still paid $5 which I think is $5 too much. If your local library has it then I would maybe check it out but there are so many other great chick-lit books out there. It was over the top and I realize that it's not supposed to be very realistic but it was borderline outrageously ridiculous and the ending was weird....