All or Nothing

Oh. My. Goodness. I cannot believe that I didn't figure out until halfway through this book that it's the fourth book in a series, particularly since I've read and loved the first three: Third Time Lucky, Double Trouble, and One More Time. At least that tells you that they can definitely stand alone. Jen Maitland is a cancer survivor, sort of. I'm not sure why the back cover copy and the reviews all dance around this--it's made clear on page 6--unless maybe it's because they don't want people to think it's that kind of book. You know, the uplifting (read: maudlin and melodramatic) story of someone's battle with cancer. Because it's not. But I can tell you that Jen's a cancer survivor because I'm also explaining what kind of book this is. She's been cancer-free for a year now, but she's mostly living in limbo--working as a waitress, living with her mom, slowly paying off her medical bills, knitting fruit. Small fruits. When the story opens, she's up to an avocado. So her mom, who's stuck in the 70s, asks her if she's gay, because she hasn't seemed interested in men, then recommends that she find somebody and have sex, and challenges her to bring a date to Thanksgiving dinner. Between Jen and her sister, they come up with a plan to get Mom off Jen's back: find an obnoxiously yuppieish yuppie to bring to Thanksgiving dinner--her mom will hate him and won't invite him back, and Jen can continue her status quo with a fictitious boyfriend. Enter Zach Coxwell, who's meeting old law school buddies for lunch at Jen's restaurant. They're arrogant and rude, and Jen assumes Zach's just like them. But he stays after the others have gone, then leaves her a huge tip. And when she follows him out of the restaurant to protest, she blurts out the invitation to Thanksgiving dinner. But Zach's not like his friends--he's the black sheep of his family, a law school dropout, who's spent his life trying to live down to his father's low opinion of him. Jen's family may be wacky, but at least they're loving; his is cold and proper and they've rejected him. Jen and Zach both have huge obstacles in their path, but in the very best romance tradition, there's a synergy between them, and they're stronger together than they are apart. They don't solve each other's problems--they just provide a catalyst and support. There are laugh-out-loud moments, like at Thanksgiving when Zach's never-fail lawyer jokes are falling flat, and tears-running-down-your-cheeks moments. There's humor and joy and pain and love and sensuality. All or Nothing is a wonderfully complete and satisfying story. I'm convinced--I've put Claire Cross and all her alter-egos on my to-look-for list.

I enjoy stories about people who make changes in their lives, what motivates those changes and how they do it. That is what this story is about. Zach makes the most changes and in unpredictable ways. I liked seeing the way that telling someone the blunt truth, even though it might hurt feelings, can help someone turn their life around. The characters are interesting. Several conversations are funny and witty with some laugh out loud moments. It's a charming story. I'm glad I read it. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: one. This is the second contemporary book by Claire Cross that I have read. The other is One More Time. I enjoyed both of them. I tried one of her earlier works titled The Princess, written under the name of Delacroix. I found it lacking. It seemed as if it had been written by a different author. Maybe I picked the wrong earlier book to try, but I don't plan to read any more of her earlier Delacroix works.

Loved this book! The characters were so real. Zach was so sweet and the Thanksgiving dinner reminded me of my crazy family. Jen is precious. I finished this book several days ago and it is still on my mind. Even though I have read a couple of books since. This is a wonderful book and I've put a couple of Clair Cross's books on my wish list because of the quality of this book.

Zachary Coxwell is intelligent, charming, and funny. But due to unresolved family issues, he's avoided making commitments other than to his dog -- picture an apartment empty of furniture. Then he meets Jen Maitland to whom he's instantly attracted, and he dedicates himself to making her smile -- even if that means singing Elvis on karaoke night! Jen Maitland has commitment problems of her own after a successful battle with cancer. Afraid to embrace life, she sets only short term goals, like waitressing and knitting small fruits and vegetables. She seems perfectly content until her mom threatens to play matchmaker unless Jen brings a date to Thanksgiving dinner. Enter Zachary Coxwell - gorgeous, materialistic and shallow. He's the perfect fake date to stop her zany, liberal family from meddling - they'll hate him on sight. Instead, they adore him. And when Jen sees that there's more to Zach than she first assumed, she finds herself trying to make him smile. Zach and Jen learn they have more in common than outward appearances would suggest, and they're thrown off balance when unexpected feelings emerge. Soon, furniture appears in Zach's apartment, and Jen's knitting projects grow, symbolizing their newfound courage to move forward and their hope for the future. Still, they must learn to trust themselves, their families, and each other, if they're to get at the truth of who they are beneath their protective layers. Only when they take that leap of faith can they resurrect long-buried dreams, and love without holding back a part of themselves. Zach and Jen's tender emotional journey is both romantic and fun. The story also celebrates family, as Jen's colorful relatives weave their way into your heart with some of the funniest and most poignant scenes in the book. Also, though All or Nothing stands alone, the endearing Coxwell family (Zach's mom and siblings), from Cross's other books in the series, makes an appearance. Be prepared to laugh and cry -- it's that kind of novel. The author's lovely prose, rich characters, and witty dialogue help make All or Nothing a great read. I highly recommend this story.

Following her mom asking her if she is gay and ordering her to find a Yuppie to marry and have babies with, Jen needs a date for her family's Thanksgiving dinner or her matchmaking mom will provide her with one. She decides Zach is perfect as her escort. Zach agrees to go with her. The pair have a good time together even with mom beaming. Zach wants to see Jen again and she reluctantly accepts their going on a date. When he decides he needs to know more about her, she actually surprises herself by telling him a truth she is ashamed of; although she expected him to flee in disgust Zach wants to see Jen even more as their pretend relationship feels genuine at least in his heart. This is a fun lighthearted contemporary romance starring two likable souls who have in common an anti commitment syndrome and a love for one another. Jen is a delightful character as she barely blinks when her mom, "caught in a 1970s time warp", accuses her of being gay because she isn't married yet. Fans will enjoy the antics of this couple who insist "I'm not in love". Harriet Klausner