Sleeping with Beauty

Ive read a few books from the Glass Slipper Inc series and this one is my favorite. I liked this book the most, because i relate to Lucy's character. She goes from being a dorky, klutzy, frumpy, ugly duckling, and gets inner confidence and a makeover, and becomes a swan. Her best friends are awesome and Grady sounds so sweet. You feel so bad for him, because he lives with his love for Lucy till the end of the story, bc he's afraid she only likes a certain type guy. Her relationship with her friends is also and endearing part of the story.

Self-professed geek Lucy takes a month off to attend "Barbie Boot Camp" to prepare herself for her ten year high school reunion. She is upset when best pals Jana and Grady are not supportive of her endeavor, since her ultimate goal is to capture the attention of hunky Jason Prescott, who humiliated her at her prom. Jana does not want her heart to be broken; Grady does not want his heart broken, as he has nursed a crush on Lucy since they were 16. When she bumps into Jason at the reunion and shares a dance, drink and lingering kiss, she is suddenly ignored when he talks on about his glory days. Much to her surprise, Grady has shown up at the reunion and attempts to whisk her away, until Jason shows up and she leaves Grady in the dust. Lucy was a bit too much of a sad sack. While she spent a small fortune to show the A-crowd how great she became, she never wore her name tag and never revealed who she was. But then, she got the high school's version of Prince Charming, as she and Jason continue to see each other despite having nothing in common, much to Grady's disappointment. With witty dialog and comical situations, Kauffman pulls off another great fractured yet contemporary fairy tale with delightful results.

When we first meet our unlikely heroine, Lucy Harper, it is during her pre-teen years. She is trying to survive the daily tortures that consume the life of the not-so-popular crowd, and while facing them bravely, she doesn't always come out successful. Fortunately, her two best friends, Jana and Grady are there to lend moral support. Shoot ahead to modern times, where Lucy is now facing a bit of a dilemma: her ten-year high school reunion. While a part of her wishes to just ignore it and not go - after all, she's happy with her life - there's that insistent little voice that tells she must, and that fact that her high school crush will be there doesn't hurt. Only this time she's determined to be the belle of the ball. But there's a slight problem - Lucy is not the belle of anything. Geekhood has followed her into adulthood, and she doesn't know what to do about it, until she hears about a place of wonder called Glass Slipper where any wallflower can release her inner goddess. Against the better judgment of her best friends - both of whom no longer wallow in pariahville alongside her - Lucy makes a date with destiny and bravely faces the trials and tribulations of primping. The outcome is more than she expected, and she is overwhelmed by the enchantress she has turned into. She needs the support of her friends, only Jana has her own issues to deal with, and Grady doesn't seem to like her anymore. Bound and determined to shine, even if she has to do it alone, it's time to face the past and show her former classmates what they overlooked all those years ago. Most of us can relate to the traumas of high school, and suffering through hopeless crushes on the cutest boy in school who never gave us a second glance. But not all of us were lucky to have a Grady, who loves Lucy no matter what and is sad to see his beloved geek turn into a swan. He is a true diamond in the rough, always there for her and Jana, and while we can understand Lucy's desire to prove something to those who snubbed her in high school, we can't help but wish she'd take her blinders off a lot quicker and see who's been by her side all along. But eventually she does, and what happens is the happy ending we've been holding our breath for - thank God! It is a sweet moment that is finally realized.

Wow! Another keeper from Donna! What person male or female can't relate to being a misfit at some time or another? This is a great story of our heroine getting to know herself, taking charge, and overcoming whatever she sees as her own stortcomings. And let's not forget finding love, great sex, and happily ever after. The best in entertainment and escapism you can find is a book by Donna Kauffman. If you haven't read her yet, I highly suggest you do. You won't be sorry.

Her memory of school was being too tall and too clumsy for any of the boys to desire her. This twenty-eight years old elementary school teacher and still wallflower Lucy Harper has doubts about the ten year anniversary reunion yet would like to show up as a sex goddess especially to knock over her high school unrequited crush Jason Prescott. Lucy hires the fairy godmothers of Glass Slippers to turn her into a beautiful desirable princess. They succeed beyond her wildest dream and Jason is all over her seeking more than just a kiss. However, Grady Mathews who liked the old Lucy back in high school, but was to shy and too short to do anything about his feelings is unhappy with her change and with Grady sniffing at his beloved's heels. He wants his former less glamorous Lucy back to show her that love is where it at not some shallow relationship with the hunk. Though the plot of a high school outsider coming back as the queen of the reunion has been told often, Donna Kauffman refreshes the theme with her fairy tale SLEEPING WITH BEAUTY. The key to the novel is actually Grady who brings the brisk newness to the story line by his having the same feelings for Lucy that she has for Jason. However, he wants the real Lucy not the pumpkin at the ball who Jason desires. Though Jason comes across shallow next to a real man like Grady, readers will enjoy the latest fairy godmothers' delightful makeover. Harriet Klausner