That's (Not Exactly) Amore

Reviewed by Tina Avon for RebeccasReads (10/08) I like reading dedications at the beginning of books. What first caught my attention with "That's (Not Exactly) Amore," written by Tracey Bateman, is the cool dedication: "to Julie Young - a forever friend." For some reason, this touched me and gave me even more of a reason to dive into this chick-it book. I have been on the record as saying that chick-lit seems to be on a downturn. However, I am glad to report that this book gives me hope for the genre. Our main character, Laini, is a struggling designer; she gets the chance of redesigning Nick's restaurant, which will give her the opportunity of (hopefully) graduating from "design" school, and thank goodness Jazz will be there to actually "do" most of the hard work. While Nick may think this is a great idea, his nephew (and hunk), Joe, does not; in order to compromise with Lainie, Joe brings in some extra help. I loved, loved, loved this book. The storyline has it all: a cute hunk who is clueless, until he realizes that another cute hunk is after the girl he wants (Lainie is quite baffled by this! Two guys after her! Wait a minute , last week there were none). We also get some great food descriptions (which is always a plus in these types of books - yummy), and we also get lots of miscues, miscommunications and most importantly, lots of humour. What also makes this book work so well is the connection between Lainie and her friends, particularly Jazz , who all seem to honestly love each other and watch out for each other. This is refreshing in chick-lit. I loved the character of Lainie who never seems to take herself seriously, I hated Joe who spent much of the book either clueless or a day late and I loved the character of Mark who sounds charming and is devoted to pleasing Lainie (my kind of guy). The writing is fresh and cute, there are no gratuitous scenes and the book makes a wonderful weekend, beach read. This was a great read.

Reviewed by Nikki Pringle for Reader Views (8/08) "That's (Not Exactly) Amore" is the third installment of the `Drama Queens' series by author Tracey Bateman. This time around, we find Laini Sullivan, still single and now living on her own, nearing the end of her interior design coursework. Her final, which she desperately needs to pass in order to graduate and receive her diploma, will be based on her work redesigning Nick Pantalone's New York City coffee shop. Nick has confidence in her, but his nephew Joe, a gorgeous man who is out of Laini's league and in charge of the day-to-day operations, seems less than thrilled with his uncle's choice of interior designer. Laini isn't so sure herself. She seems to be a design disaster and is unsure that she has chosen the right career path, but needs this job in order to pass her class, and forges ahead with the work with the help of another designer that Joe hires on to the project. With all of this going on she still has her weekend visits to her widowed mother on Long Island and the baking she does on the side for Nick's shop to juggle. Laini meets NYPD officer Mark Hall; she is surprised and delighted that such a handsome, hard-working man would take an interest in her, and tentatively dips her toe into the dating pool. She harbors feelings for Joe, but tries to focus on the man that actually seems to want her and tries to put Joe out of her mind as an option. Her friends and colleague's are convinced that Joe is interested in her, but all Laini gets is mixed signals when she is around him. When Mark implies that Joe's family may have ties to the Italian mob, and city permits and work crews seem to appear out of thin air months before they should be available, Laini has to wonder if Mark is right. Then she meets Joe's uncles, as well as his overbearing Nana, and is even more convinced that this is one family she should not get involved with (not that Nana would ever approve of her grandson dating an Irish girl), yet she is still drawn to Joe. Will she be able to persevere with her work on the coffee shop and in her personal life? Tracey Bateman has written a lovable character in Laini Sullivan. Her struggles with family, friends, career and having a personal life are funny, witty, sad and entirely believable. As Laini waivers between doing what she loves and doing what she thinks she should career wise, the readers are left with no doubt about which is the right decision. As Laini falters through the growing attention from Mark and the mixed signals from Joe, readers also bounce back and forth between their choice of which is the right man for her. "That's (Not Exactly) Amore" is a satisfying read. The storyline is perfectly packaged and will leave readers feeling as satisfied as you would when enjoying warm cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven (read the book and you will see what I mean).

This book kept me awake into the wee hours. Of the three Drama Queen books, this is my favorite. Laini Sullivan is the woman every girl can relate to at some point in life. Were you ever picked last? Were you ever wondering why everyone else's life was moving forward while you're stuck in the same ol' rut? Ever feel like there's not a good man left on the planet? Read this book! I love that Laini is imperfect and totally relatable. And just when I think I know what's going to happen, the story moves in a different direction. A very satisfying conclusion to the series. While you don't have to read the first two to enjoy the third, I think reading this one last enhanced the enjoyment. Highly recommend!

Tracey Bateman's chick lit books keep getting better and better. They are fun to read and you walk away with a better sense of the characters and yourself. Oh I loved reading about the food in this book. If I had been Laini's roommate, I think I would have gained 20 pounds just smelling the food from the kitchen. I wish I could eat her cinnamon rolls or her stuffed sandwiches. I think Laini is my favorite of the three friends because she acts the most like how I would in her situation. There are many hilarious situations throughout the book. I especially loved the cattiness between Nancy's friend and Laini as they nonchalantly fight over Joe. There are also somber scenes especially involving Laini with her new step family. I was worried at first that there were going to be two good guys for Laini to choose from (you notice how that always happens? When you want a guy they are nowhere to be found, as soon as you stop looking they swarm and fight over you.) Luckily the victor is proclaimed and yes there is a happy ending. I'm sad that this series is over. I loved reading about these three friends and their totally relatable (well maybe not Tabby's) single lives. I know I'll be definitely on the lookout for Tracey's next chick lit series.

That's (Not Exactly) Amore by Tracey Bateman is the final book in her Drama Queens series. Laini has been left behind by Tabby's marriage and Dancy's almost engagement, and she still hasn't figured out just what she should be doing with her life. Laini worries that her slightly full figure and springy red hair keep men at bay, but she is suddenly courted by handsome police officer Mark, and Joe, whose coffee shop Laini is remodeling for her interior design degree. Laini is surrounded by trouble. She was a great accountant but hated the job. She thought that she loved interior design, but she may just be a bit colorblind. She pours her grief and frustration into cooking and baking never realizing that food is her true passion and talent. The reader may be a bit frustrated with Laini's complete blindness when it comes to what she should be doing with her life, Bateman handles it believably, and you can't help rooting for Laini to get her dream job and her dream guy. This was my favorite book in the Drama Queens series, and I can see Bateman's growth as a writer. Laini is obsessed with romantic comedies, especially those starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, and this book would easily lend itself to the film. Bateman's scene between Joe and Laini in the rain outside of his apartment is begging to be adapted to the screen. I will genuinely miss the antics of Laini and her pals, and I hope that Bateman hasn't abandoned them forever.