eBook Stranded epub

I've got to give the author credit for trying, but this book tanked on so many levels that I was disappointed by the unfulfilled potential in the story line.

Okay, so this is what I liked: The premise -- a radio-talk host is hired to do commentary on a pro-women's soccer team, and travels to South America with the hot team manager to interview a teenage football star. During an expedition, the three of them crash in the jungle and have to depend on each other for survival. That's a pretty cool plot. It hits all the right notes of sports, romance, fantasy, and adventure.

Here's where it fails.... well, the first major fail. The pro soccer team is named "The Dragonflies." Dragonflies? Really? No soccer team with players over the age of seven is named that. Pro soccer team names are more like, "Determination." I don't understand how any self-respecting lesbian wouldn't know that, but for those who don't.... ask a friend. There's no substance to the soccer team here, and even when the main character is interviewing the teenage star, the interview fades to black so there's no exposition on anything soccer. It's not developed at all... Soccer is just a prop, and there's no sports details anywhere in the book. To a sports fan, that's just annoying.

I did like some of the book's humor. I got genuine chuckles from a few of the jokes. The situation with the star-player and her boyfriend was funny too. But all the jokes stopped being funny when they crashed their van in the jungle. Which brings me to the next major fail... This book doesn't know if it wants to be a true survival story, or a fantasy romp like "Gilligan's Island" or "Romancing the Stone."

There's nothing wrong with a comedic romp. I enjoyed "Romancing the Stone." The problem is when the characters get out of the crashed van, they have major injures and the van driver is dead (of course he died....somebody worthless had to die to give the plot gravity).

The author gets credit for realism... broken teeth, broken fingers, back injures, lacerations, and head wounds... all of that is very plausible. Except after surviving all that, the characters aren't going to want to play "hug and tickle" in the jungle. The realism started out plausible, but failed to carry through. The aftermath of the crash was female bonding time alone in the jungle, complete with tickle-fights, and I just didn't believe it. Broken hands swell, and the swelling is actually more dangerous than the fractured bones. The love scene freaked me out, because all I could think about was the love interest's compound fractures. On that note... having teeth knocked out is majorly traumatic, especially if the teeth are broken and the roots/nerve are still inside the gums. Nobody is having a serious make-out session with newly broken teeth. I don't care how much pain medicine they've taken. Not gonna happen. Oh... and infections can't be cured by antibiotic ointment. Not the kind of infection one gets from exposing a laceration to swamp-water. Ever heard of gangrene?

It seemed this story wanted to be survivalist, but the author didn't bother with research. Or maybe the story was intended to be a fun romp, with some gritty details thrown in for realism.

Unfortunately, those two ideas aren't compatible, and the story failed for me.

I've always been a huge fan of Blayne Cooper/Advocate since the 1990s and have read all of Blayne's work. However, I was kinda cool on Blayne's last novel (Hard Times, a women in prison story) which I found a bit too bleak. That's why I was so very pleased to discover that Blayne has gotten back to writing what she's so good at, namely incredibly funny, highly entertaining, and well-written stories, which what her new novel 'Stranded' is.

Like the title of this book says, the story revolves around a divorced middle aged radio personality who gets a contract to be the announcer of a new major league woman's soccer team. As part of the deal, she directed to fly down to Venezuela with the sexy female Vice President of the team (who kinda looks like Evangeline Lilly) and meet their new star soccer player. Once they get down there, mayhem abounds, and the three women end up a perilous/survivor situation in the jungles of Venezuela. The only thing I would have changed in this story was to extend the ending by about 10 pages, and give the reader more sweet love! This book is definitely a keeper!!

This was an enjoyable romance, except that at the end, the author tried to eat her cake and have it too.

To avoid spoilers, the main character is struggling with her self-esteem because of a minor body issue throughout the book. She tends to feel no one could possibly really want her because of it. Many characters insist otherwise. Throughout the story it seems like she might be gaining some self-acceptance and realising that she can be loved - and then at the ending, that minor body issue is 'cured' and she makes it clear that she's devoting a lot of time and effort to keeping it that way.

I'm sure this was meant to be part of a happy ending and we're meant to feel glad for the character, but it completely breaks the moral that was developing throughout the story and makes her seem shallow. For me, this meant I ended on a frustrated note, angry with the heroine, instead of rejoicing at her good fortune.

It's the old failure of Beauty and the Beast - it's crazy to have a moral about looking beyond appearances and then have the reward for that be an improved appearance!

I loved this fun and fast-paced book. Though I read it years ago, I still remember the great banter between Rachel and Nora which results in the "mama bear" and "papa bear" labels Miranda gives them. This is a book that has stuck with me with characters who feel like old friends.

I have not been an avid reader, but this book caught my attention and I am glad it did. I LOVED it. It has made me a reader again! Great characters - great story. As I was reading, I would sometimes read the same passage over because I enjoyed it so much. Wonderful development and sexual tension. I found it difficult to put this book down as I read into the wee morning hours. There were some editing errors, but I was able to move past those. Going back to order more Blayne Cooper - I want more!!

I really enjoyed all of the characters and the adventurous and suspenseful story line. The pursuit and love that followed. The authors sense of humor and sensitive romance shine through. Gotta read this one.

Ok, so the premise is a little out there, but I really enjoyed this book. The chemistry between the two main characters makes the whole trip worthwhile and there is some good humor thrown in too. Thank you!

Absolutely love this book. So funny - laughed out loud in lots of parts, and the love story is a slow burn - my favorite.