Sneak Peak! TRULY, MADLY: General Discussion [ Edited ]

[Melanie_Murray]

I'm chock full of questions for you all on Heather Webber's

Truly, Madly. Here's what I'm going to do. I'll post a handful of questions a day.

And here's my first batch:

How would you describe this book to prospective readers?

How would things been different with Sean, if Lucy had been honest from the beginning?

[BDonnelly]

I would describe this as a quick, fun read with a very likeable heroine.  I found her very endearing in her stubbornness, her brashness, her values and her love for her family and friends.  The whole ESP. thing gave it a very interesting twist.  I loved the grandmother, too.

I think things would have turned out very differently if she had been honest with Sean because he would not have gone along with the crazy program and never had the opportunity to fall in love with her.

[jbg78]

I think the book is a good blend of romance, mystery and humor.  The characters are lovable.  It is a quick and fun read.

If Lucy had been honest with Sean, he would have been intrigued.  Just think about the numerous situations he could have created.

[spicy_t]

I really enjoyed the book!  I love Lucys character...she is intelligent and sassy.  The book is fun to read and I loved the humor in it!  I don't think Sean would've believed Lucy in the beginning and I liked the way she revealed her "ability" slowly...I was so happy when she realized her ability could be used for more than finding lost objects!  I can't wait for the 2nd installment to see what Lucy Valentine is up to next! 

[coffee_luvr]

I would describe this book as an entertaining, light read with just enough suspense and mystery to keep the reader hooked.

I think that if Lucy had opened up a bit more with Sean earlier on, it would have reduced the tension.  I found it both frustrating and intresting that she could not open up and trust him.  But then, maybe that is a good thing as it kept me very interested in the development of their relationship.

[Nelsmom]

I would describe the book as one that would relate to both Mystery as well as Romance readers.  I light fun read that has a good mix of humor as well as suspence.  A good romance if the person is not expecting all HEA for all the characters.The revelations come at a good pace without giving away the ending at the begining of the book.

Toni

[literature]

Truly, Madly is a fun story, grabs you in from the first word and doesn't let go.  The characters are fun, mysterious, charming and intriguing.  A must read.

If Lucy had been honest with Sean from the beginning, he would have thought she was an eccentric, a quck perhaps, and not taken her seriously.  The valentines didn't want to be labeled as charlatans and/or frauds so they kept their abilities quiet.  Lucy did not have the confidence to believe in herself and if she didn't believe in herself, how could she have convinced Sean of her abilities.

[blkeyesuzi]

I'd describe this book as a perfect combination of mystery, comedy, and light romance.  I like that it didn't get carried away with the romance.  There was just enough to make it interesting, but not so much that it got overdone and sickeningly sweet.  It was lighthearted and fun throughout the book.  The relationships were believable and everyone had a sense of humor (even the grandma).  

I think Lucy's inability to be honest with Sean added to the sexual tension that made their relationship in the story interesting.  It gave the reader a desire and a reason to turn the page and find out more.  As they are finding out about each other, the reader is learning whether Lucy and Sean will get together and whether Lucy will ever tell Sean the truth. Lots of mysteries to solve.

[sifu-hotman]

How would you describe this book to prospective readers?

My mom would describe it (I let her read it too) as something light, that's not supposed to be anything other then a good fun, something you can read on the bus. She liked it.

For me, the book was pretty cheesy. I didn't like it, so I would say that if you're looking for realism in your books, realistic situations and reactions from characters this isn't the book for you. 

How would things been different with Sean, if Lucy had been honest from the beginning?

I think that would have resulted in much deeper conversations, and more meaningful flirtation.

[bookowlie]

I would describe the book as a "deep" fun read with a good plot.  The book is a nice blend of light romance and mystery with a few good twists.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the mystery getting better and better as the plot moved along.

If Lucy had been honest from the beginning, I think Sean would have thought she was too wacky and wouldn't have taken her seriously.  Having Sean find out slowly about Lucy's abilities added another layer to an already good plot.

[AIRKNITTER]

Truly, Madly is about as good as an expensive piece of dark chocolate. The book stays in your heart and not on your hips.

Thank goodness Lucy kept a little something from Sean. He would never have had the opportunity to realize all her complexities.

[ponkle]

I would describe this book as a mystery with comedy and romance also. The biggest point I would make is that Lucy is a character that many books could be written about. That's my favorite kind with a continuing character like I find in Iris Johannsen and J.D. Robb. I would also say that I couldn't put it down and since I live near the beach I'd say it's a fantastic book to take and read down there.

As far as telling the truth to Sean, I have mixed feelings. I always feel the truth is best but he would probably have thought she was crazy and wouldn't have believed her.

[Tara_Golby]

I thought Truly, Madly was a lot of fun to read.  It's an easy read, but definitely a page turner and I'm a sucker for a series so I'm excited to pick up the next book!

As for telling Sean the truth, I was a little frustrated by the fact that Lucy would just avoid anything she didn't want to talk about but at the same time, he would have thought she was crazy had she been honest right away.  This way, he was able to get to know her before having to decide whether he thought she was crazy or not!

[Re76]

I would describe this book as a fun light read that uses humor, light romance and just enough suspense to keep you reading and wanting more. ( Can't wait for the next in the series).

If Lucy would have told Sean sooner it would have changed the book and relationship between the characters.

[emperatrix]

I would describe it as a quick, engaging read with a romantic storyline and a dash of suspense and a touch of the paranormal. Lucy and Sean are fun and charismatic characters that you come to love and know more about.

I think if Lucy had been honest from the beginning, Sean might have dismissed her and turned down the case, and the chance to get to know her.

[1AnneB]

Hi Everyone - I enjoyed Truly, Madly very much. It was fun and entertaining but a good mystery. The gradual build up of romantic tension between Lucy & Sean was engaging. I think that if Lucy had been honest from the beginning, it would have altered that tension.

Anne

[BaseballMomma]

I would describe the book as a fun mystery/romance read that has a lot of humor. The family/friendship/romace dynamics keep a reader intrigued and wanting to come back for more.

If Lucy had told Sean about her abilities from the start, I don't think he would have taken her as seriously. I think it would have been harder for her to prove herself to him. Because she waited and got to know him, he got to know her, and they really developed trust with one another it was easy for him to believe her.

[SoozeSC]

Truly Madly is a pleasant mix of mystery/suspense/humor & romance.

The characters are appealing--Lucy is delightful--sassy, strong and loyal. Plenty of mileage with the bickering parents & grandmother--and all that family history with the "gift". of matchmaking! So many possibilities for all sorts of match.miss scenarios. Loved it when Lucy told off the snooty woman who insisted she must meet someone of her social background. The setting of Boston is nice--the author knows the city well. Sean is a good character--cant wait to find out more about him. He & Lucy are good together--a new generation a la The Thin Man's  Nick & Nora.

If Lucy had revealed her psychic talents to Sean earlier, they might have gotten together earlier...that was my only disapppointment--the book needed more Lucy & Sean.

I like Heather's writing sty;e, looking forward to the next in this series, and hopefully, more to come!

[catlover0908]

Truly Madly is a perfect blend of romance and mystery and kept me hooked from the beginning. Anyone who enjoys either genre should have a blast reading it. I think if Lucy had revealed her talents to Sean earlier he would've thought her too wacky to take her seriously.

[fronkster]

I would say its a quick, fun, light read. I was afraid that it was going to be a dumb read (not to be rude) at first, but it was really interesting. The plot was good, and I never felt like the plot was so easy to figure out that I was going to lose interest. And I love the Grandmother. I don't have one like her, but the way she acted it would have been fun to. I really like the book!!