Review by Booklist Review
Ava is the smart sister, an L.A. lawyer who hasn't dated in years. Lauren is the pretty sister, an unemployed New York stylist buried in debt. Lauren returns to L.A. when their mother is diagnosed with breast cancer. Between chauffeuring her to chemo appointments, Lauren finds an old contract betrothing Ava to Russell, the son of family friends, and decides a reunion is in order. Though Ava finds herself uncharacteristically falling for Russell, she can't believe a man would choose her over her glamorous sister. She nearly lets her skepticism ruin her shot at love until Lauren meddles again. LaZebnik, author of Knitting under the Influence (2006), writes a funny and endearing novel that truly captures the devotion and rivalry between sisters. Whether they relate to the smart one or the pretty one (or both), readers will find this book irresistible.--Walker, Aleksandra Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In the winning latest from Knitting Under the Influence author LaZebnik, sisters Ava and Lauren Nickerson look a lot alike, but hyperpractical attorney Ava, 29, wears dowdy clothes and holds men at arm's length, while flashy, debt-ridden boutique owner Lauren, a few years younger, goes for the quick romantic fix. Drawn together in L.A. by their mother's illness, they determine to straighten each other out. Soon Ava ropes Lauren onto a budget, while Lauren, having uncovered a playful contract in which their parents jokingly betrothed Ava at age eight to a neighbor's young son, decides to find out if the grown-up two--who are strangers--might indeed make a match. The fact that fiance-designate Russell Markowitz proves to be twice-divorced presents no obstacle to Lauren, especially after she learns that he works in the clothing industry and might be of assistance in making over Ava. Despite the lightweight premise, moments of real depth combine with witty dialogue as LaZebnik deftly spins each turn convincingly to avoid easy answers. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
LaZebnik (Knitting Under the Influence; Same As It Never Was) has written another alluring tale of two seemingly different sisters, Ava and Lauren. Both think they have the answers for how the other sibling should live, ignoring some glaring gaps in their own personal history. Ava is the successful lawyer who can always be found in the frumpiest of frocks, whereas her younger sister lights up a room with her fashionable wardrobe but is now financially depleted because of it. When Ava decides to have Lauren sign a contract that states she will spend money only on necessities, Lauren humorously and affectionately decides that Ava should be held accountable to a "contract" their mother agreed to over 20 years ago that betrothed her to one Russell Markowitz. After Lauren tracks Russell down in an attempt to hook him up with her sister, Ava meets him and is erroneously convinced that Lauren is more his stylish type. It takes tender family bonding and some self-discovery for the two to realize that they are more alike than they thought. Recommended for fans of intelligent chick lit and all public libraries.--Anne Miskewitch, Chicago P.L. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Sisters reunite over a family cancer scare. Lauren is busy living large in New York City when she gets a disturbing e-mail from back home in Los Angeles. Across the country, her big sister Ava gets the same e-mail at her law firm. The news: The sisters' mother has early-stage breast cancer and will be undergoing radiation therapy. With little tying her to her job and city, the peripatetic Lauren retreats home to California. But she can't leave her troubles behind: Along with loads of cute outfits Lauren is packing a nasty credit-card problem (she simply can't say no when it comes to cute strappy sandals). More serious sister Ava doesn't share this live-for-the-day attitude. For Ava, life is about sensible Aerosol shoes and racking up billable hours at the firm. When the two girls move in together it's the traditional odd-couple scenario: Lauren's the clotheshorse with a zillion face creams and Ava's the tidy one who sticks to a budget. Nerves are frayed as the sisters meddle in each other's lives. Despite her protestations, Lauren offers the excitement that Ava's life needs. But rather than embrace her younger sibling's zesty lifestyle and sunny outlook, Ava decides to teach Lauren about responsibility and puts her on a tight financial leash. In retribution, Lauren decides to become a stealthy matchmaker. Of course, each girl has the other's best interests at heart, but the well-worn story line is pretty much a snooze, and comparisons between this work and Jennifer Weiner's In Her Shoes are inevitable. LaZebnik (Knitting Under the Influence, 2006, etc.) understands the dynamic between sisters, but her characters are stereotypes and they weigh down the already dowdy plot. Flatter than a ballet slipper. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
