If I Were You by Lisa Renee Jones - AMAZING!

Kerstin · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 1124 Location: Germany

I'm 3/4 through the book and I'm thrilled. It is not a copycat of FS and I don't even think that Sarah resembles Ana (apart from the hair color). I would put her in the category tortured heroine or heroine with a past. I don't know how honest she is, she tells Chris that she hasn't had a sexual relationship in five years but she's still on the pill (for no medical reason, obviously), besides in an earlier chapter she spoke about eighteen months of sexual abstinence. The fact that she so easily enters in an only sex relationship and is on the pill don't really fit to her pure school teacher image. There's more to her than meets the eye.

Kerstin

PS.: Who else had a mental visual image of Chris Merit while reading the book? Immediately Sawyer from Lost appeared before my inner eye. Not a bad image, I might add...

xina · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 6628 Location: minneapolis

[quote="Kerstin"]I'm 3/4 through the book and I'm thrilled. It is not a copycat of FS and I don't even think that Sarah resembles Ana (apart from the hair color). I would put her in the category tortured heroine or heroine with a past. I don't know how honest she is, she tells Chris that she hasn't had a sexual relationship in five years but she's still on the pill (for no medical reason, obviously), besides in an earlier chapter she spoke about eighteen months of sexual abstinence. The fact that she so easily enters in an only sex relationship and is on the pill don't really fit to her pure school teacher image. There's more to her than meets the eye.

Kerstin

PS.: Who else had a mental visual image of Chris Merit while reading the book? Immediately Sawyer from Lost appeared before my inner eye. Not a bad image, I might add...[/quote

Kerstin, well..now that you mention it...Josh Holloway is perfect. I was sort of picturing Josh Lucas. Blonde, like Holloway. Both perfect for Chris.

As for the mention of abstinence with Sarah, I didn't notice that, but a few posters have mentioned that. I'm wondering if that is an editing error, or a clue. It would be sooo interesting if it was a clue. I am hoping the author can surprise us. Please post when you finish the book to let us know your view of the conclusion.
_________________
"As you wish"
~The Princess Bride

xina · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 6628 Location: minneapolis

kmredd · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 217 Location: washington state

OK. I just finished it. What a cliff hanger and what fun! Thank you Linda for finding this for us. Now you need to go out and find another one! And hurry please. I'm dying here!LOL

Linda in sw va · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 4708

xina · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 6628 Location: minneapolis

Linda in sw va · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 4708

kmredd · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 217 Location: washington state

Linda in sw va · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 4708

Loved Motorcycle Man, my fav of the KA books I've read so far! Mystery Man is also a good one.

Linda
_________________
"The Bookshop has a thousand books, all colors, hues and tinges, and every cover is a door that turns on magic hinges." ~ Nancy Byrd Turner

kmredd · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 217 Location: washington state

Thank you Linda!

xina · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 6628 Location: minneapolis

xina · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 6628 Location: minneapolis

Kerstin · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 1124 Location: Germany

Now that I have finished the book I see some similarities between FSOG and IIWY but it is still an original story.

If you found a journal would you read it?

Oh, yes!

■Why would Mark — a smart man – hire Sara without checking references? What do you think his motives were?

He has had the hots for her and wants her for his private club. He somehow got the impression that she would go for it (maybe because he didn't buy Sarah's made-up story about her connection to Rebecca)

■Do you think Chris and Mark were once friends and if so why?

I think they were once friends. Something went wrong in the club and then it all went downhill IMO. I even thought they might have had an affair because Chris at one point says "I f_ck and get f-cked" so that might indicate bisexuality. Well, at least that would be the case if it were a French novel...

■Why if Sara was rich growing up has she not traveled? What clue do you think this might be to her past?

I think her father was very abusive and manipulative and kind of kept her locked up until she was of age. He even managed to orchestrate her engagement to Michael which seemed like something a father from 18 th. century would do.

■Who do you think is the man from the journal and why?

The creepy guy from the storage room at the beginning-the way he was introduced he must play a huge role.

■What do you think happened to Rebecca?

She's dead IMO.

■Do you think it’s okay for two consenting adults to participate in a BDSM style relationship?

For me it depends on the level of BDSM and the level of sanity of the two consenting adults if it is OK for me or not. If someone suffers from depression, borderline syndrom or a personality order, addictions...he or she might not be able to handle such a relationship. Besides it depends on the level of BDSM and if it can cause permanent bodily harm or even death or if there's a high risk involved that such a thing might occur. For example there are people who engage in breath play which is highly risky, David Carradine died from it. Also older people with heart problem should proceed with caution. But generally: Yes.

■How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?

I do not think anyone changed during the story. Only aspects of these characters were brought to light that were always there. Perhaps Chris changed insofar as he let a woman in his life, at least to a certain degree. But he doesn't really handle it well and is still stuck in his old patterns( the same goes for Sarah though I think she handled it better than Chris). I think a change might occur in the following book, though.

■Did certain parts of the book make you uncomfortable? If so, why did you feel that way?

No.

■How did you experience the book? Were you engaged immediately, or did it take you a while to ”get into it”? How did you feel reading it—amused, sad, disturbed, confused, bored…?

I wasn't immediately spellbound, that happened though after Sarah met Chris and Mark for the first time.

■If you could ask the author a question, what would you ask? Have you read other books by the same author? If so how does this book compare? If not, does this book inspire you to read others? Wink

I would ask her why Sarah lied about her alleged five years sexual abstinence or if it was simply a mistake by the author to mention eighteen months of abstinence in the beginning.

I have not read any other book by that author.

Kerstin