Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Dating Da Vinci

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Title: Dating Da Vinci
Author: Malena Lott
Pages: 288
Yearly Count: 71

A 36 year old woman stuck in a rut, with two kids, a widow, and is unsure as to how to really be happy in life. Oh, yes she can be happy while eating fries and chocolate shakes, but as soon as they are gone, she is moping around again. Ramona Elise is a professor teaching an English Class when a beautiful Italian man walks in, and not just into her classroom, but into her life. Will he fit? Will she let him? Are they truly happy, or just no longer lonely?

I don't read chick lit very often, but sometimes it is nice. It is like that cotton candy that you wait for at the fair....not something you could handle for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but a sweet break. Reading Dating Da Vinci was that special treat. I read it during the read-a-thon, and it was good. Light, funny, silly, and still serious. There was enough intrigue to hold my attention and some aspects of mystery as well. I liked it....it was a nice treat of light, pink sweetness after reading Beasts of No Nation.

It is really interesting, it may be me, or just what I have read lately. But it seems that modern fiction is finally taking its dreamy eyes off 18 year old blonds, and diving into the difficulties we will all face someday of aging. When you are no longer considered "young" or "full of promise". When you reach the age where people expect things of you, require more of you. In Dating Da Vinci Malena Lott does an excellent job of capturing that feeling of inadequacy. The feeling of being older, uglier, and for that less valuable. But is that really true, or do we imagine it? One thing I do know, we as a society need to learn to age gracefully and allow others to do the same.

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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is in my TBR pile and yours is the first review of it I've read. Glad to see it's a positive one.

Malena Lott said...

Bethany,
Thanks so much for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
All best,
Malena

bethany (dreadlock girl) said...

bermudaonion- I really hope you enjoy it too. It is a good read!

malena lott-
YAY! Thanks so much for stopping by, it is such a special treat when authors stop by and leave a comment :)
Great writing, keep it up!

Traci said...

I read this one during the read-a-thon, too. I've got to get my review posted later this week.

Darlene said...

Great review Bethany. I've wanted to read this one for a while. I've noticed too that a lot of the novels are geared towards older women and I like that. I agree on aging gracefully-it's meant to be.

Anonymous said...

This sounds interesting and is definitely more geared toward where I am today. I really like what you said about aging gracefully.

Anonymous said...

hey bethany.. i haven't read this book but i am definitely going to.. it sounds great!:) just the perfect read after a heavy book!
and i loved your analogy - cotton candy! so perfect!:)

Grammers said...

I could use some cotton candy - I'm going to read this one. I was wondering the same thing about the aging trend in romance stories. I thought maybe I was just picking out the "older babe" stories because I liked them - but maybe the world is recognizing the power of mature love. I know I have so much more to give to a relationship than I did at 18.

Now...if only a handsome Italian would walk into my English class. Oh wait, he would be 13 if he did, so forget that.

Anna said...

I like chick lit once in awhile, and this sounds like a great read. I agree with you about aging gracefully. I'd rather read about women dealing with getting older in a realistic way...not running out and having surgery! LOL

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric