Helpful Score: 3
One of my most favorite books to date. It was such a fun book to read! Lots of giggles and awwwws. Not to mention the final YahHoo!!! Loved it!!!
Helpful Score: 2
In this stand alone, Strohmeyer departs from her Bubbles character...although she does make a brief appearance. Never the less, The Cinderella Pact displays the author's usual keen sense of humor. Can three plus-size ladies lose the weight they feel they must? Will anyone discover the secret identity of Sass's new columnist? Will Cinderella find her prince? A quick and fun read that gives you a bit to think about.
Helpful Score: 2
Very entertaining story about a plus size girl who decides to grab life by the horns and chase her dreams. Magazine editor Nola Devlin is like most of us; haunted by her weight problem and her habit of comfort eating and no exercise, she is viewed with disgust or indifference by people around her. Her supervisor practically ridicules her when turning her down for an opportunity to write a column so Nola decides to exact a little retribution and invents a fictional columnist who gets the job instead. Nola doesnt count on Belinda Apples global popularity and when questions begin to arise regarding the validity of Belindas identity and resume, Nola is faced with an internal investigation that could cost her not only her credibility but her career and freedom.
While this is occurring, Nola finds herself and her friends treated in a discriminatory fashion at a restaurant when they want to sit closer to a window. The friends make a vow to lose the weight and come back to the restaurant thin, gorgeous and all made up (a la Pretty Woman) to let the snide employee know what a horrible mistake he made in treating them so poorly.
Unfortunately, its not just her employer, coworkers and restaurant wait staff who treats her badly. Nolas mother and sister are convinced that Nola is jealous of her sisters upcoming wedding and upset that Nolas sister would invite Belinda to be her maiden of honor. Nolas soon to be brother-in-law seems to take every opportunity to guess Nolas weight and makes sure everyone within hearing distance knows too.
After a particularly mortifying day wherein Nolas car catches fire and she busts out the back of her pants, she accepts a ride home from one of her coworkers, Chip. She likes Chips easy-going, laid-back manner and is surprised that he seems to like her as well. She discovers that Chip isnt who she thought he was, literally. The man she thought he was worked in the technical assistance department but is much shorter and speaks with a Scottish brogue. So now Nola finds herself attracted to a man whose identity is a mystery. Nobody could use the services of a Fairy Godmother more than Nola Devlin.
I really enjoyed the story and loved Nola and her friends Deb and Nancy. I, too, found myself with a bit of a crush on the mysterious Chip. I especially liked that he did not appear to give a flying fig about Nolas weight. He comes across as liking her for who she is and that scores major points with me. There are a lot of supporting characters that add to the story, such as Nigel, the presumed boyfriend of the fictional Belinda. He ends up saving the day for Nola in more ways than one. There are many laugh out loud moments in this story; my favorite is when Nola rips her pants at work.
The only problem I had with this book was the blatant in my face intrusion of Bubbles Yablonsky into this story. Not all readers may pick up on it, but I did. Having Bubbles show up more than once in this story was like having ice cold water dumped on my head. Her appearance has absolutely no relevance to Nolas story and it actually pulled my attention out of this book. Bubbles has a series of her own. Ive read them and enjoy them, but I dont want to see Bubbles getting air time on someone elses story.
Overall, I found this book very enjoyable and great entertainment. If you can ignore the party crashing of irrelevant characters, give this one a shot. I enjoyed the way Nola resolves all of the dilemmas she faces without losing her charm.
While this is occurring, Nola finds herself and her friends treated in a discriminatory fashion at a restaurant when they want to sit closer to a window. The friends make a vow to lose the weight and come back to the restaurant thin, gorgeous and all made up (a la Pretty Woman) to let the snide employee know what a horrible mistake he made in treating them so poorly.
Unfortunately, its not just her employer, coworkers and restaurant wait staff who treats her badly. Nolas mother and sister are convinced that Nola is jealous of her sisters upcoming wedding and upset that Nolas sister would invite Belinda to be her maiden of honor. Nolas soon to be brother-in-law seems to take every opportunity to guess Nolas weight and makes sure everyone within hearing distance knows too.
After a particularly mortifying day wherein Nolas car catches fire and she busts out the back of her pants, she accepts a ride home from one of her coworkers, Chip. She likes Chips easy-going, laid-back manner and is surprised that he seems to like her as well. She discovers that Chip isnt who she thought he was, literally. The man she thought he was worked in the technical assistance department but is much shorter and speaks with a Scottish brogue. So now Nola finds herself attracted to a man whose identity is a mystery. Nobody could use the services of a Fairy Godmother more than Nola Devlin.
I really enjoyed the story and loved Nola and her friends Deb and Nancy. I, too, found myself with a bit of a crush on the mysterious Chip. I especially liked that he did not appear to give a flying fig about Nolas weight. He comes across as liking her for who she is and that scores major points with me. There are a lot of supporting characters that add to the story, such as Nigel, the presumed boyfriend of the fictional Belinda. He ends up saving the day for Nola in more ways than one. There are many laugh out loud moments in this story; my favorite is when Nola rips her pants at work.
The only problem I had with this book was the blatant in my face intrusion of Bubbles Yablonsky into this story. Not all readers may pick up on it, but I did. Having Bubbles show up more than once in this story was like having ice cold water dumped on my head. Her appearance has absolutely no relevance to Nolas story and it actually pulled my attention out of this book. Bubbles has a series of her own. Ive read them and enjoy them, but I dont want to see Bubbles getting air time on someone elses story.
Overall, I found this book very enjoyable and great entertainment. If you can ignore the party crashing of irrelevant characters, give this one a shot. I enjoyed the way Nola resolves all of the dilemmas she faces without losing her charm.
Helpful Score: 2
This is a great chick lit read. It's a great story of friends who are trying to lose weight and start the 'cinderella pact'. It is a quick and great read!
Helpful Score: 2
I had this book on my wish list for almost a year, so I finally gave up and bought it. It was worth every penny - a fun, fast read. The central story, about three women and their personal battles with weight loss is one so many of us can relate to. Nola Devlin's own story of how her frustration at being "overweight and frumpy" leads to her double life is hilarious and also very touching. I highly recommend this one.
Helpful Score: 2
This was such a great book!! You can't help rooting for Nola to pull it off. This is a great book for any overweight woman who feels like she's been dissed just because of her weight.
Helpful Score: 1
Funny, well-written book.
Helpful Score: 1
Nola Devlin has a secret identity. By day, she is an overweight frumpy editor at a celebrity magazine. At night, she is a thin, gorgeous, British advice columnist for the magazine's readers. "Belinda" starts giving weight loss advice, that surprisingly Nola's best friends begin to follow, not realizing Nola and Belinda are the same people. Very funny read!
Helpful Score: 1
Oh, I enjoyed this fluffy chick lit book with its sparkly cover quite a bit. It was a very fun read. It was silly and romantic and had pretty much a happy ending. All in all, it was fun and I think that I'll keep an eye out for her other books to have more of these fun, fluffy reads.
Beautiful story and very funny. Love it!
This book is a very cute book. The first I've ever read from this author and it won't be my last.
It's not that I didn't like the book so much as it's written in first person and because of that and the story line the heroine started out as whiney in my brain and I couldn't move past it.
My first book i've read by Sarah Strohmeyer, and definately won't be my last! I'm usually hesitant to pick up chick lit books as it isn't my normal genre but by the second chapter I was hooked. I felt I could relate to Nola. I also loved the ending. Will definately buy more of Sarah's books in the future. :)
I typically don't read chick lit types books, but this book was recommended to me so I read it. I'm glad I did. I was pleasantly surprised. In most other chick lit books, the heroines are really ditzy and shallow. The Cinderella Pact's heroine didn't to fit that mold. The story moves at a brisk pace. The plot seemed believable to me especially given the world in which we live today.
Great light summer reading!
A modern-day fairy tale. This book will be especially appreciated by anyone who has struggled to lose weight. I loved it.
Overwieght Nola lives a secret life. Seemingly invisable to her coworkers, Nola is writing the hottest column in the magazine as the thin and gorgeous Belinda. Everybody wants to meet the elusive Belinda, including Nola's sister.
Good book. Look forward to reading more by this author!
The Cinderella Pact is a fast-paced, duplicitous twist on the traditional Cinderella story. When main character, Nola Devlin, is immediately rejected for the columnist job she wants at the magazine where she is a low-level editor, presumably due to her weight, she submits an application under the false identity of Belinda Apple, who is skinny, stylish, and British (according to the picture Nola photoshops).
Though this novel borrows heavily from the much-used Jennifer Weiner emphasis on the insecurities of overweight women and the related societal cruelty and indifference they face on a daily basis, including the extreme deprivation felt during a diet and exercise regime to lose the weight and "change their lives", the rest of the story keeps your attention through the ever higher stakes faced by the main character in the course of hiding her secret identity and trying to find true love.
The vignettes of Nola's flawed family ring true, as does her close female friendships. For anyone who identified with the Devil Wears Prada, there's also an evil boss thrown in for good measure.
Though this novel borrows heavily from the much-used Jennifer Weiner emphasis on the insecurities of overweight women and the related societal cruelty and indifference they face on a daily basis, including the extreme deprivation felt during a diet and exercise regime to lose the weight and "change their lives", the rest of the story keeps your attention through the ever higher stakes faced by the main character in the course of hiding her secret identity and trying to find true love.
The vignettes of Nola's flawed family ring true, as does her close female friendships. For anyone who identified with the Devil Wears Prada, there's also an evil boss thrown in for good measure.
Throughout the story you can't help but pulling for Nola and hoping that everything works out in her favor. I'd consider this first introduction to Sarah Strohmeyer a success and I look forward to reading her other books as well. Great chic lit author!
I enjoyed this book for the most part. I did get a little tired of the main characters whining about her weight but then that's what this book was about. I was disappointed to see that the main character could and would not accept herself as a vibrant beautiful woman until the very end. Being a heavy set woman myself I found that attitude to be rather insulting. You are only as beautiful as you think you are. I don't think I would recommend this author for her ability to delve into the psychological aspects of weight gain and lose but as for writing it was an enjoyable quick read.
Such a fun, warm-hearted read. The perfect pick-me-up. Nola is fat, not just a bit, but severely overweight. With the encouragement of her friends they form the Cinderella pact to lose weight once and for all. Even at work Nola has had to pretend to be someone else, the glamorous Belinda. But just as a handsome stranger walks into her life everything else goes bonkers. Just enjoyed this so much!
Magazine editor Nola Devlin is turned down for her dream job because she is overweight, she decides to become thin--- or at least pretend to be! Three hours with photoshop , Nola creates an alter ego "Belinda Apple", who is thin, British, hip and thin! Unfortunately Nola takes Belinda too far, jotting off a column about how easy it is to lose weight, a column her friends take seriously. trapped by her own words, Nola is forced to join the
"Cinderella pact" with her good friends nancy & Deb, and with dreams of Cinderella, together they drop off the pounds.
Plus there is a mysterious hunk who might be Nola's prince - or a rat in coachman's clothing. Will this "Evergirl" from New Jersery finally find a glass slipper that fits? or doe glass slippers shatter on the feet of real women like us?
"Cinderella pact" with her good friends nancy & Deb, and with dreams of Cinderella, together they drop off the pounds.
Plus there is a mysterious hunk who might be Nola's prince - or a rat in coachman's clothing. Will this "Evergirl" from New Jersery finally find a glass slipper that fits? or doe glass slippers shatter on the feet of real women like us?
