Fast Women

By: Jennifer Crusie

Narrated by: Sandra Burr

Length: 13 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Jennifer Crusie returns with her most hilarious, sizzling novel yet.

Nell Dysart's in trouble. Her divorce is 18 months old, she's been sleepwalking through life, and the best job she can get is with a detective agency that specializes in relationship work. Determined to turn her life around, Nell flings herself into making McKenna Investigations a better place.

On day one, she uncovers an embezzler. On day two, she turns up bribery. On day three, she has sex with the wrong man. On day four, she steals a dog. On day five, her boss tries to fire her... And fails miserably. Because even Gabe McKenna has to admit that no matter how much he hates the confusion she's brought into his life, Nell shares his passion for making things right.

It's not long before they share another passion, one they can't ignore - even in the face of distractions like adultery, blackmail, arson, murder, and really bad business cards.

©2004 Jennifer Crusie (P)2004 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Aglow with the sparks of wit and romance...smart and sassy." ( Kirkus Reviews)
"A beach book for your brain...a sexy, intellectual read." ( Redbook)
"Burr puts her all into the steamy scenes that get better and better as the book progresses." ( AudioFile)

Liked it, mostly.

What did you love best about Fast Women?

I liked getting to know the characters

What did you like best about this story?

How the characters evolved.

Which character – as performed by Sandra Burr – was your favorite?

Nell

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not necessarily

Any additional comments?

Do the narrators have any latitude in leaving out the 'he saids' and 'she saids'---those were somewhat tedious to listen to.

I loved it

The book made me laugh kept me listing
She’s a good writer I also listened to bet me by her she keeps you interested in the story lines

A great listen!

Kept surprising me when I thought I figured it out.....was hard to 'put down' when I needed to.

Fun entertaining listen.

The story was entertaining, the characters charming and fun but there were times when Nell seemed older than she was supposed to be. She seemed more middle aged than her 30 some years. This may have been a narrator issue. As I have not read but only listened to the book, I can not be sure. However, perhaps a different narrator for this story would have made it a little more enjoyable.

You'll Cheer for Nell the Whole Time!

Jennifer Cruise does a great job of providing a main character that's very easy to sympathize with and cheer for. The reader follows Nell as she finds her way from wiped-out divorcee to hot lover. The relationship she has with Gabe definitely sizzles! At times you'll want to slap some sense into both of them :) One of the things I found interesting--maybe a little disturbing--about this book is that some of the supporting characters seem very old-fashioned. Perhaps it's simply generational, but I was surprised to find leading women discussing whether or not they should work/have a career. Yet, what you'll love about all the women in this book is that they are there for each other, understanding of one another, and ultimately make the life decisions that will make them the happiest. I liked that none of the characters were perfect. Their flaws only made them that much more likeable.

Rom com delight

Jennifer Crusie’s romantic comedies are my happy place! I will reread them every chance I get!

Couldn't put it down!

I'll agree that the plot was not quite your everyday normal life story, however the whole story was so intriguing that I kept my earphones on whenever I could to keep listening to the story! The imagery kept the whole thing fresh and clear in my mind's eye, the voices differed enough that you could keep the multitude of characters straight, and I kept crossing my fingers for everything to work out for Nell and the rest of the crew. I loved the china and how a collection could almost become a character in the story. And being a "first wife" I loved to see how Nell interacted with her ex-husband and his new wife!

Great Read

If you could sum up Fast Women in three words, what would they be?

A fun entertaining story of how one woman handles divorce. Good insight by the author on how women can feel in these situations

What about Sandra Burr’s performance did you like?

Very pleasant voice. Easy to listen to.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

One of my favorites

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book to a friend. In the simplest of terms, it's a story about normal women feeling empowered and at peace after terrible break-ups. Throw in some conspiracy, murder and cover-ups, great dialogue and punchlines, and you have this fabulous book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Fast Women?

The china. lol If you haven't ready the book you may not get that answer, though there is a huge coffee cup on the cover. But the china in the book was everything. I've never been into china...ever..but the china and the way they felt about there china was so interesting that I find myself wanting some egg cups :/

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene was when Nell went apesh*t on her ex-husband in his office after finding out that he'd lied to her...classic. I can't help but grin every time I listen to it.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No tears, but there was lots of laughs.

Any additional comments?

I haven't mentioned this yet but I LOVE Sandra Burr. She is so fantastic at what she does. Her timing and delivery was perfect and I loved listening to her read.

Crusie - always a fun read

I've been a big fan of Jennifer Crusie since I first listened to Bet Me. Now I own most of her books in one form or another (and a few in print and audio). This isn't among my favorite - I reread it maybe once a year - but I still enjoy it, and it holds up well to multiple reads or listens.

There's a large cast of characters and a lot going on - romance (of course), crime, sisterhood, and dog-napping. Always dogs, and if I ever decide to get a dog, it'll be Jennie's fault.

The story is complex enough to carry all the characters, and the characters are well enough written to carry the story. All in all, it's a satisfying read, and Sandra Burr does a good job with it.