Strange Bedpersons

By: Jennifer Crusie

Narrated by: Madison Vaughn

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

A heartwarming tale of opposites attracting, from the first name in romantic comedy: Jennifer Crusie!

Tess Newhart knows her ex-boyfriend, Nick Jamieson, isn't the right guy for her. He's caviar and champagne; she's take-out Chinese pot stickers. He's an uptight Republican lawyer; she was raised in a commune and thinks Cinderella is politically incorrect. He wants to get ahead in business; she just wants...him...only not the social-climbing Nick, but the sweet, caring, unbuttoned-down Nick. And Nick wants her, too, but there's no way Tess is about to play second fiddle to his obsession to make partner.

Yet somehow she finds herself agreeing to play his fiancée for a weekend business trip that could make or break Nick's career. And while he's wrapped up in convincing Tess that he needs her in his respectable world, Tess is doing her best to keep her left-wing opinions to herself and her hands off Nick.

©2009 Jennifer Crusie (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Crusie seems incapable of writing a boring page or one that's not aglow with sparks of wit and romance." ( Kirkus Reviews)

I'm sorry!

I keep writing reviews of this book and deleting them because I love Jennifer Crusie and don't want to be mean.(What if authors have some horrible traffic accident compusion to read these reviews?)

Okay - here goes. While Welcome to Temptation makes me wish I could write, Strange Bedfellows sounds like something someone like me did write. It sounds like something written by a not very good writer who likes Jennifer Crusie.

I don't know how that happened, but whatever there is of Crusie's energy and wit here is wasted on this uninteresting story of two very uncompeling people who have zero chemistry together. I listened to the first hour thinking she still hadn't introduced the hero. But she did. He was just very very dull. (I never heard the end so maybe a new guy shows up in chapter 10 - but I doubt it.) As for the plot... it's like the hero.

Maybe it's part of the new 'romantic realism' trend. Taking the fantasy out of romance so that women develop realistic expectations about relationships.

Result for me: Kinda like spinach ice cream. Or perhaps a dust sandwich. Ew.

Re-listen to Crusie's good books (there are many - check the stars) and leave this be.

Couldn't finish it

I have been a fan of Jennifer Crusie for many years now, and this is the first one of her books that I simply could not finish. The entire premise of the book was ludicrous, and the individual characters were either whinny or just plain unrealistic. The lead characters were so mismatched that it's hard to believe that he would have begged and pleaded that she be the one to go away with him for such a career-shaping weekend. And where JC books are generally known for their wit and humor, this book was not in the least bit funny. It was very disappointing.

Ehhhh

It was okay. Very predictable. Passed a few hours while I was cleaning, but cant say much more than that. I just finished it a couple of days ago and I had to go back and read the description again to remember what it was about because it was so forgetable.

Cute story!

I like Jennifer Crusie's books - always a light, fun read! This was another such book - funny characters/comments, some romantic fare, and a satisfying conclusion - great beach or poolside book!

Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie

This is a light romantic comedy and a good companion for a boring drive.

Like many of Jennifer Crusie's stories, this book is about two people physically attracted to each other, who enjoy conversations and time spent together, but whose goals and life styles are not just different but clash sharply. I enjoy reading about the way these people learn to appreciate the other person's point of view, compromise on some issues, and agree to disagree on other issues.

As another reviewer stated, Tess Newhart is annoying. But she is also interesting. With apologies to Jane Austen, Tess is something like Austen's Emma. Even Miss Austen said that Emma was someone "whom no-one but myself will much like". These young women want the best for their friends, and they think they know best. Emma wants her friend to marry a prosperous socially well placed man. Tess wants to get her friend away from a socially prominent wealthy lawyer. Unlike Emma and Mr. Knightly, however, one of the differences Tess and Nick have is that while they both like sex, Tess thinks spontaneity is essential. Although Nick doesn't require that a meeting for sex be penciled onto his calendar with his other appointments, beds are still better than the tops of grand pianos, dining tables, and two seater sport cars.

The first book that made me hate the work "said"

Here's a new drinking game for you. Take a shot every time the word "said" comes up in this book. You'll be hammered before you're halfway thru the first chapter. The majority of the story consists of "Tess said", "Gina said", "Nick said", and "Park said". I enjoyed Jennifer Crusie's first book in spite of the narrator that gasped at the end of every line. I had to fight to get past that and ignore it. However, listening to this narrator say those words in a flat voice over and over and over had me remembering a book mark I once possessed that had this phrase written on it: This is not a book that should be taken lightly. It must be thrown with great force.

Tip to the author: Invest in a thesaurus.

Hard work.

I love J. Crusie's writing. I'm so glad to have read many of her other books before listening to this one. Completely unlikeable heroine. I kept waiting for an improvement. Never came. Honestly, the most unpleasant heroine i have encountered.

OK OK OK

I listened to this book, forgot to do review and click it off my ipod. I was away on a trip and was going to catch some sun and saw it. I forgot I had listened to it, so started to listen. I got to the second chapter thinking I have heard this before so Jumped to the end. Yep I had. It was ok listen because if it was bad I would have remembered an wrote immediately. But, seems like if it had been a favorite I would have wrote right away, and remembered the book. Love Jennifer and her work, but this one must have been a sleeper for me. Not bad but not wow wow wow. Sorry

Break Away Now

Audible Escape
These stories stand the test of time. Good writing, generally no graphic offensive language and a strong heroine to set the pace of a story. I found this author as my favorite narrator Angela Dawe recorded 3 stories for the author. Author should like author Karin Slaughter,re record her older stories with Ms Dawe. Listening to a story is not just the overall plot, but the the narrator understanding the author and performing like a play. My scores for narrators are what makes me purchase an author. Most of author’s work is best enjoyed the 2nd time listening. Most listeners want the plot, but ms Crusie strength is in the dialogue so the second time is better. My fave is Trust Me on This. Short, funny, makes you smile big time AND feel good.
This story is good but like a couple of the stories on Audible Escape, this narrator is just ok. Not bad! But not great either so l don’t want to listen a second time. Narrator just does not have the timing down. And like in most of author work, needs a great narrator eg Sandra Burr, Ms Erickson, and Ms Dawe. So if only 1 try go with these narrators.
Loved the cat and our hero as he had drive and focus. Our heroine has spunk, but I had very mixed feelings about her main message. I did not appreciate how she dragged our hero into her space. Must love the 60’s and the hippie movement to relate to the heroine. So not my cup of tea.
I do use the 1.2 speed, give it a try
Were my comments of help?

Strange 🛌

More like, all the unusual/exciting places to be intimate. The last Crusie book I read Tess and Nick are together in, but their story is here. It reminds me so much of this story I heard about a woman and her ex that had tremendous passion and attraction for one another but that was where it ended. I think Tess and Nick are the perfect balance for each other, but the start of their relationship is rocky at best. Particularly when it comes to politics. Which are a hot button no matter who you are. As usual I was more impressed with the story and writing than with the narration, but it wasn’t bad. Vaughn does an okay job, not spectacular, but few narrators are.