by
3.32 of 5 stars
Library clerk Diane Anderson finds it easier to live vicariously through romance novels than to land a flesh-and-blood man of her own. She's too vo... read full description

reviews

Jul 25, 2011
Donisha rated it: 2 of 5 stars
I'm starting to sound like a negative Nellie but damn this book sucks! I don't know where to start. The characters weren't too memorable nor dynamic, and I have no idea how these the two main characters ended up the way they did because I didn't get too much chemistry from them. From their "backgrounds" it wouldn't seem as if they would ever consider one another. Not because of race but because they just seemed too weird for each other. There were other characters introduced that had n More...
Oct 06, 2010
Vixenne rated it: 1 of 5 stars
This book had so many things wrong with it, I'm not certain where to begin. Talk about recycling plot ideas - many of the tropes he uses in I'm Your Girl have showed up in his previous books - the tragedy-stricken white male writer (him) who may have once been a teacher (him again); the educated if somewhat naive and opinionated "sister girl" (his wife? I certainly hope not); the evil mother who is supposedly looking out for her baby's best interests - it didn't work for me in Renee an More...
Jun 17, 2010
Jheanelle rated it: 3 of 5 stars
This author was recommended to me by several friends here on Goodreads, but this book, wasn't all that I'd hoped it would be. The premise was solid, but I think a lot of what the author did (i.e. Diane's reviews of other books, Jack's constant conversations with his subconscious) took away from what could have been an excellent novel.

I skipped through a lot of Diane's reviews (all except for the ones actually for Jack's own book, Wishful Thinking). Because for the life of me, I couldn More...
Sep 15, 2010
Domino (aka Meme) rated it: 3 of 5 stars
let me start off with that this is one of few interracial novels i've read. there were several laughable parts and some endearing moments that made it enjoyable, but i found myself skipping more than half of the novel because of all the "mind" talking, book reviewing and writing the characters did. i did like the compassion of the male lead Jack and completely loved the ending and his surprises for Diane. the mom was annoying through out the novel but redeemed herself at the end. she b More...
Jul 14, 2010
Saundra rated it: 4 of 5 stars
A cute romantic read. I eyed this book at the library for a few weeks and finally picked it up (I'm in a multi-racial relationship as well) and didn't think I'd like it...but I like romances. I was pleasantly surprised and couldn't put the book down--a great plus for me. First of all I had thought this was a female author a quarter of the way, until I checked, and that's amazing. Also, I'm familiar with the location (Roanoke), so that caught my attention.

The only critical thing More...
Feb 01, 2012
April rated it: 5 of 5 stars
This book was completely different from anything I have read. At first, I thought there were too much “thinking” going on and not enough action. Slowly the stored wraps you up with its humor, wit, and charm. It was a touching and endearing story. Diane the lead character, and her mama for that fact, seem pushy and kind of spoiled. The whole ensemble of characters was great the unique way the story was told was great. Also, I like how the author inserted stories in throughout some of the “thinkin More...
Mar 31, 2010
Mimi rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Full-time librarian, part-time online book reviewer Diane (aka "Nisi" aka "Dee-Dee"...which she REALLY hates) Anderson's Mama's getting on her last good nerve and she's ready to go off. But she won't. It's Christmas Eve and with the holidays she's going to do her best to ignore her Mama when she says, "You can have any shade of man as long as he's black." Mama wants her happily married, but only if he's black. Meanwhile, Diane just wants to be happy with someone oth More...
Jul 04, 2010
Stasha rated it: 2 of 5 stars
This was the first book that I nearly stopped reading. I was thinking about calling it THE WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ. It started nicely, but then it got REALLY irritating when the books that the main characters were reading almost felt like it took over the story. Fine, the lady is a librarian, the guy is a writer, but oh please!
For awhile, I was like 'wtf is this, I don't feel like finishing this - it's crappy!'What is the relevance of all that?' So to ease my impatience, I skipped all More...
Sep 22, 2010
Okay, This one started out good until you get to all the "book reviewing" Diane was doing and the writing that Jack was doing. It was a bit to excessive and honestly, pointless IMO to have so much of this in the book. So after going through like 3 chapters of this, I started skipping the parts with this in it. If you can get through all this or just decide to skip it like me, you will find a really well written heart warming love story.

I was very pleased with this one. I More...
Jul 29, 2009
Diandra rated it: 1 of 5 stars
This book seriously was really really bad. I made it to page 61 by forcing myself and then I just couldn't do it anymore. It was just so unrealistic and the writing was just TERRIBLE. I read his other book Original Love (which also sucked) and then I saw that he was the author of one of my favorite movies "Something New". Sooooo, I decided to give him another try.

I couldn't do it. I just couldn't.

Plus all those other stories intertwined with the main is just More...
Jun 05, 2010
Andita rated it: 2 of 5 stars
It was a struggle to get through this book. I loved Diane because she reminded me of myself so much. Some of her comments could have come out of my own mouth. I also think the book had at least 200 extra pages it didn’t need. I have to give J.J. Murray his props I thought the woman character was totally believable. Now Jack the male character was a serious stretch but then again I might think that more because my handsome white man did not walk into my life yet. </p>

Diane s

More...
Aug 19, 2010
This was the very first book that I read by J.J Murray, and I have to be honest, at first I was pretty bored with reading what 'Diane' was reading and reviewing. I highly enjoyed 'Jack' and his conversations with himself, it was as if it was a whole other character, and it was comical at times. Once the characters interacted with each other and started to see more of each other, I couldn't put the book down. It was so wonderful how Jack found himself slipping into a regular life again because he More...
Oct 23, 2011
Reads_ten_each rated it: 2 of 5 stars
I can honestly and somewhat sadly say that this book was without a doubt in my mind bad and with that said I hope that I don't offend anyone buy saying that I, personally, didn't like this book.

Basically the plot is about a 25-year-old single African-american female who seems to be unlucky in love and is also librarian who reads advanced copies of books and reviews them. Her name is Diane. And the love interest, Jack, is a writer and widower of 30+ years who finds comfort in having s More...
Apr 21, 2011
Olga added it
I'm intrigued by someone who writes multicultural romance because I like to know their thought process of how one develops love. J.J. Murray was entertaining and I could relate to the characters circumstances. I also appreciated the author's references to the characters' beliefs as motivation for some physical retraint. It's nice to read a book with some description of contact without being explicit. I am looking forward to really additional books by Mr. Murray.
But I do have a question. Ca More...
May 15, 2010
Renee rated it: 3 of 5 stars
This book started kind of slow and at times it jumped from one plot to the next so quickly it was distracting from the main characters. Once I got to the middle of the book I must say I couldn't put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I did end up enjoying this book. I do realize many reviewers felt the ending of the book was unrealistic, but I feel that's sort of the point of fiction, especially romantic fiction. It takes you out of your everyday life and gives you f More...
Aug 12, 2010
Nenette rated it: 3 of 5 stars
I've won this book from FirstReads! It's the second I've won so far, so thanks, GoodReads! And thanks to JJ Murray for sending a signed copy.

This is the first inter-racial romance I've read and it was interesting. It's about a white man who writes novels and a black woman who works as a clerk in the public library and sidelines on giving book reviews.

The approach of alternating first person voices of the protagonists was very effective in conveying to the readers th More...
Jul 11, 2011
Tiffany rated it: 1 of 5 stars
I won this on first reads, and was excited to read it. This is the first novel I have read by JJ Murray. The first 120 pages are just horrible. They are so boring and hard to move through. Jack talks to himself, when he doesn't need to. His story can just be old via his thoughts instead of his thoughts talking back to him. Diane does nothing but sit home reviewing books, and YAY for the reader, we get to read the crap she is reading, instead of learning more about her and her story. The b More...
Mar 25, 2008
Demetria added it
I read a lot of "classic" literature, so lately I've been making an effort to read more contemporary fiction. I should have left this one on the shelf though. It's about an interracial romance and I thought maybe, just maybe, it might be interesting. Nah. For some God forsaken reason, the author forces the reader to sit through long, boring, horribly written passages of books that the main character is reviewing. Speaking of which, the voice of the main character (a black woman) does n More...
Jun 23, 2010
Chivon rated it: 3 of 5 stars
This was the first book that I have read by J.J. Murray, I picked it up because I was interested in reading an interracial romance novel just out of curiosity. Overall, I liked the book, but I couldn't figure out if I liked it or not until more than halfway through the book. I found Dianne's book reviews and Jack's conversations to be too draining on the overall story. In the end, they really don't make much difference to the story so first 200 pages of the book could definately be left out. More...
Apr 20, 2010
Denise rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I learned that my life may be boring but if I hold out LOVE will find me. This book made me feel hopeful that dispite what life throws at you you can survive and find REAL LOVE; REAL LOVE can find you no matter where you are. It is also important to keep yourself open and not shut out a potential LOVE because of color or job status or the other silly things we think are important to a good relationship. LOVE IS JUST LOVE. If you limit yourself you could be missing out on some extraordinary ex More...
Aug 04, 2009
Alexis rated it: 2 of 5 stars
Read about 40 pages and just couldnt go on. I ended up skimming the end of the book and it is quite fictional and predicatble. Not a fan of the authors writing either. The character Jack has this concious that keeps talking to him and it really annoyed me...to negative. I also did not like Jacks history - it was really too sad for the rest of this book...and honestly really made me not want to read the entire thing.
Aug 15, 2011
Malika rated it: 2 of 5 stars
I didn't remember that I'd purchased and read the paperback of this book until I purchased and started reading the nook book. <darn>

Unfortunately, not remembering you actually read a book is a tell-tale sign that the book was not memorable enough.

A light read, not as good as his other books, but an afternoon diversion over coffee or tea.
Jan 13, 2012
Ama rated it: 4 of 5 stars
The book took wayyyyy too long to get to the point. I hated that the books she read inside this book were more interesting than this book. I really wanted to hear more of them because it seemed this book was going no where and fast, yet those books had some action. Once they actually got it going a bit I was sucked in by their relationship, it was so weird, so interesting. Nice read if you cut off the first 25 chapters.
Jun 27, 2010
Charlisa rated it: 4 of 5 stars
The book started off slow, I learned you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, because when she first me jack, she passed judgement, After their second meeting, it was very good, funny, full of life, beside it starting off slow, it was a very good read. I enjoyed myself.
May 28, 2010
Sandra rated it: 4 of 5 stars
It was so refreshing to read a romantic comedy that is this well written. I can only say that I'm Your Girl is the perfect read for a warm summer day. I found myself lost in the characters and rooting for them to finally come together.
Jan 15, 2011
Pam rated it: 2 of 5 stars
This book is lucky I didn't give it a one star. I read a review 4 years ago and kept it on my TBR list. Finally found it and, man was it a disappointment. The first third of the book was confusing and hard to read. Will be very careful about reading this author again.
Aug 10, 2011
Danielle rated it: 1 of 5 stars
At the start of this book I really enjoyed it and couldn't put it down.
I got to page 60 and I was dissapointed that the book got a bit boring and couldn't finnish it.
I found both Characters were both the same.
May 17, 2010
Jessica rated it: 2 of 5 stars
"Won this on First reads"
Read rest of the Review at Sugar Lover Book Reviews
Diana to me comes of as a little cold hared, like she dose not gives things a chance first before she judges.For on, she will be reading a book and because she dose not believe in some thing in real life she will bash it before she really has the chance to get into it. Though i think she will change when she encounters Jack.

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Apr 21, 2011
Sabrina is currently reading it
So far kinda slow. Not sure if I am going to make it to the end. Alot of pages to read and the characters have not even met yet.
May 03, 2010
Yolanda rated it: 2 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed Jack's voice and story.He was the reason I finished the book. Diane seemed a little immature and I thought she was too quick to judge others.