Love, Inc. (Love, Inc., #1)

Oct 24, 2011 Kelly added it

Shelves: could-not-finish, ya-fiction

I don't hate chick lit. I really don't. Good chick lit is great reading for me. But...this was not good chick lit for me. It prattled on far too long and never gave the girls a chance to have a personality. Rico/Rick/Eric the cheater had more of a personality than the three girls who were angry he cheated on them and subsequently started a business to seek revenge/validate cheating concerns one member of a romantic couple may in a relationship.

All three of the girls discovered their three-timin...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Ari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

3.5 (I rounded up)

This is my second (first) Collins & Rideout novel and once again the theme here is girl-who-complains-about-not-being-very-pretty and yet she manages to get ALL THE GUYS. It's completely baffling because it's not even as if she suddenly became more confident and therefore more guys start to sit up and take notice of her. I couldn't help but roll my eyes every time a new guy began flirting with her and/or asked her out because hey she was supposed to be mousy and nothing 'sp...more 3.5 (I rounded up)

This is my second (first) Collins & Rideout novel and once again the theme here is girl-who-complains-about-not-being-very-pretty and yet she manages to get ALL THE GUYS. It's completely baffling because it's not even as if she suddenly became more confident and therefore more guys start to sit up and take notice of her. I couldn't help but roll my eyes every time a new guy began flirting with her and/or asked her out because hey she was supposed to be mousy and nothing 'special'. And *(view spoiler) The other thing that really bothered me was the age of the girls. They were sophomores, Zahra was fifteen but they acted like they were juniors or seniors. It just didn't make sense to me that girls so young would have gone threw almost every single relationship problem one can experience in high school. I was really skeptical as to how well Kali's matchmaking formula worked that was the only part of the business that seemed highly implausible to me. Granted there are people who love to match make (hello Emma) but that doesn't mean they are always going to be good at it. Kali's system wasn't always perfect which I liked but it was a very vague process as to how exactly she calculated their compatibility.

Surprisingly this was one book I didn't mind not having the perspectives of all the main characters. Zahra best describes the three girls' personalities "Kali bubbles over with options, so if she were in charge of mediation, no one would stay together long. She's a 'grass is always greener' type, I'm a 'look how green this grass is' type, and Syd's a 'torch the lawn' type. The balance works for us" (pg. 263), and they become fully vibrant characters through her narration. Syd and Kali's stories were fully explored, I finished the book feeling as though I fully understood each of the three girls as well as the minor characters. It's a long book and sometimes I would put it down and forget to pick it back up but I never felt lost upon resuming it and the pace was good. The story is highly entertaining, the methods of revenge are mostly realistic and quite impressive in how easily they could be replicated in real life as are the other aspects of the business except for the matchmaking. The meditation process made a lot of sense, sometimes all relationships need is a person in the middle to help bring them to their senses. And as harsh as the break up service seemed, sometimes it was handled better than what the other person might have done.

Love, Inc is a diverting read that isn't sickeningly sick, instead it's the right mix of lighthearted fun combined with accessible, genuine lessons about crushes and relationships. A bonus was the fact that Zahra was half Pakistani but her heritage wasn't the center of the plot, instead it focused on her relationship business that she started with Syd and Kali. She does complain a lot about her Scottish red hair and not feeling like a fully fledged MOT (Member of the Tribe) but she worries that her mother's parents who are visiting from Pakistan want to keep her newly separated parents apart permanently. Therefore she does everything in her power to resist her grandparents efforts to make her fully embrace her heritage, she doesn't want it to seem like shes betraying her dad's heritage and giving up on their marriage. I also loved how the setting of Austin, Texas was like a fourth main character which I love especially because I know little about Texas. Austin sounds like a vibrant, entertaining and artful city. I definitely recommend this story for the summer, not too heavy but not too light and if you liked John Tucker Must Die, you will really like this book.

PS This quote amused me and also gave me something to think about

"'You're getting brainwashed and you don't even know it. Pretty soon they'll have you wrapped up in a sari and on a plane to Karachi. They'll marry you off to the first old guy who offers a decent dowry.'
'Zahra! You're like a racist or something.' [Saliyah-Zahra's sister]
'It's not racism when you're mocking your own culture'" (pg. 133). Hmm is it or isn't it? I'm inclined to agree with her but I'm not 100% sure how I feel about mocking your own culture. Especially because someone will inevitably complain that that's 'not fair'. (less)

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Jun 17, 2011 Sarai rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction

I would have given this a 3.5

I did like this book, though it was a little long. I liked the development between the friends. I was not crazy about the revenge part of their work, and the sense that the book doesn't say it's bad to get revenge on someone who cheats on you.

SPOILER PARAGRAPH: The girls damage their boyfriend's car when they find out he was dating all three of them. They paint a unicorn on the front, put fish guts in the engine, and slash the tires. Then they put posters advertisin...more I would have given this a 3.5

I did like this book, though it was a little long. I liked the development between the friends. I was not crazy about the revenge part of their work, and the sense that the book doesn't say it's bad to get revenge on someone who cheats on you.

SPOILER PARAGRAPH: The girls damage their boyfriend's car when they find out he was dating all three of them. They paint a unicorn on the front, put fish guts in the engine, and slash the tires. Then they put posters advertising the car for sale. I'm very disappointed that the idea that this was wrong was never introduced.

I liked that you did not know who Zahra was going to end up with. I knew who I wanted her to end up with, and it was indeed the person she did end up with, but the way it was written it was kind of hard to tell who she'd really give a chance to. She gave some chances to people where I thought she should have just stayed away from them, but she was also going through a learning process.

I also had a problem with the events at the ending. Highly implausible for a book which had beforehand been pretty believable.

So I guess what I liked was the friendship that developed between the girls and watching Zahra's love life. :)

Product Description
Zahra, Kali, and Syd would never have met if their parents' marriages hadn't fallen apart. But when the three girls collide in group counseling, they discover they have something else in common: they've each been triple-timed by the same nefarious charmer, Eric, aka Rico, aka Rick. Talk about eye-opening therapy.

Cheerful, diplomatic Zahra is devastated. Rico had been her rock and sole confidant. How could she have missed the signs? Folksy, flirtatious Kali feels almost as bad. She and Rick had only been on a few dates, but they'd felt so promising. Hardened vintage-vixen Syd is beyond tears. She and Eric had real history... Or so she'd thought. Now all three girls have one mission: to show that cheater the folly of his ways.

Project Payback is such a success, the girls soon have clients lining up for their consulting services. Is your boyfriend acting shady? Dying to know if your crush is into you? Need match-making expertise? Look no further than Love, Inc. (less)

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Apr 04, 2011 Siti rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 11-grade-3rd-quarter, 11grade-shelf

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3rd QUARTER
SITI HM KHAIRI

Love, Inc.
by Yvonne Collins
409 pages
Hyperion $16.99
ISBN 1423131150

Kali, Syd and Zahra have the best boyfriends in the world. Correction: Kali, Syd and Zahra have the best BOYFRIEND (no "s") in the world. It was of little known fact that these three ladies of the opposite spectrum have the same taste in guys AND happen to have the same boyfriend. Wait, what?

Kali, Syd and Zahra are put into a church therapy session due to the separation of their parents. As if that was har...more

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Mar 29, 2011 Seanean rated it 3 of 5 stars

http://librarytalker.blogspot.com/201...

Zahra's life has always been a little different than everyone else's. Her father is Scottish and her mother is Pakistani, which makes Zahra a red-headed, curry-hating, pastry-cooking, half-Pakistani with a love of baking and a penchant for making cursed cookies that doom her relationships at the first taste.

Now that her grandparents have moved in and taken over her room and her parents have separated leaving Zahra with two half-homes and a pair of parents...more

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Jan 17, 2011 Kristin (Beneath Shining Stars, I Read) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Zahara Ahmed-MacDuff's parents are separated and Rico has been the one thing--well, guy--holding her together. When she's sentenced to do group therapy with other teens that are in her situation (parents divorced or separated), she meets Kali and Syd, two girls who share one thing in common with Zahara--Rico who is also known as Rick although his real name is Eric. Yes, he's been playing all three of them along and once they find out, they decide to get revenge. Although originally intended to j...more

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Aug 01, 2011 slayra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: in-english, 2011-reads, ya-fiction

RATING: 3 stars

Love, Inc is a contemporary YA romance and a perfect beach/ summer read. It was just the light, fluffy read I was looking for after "A Dance with Dragons".

Zahra, Kali and Syd have two things in common: their broken families and... their boyfriend! After meeting at a support group for teenagers with divorced or separated parents, the three girls realize that they have all been dating the same boy. He has three different names and leads three separate lives... so Zahra, Kali and Syd...more

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Dec 09, 2010 Christianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Zahra Ahmed-MacDuff gets remanded to group therapy after her father finds her making out with her new beau Rico while a fire threatens to burn down the kitchen. Zahra is a "Scotistani" Texan, half Scottish and half Pakistani, and high school sophomore who, along with the other teens in group therapy, is not handling the separation of her parents well. She blames it all on her Pakistani grandparents, who are on an extended visit and are very antagonistic towards Zahra's father. But just when she...more Zahra Ahmed-MacDuff gets remanded to group therapy after her father finds her making out with her new beau Rico while a fire threatens to burn down the kitchen. Zahra is a "Scotistani" Texan, half Scottish and half Pakistani, and high school sophomore who, along with the other teens in group therapy, is not handling the separation of her parents well. She blames it all on her Pakistani grandparents, who are on an extended visit and are very antagonistic towards Zahra's father. But just when she thinks life can't get more miserable, she discovers that Rico's been cheating on her with two other girls in her therapy group. Heartbroken, Syd, Kali and Zahra put their differences aside to take revenge on Rico (aka Rick and Eric)and create a friendship in the bargain. The adrenaline rush they get from the payback leads them to the idea for a start-up business, Love, Inc. Services include relationship counseling, matchmaking, and private investigating. Though their high on success and the cash the business is raking in, the girls can't seem to take their own relationship advice or solve seemingly intractable problems at home.

I enjoyed this book very much. Three smart, witty, and strong teen girls are creating a friendship their different personalities and troubled lives. The dialogue is crackling and is balanced with just the right amount of reflection and exposition. A great book for teen girls. A little romance plus revenge that we've all fantasized when our relationships have gone sour.

Sure their relationship insights and business skills are more likely possessed by older adults than by high school teens, but because you like and care for the characters, it works. There are many doses of reality too as the girls' face problems at home. Love Inc. provides the girls, and the reader, with a great escape.

Zahra, the main character,reveals her struggles with self-esteem as she compares herself to arty, fierce Syd and spunky, beautiful Kali. But her confidence is building as she embraces her mediation skills and pursues her dream of being a celebrity chef.

It's not a one-dimensional teen romance either. Zahra, the product of a Scottish-American father and Pakistani Muslim mother, struggles to accept her mother's culture especially since she believes her parents' struggles stem from an extended visit from her Pakistani grandparents. Zahra's grandparents seem a bit like caricatures but they are secondary characters and even their concerns makes sense by the end of the book. (less)

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Sep 01, 2011 Kayleigh {K-Books} rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Posted on K-Books

http://k-booksxo.blogspot.com/2011/09...

First of all I just want to say a big thank you to Allison and Busby Publishing for sending me a review copy of this book.

When I received this for review I couldn't wait to start it. I am a huge fan of chic lit books and it sounded like such a great story. I was not disappointed in any way at all.

Zhara has the perfect boyfriend. Rico is sweet, loving and completely supports her in all of her dreams. It seems like everything is finally goin...more Posted on K-Books

http://k-booksxo.blogspot.com/2011/09...

First of all I just want to say a big thank you to Allison and Busby Publishing for sending me a review copy of this book.

When I received this for review I couldn't wait to start it. I am a huge fan of chic lit books and it sounded like such a great story. I was not disappointed in any way at all.

Zhara has the perfect boyfriend. Rico is sweet, loving and completely supports her in all of her dreams. It seems like everything is finally going right for her and he has reinforced her belief in love which has started to dwindle after her parent's split. But when she is forced to go to group counselling with other teens dealing with their parents split she meets Kali and Syd. a.k.a Rico's other two girlfriends, Kali is upset, Zhara is devastated but Syd is downright heartbroken. The unlikely trio band together to get back at him and what starts as a payback mission turns into an unlikely business and a very close friendship. As the girls help others with their love lives can they finally get over Rico and find their own happy ending?

I absolutely loved this book, there are no other words for how amazing it is. I love Zhara, she is just one of the best lead female characters in a book. She's devastated when she finds out about her 'perfect' boyfriends infidelity but she still managed to carry on and not let it get her down too much. I think she is the perfect role model for teenage girls whom this book is aimed at, I think she's awesome. I loved the other 2 lead girls as well but Zhara was out narrator so naturally I liked her better as you see everything she is feeling and you see the story through her eyes.

This book had me close to tears and laughing hysterically. I love that you see different cultures, her grandparents Pakistani roots mixed with her american customs she has grown up with and I loved seeing that as a side story. It's kind of like an identity crisis and she doesn't know what to do. I would hate to have a grandmother like hers, I honestly don't know how she coped with it but every scene her grandmother was in I was in hysterics laughing so much as the outrageous things she was doing. I loved most of the characters and I loved the crazy things the girls got up to while going about their 'business'.

This book is definitely about love, and anyone who is a sucker for a love story like me will not be disappointed but mainly it's about friendship and the power of friendship. It's a great uplifting story that shows no matter what happens at home and what walks of life you are from your family and friends are the most important thing.
I love this book and I will most definitely check out the authors other books. A great fun read that will have you laughing all the way through. I am so glad I got this for review and I would definitely read it again and again.(less)

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Nov 17, 2010 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog, own

Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.

Love, Inc. by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout was such a fun read. I loved it! It was just exactly what I needed. A lot of cute and funny with just enough seriousness and depth tossed in that I didn't find myself bored or rolling my eyes.

Zahara was a great character. She is intelligent, motivated and loving, but she's got a lot to learn about life as well. I thought that the authors here gave us a great mixture of confiden...more Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.

Love, Inc. by Yvonne Collins & Sandy Rideout was such a fun read. I loved it! It was just exactly what I needed. A lot of cute and funny with just enough seriousness and depth tossed in that I didn't find myself bored or rolling my eyes.

Zahara was a great character. She is intelligent, motivated and loving, but she's got a lot to learn about life as well. I thought that the authors here gave us a great mixture of confidence and uncertainty. Zahara is in high school, which is always rough. But, add in that it's a brand new high school, which means she needs all new friends and her parents are going through a separation and it's easy to see why she's having a hard time, and why she's so happy to spend time with Rico, her new boyfriend.

I loved watching Zahara try to regain control of her world. She tends to utilize extreme thinking, swinging from one extremity to the other swiftly, which I thought was perfectly suited to her character. One of my favorite moments was when she decided she was going to take control of her parenting, demote her parents to a back seat role, and just not tell them. :)

When her parents force her into group therapy for kids whose families are going through a split, she's not expecting to gain anything from the 'experience'. But instead of spending a miserable hour with a bunch of weirdos once a week, Zahara discovers two of the best friends a girl could have- and who knew?! The three girls are, at first glance, completely opposite and ill suited for friendship. Zahara, Syd and Kali each have their own issues to work through, but when they realize that the same guy has been playing all three of them, they decide to work out at least one of their issues together, and all sorts of wonderful mayhem ensues. And can I just add that I love the idea of 'framily'? It just worked!

I'll admit that there were times when the plot was a little predictable. I saw several big events coming from a long way off, but I found myself completely okay with that. I never knew exactly how the events would develop and I was enjoying the characters so much I was completely okay with knowing a bit of what's coming up.

I think I've heard mention of a sequel to this in the works, and I have mixed feelings about it. I can see where the authors have room for a sequel, and I even think I know a few of the things that might happen. On the one hand, I definitely feel like this novel could easily stand alone, and a large part of me feels that it should be left to stand alone. I got a great sense of closure and ending from the story, and believe that things are going to work out well for these great people, but that actually needing to read about how they get there would ruin it for me.
The other part of me would love to read what else these girls get themselves into, and how they work out more of what's got them down. And really, it's not like they actually learned their lessons the first time around. :)
I'm sure I'll end up reading the sequel if what I've heard is true, and there really are plans for the second. I can only hope I like the sequel as much I enjoyed the first.(less)

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Jan 09, 2012 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Some novels leave you with a sense of tranquility after finishing them; that everything is right in the world.

This is not one of them.

I was wishing for more romance, more scandal, more revenge on the man that did these three girls wrong.

What I got was more pages, incessant babble, and more character names than I could keep track of.

The story was good, but not great. It was about 100 pages too long, without a very gratifying ending. The friendship between the three girls and the personal growth t...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: teenage girls, people looking for a summer read

An unexpectedly humourous book, Love Inc is about three girls who meet in Group therapy and all happen to be being cheated on. By the same guy. After taking out revenge on the guy the girls start up a company to help other girls, be it revenge, matchmaking, mediation, whatever they're willing to pay for. The company takes off and is a success, but a risky one. Throughout the book you get to know the three completely different girls, each who have problems with love themselves.
Love Inc is a funny...more

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May 16, 2011 Krista Basilio rated it 4 of 5 stars

his was such a lighthearted, smooth read that I thought was pretty good! And the title “Love, Inc.” is super catchy (not to mention the cover art looks awesome).

The main character Zahra is going through a little rough patch. Her grandparents from Pakistan show up and all of a sudden her parent's relationship is on the rocks and Zahra finds herself in group therapy. Baking and Rico seem to be the only two things keeping her sane. However, once she meets Kali and Syd, Zahra finds herself some unli...more his was such a lighthearted, smooth read that I thought was pretty good! And the title “Love, Inc.” is super catchy (not to mention the cover art looks awesome).

The main character Zahra is going through a little rough patch. Her grandparents from Pakistan show up and all of a sudden her parent's relationship is on the rocks and Zahra finds herself in group therapy. Baking and Rico seem to be the only two things keeping her sane. However, once she meets Kali and Syd, Zahra finds herself some unlikely confidants. The three, oddly matched friends soon find that they have one little thing in common; His name is Eric, or Rico, or Rick; it just depends on what girl he happens to be with at the moment.

When these girls come up with a plan of revenge, they have no idea it would change their lives forever. Soon the idea of Love, Inc. is born and with that comes a big list of changes. The girls ultimately learn to be better friends as well as great entrepreneurs!

Zahra along with her two supporting characters, Kali and Syd, are three girls that will stay with me for a long time. Zahra is sweet, always thinking of and doing for someone else. She is the type of character that is endearingly nerdy but so kick-butt at the same time. I wish I could say I was half as awesome as her. Her two best friends, Kali and Syd are two peas from two VERY DIFFERENT pods. Kali comes across as the pretty, talented, tree-hugging, airhead. However, she is strong, smart, and has a lot of great ideas when it comes to their little business. Syd is a girl who one would call an onion. She has lots of layers. Syd comes off as tough and very "I hate the whole world" however, she is just hurt by her parents and Eric and she really just doesn't know how to deal. I love all three of these characters! Yvonne and Sandy did a superb job sticking to the right personalities. I was able to see the characters grow an exceptional amount throughout the book without losing sight of who they really were.

The title of the book, Love, Inc., would lose a lot of importance if it weren't for a little romance, right? Well this book sure has it! After their initial act as a group, revenge on the ex-boyfriend, the three girls actually spend a lot of time trying to fix up couples. There were so many relationship issues touched upon on this book; I found it really interesting and entertaining how they all coped with each individual issue. Aside from fixing up couples, Zahra finds herself in a romance, or two, or three. First there is Riaz, the apple of Zahra's grandmother's eye. He is Pakistan, cute, confident, and just the type of boy you bring home to mommy. After things fizzle with Riaz, there is Andrew. He is your perfect, preppy guy; athletic, good-looking, and nice. Sadly, things didn't work out with Andrew either. Just when Zahra is about to give up for good (a position that MANY teen girls have found themselves in), Kali mentions her older, extremely good-looking brother, Brody. Regardless of his annoying confidence and irritating remarks, Zahra can't seem to get him out of her mind. But after watching their parent's failed relationships as well as seeing theirs go down the drain, will these girls be able to move on and find live again?

I recommend this great little book to most girls. Definitely a very cute book dealing with boys, heartbreak, revenge, and finding love again. (less)

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Dec 12, 2011 Big Book Little Book rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Zahra Ahmed-Macduff is a ‘Scotistani’ Texan, half Scottish and half Pakistani, 15 year old high school girl who ends up in group therapy, (affectionately termed ‘Crazy Class’) along with other teens who are not handling their parents’ separation well.

Zahra blames her situation on her Pakistani grandparents, who are staying indefinitely and are very antagonistic towards her father. Just as she feels her life can’t get any worse, she discovers her boyfriend’s been cheating on her with two of the...more Zahra Ahmed-Macduff is a ‘Scotistani’ Texan, half Scottish and half Pakistani, 15 year old high school girl who ends up in group therapy, (affectionately termed ‘Crazy Class’) along with other teens who are not handling their parents’ separation well.

Zahra blames her situation on her Pakistani grandparents, who are staying indefinitely and are very antagonistic towards her father. Just as she feels her life can’t get any worse, she discovers her boyfriend’s been cheating on her with two of the girls she has met at group therapy – Kali and Syd. The three of them decide to take revenge on Rico, aka Rick, aka Eric and form a strong friendship into the bargain. The revenge plan and subsequent actions result in the three girls forming a business together. Love, Inc. provides; mediation services, surveillance, break-up management, matchmaking, relationship coaching and revenge – all for a price! Through word of mouth the cash soon starts pouring in, and whilst each of the girls seem to be achieving strong results in their own areas of Love, Inc. expertise, none of them seem to be making any headway in their own personal and relationship issues within their home environments.

The story is narrated by Zahra, who constantly struggles with self-esteem and her multi-cultural background as she compares herself to the artfully talented, if somewhat loner - Syd and the pretty, musically minded and confident Kali. However, she builds on her confidence through their business and her skill at relationship mediation – something she has also found herself tied up in within her own personal family situation. Zahra dreams of being a celebrity chef one day and one of her coping strategies with her home life is to fantasise about having her own television show, which she would entitle “The Sweet Tooth” and she uses these fantasies throughout the book in various humorous ways as she feels “Everything’s Better with a Little Sugar” – her self-claimed motto!

Whilst the book is written from Zahra’s perspective, Kali and Syd are fantastic characters in their own right and the three of them together provide an entertaining if somewhat fluffy teenage read! It’s fairly well written with some light-hearted humour and the usual love interests along the way, not to mention the added interest Syd’s dog Banksy, brings to the mix! Love, Inc. provides the reader, as well as the girls, with a great escape. The cultural differences are handled well and whilst Zahra struggles initially with her Pakistani grandparents, a heart to heart with her Grandmother helps her to come to terms with their concerns and understand her family background, which in turn of course, helps her to move forward with her own personal and family issues.

Verdict: Perhaps a little long, certain aspects seemed to be dragged out a little, although saying that I’m not sure how it could have been reduced. Overall, a fun and humorous read which tackled subjects such as religion and parental separation in an interesting and informative manner.
Jane : http://bigbooklittlebook.blogspot.com

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Aug 10, 2011 Reut (reutreads) rated it 3 of 5 stars

How adorable is that cover? Seriously, there are all these little details and it's so cute.

Okay, so the idea for Love, Inc. is awesome. Three girls who have been tripled-timed by the same guy--including one of them he had been dating for two years--find out about his dealings on the side and take wicked revenge. People start hearing about Love, Inc. and since everyone has a job for them and let's face it, teenagers like getting paid--Love, Inc. becomes a real business.

Zahra, Kali, and Syd are al...more How adorable is that cover? Seriously, there are all these little details and it's so cute.

Okay, so the idea for Love, Inc. is awesome. Three girls who have been tripled-timed by the same guy--including one of them he had been dating for two years--find out about his dealings on the side and take wicked revenge. People start hearing about Love, Inc. and since everyone has a job for them and let's face it, teenagers like getting paid--Love, Inc. becomes a real business.

Zahra, Kali, and Syd are all great characters. Sometimes they were a little cliche, like Syd being the quintessential bad girl with a vulnerable side, and Kali being a total flirt who doesn't really commit, but they were all very fun to read about. All the girls have really screwed up families--hello, they met in counseling--and yet they aren't self-pitiers. In fact, they use skills that helped them deal with their own families to help Love, Inc. clients.

And now that I realize it, this is actually really true. Kali, the flirt, distracts herself from commitment because her mom has been through several husbands, and she uses those flirting abilities to find matchmaking clients. Syd, the rebel, distracts herself with crime like graffiti to avoid her mom, the crazy woman, who is obsessed with trying to get Syd's dad back.

Zahra, the narrator, in particular demonstrates a great skill for mediating between clients who are breaking up, because of her separated parents and what she tries to do to get them back together.

One thing I really liked about this book was the whole storyline with Zahra's grandparents. Zahra's mom is Pakistani, and her dad is (I think?) Irish, so when they got married, the mother's parents were extremely disappointed. This seems like a total cliche, but there's actually a very good backstory to why this happened. Zahra's grandparents come to the States when they find out about the separation, and they slowly try to assimilate Zahra, her mom, and her sister Saliyah back into Pakistani culture. This is an awesome example of diversity in YA.

Another thing I liked was the love square! Yes, a love square! Yay for originality!

Basically there are three guys in this book who are love interests for Zahra: Brody, and two other guys who we will call Sheldon and Leonard (both because I have forgotten their names and because I love The Big Bang Theory). I loved Brody's character from the start, but Zahra hated him for being a flirt and kind of a jackass. Sheldon was the grandparent's choice, being Sunni Muslim, and therefore acceptable. And Leonard was just another sweet guy... but there was no spark. It was nice to see a variety of love interests in contemporary, and I had no idea who Zahra would choose.

If I could change one thing about the book, it would be the narration. I did genuinely like Zahra, but I think this is the type of book that would have been better in alternating perspective.

Plot= 17/20 | Characters = 15/20 | Writing= 10/15 | Dialogue= 11/15 | Ending= 7/10 | Cover (beauty) = 4/5 | Cover (relates to story) = 4/5 | Rereadability = 2.5/5 | Unputdownability = 3.5/5

Total= 74/100(less)

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Jan 07, 2013 Clarissa added it

So far, this book has been both great and kind of boring.
I've found that there are some scenes I can read the whole way through, and some scenes that I just end up skimming really fast. I like the scenes where the girls are doing work for Love, Inc., and a few others, but most of the scenes with Zahra's family and the group therapy are just really tiresome to me because they don't seem to add to the plot.
In fact, so far, it doesn't seem to HAVE a plot at all. It's chick lit, which, apparently, m...more So far, this book has been both great and kind of boring.
I've found that there are some scenes I can read the whole way through, and some scenes that I just end up skimming really fast. I like the scenes where the girls are doing work for Love, Inc., and a few others, but most of the scenes with Zahra's family and the group therapy are just really tiresome to me because they don't seem to add to the plot.
In fact, so far, it doesn't seem to HAVE a plot at all. It's chick lit, which, apparently, means it's just going to rant about this one girl and all the mall trips she takes and all of the outing she has with her friends and all of the random conversations she has with irrelevant boys.
It starts out promising - oh no, it turns out her boyfriend is also dating two other girls! Le gasp! Then they get a beautiful revenge on the guy, and they're like, "Hey, we should make this revenge thing a business."
After that, it just gets really monotonous - then they get revenge on someone, then they counsel some people on their relationship, then Zahra talks about how annoying her grandparents are, then they break up some people who hire them to break them up (who does that?), then they go to group therapy and the guys are pervs, then Syd does some art and has a dog, and did we mention that Kali is super gorgeous? ....
It's not like some parts aren't interesting. This book has really, really good characters and character development and character motives and interesting character qualities... I could rant forever about the amazingness of these characters. (Syd. Omigod, Syd.) but these characters hardly ever do anything similar to a plot.
Yes, they do things. Yes, these things are interesting. Yes, these things show depth and insight into their characters.
But none of the events are really related to each other or particularly important. Everything that happens seems like a side plot, not a real storyline. I'm more than halfway through, and nothing dramatic or even vaguely plot-like has happened.
There are conflicts (Zahra blames her grandparents for her parent's breakup, all three girls are upset about Eric/Rick/Rico, Zahra sort of wants a relationship but not really, etc.), but nobody is particularly emphasizing any of these conflicts or attempting to solve them.
Maybe I'm just too used to really fast-paced, dramatic novels with explosions and genetic mutations and wizards and all of that. This book just seems a bit pointless to me. Maybe it'll end with Zahra finding new love... or maybe someone will move away and it will be sort of sad... or maybe it will just end in the middle of everything with nothing particularly exciting going on. I don't know. I literally have no idea where this book is trying to go.(less)

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May 23, 2011 Zarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I started the book I didn't know I was going to like it, but I did.

For starters I Really appreciated how the book flowed. So much was put in it, yet nothing felt rushed, nor did I feel as though there was too much in one book.
Other than that, I liked the different culture aspect, which you can find in some books, but this is the first one I enjoyed. It wasn't just thrown in.
I don't like the ages that the characters are. As I was reading, they felt older. It seemed some of the ways they a...more

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Jun 16, 2011 Laura (The Zealous Reader) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100-in-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Wow! I was really excited to read Love Inc. because it's my first 2011 debut Canadian author novel of the year. It did not disappoint. While I originally read it for it's Canadian-ness and cute cover, I stuck with it for it's awesome plot.

In most contemporary romances boy and girl meet, fall in love, have some sort of problem and overcome it. Not in this book! Zahra dates several boys throughout the novel and is never quite satisfied with them. I rarely see novels where the female doesn't absol...more Wow! I was really excited to read Love Inc. because it's my first 2011 debut Canadian author novel of the year. It did not disappoint. While I originally read it for it's Canadian-ness and cute cover, I stuck with it for it's awesome plot.

In most contemporary romances boy and girl meet, fall in love, have some sort of problem and overcome it. Not in this book! Zahra dates several boys throughout the novel and is never quite satisfied with them. I rarely see novels where the female doesn't absolutely adore her crush/boyfriend so it was refreshing to see such a feminist and strong character that could look at a boy and say "Meh, I can do better". Also in most romances if the boyfriend cheats on the girl she'll just mope around or take him back. Zahra, Kali, and Syd teaming up to take revenge on Eric was awesome!

There is a lack of multicultural or coloured characters in YA literature, a fact that has prompted Diversity in YA. I was really excited to read about Zahra's culture and how it influenced her behaviour and relationships. I found it sort of typical that she had rejected most of her Muslim traditions and as a result her overbearing immigrant grandparents tried to force them back on her. I'd love to read a novel with more liberal elders or a character accepting her ethnicity rather than ignoring it. I really appreciated all the details Yvonne & Sandy researched about Islamic festivals and food, it made the novel more realistic. I didn't really understand how Zahra ended up Caucasian with red hair when her Mother is Pakistani and had hoped that it was just a poor cover choice, but it was referenced several times that Zahra was "fair-skinned". Hmm.

One of my favourite aspects of the novel was it's humour! While some of the plot was unrealistic or unoriginal, Yvonne & Sandy made up for it in laughable quotes and hilarious scenarios. They took the typically tragic event of a divorce and turned it into an awesome tale of teenage love and payback. Another point that lent well to the humour was a cast of quirky characters. From Zahra's sister Saliyah to Syd's Dad's girlfriend to Dieter the cousellor, there's something for everyone! If you're single, engaged, or recently ex-ified, you'll feel a connection to this awesome story about love and framily.
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Oct 26, 2010 Gatorgal21 rated it 4 of 5 stars

ARC
This book was so cute! Think 'John Tucker Must Die' with a real main character and an actual storyline. Zahra is furious with her parents when they send her to a therapy group to help her get over their recent seperation. But, she changes her tune when she meets Syd and Kali, to other girls at the group. They wouldn't have been friends at all, if they hadn't realized that they were all dating the same guy, at the same time. The revenge scheme they plan is so effective that they have other kid...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen, realistic-fic, romance

I really enjoyed this one. I couldn't wait to see who Zahra ended up with. I had my suspicions from the start, but the authors kept me guessing, which is nice because most of the time I know already. Some of the set-ups seemed a little implausible (including these three girls would just happen to meet at Group and all be dating the same guy,) but the character development and storyline were interesting enough for me to ignore that. I really liked the book as it was, but in thinking about writing...more

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Dec 05, 2011 The Sweet Bookshelf rated it 3 of 5 stars

Cute contemporary romance! This is a John Tucker Must Die kind of book. You know? All the girls are dating the same boy and when they realize it they plan a list of adventures to teach him a lesson. Down right hilarious in parts! Characters are all so diverse this will appeal to many.

The girls set up their own business to help other girls in their relationship problems. What a novel idea! What is great is that the girls develop a relationship from strangers to best friends. Something good came o...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Em rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! It was so cute. The characters were all important and the plot clear. The girls found out that they have the same boyfriend, so they want revenge.

The girls revenge were such a success that people are coming to them for help. The girls decide to help them. That's when Love, Inc. is born
The story was written from Zahra's point of view but you got to know Syd and Kali very well. While the girls helped people with their releationships, the girls had to deal with their own.
My favo...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Lexie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: summer-beach-reads

3.5 I feel like there was a lot going on and that there were several stories going on at once. It's only told from Zahra;s POV but it works like that. I liked the romance. But I kind of figured out who Zahra was going to be with at the end, or at least predicted it in the beginning. I did, thought, enjoy the draw out and how her relationship blossoms. The minimal romance was good. I still have been trying to figure out how Zahra got red hair and what she looks like. I recommend this to girls/ wo...more

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Jan 20, 2011 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Don't you just hate being burned by a guy? Especially one that cheated on you with not one but three girls? Zahara, Kaili and Syd, all got burned by the same guy. What was originally planned as a revenge plot turned into a whole new business, Love, Inc. In this they offer services such as revenge, counseling, match-making and such. Although they had no idea that even though the business will take off, they all still have a lot to learn.

This book was a cute and fun read. I enjoyed watching all th...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Georgie R rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was, at times, (almost) laugh-out-loud funny, silky smooth and had plenty of 'Awww' moments as well. The blurb pretty much describes the storyline, and I couldn't stop reading it (which is why, if you check my goodreads, you'll see I read it all in one day!).

The story centres around a girl, Zahra, whose parents are splitting up, and so they send her to group therapy. Here she meets the other 2 protagonists Kali and Syd, who all discover that their boyfriend has been cheating on them w...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I am really glad that I won Love, Inc. in the giveaway. It was funny, entertaining, and had romance. I’ve never read anything like this before and I love having new topics to read about every so often. It was quirky and made me laugh out loud at times.
Love, Inc. is about three teenage girls named Zahra, Syd, and Kali who get put into group counseling because of their parents’ failed marriages. While they are there, they find out that their boyfriend(s) had been three-timing them. So, they decide...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Kirsty (overflowing library) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-books

Love Inc is one of those books who girls who love romantic contemporary fiction will devour eagerly and be left wanting more about the three main character and their madcap adventures.

The story revolves around three girls who meet at therapy. They're there because of their divorced or divorcing parents to ensure they don't go off the rails and when they meet they find out they have a whole lot more in common. It turns out they have all been seeing the same boy who has been willingly triple-timin...more

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Sep 30, 2011 Mia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews, 2011, for-review, young-adult

Being a major fan of chick lit novels, I knew that when I received Love, Inc it was just right for me. It was a great read. It had me laughing at loud, gripping the pages for more and wondering what could possibly go wrong next. I loved this!

Zahra believes she has the most perfect boyfriend. Rico is so sweet and caring. He always listens to her and is there for her. Especially, since her parents split. This then lead to group counseling helping her deal with her parents split. Here, she meets tw...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Camilla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, favorites

There are not enough words to describe how much I loved this book! It was the perfect combination of everything you could ask for it a great chick-lit book! It was insanely funny and just straight up adorable. The authors create such a unique plot with brilliant characters. I was hooked the entire time! The writing, the characters and the plot just made me want to jump in and join this hilariously fun story. Not only is this a perfect read for the summer, it's just the perfect read all-together....more There are not enough words to describe how much I loved this book! It was the perfect combination of everything you could ask for it a great chick-lit book! It was insanely funny and just straight up adorable. The authors create such a unique plot with brilliant characters. I was hooked the entire time! The writing, the characters and the plot just made me want to jump in and join this hilariously fun story. Not only is this a perfect read for the summer, it's just the perfect read all-together. I fell in love with this story from the moment I started... and I'll tell you why!

First off, the plot is just do darn adorable, exciting and filled with awesome drama. We follow three characters, Zahra being our main one. Her parents are divorced, but she has great boyfriend who is Rico. Zahra being Pakistani/Scottish, she has had her family troubles. Her grandparents didn't like the fact that their daughter married out of their ethnicity. One thing lead to another, and Zahra's parents got a divorce. It devastated her and her sister, but Zahra clings to the fact that she has her boyfriend by her side. He's everything she could ask for in a guy, and she is thrilled that she finally met someone who plays the role of her rock.

After the divorce, Zahra is sent to group counseling to help her with her parent's divorce. There, she meets two other girls, Kali and Syd. Kalu is flirtatious and spunky, while Syd is tougher and more of the vintage-vixen. All three girls knew they had one thing in common; their parent's separation. However, they soon discover that they share the same boyfriend, and has been three-timing them all at the same time! Meet Rico/Rick/Eric. The guy who made up two different names to date three girls.

Zahra is devastated beyond belief. She feels horrible for not figuring it out, and seeing the signs. She wonders how she could have been so stupid to believe that he actually liked her. Kali feels just as bad, she thought she had something special with him. However, Syd feels the worst. She actually had a history with Eric, and two think he cheated on her with two other girls makes her hurt beyond belief.

What the girls decide to do changes the whole course of the novel. They want revenge. It ends up going so well, that people want the tree of them do do it to their exes. Soon, they have clients wanting relationship advice, match-making, revenge and help on the all so complicated, four letter word, love. They are the go-to girls to solve all relationship problems.

And that is how Love, Inc began its business!

I highly recommend this adorable and fantastic read! I loved everything about it! The characters are like no other. It's highly entertaining and just so great. Need I say more?

5/5
2011-028(less)

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Aug 28, 2011 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

I won Love, Inc. from a Good Reads giveaway. It took a while for me to get it and by the time I did, I was very far behind on my reviews. For some reason this one got pushed to the bottom of the stack. I would describe this book as YA Chick Lit. I will admit that early on there was a part that really made me say “really?” but after I just decided to keep reading I have to admit that I really enjoyed it. The main character Zahara was interesting to read about. Her mother is Muslim and her father...more

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Love, Inc. (Love, Inc. #1)

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