Save as Draft

Feb 01, 2011 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: chick lit lovers, and even guys

Shelves: arc, ebooks, 2011, chick-lit, galley-grab, romance

Original post at One More Page

I was thrilled to see that Save as Draft was included in Simon & Schuster's latest galley grab as I've had my eye on it ever since Jill of Breaking the Spine featured this book in a Waiting on Wednesday post. I'm a big sucker for epistolary novels, and I love it even more when they use technology in the story too (case in point: Tweet Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick ).

Because I enjoyed the novel so much, I thought of writing a review for it in the way the novel is w...more

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Feb 25, 2011 Karielle Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog

Blurb: A love triangle evolving over e-mails, texts, and Facebook messages that makes you wonder if the things we leave unsaid -- or rather unsent -- could change the story of our lives.
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Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011
From: Izabell
To: Reader
Subject: Save as Draft
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Are we Facebook friends yet? I'm the wactress (waitress/actress) turned lawyer who lives her life online. Anyway, I've got this problem. There's this guy...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Shannon rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Shannon by: Vera

Shelves: reviewed

Lee's first work is as funny as it is compelling, and her unorthodox method of narration makes the story even more interesting. A must-read.

Check out my full review at Luxury Reading - http://bit.ly/hwnZny

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Aug 24, 2012 Wendy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I picked up the book because epistolary novels are kind of interesting. I'm always curious about narrative structure and I'm interested to see how a writer handles the challenges of characterization in this situation. The emails and drafts work fairly well. The "Save As Draft" conceit is the most intriguing element because it does insert some complexity, that "what if" element, into the experience. There are a couple of instances of SMS, twitter updates, and an occasional FB status change but th...more

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Apr 29, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, chick-lit

What Stephanie Thought: Save as Draft is a charming novel that's bound to leave you hanging and frustrated at end, the very first epistolary fiction piece I've read since Paula Danziger's Snail Mail, No More. Written entirely in emails, text messages, and Twitter updates, this book is sweepingly honest, as well as full of emotion. There lies a secret thrill in being able to peek inside someone's private life, especially in an era that is so dependent on internet communication.

Cavanaugh Lee does...more What Stephanie Thought: Save as Draft is a charming novel that's bound to leave you hanging and frustrated at end, the very first epistolary fiction piece I've read since Paula Danziger's Snail Mail, No More. Written entirely in emails, text messages, and Twitter updates, this book is sweepingly honest, as well as full of emotion. There lies a secret thrill in being able to peek inside someone's private life, especially in an era that is so dependent on internet communication.

Cavanaugh Lee does not stop there. The essence of Save as Draft delves even deeper than the privacy of a password-protected email account, because the reader gets the inside scoop on what the characters don't. Emails that have been "saved as draft" or in less-techy terms, written but unsent, are revealed, opening up a whole nother road in knowing what the characters are actually thinking.

Izzy and Peter, the engaged couple, seemingly have everything paved out ahead of them. But miscommunication and too many saved drafts take a toll on the passionate relationship. You'll love reading how their relationship builds, climaxes, and abruptly falls, making you both cringe(because of how closely this hits to home -- this might as well be YOUR love life in YOUR email account) and smile (from the wit and the glad-it-wasn't-me! incidents) all within the same page.
I love how the plot is conveyed through Facebook notifications (Izabell Chin has added you as a friend on Facebook) and eHarmony profiles to develop characters. It's a fun, flirty way to get to know the protagonists and the main conflicts.

The ending made me so mad, but I couldn't have made it any more perfect. I won't give any spoilers, but I will say that it was sort of a tragic ending. Meaning, things do not end happily-ever-after as predicted. The ending is happy yes, just not the way I had thought it would be. Save as Draft is a heartbreakingly realistic novel that demonstrates human error in the ways we never speak what we think...and never think what we say speak either.(less)

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Apr 21, 2011 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: epistolary, fiction, read-in-2011

Save as Draft is an epistolary work told through emails (both sent and unsent) and social network updates via twitter and facebook -- a fitting format for these times. At the beginning the protagonist tells her friend (electronically of course) that she's giving up on love and rejects the lame suggestion of online dating, which she promptly signs up for, of course. What follows is Izzy's correspondence with an early match, her best (guy) friend/crush, and her girlfriends, two of whom are married...more

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Apr 09, 2011 Samantha Robey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Not too long ago, I gingerly accepted a review request for Teresa Medeiros’s Goodnight Tweetheart, a novel made up mostly of Tweets. I say gingerly because I thought, “Tweets? How could readers understand and connect with characters by reading their Twitter thoughts?” I gave the novel 4 ½ stars.

Proven wrong, I now eagerly accepted to read the debut by Cavanaugh Lee, Save As Draft. This novel is written mostly in email messages, along with a few tweets, texts, and Facebook updates along the way....more Not too long ago, I gingerly accepted a review request for Teresa Medeiros’s Goodnight Tweetheart, a novel made up mostly of Tweets. I say gingerly because I thought, “Tweets? How could readers understand and connect with characters by reading their Twitter thoughts?” I gave the novel 4 ½ stars.

Proven wrong, I now eagerly accepted to read the debut by Cavanaugh Lee, Save As Draft. This novel is written mostly in email messages, along with a few tweets, texts, and Facebook updates along the way. The story follows Izzy Chin as she tries to find love. She joins E-Harmony and connects with Martin, and they have an instant connection. Through technology, they decide they could meet in person. One wildly successful date later, Izzy dumps Martin after deciding to take a chance on her best friend Peter. Peter and Izzy fall in love, as readers can depict from the sappy emails and TMI Facebook status updates, and quickly get engaged. But when Peter starts acting like he is married to his job, Izzy feels lost in the shuffle. She knows it may be wrong, be she drifts back to Martin, who is overly hopeful he can make a relationship with Izzy work. Readers can see how different the outcome could have been, if only some of the characters would just hit send.

The ending I think will shock everyone. I actually started shouting after I closed this book. But in a good way, a way that made me think. What if we were just honest with each other? What if we didn’t have technology allowing us to censor our thoughts and emotions? Save As Draft is definitely on my Favorites List. I loved getting to know characters a different way, and the added friendships of Izzy’s and their take on marriage brings in the comedic relief. The subjects touched in this novel are actually very serious, and I appreciate how this story is told with such honesty and validity in the technology crazed world we live in. I highly recommend this book, and looks forward to more from newcomer Cavanaugh Lee.
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Mar 26, 2011 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars

@You

Former "wacktress" Lee gives us a boy-meets-girl love story with a hyperlinked twist. If you have ever wondered how much your digital trail illuminates where you are in your life, this book illuminates how it does so very much if you string it all together. A LOT. Izzy's relationships are on full display through message threads, online profiles (and subsequent deactivations), status updates, Facebook friendships (and defriendings), and Victoria's Secret invoices. Never sent messages (designa...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Jasmine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: american

okay so the main character is:

1. one of those idiots who needs a man to define herself.

2. obsessed with the save as draft option on email, I'm sorry who actually uses that ever?

3. Is pissed at her boyfriend for not being home by 5... you work at the same law firm why the fuck don't you have anything to do are you too much of a loser for people to want you to do work.

4. is flighty and stupid.

Basically this book is about the worst possible conception of women ever, yeah I'm being a jerk but I...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Les rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "Save as Draft?" No, I'd be more inclined to hit the DELETE key. I kept hoping it would get better, but it just had such unlikeable characters. The common thread was that they created draft email messages (that were never sent) either holding other people accountable for their foibles or admitting how they really felt about something.

However, they all acted poorly and were guilty of the same things themselves that they condemned others for. None of them tell each other how they really feel and...more "Save as Draft?" No, I'd be more inclined to hit the DELETE key. I kept hoping it would get better, but it just had such unlikeable characters. The common thread was that they created draft email messages (that were never sent) either holding other people accountable for their foibles or admitting how they really felt about something.

However, they all acted poorly and were guilty of the same things themselves that they condemned others for. None of them tell each other how they really feel and frequently lie to or evade family and friends. I kept hoping someone would actually speak their mind rather than wimping out.

Izzy is blivious that Peter wants to be more than just friends, so she starts an on-line relationship with Marty. She then dumps him after a single date to have a relationship with Peter, then refuses to respond to any more of Marty's emails. She also drops him from her friends status on Facebook, so she doesn't have to deal with him anymore. So it's okay for her to just ignore him so he'll go away. But she thinks Marty is reprehensible and a 1st class SOB when he stops responding to her friend Anna after they've had several dates (and slept together). Of course she says this in a draft email but doesn't follow through on actually telling him.

She works in the litigation department at the same law firm Peter does, but while he's putting in 15 hour days, she's getting off at 5:00 everyday. Not sure what kind of litigation she's involved with as a lowly attorney in a high power firm that lets her avoid putting in any additional hours at work or at home (the only reference to her doing anything at work I can remember is sneaking sex with Peter). She gets more and more p*ssed off at Peter, so her solution is to buy $1k worth of Victoria's Secret clothes she hates but she'll wear for his benefit if he's ever home in time for her to entice him. Not sure of the logic, but at one point greeting him naked didn't have the desired effect so she could have saved the money.

Marty starts out as the most likeable/sympathetic character. He tries to start a relationship with Izzy but she ditches him when she picks Peter instead. He starts to get creepy when he continues to email and then call her long after she has stopped responding, because he's still convinced she's THE ONE. Once Izzy's relationship hits the skids with Peter she starts interacting with him again. She thinks they're just being friends but he's setting his sights on marrying her. Eventually he goes way off the deep end, but she won't confront him, despite her friends begging her to.

Peter calls Izzy an overachiever because she's taking the California bar exam, but he has a PhD in Biology from Harvard and then went to law school. Isn't that a bit of overachieving? It takes him 2 years but he finally gets Izzy, then gets stuck with the boss from hell. The author is an attorney so she does a good job of detailing the expectations Rose dumps on Peter at a moment's notice, only to change her mind after he's pulled an all-nighter.

Peter won't stand up to Rose so his life gets sucked away and his relationship blows apart. He works late, won't talk to or have sex with Izzy, and avoids his parents, but yet he makes the time to have email conversations with an ex-girlfriend (who posts a message on Facebook which tips off Izzy). He secretly looks for a high school teaching job rather than standing up for himself at work. How many high schools are looking for a PhD Biology teacher? What about a different job in the legal profession? Whatever Izzy is doing would certainly be less stressful. He talks about how important his job is, and keeps begging Izzy to bear with him, but in the end he chooses the job over his relationship.

By the end I didn't really care about what happened to any of them, although I will give the author credit for not creating a simple pat solution. She is writing a sequel so there is a possibility that Izzy and Peter can get it together. Izzy might want to contemplate a restraining order against Marty though...
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Feb 14, 2012 Jordyn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, adult, epistolary

It's mostly due to the fact that I'm a TOTAL SUCKER for books written in an epistolary way that I even finished this one. It was fast and fun, but left me with a bad feeling which I suspect is mostly due to the fact that I didn't like any of the characters. Iz felt very immature, as did her relationship with Peter, and I didn't understand what was so attractive about Marty. Even if I don't like the protagonist, I can usually find some character in the story to connect with, but there was none he...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Chrissy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I admit, I'd never heard of SAVE AS DRAFT when I picked it up on the "New Releases" table at the library. I think I was most intrigued by the format of this one -- it's a novel told entirely in emails, tweets, and Facebook status updates. I figured, if nothing else, it would be a quick read to at least help me make it to 100 books for the year. (Yes, I'm shamefully behind, especially after getting hooked on two TV shows -- GOSSIP GIRL and THE LYING GAME. I never, I mean NEVER, watch TV, and I'm...more I admit, I'd never heard of SAVE AS DRAFT when I picked it up on the "New Releases" table at the library. I think I was most intrigued by the format of this one -- it's a novel told entirely in emails, tweets, and Facebook status updates. I figured, if nothing else, it would be a quick read to at least help me make it to 100 books for the year. (Yes, I'm shamefully behind, especially after getting hooked on two TV shows -- GOSSIP GIRL and THE LYING GAME. I never, I mean NEVER, watch TV, and I'm giving up priceless book time here, folks!)

Anyways, Izzy works for a law firm and is studying to pass the bar in two separate states. Along the way she meets Peter, a fellow attorney who soon becomes her best friend. Of course, Izzy is interested in being more-than-friends but she doesn't quite know how to tell him. So, she throws herself into an online dating service instead and meets Marty, a man who instantly falls for Izzy's spunky, sparkly personality and wants to strike up a relationship. In the meantime, Peter has decided he loves Izzy, which hurls Izzy into a whirlwind engagement. But, Peter is too busy at work which leaves Izzy free to talk to Marty, who has now been matched up with Izzy's friend Anna. And, the whole bulk of romantic escapades is told entirely through emails and tweets (with the occasional Facebook status thrown in for good measure).

I think the best part of the book was indeed the format, which made for a quick entertaining read and really kept the pace going. It did get a bit confusing as the story jumped back and forth between time periods, from Peter's story to Marty's. I'm thinking it may have just been easier to tell it all chronologically, but it all worked out fine for the most part, I think.

There were a few things I don't think I quite understood though. First, if Izzy and Peter work at the same firm, why does Peter work nearly 24/7 and Izzy has time to sit at home and get drunk? Although Izzy never talks about work, beyond the first few pages, she certainly has time to spend thousands on lingerie -- so she's working too, no? If Peter is having such a hard time in the legal field, why make such a drastic change of career? Why not just get a position like Izzy's and go home in time for dinner every night? And, why did everyone "Save as draft" so much? I don't think I've EVER done this in my email -- not once!

And the ending? I'm guessing there's a sequel coming -- so I'll let it slide. If there was no sequel, I'd be disappointed. I don't need a happy ending, but I need to feel satisfied in some way -- like I didn't waste my time, right?

For a quick run read of romantic entanglements, I'd definitely recommend SAVE AS DRAFT -- but don't get too ready for the ends to get tied up here. I'll definitely check out the next one, whenever it comes out.(less)

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Jul 03, 2011 Allison rated it 4 of 5 stars

I picked up an ARC of this book at a sale because the cover caught my eye. It's not the type of book I usually read, but since I just finished American Psycho, I wanted something light. This book definitely delivers - I was sucked in from the beginning. The story is told in email messages, Twitter/Facebook updates, and texts. That makes it incredibly easy for you to say "Just one more email," but keep going; I finished the book in about two hours. Izabell is a law student who is trying online da...more

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Mar 02, 2011 Zach rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't think I'm part of the audience this book was marketed toward, but I picked up a copy because the author spoke in town. It's an epistolary novel for the internet age, consisting of emails, text messages, tweets, and Facebook updates. It focuses on a love triangle of sorts, which we learn about only through the triangle's digital communications with each other. The most rewarding part of the book, and the most intriguing, is the messages that are included in the novel but were never "sent"...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars

Initial thoughts after reading: One of the most frustrating books I've ever read and I'm still trying to decide if that's a good thing or bad thing or both...I'm leaning towards both.

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Official Review:

This book is one of the most frustrating books I've ever read, and after a long period of thought I've decided that that is both a good and bad thing, because while this is one book I wanted to yell at at times, it's also one book I couldn't put down, not even for a second. Better yet, the frustr...more Initial thoughts after reading: One of the most frustrating books I've ever read and I'm still trying to decide if that's a good thing or bad thing or both...I'm leaning towards both.

~~~

Official Review:

This book is one of the most frustrating books I've ever read, and after a long period of thought I've decided that that is both a good and bad thing, because while this is one book I wanted to yell at at times, it's also one book I couldn't put down, not even for a second. Better yet, the frustrating parts make Save as Draft memorable...very memorable, in my opinion. And memorable is what I'm looking for in books, especially when the said book is also quite witty.

Save as Draft tells the story of Izabell (aka Izzy to all her friends). She's a lawyer at an Atlanta law firm with nothing but an ample amount of time on her hands, and because of that and the fact that her love life is currently non-existent, she decides to sign up for eHarm. No, she's not desperate, just curious. With eHarm comes Marty, a guy whose sweet and as big as a film/music fan as her. She has to admit she does like Marty, but then there's Peter. Peter is her best male friend, and she's kind of had an off/on crush on him for years, so when he finally makes a move on her, she goes with and ends up as his girlfriend in the process. Marty or Peter? Peter or Marty? What's is a girl to do? Which guy is better for her? Or is the answer neither? Only time can tale in this fast paced read about on girl and the love triangle she somehow becomes a part of...

Lets start with the characters of Save as Draft. For one, I had a love/hate relationship with Izzy for most of the book, because while I found her to be lovable in an odd kind of way, I also wanted to yell at her sometimes for making really dumb decisions when it comes to Peter and Marty. And talking about those two, I yet again loved/hated how Cavanaugh constantly had me wondering who would be better for Izzy. as well as who (if anyone) she would end up with. The sweet and likable Marty? Or the funny, workaholic Peter? Both had thier good and bad parts and both were great and horrible for Izzy in many ways.

Moving on, I loved the the way Izzy's story was told. I'm always a fan of books told in email/text message format, especially when the author manages to succeed in using that method, and luckily Cavanaugh did. She managed to do fantastic job in fleshing out the characters as well as all the drama that was occurring. Better yet, I loved how she constatly switched from present to past times with the different messages, because it gives you a better understanding of Izzy and the characters in the long run.

Furthermore, Save as Draft is a book about relationships overall, and I liked that a lot, because not only did Cavanaugh bring about many different questions and points within the book, but she did it a way that was memorable, as mentioned before. I liked how through her characters she had them question how well they truly knew someone in today's email obsessed world, and how far they would go and how much effort they would put into loving someone, even when that said person was breaking their heart into little tiny pieces. It was interesting to say the least.

In all, Cavanaugh Lee's has quite the book with Save as Draft. It's funny, frustrating, romantic, and yet oddly bittersweet. It's a book that will leave you not only laughing out loud but with tears in your eyes. Most importantly it's a book that I highly recommend you pick up, and that's that.

Grade: A-(less)

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May 15, 2011 Kristin rated it 1 of 5 stars

Let me save you the time, gentle readers: this book is awful. Terrible. I started to read it last night and after the first 20 pages or so was COMPLETELY uninterested (even though I usually like books like this), but I wanted to see what happened so I flipped to the end. Which made NO SENSE. Isn't a novel supposed to have a resolution? So I paged through it to see what happened and in a word: nothing. It was blathering drivel from a 20-something character who needs to stay away from online datin...more

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Mar 06, 2011 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, reviewed

With the internet buzz I saw going on around this book there was no way I couldn't pick it up. This is a debut novel by Lee and it says that she is working on her second one. I have to say I am looking forward to that in personally I really enjoyed this book.

Written entirely in emails, text messages, and a few tweets, with some of the emails being updates to facebook features. Some of the emails are saved as drafts, or emails that aren't sent, bringing about the title I believe. Something to no...more With the internet buzz I saw going on around this book there was no way I couldn't pick it up. This is a debut novel by Lee and it says that she is working on her second one. I have to say I am looking forward to that in personally I really enjoyed this book.

Written entirely in emails, text messages, and a few tweets, with some of the emails being updates to facebook features. Some of the emails are saved as drafts, or emails that aren't sent, bringing about the title I believe. Something to note about these saved drafts is that if they were sent the plot of the book would have changed dramatically and that is why they are given to us but not sent I believe. The book follows Izabell (aka,Izzy and Iz) as she starts a relationship with Marty, who she meets on eharmany, and things finally fall into place for her and her Best Friend Peter and a relationship starts there. We follow Izabell as she makes choices in these relationship and see how they develop and change over time.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I really do enjoy the email based books. The text message parts made sense, but it would have worked without them too. I am not sure if the few tweets in this book added anything, but I think they do have potential in a writing style. I liked the flow the email's provide. The one problem that I have is that I found it hard to keep track of the dates and timeline. I think that was due to it being emails and I would see who it was from and too, but ended up skimming the date and time sometimes. That is a personal thing and didn't distract from the book enough to even take it down a star in ratings.

I have read a few reviews that people didn't like Izabell, for the set up I though the characters were developed well even though we could only get so much information about them. Plus, Izzy just seemed like a person I could get along with and relate to, so maybe that is why I liked the book too.

Overall, I would recommend this book. Know that it is set up in a way that some won't like, but I did. I own a copy now and am very glad I did that and didn't just wait for it from the library like I usually do.
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May 18, 2011 Helen Dunn rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: nobody

The best I can say is that I did finish it. It's a breezy book without much thought involved in reading. You can read it during commercial breaks while you watch TV (even if you are FF-ing the commercials!)

Characters are completely unlikeable. Especially the main character. I wasn't rooting for any of them. I don't even like Izzy's friends who are supposed to be the voices of reason. (Seriously, I am SO TIRED of people constantly harping on how hard and miserable married life is. It's not so ba...more

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Feb 27, 2011 Jackie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, work-review-related-reading

This book catches your eye, with it's shiny, hard silver cover, reminiscent of a small laptop. Which is appropriate, since the story it contains is told completely through emails, texts, Facebook status, BlackBerry messenger and dating site profiles. And the amazing thing is, debut author Cavanaugh Lee pulls it off with style. This is a funny, quick, and embarrassingly accurate (for those of us slaves to the social media or who ever dipped our toes into the internet dating scene, at least) portr...more

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Jan 30, 2011 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: chicklit, for-review, ebook

Izabell is just your average driven girl. A recent law school graduate, once an aspiring actress now she’s an attorney at a law firm in Georgia and she’s taking the Bar in California. Needless to say, the only thing missing from Izzy’s life is love. With a bright future ahead of her and a great group of girlfriends behind her how could she possibly go wrong in the dating scene? The internet. From one email to the next text watch how the seemingly normal interactions she could be having in person...more Izabell is just your average driven girl. A recent law school graduate, once an aspiring actress now she’s an attorney at a law firm in Georgia and she’s taking the Bar in California. Needless to say, the only thing missing from Izzy’s life is love. With a bright future ahead of her and a great group of girlfriends behind her how could she possibly go wrong in the dating scene? The internet. From one email to the next text watch how the seemingly normal interactions she could be having in person change with the click of a mouse.

From page one of Save as Draft I was completely hooked. The entire novel is set up to look like you’re reading an inbox full of emails, text messages and tweets. So, not only is it unique, but it’s fun to read from one situation to another and one character to the next. It was an incredibly original idea and potentially risky if done incorrectly. But Lee pulled it off and was able to create characters you fall in love with in the span of a few short emails.

What was most interesting to me was the fact that you get almost nothing by way of character “creation.” There’s none of the typical, “she had blond hair with green eyes and laughed when she got nervous…” All you get are pieces of a puzzle you get to put together as you read each of the emails. Izabell talks with her close group of girlfriends and primarily two or three other male characters throughout the book which provides much of the history and personality for each character. What I liked most about this was that I was able to create in my mind situations, characteristics and backgrounds for some of the things that were left out. It made the story that much more enjoyable and easier to connect with.

On a more serious note, the story brought to light something that I’ve long known is a problem with communicating via technology as opposed to in person. Words typed on a page, letters entered into a phone and situations are often misconstrued. What could have been a potentially harmless email can turn into a vicious cycle of he said-she said all because of the wrong emphasis placed on a word. What’s worse sometimes, is what goes unsaid. Those emails not sent, the texts unwritten and the words left out because it exceeds 140 characters can often lead to hurt feelings or feelings of elation depending on the recipient. Even using phones can lead to this same problem. When we live in a world filled with technology it’s often difficult to step back and realize that there’s a bigger picture and perhaps it may be worth an actual face-to-face conversation.

For me, Save as Draft is one of my top reads so far this year. I absolutely adored this book! Not only did it address some more serious issues in a light hearted way, but it had me clinging to the last pages wondering what was to become of Izabell and her beaus. I’m still dying for a sequel, and if there is to be one you can count on me to be first in line to pick it up! This will no doubt be a much loved book by Chick Lit fans everywhere and I for one am eager to see what Cavanaugh Lee does for a follow up to her debut novel. A fantastic read that all of us technology addicted Chick Lit fans will absolutely fall in love with, a must read!(less)

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Feb 03, 2011 Reads4Pleasure rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit-of-color-challenge

Save as Draft is an updated version of You've Got Mail with a healthy dose of humor and, so far, one of the best things I've read this year. First time author Cavanaugh Lee takes readers along on the adventures of the sparkling Izabell (Izzy) Chin as she balances her romantic and familial relationships, along with friendships.

Told through a series of e-mails, FaceBook postings and tweets, Save as Draft is a "girl meets boy, girl dates other boys, girl dates original boy, boy loses girl, another...more Save as Draft is an updated version of You've Got Mail with a healthy dose of humor and, so far, one of the best things I've read this year. First time author Cavanaugh Lee takes readers along on the adventures of the sparkling Izabell (Izzy) Chin as she balances her romantic and familial relationships, along with friendships.

Told through a series of e-mails, FaceBook postings and tweets, Save as Draft is a "girl meets boy, girl dates other boys, girl dates original boy, boy loses girl, another boy finds girl, boy wants girl back" story. Confused? Well sure, it takes a minute to get everyone straight, but you'll have absolutely no trouble understanding what's going on.

Mixed in with Izzy's tweets, postings and e-mails with various characters are the draft versions of emails. These are the most honest of everything the characters say because they portray their true feelings. We've all had moments when we typed an e-mail that really expressed how we felt, but hit "save as draft" instead of send. As a reader, I found myself wishing the characters had the nerve to hit send. In some instances they finally did, but in others true feelings were never expressed, which made me wonder if things would have turned out differently had those feelings been made known. Ms. Lee is at work on a sequel, so I guess we'll have to wait to find out.

What did you like about this book?
It's gives a very accurate portrayal of how people interact today. With texting, tweeting, Facebooking and e-mail, it really is possible to conduct a relationship and go for extended periods of time without talking to someone by phone. Is that a good or a bad thing? Unless you truly know someone, and sometimes even if you do, it can be difficult to read their tone through electronic communication.

Another thing communicating electronically does it take away face to face time. Since the characters already know each other, for the most part, it's not until maybe midway through the book that the reader learns Izzy is Asian-American. And that only comes out as a result of a conversation that she has with someone she's met through an online service. Up until that point, I don't know that I had an image of her in my head. Not knowing what she looked like didn't take away from the story. And when I realized that she wasn't the typical "white chick" of chick lit, I gladly added her to my Colorful Chick Lit list.

What didn't you like about the book?
I don't like not knowing what's going to happen next. I was so sure that Izzy and another character would re-connect, but that didn't happen. It's almost like feeling happy for your friend when she gets what she wants, but, as a friend, you think you know what's better for her. So while I'm happy that she's happy, I'd really like her to see with the guy I think she should be with. Does that make sense?

What could the author do to improve this book?
Finish writing the sequel, because I'm dying to see what happens next!
(less)

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Jun 19, 2011 Victoria L rated it 3 of 5 stars

What the hell kind of ending was that? That is all I could think when I finished this book. I'm actually really annoyed about this. I guess it's a good thing that I read the Acknowledgements because it made me realize that this is somewhat of a true story for the author. I can totally sympathize with the things she had to go through. But I just got the feeling that the story ended with everything in the air. Maybe that's how Lee wanted it. Maybe that's how Lee lived it. It certainly had an impac...more

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Apr 04, 2011 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun little book, that I read over the course of a weekend. It was a book of letters, or emails actually, and it's actually ingenious how the author let the reader know what the characters were thinking: they would write emails stating what they really thought, and then would "Save as Draft". Although I can count on one finger how often I've actually used the "save as draft" function on my email, I can see how it would be necessary to get into the minds of the characters. This is proba...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Cocorose rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read this book in one day at the beach...this would be a great book if the characters were more likable...Izzy, the main character is based on the author and I don't want to be negative but it is hard to believe that someone who writes such shallow, ridiculous emails could ever be an effective attorney. While the book is entertaining to a degree, it is completely unbelievable. I was also offended by the apparent money supply that these supposed first year lawyers have to go to every fabulous r...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Cassy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-in-2011, romance

This book should be taken for exactly what it looks like; a light reading chick-lit. Of all the novels I've read of it's kind, it's actually not bad and, worth reading if you've got some time on your hands.

The book has a very Dangerous Liaisons feel to it, everything being written in letters so, as the reader, you only find out about it after it's happened. The other thing that I really liked about this book was we got to see all the emails that our characters never sent. The "draft" emails were...more This book should be taken for exactly what it looks like; a light reading chick-lit. Of all the novels I've read of it's kind, it's actually not bad and, worth reading if you've got some time on your hands.

The book has a very Dangerous Liaisons feel to it, everything being written in letters so, as the reader, you only find out about it after it's happened. The other thing that I really liked about this book was we got to see all the emails that our characters never sent. The "draft" emails were all the emails fill with the things they really wanted to say but couldn't bring themselves to do.

Izabell is our main character and signs up for internet dating. She, inevitably, gets herself tied up in the whole love mess. I actually like Izabell because she's a very intellegent girl (has passed the bar in Georgia and passes the Bar in CA during the book.) In other ways, however, she's like every other girl: looking for love and not quite sure where she wants to find it. It's easy to relate to her as a character in that way.

There are also parts that are heartbreaking. She gets engaged but ends up never seeing her fiance because he gets stuck at work all the time. Her fiance doesn't have the guts to tell his boss no and just get out of this job that's ruining his relationship. And the worst part is they are both trying to make it work. Izabell tries not to hold his job against him but when he has to cancel every dinner, every outing and finally the vacation that they've been planning since before he got the job, she can't really handle it anymore. And while he tries to accomidate his job and make a career for himself, he can't seem to understand that there's a difference between a career and slave driving. That some jobs aren't worth it.

While all this is happening, another guy is trying to sneak his way in, and inevitable, sneaks in too quickly. He feels that Izabell is the girl for him but he doesn't give her time to grieve, time to deal with the fact that her soon-to-be-marriage has ended. Inevitably, both relationships that could have been wonderful for Izabell, end tragically.

The book has this terribly bittersweet ending though. It ends with a lot of maybes and could have happened and Izabell on the prowl again, almost as if she's learned nothing. I was really put off by the ending, especially because it left no room for any real hope for any of our characters. When I read chick-lit, I'm sorry, I kind of want a happy ending. That's why I read it. I expect it to be fluffy and a little superficial but that's OK. That's the POINT. And this robbed me of my perfect ending.

Overall, the book wasn't bad, just ok. It's a good beach book. Good for some mindless reading but nothing really fulfilling is going to come out of it.(less)

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Apr 03, 2011 Meredith rated it 1 of 5 stars

Feel's like a rip-off of Dear Mr Henshaw by Beverly Clearly, except it is modernized by using email and dealing with a subject matter that people who read Dear Mr Henshaw as children will appreciate at adults. If you can get past the obvious plugs for eHarmony and the dislike of Match.com, the storyline is good, but very predictable. And it didn't seem that Izy grew or changed very much as a character through the story, something showing she learned her lesson would have been nice not that she w...more

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Jan 31, 2011 Charlotte rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: advanced-readers-copy, nook

Told in strictly email, text, & twitter format, I am not really sure what to say about Save as Draft. The author took creative liberties with the timeliness of social media such as Facebook & Twitter with her flashbacks, but I let that one go. Overall I really enjoyed the novel. I fell a little in love with Izzy, myself, and I could relate to her frustrations as I have a workaholic husband myself. But, (there is always a but) I was not happy at all with the ending, but I could see where...more

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Apr 21, 2011 Ashley (Bookaholic Does Blogging) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, books-i-own, march-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Save As Draft
Author: Cavanaugh Lee
Characters: 4 out of 5
Plot: 3 out of 5
Overall: 3 out of 5
Format: Hardcover
Source: Won from Simon & Schuster on Twitter

Description: (Author Website) Dear Reader,

Are we Facebook friends yet? I'm the wactress (waitress/actress) turned lawyer who lives her life on-line. (Don't we all these days?)

Anyway, I've got this problem... There's this guy. His name's Peter. He's my best friend and co-worker, and we just started dating which is potentially a huge mistake. B...more

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May 29, 2011 Meredith Schorr rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Meredith by: Samantha at Chicklit Plus

This book was BRILLIANT. It took all of the self-control I could muster not to read it in a single sitting because it was that much fun. At the same time, it broke my heart. Really made me think about how what is left unsaid or "un-sent" could change the course of our lives. As despondent as I was to read "the end", I was that thrilled to read that Lee is working on the sequel. It will be on the top of my to-read list. I recommend Save as Draft not only to those who enjoy chick-lit, but to anyon...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paper

Kind of like cotton candy: I loved it for a while and then started to feel a bit sick. At first I found the dating situations fun but I began to dislike all three main characters for their attitudes and inability to communicate as the book went along and the ending frustrated me.

I also dislike the whole "once you get married the sex and romance are gone forever" attitude of certain characters. It doesn't have to be that way!

The format was neat and definitely made it a fast read - I read it in a...more

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