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Jennifer Johnson #2

Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Married

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No so terribly long ago, Heather McElhatton’s flawed, neurotic, yet lovable average American heroine Jennifer Johnson was sick of being single. Now Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Married . The author who brought us the wildly popular Pretty Little Mistakes now favors readers with the next delectably eventful chapter in Jennifer’s life, as her new fairy tale marriage (to the wealthy son of a department store tycoon) hits a serious snag, thanks in no small part to a honeymoon-from-hell in a fundamentalist Christian compound and the prospect of a life of bizarre servitude to her devout mother-in-law’s church committee. This is outrageously funny, wonderfully edgy contemporary women’s fiction in the Helen Fielding and Sophie Kinsella mode that anyone who has ever laughed at the raunchy humor of Sarah Silverman or Chelsea Handler is going to love.

339 pages, Paperback

First published September 11, 2012

67 people are currently reading
553 people want to read

About the author

Heather McElhatton

5 books110 followers
Heather McElhatton is an independent producer for Minnesota Public Radio and Public Radio International. Her commentaries and stories are heard regularly nationwide on This American Life, Marketplace, Weekend America, Sound Money, and The Savvy Traveler, and she hosts the live radio show called Stage Sessions. She will soon be appearing with Ira Glass on the television version of This American Life. (from the publisher's website)"

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5 stars
95 (18%)
4 stars
142 (27%)
3 stars
160 (31%)
2 stars
82 (16%)
1 star
31 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 74 reviews
Profile Image for Tara Chevrestt.
Author 25 books313 followers
September 8, 2012
This was so funny. It was the perfect read for me as I was in a bit of a funk. I laughed and laughed. I sat outside and read in my yard, and I know the neighbors heard me and thought I was crazy. I sat in the house and read, and the dogs gave me funny looks. I shared funny parts on Facebook. It was just that funny.

I didn't read the first book, Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single, but I wasn't lost. The story starts with her honeymoon. There's diarrhea, a three-legged dog, a Christian resort, a runaway husband. Then they go to their new home...only it's not really their home. Bring in the MIL from HELL. Holy smokes!
I would have left right then and there, but JJ is much braver than me. She sticks it out, swallows her retorts, and does the only thing she can: spends her husband's money. LOL

Full review on Book Babe: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2012/...
Profile Image for Sharon Chance.
Author 5 books43 followers
October 16, 2012
This is one of the funniest, laugh-out-loud books that I have read this Fall! Heather McElhatton captures the frustration and the delights of being a newlywed bride perfectly in this never-a-dull-moment story!

From the truly awful honeymoon to the surprise-we-bought-you-a-house (right next door) from her in-laws to the desperate measures Jennifer Johnson takes to try to please her new "hubs" Brad, this story is a rocking and rolling adventure from the word go! And I enjoyed every minute of reading it.

Now, "Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Married" is actually a sequel to "Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Single," and it does help to have a little bit of knowledge of the previous story, but McElhatton does a fine job of brining in enough back story for new readers to catch up quickly. I hope there is a third book planned - I'd like to see how Jennifer is doing these day!
Profile Image for Jennifer Johnson.
403 reviews11 followers
Want to read
October 11, 2012
Even if this book is total utter crap- I will read every page.

*and no, I'm not actually sick of being married...*
Profile Image for Sarah B.
1,335 reviews28 followers
April 2, 2024
This is without doubt one of the funniest "crack fics" I've read in a long time! The most stupid, zaniest and totally random stuff happens in here. I was laughing out loud at this book numerous times! And towards the end it only grew more outrageous and insane, especially once she started a war against her husband. Because the husband definitely had to go!

So this is no book about "happily ever after" even though it has that cute pink cover. No, this is about the marriage from the deep pits of some horrid stinky swamp full of rats the size of fat porcupines... It starts out with the worst honeymoon ever. Imagine being sick through the whole thing with the gut rumbling and fighting over who has the bathroom. And if that isn't bad enough, then consider the fact that your "perfect other" doesn't care about what you are saying. He is supposed to care about your thoughts and feelings...but he doesn't. And that is a big problem.

From there it only gets worse.

Your new mother-in-law lives next door. And she is bossing you. And sabotages all of your important stuff too. She is a true devil.

So I am shocked and amazed at how much I liked this book!! This stuff was hilarious!! I cannot believe some of the insane stuff Jennifer does in here. She goes from being kind of meek to being so bold. And she takes the bull by the horns to change things for the better. She stands up for her rights and for the rights of others too. And in the process the story has heart. Yet at the same time its the most funny thing ever.

The funniest thing in here was the horn shaped things that sucked up insects. That was totally genius!! I was laughing so hard at that one and it was totally scandalous too! What nerve she had to actually do that!! I just love it!! And once Jennifer got going with this stuff she becomes a steamroller you cannot stop. And she had some good friends in here who help her along the way so she can fight for her freedom.

Profile Image for Andrea Guy.
1,482 reviews67 followers
October 23, 2012
If you are in the need of a book to lift your spirits, grab a copy of Jennifer Johnson Is Sick Of Being Married.

Why?

Because you will laugh so hard you will forget any of your troubles.

You'll laugh out loud and you won't care.

This is the sequel to Jennifer Johnson Is Sick Of Being Single. Apparently marriage isn't all that its cracked up to be, at least not for Jennifer!

There's so much craziness in this book from Ace, the three legged dog she brings home from her disastrous honeymoon at a Christian resort, to the super expensive refrigerator with a computer geisha. WTF! So weird and so funny.

I adored Jennifer because she's just so ridiculous. This book read like a romantic comedy. I devoured it in one sitting, because it was just so fun.

All the characters are over the top.

I found myself trying to cast this book the whole time I was reading it.

Jennifer does everything to fit in with her wealthy in-laws, but it always backfires...and really if you knew Mother Keller, you wouldn't want her to like you too much. (Or any other family member..except Trevor)

If you need a laugh, this is the book to reach for.
Profile Image for Sam.
Author 49 books4,842 followers
January 26, 2016

I need to run two races at the same time, his and theirs. Two completely different races, two opposite trophy wives...one me.
No problem.
Where there's a determined woman...there's always a way.


What a fun ride.

Humorous, offensive, well-thought out, so much fun. I always have fun with this author's books.

4.5 stars, rounding up to 5 since the rest of GR doesn't seem to enjoy Jennifer Johnson as much as I do. ;)

Profile Image for Pam.
398 reviews54 followers
October 3, 2012


I wanted to like this more. Think mean girls grown up and married and divorced. The Ice Empress and Pho were hysterical but I couldn't get past the anti Christian bashing; it just seemed mean. I loved the ending though!
Profile Image for Julie Valerie.
Author 2 books201 followers
January 16, 2013
First impressions: The opening chapter is one of the funniest honeymoon chapters I have ever read. I laughed so hard I woke my husband and made him read some of the sections. Without giving anything away, I wondered if the writer wrote a canine companion into the storyline because she loves her own dog, Walter, so much. As a dog lover, I completely understand. A dog is a chick’s best friend, you know.

Type of book: I’d classify this book as a raunchy romp, a classification in the Chick Lit genre that comes with an implied warning to the reader: If you’re sensitive to raw language, profanity, sexual references and the like, you may not survive the 335 pages. The c-word (rhymes with punt) and the p-word (not kitty but) appears on almost every page (well, not every page) and the main character runs around town doing all sorts of naughty things like bleaching her anus at a spa and steam-cleaning her p-word to engorge it. After surviving a week with diarrhea on her honeymoon, Jennifer Johnson, the main character, poops on a golf course and in another chapter, squats to form a plaster mold of her p-word at an art gallery, making the observation that her plastered p-word looks like a bat smashed against the grill of a truck. All very funny “raw” scenes, just not for every type of reader.

One last reader warning: If you are wealthy, Christian, Republican or anti-gay marriage, do yourself a favor and choose another book because there is not a kind word said about any of these groups; they serve only as props in the story as the evil, antagonistic forces in the book. So much so, that I wondered while I was reading if the relentless slams against them were actually the views of the writer and this novel was her outlet to vent those prejudices, or the views of the character required by the storyline? I dunno. Something to discuss at your next book group.

Very funny, but very provocative in its language and scene actions. I haven’t read Heather McElhatton’s other books, but if they’re like this one, then readers who love a raunchy romp should definitely follow her!
Profile Image for Pamela Kramer.
423 reviews8 followers
December 2, 2012
"Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Married" is the sequel to "Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single' by Heather McElhatton. It's chick lit all grown up -- about the joys (or lack thereof) of being married to the person who seemed to be one's heart's desire.

The story begins on Jennifer's honeymoon. Even without reading "Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single," one gets the gist of the story fairly quickly. Jennifer managed to snag Brad, the son of the wealthy department store owner. They are on their honeymoon, courtesy of the in-laws.

The honeymoon is at a Christian resort, In His Palm, on St. John's in the Caribbean. All is not well on the honeymoon. The resort, in McElhatton's clever prose, becomes ridiculous. Signs highlighting activities offered in the all-inclusive resort include:

TRY JOY-GA Non-Satanic yoga! You've stretched with the devil...now reach for the LIGHT!

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND SUNRISE BEACH WALK! If HE can get up early, you can too!

Not only does the resort not allow a drop of liquor on the premises, the newlyweds get violently ill the first night after begging for a late meal at the resort. When Jennifer finds some resort workers feeding bread laced with rat poison to the local dogs, she rescues a puppy and smuggles him home.

They arrive home to find that instead of staying with Brad's parents in their guesthouse, the parents have generously bought them the house next door. And Brad's mother has decorated it herself.

The mother is truly a mother-in-law from hell. While Jennifer and Brad grow farther and farther apart, her mother-in-law does everything she can to sabotage Jennifer's relationship with Brad. Jennifer suffers from low self-esteem, which gets lower when nothing she does seems to turn out right.


Read the whole review at: Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Married
Profile Image for Dana.
2,211 reviews21 followers
August 27, 2013
"Jennifer Johnson Is Sick Of Being Married" was even funnier than the first book, "Jennifer Johnson Is Sick Of Being Single." This was probably my favorite chic lit book this year. Jennifer's fairytale ending wasn't quite what she expected. Starting with a honeymoon from hell, from the first few pages, I knew this book would be entertaining. Again, I liked Jennifer as a character, which made the book really enjoyable for me. Her comments and witty humor made me laugh out loud several times throughout the book.

The novel was packed with one catastrophe after another in the way chic lit should be. The conversations with the country club women reminded me of the New York socialites who are so common in other novels. All the characters were comical and the story was great! Brad went from a knight in shinning armor in the first book, to a total jerk here. Its hard not to like Jennifer's strong personality that has her sparring with her in-laws from the very beginning. Jennifer is a great character because she is just a normal girl trying to find happiness amidst chaos! The dinner party without furniture was pretty funny, as were some of the other household chores Jennifer attempts to tackle.

Jennifer's comments about being married were especially funny, but even people who aren't married would enjoy this novel. This was one of my favorite reads this year.

Read more of my reviews on my blog: http://fastpageturner.wordpress.com
Profile Image for Bri Kennedy.
1 review
December 13, 2012
Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Married by Heather McElhatton has been one of the best books I have read in a long time! It would have probably been beneficial for me to read the first book in this sequel, (Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Single), but it wasn't essential for me to read to understand the second book. In the beginning of this story Jennifer Johnson marries a guy named Brad Keller. Brad's family owns a very successful company and his dad will soon retire from the CEO position. Brad competes with his devil of a sister for the position; Brad wins. Before Brad won though Jennifer had to change her old ways and become a trophy wife. She makes connections with the right people, dresses the way she's expected to, and fits the trophy wife ideal to a T. But she loses herself getting that way, she becomes fake and bitchy like the stereotype that rich women are. Finally it hits her that this isn't what she wants her life to be! Read the book or my logs to find out the ending. I highly recommend reading this book since I spent my Friday nights reading it instead of doing something slighty cool it must be a pretty entertaining story. :)
Profile Image for Grace Harwood.
Author 3 books35 followers
August 15, 2015
I'm not a huge fan of sequels - it strikes me that authors are cashing in on the success of their old characters - getting them out, dusting them down and sending them off to earn them some more money. BUT... I make a big exception in this case - I was 14% of the way through "Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single" (the first book) when I knew I just had to read the sequel - and what a sequel! This is the funniest sequel I've ever read. It's a work of inspired comedy genius. Where else would you find a refrigerator which comes complete with its own Ice Princess? The Honeymoon from Hell? The in-laws from Hell? Some people have taken offence at some of the jokes in this book(mainly the ones at the expense of the horrible Christians in it) - Don't take it too seriously - this is tremendously funny stuff.
Profile Image for EMP.
776 reviews4 followers
December 13, 2012
I finished this and my first thought was "I can't believe I read the whole thing". While it has some funny parts, it's just SO over the top and silly. I won't be reading anything else McElhatton writes.
370 reviews2 followers
September 17, 2018
Yes. This is over the top. Yes. It has some very polarizing stereotyping.
And Yes. This has an ending that defies perfect.
But you need to read this book because it is FUNNY.
Not, this is “funny” (aka wacky and predictable) but FUNNY with you will be unconsciously smiling as you read if you aren’t laughing out loud FUNNY.
Really!
5 reviews
April 30, 2018
I skimmed over a lot of the good bits just because some of the background characters were so mean and jerky, but the heroine and her supporting characters were so supporting and funny, specially the refrigerator, so I give 4 stars.
Profile Image for Readersaurus.
1,665 reviews46 followers
April 24, 2019
I picked this up while browsing the stacks, intending to broaden my reading horizons. Thirty or so pages of whining, poop, people who probably should have quit on the first date, and not-so-great writing. It was not for me.
Profile Image for tina huddleson.
51 reviews1 follower
April 12, 2023
Jennifer Johnson #2

SickOfBeingMarried Jennifer Johnson book 2 is a hoot. Grabs your funny from the get go. All I can say is enjoy and I can’t wait for the next book from this author.
Profile Image for Michelle Molaison.
8 reviews
September 13, 2018
Simply hilarious. ..

I couldn't stop laughing. The author was very down to earth with a twist of Will and Grace. Simply hilarious
Profile Image for Candice.
546 reviews
February 26, 2019
Any book that makes me laugh out loud as many times as this one will always get 5 stars.
142 reviews
April 15, 2020
Loved it

One crazy thing after another, but finally Jennifer takes the bull by the horns and the ride gets even wilder.
Profile Image for Sara Goldenberg.
2,817 reviews27 followers
December 10, 2018
It was adorable. i just sped through it; it was so real and interesting and fun !!!
Profile Image for Clare.
769 reviews13 followers
November 15, 2012
Jennifer (nee Johnson) Keller is not for everyone. But as an outsider living in Minnesota, I adore all the in jokes McElhatton writes about. If you haven't read Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single, you might miss a deeper level of Jennifer's anxiety, but both books could certainly stand alone. (at least as far as I've read).

For example, Jennifer marries into the Keller family, who runs a big department store. Instead of the two Dayton boys, who are running a restaurant, you have a Keller daughter and a Keller son. I keep waiting for Father Keller to run for political office, like Mark Dayton, our current governor.

Her plan to help her husband take over the family business is called "Operation Hotdish" - which is the state food of Minnesota.

I alternately howl with laughter (the woman who works at Cinnabon is nicknamed "Satan") and cringe. What's with all the diarrhea jokes?

But this passage makes me ROLL!:
"They see a missing toothpaste cap as a rift in the universe. Nothing can move forward until (1) the toothpaste cap is located, (2) it's screwed back on the tube, and (3) an adequate explanation for the cap's disappearance is provided. The problem with this last requirement is that no acceptable explanation exist on earth. No matter what happened, no matter how compelling the story (e.g., a vicious crow flew through the open window and attacked you, flying off with the toothpaste cap and leaving you with bloody stumps for fingers), it doesn't matter. It's inadequate. Why? Because replacing a toothpaste cap takes, "all of three seconds." Even in the event of an emergency, like vicious crow behavior, it would be simple to do.
At least this is what Brad tells me. "

Married life has never been so tedious and so painfully funny.

Heather McElhatton is NOT for everyone, but she certainly is for me. I'm not finished yet, but I am dreading the surprise/twist ending (In fact, I think I can guess it...). ETA: I was slightly wrong.
Profile Image for drey.
833 reviews60 followers
December 31, 2012
Oh. My. Goodness. Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Married made me laugh out loud, it was so silly and adorable and entertaining! I haven’t read the previous book (Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single), but I’d imagine it to be something in the vein of Bridget Jones’ Diary, where Jennifer Johnson eventually prevails, and heads to (or down) the aisle.

Here, she’s married, and starts off the pages by recounting the honeymoon experience. Or rather, more like re-*shudder*ing it. Poor Jennifer. And if that weren’t bad enough, she comes home from her honeymoon to find that her in-laws have bought her and Brad a house. Right. Next. Door. Run away now, Jennifer! Add screaming if you can, but run run run!

And life starts falling apart. Apparently there’s nothing to do once you’ve married up – way up – other than lunch at the country club, chairing committees at the church, and going slowly out of your mind with boredom. Add all that with a mother-in-law out to get you and a husband who ignores you, and Jennifer starts wondering if the trip down the aisle doesn’t lead straight to hell…

Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Married is a charmingly funny look at what happens when you bite of more than you can chew. Its subject matter isn’t, but the way Jennifer deals with her situation is. The hi-jinks she gets up to, the decisions she makes, the blunders that inevitably follow – all combine to make this one not a story about the evils of marriage, but rather the pitfalls that open up when the one you’ve picked for love ever after has a powerful family that doesn’t like you one bit. This one’ll go well with chocolate and a blanket to cuddle up into in this cool fall weather.

drey’s rating: Excellent!
Profile Image for L..
9 reviews
October 4, 2012
Heather McElhatton elevates the chick-it novel in this story that is both laugh aloud funny and moving at the same time. This book is a fast and funny read that breezes right along and you find yourself wishing the author lived down the street so you could invite her out for a glass of wine. You know you'd be in for a legendary night.

The story is really told in set-pieces, big over the top but totally hilarious comedic "action" sequences that feel fresh and original. True, the emotional arc of the story with her husband is a bit thin, but the real emotional core of the story turns out to be with the book's villain, her incredibly meddlesome mother-in-law.

This book is hands down above so many of the other books in the genre in that in the author never writes down to its target audience. I would happily read other books from this talented writer.
Profile Image for Mandi Kaye Sorensen.
295 reviews84 followers
November 27, 2012
Reviewed at http://www.mandikayereads.com/archive...

I have to admit – I wasn’t paying attention and I didn’t realize that there was a book before this one about Jennifer Johnson. But in all honesty – it didn’t matter!

This book was hilarious! I mean really – how can you pass up a book where the main character goes for anal bleaching and ends up shouting, “Starfish is burning! Starfish is burning!”

You can’t make this shit up.

Jennifer Johnson is the kind of woman who wears pantyhose with duct tape on the crotch because she tried to dry them in her toaster oven.

(visit http://www.mandikayereads.com/archive... to read the rest of the review!)
Profile Image for Christine.
126 reviews3 followers
February 11, 2013
At first I wasn't sure if I liked the Jennifer Johnson character. She made some comments on Wisconsin (she lives in Minnesota) and on community theatre (page 125) that I didn't like. Then I lightened up and realized that anyone who would break into an animal shelter to save her three legged dog, and who supported gay rights like she did, was all right in my book (and hers!) I liked it so much that I went and bought Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single to see how it all started!





























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