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Pursuing the Times
All that popular Chick-Lit author Mercury Lauren wants is to have one of her books reviewed by the New York Times Book Review - just one - and she'll do almost anything to get it. In this contemporary romantic comedy, with a nod toward Pride and Prejudice she crosses swords and hearts with the Editor-in-Chief of the NYTBR in a madcap adventure that takes her from her home in Westport to a yoga retreat to a golf course in Florida. Will she get what she wants and will she finally be happy if she does? Only one thing's for certain: nothing will stop her from Pursuing the Times.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 24, 2012
2 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Baratz-Logsted
53 books471 followersLauren grew up in Monroe, CT, where her father owned a drugstore at which her mother was the pharmacist. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut at Storrs, where she majored in psychology. She also has what she calls her “half-Masters” in English from Western Connecticut State University (five courses down, another five to go…someday!).
Throughout college, she worked semester breaks as a doughnut salesperson, a job that she swears gave her white lung disease from all the powdered sugar she breathed.
Upon graduation, she began work at the venerable independent spacebookseller, now sadly defunct as such, Klein’s of Westport. There, she bought and sold for the better part of 11 years.
In November 1994, Lauren left the bookstore to finally take a chance on herself as a writer. Success did not happen over night. Between 1994 and May 2002 – when Red Dress Ink called with an offer to buy THE THIN PINK LINE – Lauren worked as a book reviewer, a freelance editor and writer, and a window washer, making her arguably the only woman in the world who has ever both hosted a book signing party and washed the windows of the late best-selling novelist Robert Ludlum.
Since Red Dress Ink’s call in 2002, Lauren has been kept very busy with writing more novels and checking her Amazon ranking on a daily basis. She still lives in Danbury, with her husband and daughter, where she has lived since 1991.
In addition to writing, Lauren’s daughter keeps her busy, accounting for the rest of her time.
Lauren’s favorite color is green.
Lauren’s favorite non-cat animals are penguins.
Lauren wants you to know that, however you are pronouncing her last name, you are probably pronouncing it wrong.
Throughout college, she worked semester breaks as a doughnut salesperson, a job that she swears gave her white lung disease from all the powdered sugar she breathed.
Upon graduation, she began work at the venerable independent spacebookseller, now sadly defunct as such, Klein’s of Westport. There, she bought and sold for the better part of 11 years.
In November 1994, Lauren left the bookstore to finally take a chance on herself as a writer. Success did not happen over night. Between 1994 and May 2002 – when Red Dress Ink called with an offer to buy THE THIN PINK LINE – Lauren worked as a book reviewer, a freelance editor and writer, and a window washer, making her arguably the only woman in the world who has ever both hosted a book signing party and washed the windows of the late best-selling novelist Robert Ludlum.
Since Red Dress Ink’s call in 2002, Lauren has been kept very busy with writing more novels and checking her Amazon ranking on a daily basis. She still lives in Danbury, with her husband and daughter, where she has lived since 1991.
In addition to writing, Lauren’s daughter keeps her busy, accounting for the rest of her time.
Lauren’s favorite color is green.
Lauren’s favorite non-cat animals are penguins.
Lauren wants you to know that, however you are pronouncing her last name, you are probably pronouncing it wrong.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 21, 2013
Review now posted...
From Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of the laugh-out-loud novel, The Bro-Magnet, comes the laugh-out-louder novel, Pursuing the Times. I haven’t smiled, snickered, giggled or…well, laughed out loud… this much while reading a story in a very long time.
On the cover:Our heroine, Mercury Lauren, would likely cringe if she heard what I’m about to say, but Chick-Lit really isn’t my cuppa. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the female friendships and their love life ups and downs that are a part of the stories in this genre, but too often there’s not enough time given to romantic relationships to suit my need for a solid happily ever after in my reading. That said, while Chick-Lit isn’t my genre of choice, if more authors wrote it the way Ms. Baratz-Logsted does, it most definitely would be.
All that popular Chick-Lit author Mercury Lauren wants is to have one of her books reviewed by the New York Times Book Review - just one - and she'll do almost anything to get it. In this contemporary romantic comedy, with a nod toward Pride and Prejudice she crosses swords and hearts with the Editor-in-Chief of the NYTBR in a madcap adventure that takes her from her home in Westport to a yoga retreat to a golf course in Florida. Will she get what she wants and will she finally be happy if she does? Only one thing's for certain: nothing will stop her from Pursuing the Times.
Rarely do I find myself enjoying the heroine of a story as much as I do the hero, but this is another something this author managed to pull off. Mercury is intelligent, insightful, dedicated, and self deprecating – in a denialesque kind of way - and I loved her outspoken defense of herself and her writing. There’s just something so outrageous about her that, while watching a certain scene unfold on a golf course, had me thinking how much more exciting my own life would be if I had that kind of chutzpah!
Frank D’Arcangelo is a great hero! You may - or may not - have heard that this book at times mimics Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Well, one of my favorite things about Frank is just how “Mr. Darcy” he is, in a thoroughly obnoxious, modern sort of way. But like our beloved Mr. Darcy of old, Frank isn’t completely irredeemable, and even well before the conclusion of the story, I adored him! In fact, even when he was being an utter ass I was still grinning and cheering him on in the direction I wanted him to go: into Mercury’s arms.
The bottom line: Pursuing the Times is an absolute pleasure to read. It’s light, romantic, funny, steamy… a truly feel good story. Fans of any romance genre will completely relate to Mercury Lauren and her desperation to become recognized as a 'legitimate' author, and you'll laugh at the lengths she'll go to to achieve her goal. I’m looking forward to reading more by this talented author. Even if it is Chick-Lit ;)
My thanks to Ms. Baratz-Logsted for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. And for her patience during the months it took me to actually pick it up and read it.
I loved this quote:
Of course, by now I'd been branded as an author of Chick-Lit -- well, actually, the first book had served to do that -- even though I thought of what I wrote as satire. Surely, if a man wrote the same things, they wouldn't call it Dick Lit... would they?
August 24, 2017
Pursuing the Times - Lauren Baratz-Logsted Oh, I think this is just the thing to turn my feminist ire to after I finish Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference. Why, yes, I'm annoyed by the way the NYT scorns women writers, particularly when they write for women readers.***And may I just say, smugly, that I was right? Perfect timing. Baratz-Logsted takes Pride and Prejudice, sets it in the modern world of 21st century publishing, and creates a memorable protagonist in Mercury Lauren, a popular writer of chick lit, who can't get no respect. Mercury could be one of her own satirical creations: she's a wack job in private life, but also a serious and hard-working writer. Unlike the myriad tales of earnest male writers suffering for ennui and thwarted promise, Mercury isn't angsting about her talent or her sales. She's good at what she does, and has the steadily-growing royalties to prove it. But because the writing of women for women is widely disparaged in the US, she is constantly assailed by men (including her own brother) who've never read Chick Lit and can't imagine it has anything to say to men. As much as I loved the goofy I Love Lucy hijinks, and I did, I loved even more that it was a romantic comedy in which the male lead had to prove himself deserving. Don't let the writer's light touch fool you: there's plenty of meat on those petite bones. Funny, sexy, and with something to say about the human condition, it's a delightful read.
Personal copy
*******
It surprises me how often I pick the same book at the same time of year. Often within days.
Personal copy
*******
It surprises me how often I pick the same book at the same time of year. Often within days.
September 20, 2012
Wit, sarcasm, scintillating internal dialogue, impulsivity and self-absorption! These are the words I choose to describe the heroine of this story who has but a single-minded goal- to track-down the editor in chief of the NY Times book reviews and force him to read her book.
Even her name, Mercury Lauren (not to be mistaken for a relation of Ralph Lauren though she admits to trying that on for a few perks), is evidence that she's a truly unusual gal blessed (or cursed she might say) with an over abundance of personality and originality.
I knew from the opening lines of this book that I was in for a rare treat.
"It is a publishing truth, universally acknowledged, that anyone professionally involved in the pursuit of 'Lit-e-ra-ture' must by definition, despise Chick-Lit."
Now doesn't that have at least a vaguely familiar tone to it for you? It did for me and I perked right up for a truly audacious read (for those who had no deja vu moment, the quote of the book's first lines is a deliberate misquote of the opening line of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice).
And I was not to be disappointed-
I'm not absolutely certain about how Jane would feel to see her P&P remodeled into this modern retelling (since she's been gone for almost 200 years and I can't ask), but I think she would appreciate the spunk and yes, folly, of this heroine who like Jane Austen in her time, is fighting to see her work recognized by the authorities that be in the book world. This was a 'laugh out loud shock my socks off' initiation into the Romantic Comedy genre (yep, it was my first). Seriously, I'm giving you an unofficial warning label since the book doesn't come with one. You really shouldn't read it in public if you are ashamed by the sound of your laugh.
Mercury Lauren hadn't set out to become a successful author of Chick-lit. The label had just attached itself to her satirical stories and she was stuck with it along with the publisher who's emblem is a pink eraser. Chick-lit, while successful, is not recognized by the blue-bloods of the book industry and definitely don't get reviewed by the Times. Mercury has the single-minded purpose to change all that. She brow-beats her agent, Angel, to get her a chance to meet Frank D'Archangelo, the NY Times Book Review Editor in Chief. Angel does that by giving her the extra invitation she has to a book rewards dinner.
And let mayhem commence- Mercury makes a disaster of her opportunity between poor wardrobe choice, mistaken identity and facts, jealousy of rivals and just outright bad luck. When the night is over, she has made herself infamous in the literary world and managed to make plenty sure that Frank will never speak to her again let alone read her book.
The rest of the story is how the intrepid Mercury with all her internal insecurities tenaciously continues to reverse the effects of that evening and gain her goal. And in the process, she starts to gain some wisdom and a change of heart that might lead to an even bigger triumph than getting her book reviewed by the Times.
It is all over the top fun from start to finish which is how I imagine most stories are in the RomCom genre. While I couldn't exactly relate to Mercury or feel empathetic to her plights because she is the one who gets herself into them, I could root her on toward success. The book is told first person and it is her voice and personality that carries it.
Mercury is surrounded by a great group of characters- her parents, her brother and sister in law, her agent, a fellow writer, a reviewer and of course the NYTBR editor. Each character corresponds with a character from the original P&P story, but while I recognized them and the general story line, I enjoyed the delightful new spin of creativity that Ms. Baratz-Logsted placed on them. Mercury's brother cracked me up every time he opened his droll, sarcastic mouth and I just wanted to hug poor Angel, Mercury's longsuffering agent, who was constantly pulled away to do damage control or offer sage advice with Mercury. I was a tad bit disappointed not to get more of Frank's backstory. There are hints that he is the way he is toward women because of a past history, but it is never really addressed closely. He is enigmatic through much of the story just reacting to Mercury's outlandishness in cool, collected ways- well except the one glaringly unique scene when he shows he's as hot-blooded as the next man. Frank was the perfect foil for Mercury just as she was good for him.
Jane Austen purists should be warned that this is a modern retelling where there is at least one hot bedroom scene and other references that have it falling in line with a normal contemporary romance (yes this modern Darcy and Elizabeth as well as Bingley and Jane bring some heat to their story).
I'm in a quote-y mood now so I'm going to quote Mr. Bennet a character from the original P&P tale to sum up what this book seemed to be about.
“For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?”
Recommend for the Romantic Comedy lover and the Austeneque fans who don't mind a little heat with their humor.
Even her name, Mercury Lauren (not to be mistaken for a relation of Ralph Lauren though she admits to trying that on for a few perks), is evidence that she's a truly unusual gal blessed (or cursed she might say) with an over abundance of personality and originality.
I knew from the opening lines of this book that I was in for a rare treat.
"It is a publishing truth, universally acknowledged, that anyone professionally involved in the pursuit of 'Lit-e-ra-ture' must by definition, despise Chick-Lit."
Now doesn't that have at least a vaguely familiar tone to it for you? It did for me and I perked right up for a truly audacious read (for those who had no deja vu moment, the quote of the book's first lines is a deliberate misquote of the opening line of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice).
And I was not to be disappointed-
I'm not absolutely certain about how Jane would feel to see her P&P remodeled into this modern retelling (since she's been gone for almost 200 years and I can't ask), but I think she would appreciate the spunk and yes, folly, of this heroine who like Jane Austen in her time, is fighting to see her work recognized by the authorities that be in the book world. This was a 'laugh out loud shock my socks off' initiation into the Romantic Comedy genre (yep, it was my first). Seriously, I'm giving you an unofficial warning label since the book doesn't come with one. You really shouldn't read it in public if you are ashamed by the sound of your laugh.
Mercury Lauren hadn't set out to become a successful author of Chick-lit. The label had just attached itself to her satirical stories and she was stuck with it along with the publisher who's emblem is a pink eraser. Chick-lit, while successful, is not recognized by the blue-bloods of the book industry and definitely don't get reviewed by the Times. Mercury has the single-minded purpose to change all that. She brow-beats her agent, Angel, to get her a chance to meet Frank D'Archangelo, the NY Times Book Review Editor in Chief. Angel does that by giving her the extra invitation she has to a book rewards dinner.
And let mayhem commence- Mercury makes a disaster of her opportunity between poor wardrobe choice, mistaken identity and facts, jealousy of rivals and just outright bad luck. When the night is over, she has made herself infamous in the literary world and managed to make plenty sure that Frank will never speak to her again let alone read her book.
The rest of the story is how the intrepid Mercury with all her internal insecurities tenaciously continues to reverse the effects of that evening and gain her goal. And in the process, she starts to gain some wisdom and a change of heart that might lead to an even bigger triumph than getting her book reviewed by the Times.
It is all over the top fun from start to finish which is how I imagine most stories are in the RomCom genre. While I couldn't exactly relate to Mercury or feel empathetic to her plights because she is the one who gets herself into them, I could root her on toward success. The book is told first person and it is her voice and personality that carries it.
Mercury is surrounded by a great group of characters- her parents, her brother and sister in law, her agent, a fellow writer, a reviewer and of course the NYTBR editor. Each character corresponds with a character from the original P&P story, but while I recognized them and the general story line, I enjoyed the delightful new spin of creativity that Ms. Baratz-Logsted placed on them. Mercury's brother cracked me up every time he opened his droll, sarcastic mouth and I just wanted to hug poor Angel, Mercury's longsuffering agent, who was constantly pulled away to do damage control or offer sage advice with Mercury. I was a tad bit disappointed not to get more of Frank's backstory. There are hints that he is the way he is toward women because of a past history, but it is never really addressed closely. He is enigmatic through much of the story just reacting to Mercury's outlandishness in cool, collected ways- well except the one glaringly unique scene when he shows he's as hot-blooded as the next man. Frank was the perfect foil for Mercury just as she was good for him.
Jane Austen purists should be warned that this is a modern retelling where there is at least one hot bedroom scene and other references that have it falling in line with a normal contemporary romance (yes this modern Darcy and Elizabeth as well as Bingley and Jane bring some heat to their story).
I'm in a quote-y mood now so I'm going to quote Mr. Bennet a character from the original P&P tale to sum up what this book seemed to be about.
“For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?”
Recommend for the Romantic Comedy lover and the Austeneque fans who don't mind a little heat with their humor.
February 21, 2013
Disclaimer: I was given this book by the author in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. No monetary compensation for this review at all.
Very very rarely do you come across a book that has you grinning only a few pages in and laughing out loud a few chapters later. Mercury Lauren, the Chick Lit writer desperate for a review from the New York Times Book Review, is a chaotic, spazztic, witty, bright woman who definitely knows how to go after what she wants. She describes herself as once being a "mousy book clerk" but I fail to see how this is possible because this woman has got PERSONALITY.
The whole premise of the book is about Mercury's passion for a NYT Book Review blurb, how she doesn't write "Chick Lit" but stories about "the human condition" and as she runs into one person after another, we truly see that human condition.
The glimpses into the world of a burgeoning author (well, I guess I should say well established as she is into her fifth book) and her relationship with her agent, book tours, ARCs, and insecurities was fantastic. There were frustrating moments of her believing the slimeball, but I think it was even more frustrating for me because I am so often the victim of being too trusting myself.
Mercury's neuroses were just non-stop. It did get to be a little much at times because you just know she can be an energy drainer! I liked the golf scene where a certain someone admires her chutzpah, and I liked the vulnerability she shows at the book signing.
This was a fun, witty, laugh out loud read with a nice bit of romance, including a modern little White Knight to the Rescue bit. The bantering of emails had me snickering, her inner dialogue that quickly turns into a panicked phone call to her agent had me shaking my head, and her antics had me laughing out loud.
Thank you SO much, Lauren Baratz-Logsted!
Very very rarely do you come across a book that has you grinning only a few pages in and laughing out loud a few chapters later. Mercury Lauren, the Chick Lit writer desperate for a review from the New York Times Book Review, is a chaotic, spazztic, witty, bright woman who definitely knows how to go after what she wants. She describes herself as once being a "mousy book clerk" but I fail to see how this is possible because this woman has got PERSONALITY.
The whole premise of the book is about Mercury's passion for a NYT Book Review blurb, how she doesn't write "Chick Lit" but stories about "the human condition" and as she runs into one person after another, we truly see that human condition.
The glimpses into the world of a burgeoning author (well, I guess I should say well established as she is into her fifth book) and her relationship with her agent, book tours, ARCs, and insecurities was fantastic. There were frustrating moments of her believing the slimeball, but I think it was even more frustrating for me because I am so often the victim of being too trusting myself.
Mercury's neuroses were just non-stop. It did get to be a little much at times because you just know she can be an energy drainer! I liked the golf scene where a certain someone admires her chutzpah, and I liked the vulnerability she shows at the book signing.
This was a fun, witty, laugh out loud read with a nice bit of romance, including a modern little White Knight to the Rescue bit. The bantering of emails had me snickering, her inner dialogue that quickly turns into a panicked phone call to her agent had me shaking my head, and her antics had me laughing out loud.
Thank you SO much, Lauren Baratz-Logsted!
April 14, 2016
I really liked this book. This book had many laugh out loud moments with witty dialogue. I think the humor made this book read very fast. The main character Mercury is a whack job in her private life, but you can’t help but love her and understand why she is the way she is. She has one goal in mind and that goal is to have the Editor in Chief of the NY times read her book. I loved the interaction between her and the Editor in Chief. She tried to teach him to not judge a book by its cover. I also loved Mercury’s brother. He made me laugh every time he made a sarcastic comment. Mercury’s agent Angel constantly had to offer advice to Mercury and had to do damage control when Mercury went on a tyrant.
I wanted to see more interaction with her author friend Nick who was on the back burner the whole time.
You will not be sorry picking up this book. 4 stars
I wanted to see more interaction with her author friend Nick who was on the back burner the whole time.
You will not be sorry picking up this book. 4 stars
February 15, 2013
ARC by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
All Mercury Lauren wants is being reviewed in New York Times. And then she met Frank D'Arcangelo, the editor in chief of NYT. Frank actually did not want to review her book, but Mercury's persistence, made him read it.
I enjoy read this book and keep smiling while read it. It's a funny read. I really like the moral in this book that the reader should not judge the book without reading it. Maybe after reading it we could say we dislike it, but we can't say it's a garbage. Quoting from what Frank said:
What lack in this story is the twist. I was hoping there's a twist somewhere, but there's none. It's predictable, but I really love how Mercury insisted Frank to read her book. Hahahahhaaha... Oh, I love their email too ^^
All Mercury Lauren wants is being reviewed in New York Times. And then she met Frank D'Arcangelo, the editor in chief of NYT. Frank actually did not want to review her book, but Mercury's persistence, made him read it.
I enjoy read this book and keep smiling while read it. It's a funny read. I really like the moral in this book that the reader should not judge the book without reading it. Maybe after reading it we could say we dislike it, but we can't say it's a garbage. Quoting from what Frank said:
"It may not be to your taste, but it’s not garbage."
What lack in this story is the twist. I was hoping there's a twist somewhere, but there's none. It's predictable, but I really love how Mercury insisted Frank to read her book. Hahahahhaaha... Oh, I love their email too ^^
August 16, 2014
The first line of the book immediately brings a smile to a reader’s face (well, anyone who ever loved Pride & Prejudice): “It is a publishing truth, universally acknowledged, that anyone professionally involved in the pursuit of “Lit-e-ra-ture,” must, by definition, despise Chick-Lit”.
Read full review in the 2012 Holiday issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2012 Holiday issue of InD’tale Magazine.
May 15, 2021
At first I thought the heroine was highly energetic but then I wondered if she was high on cocaine or something.
This book was too fast paced for me, like running a sprint for 10km. I gave up before the finishing line.
A pity, considering that there were some moments of good banter.
This book was too fast paced for me, like running a sprint for 10km. I gave up before the finishing line.
A pity, considering that there were some moments of good banter.
March 2, 2013
Actual rating- 4.5
*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of Pursuing the Times from author Lauren Baratz-Logsted in exchange for an honest review. We thank Lauren for the book!
When author Lauren Baratz-Logsted contacted us about reviewing her romantic comedy, Pursuing the Times, not only was I super excited about the book, but I felt so delighted to just see an email from Lauren sitting in our inbox. I absolutely liked and thoroughly enjoyed reading the author's The Bro-Magnet (my review of which can be read here) and I was sure Pursuing the Times would be just as entertaining. And trust me, it didn't disappoint. Not even a bit.
Pursuing the Times was so funny that not only did I laugh while reading, but somewhere in the middle of nowhere, when I remembered an incident or a dialogue from the book, I found myself laughing just as hard as I did the first time.
Mercury Lauren is the author of chick-lit novels and her only aim is to get her book, by any means whatsoever, in the hands of New York Times Book Review Editor-in-Chief Frank D'Arcangelo for a review. Mercury, however has no idea who she insulted at the National Book Awards until her agent and only friend, Angel from The Angelica White Literary Agency informs her later that the very object of her hideous insults is the very man she'd do anything to get hold of.
Throw in another author Nick who supposedly writes "important" stuff, Mercury's crazy but absolutely cute family comprising of her parents, her brother Ralph, whose comebacks and views on Mercury and her career were too comical and a sweet sister in-law Sheila and you have a joyride at your disposal.
Mercury was an imperfectly perfect protagonist. She was hilarious in her own ways and her absolutely whacky ways of looking at things made her so entertaining and likeable. She was pure fun and like one of the characters in the book rightly said, she had chutzpah. The lengths she went to in order to get the ARC of her novel, Falling For Prince Charles, in the hands of any well established NYTBR reviewer were oh-my-God-so-hilarious!
At first, I thought that Pursuing the Times started out really slowly or maybe it was just my own reading slump, but once it kicked off, it really was difficult to stay away from reading this highly entertaining and ridiculously smacking book.
Author Lauren Baratz-Logsted has a way of keeping the reader alert and entertained at the same time with a seriously bang-up plot, absolutely real, genuine and cool characters, nonchalant and smashing dialogue and lastly, the promise of an utterly amusing and awesome journey on which one has a really good time, which in the end, is all that matters- having a good time.
I loved the craziness and the hideousness of Pursuing the Times. It was a funny, sweet, cheerful and playful read that doesn't require the brain to do any work except read and that makes those pretty laughter lines on your face a permanent feature throughout the duration of the book. It was a lightsome and comical read that I was in dire need of after having read a series of dark books. Author Lauren Baratz-Logsted's Pursuing the Times is truly a very great read!
*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of Pursuing the Times from author Lauren Baratz-Logsted in exchange for an honest review. We thank Lauren for the book!
When author Lauren Baratz-Logsted contacted us about reviewing her romantic comedy, Pursuing the Times, not only was I super excited about the book, but I felt so delighted to just see an email from Lauren sitting in our inbox. I absolutely liked and thoroughly enjoyed reading the author's The Bro-Magnet (my review of which can be read here) and I was sure Pursuing the Times would be just as entertaining. And trust me, it didn't disappoint. Not even a bit.
Pursuing the Times was so funny that not only did I laugh while reading, but somewhere in the middle of nowhere, when I remembered an incident or a dialogue from the book, I found myself laughing just as hard as I did the first time.
Mercury Lauren is the author of chick-lit novels and her only aim is to get her book, by any means whatsoever, in the hands of New York Times Book Review Editor-in-Chief Frank D'Arcangelo for a review. Mercury, however has no idea who she insulted at the National Book Awards until her agent and only friend, Angel from The Angelica White Literary Agency informs her later that the very object of her hideous insults is the very man she'd do anything to get hold of.
Throw in another author Nick who supposedly writes "important" stuff, Mercury's crazy but absolutely cute family comprising of her parents, her brother Ralph, whose comebacks and views on Mercury and her career were too comical and a sweet sister in-law Sheila and you have a joyride at your disposal.
Mercury was an imperfectly perfect protagonist. She was hilarious in her own ways and her absolutely whacky ways of looking at things made her so entertaining and likeable. She was pure fun and like one of the characters in the book rightly said, she had chutzpah. The lengths she went to in order to get the ARC of her novel, Falling For Prince Charles, in the hands of any well established NYTBR reviewer were oh-my-God-so-hilarious!
At first, I thought that Pursuing the Times started out really slowly or maybe it was just my own reading slump, but once it kicked off, it really was difficult to stay away from reading this highly entertaining and ridiculously smacking book.
Author Lauren Baratz-Logsted has a way of keeping the reader alert and entertained at the same time with a seriously bang-up plot, absolutely real, genuine and cool characters, nonchalant and smashing dialogue and lastly, the promise of an utterly amusing and awesome journey on which one has a really good time, which in the end, is all that matters- having a good time.
I loved the craziness and the hideousness of Pursuing the Times. It was a funny, sweet, cheerful and playful read that doesn't require the brain to do any work except read and that makes those pretty laughter lines on your face a permanent feature throughout the duration of the book. It was a lightsome and comical read that I was in dire need of after having read a series of dark books. Author Lauren Baratz-Logsted's Pursuing the Times is truly a very great read!
January 15, 2013
I don't often read what most call 'chick-lit' but I saw some reviews of this one and I'm pretty much always willing to give something a try so when the author offered me a copy for review I decided to accept. It's always good to read outside your preferred genres just to shake things up a bit. And I'm very glad that I decided to give this one a try cause it really was a riot!
Mercury was a very crazy character, but for the most part I really loved that. She made some ridiculous and over the top decisions and was prone to overreacting as well as being a bit self absorbed at times but I found myself loving her and her crazy personality. I felt like I should like her less when she was constantly absorbed in her own affairs or how others situations were affecting her, but I didn't find myself disliking her at all. And while some of her choices, decisions and overreactions were a bit unrealistic and over the top it fit with the story and I really wouldn't call it a negative at all. Just be aware going in that this book is like that. Just a bit silly. And for me some silly can be awesome! And in this case it was.
Mercury keeps making a fool of herself around the Editor in Chief of the New York Time Book Review. And she can't seem to stop herself! Words spurt out of her mouth before she can help it. But she's desperate to get her books reviewed and she'll do anything to get his attention. And we start to see these two develop some sexual tension and we get the feeling these two may actually like each other, even if they are in denial. I loved the interaction between the two as they constantly had witty banter bouncing back and forth.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was loads of fun, I do have a couple issues. The first thing is the sex scene. There's a pretty descriptive one in the book (makes this definitely adult) but when it comes to be it caught me totally by surprise. There was no leading up to it. These two people hadn't so much as kissed and suddenly they are hot and heavy. I think I would have had a bit more warning, or some talking between them or something before it was suddenly sex. And while they have known each other for awhile and stuff, it was just how it all happened that didn't work for me. I felt like she must be having a dream or something. I was so sure that I skimmed ahead to check and nope, not a dream. The sex scene itself was fine, it was just how it so suddenly started that threw me.
The other thing is that there is an author, Nick, that is pretty important to the story. He's in the background a lot and he becomes a good friend to Mercury but I didn't feel that. I was told they became friends, but I think I would have liked a bit more interaction between them and more fleshing out of his character. I think he would have been a fascinating character if we had gotten to know him better.
All in all those issues are actually quite minor. I rate depending on my overall feel for the book, how I felt the majority of the time and I definitely loved it! I love that there's so much of the book business in it and thought it was funny that Lauren Baratz-Logsted wrote a chick-lit book about a chick-lit author who wants to get reviewed by The New York Times Book Review. It was neat seeing things from the authors perspective. Things like being nervous when doing an event, having people shoving their books at you everywhere you go, trying to get you to get your agent to look at it... all those things are fascinating to me! There's also a lot of talk about Mercury's books being labeled incorrectly. She doesn't feel like they are really chick-lit, and I think that's actually something that happens a lot. The authors don't get to pick the genre the publishers market it as and then they have to overcome the stigma of being labeled that. I think that's why I so often have trouble labeling something, because usually books are a mishmash of different things.
Anyway, I suggest you pick this one up just for the giggles of it all!
You can find this review and others like it on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
Mercury was a very crazy character, but for the most part I really loved that. She made some ridiculous and over the top decisions and was prone to overreacting as well as being a bit self absorbed at times but I found myself loving her and her crazy personality. I felt like I should like her less when she was constantly absorbed in her own affairs or how others situations were affecting her, but I didn't find myself disliking her at all. And while some of her choices, decisions and overreactions were a bit unrealistic and over the top it fit with the story and I really wouldn't call it a negative at all. Just be aware going in that this book is like that. Just a bit silly. And for me some silly can be awesome! And in this case it was.
Mercury keeps making a fool of herself around the Editor in Chief of the New York Time Book Review. And she can't seem to stop herself! Words spurt out of her mouth before she can help it. But she's desperate to get her books reviewed and she'll do anything to get his attention. And we start to see these two develop some sexual tension and we get the feeling these two may actually like each other, even if they are in denial. I loved the interaction between the two as they constantly had witty banter bouncing back and forth.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was loads of fun, I do have a couple issues. The first thing is the sex scene. There's a pretty descriptive one in the book (makes this definitely adult) but when it comes to be it caught me totally by surprise. There was no leading up to it. These two people hadn't so much as kissed and suddenly they are hot and heavy. I think I would have had a bit more warning, or some talking between them or something before it was suddenly sex. And while they have known each other for awhile and stuff, it was just how it all happened that didn't work for me. I felt like she must be having a dream or something. I was so sure that I skimmed ahead to check and nope, not a dream. The sex scene itself was fine, it was just how it so suddenly started that threw me.
The other thing is that there is an author, Nick, that is pretty important to the story. He's in the background a lot and he becomes a good friend to Mercury but I didn't feel that. I was told they became friends, but I think I would have liked a bit more interaction between them and more fleshing out of his character. I think he would have been a fascinating character if we had gotten to know him better.
All in all those issues are actually quite minor. I rate depending on my overall feel for the book, how I felt the majority of the time and I definitely loved it! I love that there's so much of the book business in it and thought it was funny that Lauren Baratz-Logsted wrote a chick-lit book about a chick-lit author who wants to get reviewed by The New York Times Book Review. It was neat seeing things from the authors perspective. Things like being nervous when doing an event, having people shoving their books at you everywhere you go, trying to get you to get your agent to look at it... all those things are fascinating to me! There's also a lot of talk about Mercury's books being labeled incorrectly. She doesn't feel like they are really chick-lit, and I think that's actually something that happens a lot. The authors don't get to pick the genre the publishers market it as and then they have to overcome the stigma of being labeled that. I think that's why I so often have trouble labeling something, because usually books are a mishmash of different things.
Anyway, I suggest you pick this one up just for the giggles of it all!
You can find this review and others like it on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
October 27, 2012
My Review:
I would be hard-pressed to tell you the last time I laughed out loud as much as I did throughout this book. This book is so good and so funny and so entertaining. I honestly loved every minute of reading it.
Mercury, flat-out, is crazy. She's an author, so part of that is just the norm for her, but she is obsessed with getting her Chick lit books reviewed by the New York Times. Standing in her way is Editor-in-Chief of Reviews, Frank. Unfortunately, Mercury had a run-in with Frank and didn't realize who he was, but just knew he was bad-mouthing her and her genre, so she took offense and pushed back...rather rudely. LOL!! I love the scenes between the two of them. Their confrontational chemistry is sizzling and you can definitely tell that there's some sexual chemistry added to the mix too.
But back to the crazy part. When I say Mercury is obsessed, it's a very real thing. This girl needs to locate her filter, but then the book wouldn't be near as fun as it is. There are some great side characters in this book too. I loved Nick. He's a literary best-seller...the kind of writer the NYT loves to feature. Unfortunately, he's also just a really nice guy too so Mercury can't hate him although she'd really like to. But they end up as friends and that friendship is a really sweet aspect of this book.
This is just a fabulous book. As both a romance reader and author, there was so much about it that I could relate to. Mercury is fighting a mindset that the literary world has about Chick-lit and that it's not good writing. She writes comedic, light-hearted books with a touch of romance. Just because they're light-hearted does not mean that they aren't good writing. Shakespeare wrote comedies about the human condition. That's what she's doing too, but since being labeled as "chick-lit", the validity of her writing has been shunned...even by her family.
Like I said before, I was constantly laughing out loud and reading passages from the book to my husband. Even he commented about how much I was loving this book, so yes...I really did love it. Below is one of the passages that I read to him. I think it will give you a good idea of the flavor of the writing...so much fun!
"Of course, the moment after being cheered up by seeing my books on the shelves -- I was a published author! I was still a published author! -- I always immediately grew depressed. Why were the books on the shelves? Shouldn't they be sold out? And if not sold out, then shouldn't there be an eye-catching display, perhaps a pyramid of them, right at the front of the store?"
Mercury is definitely a different character, but she was one that I absolutely fell in love with. She's human...and making very human mistakes. Yes, she's slightly crazy and there are things that she does that make you cringe, but in the end you can't help but laugh at her antics. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for something to make you laugh this week!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I would be hard-pressed to tell you the last time I laughed out loud as much as I did throughout this book. This book is so good and so funny and so entertaining. I honestly loved every minute of reading it.
Mercury, flat-out, is crazy. She's an author, so part of that is just the norm for her, but she is obsessed with getting her Chick lit books reviewed by the New York Times. Standing in her way is Editor-in-Chief of Reviews, Frank. Unfortunately, Mercury had a run-in with Frank and didn't realize who he was, but just knew he was bad-mouthing her and her genre, so she took offense and pushed back...rather rudely. LOL!! I love the scenes between the two of them. Their confrontational chemistry is sizzling and you can definitely tell that there's some sexual chemistry added to the mix too.
But back to the crazy part. When I say Mercury is obsessed, it's a very real thing. This girl needs to locate her filter, but then the book wouldn't be near as fun as it is. There are some great side characters in this book too. I loved Nick. He's a literary best-seller...the kind of writer the NYT loves to feature. Unfortunately, he's also just a really nice guy too so Mercury can't hate him although she'd really like to. But they end up as friends and that friendship is a really sweet aspect of this book.
This is just a fabulous book. As both a romance reader and author, there was so much about it that I could relate to. Mercury is fighting a mindset that the literary world has about Chick-lit and that it's not good writing. She writes comedic, light-hearted books with a touch of romance. Just because they're light-hearted does not mean that they aren't good writing. Shakespeare wrote comedies about the human condition. That's what she's doing too, but since being labeled as "chick-lit", the validity of her writing has been shunned...even by her family.
Like I said before, I was constantly laughing out loud and reading passages from the book to my husband. Even he commented about how much I was loving this book, so yes...I really did love it. Below is one of the passages that I read to him. I think it will give you a good idea of the flavor of the writing...so much fun!
"Of course, the moment after being cheered up by seeing my books on the shelves -- I was a published author! I was still a published author! -- I always immediately grew depressed. Why were the books on the shelves? Shouldn't they be sold out? And if not sold out, then shouldn't there be an eye-catching display, perhaps a pyramid of them, right at the front of the store?"
Mercury is definitely a different character, but she was one that I absolutely fell in love with. She's human...and making very human mistakes. Yes, she's slightly crazy and there are things that she does that make you cringe, but in the end you can't help but laugh at her antics. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for something to make you laugh this week!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
May 15, 2013
My review can also be found on my blog: http://www.read-love-blog.com/2013/05...
I was introduced to this title after receiving an email from the author, Lauren Baratz-Logsted, requesting a review. Of course, I was immediately drawn to the story after reading the synopsis and after finishing the book just last night, I have to thank Lauren for reaching out to me….because I adored this book!
Mercury Lauren is a modern day female author writing what she loves to write. Unfortunately what she loves to write, books with quirky heroines, humor and satire, lands her in the category of chick-lit. Now, Mercury doesn’t exactly love the chick-lit label. The biggest fault with the chick-lit label is that as long as her writing is labeled as such, there’s no way it will be reviewed by The New York Times. Seeing as though being reviewed by The Times has been her dream since she can remember, this is not good. Now her mission is to get at least one of her books read and reviewed by Frank D’Arcangelo, Editor-in-Chief of the New York Times Book Review. After meeting Frank, but not knowing it was him, and calling him a rude bastard to his face, she now has her work cut out for her and will stop at nothing to get her name in that paper. Cue: a mission of hilarity and adventure!
This book had me laughing out loud by the third page. I absolutely love Mercury and her manic, slightly hysterical at times, quirky, talented, witty, and determined personality. She is without a doubt, a character I’d love to hang out with in real life! To read her adventures in stalking Frank D’Archangelo in the attempt to change his mind about her and her writing and get her book reviewed was such a treat. She begins her stalking by emailing him, which turns into an email battle between the two of them, and lands on the list as one of my favorite parts of the book. Her determination in getting Frank to recognize her writing has her crashing a yoga retreat with the Namaste skills of a toddler, golfing at a five star resort with the skills of, well, someone who’s never played golf before, and receiving the Heimlich after choking on a mushroom the size of a baseball in a five star restaurant. In other words, a total nightmarish disaster! All the while, justifying her calamity with a sense of humor that most would envy. Ultimately, to balance out all of the disaster, emerges a very unlikely romance with a partner in which Mercury truly meets her other half. Of course, I won’t tell you who it is (you know there’s not a spoiler-ish bone in my body!)…you’ll just have to read the book!
Pursuing the Times is a light, funny, entertaining read that should be on the top of your summer reading list! Ms. Baratz-Logsted has earned a new fan in this blogger and I look forward to reading more of her work. Thank you, Lauren, for a wonderful story and for bringing us Mercury in all her madcap glory!
*I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review
I was introduced to this title after receiving an email from the author, Lauren Baratz-Logsted, requesting a review. Of course, I was immediately drawn to the story after reading the synopsis and after finishing the book just last night, I have to thank Lauren for reaching out to me….because I adored this book!
Mercury Lauren is a modern day female author writing what she loves to write. Unfortunately what she loves to write, books with quirky heroines, humor and satire, lands her in the category of chick-lit. Now, Mercury doesn’t exactly love the chick-lit label. The biggest fault with the chick-lit label is that as long as her writing is labeled as such, there’s no way it will be reviewed by The New York Times. Seeing as though being reviewed by The Times has been her dream since she can remember, this is not good. Now her mission is to get at least one of her books read and reviewed by Frank D’Arcangelo, Editor-in-Chief of the New York Times Book Review. After meeting Frank, but not knowing it was him, and calling him a rude bastard to his face, she now has her work cut out for her and will stop at nothing to get her name in that paper. Cue: a mission of hilarity and adventure!
This book had me laughing out loud by the third page. I absolutely love Mercury and her manic, slightly hysterical at times, quirky, talented, witty, and determined personality. She is without a doubt, a character I’d love to hang out with in real life! To read her adventures in stalking Frank D’Archangelo in the attempt to change his mind about her and her writing and get her book reviewed was such a treat. She begins her stalking by emailing him, which turns into an email battle between the two of them, and lands on the list as one of my favorite parts of the book. Her determination in getting Frank to recognize her writing has her crashing a yoga retreat with the Namaste skills of a toddler, golfing at a five star resort with the skills of, well, someone who’s never played golf before, and receiving the Heimlich after choking on a mushroom the size of a baseball in a five star restaurant. In other words, a total nightmarish disaster! All the while, justifying her calamity with a sense of humor that most would envy. Ultimately, to balance out all of the disaster, emerges a very unlikely romance with a partner in which Mercury truly meets her other half. Of course, I won’t tell you who it is (you know there’s not a spoiler-ish bone in my body!)…you’ll just have to read the book!
Pursuing the Times is a light, funny, entertaining read that should be on the top of your summer reading list! Ms. Baratz-Logsted has earned a new fan in this blogger and I look forward to reading more of her work. Thank you, Lauren, for a wonderful story and for bringing us Mercury in all her madcap glory!
*I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review
November 13, 2012
MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
Mercury, named after a football player and the fact that her father loved the color silver, is a successful author. For some reason, her witty, comedic books have struck a chord with chick lit fans. That may be that her books are published by Pink Pet, a known source of all things chick lit. She rants to her agent and high school BFF, Angel, that the New York Time Book Review will have nothing to do with her books, even though they are best sellers and her readers adore them. I immediately thought of Jennifer Weiner and her issue (rightly) that the Times didn't really cover women authors. Angel also reps Nick, this year's National Book Award winner. His best friend is Frank, editor in chief of the vaunted NYTBR. Even before Mercury knows who he is , she lays into him with a drunken rant. When she figure out who Frank is, she would like to turn invisible.
In the meantime, her brother, Ralph, has been thrown out by his wife and moves in with Mercury and Nick tags along. Oh and Nick and Frank were college buddies with Ralph. Mercury was never one to shy away from arguing her point, so she sends Frank an offhanded apology, never expecting to her back from the guy. And thus begins an almost stalky type of relationship. She gets it into her head that she must get Frank to read her book and follows him to Florida where he is playing golf with Nick. Ah, and here comes the hot part: a seriously hilarious and hot romance that hits the sheets with strawberries and whip cream. Parts of it were extremely sweet but I couldn't help but laugh out loud at certain points in this comedy of errors.
Fans of Jane Austen will easily pick up on the wit and and dynamics of these characters and their relationships that are much like Pride and Prejudice. I loathed the fact that all of the men in Mercury's life had very strong opinions about her books, yet not one had bothered to read one. Mercury definitely has a way with words, even if they are the wrong ones at times. The fact that Baratz-Logsted pointed this out filled me with glee! I adore my chick lit and this one is at the top of my favorites to recommend right now. The dialogue is warm and witty, full of snark and sarcasm and that is really what makes a book stand out for me. If you enjoy Jennifer Weiner or Sophie Kinsella, you are going to really enjoy this one.
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
Mercury, named after a football player and the fact that her father loved the color silver, is a successful author. For some reason, her witty, comedic books have struck a chord with chick lit fans. That may be that her books are published by Pink Pet, a known source of all things chick lit. She rants to her agent and high school BFF, Angel, that the New York Time Book Review will have nothing to do with her books, even though they are best sellers and her readers adore them. I immediately thought of Jennifer Weiner and her issue (rightly) that the Times didn't really cover women authors. Angel also reps Nick, this year's National Book Award winner. His best friend is Frank, editor in chief of the vaunted NYTBR. Even before Mercury knows who he is , she lays into him with a drunken rant. When she figure out who Frank is, she would like to turn invisible.
In the meantime, her brother, Ralph, has been thrown out by his wife and moves in with Mercury and Nick tags along. Oh and Nick and Frank were college buddies with Ralph. Mercury was never one to shy away from arguing her point, so she sends Frank an offhanded apology, never expecting to her back from the guy. And thus begins an almost stalky type of relationship. She gets it into her head that she must get Frank to read her book and follows him to Florida where he is playing golf with Nick. Ah, and here comes the hot part: a seriously hilarious and hot romance that hits the sheets with strawberries and whip cream. Parts of it were extremely sweet but I couldn't help but laugh out loud at certain points in this comedy of errors.
Fans of Jane Austen will easily pick up on the wit and and dynamics of these characters and their relationships that are much like Pride and Prejudice. I loathed the fact that all of the men in Mercury's life had very strong opinions about her books, yet not one had bothered to read one. Mercury definitely has a way with words, even if they are the wrong ones at times. The fact that Baratz-Logsted pointed this out filled me with glee! I adore my chick lit and this one is at the top of my favorites to recommend right now. The dialogue is warm and witty, full of snark and sarcasm and that is really what makes a book stand out for me. If you enjoy Jennifer Weiner or Sophie Kinsella, you are going to really enjoy this one.
January 13, 2013
Pursuing the Times was a funny read. The main character Mercury is quirky and super strong willed. I enjoyed the subject of the book. It felt familiar to me because of blogging. Pursuing the Times is about a published author that really wants her books to be reviewed by the New York Times. She also hates that her books are dubbed "chick Lit" and some people immediately write them off just for that fact. This is actually a real problem in the book industry and it drives me crazy. I can't stand when people think that YA or chick lit books are not "real literature". I felt indignant on behalf of Mercury.
Mercury is just the kind of person that you can't help but like. She is rash and impulsive, which are two things that I am not, but she is like a whirlwind and you can't help but get sucked in too. I thought it was a little sad that she couldn't just take a break and enjoy what she had accomplished. Her agent, Angel hit the nail on the head when she said that Mercury wasn't happy with anything she had. But she figured it all out eventually, and it made it even more satisfying. At one point in the book, she was talking about positive reviews being too "glittery". It made me a little nervous. I feel like Mercury would think of some of my reviews as glittery. Oops.
Pursuing the Times is full of a cast of intellectual characters. Almost all of them went to Yale, in fact. Except for Mercury and Angel. I liked reading about some smarter people, they actually had interesting things to say and the conversations in Pursuing the Times seemed important and worth while. There wasn't a whole lot of fluff and I really loved that. There was however, plenty of humorous one liners and chuckle worthy remarks. I also really loved that.
The one thing that kept nagging me after I was done reading. What happened with the bell boys and the gold pro's books?? I want to know what Angel thought of them! The titles were hilarious!
I think Pursuing the Times is a great book for bloggers and reviewers to read because it is all about crazy antics someone will go to, to get their book reviewed. I thought it was a fun and feisty read! I would read another book featuring Mercury Lauren in a second.
Mercury is just the kind of person that you can't help but like. She is rash and impulsive, which are two things that I am not, but she is like a whirlwind and you can't help but get sucked in too. I thought it was a little sad that she couldn't just take a break and enjoy what she had accomplished. Her agent, Angel hit the nail on the head when she said that Mercury wasn't happy with anything she had. But she figured it all out eventually, and it made it even more satisfying. At one point in the book, she was talking about positive reviews being too "glittery". It made me a little nervous. I feel like Mercury would think of some of my reviews as glittery. Oops.
Pursuing the Times is full of a cast of intellectual characters. Almost all of them went to Yale, in fact. Except for Mercury and Angel. I liked reading about some smarter people, they actually had interesting things to say and the conversations in Pursuing the Times seemed important and worth while. There wasn't a whole lot of fluff and I really loved that. There was however, plenty of humorous one liners and chuckle worthy remarks. I also really loved that.
The one thing that kept nagging me after I was done reading. What happened with the bell boys and the gold pro's books?? I want to know what Angel thought of them! The titles were hilarious!
I think Pursuing the Times is a great book for bloggers and reviewers to read because it is all about crazy antics someone will go to, to get their book reviewed. I thought it was a fun and feisty read! I would read another book featuring Mercury Lauren in a second.
November 27, 2012
Mercury Lauren's neurotic need to get notice and recognition for her work despite commercial success drives the action in this novel. Her antics become madcap and screwball, walking a thin line between funny and annoyingly offbeat. But even while I sometimes wished she would act more rationally, I sympathized with her and her single-minded goal. Especially because she seemed to have such an unsympathetic family. But I loved the this novel's reflective nature on the chick-lit genre and how Mercury's motivations were more complicated than her seemingly all important goal to get a review in the Times.
I loved quietly realizing the parallels between Pride and Prejudice and this story - the character and plot similarities and how the author reinvents them into a contemporary story. Mercury is not nearly as level-headed as Elizabeth Bennett but she does have a sarcastic, if self-deprecating, wit, and Frank D'Arcangelo is just as intellectually devastating as Darcy, but shows a little more warmth early on and it is easier to tell that he likes Mercury's directness and challenging views. And in addition to the romance and the comedy, the author works in interesting and thought-provoking commentary on the plight of authors and reviewers, the contradictory attitudes and unrealistic expectations put on commercial and literary authors, with some great insights on being an author. All of this is wrapped up beautifully by a scene in a bookstore where Mercury encounters a rude and disgruntled reader - I don't want to spoil the scene, but I loved how it tied up the ideas behind this novel and the romance.
Although I wanted to shake some sense into the characters at times, this is a really fun read, and I can see authors and bloggers learning from Mercury's adventures, as well as any reader enjoying the romantic tension between Mercury and Frank.
I loved quietly realizing the parallels between Pride and Prejudice and this story - the character and plot similarities and how the author reinvents them into a contemporary story. Mercury is not nearly as level-headed as Elizabeth Bennett but she does have a sarcastic, if self-deprecating, wit, and Frank D'Arcangelo is just as intellectually devastating as Darcy, but shows a little more warmth early on and it is easier to tell that he likes Mercury's directness and challenging views. And in addition to the romance and the comedy, the author works in interesting and thought-provoking commentary on the plight of authors and reviewers, the contradictory attitudes and unrealistic expectations put on commercial and literary authors, with some great insights on being an author. All of this is wrapped up beautifully by a scene in a bookstore where Mercury encounters a rude and disgruntled reader - I don't want to spoil the scene, but I loved how it tied up the ideas behind this novel and the romance.
Although I wanted to shake some sense into the characters at times, this is a really fun read, and I can see authors and bloggers learning from Mercury's adventures, as well as any reader enjoying the romantic tension between Mercury and Frank.
January 14, 2013
Pursuing The Times has all the attributes of chick-lit. It's funny, silly and appeals to anyone who likes reading different renditions of Pride and Prejudice, which is what it is essentially.
Mercury is a lovely madcap character writer who writes these clever satirical books people often mistakenly label as chick-lit. She believes that if New York Times reviews one of her novels the tide will turn, and the prejudiced outlook on her books will stop.
This aspect - talking about the snobby attitude literary fiction critics take on chick-lit, historical romance or any paranormal romance or those who scornfully label erotica as "mommy porn" - this what really gets to me, because we all have to deal with such attitude, and I'm sick and tired of people labeling women who read these genres as lonely spinsters or dumb housewives who can't comprehend "higher" literature (not that there is anything wrong with being a housewife or not wanting to be in any sort of relationship). As far as I'm concerned, they can all stuff it!
Phew! So, this is a book about stereotypes, and that's what it plays on. Mercury is a chick-lit heroine through and through, and sometimes it's too much. I felt like her character was intentionally overdone and was being too silly for words, and that was hard to swallow.
If Mercury is our Lizzy, then Frank D'Arcangelo, the editor-in-chief of NYTBR is perfectly pompous Mr. Darcy. However, I thought as a character he was written better and felt more genuine.
There are others of course, as many as you would expect from a book playing with Austen, and they are delightfully absurd. The book reads fast, it's enjoyable, and its ending is really satisfying.
Overall, recommended, especially to authors, publicists, editors and bloggers who would probably find the most amusement in this book.
Mercury is a lovely madcap character writer who writes these clever satirical books people often mistakenly label as chick-lit. She believes that if New York Times reviews one of her novels the tide will turn, and the prejudiced outlook on her books will stop.
This aspect - talking about the snobby attitude literary fiction critics take on chick-lit, historical romance or any paranormal romance or those who scornfully label erotica as "mommy porn" - this what really gets to me, because we all have to deal with such attitude, and I'm sick and tired of people labeling women who read these genres as lonely spinsters or dumb housewives who can't comprehend "higher" literature (not that there is anything wrong with being a housewife or not wanting to be in any sort of relationship). As far as I'm concerned, they can all stuff it!
Phew! So, this is a book about stereotypes, and that's what it plays on. Mercury is a chick-lit heroine through and through, and sometimes it's too much. I felt like her character was intentionally overdone and was being too silly for words, and that was hard to swallow.
If Mercury is our Lizzy, then Frank D'Arcangelo, the editor-in-chief of NYTBR is perfectly pompous Mr. Darcy. However, I thought as a character he was written better and felt more genuine.
There are others of course, as many as you would expect from a book playing with Austen, and they are delightfully absurd. The book reads fast, it's enjoyable, and its ending is really satisfying.
Overall, recommended, especially to authors, publicists, editors and bloggers who would probably find the most amusement in this book.
June 3, 2013
4.5 Stars
I picked up Pursuing the Times, intending on only reading a few chapters before going about my day, but I was completely engrossed by it that I ended up reading it from cover to cover in one sitting! What a fun and refreshing read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Mercury Lauren has just published her 5th book and is a bit peeved that she hasn’t been reviewed by the New York Times. She doesn’t understand why they won’t give her book a chance, could it be because it is categorised as chick-lit? She attends the annual National Book Awards with her agent and manages to set the whole rollercoaster into motion of pursuing the times to get her book reviewed.
Mercury is a quirky girl and I was able to see a lot of myself in her. I wouldn't go to the extreme measures that she does in this book, but I am always cursing myself for doing silly things and not thinking until afterwards that it probably wasn't the best way to go about it. She is the kind of girl who over analyses everything and only has her friend/agent, Angel, to turn to for advice. She is quick to make a decision and traipses all over the country to try and fulfil her goal of being published in the New York Times.
I was truly captivated by this book! Pursuing the Times is a highly entertaining read and the comedy aspect was uplifting. There were a few times that I was laughing at Mercury so hard that I had tears in my eyes! (Ahem... At the Golf Course.) Lauren Baratz-Logsted has written a fabulous book, with her own spin that reminded me of Bridget Jones! There were so many times I was yelling at Mercury, ‘No, don’t do it!’ but of course she didn’t listen to me and she had me in stitches instead! I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I picked up Pursuing the Times, intending on only reading a few chapters before going about my day, but I was completely engrossed by it that I ended up reading it from cover to cover in one sitting! What a fun and refreshing read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Mercury Lauren has just published her 5th book and is a bit peeved that she hasn’t been reviewed by the New York Times. She doesn’t understand why they won’t give her book a chance, could it be because it is categorised as chick-lit? She attends the annual National Book Awards with her agent and manages to set the whole rollercoaster into motion of pursuing the times to get her book reviewed.
Mercury is a quirky girl and I was able to see a lot of myself in her. I wouldn't go to the extreme measures that she does in this book, but I am always cursing myself for doing silly things and not thinking until afterwards that it probably wasn't the best way to go about it. She is the kind of girl who over analyses everything and only has her friend/agent, Angel, to turn to for advice. She is quick to make a decision and traipses all over the country to try and fulfil her goal of being published in the New York Times.
I was truly captivated by this book! Pursuing the Times is a highly entertaining read and the comedy aspect was uplifting. There were a few times that I was laughing at Mercury so hard that I had tears in my eyes! (Ahem... At the Golf Course.) Lauren Baratz-Logsted has written a fabulous book, with her own spin that reminded me of Bridget Jones! There were so many times I was yelling at Mercury, ‘No, don’t do it!’ but of course she didn’t listen to me and she had me in stitches instead! I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Pursuing the Times. When I wasn't laughing out loud, I was sitting with a permanent smile fixed to my face. Mercury Lauren will do anything to get her books reviewed by the New York Times. When she meets Frank D’Arcangelo, editor-in-chief of the New York Times Book Review, she targets him to review her next book. Such a pity then that the man wants nothing to do with chick-lit. From gate-crashing a yoga retreat to discuss Frank with her editor, Angel, to attempting to play golf at an exclusive golf course in order to make an impression on Frank, she will stop at nothing to get the desired review. One just wonders, is it the review or the reviewer being pursued?
The clever, witty and most of the time downright hilarious way in which the book is written captivated me from the start. Mercury, the main character, with her mercurial impulsiveness and sometimes sweet gullibility, endeared herself to me from the word go. Her amusing and often wise thoughts and inner dialogue is what makes this book such an outstanding read. Along her way to getting that much-desired review, she meets new people; some who become friends for life and some whose code of ethics prove to be extremely sick and twisted.
Mercury's family is also not exactly your run of the mill type and her disagreements with her brother, Ralph - no not the designer, is extremely funny. To make this book absolutely perfect, there is a bit of tastefully written romance to warm your heart.
Full of interesting facts about the publishing world and the ongoing dispute between literary and commercial fiction, Pursuing the Times is a fascinating read fully deserving of the five stars I give it. (Ellen Fritz)
The clever, witty and most of the time downright hilarious way in which the book is written captivated me from the start. Mercury, the main character, with her mercurial impulsiveness and sometimes sweet gullibility, endeared herself to me from the word go. Her amusing and often wise thoughts and inner dialogue is what makes this book such an outstanding read. Along her way to getting that much-desired review, she meets new people; some who become friends for life and some whose code of ethics prove to be extremely sick and twisted.
Mercury's family is also not exactly your run of the mill type and her disagreements with her brother, Ralph - no not the designer, is extremely funny. To make this book absolutely perfect, there is a bit of tastefully written romance to warm your heart.
Full of interesting facts about the publishing world and the ongoing dispute between literary and commercial fiction, Pursuing the Times is a fascinating read fully deserving of the five stars I give it. (Ellen Fritz)
March 4, 2014
Mercury Lauren writes books she classifies as "satire" but the literary world at large categorizes them as "chick lit." Despite a very successful career, she spends more time than she'd like defending her books to all the naysayers, including her older brother. Mercury wants nothing more than to have one of her books reviewed by the New York Times but unknowingly insults the man in charge of the New York Times book review. Once she realizes her mistake, Mercury alternates between apologizing to this man, continuing to insult him, stalking him, and flirting with him. Will she get what she wants? You'll have to read it!
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but as a chick lit author myself, I was intrigued and not disappointed. It was hilarious. Mercury was definitely not your typical chick lit heroine. She was quirky and weird but in an original way. She was also insecure about her looks, yet surprisingly sexually aggressive and flirtatious at the same time. I couldn't quite figure her out and I wasn't always sure I liked her - very self absorbed - but she was gutsy, animated, and outspoken. Definitely a fun character to read about. The love story was by turns hilarious and romantic.
I quite enjoyed this read and I loved the ending. My only issue was that at times, I got the feeling that the author herself is anti chick lit and chick lit authors, and since I thought the book was going to champion the genre, I was surprised by some negative generalizations made about it. It made me wonder if the author would even consider Pursuing the Times to be chick lit, which it most certainly is.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but as a chick lit author myself, I was intrigued and not disappointed. It was hilarious. Mercury was definitely not your typical chick lit heroine. She was quirky and weird but in an original way. She was also insecure about her looks, yet surprisingly sexually aggressive and flirtatious at the same time. I couldn't quite figure her out and I wasn't always sure I liked her - very self absorbed - but she was gutsy, animated, and outspoken. Definitely a fun character to read about. The love story was by turns hilarious and romantic.
I quite enjoyed this read and I loved the ending. My only issue was that at times, I got the feeling that the author herself is anti chick lit and chick lit authors, and since I thought the book was going to champion the genre, I was surprised by some negative generalizations made about it. It made me wonder if the author would even consider Pursuing the Times to be chick lit, which it most certainly is.
April 17, 2014
I read this for the first time about half a year ago, and in the midst of my current binge on chick lit, saw this in my cloud, remembered how much I had loved it, and reread it. And I loved it even more this time!
[That's how I feel when I love a reread even more than the first time--only slightly exaggerated :)]
This book just has this unnamable quality to it that keeps it stuck in my head, keeps me replaying my favorite scenes. I have this warm, happy feeling deep inside when I think of this story (not even joking). It might be the poignant characters, or the storyline, or the realistic pairing of Mercury and Frank and building of their relationship, or the tear-inducing hilarity of some of these scenes, or the numerous human truths and significant moments that are in this book that take this out of the happy-go-lucky "chick lit" category and into the category of meaningful literature...or it might even be something else I can't put my finger on. I just know that this is one of my top favorites of this genre and I will continue to whole-heartedly love and reread it. I definitely recommend it to everyone who loves this genre, 'cause this book is on a level of its own.
P.S. I'm gonna include this quote 'cause I love these Nick moments:
"'I have a friend...' I started.
'That's great,' he said companionably."
Ha, Nick, you are the sweetest, most earnest guy! You rock.
[That's how I feel when I love a reread even more than the first time--only slightly exaggerated :)]
This book just has this unnamable quality to it that keeps it stuck in my head, keeps me replaying my favorite scenes. I have this warm, happy feeling deep inside when I think of this story (not even joking). It might be the poignant characters, or the storyline, or the realistic pairing of Mercury and Frank and building of their relationship, or the tear-inducing hilarity of some of these scenes, or the numerous human truths and significant moments that are in this book that take this out of the happy-go-lucky "chick lit" category and into the category of meaningful literature...or it might even be something else I can't put my finger on. I just know that this is one of my top favorites of this genre and I will continue to whole-heartedly love and reread it. I definitely recommend it to everyone who loves this genre, 'cause this book is on a level of its own.
P.S. I'm gonna include this quote 'cause I love these Nick moments:
"'I have a friend...' I started.
'That's great,' he said companionably."
Ha, Nick, you are the sweetest, most earnest guy! You rock.
November 23, 2012
What starts misquoting Pride and Prejudice quickly transforms into a snarky, smart storyline with a heroine that is hard to forget and impossible to dislike. Set in the modern publishing / promotional world of books, there is hardly a generalization about authors or writing that isn’t pilloried to great effect.
Each character in this story has a comparable character, complete with basic character traits, of the original Pride and Prejudice – a literary device that shows this author’s skill and ability to modernize a classic the way it should be done: with true modernization and situations best suited to current readers.
The story is cleverly written, and unless you are familiar with Austen’s work and Pride and Prejudice in particular, you may just miss the referential misquotes and styling. For fans of Austen, there is one quite steamy bedroom scene that would even make Jane blush, but it adds to rather than detracts from the story as it is presented. A truly clever work that has spurred me to read others by this author – you can’t beat a smart, funny read with well-developed characters that everyone can relate to easily.
I received an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review for Jeep Diva Reviews. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Each character in this story has a comparable character, complete with basic character traits, of the original Pride and Prejudice – a literary device that shows this author’s skill and ability to modernize a classic the way it should be done: with true modernization and situations best suited to current readers.
The story is cleverly written, and unless you are familiar with Austen’s work and Pride and Prejudice in particular, you may just miss the referential misquotes and styling. For fans of Austen, there is one quite steamy bedroom scene that would even make Jane blush, but it adds to rather than detracts from the story as it is presented. A truly clever work that has spurred me to read others by this author – you can’t beat a smart, funny read with well-developed characters that everyone can relate to easily.
I received an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review for Jeep Diva Reviews. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility.
March 5, 2013
I completely went into this with absolutely no expectations whatsoever. And while I didn't have any expectations, I wasn't expecting to laugh as much as I did while reading this.
In fact, I don't think I have laughed so much at the main character's antics since reading a Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich.
Not only was this filled with humor but (also) surprisingly it had a very Pride and Prejudice feel to it and for all those that know me, I LOVE P&P. It is my all time favorite literary classic novel. So yeah, I was already in love with this book less than half way through it.
Mercury was everything I think a very modern Elizabeth Bennett would be. She was witty and sarcastic and a little nutty. She let her mouth run off without thought of consequence. She was intelligent and good at what she did and yes just like Lizzie, even a little prideful.
Frank was also very classic Mr. Darcy. Somewhat haughty and arrogant and hard to like at first, until you really dug down deep and saw the inner heart of the man and then of course, just like Darcy, you couldn't help but love him.
Nick was a great Billingsly, very faithful, a little awkward and shy and all around nice guy.
This really was a fun, quirky read that I absolutely adored. Very reminiscent of P&P but with a literary twist that any book lover would enjoy.
In fact, I don't think I have laughed so much at the main character's antics since reading a Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich.
Not only was this filled with humor but (also) surprisingly it had a very Pride and Prejudice feel to it and for all those that know me, I LOVE P&P. It is my all time favorite literary classic novel. So yeah, I was already in love with this book less than half way through it.
Mercury was everything I think a very modern Elizabeth Bennett would be. She was witty and sarcastic and a little nutty. She let her mouth run off without thought of consequence. She was intelligent and good at what she did and yes just like Lizzie, even a little prideful.
Frank was also very classic Mr. Darcy. Somewhat haughty and arrogant and hard to like at first, until you really dug down deep and saw the inner heart of the man and then of course, just like Darcy, you couldn't help but love him.
Nick was a great Billingsly, very faithful, a little awkward and shy and all around nice guy.
This really was a fun, quirky read that I absolutely adored. Very reminiscent of P&P but with a literary twist that any book lover would enjoy.
January 8, 2013
Mercury Lauren is frustrated with the injustice of genre classification. She will tell you that she writes satire...which is generally categorized as chick-lit. Voicing the opinion of many women authors, Mercury repeatedly points out the unfairness of "classifying any book by women or about women" as chick-lit.
Read my full review at
http://www.ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.c...
March 31, 2013
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Our main character is an author in the Chick Lit genre, whether she likes it or not and is trying to find some credibility beyond being pigeon holed as a certain type of author. She is trying her darnedest to get an honest review in the New York Times, doing some crazy things to get herself and her books noticed (reminded me of the twitter debate about Jennifer Weiner and women authors reviews).
Our main character is an author in the Chick Lit genre, whether she likes it or not and is trying to find some credibility beyond being pigeon holed as a certain type of author. She is trying her darnedest to get an honest review in the New York Times, doing some crazy things to get herself and her books noticed (reminded me of the twitter debate about Jennifer Weiner and women authors reviews).
December 3, 2012
Lauren Baratz-Logsted has written another fast moving novel that is chock full of witty dialogue, self-deprecating humor and realistic characters who make all too human mistakes. To read my review in its entirety, please click HERE.
December 26, 2012
Pursuing the Times is based loosely on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Take a chick lit writer who's been looked down upon by a literary rock star, and you've got the basis for the story. There are some humorous moments that I really enjoyed. I also really liked how Ms. Baratz-Logsted added her own spin to the story and made it her own.
March 13, 2013
Loosely based on Pride and Prejudice the author has written a delightful romantic comedy. Mercury's adventures in stalking the editor of the NYTBR are chuckle worthy and the characters trade witty banter back and forth. I especially liked the e-mail exchanges between Mercury and her stalkee.
I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2014
Excellent fun. Lauren Baratz-Logsted knows how to write comedy. I laughed throughout the entire book. This is the story of Mercury Lauren, author of Chick-lit. All she wants is to have her books reviewed by the New York Times. And she'll do anything in her power to get what she wants. I loved it. Highly recommend.
January 26, 2013
This was an entertaining derivation of Pride & Prejudice. I really enjoyed it. I loved the main protagonist's name. She was a little too wacky for me sometimes but I don't think I would mind having a friend like her because she would definitely keep things interesting.
January 4, 2014
Fun and quick read. The characters were relatable, interesting, and well-developed. The dialogue was quick-paced and witty, which was likely my favorite part. The Pride and Prejudice element to the book was a fun underlying theme. Overall, a good book and I would recommend.
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