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Drama Queen #3
That's -Not Exactly- Amore
When Laini Sullivan lands a job designing Nick Pantalone's coffee shop, there are two one, Nick's nephew Joe hates all of her ideas and two, Laini has to admit he's right--she's a disaster at design. Still, she can't risk losing the job. To compromise, Joe brings in help on the project, while Laini continues to bake the goodies that keep his customers lining up.
Their relationship is moving along, so when new guy Officer Mark Hall implies that Joe's family is tied to the mob, Laini doesn't want to believe it. But things spin out of control when she meets the family, including "the uncles," who seem to confirm Mark's suspicions. To make things worse, Nana Pantalone makes it clear Laini isn't the kind of girl she has in mind for her grandson. Laini's not sure if she should give Joe the benefit of the doubt or just set her sites on Mark and fuhgetaboutit.
Their relationship is moving along, so when new guy Officer Mark Hall implies that Joe's family is tied to the mob, Laini doesn't want to believe it. But things spin out of control when she meets the family, including "the uncles," who seem to confirm Mark's suspicions. To make things worse, Nana Pantalone makes it clear Laini isn't the kind of girl she has in mind for her grandson. Laini's not sure if she should give Joe the benefit of the doubt or just set her sites on Mark and fuhgetaboutit.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
About the author
Tracey Bateman
60 books157 followersTracey Bateman is also published as Tracey Cross, is the Christy award-winning author of more than thirty titles and has nearly a million books in print. She lives in Missouri's Ozarks with her husband and four children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
October 9, 2008
I picked up this book innocently enough. I was at the library checking out the latest books on the rack reserved for new books. The story sounded good enough for a quick, chick-lit, easy read. I was about half way through the book (too far into it to put it down for good although I had figured out the story line & plot a long time ago) before I discovered that this was a Christian “romance” novel. No wonder why there weren’t any good sex scenes – I kept waiting for them to appear.
Overall I thought the book was okay. I did find the main character, Laini, a little bit annoying, judgmental, and self-righteous. Laini kept saying over and over that she wasn’t a prude and that her moral code was to not have sex before marriage (I can live with that), not to kiss on a first date – her dating rule was no kissing until the 3rd date (oh, I don’t know about that one. . .sometimes you have to break the “rules”), no snuggling/cuddling until she’s been “dating” for a good long time, & “dating” seemed to consist of mostly hanging out & not very much passion. However Laini breaks her own rules – kissing before the 3rd date and snuggling with her love interest before they are exclusive – she does stick to the rule of not sleeping with anyone before she’s married.
Laini of course is the good Christian girl described on page 3 as a, “30 year old, freckled faced redhead with too many extra pounds on her petite frame.” The too many extra pounds is 20. Laini’s new roommate Nancy (the worldly one) is described as an Italian knockout who could be a Victoria’s Secret model. According to Laini, Nancy is a borderline tramp (she doesn’t actually say this, but Laini’s judgments do) as demonstrated on pages 229 – 230:
“She’s (Nancy) wearing a satin robe. Behind her is . . .a man. I stare at them in disbelief. I mean, in all the years I’ve lived in the apartment, no one has ever violated the “man” rule. And this is a clear violation.
“Men aren’t allowed to sleep over,” I (Laini) mumble. . .
I can tell she doesn’t want me to bring up the fact that I know he’s married and is cheating. It’s so frustrating to watch an ignorant woman.”
Laini’s thoughts, “I’m not a prude. But I do have my standards. And that was before I started going to church. Before I really starting trying to live the way the Bible says Christians should live. And her Nancy is, a Christian by her own words, and she’s sleeping with this guy. I just don’t get it.
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Nancy. This is wrong. Even if he weren’t married and weren’t cheating. I thought you felt the same way I do about sleeping around.”
Nancy: I’m not sleeping around. . .I know this is wrong okay? I don’t need judgment from you.
Laini: Judgment? You think calling sin a sin is judgment? Choose your own commandments to break. I have a reputation in this building, and I don’t plan to have people speculating about me because of you.”
I had to skip over the extra preachy parts of the book and breezed through it quickly. This truly qualifies as Christian fiction romance – probably best suited for a 10 year old love struck girl.
Overall I thought the book was okay. I did find the main character, Laini, a little bit annoying, judgmental, and self-righteous. Laini kept saying over and over that she wasn’t a prude and that her moral code was to not have sex before marriage (I can live with that), not to kiss on a first date – her dating rule was no kissing until the 3rd date (oh, I don’t know about that one. . .sometimes you have to break the “rules”), no snuggling/cuddling until she’s been “dating” for a good long time, & “dating” seemed to consist of mostly hanging out & not very much passion. However Laini breaks her own rules – kissing before the 3rd date and snuggling with her love interest before they are exclusive – she does stick to the rule of not sleeping with anyone before she’s married.
Laini of course is the good Christian girl described on page 3 as a, “30 year old, freckled faced redhead with too many extra pounds on her petite frame.” The too many extra pounds is 20. Laini’s new roommate Nancy (the worldly one) is described as an Italian knockout who could be a Victoria’s Secret model. According to Laini, Nancy is a borderline tramp (she doesn’t actually say this, but Laini’s judgments do) as demonstrated on pages 229 – 230:
“She’s (Nancy) wearing a satin robe. Behind her is . . .a man. I stare at them in disbelief. I mean, in all the years I’ve lived in the apartment, no one has ever violated the “man” rule. And this is a clear violation.
“Men aren’t allowed to sleep over,” I (Laini) mumble. . .
I can tell she doesn’t want me to bring up the fact that I know he’s married and is cheating. It’s so frustrating to watch an ignorant woman.”
Laini’s thoughts, “I’m not a prude. But I do have my standards. And that was before I started going to church. Before I really starting trying to live the way the Bible says Christians should live. And her Nancy is, a Christian by her own words, and she’s sleeping with this guy. I just don’t get it.
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Nancy. This is wrong. Even if he weren’t married and weren’t cheating. I thought you felt the same way I do about sleeping around.”
Nancy: I’m not sleeping around. . .I know this is wrong okay? I don’t need judgment from you.
Laini: Judgment? You think calling sin a sin is judgment? Choose your own commandments to break. I have a reputation in this building, and I don’t plan to have people speculating about me because of you.”
I had to skip over the extra preachy parts of the book and breezed through it quickly. This truly qualifies as Christian fiction romance – probably best suited for a 10 year old love struck girl.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2023
3.5⭐️. I picked this up last summer at a bookshop sidewalk sale. I didn’t know it was part of a three book series, but it was fine as a standalone read. It was a fun, quick read.
September 18, 2009
Good lord, why do publishers assume that books by and for women have to be about some ditzy moron who spends all her time worried about her weight, finding a man, and getting pregnant?
This book was a waste of bag space to carry home from the library.
This book was a waste of bag space to carry home from the library.
May 23, 2013
Reviewed by Nikki Pringle for Reader Views (8/08)
“That’s (Not Exactly) Amore” is the third installment of the ‘Drama Queens’ series by author Tracey Bateman. This time around, we find Laini Sullivan, still single and now living on her own, nearing the end of her interior design coursework. Her final, which she desperately needs to pass in order to graduate and receive her diploma, will be based on her work redesigning Nick Pantalone’s New York City coffee shop. Nick has confidence in her, but his nephew Joe, a gorgeous man who is out of Laini’s league and in charge of the day-to-day operations, seems less than thrilled with his uncle’s choice of interior designer. Laini isn’t so sure herself. She seems to be a design disaster and is unsure that she has chosen the right career path, but needs this job in order to pass her class, and forges ahead with the work with the help of another designer that Joe hires on to the project. With all of this going on she still has her weekend visits to her widowed mother on Long Island and the baking she does on the side for Nick’s shop to juggle.
Laini meets NYPD officer Mark Hall; she is surprised and delighted that such a handsome, hard-working man would take an interest in her, and tentatively dips her toe into the dating pool. She harbors feelings for Joe, but tries to focus on the man that actually seems to want her and tries to put Joe out of her mind as an option. Her friends and colleague’s are convinced that Joe is interested in her, but all Laini gets is mixed signals when she is around him. When Mark implies that Joe’s family may have ties to the Italian mob, and city permits and work crews seem to appear out of thin air months before they should be available, Laini has to wonder if Mark is right. Then she meets Joe’s uncles, as well as his overbearing Nana, and is even more convinced that this is one family she should not get involved with (not that Nana would ever approve of her grandson dating an Irish girl), yet she is still drawn to Joe. Will she be able to persevere with her work on the coffee shop and in her personal life?
Tracey Bateman has written a lovable character in Laini Sullivan. Her struggles with family, friends, career and having a personal life are funny, witty, sad and entirely believable. As Laini waivers between doing what she loves and doing what she thinks she should career wise, the readers are left with no doubt about which is the right decision. As Laini falters through the growing attention from Mark and the mixed signals from Joe, readers also bounce back and forth between their choice of which is the right man for her. “That’s (Not Exactly) Amore” is a satisfying read. The storyline is perfectly packaged and will leave readers feeling as satisfied as you would when enjoying warm cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven (read the book and you will see what I mean).
“That’s (Not Exactly) Amore” is the third installment of the ‘Drama Queens’ series by author Tracey Bateman. This time around, we find Laini Sullivan, still single and now living on her own, nearing the end of her interior design coursework. Her final, which she desperately needs to pass in order to graduate and receive her diploma, will be based on her work redesigning Nick Pantalone’s New York City coffee shop. Nick has confidence in her, but his nephew Joe, a gorgeous man who is out of Laini’s league and in charge of the day-to-day operations, seems less than thrilled with his uncle’s choice of interior designer. Laini isn’t so sure herself. She seems to be a design disaster and is unsure that she has chosen the right career path, but needs this job in order to pass her class, and forges ahead with the work with the help of another designer that Joe hires on to the project. With all of this going on she still has her weekend visits to her widowed mother on Long Island and the baking she does on the side for Nick’s shop to juggle.
Laini meets NYPD officer Mark Hall; she is surprised and delighted that such a handsome, hard-working man would take an interest in her, and tentatively dips her toe into the dating pool. She harbors feelings for Joe, but tries to focus on the man that actually seems to want her and tries to put Joe out of her mind as an option. Her friends and colleague’s are convinced that Joe is interested in her, but all Laini gets is mixed signals when she is around him. When Mark implies that Joe’s family may have ties to the Italian mob, and city permits and work crews seem to appear out of thin air months before they should be available, Laini has to wonder if Mark is right. Then she meets Joe’s uncles, as well as his overbearing Nana, and is even more convinced that this is one family she should not get involved with (not that Nana would ever approve of her grandson dating an Irish girl), yet she is still drawn to Joe. Will she be able to persevere with her work on the coffee shop and in her personal life?
Tracey Bateman has written a lovable character in Laini Sullivan. Her struggles with family, friends, career and having a personal life are funny, witty, sad and entirely believable. As Laini waivers between doing what she loves and doing what she thinks she should career wise, the readers are left with no doubt about which is the right decision. As Laini falters through the growing attention from Mark and the mixed signals from Joe, readers also bounce back and forth between their choice of which is the right man for her. “That’s (Not Exactly) Amore” is a satisfying read. The storyline is perfectly packaged and will leave readers feeling as satisfied as you would when enjoying warm cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven (read the book and you will see what I mean).
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July 14, 2015This is the third book in the Drama Queens Series. It has all the main characters from the first books but this one concentrates on Laini Sullivan who is soon to graduate interior design school if she passes this last class that is. That's why designing Nick Pantalone's coffee shop is so important. During the designing and actually putting the design into the remodeling process Laini discovers things that really matter most in life. Her world is turned upside down when two knock out hunks are interested in her. She can't believe it. There has been nothing going on in her life for years and now this. She doesn't quite know how to handle it. She keeps the main thing the main thing school, family and her dating guidelines (she has to remember what they are even makes up a few new ones along the way. She has to finish school and get a good job. She doesn't want to go back to accounting boring been there done that.
Laini discovers her passions in life (not just the two men seeking her attention). Can she make a living pursuing the passions of her heart? She's afraid to find out. In comparing these two men and what she wants in her life; what most important becomes very clear for Laini (with a little help from her friends Tabby and Dancy) and God.
I highly recommend this for a great time and a book that would work well for a book club pick.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
Laini discovers her passions in life (not just the two men seeking her attention). Can she make a living pursuing the passions of her heart? She's afraid to find out. In comparing these two men and what she wants in her life; what most important becomes very clear for Laini (with a little help from her friends Tabby and Dancy) and God.
I highly recommend this for a great time and a book that would work well for a book club pick.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
August 25, 2008
Have you ever had a time in your life when everything was going as planned--but you started to doubt the plan? This is the third book in a series, and I haven't read the other two, so I don't know the back story, but this book is about Laini Sullivan, a young woman who is in her final semester of interior design school, a school she entered after getting her CPA because her parents were accountants. She has to do a project and has undertaken the design of a coffe house she frequents and to which she sells homemade cinnamen rolls. She meets and dates a handsome nice guy. Her mother, who has moped around the house since her father died twelve years ago, has a new lease on life. Everything should be wonderful,but it isn't, until she makes the needed changes.
While marketed as Christian fiction, this book is on the lighter side of that spectrum. The character prays and attends church (unfortunately this Irish girl isn't going to a Catholic church) but it isn't one of those "find God and all will be well" books. It is a light fun read.
While marketed as Christian fiction, this book is on the lighter side of that spectrum. The character prays and attends church (unfortunately this Irish girl isn't going to a Catholic church) but it isn't one of those "find God and all will be well" books. It is a light fun read.
January 14, 2016
I am a sucker for romance novels and this book definitely did fulfil the role as a romance book. One of the dissapointments of the book was that within the first few chapters I could already predict the ending. This was too bad because while reading the book I already knew what was going to happen but was just waiting until the end for it to happen. Some of my favorite aspects of the book was that they portayed Laini as an actual normal women, they acknowledged her flaws but then moved on with the book. While reading this I became attached to Laini which I think is a good to happen while reading any book. Another thing that I liked about the book was how they involved God in it. It was a romantic book but I didn't have to worry about it getting inappropriate. I would recommend this book as an easy, light, and charming read.
November 7, 2012
Three cheers for a fellow Missouri girl! Tracey's latest is a great read. I don't know if it's because she's a Missourian or if it's just that she has a mind like mine (heaven help her, let's hope it's the Missouri angle), but there was a point early in the book where I exclaimed out loud, "Oh, my gosh! Laini is me!" Well, okay, a smaller version, but still when you can identify that strongly with a character, it's a real plus. The great thing is, I think most women would identify with Laini.
When you get down to it, the book has more to it than a bowlful of laughs. There's real heart and depth. I'll admit, I didn't get to read books one and two, but they're on my TBR list now. How could I not want to read them after such a great experience with Laini?
When you get down to it, the book has more to it than a bowlful of laughs. There's real heart and depth. I'll admit, I didn't get to read books one and two, but they're on my TBR list now. How could I not want to read them after such a great experience with Laini?
April 4, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I think my love for the book came from a personal identification with the main character. I think this book is very relevant for a single woman in her 20's or early 30's whose friends are all getting married and having babies...while (Me) the single friend is stuck struggling with her weight, lack of prospects, and desire for a family as well. If this storyline sounds tired and overused to you, skip this story. If you can relate OR want a fun, light read- pick it up and enjoy! :)
March 8, 2011
A cute Christian chick-lit book I bought for my Kindle (since it was discounted to a good bargain price, 1.99 plus TAX, hate that Amazon charges tax for Kindle books). I had not read a book by Tracey Bateman, but I'll look for more in the future. This had a cute premise, likeable characters, predictable story-line, and I really enjoyed it!
December 21, 2015
I've read the other two books in this series, and I enjoy them. Just light, clean romances that usually have me laughing at least once! I liked this one just as much as the other two. It was a Christian book, but not very deeply, and I don't like how the character was never very concerned about her romantic interest's faith, so that takes it down a point for me. But the story was cute.
October 11, 2016
It was okay. I added a star because it was a good Christian book. The writing was also good. I just didn't identify with the main character. Though it's supposed to be about a drama queen, I felt like Laini was a bit immature. She was indecisive about her job, her love life and didn't seem to be financially wise for someone that was 30. Okay book just not interesting to me.
April 12, 2013
This is not a real Knock-You-In-The-Head evangelistic book, but the tone is definitely Christian. I enjoyed the book as an "escape" book. A good beach read and something light and refreshing after a particularly harrowing week. However, I craved carbs whenever I was reading it... ;)
June 13, 2012
Really liked all three books in the Drama Queen Series. The style of writing each main character's inner thoughts were full of humor. The story lines were simple and fun light entertainment...perfect for summer reading any girl can relate to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2014
My favorite in the series! Maybe it was because the heroine loved to bake and was not a skinny girl, that I related to her! Even though there is a Christian theme it was well done and not too overly talked about.
December 28, 2015
I felt like I was one of the girls while reading about these drama queens from New York. I very much enjoyed this series and hate to be leaving it behind. I look forward to reading more of Tracey's work.
August 4, 2008
the end of a 3 book series. i really liked them!
Want to Read
July 5, 2008Drama Queens series / book three
August 30, 2008
This book was really so much fun...a cute love story. It would make a perfect beach read.
June 3, 2009
Fun and funny.
October 31, 2008
Lighthearted & fun, yet with a character who becomes a better person by discovering who she really is. A cute romance, I think I enjoyed this more than any other non-LDS christian novel I've read.
February 27, 2009
Another great book by Bateman that allows you to forget how itchy you are.
January 7, 2010
This is probably my favorite chick lit series. The writing is light and funny...a good book when you just need a break from the daily grind. Great conclusion to the series.
Want to Read
February 22, 2010New boss tied to mob, then she meets "uncles", etc....
March 23, 2010
I will give this one a three because it was cute, and I did like it. I would not rate it higher because the only character who is not flat is the main one. It was a fun read though.
September 8, 2010
A little unrealistic, but a fun read.
June 21, 2011
My favorite of teh series!
May 2, 2011
Tracey Bateman writes books that keep me entertained, but not at the "I can't put it down" level.
February 3, 2012
This was a great series! Fun characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews