Love and a Bad Hair Day: A Charming Romance About Old Grudges and Second Chances

by Annie Flannigan

Jolene Hadley Corbett believes that on a bad hair day bad things happen – men run off, cars break down, it rains all over your best new outfit. So when Ry O'Malley comes back into town Jolene immediately checks the mirror. Yep, bad hair! Jolene Hadley Corbett believes that on a bad hair day bad things happen–men run off, cars break down, it rains all over your best new outfit. So when Ry O'Malley comes back into town Jolene immediately checks the mirror. Yep, bad hair! Of course, there's also that generations old Corbett/O'Malley feud––sort of like a poor man's Hatfield/McCoy feud. It's the biggest tourist draw in Verbena, Georgia––bigger than the AE Hadley Auto Garage and Museum...huger than the Every Other Sunday Flea Market and Jamboree...more monster than the Southwinds Trav'O'Tel and All Day Breakfast Buffet (the cause of indigestion in three counties!) Jolene's not about to let a man who once pulled off the top of her bathing suit (OK she was 14 and in the pool...but still!) get away with messing up her well–conditioned world. So she gears up for the final chapter in the O'Malley–Hadley feud. She expects to win...But first, she's got to find that can of hairspray.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Womens Fiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[N.N. Heaven]

I loved the premise of this book. Two rival families in a small Southern town and two teens (now adults) tasting forbidden fruit, so to speak. It had a whole Romeo and Juliet feel to it and I dove in.

I loved the hometown drawl of the characters and even the pace of the story was slowed down. Some readers hated the slow pace but I liked it. It made me feel immersed in the South and it drew me in.

Jolie and Ry were a cute couple; I was rooting for them from the get-go. The flirting was predictable but I liked it. It had a total chick lit vibe and I needed that kind of book when I read it.

Two things I hated:

1- The cover has a brunette looking like she's 20 when in fact, the main character is in her 30's with bright red curly hair. A total turn-off for me.

2- The main character, Jolie, started out being cute and a little wacky, especially when it came to the rival families. I liked her. But then came the last 40 pages. By the time I finished the book, I wanted to strangle her. She was horrid and I ended up throwing the book across the room.

Normally, I don't give a bad review. But this one needs its two stars (and I'm being generous). Avon needs to re-examine this cover pronto and in my opinion, this book is a pass.

P.S. I gave the book away. It doesn't deserve to be in my prized bookshelf.

[Jennifer]

This book was exactly what I needed, an easy, but fun read. Annie Flannigan created an adorable love story. Jolene Hadley is a good southern lady, who hates disappointing her family and her town. Rymann O’Malley is in town to tear down his late grandpa’s motel. Both have one child, and take up with the other’s.

To read the rest of my review check out
https://vivelabooks.wordpress.com/201...

[Charlotte Griggs]

I struggled to enjoy this book. The feud between the two families was childish. It annoyed me how Jolie felt so strongly about this feud and what her family thought, that she wouldn't allow herself to truly enjoy life. It was so bad, she couldn't even allow herself to be seen with Ry, the nemesis family. The two developed intense feelings for each other, but the feud prevented them from acting on their feelings.

[Anna]

Ik hou van Rivals-to-Lovers boeken, dus dit leek me een heel leuk boek. Het was wat minder leuk dan ik dacht, maar ik heb er wel van genoten. Jolene is niet mijn favoriete personage, ze frustreerde me soms met de keuzes die ze maakte. Ik vond Ry wel heel erg leuk, ik denk dat hij het een beetje in balans bracht voor mij. Ry's dochter en Jolene's oma waren echt geweldig!

[Alise HARRIS]

I got tricked into buying this thinking it would be an actual book, but it's just a crappy romance novel disguised as a book.

[Emi]

1,5 ⭐

[Miki]

I have never read a book that has angered me so much as this one. I really wanted to drop this book but I am someone who likes to finish all the books, from beginning to end. And I don't know how I did it, but I ended up being successful on finishing this novel.

Let me start with the writing. Maybe some others might like it, but personally for me, I was not impressed with Ms. Flannigan's writing style. At times it was really hard for me to figure out who was saying what. I swear this book lacks a lot of "she said","he said", or "[insert name here] said" .The grammar and spelling mistakes were not that bad, but could have been better (I don't know if I should blame the author or the editor on that). I also found myself, while reading, that I was not able to comprehend what was happening sometimes. This was probably the one reason that the book really annoyed me to death.

As for the story itself I think the author had a very good plot line, but I personally think that she could have worked on the story a bit more. Until the end, I was never really introduced to the O'Malley family (except for Ry and his daughter, Sugar Anne) and I really wanted to meet them. Even though it is visible that a feud existed between the Hadley's and the O'Malley's, it was never really shown except for someone pointing out that the feud existed between them. It was mostly the main character, Jolie, who points it out often. The romance between between Ry and Jolie were...well not that romantic. I honestly thought the romance this book was going to show was almost like Romeo and Juliet's but that was my stupidity in thinking that. The romance between these two divorced individuals could also have been worked into something very well, but unfortunately it wasn't.

All in all, this particular novel was not my cup of tea. I really was looking forward to reading this, but I was really disappointed by the outcome. Nothing in this book moved me.

[Inge Hulsker]

Aardig verhaal, maar bepaald niet diepgaand. Het einde is precies zoals je het op bladzijde 1 al aan ziet komen. Het verhaal is gerekt en vol herhaling.
Het boek is slordig afgewerkt: volle bladspiegel, veel foute aanhalingstekens etc.

[Shelene]

cute

[Megan J]

I am one of those people who always finish a book even if I am not into it at all. Unfortunately this book made me break that promise to myself. I got to page 134. Enough said.

[Sherri Bryant]

It wasn't what I was expecting and couldn't hold my interest.

[Robin]

could not make it through this one either, that has not happened in a long time.

[Laurie]

Updating my "read" books. I reviewed this for All About Romance years ago. The review is archived HERE .

[Carmela]

quick light read. Not fond of the main character, but happy she found love in the end.

[Julie Rice]

Very cute and funny book. A lite read read that kept a smile on my face.

[Carrie]

This is a fast read and a cute 'chick lit' book.

[Mrs. Wolcott]

oh my god. this book sucked. the writing was poor and the storyline was juvenile.

[Dawn]

Easy and enjoyable read.