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Bubbles Yablonsky #1
Bubbles Unbound
It doesn’t help that her name’s Bubbles. Or that she’s a gum-snapping hairdresser with Barbie-doll curves pinched into hot pants and a tube top. Or that she’s saddled with a sleazy ex-hubby, a precocious daughter and a shoplifting mother. What can a beautician do to add new highlights to her image? For starters, trip over a corpse, and implicate a wealthy town socialite in the crime. Now, with a well-muscled photographer by her side, Bubbles is playing star sleuth. But as the investigation unravels, her shining moment grows as dark as a shopgirl’s roots. However dangerous her new career, at least the hottest graduate of Two Guys Community College is finally busting loose—and this time she’s really giving Lehigh, Pennsylvania something to talk about.
Sarah Strohmeyer won the 2002 Agatha Award for best first mystery for Bubbles Unbound.
Sarah Strohmeyer won the 2002 Agatha Award for best first mystery for Bubbles Unbound.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
72 people are currently reading
4416 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Strohmeyer
26 books1,268 followersSarah Strohmeyer is the award-winning, nationally bestselling author of 18 novels for young adults and adults, including the Bubbles Yablonsky mystery series, SMART GIRLS GET WHAT THEY WANT and THE CINDERELLA PACT, which became the Lifetime Movie, LYING TO BE PERFECT.
Her first mystery, BUBBLES UNBOUND, won the Agatha Award and Romantic TImes Award for Best First Mystery. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY PROPOSAL was nominated for a prestigious RITA™. Her books have been translated into German, French, Italian, Turkish, Taiwanese and a bunch of others.
BUBBLES REBOOTS - #7 in the Bubbles Yablonsky mystery series - will be published June 26th in Kindle, Nook and Kobo (pre-order now!) It is an homage to her dearly departed high-school friend, Josh Simon. So 10% of the profits will go to organizations he approved: The Cancer Research Institute & Planned Parenthood.
Her first mystery, BUBBLES UNBOUND, won the Agatha Award and Romantic TImes Award for Best First Mystery. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY PROPOSAL was nominated for a prestigious RITA™. Her books have been translated into German, French, Italian, Turkish, Taiwanese and a bunch of others.
BUBBLES REBOOTS - #7 in the Bubbles Yablonsky mystery series - will be published June 26th in Kindle, Nook and Kobo (pre-order now!) It is an homage to her dearly departed high-school friend, Josh Simon. So 10% of the profits will go to organizations he approved: The Cancer Research Institute & Planned Parenthood.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 343 reviews
February 24, 2016
Awesome ebook version of BUBBLES UNBOUND...Now with better writing!
April 6, 2016
I thought this book was great. I wasn't sure at first, with the main character being a blonde hairdresser named Bubbles, but I've liked other Sarah Strohmeyer books, so I thought I'd give it a try. The mystery was great. It was complicated and unexpected. Definitely a clever and funny book.
Bubbles is a hairdresser, who tries her hand at reporting, only to be dragged into the biggest case of her life involving some of the biggest names in town. There is also the mysterious love interest that appears out of no where to save her several times. Great book!
Bubbles is a hairdresser, who tries her hand at reporting, only to be dragged into the biggest case of her life involving some of the biggest names in town. There is also the mysterious love interest that appears out of no where to save her several times. Great book!
June 1, 2020
It was an interesting book for the first of it's series. Bubbles always had to avoid what people thought of her. Constantly underestimated but she also knew what she was good and bad at. Especially when it came to school. Doesn't mean she didn't try everything that she could until she found her groove. Thankfully, crime fighting and writing seemed to be her kind of thing.
There was always hints of romance for her throughout this book but it ended up not really happening. Bubbles is a great girl overall and she's pretty funny and clever when she puts her mind to it. That being said, I enjoyed this book. Heck, I might even dive into the next book of this series. Just so I can get more of her on my bad days.
There was always hints of romance for her throughout this book but it ended up not really happening. Bubbles is a great girl overall and she's pretty funny and clever when she puts her mind to it. That being said, I enjoyed this book. Heck, I might even dive into the next book of this series. Just so I can get more of her on my bad days.
December 30, 2008
Bubbles Yablonsky is my freakin' hero! I never read mysteries until I stumbled onto this series. Bubbles is a hard working, single mom, who isn't afraid to wear spandex and lots of eyeshadow! She has a great support system, even if it is very unlikely,(like her mom's best friend who is line-backer sized,conspiracy theorist in her 60's). And Steve Stilleto is such a stud...I'm always rootin' for their love thang to work out. Go Bubbles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 12, 2011
It's hard to know what to say about this book. To be honest it took a conscious effort just to finish it and I'm not sure if that effort was warranted. This book is really a train wreck. It is almost like she didn't really know where the story was going to end when she started it...and where it ends is completely bizarre.
June 1, 2017
most people find this series after reading Stephanie plum's series. They are similsr life fluff reading with a ditzy main character.
I would say Bubbles is the little sister trying to be her older sister.Bubbles works as a hairdresser in a small town that is down on her luck. Since her ex husband got his alimony revoked the judge is making him pay for her education. she retaliated by taking every course she can.
Recently she took a journalism's class and was good at it. She convinces. the editor of the local paper to give her a chance. She stumbles across a story that could bring the wealthy couple down a few notches.
Mishaps occur, a strained romantic encounter and mischievous senior citizens round out the craziness.
I would say Bubbles is the little sister trying to be her older sister.Bubbles works as a hairdresser in a small town that is down on her luck. Since her ex husband got his alimony revoked the judge is making him pay for her education. she retaliated by taking every course she can.
Recently she took a journalism's class and was good at it. She convinces. the editor of the local paper to give her a chance. She stumbles across a story that could bring the wealthy couple down a few notches.
Mishaps occur, a strained romantic encounter and mischievous senior citizens round out the craziness.
November 23, 2015
Funny mystery about a hair stylist who wants to be a reporter.I look forward to the next book in the series.
November 7, 2017
I really liked Bubbles and this book. Lots of fun moments. I liked the characters and enjoyed the epilogue at the end to find out what happened to some of them.
January 3, 2022
Cute chuck away, nothing brilliant but a good book to read if you’re after a fluffy read after an intense book.
March 23, 2017
Read for #Book1CoziesClub and #MarchMysteryMadness
I enjoyed this book. I could relate to Bubbles being a single mom and having struggles to find her place in life. I also enjoyed seeing her successes as the book progressed. She and her mother are pretty funny too.
This book is pretty dated to me. There were several references to bands I believe are 80's Hair Bands, but I'm not entirely sure. I think you definitely need to be a certain age to get all the references. It probably would've made the book more enjoyable for me as well. This does come with a few skincare recipes that I may try and a makeup tutorial that again, is dated, and I will not be trying ^_-
Something I did not enjoy was Bubbles' infatuation with a certain character, especially because we don't see this character very much during the entire book! Not InstaLove, but InstaLust for sure. That being said, I did still enjoy the book and the mystery was interesting. I was pretty sure who the culprit was and ended up being correct, but we are thrown several viable options along the way that did make me question if I had the correct person in mind.
All in all, this was pretty enjoyable and I am interested to see what Bubbles gets into in the next installment.
I enjoyed this book. I could relate to Bubbles being a single mom and having struggles to find her place in life. I also enjoyed seeing her successes as the book progressed. She and her mother are pretty funny too.
This book is pretty dated to me. There were several references to bands I believe are 80's Hair Bands, but I'm not entirely sure. I think you definitely need to be a certain age to get all the references. It probably would've made the book more enjoyable for me as well. This does come with a few skincare recipes that I may try and a makeup tutorial that again, is dated, and I will not be trying ^_-
Something I did not enjoy was Bubbles' infatuation with a certain character, especially because we don't see this character very much during the entire book! Not InstaLove, but InstaLust for sure. That being said, I did still enjoy the book and the mystery was interesting. I was pretty sure who the culprit was and ended up being correct, but we are thrown several viable options along the way that did make me question if I had the correct person in mind.
All in all, this was pretty enjoyable and I am interested to see what Bubbles gets into in the next installment.
July 12, 2021
This 20 year old cozy mystery with its now dated allusions still made me laugh. Everyone has low expectations of Bubbles Yablonsky including herself. Born on the south side of Lehigh, PA, this hair dresser who loves makeup, hot pants, mile high blond hairs, high heels,and gossip is determined to get her big break. She wants her daughter to be proud of her, for Jane to go to College and have a bigger life.
After taking every course at the Two Guys Community College (a very funny reference) she finds reporter is something she can excel at…because….gossip. She sees something….she investigated and finds a world of corruption, danger, lust/love, revenge, and satisfaction
This a wild romp. Bubbles’ posse is beyond quirky….fun….
After taking every course at the Two Guys Community College (a very funny reference) she finds reporter is something she can excel at…because….gossip. She sees something….she investigated and finds a world of corruption, danger, lust/love, revenge, and satisfaction
This a wild romp. Bubbles’ posse is beyond quirky….fun….
April 22, 2024
“Moi. Bubbles Yablonsky. Sans aucun diplôme. Ex-mère adolescente, coiffeuse. Le prototype de la blonde nunuche.”
Un SUPER moment. J'ai beaucoup souris de sa naïveté, de sa capacité à mettre les deux pieds dans le plats ou de ses proches aussi exubérants qu'elle. J'ai également craint le pire à plusieurs reprises - même si le fait qu'il est clair qu’elle finit en vie puisque qu'elle nous raconte son enquête a posteriori.
La bascule sans transition de la présentation de Bubbles à la narration des événements 10 ans plus tôt peut perturber. Pourtant, sentir que c'est la Bubbles d'aujourd'hui qui nous raconte son histoire en nous teasant régulièrement des événements à venir à tendance à nourrir l'aspect addictif de son récit.
C'est léger. Le trait du cliché est presque trop gros sauf que ça sert le tout. Bubbles est un personnage qui fait sourire mais que j'aime suivre dans ses aventures. J'aime son franc-parler, que ce soit en narration ou dans les dialogues.
J'aurais pu me braquer sur le côté cliché bimbo blonde naïve mais c'est amené de tel façon que je me suis prise au jeu.
La partie enquête policière est rondement menée. J'ai fait plein d'hypothèses, j'ai vraiment eu le sentiment de réfléchir avec elle pour démêler cette histoire et j'ai adoré ça. Malgré pas mal de description (bah oui on enquête pas les yeux fermés) pas de vraies longueurs à mon sens.
(+) Les recettes de beauté qui parsèment le roman sont intéressantes. Je ne suis pas assez coquette pour les avoir essayer, mais qui sait, peut-être un jour.
J'en sors avec le sourire, l'envie de lire le tome 2 (pas encore trouvé…) et relire les tomes 3 & 4 ! Ah Bubbles 😊
Un SUPER moment. J'ai beaucoup souris de sa naïveté, de sa capacité à mettre les deux pieds dans le plats ou de ses proches aussi exubérants qu'elle. J'ai également craint le pire à plusieurs reprises - même si le fait qu'il est clair qu’elle finit en vie puisque qu'elle nous raconte son enquête a posteriori.
La bascule sans transition de la présentation de Bubbles à la narration des événements 10 ans plus tôt peut perturber. Pourtant, sentir que c'est la Bubbles d'aujourd'hui qui nous raconte son histoire en nous teasant régulièrement des événements à venir à tendance à nourrir l'aspect addictif de son récit.
C'est léger. Le trait du cliché est presque trop gros sauf que ça sert le tout. Bubbles est un personnage qui fait sourire mais que j'aime suivre dans ses aventures. J'aime son franc-parler, que ce soit en narration ou dans les dialogues.
J'aurais pu me braquer sur le côté cliché bimbo blonde naïve mais c'est amené de tel façon que je me suis prise au jeu.
La partie enquête policière est rondement menée. J'ai fait plein d'hypothèses, j'ai vraiment eu le sentiment de réfléchir avec elle pour démêler cette histoire et j'ai adoré ça. Malgré pas mal de description (bah oui on enquête pas les yeux fermés) pas de vraies longueurs à mon sens.
(+) Les recettes de beauté qui parsèment le roman sont intéressantes. Je ne suis pas assez coquette pour les avoir essayer, mais qui sait, peut-être un jour.
J'en sors avec le sourire, l'envie de lire le tome 2 (pas encore trouvé…) et relire les tomes 3 & 4 ! Ah Bubbles 😊
November 10, 2023
Fun story. I’m excited it is a series. I want to know more about Bubbles and her skills. I love that she is described as a Barbie with beautician skills. And yet she is smart and funny and a good writer.
I love her relationship with her daughter, and her mom is a hoot the way she tries to protect her daughter with frozen peas on the floor to hear about intruders.
You don’t know who to trust in this story and lots of people to keep up with. Love the setting. Grew up in PA and know these places she talked about.
I love her relationship with her daughter, and her mom is a hoot the way she tries to protect her daughter with frozen peas on the floor to hear about intruders.
You don’t know who to trust in this story and lots of people to keep up with. Love the setting. Grew up in PA and know these places she talked about.
July 17, 2020
Couldn't put it down! Since I grew up in the same town as Sarah Strohmeyer, in a steel worker family, graduated from Liberty HS and I work for St Luke's, I felt like I was back home, around people from town, as I read this book. Sometimes I giggled. It was fun to envision the events happening in places I know, it really bright the story to life for me.
Looking forward to reading the rest in this series
Looking forward to reading the rest in this series
April 29, 2019
I had been looking for some brain candy to sustain me between listening to Janet Evanovich books, and doggone if I didn't find it here. There was just enough mystery and suspense to go along with the laughs and mishaps.
December 15, 2020
Such a light, fun read! Perfect for reading when you need a break from life.
June 28, 2023
This was terrible. A poor imitation of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum.
April 28, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyable light read. Bubbles reminds me a bit of Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" character. They are both underestimated, smart, funny women. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
January 20, 2022
Cute and fun read
I don't know what I expected, but I got far more. Loved the characters and the twists. I might even have to read it again, and again. And here's to a hairdresser who is possibly named after her father's favorite stripper, called bubbles.
I don't know what I expected, but I got far more. Loved the characters and the twists. I might even have to read it again, and again. And here's to a hairdresser who is possibly named after her father's favorite stripper, called bubbles.
January 2, 2025
3 stars from me but was read with determination of finishing 2024 reading challenge before 11.59pm New Year’s Eve. Mum started 2025 cackling away to to Bubbles Unbound. She finished it a couple of hours later only looking up to accept several cups of tea from all her children.
August 7, 2019
___________________________________
....................Bubble's Toil and Trouble............................
___________________________________
When I first discovered that this book was about a dumb-blonde hairdresser named Bubbles Yablonsky who always wears tight tubetops and short skirts, I was afraid it was going to be a stereotypical lamed-brained, pretty airhead says silly things kind of story--I was wrong. Bubbles Yablonsky turned out not to be a stereotype, at least not to the extent I originally feared. I found myself liking her. She has character. She IS a character. She is not the sharpest sheers in the shop academically, but she is spunky, resourceful, and determined single mother, who is trying to improve her lot in life. In her pursuit of happiness, she stumbles into a murder mystery, ends up tangling with the most powerful, upper-class people in town, manages to screw a few things up, but then redeems herself magnificently.
While this funny and generally well-executed first novel isn't up to the early Stephanie Plum novels standards, it shows great promise and is as appropriate for male readers as it is for female--well except for the annoying beauty tips that the author (or her flaxen-haired editor) apparently thought were cute fillers.
....................Bubble's Toil and Trouble............................
___________________________________
When I first discovered that this book was about a dumb-blonde hairdresser named Bubbles Yablonsky who always wears tight tubetops and short skirts, I was afraid it was going to be a stereotypical lamed-brained, pretty airhead says silly things kind of story--I was wrong. Bubbles Yablonsky turned out not to be a stereotype, at least not to the extent I originally feared. I found myself liking her. She has character. She IS a character. She is not the sharpest sheers in the shop academically, but she is spunky, resourceful, and determined single mother, who is trying to improve her lot in life. In her pursuit of happiness, she stumbles into a murder mystery, ends up tangling with the most powerful, upper-class people in town, manages to screw a few things up, but then redeems herself magnificently.
While this funny and generally well-executed first novel isn't up to the early Stephanie Plum novels standards, it shows great promise and is as appropriate for male readers as it is for female--well except for the annoying beauty tips that the author (or her flaxen-haired editor) apparently thought were cute fillers.
May 11, 2019
After reading all 25 Stephanie Plum novels, I was looking for another series -- something similar to what I had enjoyed from Evanovich. All the read-alike sites had suggested Strohmeyer, so I gave this "Bubbles Yablonsky" series a try.
Well, it was something, but not quite what I was expecting. Bubbles is content to be a high school graduate with no real aspirations beyond being a hairdresser, which is fine, but then she decides to try her hand at being a newspaper reporter. She's got a doofus of an ex-husband who wants to be seen as more than he really is, a daughter who is a bit of a mess, and no social life to speak of. I just didn't find Bubbles all that appealing as a character. She is, in short, a hot mess. The supporting cast wasn't enough to bring me back for another go at the series, either. By the time the mystery was solved, I'd already pretty well checked out and was in the market for something else.
It's not that the book was bad. It just wasn't the right one for me. Other people might find Bubbles and her mishaps hilarious. I just didn't. She was no Stephanie Plum. Maybe if I'd read Bubbles before Stephanie I would have found her more hilarious and endearing.
Well, it was something, but not quite what I was expecting. Bubbles is content to be a high school graduate with no real aspirations beyond being a hairdresser, which is fine, but then she decides to try her hand at being a newspaper reporter. She's got a doofus of an ex-husband who wants to be seen as more than he really is, a daughter who is a bit of a mess, and no social life to speak of. I just didn't find Bubbles all that appealing as a character. She is, in short, a hot mess. The supporting cast wasn't enough to bring me back for another go at the series, either. By the time the mystery was solved, I'd already pretty well checked out and was in the market for something else.
It's not that the book was bad. It just wasn't the right one for me. Other people might find Bubbles and her mishaps hilarious. I just didn't. She was no Stephanie Plum. Maybe if I'd read Bubbles before Stephanie I would have found her more hilarious and endearing.
September 16, 2012
Many friends suggested the Bubbles series and I took the opportunity recently to try it out, starting at the beginning. It was very enjoyable.
Bubbles is a hairdresser, she's also got a model's figure and she's blonde. She also has taken the opportunity offered her by her ex-husband trying to take away her allowance (after her supporting him throughout his courses to become a lawyer) by inventively doing as many courses as she can in the local community college. She thinks that she's found her role in life in the Journalism course, but she's still doing hair in Sandy's House of Beauty, after all she does have a daughter to support.
She gets drawn into a murder with the delectable Steve Stiletto, and her vow of celibacy and her very life is in danger. The variety of characters that she meets during the story are quite well drawn and many of them quite believable.
It owes a lot to Janet Evanovich but is quite a fun read. It kept me enthralled throughout. The Twists that the story took weren't very unexpected but did add to the enjoyment and kept it from being stale.
Bubbles is a hairdresser, she's also got a model's figure and she's blonde. She also has taken the opportunity offered her by her ex-husband trying to take away her allowance (after her supporting him throughout his courses to become a lawyer) by inventively doing as many courses as she can in the local community college. She thinks that she's found her role in life in the Journalism course, but she's still doing hair in Sandy's House of Beauty, after all she does have a daughter to support.
She gets drawn into a murder with the delectable Steve Stiletto, and her vow of celibacy and her very life is in danger. The variety of characters that she meets during the story are quite well drawn and many of them quite believable.
It owes a lot to Janet Evanovich but is quite a fun read. It kept me enthralled throughout. The Twists that the story took weren't very unexpected but did add to the enjoyment and kept it from being stale.
September 1, 2010
I loved this book. If you like screwball mysteries, this is the one for you. Every Chapter had me either laughing, or on the edge of my seat. I could not put it down. The characters are really fun, including Bubbles' mother, who starts a food fight at the senior center then steals the shuttle bus and ends up arrested for fleeing a store wearing a $3000 Vera Wang Wedding dress. I dont want to delve too much into the plot, but I highly recommend this book for everyone from hairdressers, to single moms, to those with rebellious teenagers (did I forget to mention the teenager who dyes her hair a different color with Kool-Aid every other day?) Even if you are a total girlie-girl or ever been accused of being a life-sized walking dumb blonde joke. Everyone should experience Bubbles Yablonsky. If you are considering this book, ORDER IT you will be happy you did. I give it 5 really BIG flashing blinking neon stars!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 26, 2011
The Bubbles series was recommended at a bookstore as being similar to Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum. A funny story with a quirky female lead surrounded by a cast of crazy characters. Bubbles is likable and you cannot help cheering for her to succeed as she tries to better herself and her situation while being true to the people she loves. Unlike Evanovich's Plum who seems to get into more ridiculous situations with each book, Strohmeyer's Bubbles is consistent in tone and believability. Of course believability is relative in this genre.
August 28, 2021
Made it through chapter 1, and I quit. Florsheim makes men's dress shoes, making it highly unlikely that Sandy the stylist would wear them everyday. Forgave that ... But hair stylists rinse out hair color with cold water, not warm, to help protect the color from fading. Starting to really not feel this book... But then!!! Journalists don't get stock options, period, but especially not from media conglomerates. Three strikes -- this book is outta here.
August 16, 2016
I loved this story but the only part that bothered me was the "just a dumb hairdresser" role she put Bubbles in. I kind of felt Sarah didn't even research hairdressing beyond, how much our sheers (not scissors) cost. All in all I give it 3.5 stars... Maybe a little more research went into the next book in the series. :)
March 17, 2011
SUPER fun series I read last year, very similar feel as Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books!
March 1, 2014
I enjoyed the fact that the book took place in Bethlehem, known as Lehigh in the book. It brought back a lot of Bethlehem memories for me. It was very reminiscent of the Stephanie Plum books.
May 21, 2015
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Here's what I think about Bubbles and her escapades!
Here's what I think about Bubbles and her escapades!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 343 reviews