Looking for a Love Story

by Louise Shaffer

In Louise Shaffer’s delightfully charming new novel, a hopeless romantic (and author adrift) searches for a happy ending—and decides to write her own love story. After the success of her first novel, Love, Max—an irresistibly funny look at divorce as seen through a dog’s eyes—Francesca’s fictional saga becomes real when her sexy photographer husband bails on her. The good news is that Francesca gets custody of their apartment and their dog—an adoring scamp who has mastered the art of unconditional love. Still, a girl and her dog have to eat, so a desperate search for income leads Francesca to Chicky, a spunky, red-haired octogenarian who wants Francesca to write the memoirs of her parents, Joe and Ellie, who toured the vaudeville circuit in the early 1920s.Francesca is reluctant to take the job, but Chicky’s tales soon lure her into a showbiz era as irresistible and unlikely as the love story that unfolds. As she re-creates Joe and Ellie’s story, Francesca reflects, with hilarious honesty, on her own childhood and marriage—and discovers how to put the pieces of her life back together in a way that redefines herself and the true meaning of family and love.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Animals

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Louise is a believer in there’s always a second chance. An actress since she was fifteen, she found herself unemployed when she was in her mid-forties. The reason was…well, she was in her mid-forties. Not a good thing if you’re an actress – aging and eating are taboo. Louise has done both. Also, she was pretty clear about the fact that she was never going to have “knee surgery.” That’s what happens when an actress of a certain age drops out of sight for six weeks and her publicist announces that she’s having an old knee injury repaired. Then the actress emerges with her eyebrows hiked up kind of high on her forehead and all those nasty little lines around her mouth seem to have vanished… oh yeah, and her knee is working fine too.

The un-surgically enhanced Louise spent two years auditioning for commercials touting high fiber cereals and denture glue, she figured there had to be something better, and she decided to try writing scripts for soap operas. Writing had actually been her first love when she was a kid. She worked as a soap writer off and on—mostly off – for the next few years. The trouble was, she got fired a lot. Because what she wanted to do was tell her own stories. Finally she fought off the devil voices – those voices inside your head that tell you you’re an idiot for dumping a paying job to follow a dream—and wrote The Three Miss Margarets. It found a home at Random House and was published. It was followed by The Ladies of Garrison Gardens, and Family Acts

Louise's latest novel, Serendipity, takes Louise back to her home in the northeast.

Today a very happy Louise lives in the lower Hudson Valley with her husband of twenty eight years, her eight cats and two rescue dogs ; the regal Joshua, and Charlie. Who is not regal. Just ask the neighbors.

Reviews

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, the dog has a very small role in this novel if you could even call it a role. The dog, Annie just needs to go for walks every now and then and lays by her mistress's side when her mistress is typing out her novel. Thus, the front cover is deceiving.

Francesca is an author suffering from "Second Book Syndrome" meaning she wrote a smashing first book but now has a severe case of writer's block as she sits down to start her second. Her and her two timing husband have called it quits and she has thrown her size fours out to the curb while she is eating chocolate bars in her new size 14s. Francesca is not a very happy woman. I found her likeable, BUT she goes on and on way too much about her parent's divorce which was ages ago. I found myself thinking, "OK, you are a grown woman. Get over it. Pretty much all of our parents are divorced nowdays." She also whines about her childhood a lot and quite frankly, it wasn't that bad. Coulda been worse. To sum it up, the heroine wallows in self pity too much.

A lady in an old folks home gives Francesca her next book idea, a tale about two Vaudeville actors and the actress in the middle of their love triangle. I didn't find this very interesting either because I found their story too predictable and half of it was TOLD by the old lady's narration. SHOW me, don't TELL me.

Nevertheless, will this book be a success for Francesca and give her what she needs to get her life back on track?

Just too dull for me and not enough of the dog.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. I almost gave up on this about a third of the way through, but once the chapters shifted to mostly Chicky's story I enjoyed it. Cute and light read but needs more of that dog on the cover.

[Katharine Holden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Looking for a Love Story is formulaic "chick lit." Up until about 3/4 of the way through the book, I thought it was a step above most chick lit, with 2 storylines in 2 different eras. However, there's a ridiculous plot twist with a stereotypically feisty and outspoken elderly character turning into a lost-lost relative that was just plain stupid and unnecessary. Every plot twist was predictable, all the way up to the end in which the heroine is now self-aware and strong and all the plot threads are wrapped up neatly. At the end, the heroine even suddenly notices that she's lost a few pounds without dieting. Go ahead and read Looking for a Love Story. It's not horrible. Just formulaic. Let's call it a good book to read when you are home with a bad cold and sinus upset.

[Ann Mulholland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It was fun with a cute twist at the end. Will read more by Louise Shaffer

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming story about finding the means to follow your dream and also about discovering your roots. The protagonist has written one hit book but, after celebrating its success with her new husband, she runs up against a serious case of writers block. When she is reduced to writing for others, she runs up against a tale that ignites her passion.

[Zach Strassburger · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me forever to get into this book because her life with Jake was so miserable and so predictable. Once they finally split, the book flew by and was so much more fun. Overall I wouldn’t recommend unless you really feel like torturing yourself watching people be miserable in bad marriages.

[Kay Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really sweet story with great characters. I wish “Love, Max” was a real book...it sounds hilarious

[Melody Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked very good quick read once it got to Joe and Ellie's story

[Liana · Rating 1 out of 5]

For a brief moment, this was interesting and fun. However, the plot and writing was extremely pedestrian and unoriginal; as was the dialogue. Every single character was a stereotype. It was as if the author had watched a movie about vaudeville told by a crusty older character played by George Burns, and simply copies the story and characters. "Doll Face"? Even the modern characters were stereotypes.

Serendipity was much better written

[Sans Washington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshingly different. Loved learning a little about vaudeville. Can't wait to read another of Shaffer's books.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the better books I have read recently. I recommend this one.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Louise Shaffer. The beginning of this book was slow for me, but after the "story within a story" began, I was drawn in completely. The main story did get better with time and by the end of the book, while I was ready for it to be done, I was pretty enthralled. Francesca is a writer who had great success with her first book but is struggling to come up with that great next story. On top of her writer's block troubles, her marriage falls apart and she becomes broke. She begins to write the story of an elderly woman's parents, and that's when the fun begins.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I must offer a disclaimer: I did not read the "Kindle Edition," but I am unable to change the edition regardless of my attempts. That being said, after a start where I did not care for the characters at all (self-centered, self-pitying), I liked where the plot took me. The central character is forced to write a memoir for an elderly woman who might have been my Aunt Kay under different circumstances. The research and relationships she forms are life-changing for her, and although the ending was a bit contrived, I cheered for everyone and wished them well.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Loved loved loved it!!!!!!! I randomly took this off the shelves at the library just hoping for something to read on these cold winter days. Well I got a fantastic story and as it turns out a local author! The author talks about the Hudson Valley, the Bardavon, Poughkeepsie, she even thanks the East Fishkill Library!

So happy to read this book, especially after the last one I read! I hear this author wrote another good book- The Three Margarets. I want to check that out next!

[Suzyberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great vacation read...or for any other time as well. Charming, funny, thought-provoking and finally truly satisfying. Louise Shaffer is an often over-looked author with other great titles to her credit. This story just took me on a heart-journey right along with the character...not a dull moment page after page and that wonderful feeling of cheering for her all along the way in hopes that she finds the answer to her dreams and desires. Does she? Read this and journey with her to the end...and don't forget to look occasionally at the cover because it is just priceless!

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking For A Love Story was the first book of Louise Shaffer's that I have read & I thoroughly enjoyed her writing. The characters, especially Francesca, were fun and easy to like. Even the "story within a story" was enjoyable. I enjoyed it so much that I will look Louise Shaffer up at the library and see what else I can find!

http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot....

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

a solid 3.5- this was my first book by this author and it started out slow for me-marriage on the rocks,yadda yadda but the second part- the story within the story , the story that she researches and writes grabbed me completely. I loved the characters. THey were fleshed out so completely . I really enjoyed everything about the book except the failing marriage to Jake. I will look for her other books and see what happens

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked up off the new books shelf because I wasn't feeling up to any kind of serious reading, this was a tolerably enjoyable read about an author of a popular book who gets serious writer's block trying to follow up her modest hit. Taking a ghost writing job, she discovers a little about herself and her family. Very very slight, but it did keep me entertained, and the book within a book about vaudevillians in the 1920's was actually nicely handled.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bordering on 2.5 stars, but not enough to truly mark it down. As far as chick-lit goes, it's relatively standard with a likable main character and plot that you figure out in the first 50 pages. One upside: it's about the main character as an individual, not as half of a relationship. (That alone was enough to err on the side of three stars.) I just got annoyed by the constant use of flashbacks and the book-with-in-a-book construct.

[Christi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very good story. I felt like the main character, Francesca, was likable. While she was struggling to write a second book, I was rooting for her to start to like herself and to enjoy her life. Lucky for me, so is Chicky, the octogenarian who hires her to write her parents' love story. I didn't love it as much as The Three Miss Margarets but I would definitely recommend it. If it wasn't a library book, I'd pass it along! A great summer read.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bestselling author with no inspiration for a second book. Francesca needs to write to feel vital, but the story is not there. Until she meets "Chicky", who wants her to write about her parents who performed vaudeville in the 1920's.
This is the real story in this book.
Very cute story and well-written.

[julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I could relate to the main character whose mind rambliings reminded me of my own. I enjoyed finding out what happened to her, and always wanted to know more. Within her story, though, there's another story, a love story of two people who have a hard life but somehow manage to make it work. Maybe not a deep, thinking book, but a good 'girl' book.

[Kym · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this because I thought it would be a good light airplane read, and of course I forgot to take it on the airplane. This book surprised me. The story within the story had me. The characters were well developed and fascinating. I appreciated the way it draws back to how our own personal stories show in the choices we make daily.

[Cindy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story that is a "book within a book". The funny, endearing protaganist is an author with writer's block. She ends up writing the true story of an elderly woman's parents. The story alternates between Francesca's life and that of the parents during the 1920's era of vaudeville. Great characters and an unexpected twist.

[Danna]

I'll admit to having low expectations of this book, yet finding the cover and synopsis appealing enough to add to my bookshelf (thanks to the Texas Book Festival). I plan to review this for Lipstick Pages' "Chick Lit" book review, which ambivalently attempts to challenge preconceived publisher marketing and reader notions about the labeling of books written by women about women

[Simone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book three stars because although it was a great read, it took me more than half the book to become really attached to it. The beginning of the story kind of jumps around while the author is giving a background of the character. At the end it all makes sense though! This book is definitely worth reading.

[Shelfari · Rating 4 out of 5]

great story...now divoced n an unemployed writer, francesca aka doll face meets her secret great aunt n writes th story of ellie n joe...vaudeville...show business...n and awesome luv story!!

the best part ws when...francesca luks at herself and says she luks like she recently died...so funnyyyy!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it-Louise Shaffer is really a fun writer-nothing heavy duty but she's not just brain candy either. She writes very well-developed multi-dimensional characters and the story hooks you in and keeps you turning the pages.

[Heidi Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

One the heels failed marriage and dead career the main character stumbles across a story that changes her life. Once she begins writing the historic love story set in the heyday of Vaudeville, I couldn't set the book down.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little book, great for the beach. The main character is extremely likable, as are the other characters. Loved the little details about Vaudeville theatre in the 20's. Has a few twists and turns that are unexpected and made the book even more endearing.