Friday, January 20, 2012

Book Review: On Any Given Sundae

By Melissa Amster

There’s nothing better in the winter than being swept away into the summer and enjoying ice cream every day without the possibility of becoming even colder. And better yet, when the delicious treat is combined with a sweet love story, you wind up with "On Any Given Sundae" by Marilyn Brant.

Elizabeth Daniels was always the shy girl in school with her eyes on the popular jock, Rob Gabinarri. As an adult, she's still shy and hides behind her computer and her close group of friends. Then Elizabeth's and Rob's uncles make a trip out of town and leave their ice cream shop in Elizabeth and Rob's capable hands. Rob, anxious about the dating pressures from his mother makes Elizabeth a deal that will benefit them both in different ways. However, neither of them are prepared for what comes out of the deal.

I thought "On Any Given Sundae" was a fun story with a cute concept. It was light and entertaining, full of food and a side dish of steaminess that would make Sue Margolis blush! I enjoyed reading about all the characters and what they brought to the story. I thought switching between Elizabeth's and Rob's perspectives added to the entertainment value, especially when they had misunderstandings. The descriptions made everything easy to visualize and the conversations were natural and flowed nicely throughout the story. The whole time, I just wanted to go to Kilwin's for a double scoop waffle cone. Really, it just brought back some happy summer memories of getting delicious ice cream from Kilwin's with my husband.

What didn't work so well for me was Elizabeth's stuttering. I understand that it can be a real issue for some people. However, in the way the story was written, it sounded forced and inconsistent. For example, she'd say a whole coherent sentence and somehow stutter in the middle of it, just one time. I wish there had been another way to convey Elizabeth's shyness. The other thing was the name of the ice cream parlor...Tutti Frutti. It makes me think of fruit instead of ice cream. I also think the name was ruined for me a long time ago, when I heard that one song by Little Richard, which I find incredibly annoying. I guess this ice cream parlor was asking for a more dignified name. (If you put it side by side with Kilwin's and they had the same flavors and design, I'd still go for Kilwin's for the name alone.) However, neither factor took away from the enjoyment of the story, which kept me guessing until the very end!

Overall, "On Any Given Sundae" is a delectable treat any time of the year. If you're in the mood for something light and happy, definitely check it out! It's currently available for $2.99 on Kindle.

More by Marilyn Brant:


1 comment:

Marilyn Brant said...

I want to go to Kilwin's now, too... ;) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing this story, Melissa!!