Review: Flirting With Forty by Jane Porter

Well, I finally finished another book. It took me long enough, right?

Flirting With Forty was probably the best escapism book that I needed. I couldn't put it down. I think it was great.

We meet Jackie who is a forty year old divorcee of a year. She has two children, William and Jessica. Jackie is an interior designer and is trying to find the balance between juggling work, children, and life, but isn't succeeding very well.

We start around Christmastime. She takes her children to get a Christmas tree. This is the first year she's had to get the tree into the house by herself and it's a big struggle. This is where you see her putting on a happy face for her kids, but she's so confused and scared on the inside.

One of her best friends, Anne, decides that she and Jackie need a girls vacation. So she books a trip to Hawaii, but has to cancel last minute because her husband is "sick" (read: doesn't want to take care of their kids by himself) and so Jackie goes on the vacation alone.

I loved Jane Porter's writing about the inner struggle Jackie has with herself. She knows she deserves to be happy, but she doesn't know how to make that happen and she's so lost as it is. After being married for 11 years and being with one man for 15 years, she doesn't know how to become a single woman who does stuff for herself.

Of course, what would Hawaii be without hot, younger surf instructors, right? Jackie meets Kai and he sounds like a dream boat the way Jane describes him...but I could do without the "bulldog tattoo" that's between his navel and the band on his board shorts. That just doesn't do anything for me, Jane. Sorry.

So for the rest of the book you watch as Jackie tries to juggle her kids, her job, her friends (who don't approve of Kai), and going to Hawaii.

Lots of crazy things happen and you truly just want Jackie to be happy. The whole time I just wanted Jackie to not care what her friends had to say and do what makes her happy. I also wanted Jackie to tell her ex-husband to mind his own business and quite being a hypocrite.

Of course, the book has a happy ending. It's a great, feel-good book and I really enjoyed Jane's style of writing and explaining the crazy way a female mind works.

*I had to edit to say:
I was very disappointed in the lack of sexy talk in this book. Very disappointed. Jane Porter, if you're going to describe a sexy hunk of a man, at least give me some sexy talk so I have something to imagine, ok? :)

Also, the Lifetime movie, doesn't really follow the book that well at all. But they never do...so oh well. It was still a cute movie and the book was still great.