Novella Review: Her Handyman by Morgan Mandel

If you enjoy romantic comedies, Her Handyman by Morgan Mandel should be on your electronic device.

This novella length romance finds Jake responding to the penthouse of a rich, quirky artist. A "jack of all trades" handyman who has a penchant for helping people with their problems, he's enjoying his life and looking forward to his marriage to the beautiful Angelina. So why is he so taken with Zoe, an oddball artist who lives like a hermit with her ugly little dog, FuFu?

Her Handyman is a sweet, funny romance. Mandel has a knack for creating characters whose lives you dive right into. Jake and Zoe are perfect examples. Jake is this really great guy who has a lot going for him: a good job, a lovely fiancée, and the admiration of many. People truly appreciate all Jake does for them. Zoe, on the other hand, is this kooky artist-type who changes costume to get into character to paint, doesn't clean her penthouse because she's too caught up in her work, and has this secret fear that all men are bad. While I couldn't relate much to either of them, it still worked because the author created them to be people I wanted to care about; people I wanted to see together.

Knowing that Jake was engaged at the beginning of this, I wondered how Mandel would pull off his doubting his relationship with Angelina. Could the author get Jake and Zoe together and still keep Jake likable to the reader? She did that, and more. By the time this novella is over, you understand Jake's actions and are glad he did what he did. The secondary story of Zoe's relationship with her father Carmen was a nice touch. It helped to round out her character.

What I thought was smart considering the length of this story is that the majority of the novella was focused on the two main characters. There were secondary characters around, but not a lot of time was spent with them, so the reader comes away feeling like she followed these two people on a wonderful journey to discovering each other.

Another A+ for Morgan Mandel. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.



File Size: 282 KB
Print Length: 121 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Choice One Publishing Co. (September 6, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B0097EVXBK
SRP: Only 99 cents at Amazon

I downloaded a paid copy of this book to my Kindle. This review contains my honest opinions, for which I have not been compensated in any way.

This is the 61st book I've read for the following challenge:

It is the 37th book I've read for the following challenge:

Guest Blogger: Morgan Mandel, Author of Her Handyman

A novella length romantic comedy, with a dash of the serious. Longer than a short story, shorter than a full-length novel - just the right size for a busy reader!

Throw a crazy canine, a handyman, and a quirky artist together and you've got mayhem!

Who'd guess it's Jake, the handyman, who needs rescuing when he answers a call by the distraught artist, Zoe, to stop a toilet flood begun by her crazy canine, FuFu?

Jake's engaged to a sexy, perfect woman, and she's even a great cook! There's no room in his life for a quirky, rich artist, who eats raw vegetables and probably can't even boil an egg -- or is there? Are Jake's perfect plans about to be disrupted?

The Dog Who Owns Me

 by Morgan Mandel

I must admit I’ve been owned by more than one dog. Each time I adopt one, it owns me.  My present owner is Rascal.

My husband and I came upon that ownership by accident. We were eager to meet and adopt another dog we’d noticed online through the Buddy Foundation, and hopped into the van on our way to the Buddy Adoption Event. I actually saw the dog we wanted. It looked absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, it was held on a leash, next to a woman who was signing the adoption papers!

Especially disheartening was the fact our prior dog had recently been lost to cancer, I still missed her, and was hoping to be cheered by adopting what looked like the perfect dog to love and take into our home.

When my husband suggested another Adoption Day Event that same day, this one sponsored by Chicagoland Dog Rescue, I agreed to give it a try. As I stepped out of the van, I was afraid to get my hopes up and be disappointed again.

About eight dogs were lined up on the sidewalk in front of PetSmart. The first looked awfully cute, but it was a pitbull puppy. I did my best to ignore my attraction to the dog, because for one thing I didn’t want a puppy. They’re a lot of work. For another, I’d heard far too many horror stories about pitbulls.

I examined the other dogs, yet couldn’t get the pitbull out of my mind. In spite of my misgivings about her breed and her age, she drew me back to her. My husband felt the same bond. Somehow,  against all odds, a connection had been made and we were powerless to fight it. 

I signed the papers and made it official. Rascal owned me, and she has ever since!      

                               

For more about Rascal, check out her Facebook page at http://facebook.com/ourlittlerascal

And now, a few words about FuFu, the dog in my latest romantic comedy release, HerHandyman.  She owns Zoe, a quirky, rich artist. Zoe hardly ever listens to the news because it’s too gruesome. She lives in a fancy Chicago penthouse in the upscale River North area, and does her best to live in a beautiful, stress-free environment. How FuFu came to own Zoe is similar to my experience. Being a doglover, Zoe set out to adopt the perfect dog. Then she spies FuFu, who belongs to a breed which often wins the ugliest dog contests. As soon as she holds FuFu in her arms, Zoe is a goner, and despite previous resolves, must take her dogchild home.  

Without FuFu, there would be no Her Handyman story. When her toy gets stuck in the toilet in the dead of night, a frantic Zoe calls Jake, the handyman, to stop the flood before it drips through the floor and onto the ceiling below. Jake sets out to rescue Zoe, but little does he know he’ll soon be the one who needs rescuing!

Find HerHandyman on Amazon Kindle for 99 cents at http://amzn.com/B0097EVXBK                                        

Morgan Mandel’s Amazon Author Central Page: http://amazon.com/author/morganmandel

Morgan’s Main Blog: http://morganmandel.blogspot.com 

Twitter: @MorganMandel                                                                     

Morgan Mandel lives in a Chicago suburb with her husband, commonly known as Good Paul, and their loveable pit bull, Rascal. She’s not ashamed to admit her vices: chocolate, ice cream, pizza and a great love of slot machines. Her favorite pastimes are reading, writing, going to garage and rummage sales, attending festivals and watching romances and mysterys on TV and DVDs.

Her Handyman is Morgan’s fifth book. She’s also a contributor to a short story collection. For Excerpts & Links to Morgan’s Books, check http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com .