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There are currently 27 member reviews
for All You Could Ask For
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Anna R. (Oak Ridge, TN)
Unexpected
When I discovered the author of this book was Mike Greenberg of "Mike and Mike in the morning;" I thought what does he know about women? Well, was I surprised. The thoughts and actions of the three women seemed so real. He made their emotions believable and I could "see" the characters. I couldn't put the book down because I wanted to find out what happened. The ending was just right.
Well done, Mike.
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Debbie-Lyn C. (Kitty Hawk, N.C.)
all you could ask for
I felt the cover was misleading, giving the appearance of a self help book instead of an easy read I had a hard time putting down. The book was very unique in the way the last line of one character's section lead into the first line of the next character's section. This technique showed the similarities of the 3 characters. I enjoyed learning the background of each character in Part One and seeing how their character uniqueness lead to personal decisions in Part Two. The way exercise was an important part of each character's life almost inspires me to join them!
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Arden A. (Lady Lake, FL)
Three Women, One Disease
One thing about this book is that I can't wrap my head around the fact that it is written by a man. Mike Greenberg is a man, isn't he? He is the same Mike Greenberg who is co-host of ESPN's Mike and Mike in the morning, isn't he? This book is written in the first person of the three women, and deals with a very sensitive topic for women, and he pulls it off exceptionally well.
The other thing that struck me about this book is that all three women speak the same. There is a lack of nuance that would help distinguish each from the other. If close attention isn't paid to their individual stories, one could be mistaken for the other. Of course, the chapter heads make it clear who is speaking. Chapter heads are necessary in this book.
I enjoyed the book, and I would recommend it. especially to women, and especially to those women who have dealt with breast cancer.
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Nancy L. (Zephyrhills, FL)
All You Could Ask For
What a fabulous surprise this book was! My assumption, upon seeing that the book was about three strong women and that the author was male, was that the story would be filled with stereotypes. This was not to be the case. I became engrossed in these women and their stories and could not put the book down. I wondered how author Mike Greenberg would blend these three separate stories together, but he did so quite ably. This was a great read that I enjoyed from beginning to end and it should appeal to most readers of women's fiction.
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Portia A. (Mount Laurel, NJ)
"Chick Lit" at it's Best
Mike Greenberg, sports reporter extraordinary, seems to understand how women think; and he has expressed it in this story of three strong intelligent women handling
their own situations and then coming together to give help when help is needed...to tell more would be a spoiler...read this book and you will understand.
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ElenaMH
Wondering Why?
Having little information on the subject matter, I have a lot of respect for Mike Greenberg having listened to him on ESPN. My husband has enjoyed him for years as well. My primary reason to read this book was simply to generate a common interest in something with my husband, I.e. my love of books and his love of Mike & Mike.
As soon as I received the book in the mail I was intrigued. As I researched the book my intrigue turned to fascination. I have now completed the book and I find it was a good story that kept my interest. I'm still fascinated wondering how Mike Greenberg chose this subject matter...'chicklit' in its finest form.
Ok, I generally run from the genre like the plague. I find the books typically make high drama out of frivolous topics. I typically complete a chicklit book having learned nothing and grown little and wonder how ill ever get that time back. So my expectations dropped significantly. To my surprise, with Greenberg's book, I did walk away with something. The stories were entertaining and the characters were believable. The overall flow of narration was smooth.
I cannot say that Greenberg has a mastery for the written word, nor does he require the reader to work at all (I.e. think new thoughts, consider a world of new experiences, reach emotions not typically exposed, etc). I like when a book pushes me like that and think Greenberg's book would have been better if he had succeeded at it. However, the book was entertaining and I did walk away appreciating the value of a best friend and realizing the importance of figuring out what your life is meant to be for you.
Bottom line, I would say it fits squarely in the chicklit genre which isn't my favorite, but he scores points for telling very entertaining stories and reminding us of what is important.
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MaryAnn W. (Northville, Michigan)
Warm-Hearted Fantasy
As a sports fan, I often listen to Mike Greenberg's sports talk show, "Mike and Mike in the Morning" and so I was curious to see how he tackled fiction that seemed pretty obviously "chick lit." Indeed, the first part of the book recalls the stories that as a teenager I used to read in women's magazines: impossibly beautiful, intelligent, accomplished women looking for love in all the wrong places. An interesting – if a bit odd – thread that runs through the three women's lives in this story is their reliance on sports and personal fitness to cope with emotional adversity. Their lives intersect in the second part of the book, expressed in epistolary style through email posts, and the plot gains a realistic measure of pathos. This story was surprisingly vivid and engaging, despite the obvious clichés, and often very funny. A quick read with few plot surprises.
