Review: Crazy for Love by Victoria Dahl
August 12, 2010 
6 Comments
Title: Crazy for Love
Author: Victoria Dahl
Genre: Romance
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: HQN Books (July 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0373774621
ISBN-13: 978-0373774623
Chloe Turner thought she was going to marry the perfect man—until her fiancé’s plane crashed. And then she got the really bad news: he’d tried to fake his own death to avoid marrying her. Now America’s most famous bridezilla (a tag she most definitely does not deserve), Chloe escapes to a remote island to avoid the paparazzi. And right next door is a man who just might be the cure for Chloe’s heartache….
A magnet for wild, complicated women, Max Sullivan is relieved to have finally found someone “normal.” Chloe is his girl-next-door fantasy come to life, and best of all, she gets him. With her, he can be himself, a treasure-hunting millionaire who desperately wants out of his sexy but reckless job. But when Chloe’s notoriety catches up with them, will their torrid romance make it to the mainland?
I’ll be honest here. This is my first Victoria Dahl book, and I only bought it because my book club made it one of the books for the month. Contemporary romance usually isn’t my thing. I mean, no crazy, dark otherworldly things going bump in the night? No brooding vamps? I was at a loss.
And then I read the book.
This book was absolutely adorable. It’s a great, light summer read. I hardly noticed the three hours it took me to devour this book at all. Dahl’s characters are so realistic. I love how it’s the hero in this book that has some freakish issues, rather than the heroine. In the book, Max has this anxiety that someone might get hurt if he’s not around to keep them safe. He takes responsibility for everything, from two boys digging a hole on the beach, to the men and women that dive for him on the ship he works on.
The best part about these characters is that Chloe calls him on his issues. She “gets” him, but she’s got issues of her own, such as being a somewhat famous Bridezilla for an ex who faked his own death to get out of a marriage instead of standing up to his mommy.
The blurb is a little misleading. Though Chloe and Max are obviously the main storyline, there is another secondary storyline concerning Chloe’s angsty best friend, Jenn, and Max’s scientist brother, Elliott.
The story opens up with Jenn and Chloe ditching paparazzi by going on a secluded island vacation. Max and Elliott arrive almost at the same time, conveniently taking the cabin next door. I think what I want to know, and very likely, a large number of the female population, is… WHERE CAN I GET THAT ISLAND VACATION??
Ahem.
This book has a lot of stuff. It has accountants, embezzlement, treasure hunters, lawyers, scientists, long walks by the beach, and a whole lot of other things that make this book an incredible read. I just can’t get over how adorable it is, and how much I wish I’d written it. 
Even if you’re not a huge fan of contemporary romance (like me), I highly suggest you check this book out. It’s very well written, and the banter between the characters is amazing.
Totally four stars. Well worth every star.
**Quick reminder to Emily mckeown, who won the Sabina Kane books. You’ve got until tomorrow 1pm CST to email me your address. If I don’t hear from you by then, I’m picking a new winner.
This sounds like it would make both an excellent by-the-pool read and a potentially hilarious romcom.
I think I’m going to use y’all’s reviews as my list of books to buy
LOL! Glad we could help out.
We do like to share our addictions.
Ahem. I hope that the mention of the book having accountants in it isn’t a BAD thing. <.<
So yet ANOTHER book that's on my nearly toppling TBR shelf. I actually bought this on the same book club suggestion as well and hope to read this sometime soon.
Cid just passed this to me, and I’m excited to read it. I don’t read much contemporary anything (unless there is something otherworldy going on), but I am looking forward to this book.
Maybe I’m finally maturing.
Probably not.
LoL ~ yeah, I don’t read contemporary romance either – but I l-o-v-e-d this book. It was so stinking cute. Totally suggest it.