A Romance For Those Who Hate Romances

Wed., March 5, 1997

Bethany Neumann, Northwest Chris

Quite honestly, I hate romance novels. You know the type: junior high fantasies where the main characters (who are absolutely perfect) spend half the book climbing down each other’s throats, etc., until they fall in love.

Therefore, I picked up “The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman” for the main purpose of making fun of the inside cover. I read the prologue and discovered Kate, the too-tall, fairly mousey main character, has the same opinion as I do. I read on.

Kate, a high school senior, is writing a true-to-life romance novel using her own experience and “The Romance Writer’s Phrase Book.” Also included are her hilarious revision notes. This combination results in a book that left me with a stomach ache from laughing.

Kate has had a crush on her brother’s best friend, Richard, forever. Unfortunately, he lives in California and Kate lives in Minnesota. But when Kate’s brother Bjorn comes home on a surprise Christmas visit and brings Richard with him, her old feelings resurface. Also in attendance is Richard and Bjorn’s friend Fleur, whose presence is what pushes this story out of funny and into hysterical.

“The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman” will make you laugh aloud. Whether it is one of Kate’s character analysis, descriptions, an absurd line from the phrase book or just the situation, you will laugh. My best friend read the first chapter, took the book from my hands and wouldn’t give it back until I threatened to make her pay the library fine. I read it three times.

I really do hate romance novels. They are unrealistic adolescent daydreams with no basis in reality. But Kate’s story, written by Louis Plummer, is fairly believable as well as incredibly funny.

OK, the ending is a little absurd. But you can find that out for yourself.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Bethany Neumann, Northwest Christian

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