4.5 stars. Finding Lucas is a fabulously entertaining debut romance by Samantha Stroh Bailey. It is a funny and reflective novel about friendship, love and starting over. Please click HERE to read my review in its entirety. ( )

Wonderfully witty escapades featuring a highly entertaining, eclectic cast of characters.
Kept me guessing nicely and provided plenty of LOL moments. Looking forward to more from this author. ( )

Finding Lucas tells the story of Jamie, a character as vivid and entertaining as any reader could wish to meet. I don’t normally read chicklit (although I LOVE Chiclets) because I find often find the stories heartless. Finding Lucas is anything but, and I found myself cheering for Jamie as she dumped her stick-up-the butt boyfriend and embarked on a mission to find an old flame. Really, though, she was searching for what people typically seek at her stage of life—herself. Alternate title: Finding Jamie and Having a Hilarious Time Doing It (pun intended). Samantha Stroh Bailey’s debut is a gem, full of insight and honesty, and written with a deft hand. ( )

Author's guest post at my blog:
http://bookfare.blogspot.com/2013/01/foodfic-please-welcome-guest-samantha.html

Have you ever been in a relationship that has hit a really rough patch and you find yourself thinking about a past love and playing the "what if " game?

Jamie Ross and her live-in boyfriend Derek are celebrating their fifth anniversary with a trip to Montreal, Canada. While on the trip, Jamie wonders what has happened to their relationship, it seems like the guy that she has fell in love with has become a new person. Instead of the laid back fun loving guy he used to be, he's become the ultimate metrosexual. Realizing that she is unhappy in the relationship, Jamie breaks up with Derek.

Jamie works as an associate producer for a TV talk show in Chicago, and when her boss Andrew announces that they will be doing a show reuniting past loves, Jamie thinks about her old boyfriend Lucas while taking a trip down memory lane wondering "what if" ... so she decides to search for Lucas while embarking on a journey of self-discovery that will change her life.

Finding Lucas is an entertaining story about a woman who embarks on a journey to find a past love, but ultimately finds herself. Written in a witty and humorous first person narrative, the reader follows Jamie on her journey to find Lucas. This was such a fun story to read: it has quirky characters, sassy dialogue and a storyline that everyone can relate to, come on you know you've gone down memory lane and played the "what if" game once or twice. Rich in detail and description, the story takes place in Chicago, and the author does a wonderful job of transporting the reader to the Windy City.

The author has created a quirky cast of characters who are realistic and fun to get to know. Jamie is a sassy lady that made me laugh, I certainly could relate to her! I couldn't help but feel for Jamie as she embarked on her journey, hoping that she would find the person that would bring her happiness. I did not like Derek at all, I know I wouldn't have lasted with him for five minutes let alone five years, I probably would have smacked the hell out of him before dumping his pompous ass. I really enjoyed Jamie's crazy family and friends, their antics kept me in stitches, and I really loved how they provided Jamie with a great support system. Andrew was my favorite character, I could just hug that man, and I loved the friendship and growing relationship that he and Jamie shared. The dialogue and interactions between the cast of characters were very entertaining, I loved the author's sense of humor, her witty writing style kept me laughing as I turned the pages.

Finding Lucas is a wonderful story about relationships, friendships, family, love and life lessons ... it will engage you to go down your own memory lane where you'll reminisce about past loves, and you'll learn even more about yourself!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/09/finding-lucas-by-samantha-stro... ( )