"amusing yet emotional look at relationships"

Since a high school break-up turned ugly when he swung a bat and hit a home run with her car, Shane Madison creates elaborate schemes to get her beau to break off with her. She is so good at having the guy end their relationship, her friends, whom she has advised on SEVEN WAYS TO LOSE YOUR LOVER, think she should become a consultant.

She follows their advice with "The Breakup Artist", which proves very successful. She helps Lizzie end her relationship with "Awful Ben" Gleason, who she realizes the adjective really does not fit though he seems to appreciate his work more than his girlfriend. Following Shane's advice to embarrass him in the office with a jelly belly Mrs. Cameron scenario, Ben ends what he thought was a promising relationship, but also learns that he is a victim of the Breakup Artist. Vowing to avenge his humiliation, he arranges to meet and date Shane, but soon finds himself in deeper trouble as he likes, make that loves the relationship consultant with a money back guarantee, but he wants the life plan.

This is an amusing yet emotional look at relationships as the self proclaimed expert Shane learns that people are dynamic ever changing and that classifying in tight boxes how individuals behave towards one another is not that simple (Myers-Briggs aside). The story line is driven mostly by Shane especially once she meets Ben who is not only not awful but actually delightful. Fans will appreciate this fine contemporary look at the dating scene starring a young lady who wants to believe that NICE GIRLS FINISH FIRST.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted June 28, 2006

Summary

Surefire tips to make him so not into you...guaranteed!

Like so many women, Shane Madison prefers to be nice, and hates confrontation. But also like a lot of women, sometimes Shane just wants a guy to hit the road, and fast. The solution: get them to break up with her. She started honing her techniques after the first guy she dumped—way back in eleventh grade—threw a baseball bat at her car, and since then she's become a master at getting men to make the first move (in the other direction). She's even shared her secrets with her girlfriends.

But some men, it turns out, just aren't made for dumping. And Shane's kick-him-to-the-curb advice might just come back to kick her in the you-know-what, when she starts dating a gorgeous new guy—who, unbeknownst to her, is out for a little revenge after his last girlfriend took Shane's advice....