Manless in Montclair    by Amy Holman Edelman Order:  USA  Can Shaye Areheart, 2007 (2007) Hardcover Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Lori Waddington Isabel Ackerman is only forty-one years old when she arrives home from getting her teeth whitened to discover her husband Michael dead on their living room floor - leaving her a widow with two young daughters. A few months after Michael's funeral, Isabel is doing her best to stay afloat, keeping busy with family, friends, and Tuesday night dinners with her neighbor Charlie. About a year later, Isabel's youngest daughter suddenly announces that she wants a new daddy for Chanukah, prompting Isabel to get back into the dating pool by signing up for JDate and Match dot com. Isabel finds that she actually enjoys the dating scene, even if at times she feels that 'a bucket of buttered popcorn and a fountain coke are often a far more reliable source of enjoyment than a personal injury lawyer with an ex-wife who likes to dress up as a poodle.' After being disappointed by Speed Dating and the Perfect One, Isabel decides to take matters into her own hands by sending out an email offering 'a trip for two anywhere in the world (including hotel and airfare up to $3000.00)' to anyone who can 'help Isabel find a husband.' Isabel is absolutely overwhelmed by the reaction to her email. She receives around eight hundred replies, one of which is an offer from CNN to appear on their evening news show - '"Great," she thinks, "now I'll have guys e-mailing me from Pakistan."' She is also contacted by the Early Show, and her story appears on page three of the New York Daily News 'right behind Britney.' After narrowing the email prospects down to ten, and meeting five men who still aren't The Guy, Isabel realizes that maybe it's time for a break. This is, of course, when the right man finally shows up. Manless In Montclair, based on an actual event from author Amy Holman Edelman's life, is an absolute gem. I honestly don't remember the last time a book made me laugh out loud as much as this one did. I also thoroughly enjoyed the story of how Michael and Isabel first met, as it is a very sweet love story. I highly recommend putting Manless In Montclair at the very top of your reading pile. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews