A big-tittied-girl named Theresa still lives with her parents even though she's 25. She's always been shy around new people and especially new men since they tend to gawk at her teeny frame and huge knockers (the author repeatedly mentions Theresa's teeny frame so you don't forget it). One day Theresa's brother brings home fellow band member and pal, Brian Scanlon. Brian has been secretly fixated on Theresa for awhile but she doesn't know it. Theresa falls in love with Brian over the Christmas and New Years holidays but she won't let him touch her breasts because of her body hang-ups and because some nasty dudes sexually harassed her in school. Can their relationship ever move to another level? Oh no! What will happen? Well, I'll tell you so you won't have to read it. There's a lot of annoying whining by Theresa, then some nauseating love letters between Theresa and Brian, and then Theresa meets with the school counselor who suggests that she consider breast reduction surgery. Theresa never thought it was an option because her mean mom told her to just buck up and deal with her hooters. Then Theresa has the surgery and doesn't tell Brian even though they're all in love. Brian gets out of the military and moves to Minnesota to live near Theresa and but ends up bitter when he sees her new small breasts in a cute top. Then they make up and he invites her to go swimming at his apartment where they have tender and romantic pre-marital sex after which he proposes. Yay! This book was soooo lame. I could understand why Theresa had some social anxiety problems and was self-conscious but her character was so poorly drawn and so whiny you don't sympathize with her at all. Or at least I didn't. And LaVyrle Spencer's writing is at it's MOST melodramatic and treacly in this book I had some food reflux problems. Oh, and any book that has the phrase "virgin flesh" in it is bound to be crap.
I may have liked it better if Theresa wasn't so immature, whiny, way too overly sensitive (to the point of being mostly stupid) and naive all the time. I am not saying I don't understand how uncomfortable she was with her chest size (I myself am top heavy haven been a size C in 8th grade and have never been any smaller than DD after 9th grade) but really, how stupid and idiotic are you if you don't realize that especially when a teenager all guys are just pigs and duh all they think about is sex and wanting to get a feel. Instead of being all whiny poor me boo-hooing she should have taken control of her life. If someone touched you the wrong way, hell don't just run away and cry in the corning, give that person a smack in the face (or better yet a punch in the nose). If you can't learn to at least live with yourself and respect yourself you can't very well expect people to do the same. Which in turn also makes you the perfect target for the perverts who are only going to want to grope you. Mind you, I said a perfect target, I didn't say it made it right or okay for someone to do that to her.What also seemed down right stupid to me too was saying she worked with kids because they didn't stare at her chest and make her feel bad. Really?!? She was teaching 6th graders. I remember very clearly when I was in 6th grade there were plenty of boys who could talk of nothing but boobs. So, if you are someone like me who would have told someone where to get off when they do something like that to me, I would suggest not reading this book. You will be spending most of the time like I did tell Theresa to grow a set and stop being and immature idiot.Brian on the other hand, good guy. Always loved men in the military.
What do You think about Sweet Memories (2006)?
I usually enjoy LaVyrle Spencer books, but this one was the pits. The answer to this woman's "problems" was so obvious that it was like the characters were all avoiding the 500-lb. gorilla in the middle of the living room. I would have to call this an idiot plot--everyone in the book had to be an idiot or there would be no plot. There comes a time to quit whining and just deal with your issues--and these characters had long passed that point, so all the angst just didn't work; it merely sounded ridiculous. But hey, this was a woman who made a big fuss over her make-up before going on a swim-date--you stand warned: Realism has totally left this building.I also agree with my fellow DD's--I personally resent the author's implications that we are abnormal or suffer great physical distress. I might refer to the girls as softballs or grapefruit but never volleyballs or pumpkins. I have run races and played sports, dated nice guys, and haven't encountered any of the problems Theresa did--apparently her mother who shared the same "problem" didn't either. I do not feel like I look abnormal, do not get stared at like a freak show, and do not droop to my knees--and I am 62. Spencer really needs a reality check here.
—LadyCalico
Nice, but not engaging enough. It was easy to put down for other things.Theresa is 25 years old with extremely large breasts. She hides from life and is full of angst. Kids in school made fun of her. Boys and men stare at her breasts and grope her. Her older brother Jeff is in the air force. He brings home his best friend Brian for Christmas. Jeff told Brian about Theresa. So Brian is forewarned not to look at Theresa’s breasts when he meets her. She was surprised and pleased that Brian did not look at her chest. This is a gentle story of the sweet relationship that develops between Brian and Theresa.There was one sex scene. It was more about tenderness and touching than passion.DATA:Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 342 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: none to mild. Number of sex scenes: 1. Setting: around 1983 mostly Minneapolis, Minnesota. Copyright: 1984. Genre: contemporary romance.
—Jane Stewart
LaVyrle Spencer is a great writer and that comes through even in the dated silliness of this book. At parts, the old fashioned sensibilities of the book felt sweet and gentle and homey -- at other parts they just made me giggle. I read some of her other "contemporary" romances and they didn't feel as dated as this one; I don't know if it was the plot line or the age of the characters but everything about this book felt like reading a romanticized version of Forever, without the characters breaking up at the end.
—Jennifer
