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 Folks really do like EM's book. I hope you'll decide to read it.
Coffee Time Romance and More Reviewed by Matilda Maud took to books in her young life like a fish to water, which was good because she always seemed to be on her father’s bad side. But the books wove into her that all she ever needed to be happy is a strong handsome man just like the ones in the romance novels she reads. The gargoyle is her constant companion since she got him from a fair. He has always been there to listen to her worries and sorrows. What takes her by surprise is that he talks back, and even offers her advice on the string of lovers she involves herself with. The baggage that Maud carries through each relationship sometimes hinders her more than helps. Through each relationship she learns something new about herself. The journey she takes is one of self-exploration. Will she ever find her happily ever after with the man of her dreams? This is a very witty way to take stock of your life and just what makes and shapes you into who you are today, and the choices that you make based on that. The cast of characters that comes through on parade is just short of genius. I found myself laughing at many absurdities poor Maude went through and yet came out stronger for it all. So, if you’re looking for an off the wall read then grab your copy of Confessions of a Liberal Lover today. Romance Junkies Reviewed by Pamela Denise Always considered a smart but headstrong child, Maud couldn’t quite fit into her sister’s perfect shoes or get passed the strain in the relationship with her father. At the age of six, Maud wins a small gargoyle at a church fair that will become her sole confidante. At the age of thirteen her discovery of historical romance novels roots the foundation on her hunt for love. Where, just like in one of her novels, she is determined to find the handsome, virile man who she is to find everlasting love with. During her junior year of high school, her small gargoyle speaks to her for the first time after the end of a date with a groping senior. This cements him as her voice of reason when it comes to dating, sex and the men in her life. At nineteen, Maud, in a show of independence, moves in with a co-worker from her job at the health company, thus beginning her step into adulthood. She manages to settle down, finish college and snag a top career as a consultant. Along the way she meets several potential “the one” Her lovers range from college pre-med prep, country charmer, handsome attorney, to golden boy from the past. Yet Maud slowly realizes she is losing herself in her efforts to conform to their lifestyles. Tired of her search, Maud decides to put the breaks down for a while when it comes to finding Mr. Right. Even as her baby meter is ticking, she studiously focuses on career and self improvement. Then, as if by magic, a man who might just be her prince charming shows up in her life even if he isn’t exactly like the leading hero from her novels. CONFESSIONS OF A LIBERAL LOVER is a poignant story of a woman searching for the virile handsome man of her own just like in the historical romance novels she came across as a teen. E.M. Muller does a wonderful job bringing her lead character to life. I began reading with peaked interest at the storyline and soon found myself drawn in. It felt like reading a personal journal of a good friend who'd laid herself on the line. The addition of Maud's unique conscience - the little gargoyle she took home as a child - made the story all the more memorable. The road to the one is much more than a series of fluffy interludes. It happens to pick up on some life lessons including personal growth, self acceptance, and that the image of a true prince may not always be quite what’s depicted in novels. This was one of the best chick lits I've read in a while. I think every woman could use a little gargoyle on her dresser every now and then. Copyright 2003 by RomanceJunkies.com Happily Ever After Reviews Reviewed by Kylie. E.M. Muller's Confessions of a Liberal Lover is poignantly funny from start to finish. Not just a story of finding the right guy, but of finding oneself.
After failing to live up to expectations one too many times, Maud leaves home at 19. She is thrust into the world of full time work, part times school, and one disastrous relationship after another. Which includes such enjoyable calamities as receiving a rifle instead of a ring, a delightfully disastrous wedding, and the most perfectly comical divorce. Along for the ride is Maud's pet gargoyle, who dispenses wisdom, advice, and wit, all rolled into one. Maud's gargoyle steadfastly refuses to let her give up on herself or settle for less than she deserves. Forget the fairy godmothers, ladies; what we all really need is a gargoyle.
Maud's sexual encounters run the gambit from Young Republicans, mishaps with the missionary position, to riding cowboys, and much more. From faking orgasms to fellatio, nothing is taboo. While never explicit, Muller's frank honesty and witty portrayal of sex will have you laughing with delight and cringing in understanding.
With a sassy and smart heroine, and a gargoyle that's part fairy godmother and part Jiminy Cricket, Confessions of a Liberal Lover is the perfect book for any girl who ever felt overshadowed by a sibling, misunderstood by a parent, or turned herself inside out for a guy.
5 Tea Cups! BookWenches Reviews Reviewed by: Bobby D Whitney Having read her weight in historical romances in her youth, Maud has always dreamed of finding that one virile, incredibly handsome man who will complete her. Isn’t that the key to happiness? As the headstrong girl grows into a liberal career woman, she realizes that wishes and dreams are a difficult foundation to build a future on. She also finds that in order to catch a prince, a girl’s got to kiss a lot of…Republicans. E. M. Muller’s Confessions of a Liberal Lover is a humorous spin on a fairy tale that features a woman whose misguided belief that she needs a man in order to be happy turns her life into a series of romantic misadventures. This is a quick and light read with a serious message about love, respect, and self-determination, and I found it to be both charming and thought-provoking. Ms. Muller writes with a very personable tone and a dry wit. Her heroine, Maud, speaks to us directly. She has a somewhat sarcastic, self-deprecating humor that causes us to bond with her immediately. In her quest to find a man, Maud tries to transform herself into the person that she perceives her current beau wants her to be. The individuals that she is attracted to are her direct opposite philosophically and politically, so instead of winning happiness, all she manages to do is deny her own identity. The role of fairy godmother in this fairy tale is played by a plastic statuette of a gargoyle that Maud won in a church carnival as a child. This talking toy is the only enchanted part of this fairy tale. He is the one constant support in Maud’s life, offering her a voice of reason and a dash of wisdom, and he always speaks up right as she is jumping into a disaster. For an inanimate object, he is a remarkably appealing presence in the story. Confessions of a Liberal Lover does have some political undertones, but although the joke is about Republicans, the pointed commentary actually seems to be aimed at the ultra conservative and socially intolerant right rather than the political party itself. Given Maud’s very liberal bent of mind, I found it quite humorous to witness her trying to fit in with those who are her direct opposites. My overall impression of this novella is very positive. It is an easy and highly amusing read that made me laugh out loud as well as think a bit. Over the course of this story, our heroine discovers herself. She learns that being with the wrong man is far worse than being alone, and that respect is one of the key factors in love. And that is a lesson that many of us – myself definitely included – can take to heart. Excellent job, Ms. Muller. Rating: 4.5 Maud was thirteen when she became addicted to romance novels and decided all she needed to make her life complete was a virile, incredibly handsome man to stir her to the depths of insatiable passion. So she spends the next thirty years looking for just that. Accompanying Maud on her odyssey to find the Perfect Lover is the gargoyle, a small figurine she wins at a church fair. Not at first welcome since she really wanted to win a gold, heart-shaped locket, the little guy gets an indescribable hold on her and eventually becomes her confidant in her search for the virile, incredibly handsome man. Sometimes, however, Maud feels she could do without the gargoyle’s advice. No matter who she chooses, no matter how much she thinks he’s engendered the passion she believes she needs, the gargoyle always finds some flaw: Don, the high school senior and one of the few to have his own car; the pick-up in a bar, with whom she loses her virginity; Scott Blinderson, too perfect to be true…and he isn’t. While her sister finds a man and marries, Maud stumbles through life—finding a job, moving out of her parents home to a wreck of an apartment with a fellow employee, eventually becoming a successful business woman—and through it all, she still searching for Mr. Virile and Incredibly Handsome…and always her choices fall short of the mark, and always the gargoyle is there to set her straight and get her back on the trail again. So Maud keeps looking… MY OPINION: This is an enjoyable story, full of straight talk by Maud who tells it from her POV and pithy remarks from the gargoyle. The inanimate creature can be considered Maud’s conscience, or at least that part of herself really acknowledging the truth, as opposed to her conscious self who continues to search for the Golden Fleece of a mythical hunk appearing on so many book covers. It’s funny and entertaining and oh so disappointing as each time, Maud’s Mr. Right turns out to have clay feet, sometimes up to his knees. I always kept hoping she’d turn that corner and there he’d be, just as perfect as she wants. We should all have a gargoyle in our lives. The ending, by the way, is totally unexpected.
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