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Cyril Blanchard #0.5
Courting Greta
Samuel Cooke knows most women wouldn't give him a second glance even if he were the last man on earth. He's the cripple with the crutches, the nerdy computer genius every female past puberty feels compelled to mother. So when he leaves his lucrative career to teach programming to high schoolers, romance definitely isn't on his radar.
Perhaps that's why Greta Cassamajor catches him off guard. The sarcastic gym coach with zero sense of humor is no beauty - not even on the inside. But an inexplicably kind act toward Samuel makes him realize she is interesting.
Samuel is certain she won't accept his invitation to dinner - so when she does, he's out of his depth. All he knows is that he'll do whatever it takes to keep her as long as he can. Pretending he's got his class under control? Easy. Being vulnerable enough to admit why he ditched his programming career for teaching? Um, no. That would require honesty. And if there's one thing Samuel can't live without, it's the lies he tells himself.
In this poignant, witty debut, Ramsey Hootman upends traditional romance tropes to weave a charming tale of perseverance, trust, and slightly conditional love.
Perhaps that's why Greta Cassamajor catches him off guard. The sarcastic gym coach with zero sense of humor is no beauty - not even on the inside. But an inexplicably kind act toward Samuel makes him realize she is interesting.
Samuel is certain she won't accept his invitation to dinner - so when she does, he's out of his depth. All he knows is that he'll do whatever it takes to keep her as long as he can. Pretending he's got his class under control? Easy. Being vulnerable enough to admit why he ditched his programming career for teaching? Um, no. That would require honesty. And if there's one thing Samuel can't live without, it's the lies he tells himself.
In this poignant, witty debut, Ramsey Hootman upends traditional romance tropes to weave a charming tale of perseverance, trust, and slightly conditional love.
374 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2013
About the author
Ramsey Hootman
4 books124 followersRamsey Hootman lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area. She loves hearing from readers via email (ramseyhootman@gmail.com) and is almost guaranteed to say "yes" if you ask her to do a Skype session with your library or book club.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
July 20, 2015
I'm really happy that COURTING GRETA has been published. Because it's a novel that breaks so many of the rules of publishing these days. There's no catchy hook, there's not a popular genre. No vampires. No murders. Just a small story of two people.
It's a love story in the best sense. Two people who not only fall in love but learn what love means and how it works for themselves and for each other. I was utterly charmed by this book. I loved the characters and I loved watching them navigate their romance.
I have seen a lot of women like Greta. Women who aren't always traditionally feminine. Women who tend to be frightening or dominating. In my life I've found myself forming strong attachments to many of these women as mentors. They always ended up being so much more than they initially seemed. I was delighted to get to know Greta better, to see beyond her brusqueness and to understand why she acts the way she does.
And yet another thing that has me over the moon about this book is Samuel, the protagonist, whose disability has come to define his life in so many ways, especially when it comes to limiting his chances at romance. His physical challenges are described in detail, he's not saintly or inspiring or tragic. He's just a guy trying to get by despite a healthy dose of self-loathing and fear. I think we need more disabled characters in fiction. They tend to be reduced to caricature, and it's refreshing to see one like Samuel who's smart and capable and human.
Some of the twists and turns of Samuel and Greta's relationship may seem a bit overdramatic. They tend to react strongly to one another. But I didn't mind. Their inexperience, their fear, their gradual discovery of what love means leads to a lot of missteps and strong emotions.
I really didn't want to let go of them at the end.
It's a love story in the best sense. Two people who not only fall in love but learn what love means and how it works for themselves and for each other. I was utterly charmed by this book. I loved the characters and I loved watching them navigate their romance.
I have seen a lot of women like Greta. Women who aren't always traditionally feminine. Women who tend to be frightening or dominating. In my life I've found myself forming strong attachments to many of these women as mentors. They always ended up being so much more than they initially seemed. I was delighted to get to know Greta better, to see beyond her brusqueness and to understand why she acts the way she does.
And yet another thing that has me over the moon about this book is Samuel, the protagonist, whose disability has come to define his life in so many ways, especially when it comes to limiting his chances at romance. His physical challenges are described in detail, he's not saintly or inspiring or tragic. He's just a guy trying to get by despite a healthy dose of self-loathing and fear. I think we need more disabled characters in fiction. They tend to be reduced to caricature, and it's refreshing to see one like Samuel who's smart and capable and human.
Some of the twists and turns of Samuel and Greta's relationship may seem a bit overdramatic. They tend to react strongly to one another. But I didn't mind. Their inexperience, their fear, their gradual discovery of what love means leads to a lot of missteps and strong emotions.
I really didn't want to let go of them at the end.
November 21, 2023
Being special, being different, being loved is an intimate human need. A need Hootman delves into so well.
She gives us an epic love smack down in the middle of the real world complete with the petty everyday niggles, the heavy lifetime burdens and the flowers in the garden.
And like the flowers in the garden which is where we touch beauty and smile and reach out, this book just does that. Little by little I got Samuel and slowly but beautifuly I got Greta. Beautifully done!
A book which left a smile on my face and a warm glow in my chest.
A book which made me read it in a couple of days, these being work days not holidays
A book which makes me want more Hootman.
I feel that Hootman really knew the background, did good research and then wove this into the story seamlessly.
She gives us an epic love smack down in the middle of the real world complete with the petty everyday niggles, the heavy lifetime burdens and the flowers in the garden.
Claude Monet - Irises In Monets Garden
And like the flowers in the garden which is where we touch beauty and smile and reach out, this book just does that. Little by little I got Samuel and slowly but beautifuly I got Greta. Beautifully done!
A book which left a smile on my face and a warm glow in my chest.A book which made me read it in a couple of days, these being work days not holidaysA book which makes me want more Hootman.I feel that Hootman really knew the background, did good research and then wove this into the story seamlessly.
June 25, 2017
Brilliant!
This is exactly what I want my romances to be.
Real issues, real people, real romance.
I started by reading the second book in this series 'Surviving Cyril' and I was blown away by the characters. This is actually the first book in the series although both stories can be read as stand alones.
Samuel Cooke has Spina Bifida. He can walk with crutches and prefers to struggle along instead of using a wheelchair. He has a complex relationship with his brother, a difficult relationship with his father and an even more difficult relationship with himself.
But despite everything he is independently wealthy because he has brains, hands and talent, but he is tired of LA and the business world and decides to throw it all in and teach.
And so he finds himself teaching Computer Studies in a small town high school where he meets Greta Cassmajor the school coach.
Greta lives a very regulated life. She has faced tragedies of her own but she is the best coach the school has ever had. Greta keeps her feelings bottled up and doesn't say much but she doesn't play around and she tells Samuel this when he plucks up the courage to ask her out on a date.
They are an odd couple or at least Samuel thinks so. Greta is perfect to him, a champion and loyal and he is many years her junior and physically less able and his physical needs are going to increase over the years to come.
Dare he dream that Greta could be his? Or is she with him out of pity?
As their relationship progresses they each re-visit the painful events of their pasts and disclose who they are to each other. Samuel does this as he negotiates the challenges of teaching in high school and he struggles to believe himself worthy of Greta.
Greta on the other hand has faith. She has faith in Samuel even though she herself can be a bit rigid and inflexible, and so is there a future and can love emerge and grow even in the places where nothing has grown before?
I adored this story. I loved seeing the world and the emotional life from Samuel's point of view. I also liked the fact that these were very real people, full of doubts, fears, complexities and love.
It is also just so beautifully written. I could feel the hope both characters had as they got to know each other and the way they supported each other in their teaching roles. I loved the way they negotiated their awkwardness and how they survived the rough times and the way their love just burst into life.
It is such a beautiful story that I think it should be set to music.
This is going on my list of exquisite reads for 2017.
And I have a new author to follow. All I need now is for Ramsey Hootman, the author to write more quickly because I shall definitely be reading everything she writes.
This story was excellent!
This is exactly what I want my romances to be.
Real issues, real people, real romance.
I started by reading the second book in this series 'Surviving Cyril' and I was blown away by the characters. This is actually the first book in the series although both stories can be read as stand alones.
Samuel Cooke has Spina Bifida. He can walk with crutches and prefers to struggle along instead of using a wheelchair. He has a complex relationship with his brother, a difficult relationship with his father and an even more difficult relationship with himself.
But despite everything he is independently wealthy because he has brains, hands and talent, but he is tired of LA and the business world and decides to throw it all in and teach.
And so he finds himself teaching Computer Studies in a small town high school where he meets Greta Cassmajor the school coach.
Greta lives a very regulated life. She has faced tragedies of her own but she is the best coach the school has ever had. Greta keeps her feelings bottled up and doesn't say much but she doesn't play around and she tells Samuel this when he plucks up the courage to ask her out on a date.
They are an odd couple or at least Samuel thinks so. Greta is perfect to him, a champion and loyal and he is many years her junior and physically less able and his physical needs are going to increase over the years to come.
Dare he dream that Greta could be his? Or is she with him out of pity?
As their relationship progresses they each re-visit the painful events of their pasts and disclose who they are to each other. Samuel does this as he negotiates the challenges of teaching in high school and he struggles to believe himself worthy of Greta.
Greta on the other hand has faith. She has faith in Samuel even though she herself can be a bit rigid and inflexible, and so is there a future and can love emerge and grow even in the places where nothing has grown before?
I adored this story. I loved seeing the world and the emotional life from Samuel's point of view. I also liked the fact that these were very real people, full of doubts, fears, complexities and love.
It is also just so beautifully written. I could feel the hope both characters had as they got to know each other and the way they supported each other in their teaching roles. I loved the way they negotiated their awkwardness and how they survived the rough times and the way their love just burst into life.
It is such a beautiful story that I think it should be set to music.
This is going on my list of exquisite reads for 2017.
And I have a new author to follow. All I need now is for Ramsey Hootman, the author to write more quickly because I shall definitely be reading everything she writes.
This story was excellent!
June 12, 2016
Ordinarily I wouldn’t have much to say about a bad romance novel, because I would have abandoned it at chapter two. This one, however, isn’t bad in the ordinary way of weak writing and clichéd characters. It’s well written, especially for a first novel; and the characters are quite unusual for a romance novel, which is what attracted my attention to it. Our heroes are Greta, a tough-as-nails “bulky” basketball coach, and Samuel, a frail, physically handicapped computer teacher.
The author doesn’t pull her punches with these unromantic characters, and I can’t decide if it’s admirable or if she went overboard. Greta is blunt and prickly, and she’s only physically described in terms of her impressive size and strength - at the peak of Samuel’s supposed attraction for her he can’t find a single other physical attribute to admire. Meanwhile the diminutive Samuel has little use of his legs, he has frequent panic attacks, and he falls or faints at the least hint of physical or emotional distress.
A romance between two such characters could have been interesting, and as I said, the prose itself is quite engaging, so I was disappointed at the utter lack of chemistry between them. Their relationship dynamic is incredibly awkward, and not in a cute way, and it just keeps getting worse. I cringed at nearly every single encounter for the entire length of the book. I’m glad that this was written entirely from Samuel’s point of view - as bad as that was, I think an alternating POV would have been excruciating.
I was unsatisfied by the back story supplied for both characters, but especially the story of why a supposedly brilliant and successful programmer is substitute teaching a high school computer class. I rather enjoyed the most prominent secondary character, the eccentric music teacher. There’s a faint thread of disapproval of premarital sex and alcohol and profanity that makes me wonder if this book started off as Christian fiction.
The author doesn’t pull her punches with these unromantic characters, and I can’t decide if it’s admirable or if she went overboard. Greta is blunt and prickly, and she’s only physically described in terms of her impressive size and strength - at the peak of Samuel’s supposed attraction for her he can’t find a single other physical attribute to admire. Meanwhile the diminutive Samuel has little use of his legs, he has frequent panic attacks, and he falls or faints at the least hint of physical or emotional distress.
A romance between two such characters could have been interesting, and as I said, the prose itself is quite engaging, so I was disappointed at the utter lack of chemistry between them. Their relationship dynamic is incredibly awkward, and not in a cute way, and it just keeps getting worse. I cringed at nearly every single encounter for the entire length of the book. I’m glad that this was written entirely from Samuel’s point of view - as bad as that was, I think an alternating POV would have been excruciating.
I was unsatisfied by the back story supplied for both characters, but especially the story of why a supposedly brilliant and successful programmer is substitute teaching a high school computer class. I rather enjoyed the most prominent secondary character, the eccentric music teacher. There’s a faint thread of disapproval of premarital sex and alcohol and profanity that makes me wonder if this book started off as Christian fiction.
February 16, 2013
COURTING GRETA is hard to pigeonhole. It doesn't fit neatly into a genre box. It spills messily over those defined edges. If you want a predictable romance between beautiful people, this is not the book for you. Hootman's book presents two flawed individuals as they are, without judgment or apology. It doesn't offer a happy ever after. Instead, COURTING GRETA suggests that, in spite of our flaws, regardless of where we are in our lives, we all have the capacity to grow, to burst through our hard cocoons, and that even if we further damage ourselves in the process, there is still love waiting on the other side.
July 9, 2014
This book is kind of a hard sell, but I think it’s worth it. So here goes…
Courting Greta is a love story between two of the most unconventional, prickly characters I’ve ever read. These aren’t the characters you’ll find in Hollywood rom-coms. You don’t even find them much in books. Neither one of them is good-looking in any kind of conventional sense. And neither one of them is really even all that nice. Which is what makes this a hard sell… but trust me. It’s worth it.
Samuel, our lead character, is the romantic hero. He’s disabled and relies on either elbow crutches or his wheelchair. He’s brilliant, having just retired from a tech company that left him pretty well-off financially. He’s also sarcastic, judgmental, and a little bit self-centered. Well. Maybe more than a little bit. He hasn’t had much success with the ladies, which might result from his disability but is definitely related to his personality. And Greta, the lady who catches his interest, is just as closed-off emotionally. She’s blunt, forceful, and occasionally rude. Well. Maybe more than occasionally.
With characters like these, you might be wondering what there is to like. I promise you – figuring out why these two are the way they are, and watching them connect to each other, is heartwarming and emotional. If you love to read vivid, emotionally real, three-dimensional characters, this is your book. They both have secrets in their pasts and vulnerable, gooey centers under their armored shells. By the end of the story, it’s hard not to have fallen in love with them both.
This book is complex and beautifully written in addition to the unique, fully-realized characters. Hard sell that it is, I’ll keep trying to find it new readers. Because I really think it deserves more readers.
And finally, here are some books that I think share similarities with Courting Greta. Just in case anyone has already joined me in loving the book and is looking for something else as special.
I think The Rosie Project, with its quirky, unusual main character and misfit love story, could be a really good match. The two books were released around the same time, and it seems like The Rosie Project had more luck finding an audience, so it could be an easier dip in the pool if you’re worried about liking the characters.
The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns isn’t a romantic love story, but it takes an isolated character with a disability (and an attitude) and turns her life upside down by introducing someone new into her routine. And even though it’s not romantic love, this story of an aunt and her niece forming a connection is every bit as heartwarming.
And The Silver Linings Playbook is another charming love story between characters who have trouble fitting in to everyday life.
So I guess that’s my call to action for this week. Let’s all give misfit characters a chance!
-Meagan
Courting Greta is a love story between two of the most unconventional, prickly characters I’ve ever read. These aren’t the characters you’ll find in Hollywood rom-coms. You don’t even find them much in books. Neither one of them is good-looking in any kind of conventional sense. And neither one of them is really even all that nice. Which is what makes this a hard sell… but trust me. It’s worth it.
Samuel, our lead character, is the romantic hero. He’s disabled and relies on either elbow crutches or his wheelchair. He’s brilliant, having just retired from a tech company that left him pretty well-off financially. He’s also sarcastic, judgmental, and a little bit self-centered. Well. Maybe more than a little bit. He hasn’t had much success with the ladies, which might result from his disability but is definitely related to his personality. And Greta, the lady who catches his interest, is just as closed-off emotionally. She’s blunt, forceful, and occasionally rude. Well. Maybe more than occasionally.
With characters like these, you might be wondering what there is to like. I promise you – figuring out why these two are the way they are, and watching them connect to each other, is heartwarming and emotional. If you love to read vivid, emotionally real, three-dimensional characters, this is your book. They both have secrets in their pasts and vulnerable, gooey centers under their armored shells. By the end of the story, it’s hard not to have fallen in love with them both.
This book is complex and beautifully written in addition to the unique, fully-realized characters. Hard sell that it is, I’ll keep trying to find it new readers. Because I really think it deserves more readers.
And finally, here are some books that I think share similarities with Courting Greta. Just in case anyone has already joined me in loving the book and is looking for something else as special.
I think The Rosie Project, with its quirky, unusual main character and misfit love story, could be a really good match. The two books were released around the same time, and it seems like The Rosie Project had more luck finding an audience, so it could be an easier dip in the pool if you’re worried about liking the characters.
The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns isn’t a romantic love story, but it takes an isolated character with a disability (and an attitude) and turns her life upside down by introducing someone new into her routine. And even though it’s not romantic love, this story of an aunt and her niece forming a connection is every bit as heartwarming.
And The Silver Linings Playbook is another charming love story between characters who have trouble fitting in to everyday life.
So I guess that’s my call to action for this week. Let’s all give misfit characters a chance!
-Meagan
February 1, 2014
Just a moment ago, I chose my star rating for this book. And I did this thing that I sometimes do, where I try to convince myself to step back from my reading experience and pick a rating that the book truly "deserves." I don't know why I do that. I try to convince myself to be less enthusiastic about a really great book. I work off of the assumption that if I truly love it, it can't actually be great. So I'm not doing it. Five stars.
This book is unlike anything else I have ever read. For me, it seemed so grounded in reality that it was often, often I tell you, uncomfortable and awkward. The main characters are incredibly closed off and are pricklier than the mutant offspring of a porcupine and its secret cactus soulmate. Neither one of them would ever be held up as an example of even dim physical beauty, as it's popularly portrayed. Samuel is self-centered and overly focused on his disability. Greta is blunt to the point of rudeness. And they are both dealing with some significantly ugly realities. Sometimes involving horrible, gossipy, leering bosses, and sometimes involving catheters. This should not work.
It does. Watching these two completely unconventional and broken characters create a new place in the world was... I don't even have the right words. Charming. Disarming. Fulfilling. I don't know. I can't explain it. But this book is wonderful. I'm so happy I found my way to it.
This book is unlike anything else I have ever read. For me, it seemed so grounded in reality that it was often, often I tell you, uncomfortable and awkward. The main characters are incredibly closed off and are pricklier than the mutant offspring of a porcupine and its secret cactus soulmate. Neither one of them would ever be held up as an example of even dim physical beauty, as it's popularly portrayed. Samuel is self-centered and overly focused on his disability. Greta is blunt to the point of rudeness. And they are both dealing with some significantly ugly realities. Sometimes involving horrible, gossipy, leering bosses, and sometimes involving catheters. This should not work.
It does. Watching these two completely unconventional and broken characters create a new place in the world was... I don't even have the right words. Charming. Disarming. Fulfilling. I don't know. I can't explain it. But this book is wonderful. I'm so happy I found my way to it.
February 8, 2013
I got about halfway through this, when the time came to put it down for a few days to read "The Color Purple", which I had made an agreement to read simultaneously with a friend.
What a contrast. As I waded through my interruption, I found that I was looking forward to completing it so I could get back to "Courting Greta". It took 40 pages or so for "Greta" to strongly capture my attention, but once it had, I was anxious to keep reading. Time off for another book was unwelcome.
Caring about the central characters is essential to my enjoyment of a story. And I did care about these characters. The author manages to create very distinct people that are consistent within themselves. I've read any number of books in which the author didn't know how to create (or just didn't bother creating) clear, unique characterizations. Other than a few minor habits, usually described by the author, the characters speak the same, and act the same. Not so in this novel. Each character is distinct, and recognizable, even the minor characters. And while the plot has numerous surprises, and the characters backgrounds are slowly revealed through the story, the characters themselves always behave in a manner consistent with who they are. I appreciated that, and enjoyed it, a lot.
If there are things that detracted from my enjoyment of the book, they are very minor. This is not the kind of book I would normally choose to read. It's more raw, more emotional than my normal fare. That took some adjustment on my part, which may account for why it took me 40 pages to really take hold of the story. I take responsibility for that; I can't say I was being entirely open and objective in the early chapters.
Much of what we say every day is ... not very interesting. Oh ... ummm ... yeah. A little of that kind of thing adds a bit of flavor to written speech. I thought there was just a little too much of that. But just a little. It pops up here and there, and is gone again, and the characters and the story are not diminished as a result. A very minor point.
Recommended music pairing: Soul. For example, some of "Tower of Power's" more soulful tracks, like "Diggin on James Brown" or "Once You Get a Taste" are a perfect complement to the book. Recommended.
What a contrast. As I waded through my interruption, I found that I was looking forward to completing it so I could get back to "Courting Greta". It took 40 pages or so for "Greta" to strongly capture my attention, but once it had, I was anxious to keep reading. Time off for another book was unwelcome.
Caring about the central characters is essential to my enjoyment of a story. And I did care about these characters. The author manages to create very distinct people that are consistent within themselves. I've read any number of books in which the author didn't know how to create (or just didn't bother creating) clear, unique characterizations. Other than a few minor habits, usually described by the author, the characters speak the same, and act the same. Not so in this novel. Each character is distinct, and recognizable, even the minor characters. And while the plot has numerous surprises, and the characters backgrounds are slowly revealed through the story, the characters themselves always behave in a manner consistent with who they are. I appreciated that, and enjoyed it, a lot.
If there are things that detracted from my enjoyment of the book, they are very minor. This is not the kind of book I would normally choose to read. It's more raw, more emotional than my normal fare. That took some adjustment on my part, which may account for why it took me 40 pages to really take hold of the story. I take responsibility for that; I can't say I was being entirely open and objective in the early chapters.
Much of what we say every day is ... not very interesting. Oh ... ummm ... yeah. A little of that kind of thing adds a bit of flavor to written speech. I thought there was just a little too much of that. But just a little. It pops up here and there, and is gone again, and the characters and the story are not diminished as a result. A very minor point.
Recommended music pairing: Soul. For example, some of "Tower of Power's" more soulful tracks, like "Diggin on James Brown" or "Once You Get a Taste" are a perfect complement to the book. Recommended.
July 3, 2013
At the outset, this book gripped me in a way very few have recently. I was immediately drawn into Samuel's struggles as he settles into his new job and new home. He is a complex character--proud a yet insecure, shy and yet brave enough to ask the most intimidating woman in the school for a date. I thought his disability was portrayed sensitively and honestly; he is neither helpless nor heroic. The beginning stages of his romance with Greta are sweet and slightly painful. The story is rounded out by a strong cast of supporting characters, including a clueless principal and a friendly art teacher who doesn't understand boundaries.
**SPOILERS**
The romance ended for me about two-thirds of the way through the book. The turning point in Samuel's relationship with Greta hinges on exploiting one of the more unpleasant side effects of his disability, and while I'm glad that the author didn't flinch from showing the nitty gritty, I thought this particular problem got more time than it deserved. I was even more disappointed in the way Greta's issues were resolved. She has some serious personal demons of her own, and it takes Samuel a while to understand them, but when he does, seemingly all it takes is one charming speech to make her problems disappear. After everything these two had been through, the ending was just too easy.
**SPOILERS**
The romance ended for me about two-thirds of the way through the book. The turning point in Samuel's relationship with Greta hinges on exploiting one of the more unpleasant side effects of his disability, and while I'm glad that the author didn't flinch from showing the nitty gritty, I thought this particular problem got more time than it deserved. I was even more disappointed in the way Greta's issues were resolved. She has some serious personal demons of her own, and it takes Samuel a while to understand them, but when he does, seemingly all it takes is one charming speech to make her problems disappear. After everything these two had been through, the ending was just too easy.
January 22, 2014
The people that gave this book four stars are clearly better people than me. While there were all sorts of nuggets to make this a great little contemporary love story, the douchebag nature of the male character (Samuel) and the tone-deafness of the female character (Greta) just made it hard to connect with them or root for them. This is the first time in a long time where I felt like it was a fight to stay interested enough to finish reading this book.
Courting Greta is about a snarky computer programmer who quits working for the company he helped co-found so he can teach high school students keyboarding and basic programming. Why he did it was never explained believably enough for me. At the school he meets Greta Cassamajor, the gym teacher and women's' basketball coach and the two could not be more opposite. She's of robust health and strength and he is disabled from a childhood illness. She's a foot taller, 100 pounds heavier and has the personality of a blunt object. They are both damaged people from their separate life experiences and ordinarily that would be the sort of thing to yoke two people together. In the case of these two, I wouldn't recommend they sit next to each on a bus ride, much less try some romance on for size.
My biggest quibble with the book is the Samuel character is just such a d*** that I didn't want him to have any success in his attempt to woo this woman or anybody else. Whereas over time the reader can see a thawing in Greta's personality, Samuel didn't become tolerable until the last few pages, even after his childhood traumas were revealed.
Because the author puts the reader through so many fits and starts, I found it hard to find that nice zone to get into these characters and explore their nuanced. Other than Maria the housekeeper and Sadie, one of Samuel's students, everybody was irritating.
I like the idea of taking two unappealing people who are aware of what makes them hard to swallow and seeing if they can make a go of it but there was a point where this book became unpleasant, intentionally unpleasant. I felt like I was was being emotionally manipulated. I stayed with it but for the wrong reasons: I didn't want to be a quitter when the reality was the story was not moving forward and I was no longer emphatic of the characters.
I gave it three stars because the "polar opposites attract" is a fresh take on contemporary romance but if I could have given this 2.5 stars, that would have been preferred.
Courting Greta is about a snarky computer programmer who quits working for the company he helped co-found so he can teach high school students keyboarding and basic programming. Why he did it was never explained believably enough for me. At the school he meets Greta Cassamajor, the gym teacher and women's' basketball coach and the two could not be more opposite. She's of robust health and strength and he is disabled from a childhood illness. She's a foot taller, 100 pounds heavier and has the personality of a blunt object. They are both damaged people from their separate life experiences and ordinarily that would be the sort of thing to yoke two people together. In the case of these two, I wouldn't recommend they sit next to each on a bus ride, much less try some romance on for size.
My biggest quibble with the book is the Samuel character is just such a d*** that I didn't want him to have any success in his attempt to woo this woman or anybody else. Whereas over time the reader can see a thawing in Greta's personality, Samuel didn't become tolerable until the last few pages, even after his childhood traumas were revealed.
Because the author puts the reader through so many fits and starts, I found it hard to find that nice zone to get into these characters and explore their nuanced. Other than Maria the housekeeper and Sadie, one of Samuel's students, everybody was irritating.
I like the idea of taking two unappealing people who are aware of what makes them hard to swallow and seeing if they can make a go of it but there was a point where this book became unpleasant, intentionally unpleasant. I felt like I was was being emotionally manipulated. I stayed with it but for the wrong reasons: I didn't want to be a quitter when the reality was the story was not moving forward and I was no longer emphatic of the characters.
I gave it three stars because the "polar opposites attract" is a fresh take on contemporary romance but if I could have given this 2.5 stars, that would have been preferred.
March 12, 2017
So lately, when I'm at the library and considering which book to read next, I pull up Goodreads on my phone and check the average rating on a book before choosing it. If the book doesn't have a rating of at least 3.75, the book goes back on the shelf. And for the most part this has worked well for me, as my tastes seem to run similarly to the aggregate membership of GR.
I think this book may have convinced me this system doesn't work so well after all (the rating was 3.84 at the time I read this book). Why, why, why are the ratings to high for this one?
I wanted to like it. I really did. When I read the back cover blurb I thought it would be kind of cool to read a different kind of romance novel, one that didn't rely on the same old tropes as every other romance on the shelf. And I did think it was great that the protagonist has physical challenges, as it's something you don't see very often. But about halfway through, it occurred to me that maybe the differences setting this book apart weren't such a great thing after all. By the end, I was hate-reading. I don't know why I didn't just set this one aside, but for some reason I was masochistic enough to keep going. I don't think I've ever been so grateful to close a book for the last time since I was forced to read Siddhartha in high school.
There is nothing appealing about this book. Every character except Maria and Sadie is horrendously and completely unlikeable. There is ZERO chemistry between Samuel and Greta. Less than zero, really. They decide they're in love for some weird reason, and then spend the rest of the book awkwardly pretending this is true. I usually like books with flawed characters, but the author went far beyond flawed in creating these characters to the point where they are unbelievably dysfunctional, both apart and especially so together. Their tragic backstories did not make them sympathetic; Samuel's in particular was unnecessary since his physical condition would have been enough to make him sympathetic if that's what the author was going for. The clumsy attempts at sex were horrifyingly cringeworthy to read. Thank goodness I was reading the hardcopy and could skip past those pieces at the speed of light; if I'd been listening to the audiobook I would have been stuck.
Ugh. Glad that's over.
I think this book may have convinced me this system doesn't work so well after all (the rating was 3.84 at the time I read this book). Why, why, why are the ratings to high for this one?
I wanted to like it. I really did. When I read the back cover blurb I thought it would be kind of cool to read a different kind of romance novel, one that didn't rely on the same old tropes as every other romance on the shelf. And I did think it was great that the protagonist has physical challenges, as it's something you don't see very often. But about halfway through, it occurred to me that maybe the differences setting this book apart weren't such a great thing after all. By the end, I was hate-reading. I don't know why I didn't just set this one aside, but for some reason I was masochistic enough to keep going. I don't think I've ever been so grateful to close a book for the last time since I was forced to read Siddhartha in high school.
There is nothing appealing about this book. Every character except Maria and Sadie is horrendously and completely unlikeable. There is ZERO chemistry between Samuel and Greta. Less than zero, really. They decide they're in love for some weird reason, and then spend the rest of the book awkwardly pretending this is true. I usually like books with flawed characters, but the author went far beyond flawed in creating these characters to the point where they are unbelievably dysfunctional, both apart and especially so together. Their tragic backstories did not make them sympathetic; Samuel's in particular was unnecessary since his physical condition would have been enough to make him sympathetic if that's what the author was going for. The clumsy attempts at sex were horrifyingly cringeworthy to read. Thank goodness I was reading the hardcopy and could skip past those pieces at the speed of light; if I'd been listening to the audiobook I would have been stuck.
Ugh. Glad that's over.
June 28, 2013
Way in the beginning of the book, Samuel meets Greta at a basketball game she's coaching. He tries talking to her and is rebuffed:
Samuel wondered what he'd done to offend her, then realized she probably wasn't irritated at him so much as the outcome of the game.
I want to know where this empathetic Samuel goes, because a good part of the book felt like what you'd get if James Tiptree Jr decided to write romance. I became less and less sympathetic toward Samuel as the book went on, because each new screw-up hurt Greta more. Granted, some of the blame probably should be given to her, because she knew how neurotic he was but she still refused to communicate.
Also, every once in a while I come across a scene that I need to skim (or even completely skip) because of my embarrassment for (of?) the characters and the situation they've put themselves in. That disastrous dinner party in A Civil Campaign is a good example. I think there were approximately five scenes in Courting Greta that fit this criterium, which must be some kind of record.
In all, it was interesting but I think I would have enjoyed being in Greta's head more than Samuel's.
Samuel wondered what he'd done to offend her, then realized she probably wasn't irritated at him so much as the outcome of the game.
I want to know where this empathetic Samuel goes, because a good part of the book felt like what you'd get if James Tiptree Jr decided to write romance. I became less and less sympathetic toward Samuel as the book went on, because each new screw-up hurt Greta more. Granted, some of the blame probably should be given to her, because she knew how neurotic he was but she still refused to communicate.
Also, every once in a while I come across a scene that I need to skim (or even completely skip) because of my embarrassment for (of?) the characters and the situation they've put themselves in. That disastrous dinner party in A Civil Campaign is a good example. I think there were approximately five scenes in Courting Greta that fit this criterium, which must be some kind of record.
In all, it was interesting but I think I would have enjoyed being in Greta's head more than Samuel's.
October 15, 2017
The author described this book as an anti-romance. And it’s true that it doesn’t follow a lot of the normal romance cliches. Guy is the sole narrator; girl is bigger, butcher, less emotional than the guy; there is no romance when dating (girl seems unethusiastic, even apathetic about going out with the guy and he’s too nervous and insecure to make declarations of love or anything); etc.
More time is spent with Samuel and dealing with his issues. Which was refreshing to have disability depicted in such sincere and genuine authenticity. Becuase having to wear a catheter everyday is not pretty. And fighting against a failing body is heartrending.
But I felt like I never got to know Greta. Whether that was on purpose on the part of the narrator (Samuel was too self-absorbed in his own woes to notice what Greta or Greg was dealing with), or just shotty writing, I don’t know. Either way I could have wished to know more about Greta because I never really connected or empathized with her.
More time is spent with Samuel and dealing with his issues. Which was refreshing to have disability depicted in such sincere and genuine authenticity. Becuase having to wear a catheter everyday is not pretty. And fighting against a failing body is heartrending.
But I felt like I never got to know Greta. Whether that was on purpose on the part of the narrator (Samuel was too self-absorbed in his own woes to notice what Greta or Greg was dealing with), or just shotty writing, I don’t know. Either way I could have wished to know more about Greta because I never really connected or empathized with her.
August 24, 2014
In some books the main characters' inability to connect is frustrating because it's obvious to the reader that everything will be fine if they just quit obsessing about things and go with it. This isn't one of those books. This book lays bare how hard it can be to form an intimate connection with another person, especially when the two people in question have had a lifetime of difficulties and disappointments that have all but destroyed their abilities to trust themselves or anyone else. A wonderful read.
October 30, 2018
This is a very interesting tale, very romantic like even if this isn't a conventional romance.
I liked many of the more dramatic situations and how the author chose to be subtle about how the reader knows about them. This is a very close to perfection book for me, only that some sequence of scenes wasn't as well done, in my opinion.
I liked many of the more dramatic situations and how the author chose to be subtle about how the reader knows about them. This is a very close to perfection book for me, only that some sequence of scenes wasn't as well done, in my opinion.
January 2, 2015
I enjoyed the offbeat relationship theme of this book, although at times I found the dialogue and storyline to be a bit juvenile and unrealistic. It was mildly entertaining but to me it seemed to lack any real substance.
July 13, 2018
Courting Greta: where to start!
For one, post – read, I am certainly glad that I did not read any of the reviews pre – read. If, after reading the blurb, you’re expecting a romance between a nerdy ‘cripple with crutches’ beta male and a ‘Rubenesque, Amazonian’ gym teacher; or a hardened by circumstances hero waiting for salvation, in the form of the heroine, forget it. Move along, you’re not going to get that here. This story is so much more. Samuel is not Aristotle’s Tragic Hero, frankly, in places, he’s a total ass. And Greta doesn’t show false bravado to shield a soft interior. They’re both ‘real’ and flawed at the start, and they’re flawed at the end; yet there is character development.
Similarly, there were some aspects which initially, for a split second, made me cringe and think *This just doesn’t fit* (essentially the differences between the main couple’s physicality, which lead to several awkward moments in the novel). However, moving beyond long ingrained social and mass media conditioning, after finishing the book, for me, I’m pleased to say that it does, or rather, They do.
In terms of writing and tempo, the narrative is engaging, humorous and well-paced. Although, an aspect which began to grate on me as the book continued was Ramsey’s use of adjectives to describe Greta’s physicality, movements and actions. I understand that she wanted us to understand the difference between the main couple; however, there is a fine line between reiterating a point and something becoming a Farce. In places the author has almost caricaturised the couple.
In the conventional sense, Courting Greta is not a romance; love is not always romantic, is it!
It’s a story of attraction between the round pegs in the square holes, the ones who see and experience things differently.
For one, post – read, I am certainly glad that I did not read any of the reviews pre – read. If, after reading the blurb, you’re expecting a romance between a nerdy ‘cripple with crutches’ beta male and a ‘Rubenesque, Amazonian’ gym teacher; or a hardened by circumstances hero waiting for salvation, in the form of the heroine, forget it. Move along, you’re not going to get that here. This story is so much more. Samuel is not Aristotle’s Tragic Hero, frankly, in places, he’s a total ass. And Greta doesn’t show false bravado to shield a soft interior. They’re both ‘real’ and flawed at the start, and they’re flawed at the end; yet there is character development.
Similarly, there were some aspects which initially, for a split second, made me cringe and think *This just doesn’t fit* (essentially the differences between the main couple’s physicality, which lead to several awkward moments in the novel). However, moving beyond long ingrained social and mass media conditioning, after finishing the book, for me, I’m pleased to say that it does, or rather, They do.
In terms of writing and tempo, the narrative is engaging, humorous and well-paced. Although, an aspect which began to grate on me as the book continued was Ramsey’s use of adjectives to describe Greta’s physicality, movements and actions. I understand that she wanted us to understand the difference between the main couple; however, there is a fine line between reiterating a point and something becoming a Farce. In places the author has almost caricaturised the couple.
In the conventional sense, Courting Greta is not a romance; love is not always romantic, is it!
It’s a story of attraction between the round pegs in the square holes, the ones who see and experience things differently.
August 27, 2018
This book was just so awfully boring that I couldn't finish it. The blurb was really interesting - two characters that were very unlike the type we normally see. Unfortunately that was all I liked about the book. The story was told from the heroes point of view and read like the autobiography of a man who one day decided to be a teacher and immediately falls in love with another teacher.
Not content with making the hero disabled the author also had to make him a and not content with making the hero 12 years older the an the hero, the author also made the hero . Both of the main characters back stories seemed unnecessarily dramatic, yet at the same time we didn't know enough - why did Samuel quit everything to become a teacher?
My main issue with this book is that is supposed to be a romance but there is no chemistry between the two main characters at all, both characters are dull and boring. Samuel is slightly more interesting than Greta. The characters are usually quite rude - particularly Greta and they really don't behave like people in love with each other.
The author keeps telling us they are in love (how Samuel could fall in love with someone after speaking to them a few time I don't know) but never shows us them falling in love. We're supposed to just believe they are.
I really tried to like this story but it was just so slow going with unlikable characters in the end I bailed around 60%. Maybe it got better, I was beyond caring by that point.
Not content with making the hero disabled the author also had to make him a and not content with making the hero 12 years older the an the hero, the author also made the hero . Both of the main characters back stories seemed unnecessarily dramatic, yet at the same time we didn't know enough - why did Samuel quit everything to become a teacher?
My main issue with this book is that is supposed to be a romance but there is no chemistry between the two main characters at all, both characters are dull and boring. Samuel is slightly more interesting than Greta. The characters are usually quite rude - particularly Greta and they really don't behave like people in love with each other.
The author keeps telling us they are in love (how Samuel could fall in love with someone after speaking to them a few time I don't know) but never shows us them falling in love. We're supposed to just believe they are.
I really tried to like this story but it was just so slow going with unlikable characters in the end I bailed around 60%. Maybe it got better, I was beyond caring by that point.
February 22, 2018
The most deliciously unconventional, clever, and emotional romance, this is a story about two real characters with some real baggage. I was hooked from the first scene. Samuel is starting a new job teaching computers at a high school, after leaving his software development position. His brother is dropping him off, and then he has to hike half a mile from the parking lot to the school using his crutches. Samuel has a disability and uses crutches or a wheelchair. He is only five feet tall, skinny, and 34. On his first day of work, he meets the girls' basketball coach, Greta. Tall and imposing, bulky, athletic, taciturn and painfully brusque, he realizes he's attracted to her. Greta is single, and she's also 46. Samuel perseveres and they pursue a relationship. I devoured this book. It was also pretty touching, and it did a good job of creating very real characters whose past traumas make it hard for them to love each other.
January 5, 2016
This was a nice surprise after I was about to swear off fiction for a while given the dullness of what I'd been reading lately. Another surprise was that, what I initially thought would be a fun, lighthearted story about a couple of quirky, unconventional characters, turned out to be so much more.
Despite Samuel's physical disabilities and Greta's somewhat masculine appearance, it's really the emotional baggage that each of them carries that fuels their respective social awkwardness and relationship difficulty. Their growing friendship uncovers strong and deep emotions that they both work so hard to keep hidden.
I think this would be a good book for a group discussion, and there is a discussion guide included. I was actually a bit sad to finish this one, which is a rare feeling, particularly with a novel.
Despite Samuel's physical disabilities and Greta's somewhat masculine appearance, it's really the emotional baggage that each of them carries that fuels their respective social awkwardness and relationship difficulty. Their growing friendship uncovers strong and deep emotions that they both work so hard to keep hidden.
I think this would be a good book for a group discussion, and there is a discussion guide included. I was actually a bit sad to finish this one, which is a rare feeling, particularly with a novel.
December 27, 2013
Meh. I wanted to like this a whole lot more than ultimately I did. The narrator really was all "me me me" even after being called on it (though true, he had good reason to be in general) and I didn't really feel like anyone's motivations were all that clear/realistic (except maybe Greg Moore).
Also, I am peeved that "the librarian" was never called anything other than "the librarian." ;)
Also, I am peeved that "the librarian" was never called anything other than "the librarian." ;)
July 31, 2015
I cheered for this atypical hero and the even more atypical love interest. My favorite books are when the characters are as flawed as real people are. I loved entering the world of these NON mainstream people. Yes!! Love exists for EVERYONE. And you can screw up once or twice and keep trying.
May 15, 2017
I absolutely loved Courting Greta! its a love story unlike any other. it breaks any notion about what you may think love is or ought to be. it blew me away.
December 1, 2016
A bit redundant
I couldn't relate. It was a unique perspective but hard to picture. Good people though. Read it to finish not because I loved it.
I couldn't relate. It was a unique perspective but hard to picture. Good people though. Read it to finish not because I loved it.
May 7, 2017
It’s hard out here for a lover of contemporary romance who isn’t a fan of the usual alpha male hero. For those of you like me, this novel will be a breath of fresh air. I purchased this unusual romance (between a brittle middle aged gym teacher and her wheelchair bound thirty something co-worker) because I was looking for something new, and Ramsey Hootman shows us in COURTING GRETA that there are still fresh romantic stories to be told. This novel is heartbreaking, uplifting, warm frustrating and honest in ways I haven’t seen in years. I feel like the ending was a little too neat and tidy for my tastes, but that takes very little away from the overall story. If you’re bored of what’s out there, give this a shot. You won’t regret it.
March 22, 2018
Drop whatever you’re doing and go read this book. I literally did not want to put this book down. The love story of Greta and Samuel is so much different than the typical love story, which makes it that much better. There are so many ups and downs and I found myself emotionally invested in this book. Definitely a great read!
March 12, 2019
This was a delightful read! In the same vein as Elinore Oliphant is Completely Fine, the characters are what makes this story so great! Quirky, off-beat and relatable/believable, Sam and Greta were in turn both infuriating and loveable. Loved the story the writing and would love a sequal! (Which may be happening sometime this year)
November 20, 2023
A truly unique story/romance that has a computer instructor and a gym teacher fall for each other. Their story is a whirlwind of issues and challenges with both of them have secrets from their past they want to remain hidden. This is a gem of a book and was so enjoyable. This book has been out quite a while and was given to me by a friend. I’m so glad it found its way to me.
September 10, 2013
So I haven’t read nearly enough romance novels to be an expert on the genre, but it’s clear even from the back-cover copy that this book is here to buck some trends. First, the point-of-view character is male – something I’ve seen in romantic film, but not so far in genre lit. Second, this guy would only look like Fabio if he was sitting next to Stephen Hawking. The male leads in the other romance novels I’ve read were all nigh-demigods and only the heroines in those books were allowed to have issues. In Courting Greta, both the leads are allowed to have problems – real problems, not minor inconveniences easily solved by the end of the book.
For computer teacher and ex-programmer Samuel Cooke, those problems are obvious – suffering from spinal bifida, he’s hard-pressed to keep up with the hectic demands of daily high school life. Greta Cassamajor, the abrasive gym coach, has problems of her own, and the slow revelation of those is one of the driving forces of the novel. Hootman’s emotional honesty in the depiction of both of her leads is extremely refreshing, miles away from the safe romantic fantasies of the (admittedly few) other examples of the genre I’ve read (and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that this book hit very close to home for me, much more than any Miss Nearly Perfect meets Dashing McRight).
So is Courting Greta really a romance novel? Of course it is. Any story in which the central question is “Will the two leads form a loving relationship that survives beyond the last page” is a romance novel. Hootman is simply exploring the outer fringes of what is possible given that premise, and I sincerely hope she keeps it up.
For computer teacher and ex-programmer Samuel Cooke, those problems are obvious – suffering from spinal bifida, he’s hard-pressed to keep up with the hectic demands of daily high school life. Greta Cassamajor, the abrasive gym coach, has problems of her own, and the slow revelation of those is one of the driving forces of the novel. Hootman’s emotional honesty in the depiction of both of her leads is extremely refreshing, miles away from the safe romantic fantasies of the (admittedly few) other examples of the genre I’ve read (and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that this book hit very close to home for me, much more than any Miss Nearly Perfect meets Dashing McRight).
So is Courting Greta really a romance novel? Of course it is. Any story in which the central question is “Will the two leads form a loving relationship that survives beyond the last page” is a romance novel. Hootman is simply exploring the outer fringes of what is possible given that premise, and I sincerely hope she keeps it up.
March 11, 2015
Cute idea (nerdy tech guy becomes HS teacher, falls for an older gym teacher who is literally twice his size/weight). And it was sufficiently entertaining. But all of his neuroses were painful to witness. Did I miss something, or were there at least two really big loose ends left dangling. Was Irving one of the boys Greta was involved with in high school or not? and does Samuel avenge her or not? who made the caricatures and left the ugly notes in Samuel's desk drawer?
UPDATE: I re-read this book six months later. I'd forgotten how painful it is to watch these two with their weird idiosyncrasies.
Other readers pointed out that some of the key turns of events in this novel were not well explained. A case in point: Did Samuel's abuse at the hands of his father have any causal effect on this disability? It was hard to fellow if this was a chicken or the egg. Another example: I didn't understand until very late in the book that Greta's relationship with the football team was a rape, and not consensual. These are two very big issues that unfortunately were not made very clear.
My takeaway from the first reading, having mellowed for six months, was that there's someone out there for everyone. We may not understand it, but for them, it works. A friend put it this way, "It's nice that they were able to get together and participate more fully in society, rather than both being closed away in their separate worlds." That's a gentle way of looking at this improbable love story. Neither of them is subtle or experienced in the nuances of dating and courtship, yet somehow they get the job done.
UPDATE: I re-read this book six months later. I'd forgotten how painful it is to watch these two with their weird idiosyncrasies.
Other readers pointed out that some of the key turns of events in this novel were not well explained. A case in point: Did Samuel's abuse at the hands of his father have any causal effect on this disability? It was hard to fellow if this was a chicken or the egg. Another example: I didn't understand until very late in the book that Greta's relationship with the football team was a rape, and not consensual. These are two very big issues that unfortunately were not made very clear.
My takeaway from the first reading, having mellowed for six months, was that there's someone out there for everyone. We may not understand it, but for them, it works. A friend put it this way, "It's nice that they were able to get together and participate more fully in society, rather than both being closed away in their separate worlds." That's a gentle way of looking at this improbable love story. Neither of them is subtle or experienced in the nuances of dating and courtship, yet somehow they get the job done.
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