Okay, I read this book because I had read everything by "Sedaris" and "Burroughs" and my sister recommended it. I now see why. The main character (who is a lot like my sister physically and sarcastically)is someone you start out liking but midway through the book she starts to get a bit pathetic. The amount this woman whines about "always being the fat girl" and how everyone that weighs under 200lbs must be mean, dumb, slutty, or just a plain [...] just becomes extremely bratty and annoying. Also most of the story line (including becoming best friends with a top hollywood actress in less than 48 hours) lacks realism. As a reader you want to like "Cannie" (the main character) but she spends so much time crying over her father leaving the family when she was in her teens and how much he owes her somthing, and it's all his fault that she is , how she is (which has happened to about 70% of the country in today's world) and the constant "it's because I am fat" or "I am so fat" or " nobody loves me because I am fat" (are we getting the picture yet?) story line. How can you base a story mainly on someone who is ridiculed and cannot stand being "so" fat but then on the next page she is stuffing her face with veal, or french fires, or a bagel and wondering why non of her weight loss plans have worked. Better yet she pushes the boundaries of sarcasim into just plain nasty jealousy and bitterness toward anyone who is not considered "heavy". I have no problem with a lead role being heavy. "Heck" more of the U.S is heavy than they are thin so I had hoped that would make this book more down to earth but really it just made me see why the "fat girl" got picked on so much... It's got to be all about her all the time and it gets a bit old..... I do however like the style in which this writer tells a story and I understand she has other works and will still try another of her books and just write this one off as having an unlikable character....

I liked the book, but didn't love it. I kept reading b/c I am from Phila and could relate to the Phila references. I liked Cannie and wanted to find out what happened to her, but I could not really relate, and didn't like the references to thin people as the enemy (maybe b/c I'm thin)! I think Jennifer is a good writer, but this just wasn't my favorite book.

Spoiler Alert.

I will say that this book kept me reading, which is certainly a plus.

It is rare in a "chick lit" book to witness the protagonist melting down. That attribute speaks of deeper writing, plus it builds your interest in seeing how the main character will come through it.

A big minus is what a poor example this gives to single women who may be on the brink of a quality relationship.

If a promising man appears to be interested in you, the last thing you want to do is show up on his doorstep at your worst, both inside and out. This will send most men screaming into the night, rather than to the jeweler for a diamond ring.

Doctors tend to be affluent, with a lot to lose if they end up in a relationship with the wrong woman. If this is the type of man you are interested in, you should only allow him to see you in a competent - not to mention well-groomed - state.

A lot of single women read "chick lit" books. Therefore I think these authors should be more careful to present plausible and realistic scenarios as to how a woman can successfully connect with a quality man.

Escape from reality can be fun to a point, but this book really broke the bounds of feasibility and may well have given young and impressionable women some damaging ideas.

That said, I still believe that Ms. Weiner is talented and she does have the ability to keep the pages turning. This was her freshman effort, so I would not allow this to scare me away from giving her more recent books a try.

Good in Bed was Jennifer Weiner's first book. I have all of her books in my library, however my edition of Good in Bed was loaned-out one-too many times, and was in poor condition. I was so happy to find a hard-cover copy to replace and complete my collection. It arrived in perfect condition, and I am happy.

It has been a long time since i've connected with a character that i have so much and yet so little in common with. This is a book i can read over and over again

I really thought I liked Jennifer Weiner. I read Goodnight Nobody and found it funny and mindlessly entertaining and Little Earthquakes was a good beach read as well. This book started off well enough but it seems like the editors focused on the first chapter and then didn't read the rest of it. It's interesting how Cannie met her ex by impersonating her mother's lesbian lover, but then towards the end she tells readers how she had run home to said ex to whine when her mom came out of the closet. HUH? Speaking of whining, if you took out all of the "poor me" tangents the book would be about 2 chapters long. The part that really got me though was when she threw herself at her ex. We all have had our pathetic moments but this really takes the prize. It was all I could do to keep reading. The main reason I did continue is because I was hoping that by the end she would stop blaming everyone else in her life (Dad, mother's girlfriend, ex, co-worker, random guy she met in the park, former shrink, ex's current girlfriend... shall I go on?) and show some kind of growth as a character. Can't say that happened for me, but I'll leave it at that in case you want to see for yourself.

This book is by all means superb... I have read it multiple times and laugh just as hard as I did the first. Jennifer Weiner makes her characters witty and real in ways that many other authors cannot compete with. The main character Cannie is loveable, smart, and true to herself... a role model for all woman. I Love this book!!!

I am a guy who likes chick lit, and I even introduced my wife to Bridget Jones's Diary (movie tie-in). I also have had my own share of struggles with weight, so I expected to enjoy (and relate to) Jennifer Weiner's book. However, after the fast and enjoyable start, the humor practically vanishes, and the book degenerates into a giant self-pity meltdown. Every once in a while, a hint of greatness glittered like gold dust in a stream, just enough to keep me reading until the end.

I understand that childhood abandonment and emotional abuse can be scarring. I know the world can be frequently insensitive to those who do not conform to conventional appearance standards. But I also know that no person who behaves like the protagonist of 'Good in Bed' could possibly expect friend after friend to come through for them time after time. In a book like this, I expect to like main character, and I simply could not do it here.

This is the first book of its kind that I've read, one that can actually really be called chick lit! I must say, I was impressed! I loved the movie In her Shoes and will no doubt get the book to read it soon. However this book was poignant, realistic and charming. The main character is easy to love and root for as she faces and makes difficult choices through a year in her life where everything changes. There are some portions where it drags slightly, but I was always kept interested and finished it within days. I definitely recommend it for women who are not happy with the way you look, it may give you a new outlook on your life and the way you perceive yourself as opposed to how people perceive you. I think this book shows just how hard we are on ourselves, and how we should listen to our guts more often then our brains... except when it comes to food ;) Enjoy!

Reading Jenifer Weiner presented some strange "synchronicities" for me. Only two of them included: She went to Princeton where I grew up and also took some courses. This book is set in Philadelphia where I went to college. Aside from these interesting (for me) aspects I thought the book presented a good story about a woman trying to reconcile a past relationship that is failing while a better one is developing even though she is not aware of that process at first. The characters are believable and often entertaining although the title suggests much more sexuality than the book delivers.

"Cannie is a 28-year-old Philadelphia Examiner reporter preoccupied with her weight and men, but able to see the humor in even the most unpleasant of life's broadsides. Even she is floored, however, when she reads "Good in Bed," a new women's magazine column penned by her ex-boyfriend, pothead grad student Bruce Guberman. Three months earlier, Cannie suggested they take a break apparently, Bruce thought they were through and set about making such proclamations as, "Loving a larger woman is an act of courage in our world." Devastated by this public humiliation, Cannie takes comfort in tequila and her beloved dog, Nifkin. Bruce has let her down like another man in her life: Cannie's sadistic, plastic surgeon father emotionally abused her as a young girl, and eventually abandoned his wife and family, leaving no forwarding address. Somehow, Cannie stays strong for family and friends, joining a weight-loss group, selling her screenplay and gaining the maturity to ask for help when she faces something bigger than her fears. Weiner's witty, original, fast-moving debut features a lovable heroine, a solid cast, snappy dialogue and a poignant take on life's priorities. This is a must-read for any woman who struggles with body image, or for anyone who cares about someone who does." ~ Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

I have fallen in love with Jennifer Weiner's style. I saw so much of Cannie in myself it was almost uncanny (no pun intended) at times! I too am a "larger woman" and this book taught me that larger women are indeed capable and deserving of love and the good things in life. I related to these characters and this story. Extraordinary things happen to Cannie, all of them of her own making and because she always has the power, even when things go wrong, to look on the bright side and revel in the love of her family and friends. Despite the fact that this review sounds like a gushing teenie-bopper drama, the book is anything but and is a must-read for any woman who has ever had self-esteem doubts.

Five stars! Rave Reviews!

I read this book on Kindle, so I got to read a sample chapter before I bought it. The first two thirds of the book are really funny, and surprisingly well written, with enough twists and turns and great laughs to keep me avidly turning each page. Then the author gets serious, and all I wanted to do was get to the end, even though the ending was totally predictable. It is as if two people wrote this book. The first is funny, self aware without being maudlin, and understands how to keep me on the edge of my seat and emotionally involved. The second "author" is almost unbearably self pitying, humorless, and predictable. I thought I had found a new author, to me, but now am leery of reading her other books. Too long, and way too self involved at the end. A lot of talent here though. If the first two thirds of this story weren't so good, I would have given this two stars.

took an awfully long time, longer than the estimated shipping date, but finally got it.

Cannie Shapiro is a 28-year-old newspaper reporter. She recently broke up with her pony-tailed, pot-smoking, unenthusiastic, uninteresting boyfriend, Bruce who is also a writer. A few months after their break-up, an article appears in a popular women's magazine, the title of the article: "Good in Bed" the author of the article: none other than Cannie's ex-boyfriend, Bruce. This article entitled, Good in Bed, is really neither flattering, nor insulting; it mostly speaks of the authors wasted devotion to a woman (Cannie) who dislikes and is uncomfortable with her own body (being that of a larger woman). At first Cannie is furious with him, but then realizes that the article wasn't that bad, and she determines that she still loves him, misses him, and wants him back in her life in a huge way.

I found the book only slightly entertaining. The characters - all of them - were either un-likeable, boring, or both. I usually read every word on every page of every book that I pick up, however, Jennifer Weiner over described so many scenes that I found myself skimming through a lot of wordy descriptions of places and incidences that I couldn't care less about. With this book in my hands, it was either skim or nod off into a deep slumber while sitting in a chair at the dentist office or other such place.

I'm not normally a fan of chick lit, and in my opinion this was just average chick lit. A friend kindly gave me this book along with its sequel, Certain Girls. As much as I appreciate receiving hand-me-down books, I think I'll pass on, Certain Girls.

I grabbed this book in between flights after a non-solicited suggestion in the airport. Wow, if this could be considered great, I can't imagine making it through the worst! The plot moved incredibly slow making every turn of a page painful. Cannie spends so much time sulking about a man who as described no other woman would appreciate much less, want. She does this (and complains about everything / everyone else in her life) without taking any responsibility or doing anything to improve herself or situation. A few big words are thrown in from time to time yet they do nothing to strengthen a weak, predictable yet completely unbelievable story line. Sadly, this book was a HUGE disappointment and the fact that I foolishly paid full price for it in the airport bookstore only heightens my annoyance.

This was brutal and certainly NOT my idea of a good "beach read" - The only reason I made it to the end of the novel was the fact that I was stuck on a plane...

In Her Shoes was the first book I read by Jennifer Weiner so I thought I would read another book authored by Weiner. Good in Bed's character was a whinner and not very interesting. Didn't see the humor in any of the story and the book was wordy. Disappointing that this wasn't as good as In Her Shoes.

Don't get me wrong, the book wasn't that bad. I enjoyed the humor, men bashing, relationship troubles and Cannie's eventual successes. It was a great 2 hours on a 14-hour flight. But after a while Cannie got to me, and not in a good way.

Her insecurities and self-pity got to be too much after a while, and I found myself speed-reading to get through. Like a good chick-flick, this is a good chick-book. If your female (possibly having relationship troubles in your own life may lead you to enjoy it more), and you are heading out to the beach grab this one, it's worth it.

I love Cannie Shapiro in this novel! She is brilliant and has an awesome personality. I highly suggest reading this book, you won't be able to put it down... when you finish, you will want to read the sequel!

I bought this book while I was on vacation at the beach. It was exactly what I wanted! I found myself laughing out loud at Cannie and her dog Nifkin. If you want a fun summer read, this is it!

I bought this because I heard Weiner was a good author. This book was terrible! It was painful for me to flip through the story because Cannie was too whiny, the plot moved painstakingly slow, and it just wasn't that interesting.

This book was a fast read and a good book for the beach. The author's characters are well developed and likable.

I won't reiterate the plot because that's already been done. A friend sent me 2 of Jennifer Weiner's books, "Goodnight Nobody" and this book, "Good In Bed", is the first I've read so far. I found it hilarious, touching, romantic, tragic and most of all, believable. I consider myself lucky that I've not had to deal with weight issues, but Jennifer Weiner's writing style is so superb, I could feel every one of Cannie's emotions. I absolutely loved it. An excellent read!

Such a happy little book, an easy to read, nice flowing book. Be prepared to realize your own insecurities can be overcome. Enjoy, worth the time reading! Just add a book jacket, 'cause everyone will be asking "What are you reading!"

I agree with the person who wrote how it's not your average chick lit but how it's darker.
At first it's a slow read but the last 150 pages were very good.It was hard to put the book down!
Loved how it's not the practical story about an overweight woman who tries to lose weight but instead learns to love herself for the way she is.

This was a really fun fun read!! You will not want to put it down! If you have ever had to go through a break up in any type of a public way this is a must read for you!! If you have ever struggled with your weight, self esteem or a strange family situation you will relate to this funny book!!

I stayed until late last night to finich this book, something that has a lot of time to happen to me. The only other book I read recently that impressed me as much and perhaps even more is Something Borrowed.
I thought that Good in Bed would be a typical story of a fat girl turning slim by the end and live happily ever after with a gorgeous guy. I was surprised to see that was not exactly the case. Of course there is a happily ever after, but the guy is not drop dead gorgeous, just nice (I fell in love with him anyway). Also, the troubles she has to go through to reach that HEA were certainly much more and more serious than what you usually read about in romances of the "light-type".

Very engaging and fast read, nice twists in the plot and well developed characters.
My only complaints are **SPOILERS**:
1. Her father never really explained his actions and change of heart (from loving father to stranger) and
2. There were never any deep feelings except friendship from Cannie's part towards Peter while he showed his interest from the beginning. Even in the end she accepts that he is someone she can depend on, and thus decides to stay with/marry him. I probably would do the same in her place, but in a romance I'd like to read that she did so because she discovered she loved him too. Peter was so nice to her all the time, he deserved to marry someone who loved him back.

Witty, humorous, and just emotional enough to keep a small amount of drama in the plot, this book was tough to put down. The whole time I read it, I hoped that it was based on a true story. The acknowledgments revealed that the main character, Cannie Shapro, is the "funnier, more honest" version of the author, Jen Weiner. I would not be surprised if Nifkin, Cannie's miniature rat-terrier, is a real life character as well. He was probably the most animated character in the book - I enjoyed Weiner's descriptions of Nifkin's various love expressions to Cannie ("..attempted to stuff his whole face in my nostril").

I would recommend this book to any woman in need of a cheering up, or a blogging inspiration (as in my case), or a simple light-hearted distraction.

The main character, Cannie is annoying with her blame-the-world outlook on life. I couldn't relate to her negativity because I never found her to be a "loser" to warrant that kind of attitude. If she was a friend of mine, I would slap her and tell her (1) SNAP OUT OF IT (2) portion control (3) stop whining (4) find a new therapist.

Cannie hung on to all the bad things in her life but failed to appreciate all the good things she had right on front of her. Clich storyline. And I didn't find her funny at all either.

I would not recommend this book to anyone.

This book was a great read for me. It tugged at my heartstrings and moved me in many ways. The book details the events in the life of a 'overweight' person and the dilemmas that she faces based on her weight issues. It also chronicles her love life which has somewhat become tabloid fodder as well as looks at ambition and the single female as a theme in itself.

I would recommend this book to all my girlfriends. It will show them that their lives are comparable to millions of other women out there.

I admit I did not finish this book. It was recommended to me by a friend, and once I'd read half-way through I came to read reviews and see if I was the only one terribly disappointed by it. I was not, but several of the reviews neatly summed up the rest of the storyline and I felt no need to continue reading as I knew what happened. In a way that was upsetting (reviews that give away too much plot) but at the same time it was liberating - I knew what happened and I could set this book aside!

Others have summed up the problems with this book far more eloquently than I could, but suffice to say I really disliked the main character and her constant whining was beyond irritating. The first chapter of the book was good, and seemed to bode well, and it was all downhill from there. Here's a hint, Cannie, people don't dislike you because you're fat - people dislike you because you're an insufferable, self-centered, whiny little... well, I think you get my point.

This will definitely go down as my favorite book of all time. Finally an author with some sense of what real women go through. I am reading Goodnight Nobody now and I can already tell you it's going to be just as good. As an overweight girl myself, I could relate to this so much. However, this book isn't just for the overweight girls. I would let ANYONE read this.

Humerous, insightful, witty, amazing book! I do believe this book has become my favorite...and I read a lot!

I had read a couple of other Jennifer Weiner novels, but I had never read Good in Bed, mainly because every time I picked it up I was turned off by the blurb on the book jacket. A week ago I read the review for Weiner's new novel Certain Girls--the sequel to Good in Bed. I was interested in that novel, and figured I should probably read the original first. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this novel that I had dismissed for so long.

The characters and some of the scenarios in Good and Bed are a bit unbelievable, but then what good chicklit isn't unbelievable? Weiner does such a good job drawing her characters and weaving their lives together that you forget that you weren't believing and go along with her. The story moves at a good pace, and there are enough plot developments that you stay interested throughout the entire work.

If you've read other Jennifer Weiner novels, or if you are just a fan of chicklit, this is a great read for you.

While I do not dip my toes into the "chic lit" genre all the often, I love to read so will not dismiss a book based on it's pink fluffy cover. There are plenty of people who seemed to have enjoyed "Good in Bed" by Jennifer Weiner which makes me wonder a bit if they were just excited to see a charcter that was labled "plus sized" and glossed over all the other problems that the book had. I am all in favor of featuring women that are bigger than a size four (being one myself), but had trouble finding "Cannie" interesting to read about.

As others have stated (some better than I can), Cannie is a whiny, mean spirited, elitest and to make her the center of the story boggles the mind. There is nothing written of her personality that would make her somone you would want to know or come in contact with, so why would you spend the time to read about her? In her we find someone who dumps her boyfriend (seemed like for good reasons) just to want him back, so she sleeps with him and becomes pregnant as a result. These actions ring true... if you are like 18 years old. What woman pushing 30 with a good job makes these sort of life choices? Someone pathetic, someone I am hoping most women can not relate to.

Cannie is downright mean to her mother's girlfriend and I was puzzled as how a woman grown and out of the house could begrudge her parent some happiness in life, no matter who she chose to love. Tanya (the girlfriend) is not mean, or abusive.... I am still confused as to what makes her so off put by this lady. Oh, and if you did not know it yet, the poor, asian, veggitarians, working class and thin people of the world are also offensive in Cannie's eyes. Ouch. However does she find anyone to talk to?

And then starts the nonesense of her becoming best friends with a movie star who buys her screen play. Maxie Ryder likes her some much she MUST lavish her with presents and attention. (I guess thin people are alright as long as they are kissing her plus size bottom). I found it insulting to have a story line start with her being worried about taking a pay cut to become a single parent and then magically someone comes to her rescue and everything will be all shiny and happy. And a doctor falls in love with her to boot.

Cannie has to be one of the most unlikable characters I have ever read about. This book is a disservice to plus size women... no make that any female with a brain and a heart.

This book's hard to put down, that is if you're looking for something light, fluffy and great for laughs.

It's fun to see the world though Candice's eyes.

Kudos to Jennifer Weiner! I'll be reading more of her books.

And I recommend the audio version, Good in Bed [Unabridged, Library Edition] make sure the narrator is Paula Cale, who is awesome in it and makes the novel come alive!

I loved this book, it was a good one because it made me feel like it was a friend i was reading about. It also was great because it had a girl you would think would live in your town and be a real person!!!

You know what's funny about Weiner is she's good and bad. She's funny and I want to be her best friend, and at the same time, I want to slap her for telling me her size 16 is huge. Come on, that's pretty much average size for American women these days. She has zero self-esteem in this book but it is worth staying with her because the conclusion (albeit predictable) has us seeing a more confident girl. Overall Weiner is a great writer.

This book is sweet and funny. It tugs your heart in all the right places and makes you laugh out-loud. Although I do not share Ms. Weiner's apparent infatuation with stars that seems to come up in most of her books, her characters have spirit and strength. Perhaps not a "fine literary novel" but a fabulous beach read.

What a great book. I actually cried towards the end while reading of Cannie's struggles.I thought who she ended up wiht at the end was a little strange (and slightly disturbing?) but alas, a happy ending nonetheless.

funny story that any woman can relate to. unexpected plot twists give this book some unexpected drama. this is a heroine that you find yourself cheering for, and crying with. worth reading!

I have been reading a lot of great books lately, but yet too deep, thought provoking, etc. I needed something to lighten my mood and this book did just that. It is very easy to read and you can fly through it. I really enjoyed the characters of this book and now that I am finished I want to read Little Earthquakes. This book is much much better than In Her Shoes.

I think those who gave 1 - 3 stars had said enough. I only want to say here is I don't like this book. It's ridiculous but not in a good way. Sorry MS Weiner.

I found this book to be a great read, as well as very entertaining. Much like several other Jennifer Weiner books, I couldn't put this one down. It has it's funny moments, surprising moments, as well as it's sad moments, but it's all well put together into an enjoyable book.

Yes, Cannie occasionally does things that make you want to say, "Why? Why would you do that?" but then, we all have, and I think it's always easier to see them from that perspective from the outside than it is from the inside. In that respect, Cannie is very real. Her humorous side and personality make her very likeable though, despite the mistakes she makes, and her lack of self-confidence. And just like many other books such as this one, it is nice to watch Cannie grow and develop throughout the book.

While this book does have a few moments that seem a bit unreal, such as when Cannie makes friends with a movie star, hangs out with her, and ultimately spends time with her in Hollywood, it is also fiction and isn't written in such a way as to make you feel it's ridiculous. All of the characters (even the Hollywood star) are very well-written with depth to them, even the less likeable (such as Cannie's ex) ones.

I would highly recommend this book - as I said, I was almost unable to put it down. And it has some nice twists and turns to the story that you might not otherwise expect. It's not what I would call a lighthearted read (as it has it's sadder moments), but it is a very good, enjoyable book and to me is a must read.

This book reminded me of why I read memoirs in lieu of novels these days. It felt so contrived. Though I can see why some women will like it and relate to the character, I was groaning over "Cannie" (what a ridiculous name)deciding she was in love with the idiot Bruce after he wrote about her in a national magazine AND used her for sex after his father's funeral. I was about two thirds through the book when I had a strange sense that I'd read this story before. Not this novel, but the STORY and I realized it was like a rehashed "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb. I'd recommend that book over this one.
Oh, and out of no where she falls in love with a character who likes her in part because Cannie reminds him of his dead sister (red flag! bad basis for a relationship!) It seemed it was just to wrap up the happy ending neatly.

This book was so good I read it within a week. I have passed it on to a few people at work to share the joy. The story was great and easy to follow. I loved the characters and the struggles the Cannie faced. the end was a little short but was not enough to overshadow the total package. I was glad I bought this book and definately will read more of Jennifer's novels.

I really wanted to like this book because it had been recommended to me by several people, but I just couldn't get into it. I was a little annoyed by Cannie's character who is pretty immature. But mostly, I was just bored with this book because not a lot happens. Judging from the other reviews, I guess this is a book that one will either love or hate. With so many terrific books out there I don't see why anyone should waste their time with this one. Maybe I just don't get the "chic lit" genre.

I loved this book! This is a book all chick litters should read its great

I bought this because I had enjoyed In Her Shoes more than I thought I would. Good in Bed is a great book. I read it while on travel, got to know the characters and related to Cannie a lot. I laughed, cried and was sad when I finished it. I hope the remaining Jennifer Weiner books are of the same calibre. If you enjoy "chic lit", this is a great choice!

I try not to quit on a book and give it a chance but this one just didn't grab me at all. I only got to about page 100. Cannie was just so down on herself, yet despite that, she got through college and had enough confidence to get a good job at a major big-city newspaper. She puts her worth totally on how she looks and having a man, which is not a good message to send women. The book just doesn't have enough substance. Cannie is a whiner ----- sorry, but there are bigger issues and people with alot worse problems out there in the real world. I just didn't have any sympathy for her and felt this book was too much "fluff" --- I guess I just don't dig the chick-lit genre.

I began reading this book a few months back and kept getting interrupted. I finally got to finish this while on vacation this week. I picked it back up on the plane and couldn't put it down until I finished it. It was a heartwarming and trimphant story who was so real that you could relate to her thoughts and feelings. The story drew you in and kept you interested.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever felt a little bit uncomfortable with their weight and other body issues.