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The Merry-Go-Round

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When Lauren divorces her husband, she has one thought on her mind...stepping off the merry-go-round. However, her life quickly turns into a three-ring circus: her hypochondriac father moves in, her ex is using her shower when she’s not home, and her perky assistant is pushing her out into the fearsome dating world. She also has to decide if the dilapidated barn and vintage merry-go-round she was awarded in the divorce settlement is a blessing or a bane. As if Lauren’s personal life isn’t chaotic enough, this slightly jaded attorney is overrun with a cast of quirky characters who can’t stay on the right side of the law. What’s a woman to do? She can allow life to spin her in circles forever. Or she can reach out and grab the brass ring.

About the author
Donna Fasano is an award-winning, best-selling author whose books have sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide.

“. . .complex, funny, and realistic. . .” ~Wilmington News Journal

Book Review
The Merry-Go-Round is an utterly charming romantic comedy that pulled me in right from the start. Award-winning author Donna Fasano skillfully weaves a story consisting of funny, imperfect characters, love lost and found, sexual attraction, and an old merry-go-round. Told with humor and honesty, this novel is an entertaining and satisfying read. I highly recommend it! ~ Karen McQuestion, author of A Scattered Life

210 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

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About the author

Donna Fasano

64 books274 followers
Growing up the third child of five—yes, smack dab in the middle and the only girl to boot—Donna Fasano had no idea she would one day be a published author. Her story-telling talents came to light when she conjured lively and elaborate tales of pure blarney (yes, she has a bit of Irish in her blood) for her children.

Donna is a USA Today bestselling author of over forty novels. Be sure to follow her on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/donna...



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5 stars
131 (20%)
4 stars
169 (26%)
3 stars
225 (34%)
2 stars
87 (13%)
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34 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
Profile Image for Sibel Hodge.
Author 54 books905 followers
March 23, 2011
Lauren's divorce sparks off more than she bargains for. All she wants is her husband, Greg's, signature on the divorce papers, and when the judge grants her wish, along with an old barn, she discovers a clapped out merry-go-round that is pushing her and Greg back together.

Lauren is feisty and thinks she knows what she wants from life, but it takes the divorce and the merry-go-round to make her really think about her life.

The Merry-Go-Round was a really sweet romance that was well written, pulling me in from the first page. If you're looking for a light-hearted, easy-to-read romance, this will be right up your street.
Profile Image for Todd Fonseca.
Author 3 books69 followers
June 19, 2010
Merry-Go-Round – Opposites Do Attract but do They Stay Together?

Rating: 4 of 5
Author: Donna Fasano
Format: Kindle


A year after being financially ruined by her husband Greg, Lauren Flynn goes to court to fight for a divorce he will not give her. The court not only grants her request, but to make up for her financial losses she is also awarded Greg’s only asset, a worthless plot of land complete with a rundown barn. Unfortunately, Lauren’s expectations of moving forward with her life are quickly dashed when she learns the barn houses not only a merry-go-round in disrepair, but her ex-husband who would be otherwise homeless. Soon Lauren’s life is much like the carnival ride, going backwards, going forwards, and most of the time just going in circles.


Donna Fasano’s Merry-Go-Round is an easy beach read about one woman’s search for happiness. Her main character, Lauren, has unfortunately built up in her mind what she thinks her life should be like - much like one would build a resume for a career - versus understanding and admitting to herself what truly makes her happy.


I will admit that I didn’t understand why Lauren wanted to divorce Greg. His hardware business does fail causing them financial difficulties and he doesn’t tell her until it is too late. But he seems like a great guy. He treats Lauren well, plans romantic surprises, can fix just about anything, is selfless, good looking, and is constantly helping others. On balance, he seems like a great catch.


Oddly enough, my favorite characters were not Lauren and Greg; rather, Lauren’s father Lew and her co-worker Norma Jean resonated with me. In many ways the evolution of their relationship was more endearing than the tumult between Lauren and Greg. They both have the wisdom and confidence that comes with age and their honesty with others and themselves was refreshing.


Fasano also does a good job building romantic tension throughout the book keeping the pages turning which made for a very enjoyable read. I look forward to her next offering!
Profile Image for Imogen Rose.
Author 22 books593 followers
June 19, 2010
A Touching Romantic Tale

The end of her marriage–her divorce–signals the beginning of a period of upheaval, both physical and emotional, for Lauren Flynn, a hard-working lawyer. A change in her financial circumstances puts an end to her solitary year-old post-separation living arrangements. Her dad moves in with her–her dad, who is still close to her now ex-husband, bringing him back into her life. Donna Fasano takes us on a captivating emotional ride as Lauren tries to move on with her life–she has to come to terms with her own deep seated feelings and misconstrued conclusions, and allow herself to accept them in order to be able to progress. This beautifully written story will hold your attention and stay with you. I read the Kindle version of this novel, which was very well formatted. I can’t wait to read more of Donna Fasano’s books.
Profile Image for Helen Smith.
Author 23 books281 followers
June 30, 2010
This charming romantic comedy has been written by an award-winning romance author - and it shows. The story-telling is excellent, the dialogue natural, and the characters are well-rounded and engaging. The light, witty writing style is the kind that takes years to perfect.

I could see where this story was likely to go but not quite how we would get there. I loved the humour in it - both the exchanges between the main character, Lauren, and her friend and assistant Norma Jean, and the funny set pieces as we were introduced to some of the clients that Lauren represented in her job as a lawyer in a small town.

The romantic sex scenes are written skillfully so they are enjoyable to read, and the potential for mawkishness in a key scene involving Lauren's father is neatly side-stepped by an author who doesn't need to resort to emotional manipulation to tell the story.

The Merry-Go-Round that provides the redemption for the main character is a clever metaphor. I could see this story translating to the big screen as it has all the ingredients for a hit movie - sexy men; clever, funny women and a main character who goes on an emotional journey and takes us with her.
Profile Image for Al.
1,225 reviews36 followers
September 11, 2010
Imagine a generic storyline about a marriage gone astray. Then flip the male and female roles. What you’ll have is a high-level outline of “The Merry-Go-Round.” Lauren, the protagonist, is a career oriented lawyer in the midst of a divorce from husband Greg. While Lauren is trying to save her finances, Greg, the romantic, is trying to save their marriage. While Lauren is pulling out all the stops and looking out only for herself, Greg is trying to do what he thinks is right. A supporting cast that includes Lauren’s cantankerous father and her old-but-not-dead assistant keep things stirred up and Lauren on edge. The results are a romantic comedy that works so well because it turns the clichés upside down.
321 reviews1 follower
August 29, 2017
Considered not finishing this one, but there was just enough plot to pull me through. On the whole, the writing was unimpressive, the characters one-dimensional, the story predictable, and the herione mostly annoying. Not my cup of tea.
Profile Image for Lyfranka.
89 reviews9 followers
August 18, 2020
It was an amusing story but not the best I ever read. So if you want a quick story and a little bit of happiness try this book.
Profile Image for Gaele.
4,079 reviews82 followers
February 12, 2013
AudioBook Review:
This was a sweet, engaging and at times, laugh out loud funny tale told through Lauren’s point of view, with the occasional interjection of sense and nonsense from the other characters. A plausible romance, with a love relationship not torn asunder by fear of vampires or pack responsibilities: no, these were real people, with honest issues that many will find applicable to their own lives. There’s nothing wrong at all with escape romance, but the profusion of supernatural and paranormal romance novels often lead readers (and authors) to forget that real people are sometimes as, if not more fascinating than their paranormally infused counterparts.

Written with attention to pacing and characters, the story unfolds to present a series of surprises for Lauren. When the judge awards her a barn that her ex-husband had not mentioned in the assets statement for the divorce proceedings, Lauren finds an old merry go round, still glorious despite the grime and neglect. The carousel is a perfect metaphor for the story, neglected beauty and joy, travelling only in circles and tarnished brass detracting from its glory. Lauren spends much of the book doing just that, relying on her anger, hurt feelings and incorrect assumptions to keep her travelling in one single circle, never looking up or out. As the layers of grime are removed, and the renovation of the merry go round begins, Lauren begins to lose her crust of anger and hurt, and starts to look at her own behaviour as potential cause of her unhappiness.

The narration by Margie Lenhart was a perfect accompaniment to the story: modulating her tone and pacing slightly to indicate the different characters, without overreaching and making it feel forced or overworked, her words brought characters well defined by the author into brilliant bas relief, and the book was a joy to listen to.

For me, there is no requirement that every romance have a happily ever after, but this one does, in a sweetly described scene that left a smile on my face. While the book contains adult themes, and even references to sex, there was no swearing or overt sexual descriptions, this was a sweet read with allusion and reader imagination working to fill in the blanks.

You won’t go wrong with this story for a quiet afternoon listen or read, and you may just find it was your best decision all week.

I received an AudioBook version of the book from the author in exchange for honest review as part of The Heard Word promotion at I am, Indeed. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions were my own responsibility.
Profile Image for Robin Landry.
Author 10 books8 followers
June 21, 2010

It's been awhile since I read a Romance Novel so it was fun to sit down to Donna Fasano's The Merry Go Round. Her heroine is a modern woman, a lawyer, who it totally relateable even down to the way society has taught our generation of women to think. I chuckled at the flashback that Lauren has of her college years sitting around a pool with her friends, with Lauren being the only one ogling the carpenter working on the house while they sunbathe. Lauren's friends are dreaming of men in three-piece suits driving BMW's leaving only Lauren to appreciate a man who can actually fix things. Considering today's climate, I don't think young women will be looking at bankers in quite the same way these days.

Anyway, back the novel, it's a romance novel so you have a man and woman at odds with each other, or in this case, a woman more in conflict with herself then she is with her drop-dead sexy soon-to-be ex-husband. And what a man Greg Flynn is! As far as I am concerned, this man is perfect. He's gallant, noble, tall-dark-and-handsome and as a bonus, knows how to wear a tool belt.

What's really important in a romance novel are the scenes that lead up to the bedroom, and Fasano does a marvelous job of creating sexual tension. This novel is a long slow burn that never lets up until the end. The characters are fully created and with the main character growing throughout the novel. Or growing up if you will.

This is exactly the kind of book I want to be reading on a plane ride or on a beach. It's as relaxing and pleasurable as sitting with friends enjoying a bucket of margaritas. Sure you could be reading War & Peace, but sometimes you just need a book that doesn't tell you about how terrible the world is, a book where love conquers all, that assures you that there are plenty of romantic men out there just waiting to be found.
Profile Image for Deanna.
9 reviews5 followers
August 15, 2010
I'd like to preface my review by saying that I really don't like the romance genre much.

I did enjoy The Merry-Go-Round because it's not a sappy bodice-ripper. Far, far from your average low-budget romance novels' formulaic plots. This is more like a women's fiction meets romance.

The book opens in a court of law, where the protaganist is suing her husband for a divorce. She's angry and feels betrayed over financial setbacks for which she blames him, but you catch on quickly that things aren't as simple as they seem.

The property settlement causes them to be thrown together constantly. He's still in love, she's still attracted to him, but can't seem to get past her bitterness. She tries dating another man in an attempt to get over him.

The character development is good, loved the cranky father and feisty secretary. I found myself chuckling at some of her misadventures with the handsome, but clueless, man she dated.

Not going to give away the ending, but overall, this is a feel-good story that is believable. There are some mildly spicy parts, but they're handled in very good taste.

As far as errors in the book go, the author has made it clear that she is correcting them, it's tough to self-edit. They're not so horrible as to be extremely distracting, but I've read on the Kindle board that the book is being revised and the errors will be eliminated, which is nice considering that a lot of authors never bother to correct problems.


Overall, the book was more than worth the money and would make a great summer beach read. The descriptions of the Merry Go Round were very well done.

Profile Image for Candy.
236 reviews80 followers
June 21, 2010
This book opens in a very unconventional way. I read some of this of this genre (chicklit) and it can be kind of overly formulaic, but I was surprised and intrigued from the get go, I didn't yawn once *laughing*. The book held my attention throughout, but it is a bit predictable. I guess that's the downfall of this genre, it rarely surprises me. HOWEVER, I did like the way it unfolded. The story moved along quickly and interestingly. The merry-go-round was a nice backdrop/side story that I thought was pretty genius to include.

The writing itself flowed well. I found a few grammatical mistakes (lift instead of life, and a few of/if/is/it type of things) in my copy, but nothing that distracted too much from the writing. Nothing too horrible and the story doesn't suffer from it.

I also liked that the characters felt true, flaws and all. I loved that the male wasn't all the bad guy. In this genre, it can sometimes get overwhelming with the "boys are bad" mentality. I loved the unfolding of events and realizations of the characters.

Overall, this is a great book if you like contemporary romance without all the throbbing bosoms etc. A great little weekend read!
Profile Image for Amancay.
67 reviews10 followers
April 29, 2011
I want to call this a 'cute' story... but I have to admit to actually crying in the first chapter alone! Somehow weeping doesn't fit with cute...

But I was immediately drawn into a light-hearted telling of a very serious disconnection of two people (in my opinion.) It was lovely to see reconciliation at the heart of many characters, and people stepping outside themselves... just long enough to catch a glimpse of a bigger, brighter, more beautiful picture!
Profile Image for Debra.
3,249 reviews9 followers
December 3, 2018
The Merry-Go-Round

I have read this story before. But don't know what happened to the review. Here is a woman who thinks she is underappreciated. When her divorce from the husband she has many bumps and bruises. Her idea of marriage does not seem to be what In real life is. She is an overachiever, a lawyer. Her husband is, as she states, a blue color worker and not interested in making money. He loves her and wants to see her happy. Even give her the divorce. But when she is given the old barn that has a run down merry-go-round that her husband had plans for things start to get out of hand. It was an interesting read and the second chance that they are given will either make or break them.
2,222 reviews12 followers
December 8, 2018
4 stars
I purchased a copy of the novel The Merry Go round by Donna Fasano and this review was given freely.
A fast paced and easy flowing second chance at romance novel with a few bumps along the way but a happy ending. Just when stress over money and lack of communication with her estranged husband Greg, her delayed divorce, and her hypochondriac father bring her to the breaking point the independent Attorney Lauren receives everything she thought she wanted. Helping to restore the antique merry go round she received helps Lauren to slow down, and with a few nudges from father and friend she realises that what she wants and is truly important is what she pushed away.
Profile Image for Loretta.
355 reviews
November 18, 2017
Lauren Flynn an attorney is waiting for her divorce to be final since her husband Greg lost his business and most of their money. Now her hypochondriac father is living with her because he had to give up his apartment that she was paying for. Lauren is very critical of Greg and is always downing him even after the divorce becomes final. The story goes on involving her father, clients, Normal Jean her receptionist and Greg!
Profile Image for Faye.
38 reviews
March 3, 2019
Fun story to read

Loved this story. It was a fun story, filled with humorous moments, with an underlying message. I loved Lauren even during moments of wanting to shake her. It was an easy, quick read. The characters were real, loved Dad and who could not fall in love with Greg! Norma Jean was lots of fun also. This was a warm, feel good story, a happy read.
Profile Image for EJ.
69 reviews3 followers
November 16, 2017
Such a sweet read. I really like the way Lauren comes to realize what she needs/wants and the way she goes about getting it. I want more of this story. This is my first Donna Fasano book but it won’t be my last.
829 reviews
November 12, 2017
Don't usually read books like this one, more of a mystery/horror reader, but this was a good book.
Profile Image for Jeni Wilson.
291 reviews1 follower
March 22, 2020
Cute and predictable. Fairly clean lovestory with Hallmark movie type stylings. Good book for killing a few hours and having a light-hearted read.
Profile Image for cheryl doerr.
252 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2022
Awesome

I really loved this book. It is a really great book. I recommend it to everyone who reads. It is awesome.
Profile Image for Julie.
4,133 reviews38.2k followers
September 2, 2013
The Merry-Go-Round by Donna Fasano was originally published in 2009. This is a Hard Knocks Publication, now available in digital format.

After a long separation, Lauren finally gets her ex, Greg, to sign the divorce papers. In the divorce settlement, Lauren is deeded a piece of property she was not aware Greg even had.
The other big changes in Lauren's life is that her father is moving in with her. The two of them argue a lot. Her father is always suffering from some phantom ailment and Lauren is always blowing it off. To her complete shock, she finds out that her father has a love interest.
The elation and relief Lauren expected to feel after she finally got the divorce finalized, never came. The adjustment to having her peace and quiet disrupted by her father moving in with her and a new client whose father is interested in getting to know Lauren on a more personal level, has Lauren feeling confused.
When she finally makes it out to inspect her new property, she finds it's little more than a barn. But, inside it, is a old merry-go-round. Intrigued, Lauren does a little internet research and finds that if a little work was done on it, she could sell it and recover some of the losses Greg caused with his failed business. Maybe she could afford to set her father up in an apartment of his own.
But, Lauren is shocked to the core when she finds out that Greg has been living in the barn. Her father is allowing Greg to use her shower when she is not at home. Greg is also up to his old tricks by working for free. A war widow is having some work done on her house and Greg is helping her out for free. Lauren is jealous and angry that Greg still hasn't learned his lesson.

Lauren is also going through some hormonal issues causing her think about sex all the time. This makes her vulnerable to how nice Greg looks, and also to her new love interest.
Lauren begins to find out that life without Greg is not all it's cracked up to be. She begins to see past his flaws and look back on their marriage with a different perspective. But, Greg is getting close to the widow he's been helping out.
Is it really over for good between Lauren and Greg?

Each chapter began with a quote. Some of these I had heard before, but it had been awhile and I had to chuckle, but some of the quotes I hadn't heard and I laughed out loud at them.
The story was a really good contemporary romance. It's not uncommon for married folks to argue over money. When Greg inherited his father's hardware store, he did everything he could to keep it afloat. It didn't work out. By that time he had used up Lauren's retirement and savings with nothing to show for it. It's easy to become angry and bitter about things like that. Lauren was so mad at Greg she was blinded by everything else.
Some of Lauren's attitudes stem from her upbringing. It's understandable that she feels like failure was not an option. She was so accustomed to being in charge and in control of things.
Her father is also beginning to see his failures had a bearing on the unhappy life Lauren is now living. He is also having trouble moving on with his own life, being way too involved in Lauren's.
A great lesson is the trials of marriage and family and what is really important in life. Money issues come and go and the economy slaps us down, and it is more than a little stressful. But, it's more important to stick together no matter what. Hopefully, it won't be too late for Lauren and Greg.
Overall this one gets an A.
Profile Image for Margreet Asselbergs.
568 reviews44 followers
July 24, 2013
http://ripeforreader.blogspot.ca/2013...


Lauren has waited a year to try and get her husband to sign the divorce papers. She was so angry a year ago when she kicked him out of the house and she still carried around the anger. As an attorney, she had things planned and organized or so she thought, but Greg had always been irresponsible about finances and sank their ship. She needed to make a clean break and start over so she could take care of her father and herself. She has had to move her father into her house, because she no longer can afford his apartment alongside her place.

When the judge awards her a piece of property with a ramshackle barn on it in the divorce, it only fuels Lauren's anger with her ex, Greg. Yet another thing she hadn't known about! The barn houses an old merry-go-round that is going to require some serious TLC, or a wrecking ball. In doing a bit of research, however, she discovers that the merry-go-round might actually prove to be quite valuable, that is, if she can find a way to restore it.

Help comes from unexpected places when it comes to the work on the merry-go-round, but the help doesn't make life any easier. In fact, during the process of the restoration, Lauren starts questioning herself and her decisions. Her ex-husband has turned out to be more than she had given him credit for and her father, whom she had mostly seen as a nuisance, appeared in a whole new light as well. It makes Lauren wonder whether the world around her was really as black and white as she always preferred it to be, or whether perhaps she had been the one who was blind and unable to see the other colours. All it needed was a little attention, a little spit and polish, just like the merry-go-round, to bring out the colour and shine!

*****

Oh how I loved this story of rediscovery and second chances.

Donna Fasano has done a fabulous job illustrating how a marriage over the years can become rooted in a pattern, in expectations and eventually entrenched. Until there comes a point where the love is so insignificant when matched with the overwhelmingly powerful battle stations we seem to be able to build from what starts out as small omissions or disagreements. We end up in communicating patterns that are no longer supportive but instead destructive and there is no turning back until every last vestige of goodwill has disappeared. Even if love still remains, it has no chance.......unless......

By breaking down the relationship completely and creating a space in which each could see the other in a less subjective manner, Ms. Fasano was able to create a scenario for a very credible second opportunity to make a first love work.

Her characters were life like and sympathetic (although not always likeable), often very humorous, making for an extremely enjoyable read.

This is a witty, sexy, wonderful tale of reconnection!
Profile Image for Susie.
311 reviews8 followers
December 13, 2012
Independent lawyer Lauren Flynn is finally getting what she wants: a divorce from her husband, Greg. When he lost his hardware store, and all her retirement savings, Laura had had enough. A year later and she's getting her divorce and a piece of land she didn't know about, which comes with a Merry-Go-Round on it. Restoring the Merry-Go-Round becomes her project, and brings her and Greg together. But she's interested in moving on - with her teenaged client's sexy father, Scott. Will she choice to start over with Scott or will she go back to her past - Greg?

I like Donna Fasano's books. They're sweet, realistic and modern. Lauren doesn't need a man and she's a modern woman. I tend to get annoyed with contemporary romances with weak, virginal women. Lauren is not those things. Both guys, Greg and Scott, were sexy. Although Scott had some, er, problems. Which brings me to Norma Jean, Lauren's secretary, who was freakin' hilarious. She was the comic element of the book. The only character I didn't like was Lauren's father. He was your typical curmudgeon, but I'm not a fan of curmudgeons.

Anyway, great book, sexy and funny, with a super sweet ending.
Profile Image for Vicki Tyley.
Author 8 books101 followers
June 30, 2012
“The merry-go-round was traveling in reverse. The horses, tigers, bears, zebras were all circling tail-end first as if competing in some bizarre, backward race.” – The Merry-Go-Round

Thirty-eight-year-old lawyer Lauren Flynn harbours a lot of resentment toward her soon to be ex-husband, Greg. All she wants from him is his signature on the divorce papers. Or at least that’s what she tells herself.

While I didn’t feel that this was a comedy, it was one of the best romances I’ve read in a long time. Engaging story with strong, real people. Lots of sexual tension but no gratuitous sex scenes. Balanced pacing with no flat spots.

I didn’t warm to Lauren straight away, but the more I got to know her, the more she grew on me. In the beginning, she came across as quite hard and bitter, but I soon discovered that was only a veneer and brittle at that.

Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Linda Prather.
Author 30 books144 followers
March 27, 2012
It's been years since I read a romance book, but I don't think I could have chosen a better one for a wonderfully entertaining evening. Once started, I found I couldn't stop. I found myself laughing and my eyes misting. I emphatized with the main character, Lauren, as she dealt with the day to day pressures of her job, a cantankerous old man of a father, and attempted to get back into the dating game, all the while fighting an overwhelming attraction for the man she just divorced.

By the time I finished this book I felt I truly knew the characters, especially Norma and Lew, and that they had become a part of my life as old, dear friends. Another great book I didn't want to end.

Definitely a 5 Star story.
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