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Joseph Flynn

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Round Robin — A Love Story of Epic Proportions Kindle Edition

by Joseph Flynn (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 754 ratings

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Round Robin Phinney…
She’s 230 pounds of bad attitude. She dishes out sandwiches and insults to the customers at Screaming Mimi’s deli. She takes a dim view of people in general and men in particular.
Her home is her sanctuary. She has an apartment upstairs. Downstairs, she’s created a private park, lushly landscaped, dotted with ponds, furnished with two Chicago Park District benches.
Manfred Welk is what Charles Atlas would have looked like if he’d been serious about lifting weights. A former Olympic powerlifter for East Germany, his ex-wife turned him in for spying. Brought to Chicago after the fall of the Berlin Wall, he needs a place to live.
When cold weather hits and Robin’s furnace goes out, the plants in her park start to die. Worse, she has no money for repairs — but she does have a small vacant apartment in her basement. Something she might swap for the services of a live-in handyman.
After interviewing a number of prospective fix-it people, Robin finds, to her great horror, the best choice is a giant German with CIA connections. That’s bad enough, but the guy turns out to have a kid, a blue-haired prepubescent brat named Bianca who’s been raised in a brothel.
Robin, Manfred and Bianca all have their demons to cast out.
You’ll have a grand time watching as they do.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joseph Flynn was born in Chicago and raised in the shadow of Wrigley Field. He was one of three White Sox fans in the neighborhood, swimming against the tide of the Cubs faithful. Such adversity would later serve him well as he embarked on a career in writing. His education was both parochial and secular, including, St. Mary of the Lake School, Francis W. Parker School, Loyola University and Northeastern Illinois University. Mr. Flynn's novels have been published by Signet Books, Bantam Books, Variance Publishing and his own imprint Stray Dog Press, Inc. Booklist said, "...Flynn is an excellent storyteller."

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004GXAWE6
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Stray Dog Press, Inc. (December 20, 2010)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 20, 2010
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 718 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 351 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #370,421 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #2,197 in General Humorous Fiction
- #3,561 in Humorous Fiction
- #128,012 in Romance (Kindle Store)

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4.5 754 ratings

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Joseph Flynn has been published both traditionally — Signet Books, Bantam Books and Variance Publishing — and through his own imprint, Stray Dog Press, Inc. Both major media reviews and reader reviews have praised his work. Booklist said, “Flynn is an excellent storyteller.” The Chicago Tribune said, “Flynn [is] a master of high-octane plotting.” The most repeated reader comment is: Write faster, we want more.

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4.5 out of 5

754 global ratings

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R. Kretchman

Suspense, humor and a touch of romance!

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2024

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Round Robin" by Joseph Flynn is a compelling read that mixes suspense, humor, and a touch of romance, crafting a unique blend that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. The novel follows the story of Robin Rourke, an aspiring actress with a complicated past. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she finds herself entangled in a dangerous web of espionage and political intrigue.

Joseph Flynn does a fantastic job in developing a strong, likable protagonist in Robin. She's resourceful and witty, making her easy to root for as she navigates the various challenges thrown her way. The supporting characters are equally well-crafted, providing a robust cast that enhances the story's depth and appeal.

The plot of "Round Robin" is fast-paced and filled with unexpected twists that make it hard to put the book down. Flynn expertly balances the tension of the thriller elements with lighter, humorous moments, ensuring that the narrative maintains a good pace without becoming too heavy.

The setting of the book, which shifts between the bustling streets of Hollywood and various international locales, adds an extra layer of excitement and glamour to the story. Flynn's descriptive writing vividly brings these environments to life, immersing the reader in each scene.

"Round Robin" is a thoroughly enjoyable read that combines the best elements of its genre. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy thrillers with a strong female lead and a dose of humor. Joseph Flynn has delivered a novel that is both entertaining and suspenseful, making it a recommended pick for anyone looking for a compelling new read.

Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2013

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This love story was not about the rich, smoking hot, six pack wielding, gorgeous young man and his smoking hot, thin, toned, young, business owing woman that can't keep their hands off of each other.

This is a story of two average people that manage to come together under somewhat normal circumstances. They both have challenges in their lives that they need to, and manage to overcome.

Robin, who had an incident in her past that basically changed the person she used to be twenty years ago. She found peace in the indoor park she has created. Manfred, the former East German powerlifter, and spy for the CIA, who spent time in an East German prison and lost a relationship with his daughter because of it.

Robin is protecting and punishing herself. Manfred is trying to find his daughter and subsequently raise her. Include the associated friends, enemies, and family, subplots, and this book keeps you engaged from beginning to end.

A short list of characters include Bianca ( Manfred's daughter), Mimi (Robin's boss/surrogate mother), Stan (Mimi's boyfriend and Chicago cop), David (boy genius in love with Robin), Nancy (Robin's sister), Tone (TV sportscaster with a grudge against Robin), etc., etc....

Taking the journey with Manfred and Robin while they discover each other and grow to love each other is touching. It just goes to show you that the good things in life are not only meant for the so called "beautiful" people. Love can find anyone.

This is a really surprising, feel good book. I will definitely look into reading other books by Joseph Flynn.

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MarMarBinx

Very unusual, but a nice change

Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2022

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This was a very different sort of storyline than in many of the books I've been reading in recent years and I found it pretty engaging. The characters were all interesting, and had believable motives.
The story overall was very real, and a bit raw in some ways and I liked it a lot. Robin and her sisters relationship development was really nice and natural, and so was the progression with Manfred. Robin had a lot of realistic moments where she wanted to just chuck him out instead of dealing with a man and would then be reminded in some way of his value to her life and be compelled to relent and let him continue.
Robin had a lot of layers she had insulated herself in as protection due to bad experiences and could keep most people out and feel safe behind her barbed tongue.
Manfred may not be everyones idea of literary boyfriend material but I thought he was fantastic. Someone who's morals were very established and who had a lot of compassion and kindness despite his own very bad experiences. He was very non-jugmental and willing to see good beneath a bristley exterior, in both other adults, and his very sassy daughter. Still even he had a few very real moments where emotion was raw and nearly made him do something he would regret.
The side characters and storylines were fascinating, horrible(because there really are horrible people), and insightful.
Overall a really different and great read. It had me thinking about the characters even when I wasn't reading.

Small bones to pick-
The formatting was a little awkward as one sentence would be from one persons perspective and the next would suddenly be anothers, with no break to denote the change. I could tell the difference in *voice* but everytime that happened I had to go oh okay we were done with that and now we're doing this. Not a problem for me per se, but didn't love it. Sometimes Kindle formatting is so awkward.
I also wish there was an indication of how much time had passed from the beginning scene until the main story began because I thought Bianca was somehow a teenager and was surprised to find out she was still a young child!? It made more sense to me after that, but I wish I'd realized that not so many years had passed and what time period the story was set in earlier on. Maybe that was just me but if there were bigger clues I didn't see them and I read between the lines pretty well usually.
Still well worth the read for how thought provoking it was and how redemptive the story was.

3 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

One of his most fun to date

Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2024

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Absolutely a joy to read. Joseph Flynn has become one of my favorite writers. Too bad Amazon has too insist on a word count.

One person found this helpful

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Ms. Poe

Not What I Expected

Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2023

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I expected a lighthearted book. The cover looks lighthearted, the subtitle sounds lighthearted, even the premise of the book seems lighthearted. It isn't. ROUND ROBIN is a serious book in disguise. It tackles painful, even horrific, issues and damaged people compassionately, while dealing harshly yet comically with the perpetrators. This is accomplished with Flynn's trademark diverse characters and pithy dialogue. A good, quick read that sticks with the reader.

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Nicole Normand

It can be funny, sad, horrifying at some point, but never dull or boring.

Reviewed in Canada on July 9, 2022

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-Main characters: Manfred, Robin, Nancy, Dan & Patti, Mimi, Bianca, Tone Morello, Iggy Gross. Phil Leeds. Jeri Whitman.
-It's a love story between Manfred and Robin. It's a hate story between Robin and Tone that should not have escalated as it did. It's full of lies from Bianca, Robin, and Jeri. Such is life.
-Tone just doesn't let go and takes everything personally, which wasn't the point at Screaming Mimi. Iggy Gross wears his name perfectly; he's gross. Phil's surname should be Lewd...
-A big LOL moment: "Robin made good and sure she only shook it." AKA not kiss it, as previously.
-Bianca was way too old for her age. Only eight going on twenty-eight.
-It can be funny, sad, horrifying at some point, but never dull or boring. Great job on the editing.
-Huge dangerous error on the author's part: "Next to the plate lay the can of air freshener she’d left for Manfred last night. It was as crumpled as a discarded Dixie cup." An aerosol can will explode when crushed.
-At the end of the book, the author offers a free book on another website. It's no longer on that website but on Amazon for a price. Pointy Teeth is a "Twelve Bite-Size Stories" with no page count.

Miss Niss

Oh my

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 19, 2022

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Wasn't what I expected at all.
It started slowish and built up to a corker of a finale with twists and turns
I wasn't disappointed , but the choice is yours obviously

Tutulla

Absolut liebenswert

Reviewed in Germany on August 29, 2013

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Beinahe hätte mich der Titel mit "Love Story" davon abgehalten, dieses Buch zu kaufen.
Es wäre schade gewesen.
Vom ersten Augenblick war genügend Spannung aufgebaut verbunden mit der Frage: "Wie geht es weiter?"
Man spürt die Emotionen der einzelnen Personen, lebt mit und ist am Ende glücklich über die Beziehungen, die entstanden sind oder die geheilt wurden.
Mir hat auch sehr gut gefallen, wie die verschiedenen Handlungsstränge miteinander verknüpft wurden. Es war nie ein Bruch ,aha jetzt kommt diese Person dran.
Das Buch liest sich in einem Fluss.
Also mir hat es sehr gut gefallen.

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Asher Conrad

Well worth a read

Reviewed in Canada on July 8, 2013

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Unique themes gently told. This novel has some very interesting sub-texts, not often seen in contemporary literature, even though they are realities that float beneath the surface of our modern culture.

SALLY KATE

A neglected subject

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 28, 2013

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The Robin of the title is a damaged lady who has neglected her appearance and become fat and frumpy.
She is persuaded to advertise for a live-in maintenance person to keep her house going, and Manfred appears. He's an ex-spy and former olympic athlete from communist Germany, and what he most wants is to reclaim his daughter from the wife who betrayed him and is now working in a brothel.
That's enough of the story. I liked it. There was a brilliant image of Robin entering a room hung with Manfred's washing, which included gigantic boxers-the ones on the cover of the book! A story with smiles and tears.

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