Reviews For State of Grace
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Reviewer: Hannah_Halpert Signed 10 [Report This]
Date: December 05, 2008 10:13 pm Title: Chapter 1

That was so beautiful. I loved how you brought in their childhood, but made it a story about now, and aw, Jim singing is too hot for words, and him singing to his baby? guh cute :)

Author's Response: See, this is as close as I've ever come to a baby fic...glad it hit the spot for you, Hannah. Many thanks!

Reviewer: Desslok Signed 10 [Report This]
Date: October 05, 2008 05:51 pm Title: Chapter 1

This story is so beautiful. Fortunately, I have the White Album on iTunes, so I could give it at least half the appropriate music. I loved it!

Author's Response: Great! Love that you read this with a soundtrack, lol. Thanks much, Desslok!

Reviewer: invis Signed 10 [Report This]
Date: May 28, 2007 12:43 pm Title: Chapter 1

Oh my.  I didn't know there could be a cuter Jim than the Jim we all know and love, but I'm pretty sure a Jim that sings to his newborn daughter is the cutest Jim of all.  Excellent job.  I loved it.

Author's Response: Wow...cutest Jim of all? That's a pretty high bar to reach. I guess the fact that he comes back to bed afterward to, ahem, rock Pam back to sleep helps a little too. (Sorry, in a naughty mood here.) So glad you enjoyed this, invis...and, as always, many thanks!

Reviewer: jinx Signed 9 [Report This]
Date: May 27, 2007 08:23 pm Title: Chapter 1

When I first discovered the Beatles I listened to this song over and over and over...and over.  I haven't heard it in years. 

Simple and Beautiful

Just like your story.



Author's Response: It is pretty much the perfect love song. And 'simple and beautiful'...I can't think of better praise. Thanks so much, jinx.

Reviewer: McGigi Signed [Report This]
Date: May 27, 2007 06:07 pm Title: Chapter 1

Guh, Colette, you're killing me. This was absolutely beautiful, and really stuck a note with me, with my late grandmother, and the fact that my ex-boyfriend played Billy in Carousel and "I Will" was our song. Thank you for this story, it was Pam and Jim at their sweetest.

Author's Response: Wow, that's a lot of notes to strike. They could (oops, WILL) be so sweet together. Big sigh. Glad you found so much to relate to in this - and many thanks, McGigi!

Reviewer: StarryDreamer Signed [Report This]
Date: May 27, 2007 07:56 am Title: Chapter 1

I hate you.  I hate you for making me cry.  Ughhhh!!!! *wiping away tears*  I don't know if I'm so touched by the way you wrote their love or the fact that I don't know what either of them would do without the other (like Lillian and Pam's granddad...) Beautifully written story.  I'm going to grab a kleenex now.  *sigh*

Author's Response: So sorry to make you cry! But, at least, since the finale, those can be happy tears, right? I wrote this at a point in S3 when I so needed to imagine happier times. Glad the love came across. Thanks so much, StarryDreamer!

Reviewer: EmilyHalpert Signed [Report This]
Date: March 02, 2007 02:05 pm Title: Chapter 1

happy, sweet, romantic jamness. wonderful


Author's Response: Well, you've got to let them be happy once in a while! Thanks much!

Reviewer: starblossom56 Signed 8 [Report This]
Date: March 01, 2007 11:54 am Title: Chapter 1

Oh, god. Now I'm sitting at my desk with scary mascara running down my face a la Kelly. That was gorgeous. I'm generally not a fan of fic involving babies(it's just so easily cliche) but this. GUH. The use of the Beatles song was just perfect. And...just gorgeous. Beautiful job.



Author's Response: I agree re: baby fic - hard to do without overdosing on cute. In fact, have only done one other story where I gave them a tyke (same baby, btw - little continuity there!) But this story just seemed to demand that they reproduce! Thanks so much for the feedback!

Reviewer: mcmuffins Signed [Report This]
Date: March 01, 2007 07:09 am Title: Chapter 1

Oh, sigh :) That song is very important to me, too! If I Loved You, that is. It's my audition song, I did that scene in college, it's just wonderful. Almost makes you forget that the ending sets women back about 100 years! Anyway, thanks for a lovely, lovely story.

Author's Response: Wow, I honestly had no idea that song would resonate with so many people. And, yeah, like I said, the play only relates to Jim/Pam in terms of a few themes (lost love, love overcoming obstacles, miscommunications, yadda, yadda.) But the lyrics to that song sure fit! Anyway, glad you liked it...thanks so much mcmuffins!

Reviewer: EverybodyHurts Signed [Report This]
Date: March 01, 2007 03:27 am Title: Chapter 1

Oh, Colette, this was so sweet I cried.  I love R and H shows because I'm just an old romantic sap at heart.  And the White Album has been my all time favorite since high school! 

Wouldn't it be great if one day when Mrs. Gunn is expecting, TPTB could work it into the storyline for realsies?  Hee.

Going to copy this and carry it around to reread in work today.



Author's Response: So happy I'm not the only fatally sappy one here! I needed a sap infusion after writing my last couple of fics, not to mention the angst the show is giving me! The White Album is in my DNA at this point, I've listened to it so much (I used to sing I Will to my kids when they were babies, a la Jim.) Being copied and carried is high praise - thanks so much!!!

Reviewer: Paper Jam Signed [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 10:51 pm Title: Chapter 1

I love how when I read your stuff, I'm not reading about emotions, I'm just reading the actual emotions themselves. Does that make sense? You don't need to use descriptions like joyful or touching, because you paint those feelings so incredibly well with all your other words.

On a personal note, I love the song from Carousel. I haven't seen the show, but a friend of mine used to sing it in her cabaret act, so it has a special place in my heart. Musicals are not un-hip, or I would be out of work!  Thanks for all the happy thoughts! 



Author's Response: Totally makes sense and if that comes through, I'm thrilled. Precisely what I (at least) attempt to do. That song has lots of meaning for me - so glad it worked for Pam...and for you too! (Oh and, I only meant unhip re: not being from a current/indie band, as many stories here seem to draw from...kind of old-fashioned. Personally, I've decided that uncool is the new cool, so I have no qualms with being tragically unhip! And working with musicals? I'm intrigued...) Thanks much, Paper Jam!

Reviewer: LoveFool Signed [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 10:26 pm Title: Chapter 1

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH. There was just something so beautifully simple about this. Just completely "graceful". Pun completely intended. I especially loved the idea that Jim can sing well. I always think about JKras on Ellen and how for the first few seconds you could tell he was a good singer, and then he was totally making light of it and making fun of himself. I can see Jim doing the same. GREAT story. Getting "favorited" as we speak.

Author's Response: Favorited - hooray! Yeah, from the little bits we've heard, I think he could sing reasonably well and I like the idea of him only doing it 'for real' in quiet private moments. Just felt kind of intimate to me. Thanks, LoveFool,  'graceful' is one of the best compliments I can think of (and coming from the master of baby-fic, it means alot!)

Reviewer: Semby Signed [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 08:24 pm Title: Chapter 1

That was just incredibly lovely!

Author's Response: Well, thank you so much, Semby!

Reviewer: kaystar Signed [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 07:39 pm Title: Chapter 1

I can remember my mother singing "If I loved you" as she did housework when I was a child.  Thanks for the nice memory of that.  This was a beautiful story. And this line just totally made me smile -  "‘Getting you all soaped up takes a lot of concentration... you have a surprising number of nooks and crannies, you know."

Author's Response: Wow, who knew that song would be so popular? Glad you picked that line  - I kind of liked it myself! Thanks, as always, kaystar for the lovely review.

Reviewer: flamingosinparadise Signed 9 [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 06:47 pm Title: Chapter 1

Wow...amazing amazing fluff.  The sight of Jim Halpert carrying around a baby Halpert with Pam...just amazing. 


Author's Response: Seriously, can you imagine how sweet a lil' Beesly-Halpert would be? Glad you liked, and many thanks!

Reviewer: tizzy Signed [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 05:21 pm Title: Chapter 1

Oh my God! I saw Carousel years ago, and cried the whole movie...i don't remember any of the songs only the opening sequence and that the guy dies and I cried. It was however the musical that caused me to be obbsessed with Rodgers and Hammerstien for years to come...so it was really nice to be reminded of it...

Lillian reminds me of my own Grandmother as well, so that tugged the heart strings. Plus anytime Jim is around a baby I get all gooey inside...espeacially if it's his and Pam's baby. And "I Will" is definitly one of the best love songs out there, if only for its simplicity....I love fluff and this was just beautiful...

And on a braoder note, I wish there was a feature where we could just review authors greater body of work because I just love everything you do, and never have time to reveiw each piece properly...so this is my all encompassing review...I love it all keep writing and I'll try to find the time to review each wonderful piece... :-)



Author's Response: So glad you found so much to relate to in this story, tizzy. Honestly, I had no idea if those songs would mean anything to anyone but me, so it's so cool that they seem to have hit a note (every pun intended.) Jim + baby = me in a puddle, so I'm glad I'm not alone there too! Anyway, on a broader note too - I'm so flattered by what you said about my writing. That is so sweet, and it really means alot to hear. Thanks so much for telling me and for this lovely review.

Reviewer: Emma Signed 10 [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 04:43 pm Title: Chapter 1

Beautiful story! Thank you so much for writing this.


Author's Response: Thanks Emma. My pleasure.

Reviewer: NeverEnoughJam Signed 10 [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 03:18 pm Title: Chapter 1

First of all, let me agree with Par5 that one of the best aspects of this is how sweetly you show marriage. It gets a bad rap these days from our culture, but here you show it to us as the wonderful partnership it can be.

Second: awwww. I usually hate babyfic, but Jim singing his baby to sleep is one of the warmest things I've ever read. There is just something so SEXY about a man singing or rocking a baby to sleep, the combination of male strength and infant helplessness, the tenderness that a strong man can show, the openess and vulnerability a self-confident man will display. Just sexy as hell, and I don't blame Pam one tiny little bit for all her "entwining" after he comes back to bed.

Beatles lyrics? Awesome. I love you.

Best line: He knew who I was. 

Damn right he did. And so does Jim. That's why we love him: he Pays Attention.

Thanks for a wonderful story, colette. Maybe we should start calling you fluffette? :D 



Author's Response:

I've only ever given them a tyke in one other story...hard to do it without an overdose of cute (though LoveFool is the master of getting it right.) But, I seriously needed a hit of sweet, and Jim with a sleepy baby in his arms? Resistance was futile. Anyway, my last two fics were more angst-a-paloozas, so needed to balance it out...but fluffette? NEJ, that's enough to make me go write Jim on a homicidal rampage! Anyway, thanks so much, glad you thought I did marriage proud, and go Beatles!

Reviewer: girl7 Signed [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 01:09 pm Title: Chapter 1

Oh wow, what a simply gorgeous story.  I know I say that about all of your stuff, but this one really hit me in the gut (and in a happy way).  So many lovely touches here: how Lillian's husband loved her the way Jim loves Pam; Pam wearing her pearls on their wedding day; oh my god Jim and a little girl named after Pam's grandmother... Just perfection.  The image of him walking with the baby carrier on his chest was so absolutely visible to me that I can't stop smiling - still. 

Hard to pick a favorite part, but this one definitely got a gulp from me: When she’d gone round in circles for so long she was dizzy and leaving him never, never to know was no longer any more bearable than rejection, or worse, indifference. Obstacles and circumstance couldn’t hide the plain fact of it: she was Lillian’s granddaughter. And she belonged to Jim.  

Words wouldn’t come in an easy way. But finally, trippingly, not by magic but by sheer force of will, they did come. And he was hers too.

Just beautiful.  (And oddly enough, my maternal grandmother was also a gifted pianst "by ear" as she put it, and she was also unabashedly romantic when it came to her husband (swore she loved him the minute she laid eyes on him).  And her name was Grace - kind of a weird coincidence there.  

Anyway, just a perfect story - thanks so much for this!  



Author's Response: So relieved this didn't come off as too sappy...I feared inducing diabetic comas! Honestly, I needed something uber-romantic from these two right now. Also pleased the passage you quoted is one where the song lyrics are interwoven - was afraid that might be a bit over the top..glad it worked for you! Interesting about your grandmother - the one here is definitely mine. Yeah, Jim with baby...the concept defines 'guh', doesn't it? Thanks, as usual, for your spot-on review. I feel better now.

Reviewer: nqllisi Signed 10 [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 01:08 pm Title: Chapter 1

This made me cry. My grandmother is very ill and will probably leave us this week, but she was very much a presence in my life, much as the grandmother in this story. This is a beautiful tribute to the many kinds of love in our lives. Thank you.

‘He knew who I was, Pam.’ Lillian had simply replied.

 

What else can anyone wish for, than to know and to be fully known? Gorgeous.



Author's Response: So sorry about your grandmother, lis... I know how hard that is - the one in this story is actually 90% my real one (she's now 101 and pretty far gone, sadly.)So glad you mentioned the different kinds of love, because that was much on my mind here...parents, children, husbands/wives..and how they're all different, but related too. Okay, am getting even schmaltzier here than in the actual story! But yes, I think what sets the Jim/Pam thing apart is how well they know - and accept - each other. Or would, if they'd ever, you know, talk again. Thanks for the great review!

Reviewer: lisahoo Signed [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 12:09 pm Title: Chapter 1

Colette, you are amazing!  The White Album is one of my favorites (I am partial to 'Julia') and we named HooBaby 'Lily'. 

And being one of those women is currently surviving on 4 hour blocks of sleep, I can tell you there is nothing sexier than a man who gets up in the middle of the night to sing to his daughter.  



Author's Response:

Love 'Julia' too - 'I Will' is actually the song I used to sing my kids to sleep, when they were babies. And hooray for Hoobaby being named Lily! (I actually almost named my daughter that too.) The baby in this story is the same as in my only other Jamette fic  (No Reason At All) - so I actually went for a little continuity . How'bout that?

And yeah, a man who lets you sleep when the baby cries, then comes back to bed looking like Jim in boxers...who could resist? Thanks lisahoo - glad you could relate!

Reviewer: Par5 Signed 10 [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 11:12 am Title: Chapter 1

Colette, if lovin' show tunes is tragically uncool, then I don't want to be hip! Seriously, this story is like a lullaby with its lilting, soothing tones. Forget Jim and Pam for a moment, you write marriage so wonderfully. Funny, tender, sweet - you cover all the bases. And the best use of show tune lyrics in a fic ever! Awesome.

Author's Response: Eh, hip ain't what it's cracked up to be. Best use of show tune lyrics? Maybe the only use of them? In any case, once these two misguided kids finally learn the concept of communication, I have no doubt that a funny, tender, sweet relationship will ensue (not to mention weddings and, god help me, babies.) And, why, pls tell me, is that by nature antithetical to a comedy show?  Aaaarrrgggh. Thanks, as ever for your prodding before the fact and great review after it. And for allowing me this very schmaltzy moment.

Reviewer: xoxoxo Signed 9 [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 11:05 am Title: Chapter 1

As beautiful as it was when I first read it.  I'm so happy you decided to post this because depriving others of signing Jim would just be heartless and cruel. :)  So...thank you.



Author's Response: Hee. Singing Daddy Jim is meant to be shared with the world. Thanks again for your support...good to know I'm not the only one in need of a good dose of anti-angst serum. Back to my happy parallel universe now....

Reviewer: StarShine Signed 10 [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 10:53 am Title: Chapter 1

oh, colette! this was absolutely precious! it's nearly impossible to go wrong with a JAM baby in my book, but all the background and the songs just puts this WAAAAY over the top and in a whole 'nother league! i LOVE the song "if i loved you" (yes, i'm a corny showtunes girl myself), and "i will" makes me melt into a little puddle (seriously, you can't go wrong with the beatles)! this was just the fix i needed... 

Author's Response: So glad you knew the songs (wondered if many would)...how could I not go all sentimental, using them as inspiration?  Thanks so much for the generous review!

Reviewer: time4moxie Signed 10 [Report This]
Date: February 28, 2007 10:46 am Title: Chapter 1

Oh colette - this is the first fanfic I've ever read that actually almost made me cry!  How can you be so wonderful!??!!

The songs were absolutely perfect, and you know I love the name Lily - perfect story, really!

(and don't even get me started on the idea of Jim as a dad....don't tell me that he isn't destined to have daughters!!) 



Author's Response: Oh, thanks moxie! Sorry to (almost) make you cry, but glad you liked this. Don't know if you recall, but I wrote my one and only other baby related story (No Reason At All) where they had the same baby, Lily...so a little continuity there! And yeah, Daddy Jim...turns me into an unapologetic sap. I have no shame! Thanks, you!

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