The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary Review

 

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

First Published: 2019

Publisher: Quercus/Macmillan Audio

Format: Hardcover/Audio

Narrator: Carrie Hope Fletcher & Kwaku Fortune

Source: Bought/Audible

Genre: Romance

Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads

This was pretty much everyone’s favourite romance of 2019 so it has taken me far too long to get around to reading it. It follows Tiffy and Leon, two complete strangers who share a bed but have never met. They share a flat but never at the same time; Tiffy gets nights and weekends in the flat while Leon, who works night shifts, gets it during the day. Despite never meeting, the two develop a friendship through notes, and, of course, feelings develop. 

This ended up being more than I expected it to be. I was intrigued by the synopsis and how the romance would develop despite the pair not meeting. What I didn’t expect was the more serious side stories. Tiffy has recently come out of a pretty toxic relationship and Leon is dealing with his brother being wrongly imprisoned. Those aspects added so much to the story and I loved how the difficulties in their lives and issues they are trying to overcome brought them together. I also really enjoyed the development of the relationship through notes. I love an epistolary romance and this had aspects of that. I think is much harder to develop a relationship with convincing chemistry through notes and without the characters actually meeting, but I was completely convinced by the chemistry between these two characters before they ever met. 

The friendships in this book are really great. Tiffy’s friend group are a great example of supportive friends who will drop everything to be there when she needs them. They had such a mix of personalities as well and each one was really well developed. Their interactions made me laugh so many times and I found them to be the perfect comic relief in some of the more serious times. Leon’s brother was also really great and I was so impressed by how well his character was developed when all we got to see of him was through phone calls and letters. 

My one issue with this book was the way Leon’s chapters were written. I listened to this on audiobook and read the physical copy and found those chapters difficult to read and follow in both formats. I found it to be very jumpy and almost threw me around a bit while I was reading. I didn’t like the way the dialogue was written either. It just took me out of the story quite a bit. 

Overall, this was a really sweet romance with some interesting added layers. I was impressed by how much I found myself rooting for these characters and seeing their chemistry before they met, and then they were even better together once they were with each other in person. I loved them as a couple and how Leon was so respectful of Tiffy’s past and the struggles she was going through. I loved the little side stories like Leon’s search for his patient’s long lost love and Tiffy’s crocheting superstar author. This was just the perfect balance of fun, adorable romance and more serious, hard-hitting topics.

Have you read The Flatshare? I would love to know your thoughts.

Sophie :)

Review | The Last Laugh by Tracy Bloom

The Last Laugh by Tracy Bloom
Published On: February 23, 2018
Published By: Bookouture
Genre: Adult, Chick-Lit
Pages: 294
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

‘I’ve googled it, how to die,’ Jenny says to Maureen. ‘It was full of climbing this mountain, swimming that sea, becoming a marathon runner and raising millions for charity.’ 
‘Sounds like bloody hard work. You can make it more fun than that surely?’ 
Jenny discovers her days are numbered at the same time she discovers her husband is having an affair… 
Frankly, her life was tough enough already. Two tricky teenagers, her mother’s constant complaints, friends who aren’t up to the job and a career which has been spiralling downwards since she won ‘Sunseeker Tour Rep of the Season’ twenty years ago. 
And now this: a cheating husband and a death sentence. 
Enough is enough. Jenny vows to keep both catastrophes a secret. She takes her life – and death – into her own hands and decides to live as she did when she was happiest… in 1996. She plans a spectacular 1990’s themed party in place of a wake that she herself will attend. But will she be able to keep her secrets for long enough to have the party of a lifetime?

*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Tracy Bloom is one author I have a bit of a hit or miss relationship with. I have read two of her books before, one of which I really enjoyed, the other I didn't like so much. However, as her writing is usually pretty hilarious, I wanted to give her another chance, which is why I picked up her new release. Like I said, her writing is usually hilarious so I was interested to see how she would take such a serious topic and make it laugh out loud funny.

Now, don't get me wrong, this book was funny, but, as it turns out, it was not laugh out loud funny. Perhaps that was a bit much to ask of a book dealing with terminal illness and a husband having an affair. Tracy Bloom did a great job of mixing humour and serious topics, however some aspects of the book that I feel were meant to be humorous just seemed downright bizarre.

In fact, much of this book seemed bizarre; sometimes in a good way, other times not so much. The plot is very unique. Never before have I read a book about a terminally ill woman finding out her husband is having an affair and deciding to deal with it all by throwing a party. It was all very strange and I found it hard to understand any of the reasoning behind many decisions Jenny makes. It all just seemed very irrational and a little bit crazy.

Despite a rather crazy plot, the characters were pretty average. For me, Tracy Bloom tried too hard to make the characters, Jenny in particular, quirky and interesting and it didn't really work out. The only character I really enjoyed, who felt authentically quirky, was Maureen. Maureen is a truly great character who, despite being a little bit mad, was hilariously funny and really made the book for me.

One thing I really liked about this book was that it featured a character with anxiety. Jenny's son really struggles with anxiety and this became quite a big aspect of the book. There were points throughout the book in which I really did not like the way he was being spoken to and about; however, this did improve as the book went on and I really liked how his part of the story wrapped up.

Overall, this book was enjoyable but nothing particularly special. The plot was interesting, if at times difficult to fathom, and did have me laughing at times, despite the serious subject matter. The bland characters were somewhat disappointing but mad Maureen made up for it. While not my favourite of the Tracy Bloom books I have read, this has definitely encouraged me to give some of her other books a go.

Review | Some Kind Of Wonderful by Giovanna Fletcher

Some Kind Of Wonderful by Giovanna Fletcher
Published On: November 16, 2017
Published By: Michael Joseph
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Chick-Lit
Pages: 389
Format: eBook/Hardcover
Source: Netgalley/Bought
Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Lizzy and Ian have been a couple since their first day at university. Now, after celebrating a decade together, everyone thinks they're about to get engaged. A romantic escape to Dubai is the perfect moment, but instead of the proposal Lizzy hopes for, Ian reveals he's not sure he even wants her anymore. 
Lizzy is heartbroken. But through the tears, she realises this is her chance to seize the opportunities she missed as Ian's other half. But what does she want? How much of her is really Lizzy, and how much was Ian's influence? Determined to discover who she is at heart, Lizzy sets out to rediscover the girl she was before - and in the meantime, have a little fun . . .

*A copy of this book was (initially) provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review (but it was so good I bought my own copy anyway)*

I had been wanting to read a book by Giovanna Fletcher for far too long before I picked this one up, I even owned all of her published works, however, I had never gotten around to reading them. As soon as I read the synopsis for Some Kind Of Wonderful, I knew this was going to be the one I picked up first as it sounded exactly like something I would enjoy. I love Giovanna as a person (her Youtube channel is one of my favourites) so, of course, I really wanted to love this book. To my relief, I really did love this book.

The story follows Lizzy who, after a ten year relationship with her university boyfriend, finds herself back in her family home with a broken heart and no idea who she is outwith the relationship. While this isn't the most unique story, it felt like I was reading this situation for the first time. There was something new and fresh about the way the story was told that stopped this from becoming just another version of the many similar books out there. 

This was not a particularly plot-driven book, there wasn't a lot of action and adventure, but it kept my attention and made me want to keep reading. For me, it was a very chilled, relaxing read. The plot kept moving but at a steady pace with the characters driving the story, and some interesting subplots thrown in along the way to keep things interesting.

Lizzy goes on such a journey throughout this book that it's hard not to connect to her character. She is an average woman struggling with the no longer being 'Ian's girlfriend' and having to discover how to be Lizzy, which is a struggle many, myself included, can relate to. Her character growth was incredible - from being so insecure while in her relationship and hiding behind her boyfriend to learning to be comfortable in her own skin and confident as herself - and it was something I found so inspiring. I wish I had read this book when I was in Lizzy's situation as I think it would have been exactly what I needed to read.

The characters were the real highlight of this book. Not only was Lizzy a great main character, every other character in this book was great. There were no unlikeable characters, even the ex-boyfriend and the, sometimes rather annoying, younger sister had their redeeming qualities. We had a great cast of characters, a lovely family dynamic and a hilarious friendship, I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Overall, this book just made me want to read everything else Giovanna has ever written. I was so relieved to discover I loved her writing as much as I love her as a person but I shouldn't be surprised. This book was just as beautiful and inspiring as the author herself and I would urge anyone who has struggled, or is struggling, through a difficult breakup to pick up this book. I related so much to the story and it was one of those books that really made me think and has stayed with me long after I finished the last page.

Mini Review | Bridget Jones' Baby: The Diaries by Helen Fielding

Bridget Jones' Baby: The Diaries by Helen Fielding
Series: Bridget Jones #4
Published On: October 11, 2016
Published By: Knopf
Genre: Chick-Lit
Pages: 219
Format: Hardcover
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

8:45 P.M. Realize there have been so many times in my life when have fantasized about going to a scan with Mark or Daniel: just not both at the same time. 
Before motherhood, before marriage, Bridget with biological clock ticking very, very loudly, finds herself unexpectedly pregnant at the eleventh hour: a joyful pregnancy which is dominated, however, by a crucial but terribly awkward question - who is the father? Mark Darcy: honourable, decent, notable human rights lawyer? Or Daniel Cleaver: charming, witty, notable fuckwit? 
9:45 PM It's like they're two halves of the perfect man, who'll spend the rest of their lives each wanting to outdo the other one. And now it's all enacting itself in my stomach. 
In this gloriously funny, touching story of baby-deadline panic, maternal bliss, and social, professional, technological, culinary and childbirth chaos, Bridget Jones - global phenomenon and the world's favorite Singleton - is back with a bump.

Completely exceeded my expectations.
I read the first book in the series last year and wasn't a huge fan (review here) so decided not to continue with the series. However, having seen the movie, I thought I would skip the two previous books in the series and give this one a go. I was very pleasantly surprised as I enjoyed it much more than the first book in the series.

Interesting that the book is based on the film.
As far as I am aware, this book was written following the film of the same name. I found that quite interesting as is different from the normal book to movie adaptations. I did prefer the film to the book, the film was absolutely hilarious, but I did really enjoy the different take on the story. There were a lot of things written differently in the book than the movie but also a lot of similarities, both of which I think worked very well.

No focus on weight.
One of my biggest issues with the first book was the constant discussion about weight and how, as a woman of a relatively good weight, Bridget was "fat". I was very uncomfortable with this aspect of the book. For obvious reasons, weight is not discussed in the same way in this instalment. I was very relieved to discover this as it made my reading experience much more enjoyable.

Great mix of funny, serious and sweet.
As you would expect from a book in this series, this definitely had some laugh out loud moments. I really enjoyed the humour in this instalment, more so than in the first book, and found it great fun to read. It wasn't all humour as we had some more serious topics being discussed, including the stigma around single parenting and pregnancy outwith marriage/long-term relationship. I think these were important things to discuss within the book. There were also some incredibly sweet moments that just added to the perfect combination of emotions.

This is a one-sitting book.
I don't know if this is due to the diary format of the book or just because it was so good but I flew through it. I read it all in one sitting and just didn't want to put it down. I was having so much fun reading that I wanted to immerse myself in it.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable instalment in the Bridget Jones series. It completely redeemed the series for me and I may consider picking up the books I missed out in future. I do still prefer the movie to the book, which is probably a lot to do with Patrick Dempsey, but would definitely recommend it to fans of the movie.

Mini Review | Heart Of The Matter by Emily Giffin

Heart Of The Matter by Emily Giffin
Published On: May 11, 2010
Published By: Orion
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 358
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Tessa Russo is the mother of two young children and the wife of a renowned pediatric surgeon. Despite her own mother's warnings, Tessa has recently given up her career to focus on her family and the pursuit of domestic happiness. From the outside, she seems destined to live a charmed life. 
Valerie Anderson is an attorney and single mother to six-year-old Charlie—a boy who has never known his father. After too many disappointments, she has given up on romance—and even to some degree, friendships—believing that it is always safer not to expect too much. 
Although both women live in the same Boston suburb, the two have relatively little in common aside from a fierce love for their children. But one night, a tragic accident causes their lives to converge in ways no one could have imagined.

Maybe I expected too much.
I have read tow of Emily Giffin's books before and really enjoyed both of them. Despite having this book on my shelf for about 5 years before actually picking it up, I was expecting to enjoy it. I was wrong, it seems. I expected more and was left disappointed.

I was bored.
I felt as though there was very little to the plot and nothing really happened. You have this big 'scandal' and that is literally the only thing going on in the whole book. I found myself getting bored while reading so I just didn't want to keep picking it up.

I couldn't deal with the cheating.
I used to be the person that hated any kind of cheating in books but I have since changed my opinion on that. However, I could not tolerate the cheating aspect of this story. Not only was it pretty unrealistic, it was unethical and a complete abuse of power. I also had a very hard time with the 'single parents can't handle things on their own and need a partner' mentality that seemed to be quite prominent.

The characters were the worst.
It is rare that I hate ever single character in a book but I just couldn't like any of them. They were dull and annoying, I didn't want to read about their lives at all. I felt no sympathy for either of the women, even when it was clear that's what the author had intended me to feel.

The Dex & Rachel cameo, though!
There is only one thing I liked about this book and that was the inclusion of Dex and Rachel, from Emily Giffin's Something Borrowed. I loved that book so to get a glimpse into their life a few years on from the end of the book was great.

Overall, I was very tempted to DNF this book but I felt some kind of obligation to finish it since it had been sitting on my shelf for so long. Honestly, I wish I hadn't bothered. I may pick up some of her other work in future but Heart Of The Matter is definitely not the Emily Giffin book I would recommend.

Mini Review | Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding

Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding
Series: Bridget Jones #1
Published On: June 1, 1998
Published By: Picador
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 288
Format: eBook
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Bridget Jones' Diary is the devastatingly self-aware, laugh-out-loud daily chronicle of Bridget's permanent, doomed quest for self-improvement — a year in which she resolves to: reduce the circumference of each thigh by 1.5 inches, visit the gym three times a week not just to buy a sandwich, form a functional relationship with a responsible adult, and learn to program the VCR.

Quick, fun read.
This is no literary masterpiece but it was fast-paced, funny and just generally fun to read. I read the majority of this book on a train journey and had to try very hard to stop myself laughing out loud in front of a very full train of complete strangers, it was a struggle.

I wasn't sure of the way it was written.
As the title suggest, this book is written in diary format. I usually really love that but I had some difficulties with it in this book. It was written very informally, as if it was actually a diary. I understand that its meant to add to the story and make it seem as though you are actually reading Bridget's diary but I found it very difficult to read. I particularly disliked the fact the way that words were missed out of sentences. For example, "Cannot face thought of going to work" is one sentence in the book. I really struggled to read a whole book written like that.

Major issues with weight discussions.
Bridget's weight is a large focus of much of this book and it is often discussed that she believes herself to be very fat and very much needing to loose weight. We then learn of her current weight...9 stone. In what universe is 9 stone "fat"? That is my current weight and I would definitely not consider myself to be overweight at all, so that aspect of the book actually made me quite angry. I'm sure that won't be at all helpful in promoting positive body image.

I prefer the movie.
I had seen the movie multiple times before reading the book, but I don't think that affected my enjoyment of the book at all. However, I think this is one of the few cases in which I prefer the movie. There is much less emphasised placed on weight in the movie so, as that is the one thing I had a major issue with in the book, that is a big influencer in my preference for the movie.

Overall, this was a very quick read and I did enjoy it for the most part. I did have some issues with it, which definitely affected my rating, but if you can overlook those aspects then it is an enjoyable read. I may try to read further books in the series at some point but there's a good chance I'll just stick to the movies from now on.

Mini Review | Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Series: Me Before You #1
Published On: January 5, 2012
Published By: Penguin
Genre: Chick Lit, Realistic Fiction
Pages: 481
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible
Narrated By: Jo Hall, Anna Bentinck, Steve Crossley, Alex Tregear, Owen Linsday, Andrew Wincott
Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick. 
What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane. 
Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that. 
What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

Oh man, this book!
I really like this book and I wasn't sure I would. I was so put off by the hype that I was starting to question whether I wanted to read it or if I should just watch the movie. I'm so glad I read it as I liked it so much more than I was expecting to.

These characters stole my heart.
I really enjoyed reading about these characters and particularly enjoyed how completely different Lou and Will were. I loved Lou's quirkiness and how just plain odd she was, she was such a fun main character. I also really loved Will, how rude, blunt and sarcastic he was for much of the book.

I laughed out loud.
All everyone says about this book is how much it made them cry, so I was not expecting to be full on laughing out loud and getting strange looks from passers-by while I was listening to this in my car. It is a sad book overall but there were so many really hilarious moments.

Can I join the Clark family?
I absolutely loved Lou's family dynamic. I loved reading about her family in general but in particular I loved her relationship with her parents and her sister. I thought they added a lot to the story, especially having Treena help Lou to deal with such a difficult situation.

Some aspects made me uncomfortable.
As a healthcare professional, I did find the whole 'carer'/'patient' relationship a bit uncomfortable to read about. I know that wasn't exactly what this relationship was as Lou wasn't technically Will's nurse or official carer but as I have been trained to see that situation as wrong, it was difficult to read about at times.

This is such an important topic.
I don't want to go into specifics as I'm not entirely sure what is and isn't considered a spoiler. However, I think the main theme of this book is something that needs to be talked about more and I really appreciated the fact that this could encourage some very important conversation.

I didn't ugly cry.
Almost every review I have read for this book has mentioned something about ugly crying but it just didn't have that impact on me. I am the kind of person that cries at books, and I did get a little teary, but I just didn't get as emotional as others seemed to.

Audiobook was great.
I really loved listening to this on audiobook. I thought the narrator was great and actually sounded exactly as I would expect Lou to. I think it really added to the whole experience of reading this book.

So much criticism.
Upon finishing this book, I came across so much criticism for it. I can understand a lot of where that criticism is coming from and I really wanted to address that in my review but really I just have too much to say on the matter, so I have posted a separate discussion on my thoughts surrounding that, which you can find here.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and was glad I didn't let the hype put me off. Although it is a predominantly quite sad book, it was written in a way that allowed for a lot of very funny, light-hearted moments that I really enjoyed. There is a sequel, which many people say was a bit unnecessary, but I am interested in checking it out in the future.

Review | PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

PS I Love You by Cecelia Ahern
Published On: September 1, 2004
Published By: Harper Collins
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 470
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible
Narrated By: Amy Creighton
Rating: ★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Holly couldn't live without her husband Gerry, until the day she had to. They were the kind of young couple who could finish each other's sentences. When Gerry succumbs to a terminal illness and dies, 30-year-old Holly is set adrift, unable to pick up the pieces. But with the help of a series of letters her husband left her before he died and a little nudging from an eccentric assortment of family and friends, she learns to laugh, overcome her fears, and discover a world she never knew existed.

I have mentioned quite frequently that Cecelia Ahern is probably my favourite author. She wrote my favourite book of all time and I have loved everything I have read by her. PS I Love You is her first novel and probably the most popular due to the success of the movie. I will admit I probably wouldn't have liked this book as much has it not been written by Cecelia Ahern, and it is quite likely that I added an extra star or half star just because of the author.

I wanted to adore this book as I have every other Cecelia Ahern book I have read. I was expecting to easily give it 5 stars. I did really enjoy it, but I had a few issues with it that I wasn't expecting. There is also the fact that I had seen the movie so many times before reading the book that I knew much of the story. I probably would have enjoyed the book more had I not seen the movie first.

I loved the idea of this story, in particular the letters from Gerry. I thought it was a very unique take on the death of a loved one and an interesting look at grief. The letters were a nice insight into Gerry and Holly's marriage and I enjoyed seeing their relationship and love for each other through them. Holly's dependency on the letters really showed her dependency on Gerry throughout their life together and I loved the way that was portrayed. It was a great premise and I think it was executed very well.

Another of the most important aspects of the book, and another thing I really loved, was the importance of friendship and family. I really liked the friendship between Holly, Sharon and Denise, and some of my favourite parts of the book were the times it was just the three of them together. I did have my problems with them, like I did with all of the characters, but I will get to that. I think their friendship really emphasised the importance of sticking by your friends in the worst times of their lives but also not pushing them away during the worst times in your own life. The family relationships were probably one of my favourite things about this book. I loved Holly's interactions with her siblings and the way her relationships changed with various members of her family throughout the book. I thought it was important that Holly learnt to turn to her family for support, but also to support them in whatever they were going through.

The only relationship I didn't really like in this book was that of Holly and Daniel. I really like their friendship but I was always suspicious of where the relationship was going. I loved seeing them spend time together and I thought Daniel was a great support for Holly but I really didn't want anything romantic there. In the end, I thought the way their relationship developed was interesting but I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. To me, there was just something not right about the two of them.

The main issue I had with this book was some of the actions of the characters. For the most part, I really liked the characters. Then they would do or say something unbelievably selfish or thoughtless or just plain immature and I just go so annoyed at them. Holly, for example, spent much of the book being extremely selfish and justifying it by the fact her husband had died. While I did accept that for the most part, there were times when I just couldn't let her away with being so downright selfish and not thinking about anyone but herself. I had similar problems with almost all of the characters at some point throughout the book. What I did appreciate, however, was that most of the time the characters themselves realised the flaws in their actions and rectified the situation or apologised for it. While it frustrated me to no end that they had done the specific thing in the first place, I did like the characters more for their acknowledgement of their crappy behaviour.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this book and as a debut novel I think was very well done. The premise is very interesting but also well-executed and definitely worth a read. Though I love Cecelia Ahern, I would say this is my least favourite of her books so far. However, as it is her first published novel I think we can let her off, she has definitely improved over time.

Review | No-One Ever Has Sex In The Suburbs by Tracy Bloom

No-One Ever Has Sex In The Suburbs by Tracy Bloom
Series: No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday #2
Published On: June 23, 2015
Published By: Lawsome Books
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 337
Format: eBook
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★½

Amazon | Goodreads

Ben and Katy haven't had sex since Ben found out about her one-night stand with her childhood sweetheart, Matthew. 
Not only that but the arrival of a new-born baby has blown their relationship apart like a hand grenade. 
Drastic measures are required, so they swap roles hoping that everyone will be happier... Only it’s not as easy as they thought. When a desperate Ben starts secretly accepting help to solve his childcare disasters – from Matthew’s wife – it could mean the end of everything. Can their relationship survive the lies and suspicions and will they ever have sex again?

No-One Ever Has Sex In The Suburbs is the sequel to a book I really enjoyed back in 2015, No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday. I thought the first book was a lot of fun so when I discovered that there was a sequel I was excited to dive back into the lives of Katy, Ben, Matthew, Alison and all of their friends. I really hate to say it but this was such a disappointment for me. I was expecting it to be just as good as the first book and it really didn't live up to that standard at all.

After reading my review of the first book, this second book just seemed to be the complete opposite from everything I love in the first book. The only thing I did like in both books was that they were both fast-paced and the humour was still there in the second book. The plot did keep moving along quickly so although I wasn't necessarily enjoying it, I wasn't getting bored as things kept happening. The plot was a bit predictable though, nothing that happened surprised me at all. As I mentioned, this book did have the same humour as the first and I found myself trying not to laugh out loud in public a few times, though not as much as I had expected.

My favourite thing about the first book was the characters and I couldn't wait to be re-introduced to them. However, having children seemed to drastically change these people as I ended up hating almost all of the characters. I just couldn't stand they way they were behaving for the majority of the book. I thought Ben, who was one of my favourite characters, was incredibly immature. Alison annoyed me more than I can even put into words, I wanted to hit her at various points, and I'm not a violent person. And then we had Katy and Matthew, who were just boring and didn't really do much or bring a lot to the book at all. I still loved Daniel though, he had me cracking up and kept me sane while the other characters made me want to tear my hair out.

It really annoyed me while reading this that all of the big problems or issues seemed so trivial. I'm getting to tired of reading about characters that could solve all of their issues by having a decent conversation with their partner, and that was a major theme of this story. I'm not sure if I just don't fully understand the position these characters are in, having not yet had a baby or had to learn how to parent my child. Maybe I'm just not the right person to be reading this. As well as easily solved problems, a lot of the problems seemed very unrealistic to me. The main focus of the story is Ben struggling with being a first time father and being pretty clueless. As far as I am aware, every first time parent has those times where they feel like they don't know what they're doing and that's a pretty common knowledge thing. However, it was as though Ben was the only parent in the world to ever feel clueless. It just seemed stupid.

My other main problems with this book was that the relationships seemed unhealthy to me. I'm no expert on relationships but I often found myself thinking 'surely this isn't healthy in a relationship' multiple times while reading this. Surely it's not normal to just not talk to your partner about problems you have or how you're feeling? That was portrayed as completely normal in this book. I also couldn't understand why Ben felt the need to prove his ability as a father to such an extent. I can appreciate that he wanted to show Katy he could do it, but surely the first person you would go to with a parenting problem would be the other parent of the child? Again, this could be just because I don't have children yet and don't fully understand. Also Alison not letting Matthew parent his own children in any way seemed very odd to me! I couldn't get past that at all.

Overall, this book was sadly just a disappointment. Like I said, I'm not sure if I just didn't fully grasp the story due to having not yet had the experience of being a first time parent. I'm possibly not the right person to be reading this book, but from my inexperienced point of view I just found it to be quite problematic. To me, this was a case of a really good book that did not need to be ruined by an unnecessary sequel. I do still enjoy Tracy Bloom's writing and her humour so I will be picking up her other books at some point.

Review | Confessions Of A Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Confessions Of A Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Series: Shopaholic #1
Published By: Black Swan
Published On: March 1, 1999
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Becky Bloomwood has what most twenty-five-year-olds only dream of: a flat in London's trendiest neighborhood, a troupe of glamorous socialite friends, and a closet brimming with the season's must-haves. The only trouble is, she can't actually afford it --- not any of it. Her job writing at Successful Saving magazine not only bores her to tears, it doesn't pay much at all. Still, how can she resist that perfect pair of shoes? Or the divine silk blouse in the window of that ultra-trendy boutique? But lately Becky's been chased by dismal letters from Visa and the Endwich Bank --- letters with large red sums she can't bear to read --- and they're getting ever harder to ignore. She tries cutting back; she even tries making more money. But none of her efforts succeeds. Her only consolation is to buy herself something ... just a little something ... 
Finally, a story arises that Becky actually cares about, and her front-page article catalyzes a chain of events that will transform her life --- and the lives of those around her --- forever.

This book, and the rest of the series, are so well loved that I was absolutely sure I would love it too. Unfortunately, this was a huge disappointment for me! I really hate to say it but I absolutely hated it, which I can't understand considering the huge popularity of the series. Everyone has different opinions I guess.

The one thing I did like was Sophie Kinsella's writing style. I really enjoyed her humour especially and often throughout the book it was the one thing that made for a more bearable read. I have definitely not been put off reading her other books, just this particular series is not for me.

So why is this series not for me? I HATED the main character. I don't use the word hate lightly but I honestly couldn't stand Becky Bloomwood. I found her to be extremely materialistic, immature are just plain stupid. She made incredibly stupid decisions and spent her time lying to everyone about any little thing. Seriously, half of her problems could have been solved by her telling the truth! It irritated me no end.

My main issue with this book was that huge issues were treated as trivial. Debt is a very serious issue that affects so many people around the world, a lot of whom have had their lives ruined by their circumstances. However, it was made to seem like something that could easily be avoided if you just ignore the problem and keep making excuses to the bank, while continuing to make excessive and unnecessary purchases. There are people who are in debt simply by trying to keep their family fed and a roof over their head and the way this issue was treated like some kind of joke made me quite angry. I think it was meant to be light-hearted and a joke but I, for one, definitely did not find it funny.

To end my review on a positive note, some of the side characters were good. There were those few side characters who spoke a lot of sense and had some funny moments which kept me going a bit while I tried to get through it.

Overall, this series just definitely is not for me. I will try some of Sophie Kinsella's other work as I enjoyed her writing, but Becky Bloomwood is not someone whose story I wish to read more of.

Review | How To Fall In Love by Cecelia Ahern

How To Fall In Love by Cecelia Ahern
Published By: Harper Collins
Published On: April 3, 2014
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 415
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

She has just two weeks. Two weeks to teach him how to fall in love – with his own life. 
Adam Basil and Christine Rose are thrown together late one night, when Christine is crossing the Halfpenny Bridge in Dublin. Adam is there, poised, threatening to jump. Adam is desperate – but Christine makes a crazy deal with him. His 35th birthday is looming and she bets him she can show him that life is worth living before then. 
Despite her determination, Christine knows what a dangerous promise she’s made. Against the ticking of the clock, the two of them embark on wild escapades, grand romantic gestures and some unlikely late-night outings. 
Slowly, Christine thinks Adam is starting to fall back in love with his life. But has she done enough to change his mind for good? And is that all that’s starting to happen?

As Christine is crossing the Ha’penny Bridge in Dublin late one night, she comes across a man who is preparing to jump. In an attempt to stop him, Christine makes a deal. She must prove to him that his life is worth living before his 35th birthday, just two weeks away.

After reading this book I established that Cecelia Ahern is definitely a new favourite author. I absolutely loved this book and the writing style had a lot to do with that. She has a fantastic way of completely drawing you into the story and really making you feel for the characters.

Cecelia Ahern writes great characters that I absolutely loved. Christine was a great main character; quirky and witty with a kind heart and a strange obsession with ‘how to’ books. I loved reading from her point of view. I also loved Adam who, despite wanting to end his life, was a fun character to read about. He was another witty character, though with a darker sense of humour. Both characters added a lot to the story.

I really enjoyed the overall story. I’ve read quite a few books featuring suicide recently, a couple of which were pretty similar, but this is a completely different take on the subject. It is quite a unique story, unlike anything I have read before.

Considering the subject of this book, it could have been quite a sad read. However, Cecelia Ahern managed to make a difficult, very sad subject funny and enjoyable. The subject of suicide was given the sensitivity and seriousness it deserves, but the writing style and the witty characters added a more light-hearted element to the story.

I saw an interview with Cecelia Ahern in which she mentioned that some of the idea for this book came from the film Up In The Air and I love how the aspects from that film added to this story. Up In The Air is one of my all time favourite movies and it was very interesting to see how aspects of that movie were interpreted and included within this book.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and it has definitely made my love for Cecelia Ahern grow. I loved her writing style, the great characters and the unique story. I admire how such a serious topic can be covered with such sensitivity yet still make such a funny book. This is definitely a book I will be recommending in the future.

Review | The Beach House by Jane Green

The Beach House by Jane Green
Published By: Penguin
Published On: August 1, 2009
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 441
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Nan Powell is a free-spirited, sixty-five-year-old widow who's not above skinny-dipping in her neighbors' pools when they're away and who dearly loves her Nantucket home. But when she discovers that the money she thought would last forever is dwindling, she realizes she must make drastic changes to save her beloved house. So Nan takes out an ad: Rooms to rent for the summer in a beautiful old Nantucket home with water views and direct access to the beach. 
 Slowly people start moving in to the house, filling it with noise, laughter, and with tears. As the house comes alive again, Nan finds her family and friends expanding. Her son comes home for the summer, and then an unexpected visitor turns all their lives upside down.


With plenty of changes and misfortunes in the lives of a group of strangers, they each decide to escape their day-to-day lives for a summer on the island of Nantucket where infamous resident Nan is renting her home as a house share. When the group are thrown together in Nan’s home, friendships form and the group must help each other through the trials in their lives.

For me, this was just an okay read. I found it to be a fun read but nothing particularly special. It is the kind of book I wouldn’t mind reading while laying on a beach or by the pool during the summer while not wanting to do too much thinking. However, it is not something I would go out of my way to read.

One of my main issues with this book was the very slow first half. From the synopsis I had understood that this book was about a group of people who had gone to the island of Nantucket for the summer. Half way through the book, not one person had made it to the island, except Nan who lived there. I felt like far too much time was spent introducing the characters and their stories, which made for a very slow read.

Despite the amount of time taken to introduce the characters, I didn’t connect with any of them. The characters were likable and fun to read about but there were just too many to properly connect with. I found myself getting confused between the people and their stories and connecting the wrong couples as they all blended together.

Just as the first half of the book was very slow, the last half went way too fast. So much time was taken up by introducing the characters that everything that happened when they reached the island felt very rushed. Relationships were formed within days of the characters meeting and the instalove aspect made it seem like a badly written YA book.

It may have something to do with the rushed second half of the book but the big plot twists felt very forced. I was reading the book, getting annoyed at the romance but a little bored and then suddenly a not very realistic huge plot twist was forced onto me. It was as though Green was trying too hard to shock the reader but the result was more confusion.

Overall, I like this book and found it an enjoyable read but I was not impressed by the writing or the character development. It is the kind of book I would not mind reading on a summers day while trying not to make my brain work too hard but it is definitely not the best chick lit I have read.

Review | Easily Amused by Karen McQuestion

Easily Amused by Karen McQuestion
Published By: Mariner Books
Published On: August 23, 2011
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 300
Format: eBook
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

Twenty-nine year-old Lola Watson has two best friends, a dream job editing a parenting magazine, and a charming old house inherited from a great-aunt she barely knew. Life would be perfect if only she could avoid her intrusive neighbors. And for that matter, she also wouldn't mind being happily married like her friend Piper, or even engaged like her younger sister Mindy. 
Lola's peaceful existence is shattered when high school buddy Hubert moves in with her after a break-up, her sister changes her wedding date to Lola's thirtieth birthday, and the nosy neighbors take Hubert under their wing. Life gets more complicated when Piper sets Lola up with a good-looking stranger who turns out to be the talk of her neighborhood--the mystery man from across the street.

Lola is 29 years old and seems to have it all, even the nosey neighbours that appear to come with the house she inherited from her great aunt, but the one thing she doesn’t have is a husband, a fact that her younger sister Mindy loves to remind her of. When her high school best friend Hubert moves in, Mindy moves her wedding to the day of Lola’s 30th birthday, and best friend Piper sets her up with the mystery man across the street, life begins to get complicated.

I had very low expectations for this book but found it to be much better than I expected. I was not having much success with adult chick lit when I picked this up and thought it would let me down just as the others had but I was pleasantly surprised when it didn’t completely suck.

It may not be the best chick lit book out there but it was a predictable but fun read. Nothing that happened in this book came as much of a surprise to me as it seemed to follow the general chick lit structure but it did not affect my enjoyment of the book. I find when books are fun, the predictable becomes less of an issue and this was a fun read for me.

I have seen quite a few reviews for the book in which people hate the main character but I really liked Lola. I thought she was a good, reasonably likeable main character (although it would seem she isn’t likeable to everyone) who added to the fun of the story. She may have her quirks and was not always the nicest to the people around her but I thought she was a good character. In fact, I liked almost all of the characters.

One character I did not like was Mindy, although I’m certain that was the aim. Mindy is a very selfish, unlikeable character and she was written perfectly. She was written so well that I felt genuine anger whenever her character was around.

Possibly my favourite thing about this book is the neighbourhood aspect. I loved the nosey neighbours and their role in the story. Despite the fact that Lola finds them annoying, I found it very endearing to read about a group of people who care so much about their neighbours that they try so hard to take her under their wing.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It is your typical adult chick lit but it is a fun read that does not require a whole lot of brainwork. It is an easy read but one that is fun and enjoyable, even if slightly predictable.

Review | Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern

Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern
Alternative Name: Love, Rosie
Published By: Harper Collins
Published On: November 8, 2004
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 558
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★★★

Amazon | Goodreads

From naughty children to rebellious teenagers, Rosie and Alex have stuck by each other through thick and thin. But just as as they're discovering the joys of teenage nights on the town and dating disasters, they're separated. Alex's family move from Dublin to America - and Alex goes with them. For good. 
Rosie's lost without him. But on the eve of her departure to join Alex in Boston, Rosie gets news that will change her life forever - and keep her at home in Ireland. 
Their magical connection sees them through the ups and downs of each others lives, but neither of them knows whether their friendship can survive the years and miles - or new relationships. And at the back of Rosie's mind is whether they were meant to be more than just good friends all along. Misunderstandings, circumstances and sheer bad luck have kept them apart, but when presented with the ultimate opportunity, will they gamble everything for true love?

Rosie and Alex have been best friends since childhood, inseparable and always causing trouble. When Alex is forced to move from Dublin to Boston with his family, everything changes for the friends; but no matter the distance between them, these two can never be separated.

This book is written entirely in letters, emails, instant messages and newspaper articles. It is such a unique format for a book, not like any I have read before. This format makes it a very quick and easy read and does not take too much concentration, which is good for me.

This is a very character driven story. The book takes Rosie and Alex from small children right through until their 50’s, making the development of the characters during this time very vital to the plot. As the plot is so character driven, I developed a strong connection to the main characters very quickly. I loved that as the book went on the new characters, such as Katie, and their development became just as important as the main characters.

The plot should be very frustrating, but it was somehow done perfectly. It was clear from near the beginning of the book that Rosie and Alex both had feelings for each other and, personally, I really wanted them to get together. Usually all of the ‘roadblocks’ put in place of the relationship in books are frustrating to me but this felt more realistic. The frustration was more disappointment for the characters than wishing they would just get together soon. In fact, I found myself beginning to panic at one point when I felt there were not enough pages left in the book for the two to get together.
There were some very powerful backstories to the plot. While it may seem that it is all about whether the two will or won’t get together, there were many other things going on. This book covers everything from teenage pregnancy, to cheating, to death, and more, and it was all done in a very fitting way.

Overall, I thought this book was a very uniquely formatted and uniquely character driven novel, which touched on some difficult topics while still making for a quick, light-hearted read. I loved the characters, the plot and this book in general and has made me want to read more of Cecilia Ahern’s works.

Review | No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday by Tracy Bloom

No-One Ever Has Sex On A Tuesday by Tracy Bloom
Published By: Arrow
Published On: January 1, 2011
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 344
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: ★★★½

Amazon | Goodreads


Childhood sweethearts Matthew and Katy agree they must never see each other again following a school reunion. 
So all is forgotten ... until eight months later when a shock meeting at an antenatal class forces them to confront the fact that Matthew could be the father of Katy's baby. Love and life are messy, but Katy and Matthew take things to a whole new level as deep emotions begin to resurface and hormones run riot. 
 Never has a one-night-stand led to such chaos!

After a very messy breakup, childhood sweethearts Katy and Matthew go their separate ways, cutting off all contact. However, years later at their high school reunion, the two are reunited and later wake up in bed together. Eight months after the reunion incident, Katy and boyfriend Ben attend their first antenatal class where she comes face to face with Matthew and his pregnant wife Allison. When Matthew, who is quick to do the maths, realises he may be the father of the baby of the woman he has always loved, things could get very complicated.

This is a great fun, easy read. It is the perfect book to read lying by the pool. It is not too deep or dark; instead it is a hilariously chaotic story of a one-night stand gone wrong.

I loved every one of the characters. Katy is not your typical chick-lit main character. She is the one afraid of commitment and is determined to give her boyfriend Ben his freedom. I loved how she handled the whole situation and her very honest struggle with being pregnant and unprepared. Ben is a hilarious character who, despite being relatively young, surprises everyone with his desire to be a great father. I really loved Ben, especially as him and his friends are just so funny. Matthew is exactly the character you would expect the main character to fall in love with. He is successful and mature, and he clearly adores Katy. I loved his struggle with still being so in love with Katy but having a wife who adores him and is pregnant with his twins. I even loved Allison, Matthew’s wife. And who could forget Daniel.

The plot was fun and not at all predictable. I really loved the story and found myself both laughing out loud and crying my eyes out. I did not find anything to be very predictable; it was not like any other chick-lit type books I have read. It was just really fun.

I really did not care which of the guys she ended up with. I loved all the characters so much that I did not mind whether Katy ended up with Matthew or Ben. I would have been happy whatever way the book ended, and I was very happy with the ending it had.

Overall, I think this was a great, fun read and I really enjoyed it. I think it would be a great one for summer or if you are just in the mood for something light but enjoyable. The only reason I did not rate it higher than a 3.5 is because it wasn’t quite as good as the books I have rated a 4 or above.

Review | Naked In Knightsbridge by Nicky Schmidt

Naked In Knightsbridge by Nicky Schmidt
Published by: Prospera Publishing
Published on: November 23, 2009
Genre: Chick Lit
Pages: 350
Format: eBook
Source: Bought from Amazon
Rating: ★

Amazon | Goodreads

With mounting debts, threats from a crazy landlord and a cleaning business that was going well until she set fire to someone's house, Jools Grand is about to find herself homeless. She has to come up with a plan, and fast. So with an acute sense of desperation, Jools decides to auction herself online in a marriage of convenience. Who knows, she might even find romance? What Jools isn't banking on is a bidding war between two not-so-eligible bachelors - a wealthy, gay, would-be politician who needs a wife as a cover; and a deranged loner with a newly-refurbished basement prison. Add to that a lecherous father, some soon-to-be-exposed secrets and an addiction to pastries, and Jools is set to discover that nothing comes without a price.

Following the disastrous collapse of her cleaning business, Jools is left unemployed, with endless debt and no way to pay her rent. With no luck in finding a new job, Jools resorts to selling belongings online to make some quick cash but soon realises the only things she owns of any value is herself.

I hated this book. Everything about this book made me angry and it is a wonder I managed to finish it. I honestly cannot think of anything nice to say about it.

What kind of person decides it is a good idea to sell theirself online? Although this is not the main focus of the plot, it has a lot to do with the story. I do not understand what kind of person would even consider that a possibility. It makes the whole plot quite stupid, in my opinion.

I hated almost all of the characters. I cannot explain how much I hated Jools. I can’t possibly like a character so lazy and irresponsible. The kind of character who would rather be homeless than take up the offer of living with her best friend, purely because she does not like her boyfriend. I spent the whole book wanting to scream at her to get a grip! None of the other characters were all that likeable either. The only one I liked at all was Skuttle.

Everything was so predictable. I predicted almost every outcome long before the book ended, which ruined any decent part of the plot. I didn’t feel like anything was particularly unique or exciting.

Overall, this book was so disappointing. I really cannot think of anything positive to say about it. I gave it one star because I finished it, I think that says it all.