Weekend Cooking: Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop of Dreams by Jenny Colgan

Recently I have been listening to the audiobook of Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop of Dreams by Jenny Colgan. If I am to believe Goodreads I actually started reading this book four years ago. I remember getting it out of the library and then returning it, but I don't remember actually starting it. The timing must be right now though because I have found myself sitting in the driveway listening to the book (just to get to the end of the chapter) and I very much enjoyed the experience.

Rosie Hopkins lives in London and loves it. She loves the city, the noise, her boyfriend Gerard who she has been with for years and is still waiting for him to ask the big question, she loves her work as a nurse, even if it is only as an agency nurse working on a casual basis. So she isn't really that thrilled when her mum asks her to temporarily move to the Derbyshire country side to look after her elderly aunt Lilian. Lilian is elderly and needs to be moved into an aged care facility and for her lolly shop to be sold off as a going concern.

Rosie is ill-equipped to live in the country. Her clothes and shoes are all wrong, she can't get a telephone signal and she knows nothing about running a sweet shop.

I have no idea if it is still a thing or not, but once upon a time there was a whole genre that was classified as chick-lit, and to my mind, a lot of good chick-lit was British, and this book has all the hallmarks of one of these books. There are improbable situations and a whole village full of handsome, single men just for starters, but it also has a secondary storyline featuring Aunt Lilian.

Whilst we see the here and now realities of aging from both Rosie and Lilian's perspectives, we also get to know a much younger Lilian, about her war time experience, why she never married and, as a consequence, lived her life running her father's sweet shop in a small village.

Throughout the novel, we are also treated to excerpts of the self published book that Lilian had written all about sweets, small glimpses telling us about the history of certain chocolates (did you know that Mars Bars were first made in the 1930's), about the evils of chewing gum (Lilian can get quite opinionated on some subjects), recipes for marshmallows and many more. One was a recipe for Coconut Ice which had an instruction that said it would keep for weeks if stored correctly, but if it lasted for weeks you hadn't made it correctly in the first place. Made me laugh!

I listened to the audio version, narrated by Jane Collingwood, and I did enjoy the reading. At times, I thought that Rosie sounded a little young, but for the most part I did enjoy it, especially the portrayal of Lilian. At times she was brittle, at other times sarcastic,  sometimes scared amongst other emotions.

One of things that I did find myself thinking about at several points in this book was the role of food in memories about meals, about places, about people. I have posted several times in the past about memorable meals, but on this occasion, I found myself thinking about my grandfather.

One of the excerpts from Lilian's book was about the joys of licorice. My grandfather enjoyed sweet things, and there was always a tin filled with lollies by the side of his chair. One of his favourites was licorice allsorts, but he also always had a tin of Kool Mints within easy reach in the car.  Just that small passage had me feeling like he was still there, probably as he was when I was growing up. Lolly tin there waiting to be raided, telephone nearby, and more likely than not, him asleep in his chair as he "watched" TV. And no, he most definitely was not snoring.

As a result of this book I found myself craving licorice allsorts and so I ended up buying a bag, but I must confess that when I ate them, I didn't pull them apart layer by layer as I once would have done! I also ended up buying Crunchies for a couple of days and would have quite happily gone an bought other things that were mentioned as well, but I thought I should probably leave it at that.

 There are now 2 other books in the Rosie Hopkins series, and I think I will most likely try to listen to them at some point too, although my audiobook wishlist is a bit out of control at the moment. Who knows when that will happen!

Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. For more information, see the welcome post.

The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes

Helen Walsh has taken a long time to find a niche in life that she fits. She knows that she has can be somewhat abrasive personality wise and that she beats to a slightly different drum! Once she became a private detective, she was in a job that suited her perfectly. She was determined enough to do whatever it takes to solve her cases, relying on a mix of modern techniques like accessing bank accounts and phone records but also to use old fashioned gum shoe style techniques like stake outs, no matter how long it took. Life was good.

Or at least it was until the GFC hit the Irish economy hard (much harder than we experienced here in Australia). Suddenly the big firms weren’t hiring, rich spouses weren’t as keen to spend money spying on their most-likely-straying spouses and Helen’s work pretty much dried up. This coincided with a major depressive episode that saw Helen contemplating suicide more than once.

Now her flat and most of her possession have been repossessed by the bank, she owes money to everyone and she finds herself moving back home with her delightfully quirky parents. The only thing that keeps her happy at the moment is her relationship with her boyfriend Artie and even that is not without complications in the form of his children who either love or hate her and a very present, still very friendly ex wife.

When her ex, Jay Parker, turns up and offers her a job Helen knows that this is likely not a good idea to spend time with him but a job is a job and the money is good so she has to take it. Former Irish boy band, The Laddz, are due to get back together for a reunion show very soon but one of the members, Wayne, has disappeared. Without Wayne (the wacky one in the band) there is no way the show can go on but there is very little in the way of clues to give some idea of where he might have gone. Helen must navigate between the various egos within the band who all want the reunion to take place for their own individual reasons, deal with his highly protective family and follow the trail to see where exactly he has disappeared to. If successful, this reunion show could provide them all with lucrative rewards. If it fails, then there are going to be some investors who will lose a lot and they are not happy at that prospect!

As Jay and Helen work together to try and find Wayne, sidetracked along the way by nosy neighbours and Jay’s interest in rekindling their relationship, Helen also has to try and fight the gathering storm of depression that she knows is coming her way again, figure out what is happening with her boyfriend and just generally get her life together again and more.

There was a lot to like about this book. Helen has an unusual point of view on life and that makes for interesting reading. We got to see Helen’s life both as it was currently happening as well has her looking retrospectively at the events that led to her last depressive episode including the breakdown of her friendship with one of her few close friends, Bronagh. At first, I wasn’t sure where the story of this friendship was going. We knew that Helen and Bronagh were no longer friends but it took a long time for the truth to come out about why. When the truth was revealed I was a little bit surprised at the reason, mainly because I guess I didn’t see why the friendship had to end between the two women. As I saw it as more the friendships between the other players that should have imploded but sometimes friendships do seem to end on the flimsiest of pretexts. There were some other things in the book that didn’t work for me too including some repetition and a bit of saggy middle where the search for Wayne got a bit bogged down in the chase. Oh, and the ending was all neatly tied up like a present with a lovely bow on top. I mean, I was happy for Helen, but how likely was that to really happen?

It’s hard to believe that we have been waiting nearly 6 years for the final installment in the Walsh sisters series from Marian Keyes. Given the way that Helen had been portrayed in the previous books, I always thought it was going to be a hard story for Keyes to write even without Keyes’ own not-so-secret battle with depression over the last couple of years where she struggled to write at all. The reason I mention that depression is that Keyes has always been very open about her own demons and has often used some of those battles as subject matter in her books (for example, in the past, she has written about alcoholism). Keyes has always had the ability to talk about difficult topics but doing so with characters that you wished you knew personally so you could sit down and have a good laugh with. She puts them in situations that are funny and touching and poignant, but never in a way that trivializes the particular topic of the book. Depression very much plays a huge part in the lives of Helen and other characters including the effect of that depression on the lives of the family members around them.

Speaking of family members, it was good to see the roles that the other Walsh sisters played in the book. Rachel (from Rachel’s Holiday) and Anna (from Anybody Out There?) both live elsewhere and were barely mentioned but both Clare (Watermelon) and Maggie (Angels) got at least some page time. I have read each of these previous books, but I must confess that I found myself trying really hard to remember what Maggie’s story was….and failing badly.

Now that each of the sisters has had their turn in the limelight, it is easier to look back over all the books a bit more objectively. There are elements from different books that stick in the mind (for example Luke and his friends the Real Men from Rachel’s Holiday) but if I had to pick only one book from the series to name as my favourite it would without doubt be Anybody Out There?.

Keyes has said that there may be more Walsh family books in future, maybe with the next generation. Whatever her next book is I will be keen to pick it up and once again immerse myself in the worlds that she creates that are full of humour and warmth but not afraid to talk about the big issues in life.




Synopsis

I employ this thing called The Shovel List.'

'A shovel . . . ?'

'No. A Shovel List. It's more of a conceptual thing. It's a list of all the people and things I hate so much that I want to hit them in the face with a shovel.'

Meet Helen - youngest of the Walsh sisters and a law unto herself. She's easily bored, has an inability to filter her thoughts and was fired from every job she ever had before she found her true calling as a private investigator. But times are tough for PIs and Helen's had no choice but to take on the search for AWOL boyband has-been Wayne Diffney - The Wacky One.

It's not all bad this game of Where's Wayne. It may have brought her charming crook of an ex Jay Parker back into her life, but it's giving her an excuse to avoid the usual Walsh family dramas and the intense looks from her gorgeous boyfriend Artie that make her heart beat wildly with lust and panic in equal measure. But most of all it's an excellent distraction from the huge swarm of black vultures gathering over her head. If she hides out in her target's empty house on Mercy Close for long enough maybe they'll go away . . .

But as Helen begins to unravel the mysteries secreted on Mercy Close she discovers a kindred spirit in a man unwilling to be found. Could someone be telling her to look a little closer to home . . . ?

Thanks to Lisa from ANZ Litlovers for this book. This review has been cross-posted at ANZ Litlovers

Carrie Goes off the Map by Philippa Ashley

Carrie Brownhill is an enthusiastic amateur actress. She has put aside her dreams of a professional acting life as she is happy in her relationship with her farmer fiance Huw. She takes an active role at the farm, and is kept busy. When Carrie met Huw at university, he was her first real love and she has been with him ever since. She is now busy planning her wedding and her life will be complete.

Or so she thinks.

When Huw breaks off the engagement four weeks before the wedding, Carrie is absolutely devastated as she had no clue it was coming. When she finds out that Huw is marrying someone else soon after she loses it big time and very nearly ruins the wedding. The only person who stops her is Doctor Matt Landor. He is on forced leave from his role as a mission doctor in the South Pacific and only turned up to the wedding of one of his best friends at the last minute.

Carrie's friend suggests that Carrie really needs to get away so this might be the perfect opportunity to travel around Europe in a VW camper van and Carrie agrees. The first sign that things aren't going to go to plan is when her friend pulls out of the trip, but luckily she has arrange for a substitute - Matt. Next problem .... his passport is off being renewed so they can't leave the UK. Carrie is not happy to say the least, but she agrees to at least start the trip.

For Carrie, this is a chance to live a little - maybe a couple of flings, and who knows what else. For Matt, this is a chance to recover from the emotional baggage he is carrying from his job, before he heads back again soon. For both of them, there is the chemistry between them to be ignored to the point where some times I wanted to yell at them both.

Matt was a good male character. He was caring and romantic, without being so perfect that he was unbelievable. His 'baggage' for want of a better word, was handled really well without getting too bogged down on it. Carrie worked a little less well for me. I guess the storyline really hinged on her devastation and drove her choices, but there were a couple of times when I was a little uncomfortable with her.

I loved that the author chose to highlight some of the English countryside, and there were a couple of places that I would love to have visited in Cornwall as a result of reading this book!

Another plus - neither character gave up their own life straight away in order to accommodate each other. The development towards the end of the book was a bit overly dramatic, but provided them both with the necessary impetus to come together.

Whilst there is some depth to the book, this is chick lit through and through, and as long as you don't go in expecting anything different then I don't think you will be disappointed. I read it on the Friday afternoon before Christmas (and have had this review sitting here unposted since then). I had a few things to do, I was tired and I wanted something easy to read and this was just a fun escape from all that. It only took a couple of hours to read and it was enjoyable enough that I will be reading more than Philippa Ashley.  If someone was to ask for recommendations for chick lit I would probably say start with authors like Jill Mansell and Marian Keyes, but this author might be another option.

I am not really sure why, but I seem to enjoy British chick lit a lot more than I do the American equivalent. I am not sure if that is because we see quite a bit of British comedy on TV here, or if it is our shared heritage, or the five years I spent living over there, but I definitely seem to have an more of an affinity for it.

Rating 3.5/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the review copy

Synopsis

Carrie lets her best friend talk her into a scenic European road trip as the perfect getaway from a nasty breakup. Unexpectedly along for the ride is the gorgeous Matt Landor, MD, who sorely tests Carrie's determination to give up men altogether. Careening through the English countryside, these two mismatched but perfectly attuned lonely hearts find themselves in hot pursuit of adventure and in entirely uncharted territory.

Staying at Daisy's by Jill Mansell

Life is easy, it's men she'll never figure out...

When hotel manager Daisy MacLean meets cocky sports hero Dev Tyzack, it's a no-brainer - stay away. He is arrogant and sarcastic - but also incredibly sexy. Daisy tries her best to steer clear of him, yet soon comes to realize he is the one guest she can't bear to see leave.

Then she learns a devastating truth: most people are now who they seem to be, for better or for worse.

The other Saturday morning I woke up feeling pretty average. After cancelling the usual Saturday morning gym session, I lay in bed but couldn't get back to sleep, so I went and perused the shelves for a perfect pick me up read. When my eyes lit upon a Jill Mansell book, I knew I had found what I was looking for, and it helped that I knew that I needed to read it for a review. Three hours later I closed the book with a sigh. Of course, you don't need to be feeling sick to want to read this author, you can read them anytime. What I do know about the Jill Mansell books that I read is that I might cry but I will also definitely laugh. I don't mind if I am crying when reading a book because it means that I am emotionally invested in the characters to care! There is also something extremely satisfying about getting lost in a book so much that you can finish it in one sitting.

Daisy runs a successful high end hotel in a quintessentially English country village, and she is good at what she does - usually. Things don't quite go to plan when she meets the former professional rugby player Dev Tyzack in his capacity as best man at a wedding, especially given that their initial run in is due to her best friend Tara being caught in a compromising position with the groom on his wedding day. Dev is devastatingly handsome (no pun intended), charming and cocky, and Daisy knows that he is not only a former player, but he is something of a player when it comes to the ladies. There is no way that Daisy is going to open herself up to that kind of humiliation. She dealt with that with her former husband, and it is not going to happen again.

One thing that I love about Mansell's books are the supporting cast of characters, and once again we have the full set here. There is Daisy's completely over the top Dad, her lovable ex boyfriend, her best friend/chamber maid Tara, the new porter Barney who is an organ donor recipient who is looking for a new start, Mel, who has a secret that could change everything if it gets out, and Tara's aunt Maggie. One of my favourite scenes in the book is when Maggie gets fed up of dealing with incompetent tradies and takes matters into her own hands with hilarious results.

As Dev tries to prove to Daisy that he is not the type of man that she thinks he is, her father Hector is embarking on an affair with a famous film star, her best friend Josh comes to stay, and she finds out a secret to do with her dead husband that will devastate her completely, life in the hotel for Daisy must go on.

I don't read a lot of chick lit all that often anymore. When I do though, I like authors like Marian Keyes and Jill Mansell, who not only do the single woman looking for the right man storyline but who also deal with issues. Mansell is particularly adept at incorporating these issues into the storyline without losing the balance between them and the rest of the story elements. 

If I was going to quibble about one thing it would probably be only how neatly all the loose ends are tied up at the end of the book. Really though, that is a pretty minor complaint.

While I was thinking about what I wanted to say about this book, I read through some of the other reviews I have written of Jill Mansell's books and I realised that I was pretty much going to be saying many of the same things over again. What this tells me is that her books are consistently entertaining reads and so I will continue to read her books.

If you haven't ever read one of this author's books, or it has been a while, maybe now is a good time to pick up a Jill Mansell book to read.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for sending me a review copy of this book.

Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell

When Millie Brady saves Orla Hart's life she doesn't realise how drastically it will change her own – not least because the boyfriend who was asking her to move in with him at the time stormed off in a huff. Actually, Millie's relieved. She's quite happy to enjoy a man-free summer in Cornwall. But bestselling novelist Orla has other ideas. She's determined - for her own reasons - that Millie should meet the man of her dreams. Dropped wallets, roller-skating gorillagrams, the world's most flirtatious boss and a helicopter in the back garden all conspire to produce a summer neither Millie - nor Orla - will ever forget.

Years and years ago, I was given two Jill Mansell books as a present. One was Good at Games and the other was this book.

It has been a sufficiently long time so that I couldn't remember too much about what happened in this book, all except for one scene. If anyone ever talked to me about a Jill Mansell book, I would always talk about the very last scene in this book, or more precisely, the very last line. It is not that it is a perfect ending,, although all the loose ends are tidied up nicely, and it is not that the line would be particularly funny taken out of context, but the last line finishes off this book in such a perfect tone and was so memorable to me that I could still remember it six or seven years after I originally read it. The closer I got to the end of the book, the more I was looking for the clues of how we would get to that last line. I guess it is kind of strange to begin a review talking about the last line of a book though!

Our main character is Millie. She works for a very uptight travel agency in Cornwall, and shares a house with her friend Hester. Her boyfriend is about to ask her to move in with him when she notices a woman standing on the edge of a cliff. Regardless of what her boyfriend thinks Millie talks the woman away from the edge, and so in the process saves the life of well known novelist, Orla Hart. Orla is in an unhappy marriage, and her latest book has just been completely savaged in a review and so she is feeling quite desperate.

When Orla crosses paths with Millie again, Millie finds herself out of a job, as well as minus her boyfriend (no great loss there) and so Orla decides that she is going to try something completely different for her next book - she is going to write about Millie's life. Now Millie and her housemate have just vowed to have a summer free of the complications that having sex brings, so that isn't necessarily going to provide the novelist with a lot of fodder, so she steers several good looking young men her way. Her new job as a gorilla gram also provides many ideas, as does Hester's long standing crush on Millie's new boss, even though she has a loving boyfriend who is currently working at the other end of the country.

Millie tries to navigate her way through her love life, all the while falling for a man who is emotionally unavailable, Hester finds out that she doesn't necessarily want what she thinks she wants, and Orla finds more out about herself.

One of the highlights for me is the dialogue between the characters, especially between Millie and the major male character. What starts off as a very awkward introduction blossoms nicely and their dialogue is sometimes light and entertaining, and at other times much deeper, and the author has a deft touch in knowing when to include each type of dialogue.

At around 560 pages long, this is not a short book by any means, but it reads as a much shorter book than it really is. I find myself getting lost in Mansell's books, and I am looking forward to reading another from her.

For a reader who doesn't normally do rereads, I think the fact that I can see myself reading this book for a third time at some time in the future speaks volumes.

If you are looking for good chick-lit, you can do yourself a favour and pick up one of Jill Mansell's books. Luckily Sourcebooks is currently releasing some of this author's books which were previously not easily available everywhere.

Other Blogger's Thoughts:

Booking Mama
S Krishna's Books
A Bookworm's World
Diary of an Eccentric

Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell

Miranda is thrilled with Greg. He's gorgeous, funny, and practically perfect. Greg thinks Miranda is great, but he hasn't told her everything about himself. After all, even the sweetest girl is likely to be put off by a man who's left his newly pregnant wife. But there's now way she'll ever find out... is there?

When Greg inevitably breaks Miranda's heart, her friend Danny is there to cheer her up, and they quickly wreaks an unforgettable revenge. Miranda's now ready to move on to another affair - but will Danny get a chance to tell her he's in love with her himself...

There are some days when you don't want to read something that is hard to concentrate on or just long! When I read this book, I was actually in the middle of reading The Terror by Dan Simmons. I may (or may not) have stayed up until 2am messing around on the computer and so was really, really over tired when I began my trip to work, and the thought of carrying around an 800 plus page opus that was somewhat heavy to read as well was the last thing that I would be able to stay awake for. So instead, on my way out of the door, I grabbed this book, and it was a perfect read for me. In the end I read it on the train trip to and from work, and then finished the last part of the book that night. It was exactly what I needed to read on that day! Probably could have done without tearing up on the train at certain parts of the book, but I like it when a book affects me emotionally.

The two main female characters in this book are Miranda and Chloe. Miranda is a somewhat unique young lady who works as an apprentice hair dresser at a celebrity hair salon run by a very patient boss by the name of Fenn. She lodges with an older lady named Florence who is now in a wheelchair and is a little neglected by her family, unless of course they want something from her.

Chloe thought she was happily married to a man named Greg, until she finds out that she is pregnant. Greg had told her that he didn't want children and left her as soon as he found out about the baby. Chloe works in an antique shop that happens to be owned by Florence's somewhat lame son. Unable to continue to afford her current flat, Chloe is thrilled when Florence offers her a room in her house at an affordable cost.

Greg and his mate attend a celebrity function where he meets Miranda and they instantly click. Miranda falls hard for Greg and has no idea that he has been less than honest about his past. To the reader, Greg is clearly a cad, and when the truth comes out Miranda determines that she needs to teach him a lesson.

To aid her in her ruse, Miranda enlists the help of not only Florence, Fenn and Chloe, but also the resources of her new friend Danny who is a journalist who has made Miranda one of the stars of the documentary he is shooting about the plight of homeless people in London.

Whilst Miranda is recovering from her broken heart she meets grand prix racing driver Miles, and she again finds herself treading the path towards new love. With Danny on the sidelines, Florence providing advice and getting one up on her snivelling son and daughter in law, and Chloe beginning to find her own feet in her new life, there is a lot going on.

I must confess I was very surprised at the twist in the tale of this one. When I read my last Mansell (An Offer You Can't Refuse), one of the things that I was a little critical of was how neatly all the loose ends were tied up at the end of the novel. The same is true of this one, all the loose ends are tidied up, but in no way would I call it a neat solution for all the characters.

With a full cast of entertaining characters, interesting secondary storylines, a few tears and more than a few smiles and laugh out loud moments, this is definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone who likes chick lit, or who just wants a fun beach read.

If you want to read for pure entertainment then so far Mansell hasn't disappointed. If I had to pick whether I enjoyed An Offer You Can't Refuse or this book more, I would probably have to go with this one, but it is a very close race! The next book to be released by Sourcebooks is going to be Millie's Fling which I read years ago along with another book called Good at Games . I have fond memories of both books and I am planning to reacquainting myself with more fun characters, and an entertaining storyline.

My thanks to Danielle from Sourcebooks for sending this book to me for review.


Other Blogger's Thoughts:

S Krishna's Books
Cindy's Love of Books
Bermudaonion
Booking Mama

An Offer You Can't Refuse by Jill Mansell

A new bestseller from one of the UK's biggest authors.

Seventeen-year-old Lola has no intention of accepting when her boyfriend's snobbish mother offers her a huge bribe to break up with him. Then Lola discovers a secret that makes her think again, and the only way she can help one of the people she loves most in the world is to take the money and break Dougie's heart.

Ten years later, when Lola meets Dougie again, her feelings for him are as strong as ever. She'll do almost anything to get him back, but she can never tell him the truth. Can she overcome his bitterness and win his heart? She's attractive, persuasive, and endlessly optimistic, but even Lola's got her work cut out for her this time.

A number of years ago I was given at least two Jill Mansell books to read. I read them, enjoyed them, but then didn't really continue reading any of her books. So when I was offered this book for review, I jumped at the chance to renew my acquaintance with Mansell's work.

This is one of Jill Mansell's later books, having originally been released in the UK last year. It is the first of the books that Sourcebooks are planning to release into the US market this year. One of the things that I did wonder was how some of the more British language would translate to the US market. I lived in the UK for a number of years, but there were still a few terms that I didn't easily recognise. For example, what on earth are Toasta Bags? If my interpretation of what they do is correct, I want some, if you can toast a sandwich in the toaster without making a mess!

In terms of the actual story, the characters follow a fairly typical chick lit arc in the storyline. Lola is a young woman who is desperately in love with Dougie. When his mother offers her a sizable amount of money, Lola would ordinarily have said no, but due to an unexpected situation she realises that this is a chance to make someone close to her happy, even if it means that she must never see Dougie again.

Fast forward a number of years and Lola has just returned to the UK after living overseas. She has no way of knowing that by helping out a woman who is being attacked in the street, that she is going to bring herself into contact with Dougie, and his family again.

Whilst the story does focus on Lola and Dougie, the author also manages to fit in secondary stories for Lola's friend Gabe (his adventures in his new career as a paparazzi are both funny and poignant), Dougie's sister, Lola's mother and at least one other person from her past.

If there was one small criticism to be made of this book, it is that all the loose ends were so completely nicely tied up at the end, but that is a small thing really. If you want a fun chick lit read, then from my experience, both with this book, and with the other books I have read from this author in the past, you can't go wrong with Jill Mansell.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for sending me this book for review.

Rating: 4/5


Other Blogger's Thoughts:

Bermudaonion
My Friend Amy
Booking Mama
Savvy Verse and Wit

The Cupid Effect by Dorothy Koomson

There's something magical about Ceri D'Altroy...

After departing London to follow her hearts desire to become a psychology lecturer, Ceri D'Altroy vows to leave her matchmaking ways behind her for good. Unfortunately, all she seems to do is inspire the new people she meets to change their lives.

There's Ed, who's decided to declare his love to a woman who is way out of his league; Mel and Claudine, two long-term friends who are now tempted to start an illicit affair; and Gwen, the chain-smoking head of department who has a deep, dark secret she only wants to share with her new employee.

No one who comes into contact with Ceri is ever the same again. Could this unsuspecting young woman be a modern-day Cupid?

When Ceri decides to follow her dream, that means leasing out the London apartment that she has worked so hard to obtain, and moving into a share house in Leeds and starting to lecture of psychology whilst doing some research. It's also a chance to leave the past behind, and for Ceri that means a chance to be able to stop being that person who everyone comes to to try and sort out their problems. To aid in that, Ceri writes herself a list of commandments:

1. Thou shalt sort out thy cardiovascular system

2. Thou shalt NOT get involved in other people's lives

3. Even if they're really, really nice thou shalt remember Commandment 2

4. Thou shalt think before thy speaks

5. Thou shalt think again before thy speaks

6. Thou shalt watch less Angel

7. Thou shalt remember that Angel is a 250-year-old vampire who dated Buffy The Vampire Slayer, not the man you're going to be with forever and ever.

As a character Ceri herself was a lot of fun. She is a trekkie who has a rather unhealthy obsession with Angel from Buffy and who people like to talk to. She also does seem to have an affect on people where she makes them feel like they need to be in love and when they do have love problems, she is always available with good advice. In Leeds that means walking a fine line between Mel and Claudine, two best friends who can't decide if they want to be together or not. There is also Ed, her housemate who is in love with a girl who seems to be completely out of his league, her boss, several of her students and a couple of random strangers! Of course, there is also that strange man who just stares at her all the time as well.

I did enjoy hearing about Ceri's previous disastrous love affairs, including the one with Whathisname Tosspot! Made me laugh every time I saw that because, quite frankly, it pretty much could be my ex's pet name!

This was Koomson's first book and honestly you can tell. It is not as good as My Best Friends Girl but certainly has charm and you can tell that as an author Dorothy Koomson has got talent and potential. If anything this book suffered a little in trying to come up with a theory as to why Ceri has the effect that she has on people - it just seemed a little try hard.

Despite the reservations I have about this, her first book, I am looking forward to reading more from her. When I read My Best Friend's Girl, that was the only book of Dorothy Koomson's that was in my library system. Fortunately for me, they have now got this one and another two beside, and hopefully will be getting the newest book Goodnight Beautiful which is out in the UK in August.

This Charming Man by Marian Keyes

''Everybody remembers where they were the day they heard that Paddy de Courcy was getting married'.

But for four women in particular, the big news about the gorgeous politician is especially momentous...

Lola has every reason to be interested in who Paddy's marrying - because although she's his girlfriend, she definitely isn't the bride-to-be. Heartbroken, she flees the city for a cottage by the sea. But will Lola's retreat prove as idyllic as she hopes?

Not if journalist Grace has anything to do with it. She wants the inside story on the de Courcy engagement and thinks Lola holds the key. Grace knew Paddy a long time ago. But why can't she forget him?

Grace's sister, Marnie, might have the answer but she also has issues with the past. Her family is wonderful but they can't take away memories of her first love: a certain Paddy de Courcy. What will it take for Marnie to be able to move on?

And what of the future Mrs de Courcy...Alicia is determined to be the perfect politician's wife. But does she know the real Paddy de Courcy?

Four very different women. One awfully charming man. And the dark secret that binds them all...

I have a problem with Marian Keyes. Well, not with her personally. I'm sure she is a very nice woman, but with her books. What could that problem be? Well, her new books don't come out fast enough. This book was released here early in April and now I have read it, and there is no sign of another new book anywhere yet, but I am guessing that it is going to be a year or so before there is another new one! That is the one problem with finishing reading an authors backlist!

Anyway, this book is told from the perspective of four women, all of whom have had some kind relationship with the charming man of the title, Paddy de Courcy. Paddy is a rising star in the Irish political landscape - tall, handsome, charming. And yet for each of them, that relationship with Paddy has left a lasting legacy that will change their lives forever.

I've said it before, and will probably say it again - Keyes is not afraid to take difficult issues and explore them, all the while interweaving moments of comedic genius. In some ways this is quite an odd mix, but it totally works. At well over 650 pages, this is a big book, but it covers a lot of ground from alcoholism, domestic violence, cross-dressers, Irish politics, fashion, depression, touches on racism, grief, cancer.

Having said all of that, this isn't my favourite Keyes ever, and that is mainly due to one factor, and that is the voice that was used for Lola. Each of the main characters had a different font that was used for their sections, and the voice of the characters were quite distinct, and that is especially true for Lola. I loved her story, as she comes to the realisation of where she was coming from in her personal journey, but her sections were written in such a way as to distract me from her story. All of the sentences in her section were very short and choppy. If she wanted to ask another character if they wanted a drink of coffee then it would be written as "Want coffee?" or if she was talking to one of her friends and wanted to say that she recognised that she needed to change then she would just say "Will change". As the book opens with Lola's story, I was actually really worried about whether or not I was going to be able to read this book to the end, because if the whole book had of been in that format I don't think I would have been able to finish it.

Grace seems to be the very opposite of her sister Marnie, and yet Paddy has left his mark on both of them. I did very much enjoy Grace's story, especially the relationship that she had with her partner Damien. Grace seemed to be confident and successful, and basically have it all together, and yet she nearly lost everything, including her relationship with her sister. If Grace nearly loses everything, then it is fair to say that Marnie really does lose everything thanks to her drinking. Now to be fair, Marnie was probably a fair chance to become an alcoholic before her relationship with Paddy, but the aftermath of their affair certainly didn't help matters.

I do find it interesting when I read Keyes take on alcoholism because she never shrinks away from the fact that she was/is/ has been/ an alcoholic for many years, so I do wonder just how many of the incidents that happened to Marnie are incidents that either happened to her personally or to people that she knows.

When you list some of the subjects that are covered it really could be quite a depressing book, but at it's heart it is an uplifting and emboldening story about friendships, love, family and inner strength.

As always, another Keyes that I would definitely recommend for others to read. And next time I am hung over and someone asks me how I am feeling, I am definitely going to be saying that I am "as rough as a badger's arse". If nothing else, it will make me laugh at myself!


Other Blogger's Thoughts

The Movieholic and Bibliophile's Blog

P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

A little while ago Keishon from Avidbookreader announced that she was going to start having a TBR day on the third Wednesday each month. The idea was that this would be a good chance to read one of those books that has been hanging around on your TBR pile for ages. You know we all have those books that we have been meaning to read for ages, but you just never quite get to them!

This book has been on my TBR list for at least two years. When I first heard of it it was notable because it was written by the daughter of a former Irish President, and given that I had just discovered Marian Keyes and therefore that I liked Irish chick lit, I added it to my TBR list...and haven't gotten around to reading it until now even though when the movie came out earlier this year I was determined that I was going to read the book before I went to see the movies. Now I guess I will have to wait for the movie to come out on DVD to see it!

Enough background for now though. For full details of TBR Day and a list of participants check out the Avidbookreader.com website.

Some people wait their whole lives to find their soul mates. But not Holly and Gerry.

They were childhood sweethearts - no one could imagine Holly and Gerry without each other.

Until the unthinkable happens. Gerry's death devastates Holly. But as her 30th birthday looms, Holly discovers that Gerry has left her a bundle of notes, gently guiding her into her new life without him, each signed "PS, I Love You".

With some help from her friends, and her noisy and loving family, Holly finds herself laughing, crying, singing, dancing - and being braver than ever before.

Life is for living she realises - but it always helps if there is an angel watching over you.

When I sat down to read this I knew that I was setting myself up for quite an emotional journey. Because I am a crier from way back, there was no doubt in my mind that I would cry at least once, the question was just whether or not the story would be well balanced enough to make me laugh and to feel positive at the end of it.

What I didn't expect was that I would be sufficiently engaged with the storyline that I read it in one sitting. It certainly helped that it was a very, very hot afternoon - far too hot to do anything other than sit under a fan and read.

Holly and Gerry are the perfect couple. They do argue about silly little things, but for the most part they love each other desperately and they are looking forward to a long life together, to having children and to grow old together. It is not to be as a Gerry is diagnosed with a brain tumour and dies leaving Holly grieving and completely bereft. She understandably withdraws from the world, into a private hell where she can't sleep, she can barely make it through the day and she doesn't want to face anyone, no matter how good their intentions.

One of the long standing jokes between Gerry and Holly and their best friends was that they would need to write each other a list of things to do. A couple of months after Gerry's death, Holly's mother reminds her that there is an envelope at her house addressed to her, and when Holly opens the envelope and finds lots of little envelopes in their she is surprised to find that Gerry has done just that. There is one instruction in each little envelope and most of them are signed "PS I Love You".

Some of them are jokey instructions, but others are designed to get Holly out of the house, and out with her friends, and to stretch her ready for the new life that she has to have without Gerry. Along the way, Holly learns to deal with her grief, makes new friends, watches the lives of her best girlfriends as their lives moves forward.

Holly's grief is overwhelming at the start of the book, and yet still tinged with humour, enough so that it isn't completely morbid. If I do have any criticism of this book, there would be two things. One is to do with the cliched nature of a couple of the family members, particularly her emotionally withdrawn elder brother. The other thing would be that when Holly did decide to do some things within her life, it was oh so easy for her. At one stage, she realises that she is going to run out of money, and voila money appears. When she decides that she is going to look for a job, and that she is not going to settle for one of the typical humdrum jobs she has had in the past she gets a dream job at her first attempt. I didn't want to read about her going through dozens and dozens of interviews, but by the same token, getting a dream job when you have no experience in that field should not be quite so easy.

For me, having loved Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes when I read it last year, it is inevitable that I would make comparisons given the similarities in the themes. Whilst I did enjoy this one, the Keyes was definitely a better book. This was certainly a good debut though, taking some very difficult emotional issues and dealing with them with aplomb.

Whenever I finish reading a book I come and start the review post, and most of the time I write just a couple of sentences so that when I come to write the actual review I can remember my initial reaction. For this book I wrote the following:

Oh my goodness. I feel drained. Read this in one sitting. Laughed, cried, laughed again. Cried buckets.

I'm glad to have read this book, and will definitely be attempting to find more books by her. Now, I just have to keep an eye out for the movie to see whether it was a good book to movie transition. Having Gerry Butler in it certainly won't harm the chances of me enjoying the movie.


Other Blogger's Thoughts:

Melody's Reading Corner

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer

Given that I am exactly the same age as Genie and not married, I thought I might do my review a little differently this time, and intersperse my comments (which could be a little sarcastic - just warning you!) through the back cover blurb. The back cover blurb is in blue and my comments are in black.

Though Genie Michaels would like a husband (To be honest, I'd be happy with a boyfriend), at age thirty-six (what...when did that happen?) and jaded from years of dating fiascoes (in my case jaded from years of not dating fiasco), she's just too tired to make the effort (Abso-freaking-lutely). Lucky for Genie, Prince Charming comes to her in the form of Hugh Spencer (so could not get past thinking about Princess Di's family when I read this name, and especially when they kept on referring to the Spencer family ring), a bestselling author and ideal boyfriend (and where exactly is my Prince Charming?). But when Hugh proposes to the "love of his life" on national television - and it's not Genie (what a jerk)- she's so humiliated that she continues the pretense that she is his fiancee. (Errr...not sure that this is quite the route that I would have taken, but each girl for herself. I would be more likely to drown my sorrows in food, most specifically chocolate)

In no time at all, Genie's parents are booking a reception hall (Trust me, my mother would never book a reception hall for me....and even if she would I so would not want her to. Her idea of a good time and my idea of a good time are veeeerrrryyyy different)! She feels bad about the deception, (and so she should) but her best friend advises her to sit back and enjoy the ride. And just as Genie finally begins to realize that she doesn't need a man to start her life (no, that's totally true, but it would be nice to have one around occasionally)...to buy a home (did that!)...to go after a better job (really should do that)...her real prince shows up. (I could do with a sexy carpenter. The last workman that came to my house to do anything was the very epitome of not sexy).

Readers can count on Sarah Strohmeyer to deliver funny, sexy, big-hearted stories.

I have read all of Sarah Strohmeyer's books and think this is definitely one of her best. It is funny, and romantic, and gave lots of enjoyment as long as you are willing to suspend disbelief about a number of crucial things - like that someone would continue to accept gifts of $1000 cake platters as wedding gifts for a wedding that isn't actually going to happen, and that you could get a really, really big promotion for simply doing two things a bit differently than you normally do.

Whether this book falls into Women's Fiction or Chick Lit, I'm not really sure. The heroine undergoes a fairly typical chick-lit kind of journey from somewhat frumpy to fabulous , there's a love triangle...sort of...and there is a too die for true love. Having said that in the Author note she says that she is writing women's fiction...so I could well be wrong.

It is a lot of fun to read. I have read all of this author's books so far, and I can definitely see her writing getting stronger. I look forward to her next book which is out in June.

Further Under the Duvet by Marian Keyes

Slide further under the duvet, get yourself comfortable and let Marian take you places where you have never been before...

Places like the Irish air-guitar championships, a shopping trip to Bloomingdale's with a difference and Cannes with a chronic case of Villa-itis. Along the way you'll encounter knicker-politics, fake tans, sticky-out ears and passionate love affairs both with make-up and with Toblerones. And of course, agony aunt Mammy Walsh is on hand to solve all your problems.

Hilarious and poignant, Marian's long awaited second volume of journalism and previously unpublished writing, including several short stories, is the modern woman's perfect companion. So put the kettle on and grab that Kit Kat Chunky - everything else will wait.

One thing that you can almost be guaranteed when you read Marian Keyes is that you will be entertained. Whether she is talking about charity trips to remote locations, her love affair with make up, or her husband (affectionately known to the reader as Himself) or fighting her battle against alcholism, Keyes delivers laughs but without sacrificing depth.

Many of the articles in the book were actually originally published in various newspapers and magazines, but there were also some original articles, and some original short stories. The short stories are patchy in places but still readable.

The only bad thing with having now read this collection is that I have read almost everything I can find by this author. I think that my library has one of the anthologies that she contributed to, but that's it! The only other book is No Dress Rehearsal, which doesn't seem to be easy to track down, and doesn't seem to be a full size book either!

Now I guess I will just have to wait patiently for her next book!


Rating 4/5

My Best Friend's Girl by Dorothy Koomson

Kamryn Matika has no responsibilities - one birthday card will change that for ever.... Best friends Kamryn Matika and Adele Brannon thought nothing could come between them - until Adele did the unthinkable and slept with Kamryn's fiance, Nate. Worse still, she got pregnant and had his child. When Kamryn discovered the truth about their betrayal she vowed never to see any of them again. Two years later, Kamryn receives a letter from Adele asking her to visit her in hospital. Adele is dying and begs Kamryn to adopt her daughter, Tegan. With a great job and a hectic social life, the last thing Kamryn needs is a five-year-old to disrupt things. Especially not one who reminds her of Nate. But with no one else to take care of Tegan and Adele fading fast, does she have any other choice? So begins a difficult journey that leads Kamryn towards forgiveness, love, responsibility and, ultimately, a better understanding of herself.

I first heard about this book over at Karen Scott's blog. The review that she wrote was one of those that made me go...I have to read this book now! Yes, it took me 3 months to do so (and a bit longer to get to write this review), but it was definitely worth getting this book out of the library.

The only problem I had was that I started reading it on the train on the way home from work one day, and given that I started crying on the second page that was probably a mistake! I went back to read Karen's review when I got home to see if there was sufficient warning that this was going to be one of those books that made me cry...and there really was! Once I kept reading, in the privacy of my own home, I cried and laughed throughout this book and thoroughly enjoyed my read!

Please don't think that this is a morose or depressing book because it really isn't! The story IS emotional, but there are sufficient moments of joy and humour (and love) to be able to balance out those emotional moments, without trying to undermine the backbone of the novel or resorting to cliches.

In closing, I would really encourage you to read Karen's review of this book by clicking on the link above! She has done an excellent job of dissecting the characters and the story - far better than I can possibly do!

This is the only Koomson book that my library has, which is a shame because I would love to read more by this author! Watch out Book Depository here I come!

Rating 4.5/5

Postcards from the Bed by Marian Keyes

'When people ask me what I do for a crust and I tell them that I am a novelist, they immediately assume that my life is a non-stop carousel of lims, television appearances, hair-dos, devoted fans, stalkers and all the glitzy paraphernalia of being a public figure.

It's time to set the record straight.

I write alone, in a darkened bedroom, wearing my PJs, eating bananas, my laptop on a pillow in front of me...'


Her novels are read and adored by millions around the world - now read Marian Keyes's collected pieces: regular bulletins from the bed.

Featuring a wide compilation of Marian's journalism from magazines and newspapers, plus some exclusive, previously unpublished materies, Postcards from the Bed is bursting with funny stories; observations on life, in-laws, weight loss, parties and driving lessons that will keep you utterly gripped - either wincing with recognition or roaring with laughter.

Marian loves shoes and her LTFs (Long-Term Friends), hates estate agents and lost luggage, and she once had a Christmas office party that involved roasting two sheep on a spit, Moroccan style. She's just like you and me...

This is actually the book that I was reading when I had to go and get my car windows fixed, and I did really enjoy it! Sitting in a cafe and in a car window repair shop and laughing out loud was a bit embarrassing but it is worth it.

There are a variety of different stories, some that make you laugh out loud, some that make you think, some that are poignant, and some that are just almost ridiculous! Whether writing whole novels, or short articles for newspapers or magazines, Keyes is always a fantastic read!

Interestingly enough, this book was published under the title Postcards from the Bed here in Australia, with this cover image, but I really struggled to find a picture of it, so I have settled for this one!


Rating 4/5

Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married by Marian Keyes

Lucy Sullivan is getting married...or is she?

Lucy doesn't even have a boyfriend (to be honest, Lucy isn't that lucky in love). But Mrs Nolan has read her tarot cards and predicted that Lucy will be walking up the aisle within the year.

Lucy's flatmates are appalled at the news. If Lucy leaves it could disrupt their lovely lifestyle of eating takeaways, drinking too much wine, bringing men home and never hoovering. But Lucy reassures them that she's far too busy arguing with her mother and taking care of her irresponsible father to even think about getting married.

And there's the small matter of no boyfriend. But then Lucy meets Gus, gorgeous, unreliable Gus, and she starts to wonder - could he be the future Mr Lucy Sullivan? Or could it be Chuck, the handsome American? Or Daniel, the world's biggest flirt? Or even cute Jed, the new boy at work?

Will Lucy find her soulmate? Read this book if you want to laugh, cry and do no work for a week.

Have you ever read a book where you sat there reading, and thinking, oh my goodness, this is the story of my life, or I know someone who is EXACTLY like that? In some ways, this was one of those books for me!

Lucy and her friends decide that it would be a bit of a lark to go and get their fortunes read and for her to say that Lucy will be married within 18 months just made everyone laugh, because after all, Lucy can't keep any man for very long! However, as the things that the fortune teller said start to come true for the other girls, Lucy begins to believe that maybe, just maybe, it might be true for her as well. The only bloke that Lucy has managed to keep hold of for any length of time is Daniel, and they are just friends. All her friends think he is gorgeous but Lucy just can't see it for herself.

And then Lucy meets Gus - queue the soft-focus, long-lensed camera shot of a couple running in a field full of flowers. Gus, is...well, Gus is just perfect. He's good looking, funny, sexy, her friends love him (well, except maybe for Daniel)and Lucy very quickly finds herself involved in a relationship with him. Only problem is Gus is also unemployed, always broke, always drunk, always unreliable and probably unfaithful. Oh well - nobody's perfect right?

This book is one of Marian Keyes' earliest books, and you can definitely see her trademark style of dealing with complex and difficult topics whilst still being laugh out loud funny. In this case the issues range from being the child of an alcoholic, about always choosing men that are bad for you and about settling for something less than you deserve.

I guess in a way I could relate to Lucy- I am a child of an alcoholic and have a difficult at best relationship with my mother, but to be honest the character that rang so many bells for me was Gus. So Gus is a talkative, funny, short Irishman, whereas my ex was a tall, Afro-Caribbean bloke, but the brokeness, the unreliability, the lies, the cheating......they were ALL there! I found myself willing Lucy to dump him long before she actually realised herself what a jerk he was! Difference being that Lucy got her HEA whereas I have basically given up on anything like that for me!

Once again Keyes delivers up a book that tugs at the heart strings but is also laugh out loud funny. If there were any weaknesses with this book, it was that some of the characters were very caricature like - there was an Aussie who was living and working in London who was completely cliched. The other thing was that the ending felt very rushed and a bit contrived. At over 700 pages long, the fact that the ending was so rushed is probably a problem. Oh, and the other one was that there are people mentioned in the epilogue who literally were in the book for just a couple of pages. Apart from those two or three little niggles, this was once again a very entertaining read from Marian Keyes!

Rating 4/5

Something Blue by Emily Giffin

Darcy Rhone thought she had it all figured out: the more beautiful the girl, the more charmed her life. Never mind substance. Never mind playing by the rules. Never mind karma.

But Darcy's neat, perfect world turns upside down when her best friend, Rachel, the plain-Jane good girl, steals her fiance, while Darcy finds herself completely alone for the first time in her life...with a baby on the way.

Darcy tries to recover, fleeing to her childhood friend living in London and resorting to her tried-and-true methods for getting what she wants. But as she attempts to recreate her glamorous life on a new continent, Darcy finds that her rules no longer apply. It is only then that Darcy can begin her journey toward self-awareness, forgiveness, and motherhood.

Something Blue is a novel about one woman's surprising discoveries about the true meaning of friendship, love, and happily-ever-after. Its a novel for anyone who has ever, even secretly, wondered if the last thing you want is really the one thing you need.

When I read the earlier book that is connected to this one, Something Borrowed, I didn't really like any of the main characters. There didn't seem to be a lot of integrity in any of them. I was however sufficiently hooked in the story to want to know what happened then!

The first portion of this book covers a lot of the same ground that was covered at the end of Something Borrowed, but instead of being from Rachel's point of view, it was from Darcy's perspective, and I have to say that I still did not like Darcy at all. She was annoying, bitchy, shallow, hypocritical, particularly in her relationship with Marcus, focusing completely on the fact that her ex fiancee had cheated on her despite the fact that she had done the same with Marcus, to the extend of getting pregnant by him. I did wonder if the author had gone too far and therefore would not be able to redeem this woman at all!!

Having said that, once we got beyond the actual events that occurred in the first book, things picked up. Darcy was left basically with a baby on the way, no boyfriend, hardly any true friends, had fought with her parents, and felt that she had no option but to go and live in London with the childhood friend to both Darcy and Rachel, Ethan. Poor Ethan. He had to put up with a lot from Darcy, but once he gave her an ultimatum about her behaviour, particularly in relation to her burgeoning pregnancy, things got better, and of course being chick lit, Darcy was finally redeemed and found the kind of true happiness that can't be found in designer brand handbags, although they certainly accessorize happiness well! I did like that there was some kind of resolution found between Darcy and Rachel, but I was glad that the author didn't go the most obvious total and fabulous reconciliation between the two of them. There had been too much pain and hurt to ever go back completely, so it would have been unrealistic in my opinion to have done so!

I did like what little we saw of Rachel and Dex (Darcy's ex fiance) in this book. It seemed that despite their tumultuous beginning they did indeed develop a great relationship and partnership.

Given how little I liked the main character in both the last book and the early parts of this book, it did surprise me that I really enjoyed this book. I think probably because I actually was in the mood for reading some chick lit. I was reading something else, and rather optimistically thought I might finish that book and therefore put this one in my bag. I had read one page of the other book, and then thought "you know what...I don't want to read this", so started reading this book, and enjoyed it so much that I basically couldn't put it down and finished it in a day!

Really enjoyable read.

Rating 4.5/5

Anybody Out There? by Marian Keyes

'I had to go back to New York and try to find him. There was a chance he mightn't be there but I had to give it a go because there was one thing I was certain of: he wasn't here.'

Anna Walsh is officially a wreck. Physically broken and emotionally shattered, she lies on her parents' Dublin sofa with only one thing on her mind: getting back to New York. New York means her best friends, The Most Fabulous Job In The World and above all, it means her husband, Aidan.

But nothing in Anna's life is that simple anymore!

Not only is her return to Manhattan complicated by her physical and emotional scars - but Aidan seems to have vanished.

Is it time for Anna to move on?

Is it even possible for her to move on?

A motley group of misfits, an earth-shattering revelation, two births and one very weird wedding might help Anna find some answers - and will change her life forever.

Hilarious, heartbreaking and life-affirming, Marian's unforgettable new novel is as epic as it is entertaining.

Oh my goodness, what a book!! I am officially a Marian Keyes fan girl. This book is the latest book in the Walsh sisters series, and in my opinion it is one of the best I have read by her, rivalling even Last Chance Saloon.

I've said before, and I will say it again I'm sure, that one of Keyes' skills is to take a very serious topic, and not only work through it, but make it funny and entertaining, and emotional and heart breaking. I cannot tell you the number of times that I cried during this book.

When we first meet Anna again, she is staying with her parents, who are as kooky as ever. She is scarred and has broken bones, and yet we don't really find out what has happened to her until a fair way into the book. Anna is also desperate to talk to her husband Aidan. We get to hear the story of how they met, and their life together in New York, where she has what appears to be the perfect life. Of course, not everything is perfect, and there are some surprising revelations, especially at the end of the book, but they definitely still fit the things that we knew about the characters in the book.

As Anna returns to work, her desperation to speak to Aidan increases until finally we find out where he is. It's not possible to discuss this book without major spoilers, so I will leave it at that, but I do really, really highly recommend this book.

There are lots of appearances by the other Walsh family members, but it was most fantastic to see the interactions between Anna and Rachel, and the super cool Luke from Rachel's Holiday, along with his friends The Real Men.

This was the second last book I read in 2006, and it was one of only five 5/5 reads for the year - definitely one of the most enjoyable and most memorable books of last year! Have I gushed enough yet?

Oh, and I am not alone in my enjoyment of this book! Clare from Confessions of a Book Addict gave it a 6 out of 4!

Rating 5/5

Finished reading on 30 December 2006

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

This book first came to my attention when it was chosen by The Book Bitches to be their Book of the Month for June. Yes, I know I am about six months too late in reading it. What can I say...I have had lots of other books on the go!

Meet Rachel White, a young attorney living and working in Manhattan. Rachel has always been the consummate good girl - until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend, Darcy, throws her a party. That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiance. Although she wakes up determined to put the one night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from. In her wildest dreams (or worst nightmare?) this is the last thing on earth Rachel could ever have imagined happening.

As the September wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win true happiness.

Something Borrowed is a phenomenal debut novel that will have you laughing, crying and calling your best friend.

Now bear in mind when you read this post that I actually finished this book on 25 November. Yes, the distinct lack of book related posts over the last couple of weeks or more is not because I haven't been reading - just that I haven't been reviewing! And now I am looking at my backlog and it is scaring me so I am determined to catch up soon!!

Rachel has been living in the shadow of her best friend Darcy for years. Darcy is gorgeous, fun, generous and has a fantastic job that she just seemed to fall into. She basically could have any bloke that she wanted, but she is engaged to Dexter - a man that was friends with Rachel, and then hooked up with Darcy. The wedding is coming up, and Rachel is looking forward to the wedding, or at least she was until she had sex the groom on the night of her thirtieth birthday, and then did it again a few days later, even though they both promised that they weren't going to! From there the novel becomes one of Rachel's angst as she both wonders whether she is always going to be the other woman, or if Dex will finally grow enough courage to tell Darcy that the wedding is off, if Rachel and Dex are going to be able to pull off the deception required to continue their clandestine meetings or if they are going to get caught.

Another focus was Rachel considering the nature of her friendship with Darcy. Darcy seems to be one of those friends who loves to participate in oneupmanship - you know the ones where you say "gee my knee is hurting today", and they will go off on a convoluted story about how they had to have an arthroscope just yesterday. Maybe a little bit far fetched as an example, but you know the type I mean!

Throw in a sudden side trip to London, and that's pretty much it. The ending felt somewhat rushed to me, especially in the resolution, but it does leave space for the sequel.

I've read a fair to middling range of chick lit over the years, and quite enjoy quite a few authors (for example Marian Keyes), and I liked this book - to an extent. Whilst the voice was fun and chatty, there was an appropriate level of brand name dropping and female angst, what there wasn't was likable characters. I didn't really like Rachel, I didn't like her best friend Darcy, and I didn't really like Dex, who started the book out as Darcy's fiance. So why, if I didn't really like the characters, do I really want to read the sequel, Something Blue. The only explanation I can think of is that I have to know if the characters can all be redeemed into something less...less....selfish is not necessarily the right word...maybe self obsessed.

This was an okay journey into chick lit. I'm hoping for better next time around!

Rating 3.5/5


Other Blogger's Thoughts

Blue Archipelago

Angels by Marian Keyes

Marian Keyes's sixth novel is a truly captivating story about a marriage that's gone wrong and a sensible woman who suddenly just wants to let her hair down.

"We will shortly be landing at Los Angeles International Airport. Please ensure your seat is in the upright position, that you weigh less than a hundred pounds and that you have excellent teeth."

Unlike the rest of her family, Maggie Walsh has always done everything right. Sensibly. By the book. Until the day she leaves her husband and runs away to Hollywood, that is.

In LA the primping, preening and partying are non-stop and even the palm trees are skinny. Staying with her best friend, Emily, a struggling screenwriter, Maggie starts doing things she's never done before. Like wearing tights on her head, mixing with film stars - even pitching scripts to studios - and much, much more. Including meeting the mysterious Troy, a man so non-stick he's known as Human Teflon.

Follow Maggie on a journey of discovery, from suburbia to a suntan, taking in some heartache and lots of Martinis along the way, as she discovers what she really wants in life and why she really walked out on her marriage....

This is the third book in the series focussing on the Walsh sisters, following on from Rachel's Holiday.

This really is a trademark Marian Keyes. Her ability to take a situation that is neither entertaining or funny, and turn it into an extremely poignant story that is very entertaining.

Maggie and her husband Garv have had a couple of "setbacks" over the last couple of years, and have gradually drifted apart and stopped really talking to each other. When Maggie finds out that he may have been cheating she leaves him immediately, going to stay with her parents until her best friend Emily calls her and asks her to come and stay with her in LA. Emily is a writer, trying to sell her movie script and make ends meet in a town where appearance is everything. Suddenly Maggie is masquerading as Emily's assistant, accompanying Troy to showbiz parties, attending premieres, being regroomed from head to foot and generally just trying to forget about her real life.

Maggie is thrown into a world of parties and grooming, along the way starting to loosen up a bit and take the kind of risks that she would never have usually taken. When it turns out that one of her old boyfriend's is going to be in town, it brings up many memories for Maggie, including a huge plot twist that I never saw coming! I love it when an author can surprise me so completely!

As Maggie is spending her time with a variety of characters, she gradually comes to some realisations about why her marriage faltered, and to accept some of the responsibility, as distinct from taking the blame for things beyond her control.

One of the highlights of the book was when the Walsh family descended on LA en masse - Mum and Dad, Helen and Anna....very entertaining! The next book in the series is Anybody Out There? about Anna. I already have it sitting on my shelf ready to read!

Rating 4/5

The Dirty Girls Social Club by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez

THE DIRTY GIRLS SOCIAL CLUB is sassy, funny, moving and smart, an unputdownable read. It is the story of six very different women who met at college in Boston and swore to be friends for the rest of their lives.

They call themselves the Dirty Girls Social Club. The only obvious thing they have in common is that they are all professional women and Latin American, but the real thing about them is that their lives tap into universal truths about women and sisterhood. There is Lauren, a journalist, who is used to getting what she wants and kicking ass when she doesn't, except when it comes to men...- Sara, wife of a corporate lawyer, upstanding member of the Jewish community, one of the best interior designers and party givers around, and seriously uptight...- Elizabeth, the beautiful co-host for a TV morning show and former runway model with a secret which will test the bonds of their friendship to the limit...- Rebecca, owner and founder of the most popular Hispanic woman's magazine in the market; nobody works the room like she does...- Amber, a rock singer waiting for her first big break, the spiritual one of the group...And then there is Usnavys, a big gal who is as showy as Libera They all feel perfectly licensed to tell each other what do and how to live their lives, and boy do they ever...

So this was the book that I thought I had lost on the train!!

I first heard of this book over at Book Bitches when they chose it at as Book of the Month in July. Okay..so I am four months late! What can I say...I have had a lot of other books to read!

So there are 6 friends who met in college and have a strong bond between them. Each year they meet up a couple of times, for drinks, gossip and fun. And yet, despite the fact that they have been friends for years, and would consider themselves close, there are plenty of secrets between them.

In fact in many of the dialogue sequences it would almost seem that they don't necessarily like each other all that much, with all the sniping that goes on. And yet, when they all need each other their bond is strong and they are their for each other.

Each of them have their own secrets and issues. With chapters told from each characters perspective, we get to read their perceptions of each other, and to hear their stories from their own point of view. We see their lives as they make realisations about their own situations, and those of their friends - as they end relationships and marriages, as they fall in love, as their careers take off, as they change, as well kept secrets (both good and bad) are revealed, and as they struggle to define what it means to be Latina.

In many ways this book was an easy one to relate to, and yet in other ways it wasn't! As an Australian with a pretty common background (i.e basically my forefathers were from various corners in the UK), I don't think I have ever had to give much thought to what defines me as an Australian, yet these girls, with their backgrounds in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Columbia amongst other places, spent a lot time discussing what it meant to be Latina, and how to be Latina without losing their individual backgrounds.

Another way that I didn't really relate is that I really don't have a group of friends that I have been friends with for years that I catch up with regularly in the same way. I do have some friends who if I see them, they are always pleased to see me, and if I call them, they are pleased to hear from me, and many of them will say things like "I haven't heard from you in ages", to which my internal response is...what, don't you have dialling fingers? Anyway enough of that.

When I started reading this, I really thought that I wasn't really getting into it, but when it came to Saturday afternoon and it was the ONLY thing that I wanted to read, and then I couldn't find it, I guess it's fair to say that I was hooked. I did enjoy reading it, but I don't know that I will be going out of my way to track down more books by this author, mainly because I already know that there are no others by her in my library. If they happen to get any more by her in, and I notice it, I would read some more by her.

Overall, an enjoyable read that was funny and entertaining, and I am somewhat surprised to say, gave me some things to think about in terms of my own life!

Rating 4/5