My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I really hate having to give two stars to a Katie Fforde book but considering how much the whole thing annoyed me I couldn’t justify giving it any more. Sorry.

Before this book I probably would have rated Katie Fforde as one of my all time favourite authors. I don’t know whether her writing has changed or if my tastes have changed but this book just really didn’t work for me.

Synopsis

There isn’t really much of a story, a twenty something estate agent Bella goes to stay with her 60 year old Godmother Alice after leaving her previous home and job to get away from a man. She’s now settled, dating her boss and fairly happy finding houses for difficult clients but then the man she tried to get away from, Dominic, reappears in her life as the relative of a friend. You can pretty much guess what happens after that. There are sub plots about her boss (and boyfriends) dodgy dealings and her godmothers romance with a younger man but that’s about it.

Thoughts

The writing is pretty typical Katie Fforde style and is an easy enough read (although I was disappointed to find a few errors) but it’s starting to feel a little bit dated and old fashioned to me particularly compared to some of my more recent reads.

I think what really bothered me however was main character Bella, I just couldn’t understand her and she frustrated me so much that at one point I almost gave up on the whole book.

Firstly she left her home and her job and moved miles away because she had a thing for a married man and was heartbroken when his wife got pregnant. Nothing, other than a kiss under the mistletoe, had ever happened between them so I don’t understand what all the drama was about. I’ve had feelings for co workers (married and single) but have never felt the need to move home and quit my job to avoid them. Get over it, they’re married.

Secondly, after she was “forced” to leave her life and job due to a crush on a man she then immediately gets into a relationship with her new boss. Did she not learn to keep work and romance separate? As a result she puts up with a boyfriend she doesn’t love, who regularly insults her and treats her atrociously because she doesn’t want to lose her job and have to move again. I mean come on. Can someone be so silly and weak? Chuck him and if he sacks you sue him for all he’s worth (unfair dismissal, sexual harassment).

Finally she meddles in things that are either none of her business or should be reported to the police. I won’t go into details as it’s a bit of a spoiler but who in their right mind gets involved in someone else’s custody battle or confronts a criminal to ask them to stop breaking the law.

OK mad rant over, it’s safe to say Bella annoyed me. The romantic interest wasn’t much better. I can’t really think of much to say about him. He seemed nice enough but nothing particularly special or exciting. He’s not actually in the story that much and they don’t spend a lot of time together so not much in the way of conversation or spark. I’m not sure I believed the supposed attraction between them which I think was the point of the book but maybe I was missing something.

So to sum up I didn’t like the characters, there wasn’t much in the way of plot and I didn’t really feel the romance. Maybe I was just in the wrong frame of mind. Other Katie Fforde fans may still love it but this one just wasn’t for me.

Book Review: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

November 23, 2015 Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

This is actually a really difficult book for me to review as I have very mixed feelings about it. Parts of it I loved, others had me on the edge of the seat and some were a bit dull or frustrating.

Synopsis

The story follows Sky Davis a 17 year old who, having been home schooled is finally getting the chance to go to public school. She’s trying to keep a low profile but is drawn to bad boy and fellow student Dean Holder. There’s something about him she can’t resist but being with him starts to bring back feelings and memories from the past. With his erratic behaviour it seems like Dean may be keeping secrets from her too. Can they both get over their pasts?

Thoughts

So let’s start with the good. I really, really loved the authors writing style. She has that magical ability to draw you in to the story and let you feel what the characters felt in that exact moment whether it is anger, shock, passion or even happiness. I’m someone who reads for feels so her style is perfect for me.

I also liked main characters Sky and Holder. I thought Sky was particularly fantastic. Adopted at a young age by Karen, home schooled and with no access to technology such as a phone, TV or internet she is surprisingly confident, well adjusted (kind of) and self assured. She undeservedly has a bad reputation as a result of her friendship with neighbour Six but doesn’t let it bother her. To her it’s more important to be loyal to her friend than to worry about what others think. I loved how she dealt with the bullies as it gave me a giggle. Throughout the book I was impressed with how she dealt with everything and how she took action and control rather than letting things get to her.

Holder, I have slightly more mixed feelings about. He’s the mysterious stranger that Sky is drawn to even when she hears of his past violent behaviour. His behaviour is downright erratic at times but I did love how protective he was and how funny he could be.

The first half of the book where Sky and Holder meet and gradually form a relationship was the highlight for me. It’s funny, sweet and there are some serious sparks between them. The first half also included Sky starting school, learning to use technology, and meeting new best friend Breckin so there was a lot to love.

So what went wrong? Basically for me it all went wrong when the secrets came out. I’m not sure if it was supposed to be a shock but there were hints throughout the first half of the book which kind of gave it away. Once the truth was revealed I felt like the plot got a little bit ridiculous. There were too many coincidences and it felt like twist after twist was thrown at the reader. There was one part that I was totally shocked by but other than that it was too predictable.

To me the second half felt like a completely different book. Holden’s character seemed to switch completely and all of the other characters I loved disappeared and the focus was only on Sky and Holder. Breckin and Six were such interesting characters it was a shame they weren’t used more.

Overall therefore it was a book of two halves. The first half I loved, the second not so much but possibly it just wasn’t my type of story.

Book Review: What Might Have Been by Matt Dunn

November 17, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

What Might Have Been by Matt Dunn

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed this story by Matt Dunn. I’ve read a few of his books before and love the unique perspective a male writer brings to the chick lit genre. For me his books feel less flowery and romantic and much more realistic which I find quite refreshing.

In this story Evan, a sax player, meets Sarah in a jazz club one night. There is an instant attraction and they spend a perfect night together. Unfortunately however, Evan gets a big break which drives them apart. Left behind, Sarah decides to pursue a relationship with her boss David and after a few months agrees to marry him. Spotting the wedding notice in the paper Evan returns and tries to win her back. He has one week till the wedding to put a stop to it but is one perfect night enough for Sarah to ditch David and run off with Evan?

I actually listened to the audio book of this and found it very enjoyable . I’m generally not a fan of audios but this one worked well. I think because there is a lot of dialogue it was like listening to a drama.

There isn’t a huge amount that happens in the story so I can understand why some other reviewers have found it a bit dull and repetitive. Most of the time it’s Evan or Sarah seeking advice from friends about what they should do, Evan trying to convince Sarah to ditch David or Evan trying to get Sarah’s best friend Grace on side. They do tend to go over and over the same things but there is a lot of humour amongst it all and there is the odd “what!!!!” moment. It did remind me a bit of a soap opera as characters would occasionally and unexpectedly drop a bombshell. I kept expecting the Eastenders end credits tune to kick in (you’ll understand if you’re in the UK).

The characters are very well thought out and very rounded. Evan is really likeable as the man desperate to win back the woman he loves. He refuses to play dirty and despite trying to split up a couple seems very moral. Sarah I wasn’t so sure about. She’s clearly settling for David despite him being a not very nice person and someone she’s not attracted to. I can understand she was looking for security but a lot of her actions are questionable and to be honest I couldn’t comprehend what Evan saw in her.

The highlight of the book however is the secondary characters. I loved Evan’s friend and mentor Mel and his ex band mate. They are really well thought out characters and they definitely get the best dialogue. The advice they give is seriously dodgy but a lot of the time quite funny. Sarah’s flatmate Grace is also a fascinating character and I’d love a follow up which gives her a story of her own.

I have to admit I have my doubts about whether the relationship between Evan and Sarah would ever work as they spend more time fighting than they do being happy together. I’m also not so sure about the instant love thing so it seems like a lot of drama for not much reward but I was still cheering Evan on (mostly because David was so horrible).

The ending was a bit of a surprise but worked quite well and was probably right.

Overall I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes a relationship drama with less hearts and flowers and more realism and dry humour.

Book Review: Meet Me in Manhattan by Claudia Carroll

November 6, 2015November 7, 2015 Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

Meet Me In Manhattan by Claudia Carroll
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the perfect book if you’re looking for something sweet, romantic and Christmassy.

Despite her holiday themed name, Holly Johnson doesn’t do Christmas. She’d much rather hide at home alone and just wait for the whole thing to be over. This year however things may be different. Her career seems to be heading in the right direction and she’s met someone who could be the man of her dreams. He could also be the distraction she needs to get through the holiday period. The only problem, she hasn’t actually met him in person. They met online and hit it off immediately but live on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

When their few attempts to meet up don’t go to plan Holly suspects there is something not right about her dream man and heads off to New York to confront him. What she gets is a big shock but it also presents her with a one off opportunity to realise her dreams. Will she take it or will the past hold her back?

My Thoughts on the Book

When I first started reading this book I have to admit I wasn’t too sure. I’ve read a few Claudia Carroll books in the past and enjoyed them but as I read the first few chapters of this I was a little concerned as I couldn’t relate to Holly and couldn’t face another story about the perils of internet dating. However I found that as the story progressed it shifted in a direction that I really didn’t expect and it drew me in so much that I couldn’t put it down (and I didn’t).

Despite not being able to understand Holly’s actions and beliefs at the start I did grow to like her over the course of the book. Being single, I can totally relate to the aversion to Christmas. What I found difficult to accept was the lying on her dating profile and seemingly desperate need to meet someone. She lies about everything from her height and age to her hobbies and job and seems to think that is normal and acceptable. I’m afraid I was with her friend and flatmate Joy in not believing you can have a healthy and lasting relationship based on so much deceit. I also thought her obsession with the guy she meets seemed a bit too much and at one point she almost jeopardises her career for him. She accepts everything he tells her even when there are definite warning signs. More incredible is the fact that she’s supposedly a researcher for a radio phone in show.

My opinion of her switched however when she finally realises there could be something wrong. Whatever faults she has she’s someone who takes action and stands up for herself. Travelling to New York alone to confront someone who’s really a stranger takes some guts (or possibly a lack of self preservation). Her joy at seeing New York for the first time is kind of adorable and the descriptions of the places she visits made me so jealous. She ends up having to make some difficult decisions but she follows her heart while still being conscious of the consequences.

The writing and pacing of the story are pretty good although I found some of the devices used to keep you hooked a little frustrating (secrets are dragged on a little too long for me). There were parts where I laughed and I cried but most of the time I just had a really big smile on my face.

My main criticism however and the reason for 4 stars rather than 5 is that I found some of the supporting characters a little stereotyped. I also thought the male lead was a little bit too good to be believable. Although I can’t say much on that without giving away the plot.

Overall though I would recommend it to anyone who loves a nice romantic, Christmas story. It’s perfect for a lazy day.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins (Avon) for providing me with an advance copy

Book Review: The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance by Kirsty Greenwood

October 28, 2015October 27, 2015 Ali@abookishlife2 Comments

The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance by Kirsty Greenwood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was laugh out loud funny but unfortunately I don’t think it’s one I’ll remember for long.

The story follows Jessica Beam, 28 years old, single and just wants to enjoy life with no responsibilities or commitments. She parties, gets drunk a lot and a one night stand is a regular occurrence.

“Did the new neighbour just call you a slapper?” she asks, observing his retreating form. “I prefer sexually cheerful”

If a conversation turns serious she flees the scene and she is totally unreliable.

When she ends up losing her home and her job in the same day the people she thought were friends don’t want to know. She has no one left to turn to but her long lost Grandmother. She’s hoping for a hand out that will let her go travelling (and partying) but Grandma has financial problems of her own.

To solve both of their problems they agree to collaborate on a book. Grandma it turns out is the famous (ish) author of the Good Woman Guides. A series which advises women how to be elegant, well mannered and find herself a good man. Jess agrees to live by the rules to see if she can get a confirmed bachelor and womanizer to fall in love with her. Various funny escapades ensue as Jess let’s her Grandma give her a makeover and follows her very old fashioned advice on how to catch a man.

I did really like this story. It’s well written, hilariously funny in places and I think the pacing is more or less spot on.

Jessica is a very likeable character. Given her total unreliability and crazy behaviour she’s not someone I’d want as a friend but it was quite refreshing to have a female protagonist who’s living life how she wants and not worrying what others think. At times she is a bit too trusting in her supposed best friend which was very frustrating and she has some unpleasant characteristics but over the course of the book she starts to soften.

The other characters in the novel are well written including her Grandma who is very strict and old fashioned but is easily upset and terrified of losing her home and memories. All she wants is to connect to her only remaining family. New housemate and Grandma’s PA Peach was however my favourite character. She’s quite shy, with no friends, but is just so enthusiastic about everything you can’t help but like her. When she teams up with Jess there is just no stopping her.

I think what led to the book falling a little flat for me however was the men. The target of the project is Advertising Exec Leo Frost. First impressions of him are not particularly great. He seems quite stuck up, serious and has a bad reputation with women. While a lot of this proves to be untrue I still didn’t really feel any attraction between him and Jess. It was the same with the doctor downstairs, who Jess ends up in a friend’s with benefits situation, I didn’t feel a spark between them.

Overall therefore, while I thought the story was enjoyable it didn’t really give me the emotions that would make the story stick with me. I have a feeling I will have forgotten it in a couple of weeks.

I would still recommend it if you’re looking for an easy read with a lot of laughs.

Favourite quote:

“I love you more than tea and kittens and apricot gin”

Book Review: How to Lose a Bachelor by Anna Banks

October 13, 2015November 5, 2015 Ali@abookishlife1 Comment

How to Lose a Bachelor by Anna Banks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An OK read but nothing special.

This is my first book from this author and I chose it as I thought the story sounded like it would be quite funny. It’s not the most original of ideas, a girl enters a reality dating show to win money and ends up running into an ex, but it could have been exciting and enjoyable. While I didn’t dislike it, I get the feeling it’s one of those books that I will have forgotten in a week or so.

The story follows Rochelle Ransom who enters dating show Luring Love not because she want to find love but because the prize money would help her support her favourite charity. However it turns out the bachelor whose heart she will be competing against 9 other girls to win is the guy who broke her heart in college. If she quits she loses the money so she decides to stay and resorts to increasingly ridiculous behaviour to try to get voted off. However Grant Drake, her ex, is determined to keep her around for as long as possible. Is he trying to get revenge or does he want her back?

I think for me the issue with the story is that it was missing the emotion and the spark. It’s an easy enough read (I think I read it in about 3 hours)and the narrative flows quite well but I think it was maybe a bit shallow. There was no depth, no description and therefore no real connection with the characters.

There should have been some laughs in the story as Rochelle resorts to increasingly extreme behaviour to get voted off. However her actions didn’t really come across as funny to me. She just comes across as a little bit ridiculous and I’m not convinced that a professional lawyer would be willing to act that way on national television to get money even if it is for charity. To be perfectly honest I just didn’t find her believable as a lawyer at all. I think it would have made more sense for her to have a different occupation.

As for Grant Drake, the bachelor everyone wants to win, I’m not sure I could see the attraction. He seemed nice enough but a little bit bland and boring. I also felt like he tended to over react a bit to certain things. Considering the anti domestic violence message running through the book I thought it odd that it was considered ok for him to break someone else’s nose for a throwaway comment that people use all of the time.

Some of the other girls competing seemed like they could be quite interesting characters but we didn’t really get to see much of them. Again what we did get was pretty superficial and there was no depth.

The story and the ending were fairly predictable as you would expect from this type of story but overall I thought it was a nice easy read. It’s not a book I’ll be rushing to read again but if you’re looking for something light it might be worth a try.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Book Review: Genie by Kitty French

October 6, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

Genie by Kitty French
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved the Piano Man Project by Kitty French’s chic lit alter ego Kat French so was excited to try this story. I like a good steamy novel with great chemistry between the leads and this is definitely that.

Genie is a burlesque dancer and more or less assistant manager in her uncle’s theatre. Abel is the owner of a chain of gyms who thinks the theatre will be perfect for his next club. He can’t stand “strippers” but when he sees Genie’s routine he can’t take his eyes off her much to his disgust. When Genie finds out he’s trying to take over the club she makes it her mission to stop him. Needless to say sparks really fly between the two of them. There is a lot of game playing, a lot of arguing and a lot of passion.

Both are pretty likeable characters. Genie is passionate about her job, her home and her family. She’s intelligent, caring and funny. Some of the tricks she plays on Abel are pretty funny but she is not keen on conflict so when she pushes him too far she does apologize.

Abel was a bit more difficult to warm to at the start mostly due to his attitude towards Genie and women in general. He’s definitely an Alpha male and a little bit full of himself. However as the story progresses and Genie shakes him up he becomes quite a sweet guy. I think it’s safe to say his mum has a lot to answer for.

For the most part I thought the book was well written. The pace is about right and there is a lot of chemistry as well as some humour. I loved some of the secondary characters, particularly the other burlesque dancers. The scene when Abel was showing round some potential investors when the dancers were teaching a class was classic. My one relatively minor criticism is that some of the more erotic scenes didn’t quite make sense but that’s maybe just me.

Overall I think this is one of those books that’s perfect when you’re looking for something light, a little bit funny and a whole lot steamy. I will no doubt be reading more Kitty (and Kat) French.

Book Review: Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan

September 25, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

It’s a bright sunny day in September and I’m reading a Christmas book but do you know what it’s absolutely perfect. I was so excited to get a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin that I had to read it immediately. The previous book in the Puffin Island series had a bit of a sneak peak at this one and based on that alone I knew I would love it. I was so right.

In previous meetings they have always seemed to rub each other up the wrong way but Alec comes to Sky’s rescue when she really needs someone. He takes care of her and takes her to his family home in the Cotswolds to make sure she’s OK. As they are forced to spend more time together the sparks flying between them could just set their relationship on fire but will one of them get burned.

I love Sarah Morgan’s books and for me this is one of her best books yet. Skylar and Alec were very likeable characters and I thought they had some great chemistry which in a book like this is by far the most important thing.

Skylar is bubbly, up beat creative, dreamy and smart. She knows what she wants out of life and isn’t afraid to go for it despite her extremely unsupportive family. She has the odd knock (mostly due to her family) but just keeps bouncing back. You can’t help but admire someone with that kind of resilience. Alec is dark, handsome, reserved, grumpy and secretly a knight in shining armour. He’s almost the opposite of Sky, shut off from the world and the possibility of love as a result of a past relationship that ended badly. He has some preconceived ideas about Sky which she proves to be completely wrong. The relationship between them is fiery to say the least but it also leads to some fantastic dialogue between the two of them which often made me laugh.

Despite being the third in the Puffin Island trilogy the story actually begins in the UK, in London and the Cotswolds, which I thought worked really well. It seemed so cosy and romantic spending time together with family in the countryside at Christmas. It also worked well in terms of shaking up Alec as he was subjected to the third degree by his parents and sister. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the holidays and was a little disappointed when they headed back to the states and Puffin Island.

Once they were back on Puffin Island I felt like the story slowed down a little. There was too much time spent trying to define their relationship without ever talking to each about it. The fire from earlier in the story seems to fizzle out a little and turn into angst. I also felt like there was too much time spent trying to bring in the characters from the previous books. It didn’t feel very natural to me but I’m sure loads of readers will be desperate to know how they are getting on.

The story does pick up again towards the end and I thought the conclusion of the story was perfect.

Overall it’s definitely a great romantic read for Christmas, or any other time of year.

Book Review: Some Kind of Wonderful by Sarah Morgan

July 18, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

Some Kind of Wonderful by Sarah Morgan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn’t too keen on this book at the start but somehow it managed to gradually sneak in and grow on me.

While I’d previously read other books by Sarah Morgan I hadn’t read the first in the Puffin Island series. However this book definitely works as a stand alone. There are updates on the characters from the previous book but the focus is definitely on Zach and Brittany.

Following an accident on an archaeological dig in Greece Brittany returns to her childhood home of Puffin Island to recuperate. She gets a shock however when it turns out the pilot flying her home is ex husband Zach. They’d married 10 years earlier as teenagers after a whirlwind romance but within a few days of the wedding Zach walked out leaving Brittany heart broken. Finding her ex husband living on the same small island she tries to be indifferent but as they keep bumping into each other her mask starts to slip and sparks fly. But is it really wise to get involved with the man with the troubled past and bad reputation who has already broken your heart?

The great thing about this book is that there is real emotion in it. The plot is not the most original and the ending is fairly predictable but it’s an enjoyable read. The interactions between Zach and Brittany are fairly hot and steamy and you can definitely feel the chemistry between them. There are a couple of parts that brought me close to tears and it definitely brought a smile to my face.

There was a lot at the start about and dotted throughout about how wonderful her friends were and how great the island was but I have to admit I found those parts a bit too saccharine for me and tended to skip on. I’m probably just bitter and twisted though.

Overall though it is what you expect, a light enjoyable read when you want to relax and escape from real life.

*Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book.

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