This is a doorstop of a book, three very different, female protaganists, none of whom I particularly
liked. Lily, who winds up ending her relationship with the love of her life, in a self fulfilling prophesy, through guilt at stealing him from Gemma, who can't get over losing him and plotting to get him back and Jojo, probably the least unlikeable, also riddled with guilt because of her affair with her married boss. It was an excellent book, although I found the idea of a 60 something woman falling completely apart when her husband leaves her hard to believe, as I don't know any one who would react in that way. Because I didn't like the main characters, I nearly stopped reading, but I'm glad I didn't as most of the other characters in it were people I would enjoy meeting. (Apart from the abandoned wife!) Definitely won't be going back to this one.

Another Keyes, another long book. But unlike her other stories, which I can find painfully full of pointless detail, this one at least was spread amongst 3 different people, so if one was annoying, it wouldn't be too long before another one came in. But unfortunately, 2 out of 3 protags were annoying.

Protag #1 is a whiny, revenge-seeking crazy-person whose boyfriend moves to London (from Dublin) and then hooks up with her friend. Please, like you weren't going to break up anyway. Her father leaves her mother and for some reason, her mother becomes and helpless slag and she has to take care of her.

Protag #2 is the women the boyfriend left Protag #1 for and she is an insecure dreamer who writes some book and sells it to Protag #3.

Protag #3 is a book agent. She was my favourite as she took no shit from anyone, even though she was sleeping with a co-worker. She has a melt down near the end, which is kind of annoying, but luckily, she moves past that quickly and gets back to her normal self.

Protag #1 writes a book as well about her parents but only wants Protag #3 to rep it because she reps Protage #2 and she wants to bring her down because she stole her boyfriend. I hate shit like this automatically. Why does anyone want to be with someone who doesn't want to be with them in the first place? MOVE ON! Blah.

Grade: C-

I didn't enjoy this one as much as "Sushi for beginners." For whatever reason, the characters of this novel were not as easy to sympathize with--I spent a good deal of time wanting to smack the three leading females...or at least try to re-make their lives.

I was so happy to discover a Marian Keyes book I hadn't read -- and it did not disappoint. Laugh out loud funny and meaningful, too.
I've read through a number of reviews, and the people who didn't like the book said they didn't like the characters -- one was stupid, one was whiny...etc.
It seems to me that a theme in many (if not all) of Keyes' books is the maturation process of her characters. So yes, some do start off as whiny or naive, or "stuck," but there is a sudden and unexpected occurrence that sets off a chain reaction with which the characters have to cope -- a good deal of the humor comes from their lack of ability to cope -- but eventually they figure it out, yet they never lose the essence of who they are -- they just become more fully themselves. I'd love my life to work out like a Marian Keyes character's does.

A reread in preparation for her new book. Her books are always a lovely cozy, funny balm for my soul with characters I miss after.

Firstly, I would just like to boast that I read this 600+ page book in ONE DAY. Completely, started it in the morning, finished in the evening. And so if I managed to do that, it must have caught my interest. And, well, yes it did. I was never bored, I just kept reading and reading, sucked into the stories of these three women. BUT it's the kind of book that I probably wouldn't choose to read again, nor will I remember much of it in a month's time. And now comes complaint time, because I found I didn't really relate to any of the three characters, and they all did things that really annoyed and frustrated me!
Firstly, Lily. I've always found it slightly distressing, actually, to read or watch characters who have no idea about managing money go about wrecking their lives. I just cannot fathom why you would buy an expensive house when you did not have a fixed, steady income to pay back the loan - but worse than this is the fact that even though they were broke, they went out on a shopping spree in a ridiculously expensive store, never mind the consequences of THE BANK TAKING THE HOUSE. It just reminded me of watching Middlemarch, when Tertius and his STUPID wife kept on spending well beyond their means, and she just didn't get it. Yes, like I said; it makes me distressed.
And Gemma...well Gemma wasn't too bad, apart from her obsession about a boyfriend she had YEARS before, who was 'stolen' by her best friend, oh, and the awful way she treated Owen.
But most annoying was Jojo (and no, it wasn't just her name!) who, apart from doing something I completely disagree with on moral and stupidity grounds, sounded like an adolescent for most of her parts of the story. I understand the author trying to give each of the characters different voices, but is it really realistic to have a 33 year old intelligent career woman saying 'like' and 'you know' every tenth word? And things weren't 'very' tempting, oh no, they were 'way, WAY' tempting, like, you know?
Hmmm...but I still read it all in one day!

This book was full of potential, but the characters were AWFUL. It could have been really funny.

Gemma - she was bearable, but so, so bitchy. Anyone out there saying "but woman are bitchy" - you've seen nothing yet. She's so hung up on losing her man that she considers his daughter "half mine". I'm rereading this just because I'm busy and still want to read - can put this book down easily.

Lily: she and her partner Anton were unbearable. I don't live in the real world per se, being just 18 and living at home, but I know that buying Jimmy Chos and renovating with no money is so stupid. Wondering where the money is, that's even worse. That poor little girl, it'll be a miracle if they send her to school, they might decide to build a rocket using tuition fees

JoJo: I didn't mind her, I found her story was written well. I'm not a fan of affairs but I think JoJo handled her cards well.

Gemma's Mam: I can't stand to read pages with her. I refuse. She is an idiot. Yep, her husband left her for another women.my parents were together a long time too when they split. My mum managed to get dressed and survive without fake heart attacksAND she pays bills!! My god!! Gemma's Mam was so out there and ridiculous, of the people I've encountered - divorcees and widows - no one carried on half as bad as Gemma's Mam.

Gemma's emails were. Rude and unfunny, don't know how Susan deals. 1/5, thanks to JoJo.

What a welcome respite from the heaviness I’ve seemed to be reading lately. This is a not-quite-chic-lit book, and the characters, what characters they are! This is my first experience with Marian Keyes, and I have to read more. This particular novel takes place in Ireland and London (as I suppose most of her work does), and I loved reading all the English and Irish slang. She created some wonderful characters, male and female, all ages. My favorite character in this book was the 2-year old Ema, who reminds me so much of my own 3-year old, always coming through with something hilarious to bring joy back into joyless situations. Here’s an example: (To set the scene, Ema’s mother Lily is speaking - she is in the throes of writing a charming new book about the joys of life, and she tries it out on her own mother and Ema.)


That first night I read what I had written to Mum and Ema.
“Darling, it’s adorable,” Mum said.
“Dirty,” Ema agreed. “Filthy.”
Another passage:

Daily, I continued to write, the words pouring from me, and every night, when we put Ema to bed, I read that day’s work and Mum raved about it. Ema, too, offered comments. (“Jiggy.” “Seedy.” “Farty.”)

Funny stuff! I also loved the Russian neighbor Irina who works at the make-up counter. I felt like I could go on reading about these characters for much longer than the 500+ pages Keyes delivered.

I’m not offering much in the way of plot lines here, but the book really gets into the publishing industry, which I found fascinating. It illustrates the relationships between authors (hopeful and already signed), their agents, the publishers, and the readers who love or hate them.

Fantastic and Fun!

This has never been my favourite genre, but Keyes writes a damn good story! What usually puts me off of 'chic-lit' is how man obsessed the characters are - as if finding true love is the only thing of any importance in their world. But not so here.

This is the story of three women. Lily is living with Anton. Gemma used to be with Anton. Jojo is a literary agent representing them both. Gemma's Dad has walked out on his Mum. Jojo is sleeping with her boss. Lily has writer's block. And essentially that is it! But it is written in such an entertaining way, with plenty of laughs and OMG moments. And while Man troubles do beset the characters, it definitely isn't the 'be-all-and-end-all' of their lives.

I have to admit to not liking Gemma to start with, and really not liking her Mum, who seemed too dippy for words, but she did grow on me towards the end. I kind of liked her attitude. I loved Jojo - who wouldn't want to be described as Jessica Rabbit?!?! - and really liked how her story progressed. Lily - hmmm - a hard one as, to be honest, her story seemed the least focused, but again, I liked her ending.

So overall, highly recommended reading - a chance to enjoy something light and entertaining.

Gemma is still recovering from the heart-break of her best friend stealing her boyfriend when her father ups and leaves he mother after 35 years of marriage, to top it off, said boyfriend stealing ex friend has just released a book, something Gemma has dreamed of doing for years.

Lilly still reels from the agony of loosing her friend Gemma after meeting her soulmate, Gemma's ex boyfriend Anton. With a small baby and a book just published, she has a lot on her plate when Anton decides they should buy a house together.

Jojo is the most successful book agent at her agency and poised to be made partner, if only she can outsell the slimy Richie Gant and keep secret the affair she is having with the managing partner.

Another charming story by an author I have come to love. I got this on audiobook and loved the narration.

Marian Keyes manages to win my heart again.
After reading my first of her novels a few months ago, I thought this is an author I need to read more of.
After now reading three books, I can safely say Marian is one of my favourite authors. I don't often read chick lit, but when I do I generally lean towards books set in the UK/Ireland.
This one in particular peaked my interest because it was set around two authors and an publishing agent. Being someone interested in that sort of job (and studying editing and proofreading at the moment) I generally find myself picking up those kinds of books.
But what really won me over, these girls are REAL. They have their flaws, they can be bitchy, feisty, deceitful... but they have good hearts.
The mother in Gemma's story was overbearing, annoying and was wayyy too dependant, but she was REAL. And I know that I've enjoyed a book when I am thoroughly and intensely frustrated with one of the characters, because everyone feels that way in real life about at least one person they know.
I love Jimmy and was so glad the ending worked out the way it did.
There were a lot of moments where I was completely shocked and moved by the story, Marian has yet again managed to influence me and make me feel as though I am a part of the story and these people are my friends.
I intend on buying every single one of her novels for my collection and look forward to reading another MK book asap.

I do so enjoy Marian Keyes' books; they're thick and full of real people and a combination of everyday and extraordinary circumstances, and I am always at least curious about how things will come out, if not actively caring.

This one involved three protagonists, and the bookjacket blurb drew a few links between them, and I expected there to be a big encounter between the three of them, but they seemed never to be in the same room at the same time. It read like three books loosely knitted together into a single novel, with publishing being the unifying thread. Not that I didn't enjoy it, but the "only sort of" linking didn't quite work for me. It didn't feel as polished as some of her other stuff, and the varying POV's (two first-person, and one third-person) felt awkward in some ways.