Book Review: It Had to Be You by Ellie Adams

Title: It Had to Be You
Author: Ellie Adams
Publisher: Corgi
Publishing Date: August 28th 2014
Length: 448 pages
Keywords: Adult, chick lit, romance, friendship, break-up, PR, London
Source: Publisher

The worst break-up ever . . .

Lizzy Spellman has been dumped. On her birthday. In front of all her friends. By the man she thought was the one. Someone even filmed it, so now she's a YouTube hit too.

. . . Could be the best thing that has ever happened to her

When she thinks things can't get any worse, she meets the rudest and most cynical man in the world, and finds a new reason for living. To prove him wrong.

Love does exist, and she's going to find it . . .

Summary by Goodreads

Lizzy Spellman is one of the funniest chick lit girls I've had the pleasure to accompany on her disastrous journey to happiness. We clicked on the first page when Lizzy is in this aweful costume and is called on stage to sing karaoke in front of a horde of wedding guests and get dumped by her boyfriend. And then a YouTube video of the whole scene goes viral. What a terribly awkward start to the story! Of course I was instantly hooked and couldn't wait to find out what else Ellie Adams had planned for her heroine.

Lizzy and Elliot are not your typical adorable chick lit couple. He's a grump. She is disappointed in men after being dumped in front of a huge crowd. The two are pretty different characters. Elliot is always disapproving and hesitant at letting people into his life, whereas Lizzy is bubbly and outgoing. You think Lizzy can break his shell?

IT HAD TO BE YOU is like a quick-witted and  modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. He seems so rude and unapproachable at first and Lizzy is instantly convinced that he's stuck up. Still, between misunderstandings and confusions a solid and beautiful friendship develops between the two. Their friendship makes up a good part of the story until they finally get a chance to test their romantic feelings for each other. Which was a welcome change to the love stories that feel too intense too fast. I could really use a sequel to the story so that I can find out what happens next in Lizzy and Elliot's love story.
Friendship in general is a brilliant aspect of this book. Poppet and Nic are Lizzy's best friends. And they are such fun friends who made the story a much more enjoyable read. As much as you want a happy ending for Lizzy, you want it for her friends, too.

Like many others of my favourite chick lit books IT HAD TO BE YOU is set in London. This very urban and colorful setting holds so many possiblities. One of them is Lizzy working in PR. And the PR work was hilarious. Usually, I'm not very into reading so much about what characters are doing at work every day, but Lizzy's job experiences really gave the book an uplifting and warm spirit. Lizzy's work scenes were probably my favourite part of her story. I couldn't count how often I texted a friend to share the hilarious jokes. They are too good not to be shared!

4,5/5 ****/* IT HAD TO BE YOU - This has to be it, your next chick lit read! 

Lizzy Spellman is a character you want to meet. She's funny. She's lively. And I could relate to her really well. Lizzy's awkward and hilarious situations, and secondary characters with actual,  outstanding personalities make IT HAD TO BE YOU an especially memorable read.  I read  Ellie Adams' new book in one sitting while on vacation. 

"On the night of the 30th Birthday Party of Doom, Lizzy Spellman learnt three things.

Number one: Camera phones are the worst invention in the history of womankind.

Number two: She was never going to get another boyfriend again. After drinking herself to death on Kumala white whine, her body would lie undiscovered for weeks until the semi-hot postman with the Three Lions tattoo on his calf noticed the bad smell, or someone realized that she hadn't been on Facebook for a while.

Number three: It's bloody murder going for a wee in a Henry VIII costume." ― p.7

IT HAD TO BE YOU you might enjoy YOU HAD ME AT HELLO by Mhairi McFarlane, IT FELT LIKE A KISS by Sarra Manning and CHASING DAISY by Paige Toon. Three stories about girls finding Mr. Right even if they havn't been looking for him in the first place.

* Ellie Adams also writes as Jo Carnegie. Read more about her 2013 release PARTY GAMES here.

* Click here to read  an excerpt of IT HAD TO BE YOU.

* Want to read an interview with Jo Carnegie? You can find it here.

* For more information about Ellie Adams and her books visit www.churchminster.co.uk.

* Thanks to Corgi for sending me a proof copy of IT HAD TO BE YOU for review!

Book Review: The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me by Laura Tait & Jimmy Rice

Title: The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me
Author: Laura Tait & Jimmy Rice
Publisher: Corgi
Publishing Date: July 3rd 2014
Length: 320 pages
Keywords: Adult, romance, chick lit, friendship, London
Source: Publisher

Everyone remembers their first love.
Holly has learnt that life isn't about seizing the moment. She might have harboured dreams about travelling the world as a teenager, but she let go of those - just as she let go of Alex.

But what if the feelings never really went away?
Alex wants to make every moment of his new job count. It's a fresh start in a new city, and he knows that moving to London has nothing to do with Holly. Well, probably.

How do you know if it was meant to be. or never meant to happen at all? 

Summary by Goodreads

In THE BEST THING THAT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice explore what everyone and especially every curious and devoted reader is wondering about. The what-ifs and could-have-beens in life. How could Holly and Alex's story turned out differently if Alex would've just listened to Holly declaring her feelings for him before they both left for college. Now after about 10 years not seeing each other they meet again. This is the start of a great second chance at friendship. And maybe even more?

Switching between chapters told from Holly and Alex's point of view and scenes set in 1999 and 2010, Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice are telling the story of two teens who have grown into two adults that have shared history and now meet again in London. So many of my favourite chick lit stories are set in London where anything is possible after all. 

Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice's writing fit together smoothly. It never felt like there were any inconsistencies due to the two authors working on the same story. They wrote their joined story with refreshing humour, wit and candor.

Alex and Holly are or have been in different relationships since the time they went to school together. Holly is with Richard now and she's happy. Isn't she? Alex is dating in London. So what's there not to be happy about? There is just as much about Alex and Holly's other romantic relationships as their own, so be prepared to wait some time for an update on their relationship status.
It was great to see that the old familiarity was still there between Alex and Holly and their old friendship rekindled pretty fast. But there were also new things to learn about the other, some that brought them even closer together than before. In the end I really enjoyed both sides of Alex and Holly's relationship, their romantic and friendly moments. Now are Alex and Holly best friends who are destined to be lovers or lovers who are better off friends? It will take us quite some time to find out in THE BEST THING THAT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME. 

I'm sure readers who enjoyed ONE DAY by David Nicholls will find a like in THE BEST THING THAT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME because of its honesty and its many facets in the relationship between a teenage girl and boy growing up to meet ten years later in London with more than one possible outcome.

4/5 **** THE BEST THING THAT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME - A funny and hopeful read to brighten your day!

Laura Tait and Jimmy Rice find just the right balance between Alex and Holly's 1999 and 2010 chapters to build a believable and well-founded friendship that sure has the potential to grow into a more affectionate and romantic bond. Laura and Jimmy are a British author duo not be missed. I'm really looking forward to find out what their next novel will be all about.

"'Hello, you massive, sad, old cat lady.'

As far as 'Happy birthdays' go, it's not THE friendliest I've ever had. It's Jemma saying it, though, and if I took offence at every offensive thing she said I'd constantly look like the dude on the bridge in The Scream painting." ― p.28

THE BEST THING THAT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME you might enjoy ATTACHMENTS by Rainbow Rowell, ONE PERFECT SUMMER by Paige Toon and ONE DAY by David Nicholls.

* "We have to submit our second novel to @harrietbourton one week today. Laura's chapters are annoyingly much funnier than mine JR" - Twitter update by Laura and Jimmy on August 4th 2014.

* Click here for an excerpt of THE BEST THING THAT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME.

*For more information about Laura, Jimmy and their books follow them on Twitter.

* Thanks to Corgi for sending me a copy of THE BEST THING THAT NEVER HAPPENED TO ME for review!

Book Review: You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sarra Manning

Title: You Don't Have to Say You Love Me
Author: Sarra Manning
Publisher: Corgi
Publishing Date: February 3rd 2011
Length: 555 pages
Keywords: Adult, romance, sex, friendship, weight loss
Source: Bought

Sweet, bookish Neve Slater always plays by the rules. And the number one rule is that good-natured fat girls like her don't get guys like gorgeous, handsome William, heir to Neve's heart since university. But William's been in LA for three years, and Neve's been slimming down and re-inventing herself so that when he returns, he'll fall head over heels in love with the new, improved her.

So she's not that interested in other men. Until her sister Celia points out that if Neve wants William to think she's an experienced love-goddess and not the fumbling, awkward girl he left behind, then she'd better get some, well, experience.

What Neve needs is someone to show her the ropes, someone like Celia's colleague Max. Wicked, shallow, sexy Max. And since he's such a man-slut, and so not Neve's type, she certainly won't fall for him. Because William is the man for her... right?

Somewhere between losing weight and losing her inhibitions, Neve's lost her heart - but to whom?

Summary by Goodreads

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME is my favourite Sarra Manning book so far out of all her YA and adult books. Even if Sarra's books don't sound like a perfect match for you, she makes them fit. I learned to give every book of hers a chance because in the end I could hardly say I disliked one word of her writing.

Neve is like this very real girl who could live in the flat above you or the nice girl who helps you pick up the stuff you accidentally dropped in the grocery store. She was so relatable it was no surprise I felt a strong kinship for her. She was unlike any other fictional chick lit girl I had met so far and I wanted her to be real so badly and be friends with her. Perhaps reading her story felt so emotional and real because she is dealing with a major issue so many women deal with today, losing weight and honestly evaluating your body image.

Max was the perfect male counterpart for Neve! Everyone keeps describing him a man slut. But we are granted the pleasure to know him a totally different way from the moment we meet him. He might be a tease, but he's honest and gentle and cuddly, and such a sexy sexpert. Neve wants to have Max in her life because he is so much more experienced than she is and she hopes he can kind of train her for her one true love, William. I can't imagine anyone being Team William after meeting Max first. William sends letters Neve's way, but any scene with Neve thinking about him or talking to him kind of lost me for the time it lasted. No wonder, because they didn't have Max in them, too. You can see he's my absolute favourite out of all the chick lit book boys.

The sex scenes that were a major part of Neve and Max's relationship long before feelings came into play, were some of the best I've read so far. I love how Sarra Manning took Neve on this adventurous experience of first real love and showed her how being loved, physically and emotionally could feel like, if you just found the right person. Every time Max and Neve got together my heart kept growing. Grab a copy of YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME and see for yourself how amazing their chemistry and love story is. 

5/5 ***** YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME – Yes, I do. Very much!

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME was my highlight in the end of 2013. Who would've thought I'd rush through this 555 page book in no time and fall in love with the characters so much that I still think about them when I finished the story months ago. When I muse what Neve and Max would be up to right now a cheeky smirk of the Max kind steals over my face. 

"'Not really much point in going to bed, is there?' Max shifted in his seat so his arm and leg were pressed against Neve's. 'I'm sure we could find something else to do to pass the time.' He said it lightly and with that cheeky little smirk so Neve decided not to take offence. She smiled instead, secure in the knowledge that there was every point in going to bed, alone, to sleep for a solid five hours."― p.29

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME you might enjoy UNSTICKY by Sarra Manning, THE LONGEST HOLIDAY by Paige Toon and HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU by Mhairi McFarlane. Three chick lit stories that are whatever you need them to be. Smart, sexy & sweet.

* Have you read IT FELT LIKE A KISS yet?

* Click here to read an excerpt of YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME.

* For more information about Sarra and her books visit www.sarramanning.co.uk.

Book Review: It Felt Like A Kiss by Sarra Manning

Title: It Felt Like A Kiss
Author: Sarra Manning
Publisher: Corgi
Publishing Date: January 30th 2014
Length: 576 pages
Keywords: Adult, romance, chick lit, media scandal, art, London, Paris
Source: Publisher

Meet Ellie Cohen, one of the most perfect girls in London.

Ellie manages a swank Mayfair gallery, but it’s her life that’s a real work of art. Great job, really good hair, loyal friends, loving family. It’s only her succession of lame duck boyfriends that ruin the picture.

Oh, and the world-famous rock-star father she’s never met, who won’t even acknowledge her existence.

Then Ellie’s perfect life is smashed to pieces when her secret is sold to the highest bidder and her name, face (and pictures of her bottom) are splashed across the tabloids. Suddenly everyone thinks she’s a gold-digging, sex-crazy, famewhore.

Enter David Gold. Charming and handsome David Gold. On paper he’s even more perfect than Ellie, if only he wasn’t her father’s ruthlessly ambitious lawyer whose job is to manage the crisis – and her. He certainly doesn’t think that Ellie’s the innocent party and she doesn’t trust him at all. So why is it that every time they’re alone together, damage limitation is the last thing on their minds?

Summary by Goodreads

  

Ellie the party girl. Ellie the slut. Ellie, illegitimate daughter of UK music legend Billy Kay. These are labels used to describe our twenty something Ellie Cohen. Something made up by the press. And that when only a few weeks ago her life might not have been perfect, with her row of lame duck ex boyfriends, at least it went in the right direction. Everyone saw her for the friendly and always obliging Jewish girl that she is. IT FELT LIKE A KISS shows you what it means to become a victim of the press, the pawn in a game of celebrities. How could all that happen to Ellie in only a matter of days?

Very short chapters, 1-2 pages in between are providing the background story to Ellie's parents falling in love. Set in 1986 they are about two music obsessed, rebellious young adults who get together, write songs and more... What had to happen to the two that they can't even look at each other anymore?

Everything that included Ellie's family and her friends felt very familiar and comfortable. Seeing Ellie together with her mother or grandmother for example only showed what a warmhearted and loyal person she is.
And the more scenes about her job at a fancy art gallery the better. I'm interested in art myself so I wasn't at all averse to glimpse what's happening in the business and experience Ellie's view on new artists. Her colleagues are always good for playful banter even when things don't look so good.

IT FELT LIKE A KISS does have a love story between Ellie and her father's lawyer David, but I wouldn't say it's the story's biggest asset. The story's focus is more on the press scandal and everyone judging Ellie. No matter how good your intentions, how clean your record, people always find a way to turn something innocent into something ugly. Ellie's story highlights the conflict of individual versus press, money versus reputation,  privacy versus public humiliation. It was insane to follow the workings of the media machinery, scary to see what could happen if you gave the press one tiny piece of information, how out of control everything can spin.

IT FELT LIKE A KISS is set in London, with a short trip to Paris. The love story was beautiful, free and steamy in those few Paris chapters (my favourites!). In the London chapters before, David, the handsome lawyer of Ellie's father, is much too inactive and withdrawn for too long. He was a very rigid character whose description was appealing but sometimes a bit harsh. I could've seen a much swoonier, gentle love interest in this story. Like Ellie I didn't get his whole lawyer attitude at all. When I finally sensed something changing in him and I saw a chance to root for him, the story was nearly over.
There are sex scenes and they were so good. Unfortunately, they only make up a very small part of the story. A bit less on the "story foreplay" front and more scenes of the romancy, horizontal kind would have been a blast.

I've only read two other of Sarra's books and am slowly noticing that some of her characters have guest appearences in her other books. How fun!
Vaughn and Grace, Ellie's boss and his wife, have frequent appearances in IT FELT LIKE A KISS. They are the main characters in Sarra Manning's already published adult romance UNSTICKY which I haven't read but am now dying to. How fortunate that I ordered a copy of it a few weeks ago.

4/5 **** IT FELT LIKE A KISS - Sarra Manning is your pick if you are looking for the best writer of sexy times!

Sarra Manning's hot and intimate romance scenes are addictive. She's a writer who has the sense for a witty and fun story that's enriched with hilarious and thoughtful characters of all kind. I'm a fan of both her YA and adult books and like always I can't wait to find out what new project she's working on.

"Or she hoped he was laughing because tears were streaming down his face and now that she was sprawled across him, she could feel him shaking. "I have never had to work so hard to get a girl undressed." His choked laughter eased to a chuckle."I had a whole seduction routine planned." ― p. 359

IT FELT LIKE A KISS you might enjoy LITTLE WHITE LIES by fellow Brit author Katie Dale. This is YA and it's darker and more mysterious, but it's about a huge media affair, too. If you haven't read UNSTICKY by Sarra Manning yet, you might want to get to know Vaughn and Grace better and enjoy their own love story. JOHNNY BE GOOD by Paige Toon comes along with the romance between a hot rock star boss and his assistant.

* Can't get enough of Sarra Manning's books? Then you don't want to miss YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME!

* Click here for an excerpt of IT FELT LIKE A KISS.

* Visit www.sarramanning.co.uk for more information about Sarra and her books.

* Thanks to Transworld Publishers for sending me a copy of IT FELT LIKE A KISS for review!

Giveaway 

Thanks to Transworld Publishers I'm giving away a copy of IT FELT LIKE A KISS. The giveaway is open internationally and ends March 15th 2014.

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