Category Archives: Comedy

December 16, 2020 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Flip Side by James Bailey

Title: The Flip Side by James Bailey
Publisher: Penguin (UK)/William Morrow Paperbacks (US)
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Comedy
Length: 354 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary (UK):

It’s love . . . what could go wrong?

When Josh proposes in a pod on the London Eye at New Years’ Eve, he thinks it’s perfect.

Until she says no.

And they have to spend the next 29 excruciating minutes alone together.

Realising he can’t trust his own judgment, Josh decides from now on he will make every decision through the flip of a coin.

Maybe the coin will change his life forever.

Maybe it will find him find the girl of his dreams . .

Review:

The Flip Side is a laugh out loud debut by James Bailey.

When Josh’s proposal to his girlfriend of four years culminates with the end of their relationship, he loses his job and his home as well. Uncertain where he went to wrong, he no longer trusts his judgment and decides to live his life by flip of a coin. Moving back in with his wacky parents, Josh hopes to soon find a new job and get his life back on track. In the meantime, he enjoys game nights at the local pub with his mates, Jessie, Jake and Jake’s boyfriend, Jake.  After a couple of comically disastrous dates, he decides to give up on love.  But as so often happens, Josh unexpectedly finds the woman of his dreams. However, through an unlucky set of circumstances, he loses her as quickly as finds her. With his friends cheering him on and with a flip of his coin, Josh decides to try and find her. Will fate finally be on Josh’s side as he attempts to locate the woman who might be the one for him?

Josh is absolutely stunned when his carefully planned proposal quickly goes awry. His parents (mostly) welcome him back home after the break up but his return is initially a little fraught.  While Jessie is supportive of his heartbreak, Jake pushes him to jump back into the dating pool.  Josh proves to be humorously inept as his dates hilariously, painfully and embarrassingly go wrong.  So when he meets his dream woman, he is surprised by how at ease he feels with her.  However, they are so busy talking Josh fails to get any of her details. When they are unexpectedly separated, he believes his chance at love has just slipped away. Thankfully, he does have a few clues that might help him locate her. With Jessie and Jake’s wholehearted encouragement,  Josh embarks  on a journey that might culminate with a happily ever after.

The Flip Side is a highly entertaining novel with a light-hearted storyline. The colorful cast of characters is a little eccentric but well-developed. Josh is not exactly the most optimistic person but who can blame him considering his current circumstances?? The search for his  dream woman is a zany adventure and Josh’s emotions run the gamut from hopeful to despair. With a couple of unanticipated plot twists,  James Bailey brings this funny debut to a heartwarming conclusion. I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend this clever and amusing novel to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Comedy, Contemporary, James Bailey, Rated B+, Review, The Flip Side, William Morrow Paperbacks, Women's Fiction

April 8, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

Title: You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Comedy
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

For fans of The Hating Game, a debut lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about two unhappily engaged people each trying to force the other to end the relationship–and falling back in love in the process.

Naomi Westfield has an Instagram-perfect life, including the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family every bride dreams of being a part of. They never fight, complain, or disagree. They’re preparing for their lavish wedding that’s three months away. And they are miserably and utterly sick of each other.

Tired of contorting herself to fit the ridiculous standards demanded by Nicholas’s family, Naomi wants out of the relationship. But there’s a catch: Whoever calls off the engagement will have to foot the enormous bill for the wedding. When Naomi finds out that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of wills to see who can annoy the other into surrendering through pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.

But now that they have nothing to lose, they’re finally being themselves. They’re having so much fun getting on each other’s nerves that it starts to feel like something else entirely. As Naomi discovers hidden feelings for Nicholas buried under three years of simmering resentment, she wonders if he feels the same way. Suddenly, the countdown to the wedding that may or may not come to pass feels more like a race to mutual destruction–and Naomi doesn’t want to be left alone at the finish line.

Review:

You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle is a laugh out loud debut about an engaged couple whose upcoming wedding hangs in the balance.

Naomi Westfield lives with her fiancé Nicholas Rose and the shine has definitely worn off their relationship. She is inching closer to calling off the wedding, but her future monster in law will make Naomi to reimburse her for expenses. So she devises a plan to try to force Nicholas to end their engagement, but she soon believes he  is trying to push her into calling it quits.  An absolutely hilarious game of one upsmanship begins but Nicholas ups the stakes considerably when he begins making out of character decisions.  Can Naomi and Nicholas salvage their troubled romance?

Naomi is a bit annoying initially as she keeps her resentment to herself and plots ways to torture Nicholas. Despite her discontent, she continues to present their relationship as picture perfect to everyone in her life. Naomi is tired of trying to keep the peace with her overbearing  future mother-in-law and much to Nicholas’ consternation, she does little to hide her bitterness. Zany antics ensue as Naomi’s filter is ripped away and she says whatever pops into her mind.

By all appearances, Nicholas is no prize as he ignores Naomi yet jumps to his mother’s bidding.  He refuses to say no to her and he treats her like a delicate flower.  Nicholas never defends Naomi when his mother attacks her nor has he stopped her from completely overtaking their wedding plans. After an unexpected confrontation with Naomi, Nicholas makes an impetuous choice that could make or break their fragile relationship.

While the first half of the novel is all about revenge and pushing buttons, the second half is more serious as Naomi becomes a little more reflective and less self-absorbed. She makes few startling admissions to herself as she contemplates her own choices and knee-jerk reactions.  She is rather surprised at the changes in Nicholas’ behavior but she remains suspicious he is sincere. Their days gradually become more peaceful as they become reacquainted and appreciative of one another, but will Naomi and Nicholas decide to stay together?

You Deserve Each Other is a witty romance that is a bit superficial in the beginning but hits its stride at about the halfway point. After the pranks finally end, Naomi and Nicholas settle into vibrantly developed, multi-layered characters who are quite appealing. Naomi allows her vulnerabilities to show and Nicholas proves to be thoughtful and caring.  Sarah Hogle brings this charming romance to a heartwarming and uplifting conclusion.  A fun read that I enjoyed and highly recommend.

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Filed under Comedy, Contemporary, GP Putnams Sons, Rated B+, Review, Sarah Hogle, You Deserve Each Other

September 9, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane

Title: Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Comedy
Length: 430 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Internationally bestselling author Mhairi McFarlane delivers a funny, romantic, heartfelt novel perfect for fans of Josie Silver or Sally Thorne, and anyone who loves Bridget Jones!

You always remember your first love… don’t you?

If there’s anything worse than being fired from the worst restaurant in town, it’s coming home early to find your boyfriend in bed with someone else. Reeling from the humiliation of a double dumping in one day, Georgina takes the next job that comes her way—bartender in a newly opened pub. There’s only one problem: it’s run by the guy she fell in love with years ago. And—make that two problems—he doesn’t remember her. At all. But she has fabulous friends and her signature hot pink fur coat… what more could a girl really need?

Lucas McCarthy has not only grown into a broodingly handsome man, but he’s also turned into an actual grown-up, with a thriving business and a dog along the way. Crossing paths with him again throws Georgina’s rocky present into sharp relief—and brings a secret from her past bubbling to the surface. Only she knows what happened twelve years ago, and why she’s allowed the memories to chase her ever since. But maybe it’s not too late for the truth… or a second chance with the one that got away?

Review:

Don’t You Forget About Me by  Mhairi McFarlane is a humorous, poignant and introspective novel of  healing and love.

Thirty-one year old Georgina Horspool has just been fired when she catches her boyfriend, stand-up comedian Robin McNee, in bed with another woman. Her family is less than sympathetic to her plight but her brother-in-law Mark gives her a lead on a short-term bartending gig.  Georgina is hired by Devlin McCarthy to work a wake and he ends up offering her a job at his and his brother Lucas’ newly refurbished pub.  Because of her history with Lucas,  Georgina hesitantly accepts the job and much to her delight, her life is on the upswing. But will Georgina’s tangled past with Lucas be her undoing? Or will she finally face the incident that has held her back all these years?

Georgina has a long string of waitressing, bartending and hostessing jobs under her belt.  Due to her financial insecurity and work history, she is well aware her family considers her to be a failure. Fortunately Georgina is surrounded by a supportive and encouraging circle of friends who shore up her flagging confidence.  While she is extremely close to Jo, Rav and Clem, Georgina has not revealed what happened to her during sixth form.

Georgina undergoes a great deal of growth in the aftermath of her firing and break up. Despite a year of counseling, she has yet to come to terms with events that occurred before and after entering university. Georgina starts to examine her lackluster love life and her relationship with her family and she is somewhat shocked by what she discovers. But before she can fully heal and move forward, she is heartbroken after an intense discussion with Lucas.  What path will Georgina take in the aftermath of his painful revelations?

Don’t You Forget About Me is a charming novel that is quite captivating. Georgina is an absolutely delightful woman who discovers she is much stronger than she thinks. Her journey of self-discovery is occasionally painful yet, in the end, gratifying.  Rav, Jo and Clem are endearing characters and their friendship is one of the story’s best features. Lucas is an appealing man but he is a bit enigmatic since he is somewhat aloof and keeps his own counsel. Georgina’s family is very frustrating and their lack of faith in her is somewhat demoralizing.  Mhairi McFarlane perfectly balances the heavier topics with light-hearted banter and humor. I positively adored and highly recommend this dazzling novel to readers who enjoy women’s fiction.

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Filed under Berkley, Comedy, Contemporary, Don't You Forget About Me, Mhairi McFarlane, Rated B+, Review, Women's Fiction

August 19, 2015 · 11:57 pm

Review: Ally Hughes Has Sex Sometimes by Jules Moulin

ally hughesTitle: Ally Hughes Has Sex Sometimes by Jules Moulin
Publisher: Dutton
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Comedy
Length: 288 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

When a buttoned-up professor and her unbuttoned daughter fall for the same irresistible man, a delightful, subversive comedy begins. . . .

Life isn’t easy for single mother Ally Hughes. Teaching at Brown, her class load is huge and her boss is a menace. At home, she contends with a critical mother, a falling-down house, and a daughter who never misses a beat. Between taking care of the people she loves, teaching full time, and making ends meet, Ally doesn’t have time for a man. She doesn’t date. She’s not into flings. But then she meets Jake, an eager student, young in years but old in soul, who challenges his favorite professor to open up her life, and her heart, to love. It doesn’t work. In fact, his urging backfires.

Ten years later, Ally’s still single. Jake reappears and surprises her in a brand-new role: He’s dating Ally’s now-grown daughter. In this hilarious, heartrending tale, Ally is finally forced to concede (not only to herself) that an independent, “liberated” woman can still make room in her life for love.

Review:

Jules Moulin’s debut novel, Ally Hughes Has Sex Sometimes, is a highly entertaining novel.  Alternating back and forth between past and present, this breezy, steamy read is a delightful older woman/younger man romance that is fast paced with appealing, likable characters.

Ally Hughes is a college professor raising her daughter, Lizzie, on her own. She is a single mom who has devoted her life to her daughter and she is not interested in dating. One weekend while Lizzie is away, Ally has a scorching hot fling with one of her students, Jake Bean. Not wanting the ten years younger Jake to tie himself down while in his early twenties, Ally pushes him away. Fast forward ten years and Lizzie is now grown up and on her own when Jake re-enters Ally’s life. He makes it clear that he would like to resume their relationship, but is Ally finally ready to take a risk on love?

Ally’s life has undergone a few changes in the intervening years, but surprisingly, her feelings for Jake remain the same. Currently on Sabbatical from her teaching position, she is grieving a recent loss while trying to guide Lizzie into taking a different career path. She has also reconnected with an old college friend and so far, she has resisted his efforts to take their relationship into a more romantic direction. After reconnecting with Jake, her attraction to him comes roaring back to life, but Ally is quickly distracted by an unexpected and potentially dangerous situation with Lizzie.

Jake’s life has gone in a radically different direction since he last saw Ally, but one thing has remained constant: his feelings for her. As soon as he realizes who Lizzie is, he carefully orchestrates a meeting with Ally who, of course, recognizes him immediately. Jake is upfront about his desire to pick up their relationship where it left off, but Ally continues to argue against them becoming involved again. Just as Jake is making a little headway with Ally, the demands of his career and the situation with Lizzie threaten to derail their fledgling relationship.

Ally Hughes Has Sex Sometimes by Jules Moulin is a quirky, fun novel that has a surprising amount of depth. The storyline is interesting and the characters are well developed and rather charming. Despite the slightly unrealistic aspect to Ally and Jake’s romance, it is an all around light-hearted love story that I highly recommend to fans of contemporary fiction.

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Filed under Ally Hughes Has Sex Sometimes, Comedy, Contest, Dutton, Jules Moulin, Rated B, Review, Romance

July 28, 2014 · 11:57 pm

Review: Lead by Kylie Scott

leadTitle: Lead by Kylie Scott
Stage Dive Series Book Three
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Comedy
Length: 256 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Stay up all night with the sexy rockers in Stage Dive, the epic New Adult series from New York Times bestselling author Kylie Scott, author of Lick and Play.

As the lead singer of Stage Dive, Jimmy is used to getting whatever he wants, whenever he wants it, whether it’s booze, drugs, or women. However, when a PR disaster serves as a wake-up call about his life and lands him in rehab, he finds himself with Lena, a new assistant to keep him out of trouble.

Lena’s not willing to take any crap from the sexy rocker and is determined to keep their relationship completely professional, despite their sizzling chemistry. But when Jimmy pushes her too far and Lena leaves, he realizes that he may just have lost the best thing that ever happened to him.

The Review:

Kylie Scott’s Stage Dive series, is, hands down, my favorite rocker series EVER! It just improves with each novel and the third installment, Lead, completely blew me away. It is an absolutely hilarious and achingly heart wrenching romance and I LOVED every single word of it.

Jimmy Ferris is the resident bad boy of Stage Dive and he has the addictions and out of control behavior to prove it. Having successfully completed another stint in rehab, Jimmy is on his last chance with his fellow band members so when he is in desperate need of yet another sober companion/personal assistant, they decide Lena Morrissey is just the woman for the job. Having recently sworn off men since her luck in the love department is abysmal, Lena pretty much gives up her personal life to keep Jimmy out of trouble, but her unexpected attraction to the sexy rocker puts their professional relationship in jeopardy.

Lena is my absolute favorite female character in the Stage Dive series. She is funny, saucy, sassy and she won’t take any crap off anyone. Not even Jimmy. No matter what he throws her way, she sets him straight and tells him like it is, or more importantly, she tells him how it is going to be. Lena’s inner dialogue is full of self-deprecating humor that is laugh out loud funny but it is also very poignant as she realizes that her feelings for Jimmy go beyond attraction. She tries to protect herself from getting hurt, but resisting Jimmy is virtually impossible.

Jimmy is closed off, brooding and so unbelievably vulnerable that it takes your breath away. He is arrogant and demanding, but with Lena pushing him, Jimmy’s rougher edges begin to smooth over. Jimmy reveals little about his demons, but with an incredible amount of patience and understanding, Lena gets him to open up about his dysfunctional past. Jimmy is slow to recognize what he feels for Lena and relationships are so far out of his comfort zone, he is at a loss at what comes next for him and Lena.

The relationship between Lena and Jimmy is slow growing and they form a somewhat uneasy friendship that Jimmy counts on to keep him on an even keel. He does not do well with change, so when Lena admits her growing attraction to him, Jimmy does everything in his power to help her get over him. Hilarity ensues but so does jealousy when Jimmy encourages Lena to get a personal life.

At this point in the story, there is an amazing amount of sexual tension between them, but Jimmy and Lena stubbornly refuse to give in to their desire. When they finally do act on their passion, their sex scenes are explosive, incendiary and scorching hot. Jimmy is no slouch when it comes to sexually satisfying Lena, but there is still room for improvement in his emotional education and just when their relationship should be turning a corner, they find themselves at another impasse.

Lead is incredibly emotional, laugh out loud funny and almost unbearably poignant at times. The characters are vibrantly developed, easy to relate to, and even when behaving badly (cough, Jimmy, cough), it is impossible not to like them. The plot is refreshing unique and watching Jimmy’s transformation from an emotionally distant and troubled rock star into a loving man willing to risk his heart is wildly entertaining and immensely gratifying. Kylie Scott continues to amaze me with this phenomenal series and I can hardly wait to read the next Stage Dive romance where it is finally Ben’s turn to find his happily ever after.

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Filed under Comedy, Contemporary, Kylie Scott, Lead, Rated A, Review, Romance, St Martin's Griffin, Stage Dive Series

June 18, 2014 · 11:57 pm

Review: Cop a Feel by Robyn Peterman

cop a feelTitle: Cop a Feel by Robyn Peterman
Handcuffs and Happily Ever Afters
Publisher: eKensingston
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Comedy, Mystery
Length: 325 pages/89,700 Words
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

When you get time off for bad behavior, romance is the last thing on your mind–but good old-fashioned lust is a whole different story. . .

Life undercover isn’t exactly one big party–not when you’re a DEA agent–but it sure beats a desk job. Except when you screw up big and someone has to go in and clean up after you. In that case, even paper-pushing sounds better than babysitting an erotic romance writer with as many enemies as there are euphemisms for “throbbing manhood.”

I’ve been taking down drug dealers for so long, playing bodyguard to a woman named Shoshanna Lehump sounds like nothing more than a giant pain in my ass– and being partnered with the gorgeous egotistical jerk I never should have slept with in the first place just makes a bad situation even harder–especially when he pursues me as diligently as we’re supposed to be chasing the bad guys…What’s a girl have to do to get a happy ending anyway?

The Review:

Cop a Feel is another wacky romantic escapade in Robyn Peterman’s hysterical Handcuffs and Happily Ever After series. In this installment, a puzzling mystery reunites several of the characters from previous novels and Candace “Candy” Sanderson and the mysterious Luke Blakely find their happily ever while guarding erotic romance author Shoshana LeHump.

Still recovering from the wounds she received in her last case, Candy’s newest assignment finds her going undercover as Shoshana’s assistant. Candy is a hardnosed DEA agent who does not believe in love and she is less than thrilled with her latest assignment. Her enthusiasm wilts even further when she learns she will be attending an erotic romance convention with Shoshana and that she will have to don some very sexy costumes in her role as Shoshana’s assistant. But the biggest shock is when Candy discovers that her newest partner is none other than her ex-lover, Luke, and her greatest challenge is resisting the über sexy agent who is determined to win her heart.

As with the previous books in the Handcuffs and Happily Ever After series, the plot and characters are a little absurd but that is what makes reading Cop a Feel so much fun. However, underneath the silliness, there are some serious undertones as Candy and Luke put their hearts on the line and overcome the tragedies of their respective pasts. The characters are introspective and their astute observations help one another put things into perspective. The mystery element of the storyline is easy to figure out, but it is still enjoyable watching the various characters put all of the pieces of the puzzle together.

Robyn Peterman good-naturedly pokes fun at romance convention with some very outrageous situations that made me giggle uncontrollably. Hands down, the best scenes in the novel involve… twerking. Truly unforgettable and absolutely priceless twerking.

The pièce de résistance of Cop a Feel is the fabulous epilogue which perfectly wraps all of the various couples happily ever afters. I have loved every delightful installment of this crazy series and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a delightfully raunchy story that has plenty of humor, sizzling hot love scenes and a whole lot of heart.

Read my reviews of the other novels in the Handcuffs and Happily Ever After series HERE.

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Filed under Comedy, Contemporary, Cop a Feel, eKensington, Handcuffs and Happily Ever Afters, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Robyn Peterman, Romance