Book Review: With A Friend Like You by Fanny Blake

REVIEW BY SANDRA, BLOGGING PARTNER

BLURB.

A wickedly funny look at a female friendship gone wrong-this is women at war!

Beth is a woman in supreme control of all aspects of her life and family, with a stellar career and her house an oasis of calm.

Her closest friend, Megan, is very different, somehow she swims through the chaos of her family with ease, the clutter on the stairs, the cat footprints on the kitchen workspace.

And while they could not be more different, Beth and Megan have a genuine friendship built on years of laughter, tears and a true understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

But when Beth’s daughter reveals a surprising secret, a wedge is driven between Beth and Megan. What begins as mild recrimination and misunderstanding develops into a full-blown row and then a simmering feud. As the two women square up to do battle in the London suburbs, there’s everything to play for.

Because when it comes down to it, all’s fair in love and war. Isn’t it?

                         REVIEW.

It’s nice that a book talks about what goes on around as so it’s easy to relate to. Interesting and funny, and it’s nice to hear the sides both sides of the story from the two leads Megan and Beth. To know what they are going through and their view on the same occurrence. Great choice for women to read, relate to, laugh and enjoy at the same time.

The two lead characters Beth and Megan, were lovely. Their view-points very distinctive from Beth’s pristine and immaculately clean household, to the way Megan exhibits grace-under-pressure in her mess of a life. Though it’s not really difficult to take sides of which woman you support since in your opinion the other’s finickiness makes her too much of a bitch. Won’t say who. A star to both.

Other  supporting characters like Jon, Beth’s caring and considerate husband and Pete Megan’s happy-go-lucky husband cannot go unmentioned. And their children: Ella the all in control model daughter and Amy the exact opposite of Ella (are Beth’s). Jake the irresponsible band guy, and Hannah his sister are Megan’s.

I love that reading this book was suspenseful. But it was a tad too predictable and I felt the storyline was stretched for no reason when it could have been cut short and still hold same significance.

On the whole, Everything is en pointe and interesting to read.

Rate: four stars/five stars.

With A Friend Like You is available on Amazon.

I recommend this book to all the women/mothers out there who are either a Beth (neater) or Megan (clutter) ‘cause you can’t be both. I recommend this book to anyone who loves Women’s Fiction that teaches and speaks on issues we all can nod our heads to.

My work not done. Handing over my review to Kobby so he can post on Goodreads.

Book Review: The Glass Kitchen by Linda Francis Lee

 REVIEW BY SANDRA, BLOGGING PARTNER

My Synopsis
 

A seven year old girl woke up tasting blue berries and peaches. And that was the beginning of what turned out to be her life? Or was it a curse? She didn't know, but it defined her. It was a mystery to everyone else but the Cuthcart family. It was called the Knowing. Knowing what? How to make delicious mouth-watering meals off head without being taught a thing? Or knowing exactly what to make before it was ordered? An extraordinary gift.

But the unfortunate happened and her Dad died, and soon after, her Mother’s broken heart failed to beat. The Cuthcart girls where devastated, orphaned at such young ages. Their grandma took them in and the ‘Knowing’ became intense with every passing day. She moved from single treats like cupcakes and pies to whole meals. Then her Grandma died her sisters moved away and continued with their lives and so did she. She married a two faced manipulating gold digger, who wanted her to be a normal woman. And so the knowing was shelved away, and she focused on playing the role of a politician’s wife. While the douche fucked her best friend and divorced her leaving her penniless.

She leaves for the Big Apple where dreams come true and slowly she lets the ‘knowing’ overwhelm her, and the magic is back in her life. But this time Portia Cuthcart enjoys the best meal of her life and this time it was not made by her, it came from love.

A twelve year old girl walks in on three sisters having a time of their life, the way her family never did after the death of her Mum. Her dysfunctional family, headed by a workaholic of a Dad, a rebellious teenage sister, an adventurous Uncle and a really strange Grandmother. A family desperately in need of fixing, and a good meal from the lady in the basement helps draw the family closer. But a family this ripped apart needs more than food to repair, some old wounds are opened, and scary skeletons pop out of the cupboard.

But the glass kitchen with its glass walls reflect the mistakes and heals a lot of wounds.



                                           Review
I loved this book, I know it sounds like a clichè, the way a lot of reviews start. I felt excited reading this book not only because I love food and I love cooking but I was amazingly drawn in.

The intensity with which the first chapter drew me in was amazing. It felt like a really nice movie from the box office. It flowed very fast almost running. And briefly telling the story of the ‘knowing’.
And then it slowed down and I began to really enjoy the book.

Portia was an amazing lead character in the glass kitchen. It would be fun to just wake up knowing what to make. Great Characterization. Ariel the extremely intelligent and witty Daughter of Gabriel Kane the weirdly handsome guy in an off-center way. And Miranda who is cute in her own extremely strange way.

To top it all of it had amazing recipes for all meal-loving people like myself.

You would love this book  by Linda Francis Lee

Rate : four stars /five stars

The Glass Kitchen is available on Amazon.

My work not done here. Handing my review over to Kobby so he puts it up on Goodreads.

Book Review: Soldiers' Wives by Fiona Field

Blurb: This page-turning soap opera interweaves the stories of three women trying to get to grips with military life.

Chrissie, orphaned young, finds solace in her career as a medic in the regiment, but will love for a married man prove her undoing?

Maddy, a brilliant Oxford graduate, is bogged down with a fretful baby and a super-ambitious officer husband. Will she be able to stand life as a regimental wife?

And Jenna - glamorous, bad girl Jenna, who doesn't believe in rules and regulations. Will she destroy her husband's career? Or will it destroy her?

MY REVIEW

 

I loved, loved this book. So you know throughout this review I’d be yelling at you to go get it.

It’s amazing when you pick chick-lit titles that focus on a group of women you’ve always been interested to read about. Hollywood Wives, Footballer Wives, Plastic Surgeon Wives, you name it. Then you read that title and you are enamored by these women you read about (except Plastic Surgeon Wives who go behind their husband’s backs because they are afraid to tell their husbands they aren’t the very best nose-job artisans). Soldiers’ Wives was no different. It’s nice reading about the backing forces behind these amazing heroes who constantly or occasionally fight for our lives when we are just waiting for that Friday night to go all crazy. What they are going through, their challenges, their high moments and even the very low moments when they can do nothing but constantly hit the bottle. Brilliant choice of topic.── ★

The execution of this book is worth-raving about, really. The storylines behind these Soldiers’ Wives. A bored mother with an Oxford degree who could have been a career woman but now spends time cleaning poop and attending club meetings listening to all the barracks gossip (Fab!). A medic who is wishing she could be more than friends with one married soldier (superb!). A bad girl turned soldier’s wife dealing with the strenuous rules in the military and trying her best to make it in life even though it means breaking a few barracks rules (spectacular!). These storylines well chosen by Fiona Field focusing on the different lives of very different women in various different positions in the army, bring an insightful and exciting variety to this book that makes it more entertaining than it would be if it had focussed on one Army-wife type. ── ★★

The three main characters were very-well developed. You’d love Chrissie for being so uptight and a fitness freak when you just want her to throw away all rules and dry-hump the married soldier she loves. You’d love Maddy for wanting more of life than being the shadow behind her husband and dealing with her baby’s colic. You’d love Jenna for wanting to be different and make it whatever way with whatever means even if it means destroying her husband’s career and cleaning out his bank account (OK, to be frank, I only loved her because she was hot).── ★★★

Supporting characters also make this worth-reading. Immi, the hilarious barracks clerk whose funny quotes and advice go a long way to help our main, Chrissie. Caro, the finicky gossip wife who’s considered the loose cannon amongst Sergeants’ Wives, helping Maddy with the latest gist and babysitting. Sonia, the mother who doesn’t approve of her son’s wife (Jenna) one bit. Phil, the medic who shares an interest in Chrissie’s taste for monochrome pictures and their soundtracks. Lee, the Zac Efron-lookalike soldier all you women would be dazzled by. All these characters made reading this title a blast.── ★★★★

Suspense on point. Humour on point. Sitting on the edge of your seat never seemed so exciting in war zones filled with cracking bullets and detonating explosives. It’s kind of the one trip to Afghan to notice the horrors of soldiers without actually visiting the place and losing a limb on the ultimate vacation. ── ★★★★★

My rating: Five out of Five stars.

You can get Fiona Field’s amazing Soldiers’ Wives on amazon.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves reading books concerning wives of certain professions. Anyone who wants to know what goes on in the lives of very different Soldier wives. Anyone who just wants their chick-lit field with real experiences of people sacrificing their lives doing the world’s shittiest jobs just to keep the food chain going.

My work not done here. Off to post my review on goodreads.

Book Review: On The Rocks by Erin Duffy

MY Synopsis.

I have wondered what wearing a $ 4000 Ivory strapless Vera Wang gown with a forty-foot train in all it's beautiful satin and lace glory, would feel like, No doubt it will feel like HEAVEN! But being dumped Via facebook was definitely not part of it, this is saying a lot with such a wild imagination as mine. Of all the worst ways to breakup with someone being dumped on the most popular social media while adorned in the most  gorgeous and expensive dress you would ever wear in your life has got to be right up there with being  jilted at the altar. It’s the worst. Can't Imagine.

You would know since your demented boyfriend of ten years decided that he would rather move to a desert half way around the world than spend the rest of his obviously pathetic life with you, after slipping a gorgeous emerald cut stone ring around her finger.

Six months later, still Thirty One with your maternity clock tick-tocking away and still fiancèless, you end up bitter, 30 pounds heavier, with a passionate relationship with the frozen section of the super market and the verbal communication skills of the kindergarten kids that you teach. Awesome right?

And I've not even mentioned, that your very psychotic Mum who is great at everything else especially being mean and annoying except being the Mum you always wanted,  would just not  burger off.  There’s a point in your life you wish mums could be dumped on Facebook too. Oh and your sister who has been trying to steal your shine like forever happens to be getting married when you are not. Apparently the world does not stop to grieve with you.

But it's good to know that with all the craziness going on in your life, you are brave enough to let your Godsend Bestfriend woo you into leaving your self-made prison and spending the summer at Rhode Island, which turns out to be just the thing you need to put your life back together. Enough to tell your jerk of an ex-fiance to go fuck himself, when he considered comparing you to a dog was the best way to convince you to give him a second chance, what a douche! And to make friends with the king of verbal sparring and a German hunk. Minus the bestfriend dating a married man drama and hideous fights, it turns out to be the best summer of your life. I guess magic does happen when you allow yourself to live again. Even though it involves kissing some frogs along the way. Yuck.

Story of Abby Wilkes life.

                               

                           MY Review


I was drawn in by this book from the get-go. Story line is on point, it gives great advice. Breakup is not the end of life,it wasn't for Abby and it should not be for anyone. Abby shows it as she gathers courage and moves on with her life. She allows herself to have fun again and explore the dating world out there. Such great advice to young ladies out there. This advice was not lost on me, and I am arming myself for the future. Lol. Am not hoping for a breakup, but breakups are a part of relationships, and you have to kiss some ugly, slimy frogs to find the one true prince. Hmmm sound advice, and all in Erin Duffy’s On the rocks.

Amazing characterisation in this book. I loved Abby the lead character soo much, and I am sure you would too.  Funny, interesting and awfully good at quipping and verbal sparring. I can’t mention sparring and forget Bobby the King of Verbal sparring, I fell in love with him. He is soo damn good, I found myself amused most of the time. Oh I was rooting for Abby to fall in love with him. Not forgetting Grace, who unfortunately falls in love with a married man, at least we get to see life from the point of the mistress of the married man. The book would not be complete if Abby's mum and sister were excluded. Gosh her mum, she is unbelievable, who wears a wedding gown to her daughter’s wedding? Not forgetting Wolf the German cutie. He is the best, he made me laugh soo hard my ribs hurt.

It's fun, hilarious and gives great advice. It's an amazing book. Just the thing for all ladies finding it hard to live after a horrible breakup. It's about time you lived your life! Start by reading this awesome book by Erin Duffy, I promise you would love it. Abby is in a better place than she would have been if she got married. She is happy and fulfilled, more importantly she is single and living her life.

I enjoyed reading this book soo much that more than once I went back to read an interesting part again and again. Nice work Erin. Thumps up.

Rate: four point five stars.

On The Rocks is available on Amazon.

Her work not done here. Off to make her post her review on Goodreads.

Book Review: An Open Marriage by Tess Stimson

MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine this: You are happily married for eight years. A husband who’s calm, and collected. A seven-year old daughter. You left your career as a fast-track journalist to settle with him, renounce the American Flag and accept the Queen and the Union Jack. You are happy, you keep telling yourself. But really, you are. It’s just sometimes it gets boring after doing the same  work-at-home blogger for eight years, in a new country with no friends.

Then you meet Charlie, who’s the exact type of woman you’d love to befriend. She’s your husband’s boss, she’s married and also has a kid. For nineteen years she’s also been doing this marriage thing after giving up her career for a more settled life with a husband who nags too much.

Set up play-dates for the kids, and make weekends couples dating. You are loving this whole foursome friendship thing. Food, wine, laughter, then one (really-drunken) night truth and dare and sex on the same couch.

Strange but sextastic. Your husband says don’t think too much of this. But really, how does this foursome thing go? It’s nice doing it with your husband, but locking eyes with another woman’s husband as you come (while he makes his wife come) is… fucking amazing! Yet, strange.

Rules are to be set. What are the limitations? No one said twosomes, or threesomes, or pushing your husband off you as things are getting more exciting. Before you know it all lines have been crossed. Your relationship with your husband, your friend, and his husband is at stake. Every couple is fighting. Then you begin to think, really, was it all worth it?

Mia and Charlie lives summed up for your delight in their very open friendship.

MY REVIEW

I loved, loved this book. So you know in this review, I’ll be screaming at you to get it!

(I was reading this book with a permanent smile on my face, then, “Oh, oh, oh, really? Wow.” I began lowering in my seat).The storyline is amazing! You all know I’m such a sucker for never-been-done storylines. Woman leaves career for another country, married for eight years, happy but marriage is in a rut, bored for monotony, seeks variety, meets husband’s boss who seeks variety too, couples on couch, couples on bed, dysfunctional relationships, disintegrating marriage…. Freaking fantabulous! It’s so new. I’m sure even if is there is a book (on this topic), there can’t be any book well-executed like Tess Stimson did this. I just jumped the band-wagon into Tess Stimson’s fan base (realizing she writes very unique Women’s Fiction). Throw clichés out the door!── ★

(There are some characters you’d love to watch. There are other characters you’d love to do. There are also other characters you’d love to watch do.) I so freaking loved Mia and Charlie if all friendships were like this, I do not know what would become of the world. But sometimes people have weird bonds (or bands for this matter) they share, and I loved how Tess Stimson portrayed the whole shebang of their partly dysfunctional, partly warm friendship. She nailed it when she represented their point-of-views in first-person descriptive. Two different women with different personalities but similar tastes. Tess Stimson splits them apart with first-person descriptive it’s so hard not to like them, and so difficult to even judge them. There’s no ‘Other-woman’, just another couple.── ★★

(Sometimes, men do play a key-role in society, “Atta husbands!”) The other mates of this scrumptious foursome, make this book worth reading. Kit and Rob, both different men. One going all the lengths to please his wife, the other going all the lengths to make his wife please him. I’ve never hated a character, ever, as much as I hated Rob. God, sometimes listening to him rant just made me feel like hitting my head against my study desk repeatedly. It’s amazing how Tess Stimson can portray one character very intensely to make you bloody-boil with anger. A star to fantastic supporting-character development.── ★★★

[Coworker: “Kobby, why are you smiling?”. Me: “It’s a great day after all.” Coworker: “Kobby, why are you smiling into the book and making thrusting moves with your pen’s flicker?” Me: “Gee, can anyone have some privacy in this office for once?” (storm out of the office)] The sex deserves a star. Really, it does. I’m the king of appreciating a good experimentation. ── ★★★★

I was practically on the edge of my seat from the suspense (what with the great sex and all too?). You never see any part of this book coming, Tess throws them at you so skilfully you never get to recover before another punch comes your way.

The lessons in this book, are off the roof! So many lessons Tess Stimson imparts with this story, and the very depressing thing she teaches that you just have to go along with because you have no choice (thanks to her excellent writing), is that no one should judge another. She lets you deduce your own lessons from this book with your own understanding/ life-experiences, but she kind of makes it difficult for you to judge anyone in such marital position because you really never know what’s with someone unless you be them. (And she makes you ‘be’ her two main characters by presenting the story in their point-of-views in first description). This is the book you women would all be discussing at your brunches, trying to shed more insights under hushed tones so people at the neighbouring tables don’t give you strange stares.── ★★★★★

I could go on and on, on reasons why you all should rush for a copy of this book. But aren’t the above reasons enough to tell you, you need a paperback of this book on amazon. Kindle really doesn’t do it justice. It’s the kind of book you would need to pick up from your shelf and hug once more.

My rating: Five stars.

You can get Tess Stimson’s amazing An Open Marriage on amazon.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to try something new. Anyone who loves their Women’s Fiction steamy and packed with lessons all women could relate to. Anyone who has even considered doing the Open thing or not. Anyone who’s a Tess Stimson fan as she doesn’t disappoint in this title too.

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads.