#BookReview The Love Shack by Jane Costello

The Love Shack
by Jane Costello

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance
Publication: 2015
Format: Paperback, 484 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

Life's great when you're 29 years old with a gorgeous girlfriend and fulfilling job. Until you have to move back in with your mum . . .

Dan and Gemma have found their dream first home, but the asking price is the stuff of nightmares. The only way they'll ever save enough for the deposit is by moving in, rent-free, with Dan's mum.

It's a desperate solution, but it's only for six months. And Gemma's determined to make it work, no matter how bad things get.

But between Dan's mum's kitchen karaoke, her constant innuendos, irrepressible argumentative streak and - worst of all - her ham and pineapple curries, life back at home would test the patience of two saints. Which Dan and Gemma most definitely are not.

Then, as they're trying to convince themselves it will all be worth it, Gemma's past comes back to haunt her. And suddenly the foundations of their entire relationship are shaken to their core…

Gemma and Dan finally found their dream house, but unfortunately, it was not within their budget. To save money, they decided to move in with Dan's mom for six months. This may not be the best arrangement for the couple, but Gemma was determined to make things work.

The Love Shack was written in both Gemma and Dan's point of view. I usually love alternating point view since I get to understand what both parties are feeling, but in Gemma and Dan's case, it can get a bit confusing. Like in one of the chapters where it was supposed to be in Dan's/Gemma's point of view, but there was a bit of mixup.

I'm a fan of Jane Costello's books, but The Love Shack is definitely not one of my favorites. It has such a good premises, but I thought the book was too long and too plain. The humor wasn't as humorous. The supporting characters weren't memorable. There wasn't much characters development despite the book being too long. I couldn't really enjoy this book and I have to force myself to read to finish this book. Overall, I'm disappointed.  I was so relieved when I finally finished. 

#BookReview: The Time of Our Lives by Jane Costello

The Time of Our Lives
by Jane Costello

Genre: Women's Fiction, Chick Lit
Publication: March 25th, 2014 by Simon and  Schuster
Format: Paperback, 496 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Imogen and her friends have had their fill of budget holidays, cattle-class flights and 6am offensives for a space by the pool. So when one of the group wins a VIP holiday at Barcelona's hippest new hotel, they plan to sip champagne with the jet set, party with the glitterati and switch off in surroundings of unapologetic luxury. But as they mingle with movie stars, mafia bosses and millionaires, it becomes clear - with riotous consequences - that even in the most glamorous of locations, things can go wrong.

The Time of Our Lives is about Imogen and her best friends, who went on a holiday after one of them wins a VIP holiday at Barcelona's hotel. But it seems that their holiday is not going as they planned. I love Jane Costello's books for her writing style and humor. But I find that I didn't enjoy this book as her other books. 

The Time of Our Lives has a really good premise. I love the idea of the three best friends going on  a holiday, doing a few crazy stuffs and having fun. I am a bit irritated with Imogen and the phone calls from work that always interrupt their vacation. I want to see the best friends to really have fun on their holiday. But still, I do enjoy Imogen's conversations with her boss and how they were trying to figure out the new crisis at work.

Jane Costello never fails to make me laugh with her books. Imogen and her friends, Meredith and Nicola are fun characters. They went through a few mishaps on their stay, but that didn't stop them from enjoying the vacation. If you love chick-lit which feature friendship, a bit of drama and romance that will surely make you laugh, you should definitely read this book. 

Review: The Wish List by Jane Costello

The Wish List
by Jane Costello

Genre: Romance, Chick Lit, Humor
Publication: April 2013, Simon & Schuster UK
Format: Paperback, 496 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

There are six months left of Emma Reiss's twenties. . . and she has some unfinished business.

Emma and her friends are about to turn thirty, and for Emma it's a defining moment. Defined, that is, by her having achieved none of the things she'd imagined she would.

Her career is all wrong, her love life is a desert and that penthouse apartment she pictured herself in simply never materialised. Moreover, she's never jumped out of a plane, hasn't met the man she's going to marry, has never slept under the stars, or snogged anyone famous - just some of the aspirations on a list she and her friends compiled fifteen years ago.

As an endless round of birthday parties sees Emma hurtle towards her own thirtieth, she sets about addressing these issues. But, as she discovers with hilarious consequences, some of them are trickier to tick off than she'd thought…

Emma found a list  of things she wanted to do before she turned 30 and decided to achieve things on her list within six months before her big birthday.

I always love Jane Costello’s books. Her writing was very easy to get into and her characters are very likeable. Emma was no different. I love her right from the start and enjoyed her adventure to achieve things on her list. I love Emma and Matt’s chemistry. Their relationship at the beginning was absolutely funny! I thought that this book would be focusing more on Emma completing her wish list, but I guess it was more than that. While Emma did tick off  the things on her list (not all of them),it was great to see how Emma grew up just a little bit at the end of the story. 

The Wish List was a good chick lit read with fun plot and laugh out loud humor. Totally recommended for chick lit fans.

Review: All the Single Ladies by Jane Costello

All the Single Ladies
by Jane Costello

Genre: Chick Lit, Humor, Romance
Publication: July 2012
Format: Paperback, 496 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Samantha Brooks’ boyfriend has made a mistake – one everyone knows he’ll live to regret. Jamie, the love of her life, has announced he’s leaving, out of the blue. Jamie is gorgeous, loving, intelligent and perfect for Sam in every way but one – he’s a free spirit. And after six years in one place, doing a job he hates, he is compelled to do something that will destroy his relationship with Sam: book a one way flight to South America. Only Sam isn’t giving up without a fight. With Jamie clearly still in love with her, she hatches a plan to make him realise what he’s giving up. A plan that involves dirty tricks, plotting and a single aim – to win him back. Only, by the time the tortured Jamie finally wakes up to what he’s lost, a gorgeous new pretender has entered Sam’s life. Which begs the question . . . will she still want him back?

Samantha Brooks had recently broke up with her boyfriend, Jamie. And Sam knew that he was making a big mistake—to book a one way flight to South America—when clearly, he was still in love with her. So, she made a plan. Sam pretended that she was doing okay without Jamie, and that her life was moving on without him. She tried to make  him jealous, but Jamie can’t seem to make up his mind. But when Sam met this gorgeous guy, she wasn’t sure if she wants Jamie back.

I love Jane Costello’s books. Her writing was very easy to get into and her characters are very likeable and relatable from the beginning. I love Sam. She’s funny and easy going. Although, there are times when I got frustrated at what she was doing. The secondary characters were very likeable and their stories made the book a lot more fun. All the Single Ladies was a very good read. It was a light read with lots of laugh out loud moments. I would definitely recommend this book to chick lit lover.

Review: The Nearly Weds by Jane Costello

The Nearly Weds
by Jane Costello

Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary, Humor, Romance
Publication: February 2009
Format: Paperback, 419 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

What’s the worst thing that could happen to a blushing bride?

After Zoe is jilted by her fiancé Jason, she’s unable to face the pitying looks of her friends and family any longer.

Fleeing to America, she is employed as a nanny by the moody, difficult, but devastatingly sexy, single dad Ryan.

She quickly wins over his children, but her boss is more of a challenge. Things aren’t helped, of course, by her inadvertently displaying her knickers to his colleagues or nearly hospitalising him with a toy bow and arrow.

Thank God she’s got her colourful circle of friends to keep her sane: fun-loving Trudie, hippy Amber and chilly, tight-lipped Felicity.

It is only over time that Zoe and Ryan begin to understand each other and their apparently ill-fated relationship takes on a new dimension.

There’s just one problem, as Zoe soon discovers: that the past isn’t always easy to escape, no matter how far away you go.

Zoe Miller’s boyfriend stood her up on her wedding day. Unable to face her friends and family, Zoe flew to America to be a nanny to Ruby and Samuel. But Ryan, the single father was not easy for her. Just as Zoe, Ryan and the kids started to get along very well, Zoe’s past caught up with her.

I love this book. The Nearly-Weds is definitely one of my favorites from Jane Costello. It’s very entertaining and funny. I just can’t put down the book. The Nearly-Weds was told in Zoe’s point-of-view. Zoe’s a likeable character. She’s tough, caring and funny. She can be serious and fun. I love how she’s with Ryan’s kids. Ruby and Samuel were great supporting characters. They made the book a lot more entertaining. And Ryan… He’s hot. He wasn’t very friendly at first, but after a while, he began to show who he truly was. I love those arguments between Zoe and Ryan. They are mostly funny!

The Nearly-Weds was very predictable. But I still enjoyed the story very much, which is why I’m giving the book a 5 stars! I would recommend this book to those who were looking for an easy read with tons of laugh out loud moments.

Review: Bridesmaids by Jane Costello

Bridesmaids
by Jane Costello

Genre: Chick Lit, Romance, Drama
Publication: May 2008
Format: Paperback, 419 pages
Source: Own
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

With less than an hour to go before her best friend, Grace, is to walk down the aisle, Evie is attempting to fulfil her most important bridesmaid role: to deposit the bride at the start-line at the appointed time. But with a bride famed for her chaotic sense of time, and the bride's daughter busy mashing Molton Brown into the expensive hotel carpet, minus underwear, the odds are stacked against her . . .

At least she has her new 'chicken fillet' boob-enhancers to make her feel special. That is, until these are spotted poking over the top of her dress. So spotted by Jack - the most ruggedly attractive man Evie has ever laid eyes on. Evie is twenty-seven; a sparkly, down-to-earth journalist. She has never been in love and has started to fret that she never will be. Small wonder, then, that the prospect of being bridesmaid at no less than three impending weddings is one that fills her with trepidation.

Things get worse when Evie learns that Jack is her friend Valentina's date. Valentina is beautiful, shallow and self-obsessed. Her dates tend to be mirror-images. Which can mean only one thing: Jack can't possibly be as good as he seems. But as they sit together talking late into the night, Evie finds herself yearning to believe he's all real.

In Bridesmaids, Evie has never really been in love. Her relationships with her exes doesn’t last very long. And this year, she’s the bridesmaid at three weddings. It was on Grace, her best friend’s wedding that she met the handsome Jack. Then she found out that Jack was her friend, Valentina’s date. Knowing the type of guy Valentina tend to date, surely Jack can’t possibly be as good as he look. But when Evie constantly met Jack at different weddings, Evie learned that Jack was not what she thought he might be.

This book was very enjoyable. It was hard to put it down once I start to pick it up. It kinda reminds me of why I started to read chick lit years ago. The romance, the humor (yes, I’m a big fan of rom com) and the characters. Evie was a wonderful character. I love most of her dialogue.  They are mostly funny. And even though there are a few embarrassing moments for Evie, it doesn’t sound too forced. Bridesmaids had the right amount romance, humor and drama. I love the friendship between Evie, Grace, Georgia and Valentina, although Valentina usually drives me crazy. I would definitely recommend Bridesmaids to those who were looking for a light and humorous read.

Book Review: Girl on the Run

Girl On The Run

by Jane Costello

Genre: Chick Lit

Publication: 2011

Format: Paperback, 455 pages

Abby Rogers was persuaded to join the running club by the head of the club, Oliver (who she referred as Doctor Dishy). But the first session with the club didn’t turn out the way she wanted to as Abby had overestimated her limit bumped into Tom, someone she didn’t really want to meet again, and worst of all, she did something embarrassing in front of him.

Abby vowed never to run again.

But then something changed when Heidi, her colleague announced shocking news. Abby is now determined to get fit and joined the half-marathon. Only this time, she’s going to run for a cause.

Girl on the Run is my second book I’ve read from Jane Costello. The first one was My Single Friend, which I enjoyed so much! After reading this book, it is safe to say that I am charmed with Jane Costello’s writing style.

Abby Rogers is so likeable from the very first page. She’s warm and funny – definitely a character that you can relate to. I like that Abby decided to run for a good cause instead of joining the club just to pursue the guy she like.

It is hard not to love the other supporting characters like Tom, Jess and Heidi. I especially love the relationship between Tom and Abby which started off in the wrong foot and gradually they become friends. Tom is really sweet and funny. I love their banter ever since they’ve met and how Tom would support Abby in her work and running.

 Overall, Girl on the Run is a story of real friendship, love and determination. It is a fun, light read and comical. It amazed me how Jane Costello could describe a simple event and turn it comically and make me laugh out loud a lot. I’m definitely not disappointed with Jane Costello’s writing. I’m looking forward to her other books!

Book Cover’s Description

He's a real catch . . . if only she could catch him up

Abby Rogers has been on health kicks before - they involve eating one blueberry muffin for breakfast instead of two. But since starting her own business, after watching one too many episodes of The Apprentice, the 28-year-old's waistline has taken even more of a back seat than her long-neglected love life.

When Abby is encouraged to join her sporty best friend's running club - by none other than its gorgeous new captain - she finds a mysterious compulsion to exercise.

Sadly, her first session doesn't go to plan. Between the obscenely unflattering pink leggings, and the fact that her lungs feel as though they've been set on fire, she vows never to return.

Then her colleague Heidi turns up at work and makes a devastating announcement, one that will change her life - and Abby's - forever.