99% Mine

 

Darcy Barrett has undertaken a global survey of men. She’s travelled the world, and can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that Darcy’s twin brother Jamie saw him first and claimed him forever as his best friend. Despite Darcy’s best efforts, Tom’s off limits and loyal to her brother, 99%. That’s the problem with finding her dream man at age eight and peaking in her photography career at age twenty—ever since, she’s had to learn to settle for good enough.

When Darcy and Jamie inherit a tumble-down cottage from their grandmother, they’re left with strict instructions to bring it back to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy plans to be in an aisle seat halfway across the ocean as soon as the renovations start, but before she can cut and run, she finds a familiar face on her porch: house-flipper extraordinaire Tom’s arrived, he’s bearing power tools, and he’s single for the first time in almost a decade.

Suddenly Darcy’s considering sticking around to make sure her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s inherent magic with his penchant for grey and chrome. She’s definitely not staying because of her new business partner’s tight t-shirts, or that perfect face that's inspiring her to pick up her camera again. Soon sparks are flying—and it’s not the faulty wiring. It turns out one percent of Tom’s heart might not be enough for Darcy anymore. This time around, she’s switching things up. She’s going to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers. - excerpt from Goodreads.

99% Mine by Sally Thorne is my second book of hers. After reading such a good one, this one was not up to my expectations. I felt that the lead female had too many issues that she needed to deal with on her own but instead acted in a way that was quite annoying.  I find it quite hard to give a longer review of this book than usual because I don't really have a lot to say. The character itself was rebellious, quite immature and her lack of growth made it those books that sometimes I want to skip her thoughts. The plots were good, the premise is not bad but her behavior which is justified by her upbringing is not relatable and certainly not likeable as well.  I would commend that the author did a great job portraying her as a bitch. Her interactions with the male interest was the only thing that kept my attention as I wanted to know how he would react. I quite like the male interest and was hoping for more family involvement as well but it was not enough. The banter is fun at times but it would turned into annoying after a while. 

The plot was unpredictable but there wasn't a lot happening at once. It was something quite straightforward without too many plot twists. Once I completed the book, I didn't feel blissful neither did I get any butterflies in my tummy from this book. It was just mediocre and something I wouldn't read again. If I'm being honest I think what the author was doing was to present a deeper, more emotionally stressed character that made her who she is from her decisions as well as her upbringing. I felt that she chose to think the way she thinks and the actions she made, in someway yes family plays a part but she has separated them from her for such a long time I would have expected growth. Instead this character went downhill and needed a lot of repair and revelation to move forward. I understand that there will be character struggles but this one is just too unrealistic.  Overall the characters' interactions are what kept her reading, it was fun at times, sexy as well. It's definitely not fantastic like 'The hating game' so no loss if you miss out on this title.

Crazy Stupid Bromance

 

Alexis Carlisle and her cat café, ToeBeans, have shot to fame after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef’s sexual harassment. When a new customer approaches to confide in her, the last thing Alexis expects is for the woman to claim they’re sisters. Unsure what to do, Alexis turns to the only man she trusts—her best friend, Noah Logan.

Computer genius Noah left his rebellious teenage hacker past behind to become a computer security expert. Now he only uses his old skills for the right cause. But Noah’s got a secret: He’s madly in love with Alexis. When she asks for his help, he wonders if the timing will ever be right to confess his crush.

Noah’s pals in The Bromance Book Club are more than willing to share their beloved “manuals” to help him go from bud to boyfriend. But he must decide if telling the truth is worth risking the best friendship he’s ever had.

A hacktivist and a cat café owner decode the friend zone in this romantic comedy from the author of Undercover Bromance. - excerpt from Goodreads.

Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams is about two best friends who dare not take the next step for fear of ruining the friendship. Well the dudes are back again and this book did not disappoint, I would say it's my favourite out of the three. It was really unexpected, especially the plot twists. I was definitely caught by surprise on multiple occasions and my heart swooned so much by Noah. 

The best parts is in my opinion are the characters, both of them are just capturing with their personalities complimenting each other as well as bringing out the best in each other. I liked how their past made them stronger and taught them lessons which was valuable. I also loved the chemistry between the two of them, let's just say when it gets intimate I swear my toes rolled up in excitement. Of course, this book will not have its flair without the members of the bromance book club. I love how when they gather up and gives advice it's something that can be related to real life. Their conversations are many laugh out loud moments. I cannot get enough of them which made me realised the men of the books are the stars for sure. The bond and their matureness is outstanding and makes me wonder will I meet these kind of men in my life, hahahaha. 

Kiss My Cupcake

 

Blaire Calloway has planned every Instagram-worthy moment of her cupcake and cocktails shop launch down to the tiniest detail. What she didn't plan on? Ronan Knight and his old-school sports bar next door opening on the very same day. He may be super swoony, but Blaire hasn't spent years obsessing over buttercream and bourbon to have him ruin her chance at success.

From axe throwing (his place) to frosting contests (hers), Blaire and Ronan are constantly trying to one-up each other in a battle to win new customers. But with every clash, there's also an undeniable chemistry. When an even bigger threat to their business comes to town, they're forced to call a temporary time-out on their own war and work together. And the more time Blaire spends getting to know the real Ronan, the more she wonders if it's possible to have her cupcake and eat it too.

As two neighborhood shop owners battle for business, they prove opposites attract in this outrageously funny romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of Meet Cute. -excerpt from Goodreads.

Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting portrays a strong female character that is capable without the help or support of her family, she does not let people climb over her head and is confident in her way of things. I would say the book starts off with good chemistry between the Blaire and Ronan. Although it started as a nemesis thing but eventually it turned into something meaningful. Their encounters and the swap in both point of views makes this more enjoyable as you get a taste of both side of the story. I would say this book is fairly creative for the author in thinking of events for the chapters. I absolutely love the different chapter titles, I think this is the author's signature in writing. You definitely get laughs from some of the social media postings as well as the clashes of the characters.

Crashing The A-List

 

After four months of unemployment, former book editor Clara Montgomery is still stuck sleeping on her little brother’s ugly couch in Queens. Determined to keep her minuscule savings account intact, she takes a job clearing out abandoned storage units, but is in no way prepared for stumbling upon dead snakes or trying to identify exactly where the perpetual stench of beets is emanating from.

When Clara comes across a unit that was once owned by an escort service, she finds the brothel “résumé” of a younger Caspian Tiddleswich… an astonishingly famous British actor. Her best friend thinks she should sell the gossip to a tabloid to fund her way off the couch from hell, but Clara instead manages to track down Caspian’s contact info, intending to reassure him that her lips are sealed.

Unfortunately, Caspian misinterprets Clara’s attempt at altruism and shows up on her doorstep, accusing her of blackmail. When the paparazzi capture a photo of them together, Caspian’s PR team sees an opportunity to promote his latest film—and if Clara wants to atone for her “crimes,” she’ll have to play along. Pretending to be Caspian’s girlfriend seems like it will be a tolerable, if somewhat daunting, penance… until their fake romance becomes something more than either of them expected. - excerpt from Goodreads

Crashing the A-List from Summer Heacock is a fun and quirky rom-com book. It has really strong and lovable characters and a whole lot of banter. Clara is a sassy women who is sure of herself but caught in a rough situation, you'll see her confidence slowly dropping. Even though hard times are ahead, she has demonstrated much of her strengths and definitely boosted my motivation and outlook in life.  How her best friend compliments and encourages her is also a plus point in the book. Many a times, the dynamics of the duo will spark a lot of fun times, these ladies are lucky to have each other.  

The Hating Game

 

Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.

2) A person’s undoing

3) Joshua Templeman

Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.

Trapped in a shared office together 40 (OK, 50 or 60) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking.

If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she’s got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth-shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she’s got Joshua Templeman all wrong.

Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.  - excerpt from Goodreads.

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne is a romcom that catches you by surprise. It's funny, heartwarming and super duper cutesy. We follow our lead female character's perspective that revolves around her job and her colleague who sits across her. It is only the two of them, fighting/competing in an office war that only seems to be just between themselves. Reading her perspectives and her thoughts, you can tell her personalities shines through, as well as her flaws. Throughout the book, you'll often find yourself shaking your head because of her silliness and delusional behaviour. Although it can be toxic, but it's also those thoughts that drives her actions and making it all way too cute.

Undercover Bromance

Braden Mack thinks reading romance novels makes him an expert in love, but he’ll soon discover that real life is better than fiction. 

Liv Papandreas has a dream job as a sous chef at Nashville’s hottest restaurant. Too bad the celebrity chef owner is less than charming behind kitchen doors. After she catches him harassing a young hostess, she confronts him and gets fired. Liv vows revenge, but she’ll need assistance to take on the powerful chef.

Unfortunately, that means turning to Braden Mack. When Liv’s blackballed from the restaurant scene, the charismatic nightclub entrepreneur offers to help expose her ex-boss, but she is suspicious of his motives. He’ll need to call in reinforcements: the Bromance Book Club.

Inspired by the romantic suspense novel they’re reading, the book club assists Liv in setting up a sting operation to take down the chef. But they’re just as eager to help Mack figure out the way to Liv’s heart... even though she’s determined to squelch the sparks between them before she gets burned. - excerpt from Goodreads.

Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams is the second book in the bromance book club series. Although it's not the continuing story for Gavin and Thea, it's people that have appeared previously. Braden and Liv definitely make a fun combo to read about. Their clashing personalities brings out maybe the worse or probably the best of their current self. In terms of dynamics, these two have more banter and more sass and it's adorable to read about it. Rom-com is at its best, the author has capture my heart as a new favourite. 

The cliches and tropes of a rom-com is definitely present but that's what I want and I loved it. It's not something that happens in real life but it isn't a fairy tale as well. What I meant is that Braden is written like every girl's dream come true yet he is still single. From his yearnings and obviously a secret about his past, you get to the present day Braden, explaining why is he single. Even Liv herself have a little something to hide from the readers. I love it when characters have a mysterious past which slowly unfolds, definitely a good hook me in element. Liv is the type of character that might get on your nerves through her reactions of every situation thrown at her, there will be times of "Why are you doing this??".

The Bromance Book Club

The first rule of book club: You don't talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife. - excerpt from Goodreads

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams is a witty book addressing real problems of a marriage/relationship. With a sudden change of direction towards the negative side, Gavin is lost for words and doesn't know what to do. Lucky for him, his best buddy has the solution - a book club! I was hooked instantly and could not put down the book because this book has good characters and great plot lines.  The author's writing is simple yet emotions are conveyed strongly. 

I love the point of views of Gavin and Thea throughout the chapters, problems of a marriage definitely stem from something and with their thoughts and reaction you would realise there's truth in it in any relationship. Although I'm quite partial to Gavin because I couldn't agree more that it is frustrating when you don't know what's the problem and how to fix it. At some point I thought Thea was selfish, there's just slight character growth in her compared to Gavin. The interactions drives the story forward and I love it every time the book club gathers. The side characters definitely catches my attention and I hope that I would learn more about their backstories.

The Bride Test

Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working…but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love. - excerpt from Goodreads

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang continues right after her debut novel, although it's not really a series but the characters are mentioned in the first book.  Here we have Khai and a new addition Esme which builds a very different dynamic. All autistic people are different so expect Khai to differ from Stella very much. Of course certain characteristics are the same else they would not be catogorised as autistic but because of different family backgrounds Khai's understanding of feelings and emotions are special and often noted as an emotionless person. How Khai view himself and other see him is not the same and often misunderstandings stems from it.

With a new leading female, Esme's life and background is something to take note in this book as it's the key story of what the author is trying to show her audience. Inspired by her mother's story, the author created Esme that is somewhat simple at first but learns to adapt and grow with opportunity. I love how Esme is strong yet because of her background she feels inferior in many ways. The impressiveness of this books is how all the characters interact with each other, the reactions to situations that arises when a stranger is just thrown into your life. You get a bit of laughter, sometimes a bit of heartwarming moments through the interactions of family members.  One thing that was not to my satisfaction is I wanted more of the side characters to be involved such as Khai's brother and of course his cousin as well but mostly we get more of Esme interacting with others than Khai.

The plot itself is unexpected given there is a timeline to Esme's stay in the states. Throughout the story, you'll probably try to anticipate if anything will happen between the two and often you will be a little bit surprise and a little bit disappointed as well. I would say the plots are smooth with little flaws but everything feels a bit rush because of the deadline. I would have loved a bit more expand into Khai's and Esme's relationship as some timeline is just rushed over with a mentioned of a week later and what not.

Overall, this is one entertaining book with a good backstory. The alternating POVs from the male and female characters is always refreshing as you get both sides of a story. I love Esme's personality and it certainly compliments Khai. As for Khai, sometimes I don't remember he is autistic and just felt that he is like every other male in the planet. I would not compare both books as characters and plots are different but the excitement I had for the first book is not at the same level. I can easily take a break from this book where else the other one was a strong page turner. I believe this is because the flair and the attraction is not as strong but it is just my own opinion. The last book will be about Khai's brother and this is one book that I am excited as I have been curious of him since the first book.

 

The Kiss Quotient

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases--a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice--with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan--from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but crave all of the other things he's making her feel. Their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic... - excerpt from Goodreads

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang is her debut book and boy was I entertained. This page turner certainly highlights the brain of an autism character. In my years of reading romance, this was a first on a character that is truly unique. Firstly autism is something that is not widely talked about and often people misunderstood it, especially the person themselves. To be able to write about such a character, this author is trying to reach out to the world because she has it as well. It is not everything about autism but creating awareness is a good start.

Stella is one interesting character, with her flaws she dares to step out of her comfort zone, her norm life and then met him, just your regular escort? Not really, Michael is also full of surprises. I love how mysterious he is at the start which definitely makes up for reading non stop. Their dynamics and chemistry is what pulls you in, their touch and words keeps you going. Every time their meet, my eyes just goes wide because of excitement. The side characters enhances the main characters as it brings out a different side of them. Their interactions give a special flair to how real these people are.

Crazy Rich Asians

When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country’s most eligible bachelor. 

 

On Nick’s arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers. - excerpt from book

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan is the first book to the trilogy about Rachel Chu and Nicholas Young. Now these two met in New York and there they have their own life until Nicholas's best friend is getting married and Nick decided to bring Rachel to the wedding. Little did she knows that this is the biggest wedding of Asia and also meeting Nick's family for the first time. Let me tell you, when I saw this book a few years back I was not impressed with the title itself so I did not pick it up. With a movie to be out soon and having an all Asian cast and director, the hype was on and naturally I had to read to find out about the buzz.

Of course the trailer only shows you glimpses of the book which felt exciting and extravagant, but let me tell you the book is so much more detailed and I'm pretty sure it won't all be included in the movie. With 527 pages and fonts that are not too big, it's definitely one long story to be told. Rachel and Nick is the main characters but many others have stories of their own. Hence the point of views are written in everyone's that is mentioned at the start of every chapter. I find this quite fun to read but sometimes I wished there was more happening for Nick and Rachel in parallel timing. You could easily tell what personalities these characters have and there is not much growth for many of them as they are only side characters. The interactions between Rachel and everyone else is often quite intriguing because it's fun to read about how she experiences Singapore and also how others react to her presence as Nick's girlfriend.

One thing that really capture my attention from the book is the use of multiple dialects/slang that are spoken in Singapore. It truly made me feel more at home even though I only live in the neighbouring country but sometimes visit Singapore, hence being able to relate to the language is truly enjoyable. I would say that many incidents are happening at one time and there isn't enough pages to fit everyone. I'm pretty sure this could be a Singapore drama series just as easy where there are many plots the author could have expanded on. The story-line is quite smooth with many plot twists to keep you on your toes.  You'll just keep reading because you'll want to know how Rachel deals with Nick's family, how will they treat her and how is Singapore like.

I have one complain though, that everything in the book seems way way too exaggerated in terms of the wealth of these people but at the end of the day we have to remember it's all fiction, just enjoy the book as it is. With the ways things ended, the story has just begun and I'm looking forward to read about Rachel and Nick's growing relationship and the many obstacles that will soon to follow. 

A Country Escape

A Country Escape by Katie Fforde (courtesy of Pansing Malaysia)

Even though I read chick lit but sadly I limit myself to only a few of authors such as Sophie Kinsella, Meg Cabot, Cecilia Ahern and a little more. This author was my first attempt and when I looked at the ratings on Goodreads I was surprised. I went in without expectations and greatly enjoyed this book. It was a good page turner at certain chapters and it will calm down the pace a bit. I find this a very good slice of life story as the characters make the story move forward.

Our main female character quit her job in the city and move into a farm to run it. Little did she know with the little experience, what type of obstacles she would meet. Fortunately for her she has supportive people to help her out, build her character and  also be a part of the reason for the plot to carry on. The male character was a good surprise with his mysterious attitude and agendas, throughout the book I could not figure him out at all. The heroine is one special lady, I totally love her personality and always enjoyed her interactions with the male character. 

The story is told from Fran's point of view and it's a good tone of voice. The stories of how she overcome her obstacles unfolds at a good pace and then suddenly a plot twist happens. This plot twist was a good one as you will not see it coming and you can't predict what the result of it would be. You will be cheering Fran on and wishing something would happen between her and Anthony. You'll get frustrated whenever she's frustrated. I'm amazed that a simple story like this could capture my attention so well and influence my emotions. Overall, this is one good slice of life book with a simple yet important message about life. I do recommend this book to those who maybe, sorta got bored with writers that are over-hyped and way too famous. 

All That She Can See

Cherry has a hidden talent. She can see things other people can't, and she decided a long time ago to use this skill to help others. As far as the rest if the town is concerned she's simply the kind-hearted young woman who runs the local bakery, but in private she uses her gift to add something special to her cakes so that after just one mouthful the townspeople start to feel better about their lives. They don't know why they're drawn to Cherry's bakery - they just know that they're safe there, and that's how Cherry likes it. She can help them in secret and no one will ever need to know the truth behind her gift.

And then Chase turns up and threatens to undo all the good Cherry has done. Because it turns out she's not the only one who can see what she sees.... - excerpt from book

All That She Can See by Carrie Hope Fletcher is about a woman who can see feelings and she tries to help the community with her ability. A little bit of magic, an adventure and much life lessons to be learnt. I cannot contain my excited when I received the book and knowing that this was not the author's first book she must have done something write. A little bit background on her, she is a singer/songwriter and now a book writer, talent is oozing from this author.

The main character Cherry will capture you with her personality, her beliefs and most of all her purpose. It starts with some background of her and how she overcome those obstacles, throughout she continues to strive to be better. Her character growth is consistent and wonderful to read about. As for the male counterpart of the book, he appears like a strong wind shaking our heroine. Their interactions are fun to read about and slowly you're hoping more for the two of them.

My Not So Perfect Life

Katie Brenner has the perfect life: a flat in London, a glamorous job, and a super-cool Instagram feed. OK, so the truth is that she rents a tiny room with no space for a wardrobe, has a hideous commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn't really hers. But on day her dreams are bound to come true, aren't they?

Until her not-so perfect life comes crashing down when her mega-sucessful boss Demeter giver her the sack. All Katie's hopes are shattered. She has to move home to Somerset, where she helps her dad with his new glamping business.

Then, Demeter and her family book in for a holiday, and Katie sees her chance. But should she get revenge on the woman who ruined her dreams - or try to get her job back? Does Demeter- the woman who has everything- actually have such an idyllic life herself? Maybe they have more in common than it seems - excerpt from book.

My not so perfect life from Sophie Kinsella is a standalone novel about a woman who lost her job and maybe her dreams and then an opportunity to get revenge surfaces. This author is naturally an auto buy for me as I have always been well entertained with her stand alone novel for years. The summary at the back of the book is just the surface of the book and it's one with more meaning to it than you expect. 

It's definitely funny at certain parts and also some self discovery. At first I was a tad annoyed with the main character Katie as I felt that she can be long winded and too naive but as the story progresses there's more to her than meets the eye and I'm glad that the character did have some growth. As for the side characters they surely made interactions fun and interesting. I think those characters actually kept the story going at some point in the middle and you could feel the pull of wanting more for them. The personalities of those characters complements the actions and attitude of Katie quite well.

The flow of the story was a bit dry here and there which did not grasp my attention well enough until part two started and then I was hooked. The twists in the book weren't really jaw dropping but just mediocre to the point that I could predict some of it. 

But nonetheless it's the typical Sophie Kinsella writing that you would expect and to compare with her other books this was not impressive. I would have prefer more Oh My God moments between Katie and a certain someone and more emotional between the family. As those laugh out loud moments, I still felt it was lacking as I have been spoilt by her other books. I will give credit to the meaning of this book and what the author is trying to tell her readers. In this current technology generation, it's obvious that we should always be reminded you only see what you see, you do not know other people's story. It's a quick read so if you're a fan of Sophie then I think this would be a good book to read but not necessary. If you have not tried any of her titles, this book is not a good start because it does not highlight her best writing, I would introduce you to Twenties Girl or Can you keep a secret.

Be Careful What You Wish For

I wish:

I could get a seat on the tube....

I hadn't eaten that entire bag of Maltesers....

I could meet a man whose hobbies include washing up and monogamy...

Heather Hamilton is always wishing for things. Not just big stuff- like world peace, or that Brad Pitt wants her as jis next leading lady- but little, everyday wishes made without thinking. With her luck, she knows they'll never come true...

Until one day she buys some heather from a gypsy. Suddenly the bad hair days stop. A handsome American answers her ad for a housemate. She starts seeing James- The Perfect Man who sends her flowers, excels in the bedroom, and isn't afraid to say 'I love you'.

But are these wishes-come-true a blessing or a curse? Does getting what you want make you happy? Ans is there such a thing as too much foreplay? - excerpt from book.

Be Careful What You Wish For by Alexandra Potter is the author's fifth book which I enjoyed very much and I really liked the storyline. The reason why I liked it is because I kinda connected with the main character very much, some of the things that happened to her are quite similar to my current life. The messages that I picked up from reading the book was really meaningful to me and it touched my heart. Those messages helped me look at certain aspects of my life differently and I really have to thank the author for it, it was so unexpected to read it from the book. 

The plot of the story was quite well written with very good twists and turns. One of the twists that happened totally gave me a shock and made me really nervous for the characters. Other twist were not so easy to predict at all which is what I like when reading genres like this. If a romance book is totally predictable to me, I would not have enjoy it so much. Unless the characters that I ship so strongly will end up together, that's the time I want to get my prediction correctly.

I really really like each and every incident that happened in the book, it certainly changes the behaviour of the characters. I love how the main heroine reacts to those situations and I love the side characters that bring out her personality so well. The characters all interact so well with each other which are so entertaining to read about in the book. My favourite is the relationship between the main character and her father, it touches your heart and pulls at your heartstrings. 

My attention was certainly captured well by this book and many a times the messages I pick from the book gave my heart a little bit of warmth. I'm impressed that the author did such a good job with the story, it's not a wonder that this book is a best seller. I highly recommend this to chick lit lovers because this story was quite meaningful and you'll certainly learn a thing or two. Whether I'll read the book again, I'm not quite sure but I think I would probably 4-5 years later.

Here's a quote from the book that we often forget:
"yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That's why we call it the present." page 45, line 3.

Me and Mr Darcy

He's every woman's fantasy...

After a string of disastrous relationships, Emily Albright has had it with modern men. 

She'd rather curl up with Pride and Prejudice and step into a time where men were honourable and strode fields in breeches, their damp shirts clinging to their chests. The men she meets are more into pleated trousers, two-timing and internet porn.

So when her best friend invites her to Mexico for a week of margaritas and manhunting, Emily books a guided tour of Jane Austen country instead.

There are no dream men here. The coach is full of pensioners, apart from one Spike Hargreaves, a foul-tempered journalist writing a piece on why most women would love to date Mr Darcy.

But then she walks into a room and finds herself face-to-face with Darcy himself. And every woman's fantasy suddenly becomes one woman's reality... excerpt from book.

Me and Mr Darcy by Alexandra Potter is a chick lit book about this woman who had many failed relationships and for her the perfect man would be Mr Darcy which is a character from Pride and Prejudice. At first I thought the book was quite at a slow pace revealing the personality of the main character. Slowly then did the story picked up with interesting incidents happening after the main character had more interactions with other people. I guess you can say that she is one boring person and it is the side character that are much more interesting to read about. The side characters all have a wonderful background story to read about.

The setting of the book is also good as I've always loved chick lit that is in England. The author did a great job describing the places that the characters visited, those places sound so beautiful. The plot of the book was smooth with some good twist and turns. I find that at the end of the day, this book was trying to get a message across and I think it's a good message for adults who are in the dating scene. 

In summary, this was just an okay book, it can capture my attention for a while and then lose it quickly after that. I don't think I would be reading this book again. I only recommend this book to readers who like the author. Maybe I picked up the wrong book from the author to start with as I saw that she actually have quite a number of books published. I'm going to give this author another try so I bought her best selling book Be Careful What You Wish For. I will review that book as soon as I finish reading it.

Me Before You

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life - steady boyfriend, close family - who has barely been farther afield than her tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life-big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel- and he is not interested in exploring a new one.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy- but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his hapiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, Lou sets out to show him that life is still worth living. - excerpt from book.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes is the first book from said author that I picked up. I heard many good things about this book and also it has been signed for a movie which is in filming stages now. This book was really touching hence it made me tear up. It was such a lovely story and very realistic about life at the same time. So much of it was so real and I appreciated the different perspective that this book gave me. 

The characters of this book is nothing special but I like them because they are just like any other person in this world. Their struggles were real, their personalities and their interactions were all just real. I love the simple writing of the book and sometimes a different point of view is written too but mainly it's the main female character's view. The plot is unexpected for me as I have no idea what was to happen so I just kept reading because I wanted to know the ending quickly. 

Thanks to this book it helped me understand something important that is currently happening in my life. I highly recommend this book to readers who often enjoy realistic love stories, a slice of life. If you are a person who enjoys books from Cecelia Ahern, Marian Keyes or adult novel writers that are in contemporary genre, this is most suitable for you. 

I've Got Your Number

Poppy Wyatt is in a big disaster, the kind that might ruin relationships between people. She has lost her engagement ring which belongs to her fiance's grandmother. Poppy was just recalling the situation where her friends and her was attending a charity luncheon in the hotel. They were all talking about her ring and everyone wanted to try the beautiful Emerald family heirloom ring from Magnus (Poppy's fiance). The ring went from one person to another and suddenly the fire alarm rang and all the guest was escorted out of the building.

When everyone was outside they heard that the event is be cancelled and all of Poppy's friends headed home. That's when Poppy realise the ring isn't with her and when she texted her friends to ask and none of them had it. She started to panic and have searched the event hall for a long time. She has gotten a message on her phone but the reception in the hotel was terrible, so she went outside to get better reception and then her phone got nicked by a person riding on a bicycle. Poppy didn't know how to react because her phone is like her life, all her numbers are there and then she had given this number to the hotel staff for contact in case they have found the ring. It was such a bad day for her, she lost her ring, her phone and worse part is her future-in-laws were coming back from the States tonight and how is she going to hide the fact that she lost their family heirloom ring.

Poppy just keep pacing around the hotel lobby thinking what to do and also hoping that the ring might just turn up while she was there. She is scanning the objects in her view while turning in circles, then she realise there is a mobile phone in the bin nearby. She looks around to confirm that no one is around and then quickly she picks it out of the bin. Since no one wanted it and threw it into the bin, then finders keepers. Poppy was glad that now she has a replacement phone, so she quickly text her friends of her new number and then passed it to all the hotel employees. Suddenly the phone rang and instantly she picks up the call. On the other end of the line was a man asking Poppy whether she is still in the lobby and whether a Japanese man is leaving yet. Poppy told him that the man was going to leave and that she does not know who is on the line and told him that she picked up this phone from the bin. The man asked her to stop the Japanese guy from leaving at all cost while he tries to come down to the lobby as fast as possible. 

Poppy went to the Japanese man and distracted him for some time and the guy Sam managed to get down and meet up with Mr Yamasaki. Poppy quickly left the hotel lobby because she wanted to keep the phone. Sam called later to say that the phone is company property and she has to return it to him as it was his PA's phone. Poppy told him her situation of lost engagement ring and begged him to loan her a few days because she has given this number to the hotel workers. Sam agreed in the end as he does not want to set the police on her and asked for her to forward all emails and messages to his mobile. And so an agreement was made between them for temporary use. This phone containes many messages and emails that sounded interesting and Poppy could not help but read to find out more about Sam. 

I've Got your Number by Sophie Kinsella is a story about two strangers with only one link between them which is a mobile phone. These two strangers meet under a complicated situation and somehow some incident happened which kinda made the relationship even weirder. I wouldn't want to leave too many spoilers so I'm trying to keep this brief but my excitement after reading this book is just uncontainable. I'm typing right after I've finished the book now. I'm really happy with the ending, it's somewhat what I've expected. When it's comes to chic lit stories I love what I expect to come true or at least a close version of it. I must compliment the way the characters are in this book where they just fit the story really well. The story has a lot of mystery element in it where it makes one to keep reading non-stop just to find out more. 

There are a few characters in the story that will catch you by surprise and that is something that I love because you cannot judge a book by it's cover and sometimes first time impression is not everything. This book really stresses on that point and that we as people should not judge or assume too much because sometimes it might cause a disaster. This book has some moments of funny and silliness happening which is typical of Sophie Kinsella, else you wouldn't called it her book. I really love Sophie's writing style and her story all the time, it doesn't cease to amaze me. This book however have a bit of difference compared to other books which I will not reveal but to me it's a bit annoying but still acceptable because it goes with the story.

This book just gives me the same excitement when I picked up and read "Twenties Girl" which puts it at the same ranking now which is my two most favourite books from Sophie Kinsella currently. If I read it again I would still love it just the same right now. Definitely a story worth every penny and worth your time reading it. So please read this if you love other Sophie Kinsella's books because this one is a story that made me dream about in my sleep too.