Review: 'The Good Girlfriend's Guide to Getting Even' by Anna Bell (2017)

When Lexi's sport-mad boyfriend Will skips her friend's wedding to watch football - after pretending to have food poisoning - it might just be the final whistle for their relationship.
But fed up of just getting mad, Lexi decides to even the score. And, when a couple of lost tickets and an 'accidentally' broken television lead to them spending extra time together, she's delighted to realise that revenge might be the best thing that's happened to their relationship.
And if her clever acts of sabotage prove to be a popular subject for her blog, what harm can that do? It's not as if he'll ever find out…
Over the past few years Anna Bell has definitely become one of my favourite chick lit authors. Her romantic comedy novels never fail to disappoint me and I really loved her 'Don't Tell' series (one of the best chick lit series out there, if you ask me) and her last novel 'The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart' (click here to read my review). When I was asked whether I was interested in receiving a review copy of Anna's latest release 'The Good Girlfriend's Guide to Getting Even' I didn't have to think long about my answer. A shiny paperback copy arrived on my doorstep and I couldn't wait to dive into the book, knowing it would most likely be another great read I wouldn't want to put down...!
Lexi and her boyfriend Will have been together for over seven years and Lexi, together with most of her friends and family, feels it is time for that next step: to get engaged. However, at the same time she can't help but feel as if there is another passion in Will's life, one that seems to be taking first place these days: sports. So when Lexi accidentally discovers Will lied to her to get out of attending her best friend's wedding to go to a football match from his favourite club, Southampton FC, instead, she is furious. While she could have confronted Will straight away, Lexi decides it might be more satisfying to really get her revenge one small step at a time. She goes on a mission to sabotage as many sporting events as she can, but as she takes things further and further, she can't help but think what will happen when Will discovers what she has been up to...
I have to admit I picked up 'The Good Girlfriend's Guide to Getting Even', fell in love with the story after having read the first chapter, and I couldn't get enough of it until the very end. Anna Bell has definitely done it again and I'm actually a bit sad I've finished the novel and now need to wait until she releases her next one! The book focuses on Lexi, who loves her boyfriend Will even though his obsession with sports drives her a bit crazy every now and again. When Will lies to her to attend a football match, Lexi has had enough and decides it's time for revenge. I straight away really liked the sound of the plotline of the book and it was luckily executed in an entertaining and fun way, and I really enjoyed reading about Lexi and Will.
Next to Lexi, who was easily likeable and relatable as a main character, there was a great group of secondary characters as well, particularly Lexi's best friend Cara who really made me laugh out loud several times. After having read the first few chapters I remember thinking how special it is to find an author whose writing style just is exactly what you enjoy most when reading; well-paced, good chapter length, well-divided division of dialogue and scene description... And I'm glad to say Anna Bell really is one of those authors to me. I loved this novel and would like to recommend it to any chick lit fan out there, because I am sure you'll love it as well. Overall, 'The Good Girlfriend's Guide to Getting Even' is another thoroughly enjoyable and well-written romantic comedy read by Anna Bell and one of my favourite reads of 2017 so far!

Rating:10/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

January Release: 'The Good Girlfriend's Guide to Getting Even?' by Anna Bell

When Lexi's sport-mad boyfriend Will skips her friend's wedding to watch football - after pretending to have food poisoning - it might just be the final whistle for their relationship.
But fed up of just getting mad, Lexi decides to even the score. And, when a couple of lost tickets and an 'accidentally' broken television lead to them spending extra time together, she's delighted to realise that revenge might be the best thing that's happened to their relationship.
And if her clever acts of sabotage prove to be a popular subject for her blog, what harm can that do? It's not as if he'll ever find out...
I love Anna Bell. Her chick lit reads are some of the best around and most recently I fell in love with her novel 'The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart' (click here to read my review). I'm really excited Anna is releasing a completely new novel this January and 'The Good Girlfriend's Guide to Getting Even' already sounds and looks like a brilliant read. I honestly can't wait to check this out and I can highly recommend any of Anna's novels to all chick lit fans out there. Trust me, you won't be disappointed! 

Review: 'The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart' by Anna Bell (2016)

Abi's barely left her bed since Joseph, the love of her life, dumped her, saying they were incompatible. When Joseph leaves a box of her possessions on her doorstep, she finds a bucket list of ten things she never knew he wanted to do. What better way to win him back than by completing the list, and proving they're a perfect match? But there's just one problem - or rather, ten. Abi's not exactly the outdoorsy type, and she's absolutely terrified of heights - not ideal for a list that includes climbing a mountain, cycling around the Isle of Wight and, last but not least, abseiling down the tallest building in town ...Completing the list is going to need all Abi's courage - and a lot of help from her friends. But as she heals her broken heart one task at a time, the newly confident Abi might just have a surprise in store ...
Quite some time ago I read and reviewed author Anna Bell's chick lit book series consisting of 'Don't Tell the Groom', 'Don't Tell the Boss' and 'Don't Tell the Brides-to-Be' (click here to read my review). I absolutely loved all three books and couldn't wait for Anna Bell to treat us to another one of her lovely novels. Well, luckily, the time has finally come, since on March 10th her latest book 'The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart' will be released by Zaffre Publishing! I'm really excited about this one, especially since it has such a great cover and promising title. I already love the idea of a bucket list to mend your heart after a relationship has gone wrong, and had a good feeling this would hopefully turn out to be another thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy read by this author!
Abi is completely heartbroken when her boyfriend Joseph unexpectedly breaks up with her, stating he feels the two of them don't fit together anymore and want different things in life. Abi knows Joseph is the one for her; she just has to find a way of convincing him of this as well. So when she finds a bucket list of things he wants to do in his life, she decides to go and do these things herself, to prove that they are indeed a great match. Before Abi knows it, she finds herself making plans to do things she never thought she would do, such as cycle around the Isle of Wight, climb Mount Snowdon, and learn how to windsurf. As she becomes more confident about finishing the list, Abi manages to slowly heal her broken heart and she has to decide whether getting Joseph back really is what she wants.
I've, once again, only got love for author Anna Bell and her writing. 'The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart' is another stunning romantic comedy read which I enjoyed from the first until the very last page and quite simply couldn't get enough of. The authors writing is incredibly easy and comfortable to fall into and I am hardly ever able to just keep on reading and reading in a book, without a break, but that was the case with this novel. I just loved the story and the characters and was continually curious to see what was going to happen next and whether main protagonist Abi would be able to get what she wanted, namely getting back together with her ex-boyfriend Joseph.
It wasn't difficult to warm to Abi; she's a great chick lit heroine, funny as well, and it didn't take long before I found myself rooting for her. There was a good group of secondary characters, and several different parts of the main storyline to keep the reader's attention at all times. I even thought the plotline was quite inspiring; who knows, perhaps I'll get started on my own bucket list as well one of these days (even though it definitely won't include abseiling from Spinnaker Tower!). I have to admit the book is a bit predictable, but that didn't annoy me in any way and I really loved the ending. Overall, Anna Bell's 'The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart' is a heart-warming, fun, lovely romantic comedy that will leave you with a smile on your face; absolutely loved it!

Rating:10/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Upcoming Release: 'The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart' by Anna Bell!

Abi's barely left her bed since Joseph, the love of her life, dumped her, saying they were incompatible. When Joseph leaves a box of her possessions on her doorstep, she finds a bucket list of ten things she never knew he wanted to do. What better way to win him back than by completing the list, and proving they're a perfect match? But there's just one problem - or rather, ten. 

Abi's not exactly the outdoorsy type, and she's absolutely terrified of heights - not ideal for a list that includes climbing a mountain, cycling around the Isle of Wight and, last but not least, abseiling down the tallest building in town ... 

Completing the list is going to need all Abi's courage - and a lot of help from her friends. But as she heals her broken heart one task at a time, the newly confident Abi might just have a surprise in store...
I've had the pleasure of reading several of Anna Bell's novels so far and I've loved every single one of them. She's a great chick lit author and I am incredibly excited she is finally releasing another novel, namely 'The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart' on March 10! I really can't wait to read the book and lucky lucky me already has a review copy waiting for her... So excited about this!
Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Review: 'Don't Tell the Groom' by Anna Bell (2012)

Penny has big dreams for her wedding day. She wants an unforgettable celebration, perfect down to the last detail, and has been saving for ages to make her dream a reality. When Mark finally pops the question, it's the best moment of her life.
Until Penny checks her wedding fund and is horrified to discover that something has gone terribly wrong. There's far less money there than she'd thought... and it's all her fault. She can't tell Mark the truth about what she's done, he knows nothing about how much time she spends gambling online. Her only choice is to seek help for her addiction and get married on a drastically smaller budget.
Working under the pretense of surprising Mark with her plans on their big day, operation 'Don't Tell the Groom' rolls into action, with surprising, hilarious and often moving results.
Anna Bell's novel 'Don't Tell the Groom' was published in December 2012 by Quercus and I remember how incredibly excited I was about its release. I hadn't read any of Anna Bell's work before, but I knew her from the Novelicious website and I straight away fell in love with the absolutelu stunning book cover. From the lovely silhouette of the bride to the pretty colours and flowers to the gorgeous font and promising title... It took me way too long to finally pick up my copy of this novel, but when I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of the third part of Anna Bell's book series, 'Don't Tell the Brides-To-Be', I knew I had to start from the beginning and first read 'Don't Tell the Groom' before starting on the others!
Penny has always dreamed of having an unforgettable wedding with everything she ever imagined, including a big princess dress and flying doves. So when her long-term boyfriend Mark finally proposes, Penny's over the moon and can't wait to start planning everything. However, when she accesses their wedding fund she's shocked to only find a few thousand pounds in the account. Penny knows she might have played a few too many online bingo games in the hopes of adding more money to the fund, but she never expected things to be this bad. Penny knows she needs to find help with her gamble addiction, but at the same time she also knows she can't tell Mark about their slightly altered wedding budget. She decides to come up with a plan of 'Don't Tell the Groom', which provides her with the chance to organise their perfect wedding without Mark knowing the details. All she has to do is stay within budget and make sure no one discovers what is really going on...
I can't believe it took me so long to pick up one of Anna Bell's books, because I absolutely loved 'Don't Tell the Groom' from start to finish! The book is a great romantic comedy and just what a chick lit novel is supposed to be like. Penny is such a great and funny heroine whom I couldn't help but warm to from the very first page. She has managed to get herself in quite a situation, and I loved seeing her tackling her problems and making the best of things. I think many readers will be able to relate to her in one way or another, just like I did while reading the book. I really like novels about brides and weddings and this one had quite an original and entertaining storyline, focusing on the idea of a budget wedding, which I really enjoyed.
I loved Anna Bell's writing style; this book was so comfortable and easy to read, and the writing is well-paced and funny in just the right places. I don't often find books I really can't put down, but I just wanted to continue reading about Penny's adventures. I'm just incredibly excited this book is actually the first of a series and I can't wait to read the other two parts that have already been released. Overall, 'Don't Tell the Groom' is an amazingly enjoyable, fun, easy-to-read romantic comedy read; a book which chick lit fans simply have to pick up, you won't be disappointed!

Rating:10/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Review: 'Don't Tell the Brides-To-Be' by Anna Bell (2015)

With a baby on the way and her business starting to boom, has Penny finally found her happily ever after? 
Things are looking up for Penny Robinson. She's kicked her gambling addiction and even started her own business: Princess on a Shoestring, an all-inclusive service for brides-to-be looking to pinch pennies on their big day. Between family fights and wardrobe calamities, wedding planning is no piece of cake, but Penny's got it all under control. That is, until a rival planner decides to take her down—one hard-won bride at a time. Now Penny must fight to save her reputation and her livelihood before it's too late. But when a romantic weekend away has some unexpected consequences, Penny's expectations for her career are brought back down to earth with a bump.
The past week I’ve been busy reading Anna Bell’s successful ‘Don’t Tell...’ book series, which consists of ‘Don’t Tell the Groom’, ‘Don’t Tell the Boss’, and the most recent third instalment ‘Don’t Tell the Brides-To-Be.’ I was lucky enough to have received a review copy of the last title, which was released by Quercus on the 12th of February. I already had the two other parts of the series waiting for me on my bookshelf, and decided to read the entire series in one go! Today, I’m really excited to share my review of ‘Don’t Tell the Brides-To-Be’ with you, the latest part of the series and a read which you definitely don’t want to miss out on if you enjoy chick lit as much as I do!
Penny Robinson has finally found the courage to take the big leap and start her own wedding planning business called ‘Princess on a Shoestring.’ After the success of her blog with the same name, Penny soon finds herself with enough brides-to-be who want her help to organise their own budget weddings. Of course this includes the occasional bridezilla and emergency moments, but Penny is so passionate about her job she is ready to deal with it all. Until a rival wedding planner named Georgina Peasbody, who works in the same area, decides there is only place for one of them and she’s not going down without a dirty fight. Penny has to give it her everything to keep her business going, but when another unexpected bump in the road makes things even more complicated, Penny starts to doubt whether she is really meant to be a wedding planner.
There are certain book series which I can’t get enough of and if it was up to me, there would be at least 36 parts of the series to keep us entertained and up-to-date with all the characters. This certainly goes for Anna Bell’s book series, because ‘Don’t Tell the Brides-To-Be’ is a fantastic third part of this series starring Penny Robinson as the leading lady. Penny is a simply wonderful heroine; she’s spontaneous, naive, funny, incredibly passionate and I think many readers will be able to relate to her one way or another. I loved seeing how Penny tries to build up her own wedding planning business, especially after all she has been through in the first and second book of the series, and all the wedding elements in the book were simply great (I really wish Penny would be available to plan my own wedding someday!). Next to Penny, many other familiar faces make an appearance and together make up a thoroughly entertaining cast of characters, including Penny’s husband Mark, her best friend Lou, and all the brides-to-be who have their own story to tell. Another thing which I really liked about the novel are the Twitter messages/conversations each chapter starts with; this really added something fun to the story.
Sometimes, a sequel or a third part of a series can feel a bit pushed, but that is not the case with this book. The story flowed naturally and I honestly couldn’t wait to read more about Penny’s adventures and I think there are still many more tales to tell featuring these characters (fingers crossed!). I personally read this book straight after the other two parts of the series, which worked really well for me because I knew all the details and character backgrounds, but I think the novel can also be read as a stand-alone because the necessary facts are given. Overall, ‘Don’t Tell the Brides-To-Be’ is an incredibly fun, feel-good, light-hearted romantic comedy which I simply couldn’t get enough of. Anna Bell is slowly becoming one of my favourite authors and I’m keeping both fingers and toes crossed for a fourth Penny novel!

Rating:10/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Exciting release: 'Don't Tell the Brides-To-Be' by Anna Bell!

Chick lit fans might be familiar with author Anna Bell's wonderful book series consisting of 'Don't Tell the Groom' and the 2014 sequel 'Don't Tell the Boss.' I was incredibly happy to hear Anna Bell was busy writing a third part of the series and 'Don't Tell the Brides-To-Be' was released by Quercus on the 12th of February!

With a baby on the way and her business starting to boom, has Penny finally found her happily ever after? 
Things are looking up for Penny Robinson. She's kicked her gambling addiction and even started her own business: Princess on a Shoestring, an all-inclusive service for brides-to-be looking to pinch pennies on their big day. Between family rows and wardrobe calamities, wedding planning is no piece of cake... but Penny's got it all under control. That is, until a rival planner decides to take her down - one hard-won bride at a time. Now Penny must fight to save her reputation and her livelihood before its too late. But when a romantic weekend away has some unexpected consequences, Penny's expectations for her career are brought back down to earth with a bump.
I can't wait to sit down with 'Don't Tell the Brides-To-Be' and read more about Penny's adventures. Be sure to pick up your own copy of the book as soon as possible, especially if you're a chick lit fan, because this is a series you do not want to miss!
Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads