During her time on "Ragged Royalty", Ashley developed a reputation as the show's scowling shrew. Clever editing, no doubt, but she still hates it. Now that her stint on the show is complete, she's determined to get the revenge she deserves on the producers who made her look so awful. Without it she can't move forward and decide what comes next for her. She knows what doesn't, though--ever seeing MC or Kent or any of the other contestants again. She hates all of them and they hate her too. Who could like "Angry Ashley"?
When she meets sexy attorney Will on the flight home, she believes he can help her get everything she needs. Until he double-crosses her. Now she needs revenge on him too.
After reluctantly enlisting fellow contestant Sam's much-needed help in her "Bad Will Hunting" mission, Ashley turns up a ton of dead ends but also some exciting life-changing possibilities. But she can't get over her need to get one over on Will, and on everyone else who's wronged her.
With so much "bad will" in her way, can Ashley ever find true happiness?
Last year I got the chance to check out Heather Wardell’s novel ‘Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many’ (click here to read my review), and after I posted my review I was contacted by Heather, asking whether I was perhaps also interested to read and review the sequel to that novel, ‘Bad Will Hunting.’ The first book had made me curious enough to want to find out more about the different characters and check out some more of the author’s writing, so I said ‘yes’ and received that review copy (thanks, Heather!). While I was going through my list of review books a few weeks ago I stumbled upon this one and decided to sit down with it, and today I’ve got my review to share with all of you, so be sure to scroll down and check it out!
Taking part in reality TV show ‘Ragged Royalty’ has affected Ashley’s everyday life in more ways than she had imagined when she decided to give it a go. Known as ‘Angry Ashley’ to the public, Ashley hates the way the producers decided to portray her and she’s determined to get the one thing she desperately wants: revenge. She doesn’t quite know how to go about this, though, but then meets handsome lawyer Will while on her flight back home. He is willing to help her and Ashley can’t believe her luck, until he suddenly disappears and leaves her to fight for herself. Ashley’s revenge list only grows longer and longer, and while people around her, such as fellow ex-contestant Sam, try to make her focus on more positive things in life, Ashley just can’t let go. But will this idea of revenge really help her to become a happier person in the end and will it really help her find what she has been looking for?
‘Bad Will Hunting’ is the sequel to author Heather Wardell’s novel ‘Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many’, which completely focused on reality TV show ‘Ragged Royalty’, a mix-up of The Bachelor and Survivor with the author’s own ideas added to the mix. In this second novel of the series we get to learn more about contestant Ashley, who has arrived back in the real world but can’t seem to find peace with how she was portrayed on the show (she received the nickname ‘Angry Ashley’), and is therefore keen to get her revenge. In the rather fast-paced novel we join Ashley on her self-discovering journey to get revenge, while running into some familiar and some unfamiliar faces along the way. While this novel could be read as a stand-alone (background information is provided), I do recommend starting this series at the beginning, just so you know what happened and how the characters got where they are in this novel.
I was expecting this sequel to be kind of similar to the first book in the series, but it was quite different, especially since this book is set in the real world and does not read as a reality TV show. I personally had some difficulty liking Ashley; she really has a lot of anger inside of her, resulting in some ridiculous behaviour at times, in my opinion, and I just didn’t really feel for her or wanted to start rooting for her. The story did captivate me enough to keep on reading, and I do think there is something promising in Heather Wardell’s writing, but I didn’t feel like really looking forward to picking up the book and wanting to read what was going to happen next. ‘Bad Will Hunting’ is best read as a sequel in this series, and provides the reader with a look at a different character in the series; an enjoyable novel that I am sure numerous readers will really like, but it just wasn’t the read for me.
Rating:
7,5/10
For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Madeleine-Cora Spencer is the last person who should be on reality TV, but when she's shunned by a friend's new wife because "you can't trust desperate single women", her pain and humiliation drive her straight to the "Find Your Prince" dating show. But when she arrives to meet her potential loves, she gets dumped... on a remote island with seven ex-boyfriends. Seven exes! Could this be any worse?
Quite some time ago I managed to get a NetGalley review copy of Heather Wardell's novel 'Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many', a romantic-comedy-meets-reality-TV read that was first released back in 2010. The book is actually the first instalment of a three-part series, and it's also my first experience with Heather's writing, which is always quite exciting! I have to admit I am not the biggest reality TV fan, but I was straightaway intrigued by the plot of this novel and curious to see how the author would manage to make this concept, including a deserted island and a whole load of exes, work in the form of a book...!
So far, Madeleine-Cora Spencer, known to her friends as MC, has had no success in finding her very own Prince Charming. There have been different guys, but with none of them it really worked out in the end. Madeleine decides to hand over the reins of her love life to someone else by taking part in a reality show that will help her find the right guy. However, a surprise is waiting for her in the form of seven of her exes when she shows up on the first day. The show is going to be slightly different from what Madeleine expected: together with seven exes she will need to survive on a deserted island, while competing with another team consisting of that one ex-boyfriend she never quite forgot about and seven of his ex-girlfriends... Let the games begin!
I can honestly say I've never read a novel like Heather Wardell's 'Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many' before, which is basically a season of a reality TV show written down on paper. The novel focuses on main character Madeleine-Cora, also known as MC, who finds herself taking part in a show that is a combination of 'The Bachelorette' and 'Survivor'. Together with several ex-boyfriends she needs to form a team and survive while competing with a team of women led by that one ex she never quite managed to get over. Definitely an original plotline to start a story with and even though I am not a big reality TV fan, I was intrigued and curious to check it out and see what would happen to MC and the other characters.
While the book is a fun and fast-paced read, I couldn't help but be confused by the large group of characters. There's MC at the core of it all, but we have her 8 exes and another 7 women, the presenter of the show, a few family members and friends... Overall it was just a bit too much and I felt a bit lost until the end of the novel, also because the characters weren't described in a lot of detail and had no clear background story. I definitely think the potential is there, though; I enjoyed the author's writing and am curious to read the other parts in this series. On the whole, 'Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many' is a novel that quite confused me at times, but it's also a fast-paced, fun and original read and I look forward to checking out the sequel!
Rating:8/10
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.
