Review: 'Out of Practice' by Phoebe Fox (2016)

When your relationship is on life support, the Breakup Doctor is on call. 
There’s no shortage of broken hearts in Breakup Doctor Brook Ogden’s successful breakup counseling practice—if love is a battlefield, then Brook is the cavalry. Luckily her own love life is in full recovery: after a long, tortuous road, she and Ben Garrett are finally headed down the aisle. 
But when a local TV personality—and former frenemy—invites Brook onto her show, she’s blindsided live on the air when the interview turns into an act of long-delayed revenge meant to publicly humiliate her. Brook’s an expert at getting back on your feet when life knocks you down, but as the blows keep piling on—with a betrayal she never saw coming and a family crisis that threatens to pull the foundation out from under her—her confidence starts slinking away. With her clients dropping her faster than a one-night stand, suddenly the Breakup Doctor’s career is in critical care.
I love a good book series and that’s exactly what I found when I picked up Phoebe Fox’s ‘The Breakup Doctor’ in 2014. This novel was the start of a thoroughly enjoyable four-part book series (click here to read my review of the third part ‘Heart Conditions’) and I have to admit I had some mixed feelings about the October release of the fourth part ‘Out of Practice’! On the one hand I was really excited to jump back into the story and see what was going on with all the characters, especially main character Brook, but at the same time I was really sad to reach the ending of the series. But, I guess it’s unavoidable; everything comes to an end, so I just had my fingers crossed it would be a pretty good one…!
Breakup doctor Brook Ogden is doing pretty well; her business which focuses on helping others deal with a broken heart is still going strong and she is now engaged to her lovely boyfriend Ben. However, things slowly start to fall apart when Brook is invited to appear on a morning TV show where she is publicly humiliated. It doesn’t take long before other things start to go wrong and catch up with her, such as the relatively recent death of her father and the fact that she’s been working non-stop for the past few years. It’s definitely time for Brook to take a break, but will she be able to take some time for herself while also dealing with the effect the bad publicity has on her business, some serious family issues that need attention, and, oh yes, the planning of an entire wedding…? 
I can't believe 'Out of Practice' is already the fourth and final part of Phoebe Fox's 'Breakup Doctor' series; what a ride it has been! We are once again looking over the shoulder of main character Brook who owns her own relationship counselling practice while at the same time also doing a weekly radio show, a newspaper column, planning her very own wedding and dealing with family issues (which there always seem to be at least one or two)... no wonder Brook is getting a bit stressed out! Once again Phoebe Fox has filled a novel with a thoroughly entertaining story, focusing on different parts of Brook's life with appearances from some loved familiar faces such as her best friend Sasha, fiancee Ben, a few patients and the most adorable dog ever, Jake.
I really enjoy Phoebe Fox's writing and think this novel, just like the other parts of the series, has everything an entertaining chick lit read needs. It's a great ending to a great series and I have to admit I'm quite sad to see this series coming to an end, but it's been a great journey and I've loved following Brook during this quite tumultuous period in her life. I wouldn't necessarily give this book 10/10 or 5 stars, but I feel that this series and Phoebe Fox both deserve it. 'Out of Practice' is a simply great and thoroughly enjoyable read, especially when read as the last part of the 'Breakup Doctor' series which I can recommend to any chick lit fan. Sad to see this come to an end, but incredibly excited about Phoebe Fox's next read!

Rating:10/10

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

Review: 'Heart Conditions' by Phoebe Fox (2016)

Breakup Doctor Brook Ogden has spent the last year sifting through the fallout from the disastrous decision that led to her unconscious uncoupling with boyfriend Ben Garrett. Despite advising her clients you can’t be friends with an ex, she and Ben have somehow begun to stitch together a friendship—one Brook hopes is slowly turning into more. That is, until Ben introduces his new girlfriend, Perfect Pamela, a paragon of womanly virtues who is everything Brook is not. 
While Brook navigates her newly volatile emotional life, an unwelcome surprise shows up on her doorstep: the ex-fiancé who broke her heart two years ago—one month before their wedding. Between her ex’s desire to rekindle their attachment, her best friend Sasha’s unexpected crisis, and her own unsquelchable feelings for Ben, Brook finds herself questioning the personal progress she’s made in the last two years—and threatened with the highest-stakes Breakup Doctor failures she’s ever faced.
There’s nothing quite look a good book series, is there? One of the first book series I fell in love with is Harry Potter and since then I’ve had the pleasure of diving into several different worlds such as the Twilight series, the Hunger Games, Lindsey Kelk’s ‘I Heart….’ novels, and the list goes on. The great thing about series is that you get to revisit specific locations and really get to know characters and follow their development. One of the chick lit series I’ve really come to enjoy over the past few years is Phoebe Fox’s ‘The Breakup Doctor’ series, and I’m really excited to share my review of the third part with all of you today. ‘Heart Conditions was released on February 9th by Henery Press and thanks to Phoebe herself I managed to get a review copy of the book, which I couldn’t wait to read!
Brook Ogden loves her job as ‘the Breakup Doctor’; she can be heard on the radio twice a week helping listeners with their love problems, she has her own column in a local newspaper, and has patients coming to her own practice. However, next to helping others, Brook is also still dealing with the break-up between her and her ex Ben, who now has a new, almost perfect, girlfriend. Phoebe can’t help but still harbour some feelings for Ben, but her world is suddenly turned upside down when her former fiancé comes back to town, asking for her forgiveness. When her best friend Sasha also seems to need her more than ever, Brook tries to juggle everything going on in the best way she can, but how long will she manage before things start falling apart…?
Phoebe Fox’s ‘The Breakup Doctor’ series is getting better and better with each part and ‘Heart Conditions’ is my favourite one of Phoebe’s books so far. The series focuses on main character Brook Ogden, who is also known as the Breakup Doctor. Next to Brook’s interesting life as a professional who helps others overcome heartbreak, she also has her own love life to deal with, and combined this makes for some really entertaining reading. Before picking up this novel, I highly recommend reading parts 1 and 2 first. In order to enjoy this book as much as possible I think it’s important to know what the characters have been through and how they got to where they are now. ‘Heart Conditions’ picks up a few months after the second part of the series and it’s a great follow-up that held my attention from start to finish. 
Brook is a fantastic protagonist; I’ve really come to love her, just like the group of secondary characters in the book such as Brook’s family, her best friend Sasha, and her ex Ben. I want to specifically mention Ben’s dog Jake, who is just the cutest thing ever, and I’m not even a big fan of dogs! Phoebe Fox’s writing is really well-paced and easy to fall into, and I thoroughly enjoyed the different aspects of the storyline, which made sure I didn’t get bored, not even for one minute. Overall, ‘Heart Conditions’ is another great read by author Phoebe Fox; a thoroughly enjoyable, fast-paced and engaging third part of a great book series which I definitely recommend to any chick lit fan out there!

Rating:9/10

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

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

Review: 'Bedside Manners' by Phoebe Fox (2015)

Brook Ogden has never encountered a broken heart she couldn’t patch together. Her counseling practice as the Breakup Doctor—on call to help you shape up after a breakup—is so busy she’s expanded to offer group sessions. (Turns out there are far more than fifty ways to leave your lover.) Her radio show and advice column have made her a local celebrity, and even her personal life, after some gruesome breakups of her own, is in recovery: Ben Garrett started out as a revenge date against an ex, but has turned into so much more.
But when sizzling-hot Chip Santana, an old client she once shared a rather unprofessional midnight roll in the sand with, comes back into her life asking for her help, Brook can’t say no. Yet while she’s busy stitching up his relationship troubles, Chip reveals much more than a therapeutic interest in her. 
In the standoff between her heart and her hormones, Brook’s cool, collected Wise Therapist persona begins to crack like thrown wedding china. She’s yelling at recalcitrant cheating husbands. Offering crazy advice to radio callers. She’s even hugging her clients.
When the situation goes critical, Brook’s forced into a decision she isn’t ready to make—and the Breakup Doctor has to decide what kind of casualties she’s willing to accept.
In October 2014 I reviewed author Phoebe Fox’s debut novel ‘The Breakup Doctor’; a thoroughly enjoyable, light, read which put a smile on my face, and a read which I think many chick lit fans will enjoy as much as I did (click here to read my review). On the 24th of March 2015, the second part of Phoebe Fox’s series was released by Henery Press, ‘Bedside Manners.’ I looked forward to seeing what would happen next to main character Brook Ogden and her business as ‘the breakup doctor’, so when I was asked to review the novel by the author herself a few weeks ago, I immediately said yes! 
After surviving her own devastating break-up, Brook Ogden has managed to start up her own successful business as the Breakup doctor; there to help others to get through any kind of relationship break-up. Next to her own weekly radio show and an advice column, Brook is now also planning on organising her own group therapy sessions and she can’t wait to help others with their relationship troubles. However, Brook also has her own love life to deal with. She’s dating the lovely Ben and after meeting his dog Jake and his mother Adelaide, Brook has a good feeling about their future together. Until one of her old clients, Chip Santana, gets back in touch with her and asks Brook for her help so he can finally deal with his previous break-ups. Brook still feels some heat between Chip and her and she knows she should avoid him, but somehow she can’t say no. Brook will need to make some important decisions in her life, which requires her to not just focus on other people’s troubles in love, but her own as well...
‘Bedside Manners’ is the second part of Phoebe Fox’s ‘The Breakup Doctor’ series and from the first few chapters I loved once again having a story starring protagonist Brook Ogden to get stuck in. The author really managed to create a great cast of fascinating characters in the first novel, and I loved reading more about them and their adventures. I found it incredibly easy to warm to Brook; she’s a flawed heroine, but this makes her realistic, relatable and I could just easily imagine being friends with her. The book includes some other lovely characters such as the lovely Ben (the guy Brook is dating) and Brook’s best friend Sasha, but if I have to name one character that stole my heart it has to be Ben’s dog, Jake. He was just incredibly crazy and sweet, and I just fell in love with him (and I’m not even a dog person!). 
Phoebe Fox’s writing is perfect for a chick lit novel and I really enjoyed her style; it’s really easy to get into, detailed enough, funny in the right places, and just flows incredibly well. I loved the fact that there were separate storylines to focus on, such as Brook’s love life and her new group therapy sessions, but also her relationship with her mother and the new love between her best friend Sasha and brother Stu. I personally prefer to always read the first book in a series first, but I suppose you can also jump into the story without any trouble by picking up this novel first instead. The ending of the story definitely leaves room for a third novel, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that. Overall, ‘Bedside Manners’ is a wonderful second part of this thoroughly entertaining chick lit series; an entertaining and fun read which comes highly recommended!

Rating:8,5/10

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

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

Review: 'The Breakup Doctor' by Phoebe Fox (2014)

Call Brook Ogden a matchmaker-in-reverse. Let others bring people together; Brook, licensed mental health counselor, picks up the pieces after things come apart. When her own therapy practice collapses, she maintains perfect control: landing on her feet with a weekly advice-to-the-lovelorn column and a successful consulting service as the Breakup Doctor: on call to help you shape up after you breakup.
But when her own relationship suddenly crumbles, Brook finds herself engaging in almost every bad-breakup behavior she preaches against. And worse, she starts a rebound relationship with the most inappropriate of men: a dangerously sexy bartender with anger-management issues—who also happens to be a former patient.
As her increasingly out-of-control behavior lands her at rock-bottom, Brook realizes you can’t always handle a messy breakup neatly—and that sometimes you can’t pull yourself together until you let yourself fall apart.   A few months ago I was contacted by author Phoebe Fox about possibly reviewing her debut chick lit novel, ‘The Breakup Doctor’, which was released on the 10th of June 2014 by Henery Press. As soon as I checked out the novel, I really liked the cover and the blurb promised a fun and interesting read. I looked forward to reading more about breakup doctor Brook Ogden and hoped the book would live up to my expectations!   Brook Ogden has her life in order: she has her own place to live, she has a boyfriend whom she’s happy with, and she has her own therapy practice as a mental health counsellor. However, when she suddenly finds herself without an office space, she needs to find another job. Luckily, she manages to land on her feet as she is asked to start writing a weekly advice column as the ‘Breakup Doctor’, helping others getting through their break-ups. Yet, while Brook is busy helping others, she doesn’t take the time to deal with her own issues, such as the horrible break-up in her past. Sometimes it is necessary to fall apart before you can truly deal with everything life throws at you, but is Brook really ready to do just that and follow her own advice for a change?   The title of this book, ‘The Breakup Doctor’, already gives away what this story is all about. I straight away loved the idea of the main protagonist, Brook, being a counsellor helping other people dealing with their relationships and break-ups in the form of an advice column. The first chapters of the book are quite slow-paced, providing the reader with enough time to really get to know the heroine, Brook. She is easily likeable and it was refreshing to read about a female protagonist who is definitely not perfect and makes mistakes, just like all of us. I really enjoyed reading about her and seeing her character develop as the story progressed.    There’s a good collection of secondary characters as well; I specifically fell in love with Brook’s best friend, Sasha, who keeps getting her heart broken over and over again and Brook is always there to help her pick up the pieces. I’m excited about the fact that this is only author Phoebe Fox’s debut novel, and I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for us. Her writing is well-paced, entertaining and easy to get into, and I’m incredibly excited that there will be a sequel to this book. ‘The Breakup Doctor’ is a thoroughly enjoyable, light, chick lit read; perfect to pick up when you’re going through a break-up or some relationship trouble yourself, because this story will undoubtedly put a smile on your face. Rating:

8,5/10

  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.