The Girl Most Likely

Rachel Hill #1

by Rebecca Sparrow

"When you were 17, what did you think your life would be like when you hit 27?"

At 17, Rachel Hill was the girl most likely to succeed. At 27, with an Honours degree and a career as a travel writer, she wonders if marriage is the only thing missing from this perfect trifecta. But one disastrous life decision changes everything. Suddenly she is living back at home in her childhood bedroom - a room still celebrating 1987. She's also working as a nanny for a surly six-year-old, proof-reading erotic fiction and crucifying movie themes on the piano. With Su-su-sudio in the cassette deck, Rachel tumbles head first into a quarter-life crisis. As she revisits her idea of perfection, she finds that happiness is living the life you want to live, rather than the one you're expected to.

Genres: Chick Lit, Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Humor, Australia

284 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Rebecca Sparrow didn’t always want to be a writer. When she was six-years-old she wanted to be the blonde woman out of ABBA, a movie star and Mrs Donny Osmond. And then she discovered Charlie’s Angels. Rebecca spent most of 1980 running around her family’s backyard wearing a bathing suit and her mum’s high heels, armed with a Super-soaker. In her one year reign of terror she arrested her dog, Mac, 329 times.

When Rebecca was eleven, she begged her parents to send her to the Johnny Young Talent School so that she would be spotted as the obvious choice to replace Tina Arena when she left the YTT cast. Mr and Mrs Sparrow’s response to her pleas was to buy Rebecca a guitar and a book of music by some guy called Donovan (not the Jason variety). Rebecca continued to practice lip-synching to When Doves Cry in the mirror. Her crush on Vinnie Del Tito lingered on.

When she was a teenager Rebecca auditioned to be the host of different children’s television shows. She auditioned for Wombat, Saturday Disney, played "a big sister" on a pilot for a show called Happy Families and auditioned to be a reporter on some other new show featuring a sarcastic snake puppet.

While she waited for her "big break" she took part-time after school jobs to help her afford (for example) to be able to see the movie Cocktail nine times at the cinema. She dressed up as a Christmas Tree and walked through Myer, sold handbags and wallets and books and clothing and touch lamps. She did birthday parties and baby-sitting and telemarketing and asked "Do you want fries with that?" more times than she cares to remember.

And in between all of this, she wrote. In 1993 Rebecca graduated from QUT with a Bachelor of Business (Communication) and started writing media releases, feature articles, speeches and newsletters for a living. She worked for The Australian Red Cross, The Flight Centre Group, The Nine Network and the British Millennium Commission to name a few. Her first article "The Haircut" was published in The Courier-Mail in 1995. In 1997 she found herself working as a travel writer and then editor of Trips magazine. She travelled everywhere from Kuwait to Kotakinabalu, San Diego to Southampton … and then got paid to write up her adventures. She had found her niche and a never-ending supply of hotel biros.

After three years on magazines (and a dodgy Vegas wedding under her belt), Rebecca decided to have a go at writing her first novel. The Girl Most Likely is a comedy about a former travel writer who tries to put her life back together after secretly getting married in Vegas. The novel was published by UQP in March 2003 and spent 16 consecutive weeks in the Mary Ryan’s Top 10. AFI award-winning Australian actress Pia Miranda (Looking for Alibrandi, Garage Days, Secret Life of Us) has optioned the film rights with Icon Films and hopes to turn the book into a feature film.

Rebecca’s second novel, The Year Nick McGowan Came To Stay, is the prequel to The Girl Most Likely and was released in May 2006 in Australia and April 2008 in the US. It debuted as a stage play at Brisbane’s La Boite Theatre in May 2007.

Rebecca’s third novel, Joel and Cat Set The Story Straight, was published in August 2007 and co-written with her good friend Nick Earls.

When she’s not writing novels, Rebecca writes a weekly column for The Sunday Mail newspaper and she gives motivational talks and runs writing workshops in schools and businesses across the country. Rebecca is an Ambassador of War Child Australia and The Pyjama Foundation. War Child Australia (www.warchild.org.au) is an international aid organisation dedicated to providing immediate, effective and sustainable aid to children affected by war. The Pyjama Foundation (www.theyjamafoundation.org.au) is a Brisbane-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing children in foster care the same opportunities in life as other children.

SOURCE: http://www.rebeccasparrow.com/about.a

Reviews

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rebecca Sparrow is my ambassador of quan. After finishing her books, I just want to yell, "I love everybody!"

The Girl Most Likely is actually Rebecca Sparrow's first book, and not the sequel to The Year Nick McGowan Came to Stay as I previously thought. Normally, I'm a stickler for reading books in the order they were published, but I'm glad I read Nick McGowan first. I loved seeing the teenage Rachel, the ambitious, hopeful, poised for success Rachel, before meeting the 27-year-old, down on her luck version. This version, after finding herself broke and broken up with, is returning from whence she came -- her parents' house.

New Adult, quarter life crisis, whatever you want to call it, this book covers that transitional period of time. After being so solid in her personal and professional life, the girl who achieved her most likely to succeed status is now faltering. After vegging out in front of the TV with Fruit Loops, Rachel decides to go back to the basics: simple, achievable goals, like learning a particular piano piece. It's while doing this that the cutest, creepiest meet-cute occurs. The former piano playing part of me squealed at this meet-cute. However, the Criminal Minds watching part of me immediately thought, "CRIMINAL MINDS SITUATION." Fortunately, there was no unsub.

What I love about Rebecca Sparrow's books is that she writes about the moments that make life funny, happy, mortifying, crushing, and ultimately, worthwhile and unique. Rachel's life is laugh out loud ridiculous at times, and can't leave the bed disappointing at others. Thanks to Zoe Budd, the ridiculous far outweighs the disappointment. Nick McGowan fans will crack up at who Zoe grew up to be because OF COURSE. She even pulls out her classic "You're going to have sex with him!" line. I love her. I love Rachel. And I love this book! See? I just can't help myself. It's the quan!

Rating: 4/5 stars.

Extra! Extra! I first came across this book on the Anna Scott Jots post on Brisbane. Did you know Brisbane is also called (brace yourself) BrisVegas?? When you're done laughing, check out Anna's other recs. Of Girl Most Likely, Anna says: "...a great, very funny depiction of a woman having a mid-20s crisis and not knowing what the blooming heck to do about it. With sexy neighbour thrown in for good measure. What's not to love?"

This review appears on Young Adult Anonymous.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. It would have gotten 4 stars if it hadn't been for that ending! Just an extra page and a bit more closure, is that too much to ask for?

[Bree T · Rating 2 out of 5]

At 17, Rachel was voted the girl most likely to succeed. Ten years later it seems she is anything but. She might have an honours degree and have honed out a career as a travel writer but now she’s back living in her childhood bedroom at her parent’s home. She’s working as a nanny to a 6yo who doesn’t seem to like her that much. In her childhood belongings, she’s found a list of things she wanted to achieve by 28. There’s only one thing on the list that she seems set to be able to achieve in the few weeks until her birthday so she sets about trying to learn a movie theme on the piano. Except she’s more crucifying it than learning it.

That’s where neighbour Matt comes in. He can hear Rachel bashing out the tune day after day and Rachel thinks he’s mocking her when she hears him playing it perfectly. But then Matt offers to help her she accepts and they begin spending quite a bit of time with each other. They’re just friends – even if everyone seems to believe that it’s more. Even if Matt seems to be infiltrating most aspects of her life. Even if she wonders occasionally about it being a little more. But there’s the blond woman she’s seen coming out of his house to consider. There’s no doubt Matt is keeping things from her. But Rachel can’t really say much because she’s keeping a big secret from Matt as well. From everybody.

I received this book a couple of years ago after I won a sweepstakes where all the participants had to send the winner a book. It’s sat on my shelf ever since until the other day when I decided I wanted something quick and funny to fill in a few hours and thought this would be a good choice. Although it was certainly a quick read, unfortunately for me, I didn’t find it all that funny.

Rachel is 27 and has moved back into her parent’s house, into her old bedroom after she quit her job. She was supposed to go join her partner in California after she quit her job but between that and her leaving, he basically told her not to bother so now she is not only jobless but alone and also forced to live back with her parents. Luckily they’re off to visit her sister in London so she is basically living there alone for a while, wallowing in her new singleness and joblessness, eating terrible food and not showering. A lot of her misery seems based on a list that she constructed 10 years ago when she was 17 about things she wanted to achieve before being 28. If I’d read this book at 17, I might’ve had more sympathy for Rachel. But I’m five years older than her and honestly, she’s still got so much time ahead of her to accomplish things. I was irritated with her, for keeping this stupid secret that she had. She hadn’t even told her parents about it. I don’t know if she’s embarrassed about it or just doesn’t know how to tell them that she had done this thing without them there, or them knowing about it. She builds it up so much inside her head that it becomes pretty ridiculous. And when she becomes close with Matt, she finds out a secret he has kept from her and she gets furious at him. They make a pact of ‘no more secrets’ which is the perfect time for Rachel to spill hers, yes? No. She keeps it to herself and you know there’s only one way that can go.

Matt is not a character I could warm too. He kind of insinuates himself into Rachel’s life in a way that’s vaguely creepy. Okay it’s pretty creepy actually. Their interactions are awkward and full of misunderstandings and Matt is at times, reminiscent of a child with some sort of attention span problem. They bond over their love of eighties TV trivia, which is a bit before my time, I was too young for most of those shows when they were airing and to be honest, most of them haven’t held up too well in this era. I couldn’t really get behind the fledgling romance, although to be honest, it’s probably better than they end up with each other than be inflicted onto other people!

All in all…. Just not a book I really enjoyed. It was okay but I couldn’t really consider myself invested in any of the characters or their outcomes. Some of the side plots were a bit silly too, like the Miss Brisbane Awards, the erotic fiction stuff and Rachel’s awkward interactions with an author she admires. Okay, that’s pretty much all of them.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun romp down Brisbane Memory lane.
Local place names
Fast paced witty conversations
Terrible eating habits
Even worse sleeping habits
Little white lies about being married
All the great songs
Whatever happened to Esprit?
Nuns collecting donations in the RE
Current tv stars, rock stars, authors
A perfectionist playing a difficult piano piece all the way through without making a mistake? Not gunna happen.
The great (work) decision maker who resorts to tossing a coin in personal dilemmas.

Little bits of me and people I know and places I’ve been to and thoughts I’ve had and things I’ve done (or not) and songs and tv shows.
I loved on every page, every word of it.
Never underestimate the value of nostalgia when you’re reading a home grown story, no matter how real yet far fetched it might be.

[Catherine Lutvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl Most Likely was my favourite book in 2003 as a high schooler after going to the book launch. A treasured copy of this book signed by Rebecca Sparrow has sat on my bookcase since then. Great to re-read one of my faves as a teenager and I still enjoyed it almost 20 years later. A fun and engaging story by a Brisbane author with likeable characters.

[Sammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts of this book that were really hokey, and the plot was not very sophisticated. Several of the references made throughout the book went over my head because they must have been Australian pop culture references. Overall though, it was a fun story and a great light read.

[Claire Gilmour · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the first half - lots of fun, Brisbane references and throwbacks. Second half seemed to drag, Rachel really got on my nerves and I lost interest. 2.5 stars rounded up for a 3 on this one.

[Amy Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked all the Brisbane references but I didn’t really connect to the story or Rachel.

[Ken Paterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chose this because I was about to spend some time in Brisbane, where it is set. In fact, there wasn't a great deal of local colour. It's a very light piece, but rather fun, with a good narrative drive and a sympathetic main character.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Brisbane-ite, I was hoping the local references would make me feel a little more connected to this story (much like Trent Dalton's 'Boy Swallows Universe'). Unfortunately, it didn't, other than being familiar with the locations.

I got incredibly confused about the time this was set. Brief references make me think around 1999/2000 (especially when I take into account the main characters age in a prequel), but the majority of references hark back to an earlier time period, making it *feel* older.

These references show, I suppose, what a ten year gap between my age and what Rachel is at that time can do in terms of what you pop culture reference back to. I guess her Mork and Mindy is my Home Improvement? 🤷‍♀️

Nevertheless, this was a quick and uncomplicated read, and entertaining when you know that some of the story is directly inspired by the author's own experiences.

...Oh. Except for the lack of speech marks for everyone except for Rachel. That does my head in.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok.. First of all, I appear to have read these in the wrong order. (yes honeybee you were right!) Second of all, When exactly was it set? Was it set in 2003 (the year the book came out) or 1997 (10 years from where her bedroom is stuck as per the back cover blurb) or 1999 (10 years after the age she was in Nick McGowan)? This is why I think I struggled with this one cause the timeline is all screwed up in my head, having read the other one first. My brain is going technically it should be 1999 and surely she learned something from her time with Nick McGowan and really she should not have turned into this person. I didn't really like her, once again she was selfish and rude. Matt and Zoe, even Alex were all more relatable characters. Zoe is still hilarious. Alex is just lovely - very much the 6 year old (and I love her opinion about Jack and Rose).

Ok... Setting the date in the book... Sorry I have to get this off my chest, it really bugged me.
Titanic reference - Titanic came out in 1997 (which I understand can then be watched anytime in the future be it 1999 or 2003) so it would have been a hot topic to discuss - hence the conversation at the end of the book.
Friends reference - Ross and Rachel getting married in Vegas, this episode aired in 1999 (see above bold text for my grasp on the situation) so it could have been 1999 or 2003 but clearly not 1997 - again if it's 1999 is would have just aired and would have been a hot topic of discussion, which might be why her and Matt talk about it.

It doesn't make sense to me.
Also, why was she referring to her mum as Patricia, cause when I read that in the first few pages, I went "Who the hell is Patricia?" then once I worked it out, I was going "Just call her mum"

Aside from all of that, I did find the book funny though and laughed out loud quite often (just like I did with Nick McGown). When Rachel is at the book signing and thinks she is being offered a glass of water is hilarious, with the author going "She's a harmless, insane fan who likes water. No problems here."

[Project · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should have realised.[return][return]Reading this was very like reading a Nick Earls novel from the other side (that is, from the girl's side). So, lo and behold, Nick Earls turns out to be Ms Sparrow's idol and mentor.[return][return]In fact, she wrote a book with him, later in life.[return][return]This is all good, since i am a huge Nick Earls fan (and i've even met him in Real Life! Squee!), and his trademarked trope of wacky romcom shenanigans never gets old. So it was nice to hear it coming from the mouth (typewriter?) of a different writer. Validating, almost.[return][return]You read the first chapter of this (if you're me, or anyone else who was around in the 80s) and you're hooked. I know this, because younger readers generally crinkly their noses at the sight of this book, saying that they tried to read it, but just couldn't get into it.[return][return]It's hilarious in places, wry and touching in others, and generally just good fun.[return][return]Any novel that revolves around the theme from "Mork and Mindy" basically can't miss, in my opinion.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A typical chick-lit story I grabbed off the shelf at the library.

LOVED that it is based in Australia! There were lots of little Aussie references and recognisable Brisbane landmarks. It's not often we get to read a book and know the shopping centre mentioned!
The down-side was I did find it a slow-starter and a little boring and skimmed in parts. Also, the dialogue - what was the deal with Rachel speaking in quotation marks like normal, but everyone else's dialogue is in italics - no quotation marks - drove me a little crazy! ... or maybe that's just me?

**Edited to add** - I just read a few reviews here and ONE other person has mentioned the quotation marks thing! So glad I'm not the only one, but we seem to be in the minority!

[Jodi Cleghorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I have had so many genuine laugh out loud moments.

Rachel Hill is both tragic and perfect, a flawed heroine you can't help but cheer for and cringe on behalf of, especially if you know all the lyrics to Rachel's favourite 80's songs.

Amply supported by a kooky cast of secondary characters who take you everywhere from Kenmore Primary School and Poowong Shopping village, to the western suburbs speedway and plenty of places between.

Comes with a lovely twist toward the end with the character of Matthew and ends with an unexpected movie theme conclusion.

[Choco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy chick lit, but most of the books I read were written by British or American authors. The Girl Most Likely was the first one I read written by an Aussie lady. I have to say I enjoyed this more than a lot of chick lit books I've ever read. I live in Australia and have lived in Brisbane, and I didn't expect how much it helps or enhances the enjoyment when I know the culture well. I loved the book because I found it hilarious, but I also loved the final message this book sent out.

[Alisha Brook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Girl Most Likely
Series: Rachel Hill (#1)
Author: Rebecca Sparrow
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 3.5 stars

For one, Rebecca Sparrow and Nick Earls have very similar writing styles!

I thought the idea of the story was clever and easily relatable. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gaw-jus ;) Love the pop culture references and Matts 6 pack - Mmmmm.

[Helen King · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, light read - perfect between some heavier books I've been reading lately.

[Philip · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very unsophisticated plot badly articulated. No originality in this book. The main character, Rachel, is so obnoxious, rude and temperamental that I really don't understand why so many characters bother trying to get her to open up. Perhaps she just gets lucky with her group of inter-changeable, misfit friends and the handsome man next door who is just weirdly pushy. Important plot points wither and die as the plot progresses. So the whole beauty-pageant subplot went nowhere? How about the whole thing where Rachel is a divorcee, what part did that seriously play in the progression of her relationship with Matt? None. Instead these elements are sidelined in favour of an uncharacteristically poignant exploration of dementia.

Perhaps the most annoying part of this book was the lack of speech marks when characters other than the narrator are talking. Their words are italicised. I don't know whether this is common practice in Australia or Sparrow is just displaying ignorance bordering on ineptitude, but this really hinders the flow of dialogue and makes for unattractive and clunky prose.

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 1 out of 5]

One and a half I guess. It started off OK - some of the jokes were actually funnyish (rare for the gen-x chick-lit, romance genre) but then some of them became increasingly offensive. Mainly (as is common in these books) every single character needed to grow some healthy boundaries. Stalkerish behaviour by the love-interest is not redeemed by him turning out ok...this is the narrative that puts us all under the "just give him a chance" pressure from absolutely everyone.

There was a twist I liked (a little bit) with the beauty pageant though it did not make up for the homophobic jokes earlier. Several chapters were mind-numbingly BORING. Legitimately nothing at all happens. 2003 seems very late to still be writing this sort of predictable mush with no added twists or anything like that.

Once you get past the stalker stuff it's more wholesome but nothing new here.

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book but it took me 6 months to complete because it was so frustrating. The main character were quite unrealistic. Her traits, personality, life experiences etc just didn't seem to add up. It just made it so unrealistic and an eye roll. Then there was how predictable certain bits are, you can easily guess what's going to happy next at a fair few points in the book. Also just random things were thrown in there that had no actual purpose to further telling to story. It gave armature high school kid writes a novel vibes. I'm sorry, but it needed working and editing a lot more. It's a shame because the idea of the story itself could have been great.

[Sue Fysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chick-lit is definitely not my choice of genre, but I wanted a light read, and after finishing ‘Boy swallows universe’ I was interested in reading another Brisbane author.
I also went to Indooroopilly State School and St Peters so had a bit in common with Rebecca. Unlike many who have read this book, I didn’t find it hugely funny. However I did like the references to suburbs and places of my own childhood. This is what kept me reading! I’m happy to have read it but won’t be seeking other titles by the same author.

[RT · Rating 3 out of 5]

eeehh it was a bit cheesy and even though i have a soft spot for that part of the inner-west suburb of Brissie, it felt like a lot of unnecessary name drops. And gosh, I can't believe how much the protagonist Rachel cares about what other people think!
That said, I still enjoyed the journey this book took with Rachel coming to terms with where her life has taken and her relationship with the other characters (especially Matt) felt organic.

[Mandy Partridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rebecca Sparrow writes about the great disappointment of the university graduate who realised that there was no well paid career after their degree. We've been sold a great lie, and will keep owing the Higher Ed Contribution Scheme until we die. Too nice for sex-work, Rachel Hill moves back with her parents. I kept expecting a suicide attempt, but this protagonist probably wouldn't have the guts.

[Karine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was nice to read a book set in Australia for once, usually the chick lit I read us always America or rural Britain. So this was definitely a nice change. Alas I didn't really warm to the two main characters in this novel, Rachel annoyed me a lot. It had funny parts and I actually quite liked the ending, but all in all not a book that I would keep and read again.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this for a school assignment! i found it so interesting how they use italics for the dialogue this book, everyone's dialogue except rachel's that is. it makes everyone's words feel so detached from the world, it's hard to tell what's real and what's rachel's own thoughts. and i mean that in a good way.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read with plenty of 80’s references. Lots of local Brisbane flavour.

[Mj Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it.. but the ending.. so abrupt

[Bec · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book would have been way better if it was about the best friend Zoë rather than Rachel

[Alfred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it.