Simply Devine

by Wendy Holden

"Champagne looked pointedly at Jane's dress.
'I tried that one on,' she said sweetly. 'But it looked cheap and nasty on me.'
She paused.
'Suits you, though.'"

Champagne D'Vyne is a celebrity socialite with a charmed life--and a mania for men, money and fame. Jane is a journalist with an ordinary life--love stress, work stress and a spare tyre that won't go away. As their contrasting worlds become bizarrely intertwined, Jane realises that the blonde, busty and blatantly ambitious Champagne will let nothing come between her and what she wants. Least of all Jane.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Humor, Contemporary Romance

439 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Wendy Holden grew up in Yorkshire, and studied English at Girton College, Cambridge. She worked in magazines for many years before joining Tatler's in 1997 as deputy editor, and later moved to the Mail on Sunday’s You magazine, which she left in 2000 to concentrate on writing. She regularly writes features for newspapers and magazines on a range of social, topical and lifestyle subjects and is also a television and radio contributor.

She has now published ten novels, Gallery Girl, Beautiful People, Bad Heir Day, Pastures Nouveaux, Fame Fatale, Azur Like It, The Wives of Bath, The School for Husbands, Filthy Rich, Farm Fatale, Gossip Hound, Simply Divine, all top 10 bestsellers.

Holden is married, and lives in England with her family.

Reviews

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions)]

Pages read: 50

I loved Wendy Holden's books when I was in high school, but if this one is representative then I'm not sure why. Simply Divine wants so very badly to be Bridget Jones, but it's not funny or bantery and the ship so obviously is not going to work.

[Sarah Armstrong · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book put me in a full blown reading slump because it really just wasn’t that good. There wasn’t much of a plot at all, the romance was okay but nothing too special. Overall just a meh read

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been wracking my brain trying to remember who or what convinced me to add this book about a young single London magazine editor to my queue, because bleh, it was not very good. To be fair, it was very witty (although HEAVY on the puns) but it was also shallow and sordid. I am a fan of hapless-yet-spunky-girl-in-hilarious-situations stories, but this lacked the heart and likeable heroines of other British chick lit like Bridget Jones's Diary or Confessions of a Shopaholic. And I know this genre is not known for utter realism, but the interpersonal relationships and ridiculous plot points and punny names stretched my suspension of disbelief TOO FAR.

[Eman14 · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was very very boring and I had to suffer to finish the 400 and so pages as I'm not a quitter as far as reading only..... and seriously I considered not completing the novel several times
the scenes in the office of both gorgeous and faboulos were ok (though few) and showed that she could write but I don't know it's total mess and ended hating every character including the heroine

[Linda Lee-gough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Farce at its best! You know what is going to happen, but just like watching a comedian slip on a banana skin, you still laugh out loud!

[imdavidsennn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly stylish, funny and a craze up until this time! Apparently, the two magazine companies that fancified the narrative of the heroine speak the entirety of the novel— Gorgeous and Fabulous!

I adore how two complete different women of the fashion and celebrity industry were established without the catfight galore and overbearing bitchiness. Their fate is stitched together effortlessly, seamlessly by many supporting characters who are uniquely fashioned you can distinguish among Tish, Tash, and Tosh. The heroine, Jane, is bizarrely witty since the beginning, from being a Feature editor in her former magazine to becoming an acting editor of the latter. And Champagne lives up to her name— ever sparkly, sometimes cold and cheap but never scandalous. Puns and sarcasm are disdainfully present in every page and make the chapters alive! Through the narration (of sometimes unnecessarily excessive words BUT IT’S COMPLETELY FINE FOR ME) it painted the setting in vivid colors and motions. It is remarkably rich: classy from the hot and celebrity-filled parties of London and classic from the history of the Mullions.

Characters are collectively important. The upgrade of Jane’s boyfriends from boring Nick to a splendid complement Tom. Tally is also charming, her friendship with Jane and her problem on Mullions were undeniably helpful in fashioning the plots. Julia and Big Horn are significanlty memorable. BUT IN CHAPTER 21, after Champagne went along with Piers, it left me wonder the sudden disappearance of Saul and Mark. LIKE WHERE THE HELL THEY GO? I was thinking Saul deserves the wrath of the Venery!!!

Horrified and satisfied by the overall fashion of this book. Simply Divine is worth the champagne toast!

[Plum-crazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Champagne D'Vyne is a celebrity socialite with a charmed life - & a mania for men, money & fame.
Jane is a journalist with an ordinary life - love stress & a spare tyre that won't go away.
As their worlds become bizarrely entwined, Jane realises Champagne will let nothing come between her & what she wants. Least of all Jane...

Amusing enough chick-lit not the best of it's genre but that said there's some great putdowns & snarky remarks.

Champagne looked pointedly at Jane's dress.
"I tried that one on," she said sweetly. "But it looked cheap & nasty on me".
She paused. "Suits you though."

[Dr Kashmira Gohil · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story was supposed to be comic as projected on cover but I was bored to death reading especially the parts where history, people & interactions in chilly, decrepit, rotting mullion house were described. There's no coherent or interesting story line. Only the part of story in begining & end where, Jane the magazine journalist/editor looses her love & get it back again in end, is little readable. All in-between content is just strange hotch-potch brew like one of the horrible cook in mullion as described in the book. This can't be called funny comedy or 'romedy', it's nothing but a 'bormedy'😄 boring attempt to comedy.
I picked up Wendy Holden first time. Disappointed. Only 02 stars.

[Laraine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had no idea when I picked up this book what it would be about. It started out with a single woman wanting to marry her boyfriend overlooking all his ignorations and faults. Then it goes into her best friend Tally who is an aristocrat and his loosing her home that has been in the family for centuries. That’s where it went awful for me. From a descriptive literary standpoint - the writing is very good but it is boring. The author tries to be funny but it’s not Sophie Kinsella type of funny. It’s a book so it has qualities enough to be published. If your into old English Manors you might like the book.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you look at my goodreads shelves it's easy to see that this book is not my normal type of read. It's part of my wife's collection and she was reading another one and I decided to read this one for something different. To my surprise I found myself really enjoying the book as I went along. I found that I really liked Jane and started rooting for her success and feeling bad as things continued to not work out so well. Luckily things turn out well for Jane in the long run....how you say? You'll just have to read it to find out.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this story to be a light and easy one. What bothered me sometimes were the
'silly' bordering on ludicrous descriptive paragraphs and sentences which didn't, in my mind, make much sense and added a childish air to the storyline. Maybe this was the intention to lighten up the mood of the book which felt light enough to me.
I wouldn't count the book out completely as it was a fun read and I did get into it. I wish sometimes author's would cut back on what I think are unnecessary descriptors. This being said, I'm sure many will walk away with a completely different take.

[Maïa Spiek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Premier livre anglais terminé en NZ, la lecture était pas du tout fluide, parce que c’est un livre des années 90, et donc parfois les expressions donnaient mal à la tête.
J’ai acheté le livre le plus amoché (donc d’expérience le plus lu) pour 50¢. C’était très mignon, romantique, chick-flick. J’avais l’impression de lire un film à la « How to lose a guy in 10 days » ce genre de rom-com cute des années 90. Pas hyper mémorable, mais ça égayait mes pauses au travail et mes aprems passés à la plage. Très… cute :)

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane is a reporter with a magazine that is going ok but her boss and fellow reporters are not always nice to her and now she is meant to be the ghost writer for Champagne who is well known and liked by the public but Jane is not impressed with her. She is flighty and calls her at all hours and wants things done for her that Jane should not have to do. Also Jane is not lucky in love either. She is in a so-so apartment and doesn't feel her life is going the way it should. Things change along the way but is it better or not. Is her life ever going to go well? Very well done.

[Lina Maier · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never skip a book normally, but in that case I just had to. It goes on and on about unrelevent details that are supposed to be sassy. The protagonist is clearly unaware of here own skill and beauty and tends to get so caught in her own feelings she is not able to think clearly. Which once again brings a bad light to the female emotions. It feels like a bad version of Bridget Jones.

[Vickie Taylor-Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little dated now & it felt a bit like the author was trying to hard with the witty lines however the basic premise was good and I liked the characters so I could forgive her. Ok as a beach read if not taken too seriously.

[Taffy Rance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good read, better than your average "chick lit". Touches of Tom Sharpe in the humour with plenty of puns & witty writing to keep you interested. Yes, the plot could be described as predictable but, it was a fun read. Perfect for a bit of light relief.

[Julie Allwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant fantastic brilliant fabulous book to read and a good laugh

Brilliant fantastic fabulous book to read and it was a good laugh with the with the people in the book.
And great celebrities to be in the book.

[Jennsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book promised to be witty and engaging. It was an okay read, but it left me wanting more. I could not really engage with the characters and did not find them that interesting. It was all a little too 'unreal' with too many coincidences. Lacking in substance.

[LAUREN NICHOLS-KINAS · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really love this book. I didn't like any of the main characters and the focus on trying to snag a husband was a little offputing. The copyright date was back in 1999 and it showed. Would recommend giving it a pass.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, silly fluff.

[Rory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very funny. Champagne Devine is just the epitome of these awful TOWIE shows.

[Victoria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hm. The humour is very strained, and the people are two-faced and evil. I'm happy I don't have to read again.

[Nina Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always love to read British romantic humor from the perspective of a female author.

[Teresa D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful I was laughing out loud.

[Ipsita · Rating 3 out of 5]

i read back in 2018. so i dont remember much details about it. but i remember the storyline was in the range of average to good

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy, light read but just standard chick-lit.

[Kristin Schmidt · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of bad wordplay in service to an unlikeable main character whose only distinguishing characteristic is that she feels vastly superior to everyone else.

[Kamiluna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read type of book for a relax

[Kat Winfield · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read to get rid of - too predictable

[Hania · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's actually a good book to just read and relaxxxxxx.
I liked the Tom-Jane relationship (even if it started out that way..) even if it could've been more explored.
And of course the plot twist.