Lazy Ways to Make a Living

by Abigail Bosanko

'Have you ever seen The Thomas Crown Affair? Faye Dunaway (sugar pink lips, fabulous nails, playing Black) utterly destroys Steve Mc Queen (blue eyes, playing White). It's a dazzling performance ...That film made me get out the chess set I'd abandoned three years earlier. It made me search through East Anglia for a blue-eyed boy suffering from wealth-ennui. I never found one, but my chess and my nails were outstanding for a thirteen year old.' Lexicographer, chess master and hedonist, Rose is down on her luck when she meets Jamie, a guy she beat at chess twelve years previously who has never recovered from losing the game or forgotten the sight of Rose's perfectly manicured nails poised to strike over the chess board. She's destitute, he's loaded and terrified of losing her again. They strike a in return for chess he will keep her. What is it like being a kept woman in the 21st century? Rose is about to find out. She's also about to learn that disguising your moves in chess can lead to victory, but doing the same thing in love leads to disaster.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this free with a magazine five years ago, and my copy is as dogeared as they come, as it is one of my favourite comfort reads. Easy to read and predictable, it holds a special place on my bookshelf!

[Dark-Draco · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very strange book, not really my thing, although I enjoyed it to start with. It's about Rose, an academic chess player, who leaves her job and returns to Edinburgh when she is embaressed by her students. With no money, unable to live anywhere nice, she has to take a number of low paid jobs to survive. She then bumps into Jamie, an old chess adversary, who is rich and successful. He offers her the chance to be a kept woman, living in the lap of luxury and spending whatever she wants. But Jamie has secrets and soon Rose's life becomes just as complicated, following a drunken splurge in Las Vegas.I started off liking this, despite the characters being a bit stereotypical, but after a while I began not to like Rose so much. Daft is the word that comes to mind. And the ending is, frankly, ridiculous. I love fantasy novels, so strange hallucinations and time travelling visions are fine by me, but not in this sort of book. I kind of felt that the author suddenly realised she only had one chapter to wrap everything up in and panicked.

[Ellie · Rating 1 out of 5]

In my opinion the best part of this novel is the front cover. . .and as they say 'you should never judge. . .'
Maybe it just really wasn't for me, although having said that my taste in novels is varied. I will start with what I liked, so 1) as I said the cover, 2) I found the parts set in Vegas very entertaining- the authors description of the decadant fantacy land that is Las Vegas conveyed great imagery for the reader- 'talking flower beds'
When the character was first introduced I liked Alistair, but then he became irritating and insufferable- I felt this way about Catherine too. The book was full of promise in the beginning, Rose, an acedemic linguistic doctor,specialising in dictionary definitions finds herself dumped and jobless and beholden to her two sisters:computer sleek geek Catherine and the 'pretty one' potatoe scientist Helen,for a bed and listening ear...
The story progresses and we feel pity for Rose as it becomes clear she is lacking in ever feeling the earth move with a man, we also find out (although the clue is in the cover) she is a mad chess player.Enter Jamie.They meet in the rain when Rose is working as a market researcher. My feelings towards the character of Jamie went-can see Rose's attraction, like him, don't trust him, dislike him, hate him!!!
To summarise, I found the novel disatisfactory in every way. The character of Rose never developed,their is one point in 'the middle' where Catherine tells her 'do not be submissive in a relationship' and i thought 'YES', this is it, this is the message. But oh no, Rose goes from one submissive weird relationship with Jamie, to a bonkers marriage to controlling Alistair and on a complete whim, back to Jamie. The storyline is nonsencical and I felt depressed throughout reading it.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book!!!!!

[Nancy Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

“My subconscious must have convinced my ego not to trouble my pretty little id about it.”

This book was a lot of fun for me, feels like Scotland’s answer to Pretty Woman. Addictive and readable throughout, reasonably relatable characters, and a particularly touching narration on the horrors of dating a football fan.

Chess references went over my head most of the time, but it’s used throughout as an analogy for a messy relationship.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first page of this book does little in the way of telling you what to expect but this was good honest chicklit at it's best. Rose is a likeable character who becomes the kept woman of Jamie. But as always in the best tradition of chick-lit & romance, the course of true love doesn't run smooth & Rose finds herself encountering some very nasty bumps along the way. Enjoyable & entertaining.

[luizeth (Taylor's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely didn't see the plot twist coming

[Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

It may be because of the setting of this book that I connect with it so well (I too live in Edinburgh and have worked in Livingston call centres...), but absolutely love it - I've probably read it 5 or 6 times over the years, usually picking it up around Christmas time when it's cold and snowing outside.

The plot follows a woman who believes herself to be an academic, over the space of a year in her life; after a terribely embarrassing incident that involves a number of her ex's publically discussing her sexual abilities (or lack there of), she chucks in her old life and moves to Edinburgh. After spending several months working a multitude of odd jobs, barely making ends meet, she meets a handsome old friend by chance and everything changes...

This book is exactly what it should be - an easy read for a lazy day. it's very well written, and the clever use of chess analogies throughout the book add a little something extra to think about; I'll no doubt read this again several more times over the next few years, and I'll look forward to it every time.

[Julia Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, huh. I've baffled between giving it a three or a two star rating, but I'm nice, so I gave it a three. The characters in this book were good. They were very quite good! The storyline was very good as well, and the chess references were placed so tactfully and intelligently and made sense; there was a lot of moral discussions and classics discussions which I loved! However, the ending, the fucking ending, Abigail, what in universe's name were you thinking?! The ending looked as if she wrote a wonderful, 4 star book, with an ending which suited the plot perfectly, and then she felt bad for the character for ending so harshly, so she wrote a second, shit part of the ending, which ruined the book for me completely. Maybe some might enjoy it, but you're wrong, because that ending was vile; it did not fit the characters, nor did it fit the story. Read it if you like chess. And if you don't, then don't read it. Unless you want a chill winter read, which will infuriate you towards the end.

[Cathy Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun - even if I'd rather have read the story of the poker-playing older sister.
I don't usually like romance, as some of the tropes drive me up the wall - such as the hero and heroine being able to sort out all their problems in five minutes if they talked honestly and sensibly. But this is an intelligent example. When I read that the heroine was analysing dipthongs in the word, "Phwoarr!", I knew that the book was going to be a cut above most of its peers. It does play with and subvert some of the other romance tropes, which I enjoyed, though naturally I was far more interested in the chap who was too PC for the heroine's liking. He was lovely.... Anyway, this isn't my usual sort of book but it is very good.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am literally baffled by the reviews saying they've read this book more than once! It's just trashy fiction, but it's not even good trashy fiction!
It started off well with moderately likeable characters, which unfortunately plateaued with little to no character progression. For a character with so much going for her, and a phd Rose just seemed sort of pathetic. A shot gun marriage in vegas to a colleague she isn't even that keen on and she ends up moving in with him?
A lot of the plot points didn't feel well crafted and thought out and the ending felt rushed. 3 stars for the beginning and the concept, but the rest was a flop...

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fluffy chick-lit book that I enjoyed more than I want to admit -- a lot of sub-par stuff came out post-Bridget Jones' Diary, but this is actually funny, touching and not a total insult to the reader's intelligence. Exactly what I wanted from a beach read. (Though I'd be really pleased if these types of books would stop portraying all their leading women as so damned shopping-driven, not to mention flighty and so "math-is-hard" -- the stereotype is offputting, and it's a pretty obvious writing crutch.)

[Pauline · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an ok chick lit book. Maybe I didn't relate because of the chess references and it got a bit bogged down in those. I don't feel like the title reflects well on the book which is about a graduate trying to make their way in the world so Rose initially takes 4 jobs, so how is that Lazy? Girl meets boy etc.. there's a twist in the story, so quite formlaic chick lit really. A quick and easy read.

[Tehzeeb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute novel... its funny and a good book to freak out with.A real solace to boredom.Not one with an intelligent score..but i love the mention of literary terms,books and word origins in it..(might be coz i myself am a Lit student).I dont mind giving it a second time reading too.

[Julebu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even though I was aware of this being a light read (and I do love my light reads), I did not warm up to the characters. Somehow they did not become alive for me. But I did enjoy the many Edinburgh references - kindly reminding me of last summer's vacation.

[Latarshia Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I ever read from cover to cover 🙌. I was only teenage, and it was a freebie with a magazine. I tried buying books that I thought I might like many times before reading 'Lazy Ways To Make a Living' but none cut the mustard. This makes for a good Romance based on Chess moves.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I would be able to relate to this book and learn something, but instead it's a cheesy romance about a kept woman that wasn't even that funny.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is so well written i couldn't put it down.

[Amanda Henninger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vacation/Beach Read

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Very well written. Lots of tid-bit facts.
Didn't get into it right from the start, but once made my way through the first few chapters I found I couldn't put it down.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not taxing in any way. Beach read. Chewing gum for the brain.

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

good read (half intellectual half romantic). I guess I just love happy endings :)

[LaDawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the exception of the sticky sweet happy ending, I loved this book. Cleverly written and fast paced, it was hilarious and unique. Couldn't put it down.

[Fiona rose crossley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my normal choice of book but it was a good read.

[Nabilah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible. It is shallow, in my own opinion.

[Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a good read! so easy to love the characters and an unusual set out to keep things interesting. you can really connect to the story, brilliant.

[Dina · Rating 2 out of 5]

SO BORING

[Z e N · Rating 1 out of 5]

worst book i read yet... :@

[Keely · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't really like this.

[Catsalive · Rating 1 out of 5]

Failed the 50p test. Awful!