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Who's Afraid of Mr Wolfe? by Hazel Osmond
Ellie Somerset is a great advertising copywriter going nowhere fast - a boyfriend who is always at work, a tendency to dress like a short-sighted bag lady and a Creative Director who rejects her fresh ideas - they all conspire to keep her just treading water. Even her Great Aunt Edith, a demon at filthy scrabble, has a better social life than she does. All that changes when Jack Wolfe becomes her boss. Whilst everyone else at the agency thinks he's Heathcliff in jeans, Ellie just sees a stalking, scowling Alpha male with a nasty redundancy plan up his sleeve. As Jack makes it his mission to smarten up Ellie's attitude and her appearance, it's time for her to prove herself. But that means getting closer to this very sexy, very wicked man, and as she does Ellie discovers that this particular Heathcliff has an awful lot to hide.
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First published March 11, 2011
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About the author
Hazel Osmond
5 books83 followersI live in Northumberland; I'm married with two teenage daughters and for twenty years I've been an advertising copywriter. I have a clean driving licence, (apart from where I dripped nail varnish on it) and am not yet at that age where I've started to grow a moustache without realising it.
How did I get into writing stories and books? Partly because of a woman's magazine and partly because of a man in a cravat who proposed in my sitting room. The magazine was Woman & Home and I won their short story competition (sponsored by Costa) in 2008, and the man in the cravat was the actor Richard Armitage in Sandy Welch's adaptation of Mrs Gaskell's 'North and South' for the BBC.
Winning the competition gave me confidence; admiring Richard Armitage led me to one website in particular (C19) where I discovered plenty of fanfiction inspired by roles Mr A had
played and had a go at writing one myself.
Forty chapters later, having caught the writing bug, I was encouraged to try my hand at comtemporary fiction. I was following in fine footsteps - to date six others people who had that cravat 'moment' have become published authors - Rosy Thornton, Phillipa Ashley, Elizabeth Hanbury, Elizabeth Ashworth,
Juliet Archer and Georgia Hill.
How did I get into writing stories and books? Partly because of a woman's magazine and partly because of a man in a cravat who proposed in my sitting room. The magazine was Woman & Home and I won their short story competition (sponsored by Costa) in 2008, and the man in the cravat was the actor Richard Armitage in Sandy Welch's adaptation of Mrs Gaskell's 'North and South' for the BBC.
Winning the competition gave me confidence; admiring Richard Armitage led me to one website in particular (C19) where I discovered plenty of fanfiction inspired by roles Mr A had
played and had a go at writing one myself.
Forty chapters later, having caught the writing bug, I was encouraged to try my hand at comtemporary fiction. I was following in fine footsteps - to date six others people who had that cravat 'moment' have become published authors - Rosy Thornton, Phillipa Ashley, Elizabeth Hanbury, Elizabeth Ashworth,
Juliet Archer and Georgia Hill.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
June 13, 2016
This is a book about a weak and pathetic woman who throws herself at a womanising man who is a complete bastard to her. He hurts her with words, he says nasty things and he sleeps around with other women even after he has been with her.
But don't worry, he as an excuse to treat women like shit, he has a tragic past. All that tortured hero and angst wrapped up in a nice masculine package. Who could resist?
But don't worry, he as an excuse to treat women like shit, he has a tragic past. All that tortured hero and angst wrapped up in a nice masculine package. Who could resist?
August 31, 2011
Chick Lit isn't a genre that I usually read a lot of, as it's always struck me as being a little too predictable and fluffy. Well, how wrong can you be? I adored this book!
First off, the characters are wonderful. Granted, Jack and Ellie (our hero and heroine) have all the characteristics that you would expect them to have: she's open, funny, smart and genuinely likeable; he's tall, dark, mysterious and more than a little brooding (the author actually thanks, in her acknowledgements, Richard Armitage and his cravats, for being her inspiration!), but that's where the humdrum, run-of-the-mill finishes. Both characters have real depth to them (and in Jack's case, more than a few demons to contend with) and I was rooting for them both from start to finish. Also, Ellie's eccentric great-aunt Edith - a supposedly secondary character - has a life all of her own, and I could have quite happily read a whole book about her and her 'filthy Scrabble'...she's brilliant.
The story itself, whilst following the usual chick-lit template of boy and girl meeting, events conspiring to keep them apart - or in other words, him being a wally and messing things up - before finally reuniting for a happy ending (that's not a spoiler, by the way - it's what we expect, right? That's why we read these books isn't it, for the happy ending!), might seem like the norm, but the journey the author plans out to get us there, had me laughing, cringing, and crying (and I don't do that very easily!) on more than one occasion. It's a relatively thick book, but I devoured it in just under two days - I was desperate to get to the end but didn't for a second want it to finish - a cliche, I know, but cliches are cliches for a reason! I absolutely loved this book and will definitely be looking out for more from this author.
First off, the characters are wonderful. Granted, Jack and Ellie (our hero and heroine) have all the characteristics that you would expect them to have: she's open, funny, smart and genuinely likeable; he's tall, dark, mysterious and more than a little brooding (the author actually thanks, in her acknowledgements, Richard Armitage and his cravats, for being her inspiration!), but that's where the humdrum, run-of-the-mill finishes. Both characters have real depth to them (and in Jack's case, more than a few demons to contend with) and I was rooting for them both from start to finish. Also, Ellie's eccentric great-aunt Edith - a supposedly secondary character - has a life all of her own, and I could have quite happily read a whole book about her and her 'filthy Scrabble'...she's brilliant.
The story itself, whilst following the usual chick-lit template of boy and girl meeting, events conspiring to keep them apart - or in other words, him being a wally and messing things up - before finally reuniting for a happy ending (that's not a spoiler, by the way - it's what we expect, right? That's why we read these books isn't it, for the happy ending!), might seem like the norm, but the journey the author plans out to get us there, had me laughing, cringing, and crying (and I don't do that very easily!) on more than one occasion. It's a relatively thick book, but I devoured it in just under two days - I was desperate to get to the end but didn't for a second want it to finish - a cliche, I know, but cliches are cliches for a reason! I absolutely loved this book and will definitely be looking out for more from this author.
November 28, 2011
Originally posted here.
I never would have found out about Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolfe by Hazel Osmond if it wasn't for Sabrina of About Happy Books and her review of the book. It seemed like something that I'd enjoy reading so I ordered a copy from Book Depository since it's not locally available. I picked this up when I felt that I needed a light and fun book in between fantasy reads. Too bad I wasn't able to take a picture of the cover because it looks a lot nicer in person, all purple and sparkly. I think it's perfect for the contents of the book.
This is part of the acknowledgments section: "the actor Richard Armitage, because without his cravat and scowls there would be no Jack Wolfe." As if I needed more encouragement to read this book? I'm always on the lookout for chick lit with more depth than usual and I think Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolfe falls under that classification. I loved Richard Armitage in North and South so any book that has a hero resembling him is a winner in my eyes. The first half of the book was highly entertaining and the pages flew by as I read them. Ellie works as a copywriter in an ad agency and is one-half of a creative team in their company. She works with her graphic artist best friend, Lesley. Ellie is great at what she does, she's smart and she's willing to take risks for the sake of creativity. She studied English in college and reads paperbacks during her free time. She likes to take care of her eccentric great-aunt Edith. Sounds like someone who I can be friends with. She's immune to the charms of their new boss, Jack Wolfe. He's well-known in the industry for shaping things up in ad agencies that lag behind and he seems like a great boss. All the other women in the office thinks he's hot and he's a really good catch but this is what Ellie thinks of him:
So a leading lady who thinks she doesn't like the leading man? My kind of story. I liked a lot of things about this novel. I feel like the setting is realistic and it actually made me think that it would be nice to work in an ad agency (crazy but in a fun way). I liked that the secondary characters were fully fleshed out - Ellie's great-aunt Edith is a hoot when it comes to playing Scrabble because she only uses filthy words. The novel is thicker than other chick lit reads so there's time for the characters to get to know each other - Ellie was even in another relationship at the start of the novel. I really liked the banter between Ellie and Jack and how they kept denying the attraction between them. Like I said, I liked the tension and the build-up to their romance. I also liked the chemistry when they finally got together (that isn't a spoiler, right? You know that was going to happen). What I didn't like was the conflict because it was a bit frustrating. I wanted to hit Jack in the head to knock some sense into him. There was a point where I thought Jack was a real jerk and that it would be difficult for Ellie to forgive him. Rest assured, everything works out in the end. That's my only quibble with the book - aside from that, I enjoyed it as a whole and would recommend it to fans of British chick lit or those who want a feel good read. It's funny, has smart characters and very easy to fall into. I'm definitely going to watch out for Hazel Osmond's future novels.
I never would have found out about Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolfe by Hazel Osmond if it wasn't for Sabrina of About Happy Books and her review of the book. It seemed like something that I'd enjoy reading so I ordered a copy from Book Depository since it's not locally available. I picked this up when I felt that I needed a light and fun book in between fantasy reads. Too bad I wasn't able to take a picture of the cover because it looks a lot nicer in person, all purple and sparkly. I think it's perfect for the contents of the book.
This is part of the acknowledgments section: "the actor Richard Armitage, because without his cravat and scowls there would be no Jack Wolfe." As if I needed more encouragement to read this book? I'm always on the lookout for chick lit with more depth than usual and I think Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolfe falls under that classification. I loved Richard Armitage in North and South so any book that has a hero resembling him is a winner in my eyes. The first half of the book was highly entertaining and the pages flew by as I read them. Ellie works as a copywriter in an ad agency and is one-half of a creative team in their company. She works with her graphic artist best friend, Lesley. Ellie is great at what she does, she's smart and she's willing to take risks for the sake of creativity. She studied English in college and reads paperbacks during her free time. She likes to take care of her eccentric great-aunt Edith. Sounds like someone who I can be friends with. She's immune to the charms of their new boss, Jack Wolfe. He's well-known in the industry for shaping things up in ad agencies that lag behind and he seems like a great boss. All the other women in the office thinks he's hot and he's a really good catch but this is what Ellie thinks of him:
“They've read too many of those romances with alpha males striding their way through them. They think that beneath all that granite they're going to find a tender, injured soul crying out for their healing touch. Whereas I see someone whose mother didn't tell him to "make nice" enough when he was little. If he ever was little.”
So a leading lady who thinks she doesn't like the leading man? My kind of story. I liked a lot of things about this novel. I feel like the setting is realistic and it actually made me think that it would be nice to work in an ad agency (crazy but in a fun way). I liked that the secondary characters were fully fleshed out - Ellie's great-aunt Edith is a hoot when it comes to playing Scrabble because she only uses filthy words. The novel is thicker than other chick lit reads so there's time for the characters to get to know each other - Ellie was even in another relationship at the start of the novel. I really liked the banter between Ellie and Jack and how they kept denying the attraction between them. Like I said, I liked the tension and the build-up to their romance. I also liked the chemistry when they finally got together (that isn't a spoiler, right? You know that was going to happen). What I didn't like was the conflict because it was a bit frustrating. I wanted to hit Jack in the head to knock some sense into him. There was a point where I thought Jack was a real jerk and that it would be difficult for Ellie to forgive him. Rest assured, everything works out in the end. That's my only quibble with the book - aside from that, I enjoyed it as a whole and would recommend it to fans of British chick lit or those who want a feel good read. It's funny, has smart characters and very easy to fall into. I'm definitely going to watch out for Hazel Osmond's future novels.
May 10, 2016
You hear that disturbing noise?
That noise is a combination of my nerves grating in despair and my gnashed teeth grinding away in exasperation.
What gets my goat and the rest of the farm is not a book that is uniformly bad. I can accept that. What I can't bear is a book that starts off with oodles of potential and goes unexpectedly downhill. I really liked the heroine of this book. Ellie the frustrated copywriter was scruffy, funny and filled with sass. She had an awesome ensemble cast dishing out quips galore. Hell even Mr.Wolfe was dark and delicious. Their chemistry sizzled with humour and zingy repartee. I was happy.
And then . And spirited Ellie turned into a moping, depressing, stalkerish, my-life-revolves-around-a-man-who-treated-me-like-ten-different-kinds-of-poop. I don't care what issues Mr.Wolfe had. No one treats a woman in such an abysmal manner. And no woman who claims to use her wit and scathing tongue to perfection takes such vocal cruelty with meek numbness.
I HATED THAT.
I also got a tad miffed that Ellie's ability to come up with a funny comeback was labelled as a defence mechanism. A woman can be genuinely funny and not have to feel apologetic about it. A funny woman need not necessarily be carrying a world of hurt and betrayal behind her ability to come up with a quick retort in seconds. No sirree.
So no, I did not like what the heroine became. And so, my enjoyment in the book also dissipated.
That noise is a combination of my nerves grating in despair and my gnashed teeth grinding away in exasperation.
What gets my goat and the rest of the farm is not a book that is uniformly bad. I can accept that. What I can't bear is a book that starts off with oodles of potential and goes unexpectedly downhill. I really liked the heroine of this book. Ellie the frustrated copywriter was scruffy, funny and filled with sass. She had an awesome ensemble cast dishing out quips galore. Hell even Mr.Wolfe was dark and delicious. Their chemistry sizzled with humour and zingy repartee. I was happy.
And then . And spirited Ellie turned into a moping, depressing, stalkerish, my-life-revolves-around-a-man-who-treated-me-like-ten-different-kinds-of-poop. I don't care what issues Mr.Wolfe had. No one treats a woman in such an abysmal manner. And no woman who claims to use her wit and scathing tongue to perfection takes such vocal cruelty with meek numbness.
I HATED THAT.
I also got a tad miffed that Ellie's ability to come up with a funny comeback was labelled as a defence mechanism. A woman can be genuinely funny and not have to feel apologetic about it. A funny woman need not necessarily be carrying a world of hurt and betrayal behind her ability to come up with a quick retort in seconds. No sirree.
So no, I did not like what the heroine became. And so, my enjoyment in the book also dissipated.
December 18, 2011
Review originally posted on my book blog (wordpress / livejournal)
I’ve been dying to read Who’s Afraid of Mr. Wolfe ever since Sabrina reviewed it at About Happy Books and gave it a very positive review. I’ve been dipping my toes into British Chick Lit more lately after Sarra Manning’s Unsticky just bowled me over this year, and Sabrina is my go-to girl on all that is Chick Lit-y (without being too Chick Lit-y). The only thing holding me back from hitting that buy button was the Ol’ TBR pile, but I eventually gave in (as I inevitably do).
The Premise: Ellie Somerset is a copywriter in a London advertising agency where the big bad Mr. Wolfe has just arrived to shake up and streamline the company. There isn’t a woman at the agency immune to Jack Wolfe’s broody Healthcliff aura, but Ellie is convinced that under it all, Mr. Wolfe doesn’t deserve all the fuss. She’s determined to stay above the fray but can’t seem to help using her sharp tongue to make little jabs at the boss. As for Jack, he doesn’t know why he’s noticing Ellie, who has a problem with authority and dresses like she’s still in college (nothing like the usual elegant women he dates). As time goes on these two people, each with their own relationship baggage find themselves drawn to one another despite their best efforts. Jack is in panic mode because Ellie brings up feelings he doesn’t want to deal with, but he can’t seem to stay away.
My Thoughts: Ellie is half of a two woman creative team. She brings the words and her partner, Leslie brings the art, and together they produce fresh new ideas. Unfortunately, if they think out of the box too much, they’re usually shut down by higher ups afraid of pushing the envelope. At home, Ellie’s life has similarly stagnated with her long time boyfriend, Sam, who is often too busy entertaining clients to spend time with her. The only unexpected element in Ellie’s life is her great aunt Edith, who lives life loud and to the fullest, and has eccentric habits like playing scrabble with dirty words. While Ellie has a great relationship with her aunt and with Leslie (who has become her best friend), all in all, Ellie is in a very “comfortable” but unexciting place in her love-life and work.
Then Jack Wolfe arrives and shakes up her life.
Jack is basically what you’d expect from his name – the wolf of the office. Everyone is abuzz when he arrives and in short order begins to cut out all the laziness and uninspired thinking that kept the agency back. His tall frame, dark broody looks and Yorkshire accent paired with his confidence has colleagues swooning and calling him Heathcliff. Ellie is the only hold out. She’s convinced the culling will soon stop the silliness over “a guy who looks like a six-foot-three, permanently scowling, sharp-nosed wolf.” When they interact, it’s a battle of wills as Ellie feels compelled to take Jack down a peg, and Jack enjoys deliberately unsettling her. Jack recognizes Ellie and Leslie’s ideas as good ones and challenges Ellie to do more for her career, but Ellie only ends up feeling defensive and picked on. Their attraction (which both try to deny) only muddies the waters further.
Even though this plot is one that is fairly typical (contentious coworkers who really are attracted to one another, the gay best friend, an obstacle to their happiness), it was still so delicious to read and see how Ellie and Jack would succumb to the inevitable. While I wasn’t surprised by how the story unfurled (for example, I fully expected Ellie’s boyfriend to go and was not surprised when he did – I doubt this is a spoiler to anyone), it managed to feel unpredictable and nuanced. Osmond added just the right touch of emotion and seriousness to the story to keep it from being just another frothy read, and I liked that while this was mostly a heady, romantic story, there’s pain and loss in here. I frowned over Jack’s track record, or how he acted when things got more serious than he could handle, but the story peels back his granite facade to reveal what is really going on there. So Ellie and Jack both have their emotional moments that trigger erratic behavior, but I understood why, and got to see what happened as a result.
I loved the glimpses into what made the characters tick, and boy, I could really feel their emotions and got caught up in their every drama. I loved Ellie’s quick and sharp sense of humor and her kindness and love for her aunt. And Jack’s presence just stole the show any time he was on the page. I think if I understood exactly what a Yorkshire accent was, I would be even more under his spell (I used youtube to figure it out, but I don’t think it’s the same). For North & South fans, if you need an excuse to read this one, the author gives Richard Armitage a nod: “because without his cravat and scowls there would be no Jack Wolfe”. Just sayin’.
I also quite liked the colorful secondary characters of Who’s Afraid of Mr. Wolfe, particularly great-aunt Edith and her naughty Scrabble. I got a chuckle at imagining this diminutive lady doing what she wanted and looking how she wanted. I think she got a kick out of surprising her niece, just a little. Leslie, the once intimidating, edgy artist that’s now Ellie’s best friend and creative partner was another character I enjoyed. Leslie and Ellie’s easy banter, their perfectly in sync partnership, and the sweet way Leslie acts around the girl that is her One made their friendship a lovely one to read.
Overall: Despite the 490 pages, I think I read this one in about a night and a day. I was looking for a feel good romance and this delivered just that. The plot is familiar – two contentious coworkers falling for each other despite themselves, but Who’s Afraid of Mr. Wolfe expands it so it feels like the book equivalent of the extended version with deleted scenes. So if you like the Alpha male of the office falling for the plucky young up-and-comer storyline, this book delivers a generous serving peppered with humor and emotion.
I’ve been dying to read Who’s Afraid of Mr. Wolfe ever since Sabrina reviewed it at About Happy Books and gave it a very positive review. I’ve been dipping my toes into British Chick Lit more lately after Sarra Manning’s Unsticky just bowled me over this year, and Sabrina is my go-to girl on all that is Chick Lit-y (without being too Chick Lit-y). The only thing holding me back from hitting that buy button was the Ol’ TBR pile, but I eventually gave in (as I inevitably do).
The Premise: Ellie Somerset is a copywriter in a London advertising agency where the big bad Mr. Wolfe has just arrived to shake up and streamline the company. There isn’t a woman at the agency immune to Jack Wolfe’s broody Healthcliff aura, but Ellie is convinced that under it all, Mr. Wolfe doesn’t deserve all the fuss. She’s determined to stay above the fray but can’t seem to help using her sharp tongue to make little jabs at the boss. As for Jack, he doesn’t know why he’s noticing Ellie, who has a problem with authority and dresses like she’s still in college (nothing like the usual elegant women he dates). As time goes on these two people, each with their own relationship baggage find themselves drawn to one another despite their best efforts. Jack is in panic mode because Ellie brings up feelings he doesn’t want to deal with, but he can’t seem to stay away.
My Thoughts: Ellie is half of a two woman creative team. She brings the words and her partner, Leslie brings the art, and together they produce fresh new ideas. Unfortunately, if they think out of the box too much, they’re usually shut down by higher ups afraid of pushing the envelope. At home, Ellie’s life has similarly stagnated with her long time boyfriend, Sam, who is often too busy entertaining clients to spend time with her. The only unexpected element in Ellie’s life is her great aunt Edith, who lives life loud and to the fullest, and has eccentric habits like playing scrabble with dirty words. While Ellie has a great relationship with her aunt and with Leslie (who has become her best friend), all in all, Ellie is in a very “comfortable” but unexciting place in her love-life and work.
Then Jack Wolfe arrives and shakes up her life.
Jack is basically what you’d expect from his name – the wolf of the office. Everyone is abuzz when he arrives and in short order begins to cut out all the laziness and uninspired thinking that kept the agency back. His tall frame, dark broody looks and Yorkshire accent paired with his confidence has colleagues swooning and calling him Heathcliff. Ellie is the only hold out. She’s convinced the culling will soon stop the silliness over “a guy who looks like a six-foot-three, permanently scowling, sharp-nosed wolf.” When they interact, it’s a battle of wills as Ellie feels compelled to take Jack down a peg, and Jack enjoys deliberately unsettling her. Jack recognizes Ellie and Leslie’s ideas as good ones and challenges Ellie to do more for her career, but Ellie only ends up feeling defensive and picked on. Their attraction (which both try to deny) only muddies the waters further.
Even though this plot is one that is fairly typical (contentious coworkers who really are attracted to one another, the gay best friend, an obstacle to their happiness), it was still so delicious to read and see how Ellie and Jack would succumb to the inevitable. While I wasn’t surprised by how the story unfurled (for example, I fully expected Ellie’s boyfriend to go and was not surprised when he did – I doubt this is a spoiler to anyone), it managed to feel unpredictable and nuanced. Osmond added just the right touch of emotion and seriousness to the story to keep it from being just another frothy read, and I liked that while this was mostly a heady, romantic story, there’s pain and loss in here. I frowned over Jack’s track record, or how he acted when things got more serious than he could handle, but the story peels back his granite facade to reveal what is really going on there. So Ellie and Jack both have their emotional moments that trigger erratic behavior, but I understood why, and got to see what happened as a result.
I loved the glimpses into what made the characters tick, and boy, I could really feel their emotions and got caught up in their every drama. I loved Ellie’s quick and sharp sense of humor and her kindness and love for her aunt. And Jack’s presence just stole the show any time he was on the page. I think if I understood exactly what a Yorkshire accent was, I would be even more under his spell (I used youtube to figure it out, but I don’t think it’s the same). For North & South fans, if you need an excuse to read this one, the author gives Richard Armitage a nod: “because without his cravat and scowls there would be no Jack Wolfe”. Just sayin’.
I also quite liked the colorful secondary characters of Who’s Afraid of Mr. Wolfe, particularly great-aunt Edith and her naughty Scrabble. I got a chuckle at imagining this diminutive lady doing what she wanted and looking how she wanted. I think she got a kick out of surprising her niece, just a little. Leslie, the once intimidating, edgy artist that’s now Ellie’s best friend and creative partner was another character I enjoyed. Leslie and Ellie’s easy banter, their perfectly in sync partnership, and the sweet way Leslie acts around the girl that is her One made their friendship a lovely one to read.
Overall: Despite the 490 pages, I think I read this one in about a night and a day. I was looking for a feel good romance and this delivered just that. The plot is familiar – two contentious coworkers falling for each other despite themselves, but Who’s Afraid of Mr. Wolfe expands it so it feels like the book equivalent of the extended version with deleted scenes. So if you like the Alpha male of the office falling for the plucky young up-and-comer storyline, this book delivers a generous serving peppered with humor and emotion.
December 26, 2020
What a completely GOD-AWFUL, DREADFUL BOOK!!
I am amazed how this author came up with devising the most HATEFUL and PATHETIC hero and heroine I have ever read.
This book was a bore to start and I skimmed a good many pages and chapters until the hero made an entrance, but after awhile I found out what an absolute BASTARD he was - really there's no redemption for his actions regardless of his past. He was just a dreadful man.
As for the heroine, how many times can someone be so naive and have such low self-esteem to keep going for a man that keeps HUMILIATING her in public and slamming the door on her face?? Apparently, a woman with no self-worth, and that's why the sex was ALWAYS on the floor and NEVER on the BED!! Just PATHETIC!
Needless to say, I skimmed my way through most of the ending too and could not wait for it to end. This book was terrible in its CRUDE and INAPPROPRIATE sexual humor by the hero and not at all romantic. Their first kiss bordered beyond consent - it sort of makes me ill. Secondly, initially the hero describes the heroine as dressing like a bag lady later comes out dressing like a French model. Tastes don't change overnight! This is very unrealistic. This book was so farfetched and awful I don't even want to dedicate any of my words or time to complain. I'm just glad the two fools ended up together because they deserve each other.
THE HARSH TRUTH: This author needs to find another day job and leave the real romance novels to someone else - this is one of the worst books I have ever read.
I am amazed how this author came up with devising the most HATEFUL and PATHETIC hero and heroine I have ever read.
This book was a bore to start and I skimmed a good many pages and chapters until the hero made an entrance, but after awhile I found out what an absolute BASTARD he was - really there's no redemption for his actions regardless of his past. He was just a dreadful man.
As for the heroine, how many times can someone be so naive and have such low self-esteem to keep going for a man that keeps HUMILIATING her in public and slamming the door on her face?? Apparently, a woman with no self-worth, and that's why the sex was ALWAYS on the floor and NEVER on the BED!! Just PATHETIC!
Needless to say, I skimmed my way through most of the ending too and could not wait for it to end. This book was terrible in its CRUDE and INAPPROPRIATE sexual humor by the hero and not at all romantic. Their first kiss bordered beyond consent - it sort of makes me ill. Secondly, initially the hero describes the heroine as dressing like a bag lady later comes out dressing like a French model. Tastes don't change overnight! This is very unrealistic. This book was so farfetched and awful I don't even want to dedicate any of my words or time to complain. I'm just glad the two fools ended up together because they deserve each other.
THE HARSH TRUTH: This author needs to find another day job and leave the real romance novels to someone else - this is one of the worst books I have ever read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2011
This was really a big surprise for me. I have to confess to walking the other way when someone waves chick lit at me but an adamant friend told me to download it on my kindle and since it was only 99p I thought what the hell.
I think I laughed out loud the whole way through the first half of the novel. Ellie, the main character isn't as bland as I think the book description makes her out to be. She's a hilarious London girl with no pretension and a quick wit. Seriously, this was laugh out loud funny. Sure the book took a more serious turn in the last half of the book, and there were certain situations that made me a wee bit annoyed, but the chemistry between Ellie and Jack was fantastic and overall this was a really entertaining read.
I think I laughed out loud the whole way through the first half of the novel. Ellie, the main character isn't as bland as I think the book description makes her out to be. She's a hilarious London girl with no pretension and a quick wit. Seriously, this was laugh out loud funny. Sure the book took a more serious turn in the last half of the book, and there were certain situations that made me a wee bit annoyed, but the chemistry between Ellie and Jack was fantastic and overall this was a really entertaining read.
November 16, 2012
Certainly deserves more than 3 stars, but not entirely 4.
Ah - It’s been ages since I’ve read a book set in London. Or a book by a British author for that matter. Hazel Osmond pleasantly surprised me with her first novel. I have to say I’m not sure what type of literature is pigeonholed “chick-lit”, or when a novel qualifies to be called “chick-lit”. Is it a term more used in the UK or in the US? Anyway, “Who’s Afraid of Mr. Wolfe?” is a very endearing, cute romantic comedy-type of novel that kept me captivated to the very last page. It’s light and charming, but has a certain depth as well. It reminded me of some of Marian Keyes or Jennifer Weiner’s better work.
It made me laugh to read the author’s acknowledgments at the beginning of the book, where she thanks Richard Armitage (the British actor) for inspiring her for the role of Jack Wolfe. Even with that knowledge, I didn’t imagine Richard Armitage as Jack, it just didn’t fit, still it made me laugh, because I know what Hazel Osmond means about Mr. Armitage. He’s very imposing and sexy in the right roles.
What I liked best about this book was the slow process of the romance. It felt real and not rushed. Both lead characters clash more often than agree in the first half of the book. I really liked the sparks that flew when they didn’t get along, it felt so genuine. I liked how Ellie was a strong female lead character (most of the time) and how Jack was more than a one-dimensional male love interest.
One of the most touching things in the whole book was the relationship between Ellie and her elderly aunt Edith, it is so well written and beautifully done, and I liked how this ran equally alongside the main story, right up until the end.
I’m glad I read this book because it reminded me that I should catch up on more great UK romance writers!
Ah - It’s been ages since I’ve read a book set in London. Or a book by a British author for that matter. Hazel Osmond pleasantly surprised me with her first novel. I have to say I’m not sure what type of literature is pigeonholed “chick-lit”, or when a novel qualifies to be called “chick-lit”. Is it a term more used in the UK or in the US? Anyway, “Who’s Afraid of Mr. Wolfe?” is a very endearing, cute romantic comedy-type of novel that kept me captivated to the very last page. It’s light and charming, but has a certain depth as well. It reminded me of some of Marian Keyes or Jennifer Weiner’s better work.
It made me laugh to read the author’s acknowledgments at the beginning of the book, where she thanks Richard Armitage (the British actor) for inspiring her for the role of Jack Wolfe. Even with that knowledge, I didn’t imagine Richard Armitage as Jack, it just didn’t fit, still it made me laugh, because I know what Hazel Osmond means about Mr. Armitage. He’s very imposing and sexy in the right roles.
What I liked best about this book was the slow process of the romance. It felt real and not rushed. Both lead characters clash more often than agree in the first half of the book. I really liked the sparks that flew when they didn’t get along, it felt so genuine. I liked how Ellie was a strong female lead character (most of the time) and how Jack was more than a one-dimensional male love interest.
One of the most touching things in the whole book was the relationship between Ellie and her elderly aunt Edith, it is so well written and beautifully done, and I liked how this ran equally alongside the main story, right up until the end.
I’m glad I read this book because it reminded me that I should catch up on more great UK romance writers!
October 5, 2016
Waw that was a very long journey that gladly I took ..
The first chapters were a little bit boring at some point I decided to stop reading BUT the book name was reason number 1 for me to complete it &&&& yup am so happy I did .
I laughed, grinned, cried , get a little bit angry at both Ellie & Jack and at a time I hated jack so much.
I learned something about forgiveness in this book i may not -like EVER-try hard as Ellie to apologies or gave up and simply forgive so what she did even as a fictional character
made me stop and say oh .. sometimes simply all we have to do is to forgive and live the life we want without regrets.
What i liked most about this novel that there was no rushing in the events, they took weeks and months to get to the point we all waited for " the jack & ellie thing " and yeah you may get bored at first but when you finish the book you will love every single part of it .. every lind made the perfect story to tell .. and to my surprise there is an epilogue, thats rare in chic lits to know what happened to the characters after months & maybe years but we have it here .
You may hate jack in one chapter , you may say oh silly ellie at another but you will always fall in love with her great sparky aunt edith <3
5 beautiful stars to a beautiful novel .
X
The first chapters were a little bit boring at some point I decided to stop reading BUT the book name was reason number 1 for me to complete it &&&& yup am so happy I did .
I laughed, grinned, cried , get a little bit angry at both Ellie & Jack and at a time I hated jack so much.
I learned something about forgiveness in this book i may not -like EVER-try hard as Ellie to apologies or gave up and simply forgive so what she did even as a fictional character
made me stop and say oh .. sometimes simply all we have to do is to forgive and live the life we want without regrets.
What i liked most about this novel that there was no rushing in the events, they took weeks and months to get to the point we all waited for " the jack & ellie thing " and yeah you may get bored at first but when you finish the book you will love every single part of it .. every lind made the perfect story to tell .. and to my surprise there is an epilogue, thats rare in chic lits to know what happened to the characters after months & maybe years but we have it here .
You may hate jack in one chapter , you may say oh silly ellie at another but you will always fall in love with her great sparky aunt edith <3
5 beautiful stars to a beautiful novel .
X
July 8, 2016
A humorous British lit employer/employee romance that addresses the finer points of infidelity, death, and learning to let go of the past. I really enjoyed the first half. Ellie was a hoot with her unfiltered dialogue and punchy best friend. I loved the antagonism fueled banter between Jack and Ellie. The romance is where I began to have issues. Jack is womanizer whose deplorable actions are excused due to his tragic past. I was quite shocked by his vehemence towards love and the way he chose to take it out on Ellie. Of course, we get our HEA but part of me wanted Ellie to tell Jack to go to the devil and find someone who didn't need therapy in order to comfortably love her.
December 9, 2014
If Goodreads would let me I would have given it 3.5 stars.
Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolfe? The very funny and heart-warming story of a young woman trying to get her job and her life back on track after the arrival of a new boss - who has other ideas in mind.
This book was funny, romantic, and sexy... it kinda reminded me of Bridget Jones's Diary. I didn't really care for the ending. She basically became pathetic to win over the guy and sorry honey, but I don't do pathetic... anymore.
Also, it was a little too long.
Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolfe? The very funny and heart-warming story of a young woman trying to get her job and her life back on track after the arrival of a new boss - who has other ideas in mind.
This book was funny, romantic, and sexy... it kinda reminded me of Bridget Jones's Diary. I didn't really care for the ending. She basically became pathetic to win over the guy and sorry honey, but I don't do pathetic... anymore.
Also, it was a little too long.
May 19, 2017
The story itself was okay - but I just couldn't justify the awful way the male lead treated the female. He may have been sexy, and smart and interesting - but this does not change the simple fact: He was a bully. A spiteful, mean man who used a tragic past to explain away his awfulness. Unfortunately, the female lead was also not someone I could respect, chasing after and trying to get back with a man - who as she herself stated, treated her like nothing more than for a place for him to put his d*ck into.
And then you had to kill of the best character? Awful.
And then you had to kill of the best character? Awful.
November 16, 2017
This book was heartbreaking -- the heroine went from spirited and feisty in a non-annoying way to a doormat. The hero's journey made sense, but she didn't have to just accept all of his cruel behavior. She could have pushed back and remained herself.
May 4, 2017
I wish half stars existed on GR as this is between a 3,5 and 4 for me. This book... aagghhh. I was captured by it and kept reading until the end, but I was also very disappointed in the last part of the book.
The book is typically British and I like that. I also liked Ellie and enjoyed the slow development of her (and Jack's) crush. But then it all went to hell as they say. And even the discovery of a tragic past for Jack could not take away my anger at what he put Ellie through. Could not take away my anger at her easy forgiveness. The book dropped from 5 to 3.
The book is typically British and I like that. I also liked Ellie and enjoyed the slow development of her (and Jack's) crush. But then it all went to hell as they say. And even the discovery of a tragic past for Jack could not take away my anger at what he put Ellie through. Could not take away my anger at her easy forgiveness. The book dropped from 5 to 3.
May 21, 2025
Not gonna lie, I really thought that this can become one of my top rom-coms. but I am disappointed.
Yes, I loved our main character, her job, her friends, the fight between her and Wolfe but I they lacked chemistry. I wanted more of it since this is the main thing that the premise and even the title is based on.
Yes, I loved our main character, her job, her friends, the fight between her and Wolfe but I they lacked chemistry. I wanted more of it since this is the main thing that the premise and even the title is based on.
January 21, 2021
This was not it for me. Really didn’t liked the characters, they were so mean and disrespectful towards each other, way over the top.
Plus it felt like it dragged for so long but at the same time it was too fast paced at times, it felt so weird! It’s way longer than necessary and the main characters didn’t have any chemistry at all!
Plus it felt like it dragged for so long but at the same time it was too fast paced at times, it felt so weird! It’s way longer than necessary and the main characters didn’t have any chemistry at all!
June 7, 2011
4,95 stars, even though such a rating doesn't actually exist...
I liked Hazel Osmond's debut very much, the heroine is rather strong, smart, funny and witty. It was hyterically funny and I had a hard time not laughing out loud during my rides to the university. The story had me right there from the beginnig and I just couldn't put the book down!
The supporting characters were awesome, not to speak of Ellie's great-aunt Edith, who was hysterical! By far my favourite character. Though I *knew* where the story would go with her, so good thing I was "prepared"..
I'll tell you now why this book can't get 5 full stars from me, even though it was SO close.. It's the hero, Jack Wolfe, who turns out shittish towards the end, but I must say that he does redeem himself at the end.
At this point I must warn you that there are coming some spoilers.
Well, anyway, I really liked Mr. Wolfe at the beginning, he is smart, brooding, dark and handsome and obviously keeping a secret.. Soon the reader learns that he has a casual relationship with two women at the same time, these women obviously unaware of each other. But well, all right, I could get over that, especially because there wasn't going on anything between him and Ellie (yet).
Ellie and Jack start a fling and both think it's just that, and Ellie always prepares herself for letting him go after another great night and doesn't call him, still he(!!) keeps coming back to her. Alright. She develops feelings for him and so does he for her, even though he won't admit that to himself. Fine. But then he takes a job far far away, just like that and treats Ellie like shit. She tries to reach out to him, goes after him, and does so much to make him relize his mistakes just for his own sake.
I would have given up long before Ellie. And I would have lost my nerve long before her. Anyway, he keeps humiliating her and even sleeps with another woman, even though he realizes that it's not the lifestyle he wants/ can continue.
A friend of mine thought that they weren't on a clean break when he slept with that other woman, but no, they were not Ross-and-Rachel kind of broken up, but very clearly broken up.
I mean I get why he did certain things after the revelation of his secret, but treating Ellie like that ater she tried so hard to get through to him and on top of that banging some blonde bimbo with fake tits after he slept with Ellie and knowing that he loves her?? I *cannot* stand such things. Not in real life and certainly not in romance books. I hated him and I can tell you that I never hated a hero before..
But the end turns out great and you can kind of forgive him a little, and thank God Ellie doesn't take him back just like that on a whim, just because he comes clear with his feelings.
So, the book is too good for only four stars, yet, because of the hero, not good enough for five stars and even better than just 4,5 stars.. I can't help it, but that's the way it is!
I would also definitely pick up another book by Hazel Osmond, if she ever should publish more books, looking forward to another great and funny story and hoping for a better hero!
I liked Hazel Osmond's debut very much, the heroine is rather strong, smart, funny and witty. It was hyterically funny and I had a hard time not laughing out loud during my rides to the university. The story had me right there from the beginnig and I just couldn't put the book down!
The supporting characters were awesome, not to speak of Ellie's great-aunt Edith, who was hysterical! By far my favourite character. Though I *knew* where the story would go with her, so good thing I was "prepared"..
I'll tell you now why this book can't get 5 full stars from me, even though it was SO close.. It's the hero, Jack Wolfe, who turns out shittish towards the end, but I must say that he does redeem himself at the end.
At this point I must warn you that there are coming some spoilers.
Well, anyway, I really liked Mr. Wolfe at the beginning, he is smart, brooding, dark and handsome and obviously keeping a secret.. Soon the reader learns that he has a casual relationship with two women at the same time, these women obviously unaware of each other. But well, all right, I could get over that, especially because there wasn't going on anything between him and Ellie (yet).
Ellie and Jack start a fling and both think it's just that, and Ellie always prepares herself for letting him go after another great night and doesn't call him, still he(!!) keeps coming back to her. Alright. She develops feelings for him and so does he for her, even though he won't admit that to himself. Fine. But then he takes a job far far away, just like that and treats Ellie like shit. She tries to reach out to him, goes after him, and does so much to make him relize his mistakes just for his own sake.
I would have given up long before Ellie. And I would have lost my nerve long before her. Anyway, he keeps humiliating her and even sleeps with another woman, even though he realizes that it's not the lifestyle he wants/ can continue.
A friend of mine thought that they weren't on a clean break when he slept with that other woman, but no, they were not Ross-and-Rachel kind of broken up, but very clearly broken up.
I mean I get why he did certain things after the revelation of his secret, but treating Ellie like that ater she tried so hard to get through to him and on top of that banging some blonde bimbo with fake tits after he slept with Ellie and knowing that he loves her?? I *cannot* stand such things. Not in real life and certainly not in romance books. I hated him and I can tell you that I never hated a hero before..
But the end turns out great and you can kind of forgive him a little, and thank God Ellie doesn't take him back just like that on a whim, just because he comes clear with his feelings.
So, the book is too good for only four stars, yet, because of the hero, not good enough for five stars and even better than just 4,5 stars.. I can't help it, but that's the way it is!
I would also definitely pick up another book by Hazel Osmond, if she ever should publish more books, looking forward to another great and funny story and hoping for a better hero!
June 26, 2018
DNF I started reading this book and immediately got a vibe that this book was more of a wannabe chick-lit than an actual enjoyable one. So I visited Goodreads to confirm my suspicions and was proven correct. At least this would have been a great waste of time for me.
For starters, the creative teams “great” idea didn’t see all that great. The author could have done more research or picked something else rather than shoving female paraphernalia down our throats. Next, the dialogues seemed too winded and forced not to mention that there was absolutely no reason given for my Lesley put her foot in her mouth at the coffee shop when just a few sentence ago she has told herself to be cautious about what she is saying. As far as meet cute go, this one was pretty pathetic.
I never write this much review for any book but seriously I think this book is better avoided by those readers who are looking for a “good” chick-lit book and not just an ok one. Life’s too short for bad literature.
For starters, the creative teams “great” idea didn’t see all that great. The author could have done more research or picked something else rather than shoving female paraphernalia down our throats. Next, the dialogues seemed too winded and forced not to mention that there was absolutely no reason given for my Lesley put her foot in her mouth at the coffee shop when just a few sentence ago she has told herself to be cautious about what she is saying. As far as meet cute go, this one was pretty pathetic.
I never write this much review for any book but seriously I think this book is better avoided by those readers who are looking for a “good” chick-lit book and not just an ok one. Life’s too short for bad literature.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
April 2, 2019Ok so for starters, I saw this in a store and I thought the cover was just so shiny and pretty, then I read the synopsis and It sounded pretty good. I really enjoyed the first half of the book. It was very well- written and I liked ellie's character. Ellie and Jack's chemistry in the first half of the book was also well - written. However the story went downhill from there.
September 15, 2012
Originally on my blog: http://ilovedthisbook.blogspot.com
I really enjoyed this. It was kind of predictable, but then the way it went about it's predictableness (I know that is not word) was a surprise. It is probably not a book you can get at your local library, but it is available on amazon for way cheap.
A few steamy scenes and mild language. Overall a light and enjoyable read without being silly.
I really enjoyed this. It was kind of predictable, but then the way it went about it's predictableness (I know that is not word) was a surprise. It is probably not a book you can get at your local library, but it is available on amazon for way cheap.
A few steamy scenes and mild language. Overall a light and enjoyable read without being silly.
April 10, 2011
Masterful romantic comedy by a debut author. Set in an advertising agency, Jack Wolfe, the hero is to die for. Really well done.
March 19, 2020
3.5/5 stars and I'm quite sad I can't bring myself to give it more. I was really looking forward to this one and I really, really liked it at first. So yeah, I loved the first half of the story, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but from the moment they started having sex, it slowly started falling apart for me.
But let's go back to the beginning. I loved that Ellie and Lesley were such a good team, I wouldn't have minded seeing a bit more of their friendship. I loved how, at first, Ellie wasn't sure what to think of Jack and I really liked how he was genuinly trying to help her get further in the business (I agree with Jack, though, it's like she doesn't want to see that he's trying to help, she's taking everything a bit too personal, but that's just her personality I guess?). I liked their banter, even though Jack acted a bit odd at times.
The relationship with Sam, man, what a joke that was and what a coward Sam was. What the fuck? He literally could have told her? He didn't even give the relationship the chance it deserved after all that time. Man, I hate cheating. And what an idiot he was too. I mean, really? Do people still accidentally send their e-mails to all their contacts? Plus, who sends an invite like that via e-mail? Bit weird.
But so, the whole Sam thing is over, and she moves in with Edith. I loved Edith, what a wonderful spirit. And then she suddenly starts having sex with Jack. To be honest, for me, it felt a little bit out of the blue, even though the sexual tension had been building up. For me, that could have lasted a bit longer. Then, we get to the part where I started being less excited (and started reading less, and slower, as a result). Jack was super, super sweet, really amazing, after which he became a huge dick (over and over again), and Ellie slowly started turning into the people she seemed to pity at first, which was sad. She lost her spark and she didn't even seem to care about her job anymore, which were the things I loved about her.
On to the reason Jack had commitment issues. Very understandable, completely understood why he was so scared and in a way I liked that it was so difficult for him to realise that he was making a mistake. I kind of liked how he wouldn't budge even in New York. It made the issues a lot more real and showed that one heartfelt conversation doesn't solve shit like this. So yeah, I did "like" that. What I didn't understand, was a little before that, when Ellie thought she had figured it out. Just like he said, and she realised afterwards, what was the point of that and why didn't she do proper research if she really wanted to know? Plus, she made assumptions based on the article she read out loud? Because I'm pretty sure I would nit have come to those conclusions. Why? Oh, yeah, because it doesn't say those things. So I was disappointed by that, but relieved she realised it herself afterwards.
Finally, the ending. I don't know, but it just didn't give me that satisfying feeling? Also the time-jump between the last two chapters was really confusing, because it diesn't feel like there is a significant one, maybe like a month max or so, but then you read
I'm going to be honest, by the end, I kind of didn't really care anymore. It's funny, but felt the potential love in the first half, but by the time they said the words, I didn't really feel it anymore? I don't know. It was a weird experience.
So, to wrap it up: the book is good. It's quite long, and I would have like a slower slow burn, but it was okay. I'm glad I read it, as it was om my to-read for a long time, but I'm sure I won't be rereading this.
p.s. It was a bit funny how Hazel Osmond didn't use swear words. In my head I replaced some of the ridiculous substtutes with fuck, and jerk was always dick or arsehole to me lol.
Wow, my reviews/"random thoughts on a page" are getting longer every time, aren't they?
But let's go back to the beginning. I loved that Ellie and Lesley were such a good team, I wouldn't have minded seeing a bit more of their friendship. I loved how, at first, Ellie wasn't sure what to think of Jack and I really liked how he was genuinly trying to help her get further in the business (I agree with Jack, though, it's like she doesn't want to see that he's trying to help, she's taking everything a bit too personal, but that's just her personality I guess?). I liked their banter, even though Jack acted a bit odd at times.
The relationship with Sam, man, what a joke that was and what a coward Sam was. What the fuck? He literally could have told her? He didn't even give the relationship the chance it deserved after all that time. Man, I hate cheating. And what an idiot he was too. I mean, really? Do people still accidentally send their e-mails to all their contacts? Plus, who sends an invite like that via e-mail? Bit weird.
But so, the whole Sam thing is over, and she moves in with Edith. I loved Edith, what a wonderful spirit. And then she suddenly starts having sex with Jack. To be honest, for me, it felt a little bit out of the blue, even though the sexual tension had been building up. For me, that could have lasted a bit longer. Then, we get to the part where I started being less excited (and started reading less, and slower, as a result). Jack was super, super sweet, really amazing, after which he became a huge dick (over and over again), and Ellie slowly started turning into the people she seemed to pity at first, which was sad. She lost her spark and she didn't even seem to care about her job anymore, which were the things I loved about her.
On to the reason Jack had commitment issues. Very understandable, completely understood why he was so scared and in a way I liked that it was so difficult for him to realise that he was making a mistake. I kind of liked how he wouldn't budge even in New York. It made the issues a lot more real and showed that one heartfelt conversation doesn't solve shit like this. So yeah, I did "like" that. What I didn't understand, was a little before that, when Ellie thought she had figured it out. Just like he said, and she realised afterwards, what was the point of that and why didn't she do proper research if she really wanted to know? Plus, she made assumptions based on the article she read out loud? Because I'm pretty sure I would nit have come to those conclusions. Why? Oh, yeah, because it doesn't say those things. So I was disappointed by that, but relieved she realised it herself afterwards.
Finally, the ending. I don't know, but it just didn't give me that satisfying feeling? Also the time-jump between the last two chapters was really confusing, because it diesn't feel like there is a significant one, maybe like a month max or so, but then you read
I'm going to be honest, by the end, I kind of didn't really care anymore. It's funny, but felt the potential love in the first half, but by the time they said the words, I didn't really feel it anymore? I don't know. It was a weird experience.
So, to wrap it up: the book is good. It's quite long, and I would have like a slower slow burn, but it was okay. I'm glad I read it, as it was om my to-read for a long time, but I'm sure I won't be rereading this.
p.s. It was a bit funny how Hazel Osmond didn't use swear words. In my head I replaced some of the ridiculous substtutes with fuck, and jerk was always dick or arsehole to me lol.
Wow, my reviews/"random thoughts on a page" are getting longer every time, aren't they?
July 21, 2022
1.5 Stars
There are a couple of things I hate in books. One of them being a complete sudden switch in the nature and dynamic of a relationship between two characters, another being a main character who is unbearably irritating and clingy. Both were prevalent in 'Who's Afraid of Mr Wolfe?'.
One second, they were screaming at each other, having public disputes at their workplace, the next, they think the other is hot and cannot wait to rip each others' clothes off. Plus, their attraction was purely based on looks (as you know, something I absolutely cannot stand). Fine, the MMC said that her looks weren't the only reason why he's into her, that she was smart and funny as well, but I object that statement, since that was the only time he ever mentioned her personality. The rest was about her body, her looks, her boobs, etc etc.
Not once did they spend time with each other other than having spats, or not being able to function properly due to lust or jealousy.
Plus, the MMC treats the FMC like absolute shit. He's hot and cold, cannot keep his hands off of her, is mean and taciturn, then buying her stuff and spending time with her friends and family. He continues to lead her on,
Bottom line: I hate the FMC. She's irritating, cringey, clingy, and honestly, the biggest idiot on fictional earth. The only pluspoint is her persistence. Hey, I'd run away screaming from you, but on the flipside, you'd make an excellent glue brand.
There was nothing objectively bad about this book, I just hated everyone (the main couple, but in a romance, that counts as everyone) and everything that happened.
There are a couple of things I hate in books. One of them being a complete sudden switch in the nature and dynamic of a relationship between two characters, another being a main character who is unbearably irritating and clingy. Both were prevalent in 'Who's Afraid of Mr Wolfe?'.
One second, they were screaming at each other, having public disputes at their workplace, the next, they think the other is hot and cannot wait to rip each others' clothes off. Plus, their attraction was purely based on looks (as you know, something I absolutely cannot stand). Fine, the MMC said that her looks weren't the only reason why he's into her, that she was smart and funny as well, but I object that statement, since that was the only time he ever mentioned her personality. The rest was about her body, her looks, her boobs, etc etc.
Not once did they spend time with each other other than having spats, or not being able to function properly due to lust or jealousy.
Plus, the MMC treats the FMC like absolute shit. He's hot and cold, cannot keep his hands off of her, is mean and taciturn, then buying her stuff and spending time with her friends and family. He continues to lead her on,
Bottom line: I hate the FMC. She's irritating, cringey, clingy, and honestly, the biggest idiot on fictional earth. The only pluspoint is her persistence. Hey, I'd run away screaming from you, but on the flipside, you'd make an excellent glue brand.
There was nothing objectively bad about this book, I just hated everyone (the main couple, but in a romance, that counts as everyone) and everything that happened.
January 10, 2022
This was a book that I’ve been meaning to read for a long time now and was delighted to finally get my hands on. Osmond wove together a beautiful story that was full of sharp wit, barbs and hilarious scenarios. The protagonist’s aunt Edith was particularly funny. This book is a prime example of why British authors are the best writers of the romance genre - their books are timeless regardless of what year they’ve been written in. Today there are tons of authors who may have written a book in 2012 or 2013 and the content comes across as lame - perhaps because the pace at which technology has evolved has rapidly transformed so the cues and issues they mention come across as non-issues todays. That however is not an issue here. In fact, I couldn’t find any flaw in this book. This is the best book I’ve read in the past few months.
September 23, 2017
This review is long overdue.
Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolfe is one of my best kept secret. It's actually one of my feel good reads. I cannot articulate how much I love this book. I feel like the story was written specifically for me--I just get everything.
What made me love this so much is how the story of Ellie and Jack was written. It was not hurried and that made me root for them so hard. I love the supporting characters--how they were written for a purpose, and not just to fill chapters. Sure, there were some character faults, but I was never really bothered by it. There were lots of laugh out loud moments, and I especially like how the story revolves around their work in advertising.
Overall, this is a book for hopeless romantics like me.
Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolfe is one of my best kept secret. It's actually one of my feel good reads. I cannot articulate how much I love this book. I feel like the story was written specifically for me--I just get everything.
What made me love this so much is how the story of Ellie and Jack was written. It was not hurried and that made me root for them so hard. I love the supporting characters--how they were written for a purpose, and not just to fill chapters. Sure, there were some character faults, but I was never really bothered by it. There were lots of laugh out loud moments, and I especially like how the story revolves around their work in advertising.
Overall, this is a book for hopeless romantics like me.
April 13, 2021
Really liked the book up until she went to his home town and looked him up and confronted him about it. And then she followed him to NY. Jeez. That apartment and restaurant scenes were awful and i was so confused why she let it go that far. I mean just to apologize? Maybe an email wouldve sufficed. He was an asshole to her before that. And then when it was time for H to grovel, he was kind of aided by the death of edith, made it easier for him. And HE was too ready to take him back. Where is the self respect. Before this, the book was funny and entertaining and really hot. So giving this 4 stars despite the last 30% of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2018
Bit of a slow burn to start with but once I figured out who all the character are and who they were to each other I really enjoyed this and thought it was perfect holiday chick lit reading material. The twists at the end did actually get me as I had not seen them coming. The author also gets extra points for not having the Richard Curtis movie esque moment being the answer to all the problems - though I did really hate Jack at that point. The author also gets an extra star from me for including the actor Richard Armitage in her dedication :-)
July 23, 2020
I didn’t hate it but the development of the relationship of the characters made zero sense to me. Of course I could understand the attraction between them but they have sex like 7 times in the span of two weeks and suddenly they fall in love? And he treated her like trash half of those encounters. The first part of the book I enjoyed and the last chapters too but the middle was icky to me. I need to understand where feelings come from and honestly I got lost at some point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2017
Dnf @ 28%
Ellie is a overgrown child and Jack is a bit slimey.
I started reading this last night... but went to pick it back up again this morning and realised that I just... didn't... care.
The writing is a little clumsy - especially those random bits of Jacks POV randomly inserted into chapters.
Meh... give a miss
Ellie is a overgrown child and Jack is a bit slimey.
I started reading this last night... but went to pick it back up again this morning and realised that I just... didn't... care.
The writing is a little clumsy - especially those random bits of Jacks POV randomly inserted into chapters.
Meh... give a miss
August 20, 2025
fabulous fantastic wonderful amazing story with great characters in the book
Fabulous fantastic wonderful amazing story with great characters in the book
Who afraid of Mr wolf is amazing book to read and I couldn’t put the book down
and if was great as you could imagine the characters in the book and imagine what is going on and see the story in your head while reading it.
Fabulous fantastic wonderful amazing story with great characters in the book
Who afraid of Mr wolf is amazing book to read and I couldn’t put the book down
and if was great as you could imagine the characters in the book and imagine what is going on and see the story in your head while reading it.
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