What do you think?
Rate this book
The Break-Up Test
Meet Amy, Beth and Sarah. All intelligent women with one thing in common – a bad taste in men!
Amy receives seductive texts from Gav and promptly skips round to his house for a mid-afternoon romp. She never planned it that way. Maybe one day he’ll actually fall in love with her?
Beth sits at her desk, her mobile phone propped up in front of her keyboard. Anytime soon it’ll light up like the Blackpool Illuminations, and Karl will finally get in touch about that drink. It’s been five days…
Sarah is seeing Stephen, trying to believe his claim that although he shares a bed with his ex, Kat, they aren’t sleeping together. She can’t believe it’s turned into one of THOSE stories you read about in women’s weeklies.
Then Jamie comes along with his Break-Up Test and turns their lives upside down.
Will Gav, Karl and Stephen suddenly sniff the competition and clean up their acts?
And what exactly is in it for Jamie?
Amy receives seductive texts from Gav and promptly skips round to his house for a mid-afternoon romp. She never planned it that way. Maybe one day he’ll actually fall in love with her?
Beth sits at her desk, her mobile phone propped up in front of her keyboard. Anytime soon it’ll light up like the Blackpool Illuminations, and Karl will finally get in touch about that drink. It’s been five days…
Sarah is seeing Stephen, trying to believe his claim that although he shares a bed with his ex, Kat, they aren’t sleeping together. She can’t believe it’s turned into one of THOSE stories you read about in women’s weeklies.
Then Jamie comes along with his Break-Up Test and turns their lives upside down.
Will Gav, Karl and Stephen suddenly sniff the competition and clean up their acts?
And what exactly is in it for Jamie?
- GenresChick Lit
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2012
1 person is currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Rose McClelland
9 books113 followersOut of your Head is Rose McClelland’s fifth novel and her second psychological thriller.
Her previous novel Under Your Skin became an Amazon No. 1 Bestseller in the UK and USA/ Canada. It also won Best Books of 2020 in Belfast Telegraph and with several online book bloggers.
Rose has also written two short plays which were performed in the Black Box theatre in Belfast. Find out more at: http://rosiesrag.blogspot.com
Her previous novel Under Your Skin became an Amazon No. 1 Bestseller in the UK and USA/ Canada. It also won Best Books of 2020 in Belfast Telegraph and with several online book bloggers.
Rose has also written two short plays which were performed in the Black Box theatre in Belfast. Find out more at: http://rosiesrag.blogspot.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 10, 2017
“Just because someone desires you, it does not mean they value you.” I saw this quote on a meme recently and it seems the best way to sum up The Break-Up Test. The story is about 4 friends (3 women and 1 man) trying to find love with all the wrong people.
McClelland allows her characters to be vulnerable on the page, and it leaves you feeling as though you know them as individuals. I believe the story would resonate with anyone wondering if their relationship is taking more emotional energy to sustain than it’s worth.
I picked up The Break-Up Test in anticipation of McCelland’s forthcoming novel, The Year With No Rules. I hope she throws in more fun sayings from Northern Ireland (Amy’s mother was only on the page for a short time, but she sparkled!)
McClelland allows her characters to be vulnerable on the page, and it leaves you feeling as though you know them as individuals. I believe the story would resonate with anyone wondering if their relationship is taking more emotional energy to sustain than it’s worth.
I picked up The Break-Up Test in anticipation of McCelland’s forthcoming novel, The Year With No Rules. I hope she throws in more fun sayings from Northern Ireland (Amy’s mother was only on the page for a short time, but she sparkled!)
April 25, 2012
This is a very cute book about three single women who are looking for love but have put all their eggs in one bastard. There is Amy who settles for an occasional shag with Gav (a shag she doesn't particularly enjoy because deep inside she knows he's bad news); Sarah who is dating a guy who still shares a bed with his ex-wife but claims they aren't having sex; and Beth who stares at her phone counting the days (usually 5) until Karl sends her a text, sleeps with her and then disappears again. When the girls exchange tales of woe with their male friend Jamie, he is astonished that such intelligent, attractive and interesting women would settle for an occasional romp with men who could take or leave them. Jamie, somewhat of a hypocrite, is secretly in love with Amy but passing time with another girl. During a night of drunken debauchery, the Break-up Test is born.
This is a relatable book to any woman who has been single for an extended period of time, accepted crumbs from the object of her affection and turned a blind eye to the glaring red flags that screamed, "he's just not that into you." My stomach turned in agony as I read some of the excuses these women told themselves to justify continuing to wait around for Mr. Wrong - I've made some of them myself.
In general, I thought this was a really enjoyable and relatable book and I laughed out loud on several occasions. Although I really enjoyed the characters of Amy and Jamie, the characters of Beth and Sarah sort of blended into each other for me. It also seemed like they (Sarah and Beth) fell in love awfully fast and I would have liked to have seen more build up to their happy endings.
This is a relatable book to any woman who has been single for an extended period of time, accepted crumbs from the object of her affection and turned a blind eye to the glaring red flags that screamed, "he's just not that into you." My stomach turned in agony as I read some of the excuses these women told themselves to justify continuing to wait around for Mr. Wrong - I've made some of them myself.
In general, I thought this was a really enjoyable and relatable book and I laughed out loud on several occasions. Although I really enjoyed the characters of Amy and Jamie, the characters of Beth and Sarah sort of blended into each other for me. It also seemed like they (Sarah and Beth) fell in love awfully fast and I would have liked to have seen more build up to their happy endings.
May 9, 2012
This book was a fun read, one that I found myself picking up at all sorts of strange times of day, as the story flow forwards constantly and I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. With a interesting selection of characters and in particular a great set of four friends who are at the heart of the story, it is a lovely read.
If you like fast paced, unpredictable books with lots of interesting characters, this is the book for you.
I am very much looking forward to reading more from this author.
If you like fast paced, unpredictable books with lots of interesting characters, this is the book for you.
I am very much looking forward to reading more from this author.
April 14, 2012
3 1/2 close to 4 stars! Cute fun read about a group of friends learning to love, cope with heart ache and finding out who they truly are. The author gave an in depth story based on several characters that floated within the story fairly effortlessly. Would have loved a little more of what happened next after all their cat and mouse but that being said this was a nice enjoyable read!
January 30, 2018
A wickedly good read!
This book is like a hot chocolate, hygge-filled hug from your best friend. Rose McClelland's trademark quirky writing style oozes from every page with characters that are oh, so relatable - sometimes frustratingly so! The perfect pick me up to raise the spirits...
This book is like a hot chocolate, hygge-filled hug from your best friend. Rose McClelland's trademark quirky writing style oozes from every page with characters that are oh, so relatable - sometimes frustratingly so! The perfect pick me up to raise the spirits...
June 21, 2013
I bought this eBook from Amazon after reading a couple of good reviews, it sounded like something I would enjoy so I thought I’d give it a try.
The plot was simple – three women with three different relationship problems and a guy who has had a crush on the same girl since his days at university. My initial impression of the three women were as follows: Amy seemed like a bit of a pushover, Beth seemed rather desperate and Sarah was just plain delusional where relationships were concerned. I kind of wanted to jump into the book and tell them to stop letting men treat them so badly but they soon figured it out all by themselves and this is where the fun started…
When Jamie came onto the scene it was clear that he also had a relationship dilemma, unfortunately for him his crush wasn’t showing any signs of reciprocating so during a drunken evening they all came up with a list of commandments which they named the break-up test. The break-up test was all about not accepting poor treatment from men/women and moving on from those who were not showing any signs of commitment. Do you think they achieved this goal? You’ll have to read it and find out.
Reading about their unsuccessful attempts at dating was entertaining but there were parts of the storyline that I felt were repeated, on more than one occasion I found myself thinking I had accidentally got my pages mixed up and was reading the same part twice.
This was a fun read, it didn’t knock my socks off but I still enjoyed it.
The plot was simple – three women with three different relationship problems and a guy who has had a crush on the same girl since his days at university. My initial impression of the three women were as follows: Amy seemed like a bit of a pushover, Beth seemed rather desperate and Sarah was just plain delusional where relationships were concerned. I kind of wanted to jump into the book and tell them to stop letting men treat them so badly but they soon figured it out all by themselves and this is where the fun started…
When Jamie came onto the scene it was clear that he also had a relationship dilemma, unfortunately for him his crush wasn’t showing any signs of reciprocating so during a drunken evening they all came up with a list of commandments which they named the break-up test. The break-up test was all about not accepting poor treatment from men/women and moving on from those who were not showing any signs of commitment. Do you think they achieved this goal? You’ll have to read it and find out.
Reading about their unsuccessful attempts at dating was entertaining but there were parts of the storyline that I felt were repeated, on more than one occasion I found myself thinking I had accidentally got my pages mixed up and was reading the same part twice.
This was a fun read, it didn’t knock my socks off but I still enjoyed it.
July 13, 2012
I'm so used to reading the same cookie-cutter chick-lit books which have ended up having the opposite effect they're supposed to. In my mind, they should draw you in but all of the yummy mummy, cupcakes in Notting Hill malarky does nothing but make me feel excluded. It's for this reason I've not read a book of this genre for a long time. I finally ventured back after coming to hear about The Break-Up Test and I'm so glad I did. Rose McClelland has carved a new voice for chick-lit - one that's straight-talking, sassy and unashamedly honest about relationships. I liked the fact the book was told from different perspectives and especially that there was a male perspective in there too - something that's so lacking in other books. There's no dressing it up, or sugar-coating the fact that relationships and interactions with the opposite sex are tricky and occasionally fraught but also exciting and so totally worth it and that's captured here with humour and heart. Sarah is by far my favourite character and I just loved how she developed throughout the book. Her journey was inspiring and even prompted me to change a thing or two in my own life! All in all, this is an exciting debut and definitely makes McClelland one to watch.
January 10, 2022
I read this novel with gusto. It was the ideal read for a rainy evening, alongside a hot beverage. It flows by, gently and lightly, with a strong narrative voice that lively takes you through this tale of modern dating and hapless singletons. The plot revolves around different characters and situations, which makes for a pleasant departure from the usual "boy meets girl" so often found in books of this genre, and the story never becomes predictable. There is little physical descriptions of the characters, in particular the girls' love interests are fairly indistinct, something perhaps the author meant to attain. The protagonists become more defined as we read along, which give us a sense of how they slowly become more self-aware and confident. Out of the three girls, Amy is the one that stands out more. Jamie is a great character, which in a way turns the whole story around. He's not much better than the commitment-phobes the girls are dating, but we get to see the male perspective which gives the novel an extra dimension.
In all an enjoyable read and a very promising debut.
In all an enjoyable read and a very promising debut.
June 29, 2012
This debut novel from Rose McClelland show sparkling promise and she is definitely one to watch in the future.
I'll be the first to admit I'm not the book's target market - being a boring old married - but I still related to the heartache, hope and longing for happiness for all the characters.
Rose writes with warmth, humour and honesty - something I admire in a writer. Nothing is sugar coated and yet all the characters in this book are likeable and you find yourself rooting for them to find a happy ending.
If I were to gripe - and this is nitpicking - I did find the continuity a little off in places (but this could be because I'm in edit mode myself and very aware of such things).
A delightful, warm and enjoyable read.
I'll be the first to admit I'm not the book's target market - being a boring old married - but I still related to the heartache, hope and longing for happiness for all the characters.
Rose writes with warmth, humour and honesty - something I admire in a writer. Nothing is sugar coated and yet all the characters in this book are likeable and you find yourself rooting for them to find a happy ending.
If I were to gripe - and this is nitpicking - I did find the continuity a little off in places (but this could be because I'm in edit mode myself and very aware of such things).
A delightful, warm and enjoyable read.
June 7, 2012
What a fantastic debut novel from author Rose McClelland. The story is told from four different points of view, Amy, Beth, Sarah & Jamie. They are all believable characters, the type of people you could meet on a night out. What I liked about this book was that it wasn't sickly sweet. Some chick lit can ooze a bit on the gushiness but McClelland just told it like it is which made it slightly different to most chick lit books.
I would definately recommend this book and keep an eye out for this author, she's one to look out for.
I would definately recommend this book and keep an eye out for this author, she's one to look out for.
October 15, 2012
Chick-lit has found a new voice in this thoroughly modern and fresh take on 3 girls and their tangled love lives. It flows beautifully with characters you not only relate to but come to care about. The male lead is great too with chapters written from his viewpoint so you can see inside his head too - giving a nicely rounded feel to the novel. Frothy and delicious.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews