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Stella Hill #1
Can't Live Without
How does it feel to lose everything you own?
Stella Hill is proud of the home she's created for herself and her daughter. She's worked hard to buy the very best of everything ... But when she wakes one morning to find her kitchen on fire, Stella knows her life will never be the same again.
At least she has Paul to lean on: Paul Smart, owner of Smart Homes, confirmed bachelor and unknowing recipient of a schoolgirl crush Stella never quite got over ... When the charismatic John Dean turns up after sixteen years, Stella is determined not to fall for him again. Because now her heart belongs elsewhere. Or does it?
With a boss she's half in love with, a teenage daughter about to go seriously off the rails, a spendaholic mother, and a house to rebuild, Stella's problems are only just beginning.
Can Stella put her life - and her home - back together again? And will she ever realise just what it is she really can't live without?
Stella Hill is proud of the home she's created for herself and her daughter. She's worked hard to buy the very best of everything ... But when she wakes one morning to find her kitchen on fire, Stella knows her life will never be the same again.
At least she has Paul to lean on: Paul Smart, owner of Smart Homes, confirmed bachelor and unknowing recipient of a schoolgirl crush Stella never quite got over ... When the charismatic John Dean turns up after sixteen years, Stella is determined not to fall for him again. Because now her heart belongs elsewhere. Or does it?
With a boss she's half in love with, a teenage daughter about to go seriously off the rails, a spendaholic mother, and a house to rebuild, Stella's problems are only just beginning.
Can Stella put her life - and her home - back together again? And will she ever realise just what it is she really can't live without?
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2012
44 people are currently reading
897 people want to read
About the author
Joanne Phillips
25 books126 followersJoanne Phillips lives Cheshire, England with her nine-year-old daughter Lulu, and spends her days (and often nights!) writing commercial fiction, romantic comedies and contemporary mysteries. Her first novel, Can’t Live Without, was an Amazon top 100 bestseller in 2012, and the stand-alone sequel, The Family Trap, won the coveted SpaSpa award in 2013 for Best Romantic Comedy.
Joanne developed a love of writing early on, when she would retreat into imaginary conversations and invent fantasy worlds. She carried on writing through her twenties, studying with The Writers’ Bureau and the Open University, and has recently completed a Masters in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Her latest novel, This Beautiful World, was shortlisted for the Luke Bitmead award, and also made it to the shortlist for publication with the renowned Valley Press. Joanne is currently working on a new 'domestic noir' thriller and the next Flora Lively mystery.
Joanne developed a love of writing early on, when she would retreat into imaginary conversations and invent fantasy worlds. She carried on writing through her twenties, studying with The Writers’ Bureau and the Open University, and has recently completed a Masters in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Her latest novel, This Beautiful World, was shortlisted for the Luke Bitmead award, and also made it to the shortlist for publication with the renowned Valley Press. Joanne is currently working on a new 'domestic noir' thriller and the next Flora Lively mystery.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
February 5, 2021
2.5 ⭐
I thought this would be the perfect book to start my February romance reading spree (what a cliché, I know) because it was advertised as the "Perfect Feel-Good Romantic Comedy", and that was exactly what I was looking for.
I really enjoyed the writing. The book is fast-paced and I found the plot interesting.
However, if I'm being honest, I was a little disappointed seeing as this is supposed to be a "romance" and all we get throughout the whole book is 2 kisses. 😭
Now, this is obviously my personal preference, but I need a bit more interaction between the characters to be invested in their relationship.
Although I had a hard time connecting to the characters in the first half of the book, as I found them a little too materialistic and ungrateful, I really liked how they were able to learn with the challenges faced throughout the story.
All in all, if you are looking for a book about family drama and a hectic love life then this might be the one for you. I think I would've given it a better rating if I wasn't expecting something completely different.
Again, the writing was really enjoyable and I'd be definitely interested in giving the author another chance in a different setting!
I thought this would be the perfect book to start my February romance reading spree (what a cliché, I know) because it was advertised as the "Perfect Feel-Good Romantic Comedy", and that was exactly what I was looking for.
I really enjoyed the writing. The book is fast-paced and I found the plot interesting.
However, if I'm being honest, I was a little disappointed seeing as this is supposed to be a "romance" and all we get throughout the whole book is 2 kisses. 😭
Now, this is obviously my personal preference, but I need a bit more interaction between the characters to be invested in their relationship.
Although I had a hard time connecting to the characters in the first half of the book, as I found them a little too materialistic and ungrateful, I really liked how they were able to learn with the challenges faced throughout the story.
All in all, if you are looking for a book about family drama and a hectic love life then this might be the one for you. I think I would've given it a better rating if I wasn't expecting something completely different.
Again, the writing was really enjoyable and I'd be definitely interested in giving the author another chance in a different setting!
November 13, 2012
Stella Hill is a single mother who has worked so very hard to create a home for herself and her teenage daughter Lipsy. One morning, Stella plods downstairs with the intention of making herself a cup of tea, only to find that her kitchen is on fire. After the shock of standing outside in one of Lipsy’s short night-dresses, surrounded by her neighbours whilst watching her beloved house burn down, Stella is now faced with the prospect of starting all over again. Now attending work in her little-bit-too-tight gym clothes because that is all she has left, and with little money to her name, Stella is faced with not only putting her home back together, but dealing with a variety of other issues in her life. can Stella manage to put the pieces of her life back together?
I absolutely LOVED this story! Personally – the house setting on fire is actually one of my worst nightmares, I like to think that I’d know what to do if the time arose, but like Stella, I’d probably go into shock and panic – so this had me completely hooked from the first page! I was desperate to know how she’d cope! Would she know what to do? What would you do when everything you own has been burnt to ashes? Where do you even start to put your life back together? It is something people never really think about, so it was absolutely fascinating for it to be included in a book and to read about how Stella does deal with it, what a brilliant idea for a novel.
The writing style is so compelling to read. Joanne does a superb job of putting us in the mind and heart of Stella, and she is a character I warmed to straight away. She was so well-written that it was like I was transported to the scenes in the book and was stood next to her watching them unfold. I really liked Stella’s personality. Sometimes in books you have the perfect character who has stunning looks or the perfect man or everything going right for her – and with Stella we were given a normal, average woman who is trying to juggle life, her daughter, and deal with the loss of her home all at once. It is refreshing, it is raw and it is true-to-life, something we can all relate to – this only drew me in to the character of Stella even more and I found I developed a strong bond with her. Throughout the book I went on an emotional roller-coaster with Stella – I laughed with her, I cried with her and I cringed with her at some of the situations she was in.
I loved the idea of the list. When Stella loses everything in the fire, she begins to make a list of the things she can’t live without. Stella’s list is sometimes quite hilarious and it had me thinking all the way through about what I would put on mine.
The other characters are brilliant. I enjoyed the mix of them and how different they were from each other. Stella’s family were an enjoyable bunch to read about: there is Lipsy, Stella’s teenage daughter who is devastated that everything she owns has gone up in flames and therefore her life is ruined. We also meet Stella’s mother who has a serious shopping addiction and learn that Stella’s father is currently in prison. There are also other characters who play a valuable part in Stella’s journey, such as Joshua, the handsome next-door neighbour and Paul who is Stella’s boss and her best friend. I LOVED Paul – I wish I knew him in real life! I loved his relationship with Stella, the way they interacted with each other and the vibes that he gave out, it was truly wonderful to read and it was exciting and comforting at the same time. I always looked forward to the parts where Paul featured and I was quite sad to finish the book, I wanted to carry on reading about their lives and sharing their journey! I am ever so excited about Joanne’s future releases!
Can’t Live Without is so much more than what it may first appear. It is heart-warming, it is funny and it will have you laughing one minute and reaching out to the characters the next. I have not felt this emotionally connected to a book in a long time, it entertained me but it also moved me. It is beautifully written with a lovely underlying message about what is truly important in life, and what really matters. A wonderful novel!
I absolutely LOVED this story! Personally – the house setting on fire is actually one of my worst nightmares, I like to think that I’d know what to do if the time arose, but like Stella, I’d probably go into shock and panic – so this had me completely hooked from the first page! I was desperate to know how she’d cope! Would she know what to do? What would you do when everything you own has been burnt to ashes? Where do you even start to put your life back together? It is something people never really think about, so it was absolutely fascinating for it to be included in a book and to read about how Stella does deal with it, what a brilliant idea for a novel.
The writing style is so compelling to read. Joanne does a superb job of putting us in the mind and heart of Stella, and she is a character I warmed to straight away. She was so well-written that it was like I was transported to the scenes in the book and was stood next to her watching them unfold. I really liked Stella’s personality. Sometimes in books you have the perfect character who has stunning looks or the perfect man or everything going right for her – and with Stella we were given a normal, average woman who is trying to juggle life, her daughter, and deal with the loss of her home all at once. It is refreshing, it is raw and it is true-to-life, something we can all relate to – this only drew me in to the character of Stella even more and I found I developed a strong bond with her. Throughout the book I went on an emotional roller-coaster with Stella – I laughed with her, I cried with her and I cringed with her at some of the situations she was in.
I loved the idea of the list. When Stella loses everything in the fire, she begins to make a list of the things she can’t live without. Stella’s list is sometimes quite hilarious and it had me thinking all the way through about what I would put on mine.
The other characters are brilliant. I enjoyed the mix of them and how different they were from each other. Stella’s family were an enjoyable bunch to read about: there is Lipsy, Stella’s teenage daughter who is devastated that everything she owns has gone up in flames and therefore her life is ruined. We also meet Stella’s mother who has a serious shopping addiction and learn that Stella’s father is currently in prison. There are also other characters who play a valuable part in Stella’s journey, such as Joshua, the handsome next-door neighbour and Paul who is Stella’s boss and her best friend. I LOVED Paul – I wish I knew him in real life! I loved his relationship with Stella, the way they interacted with each other and the vibes that he gave out, it was truly wonderful to read and it was exciting and comforting at the same time. I always looked forward to the parts where Paul featured and I was quite sad to finish the book, I wanted to carry on reading about their lives and sharing their journey! I am ever so excited about Joanne’s future releases!
Can’t Live Without is so much more than what it may first appear. It is heart-warming, it is funny and it will have you laughing one minute and reaching out to the characters the next. I have not felt this emotionally connected to a book in a long time, it entertained me but it also moved me. It is beautifully written with a lovely underlying message about what is truly important in life, and what really matters. A wonderful novel!
June 29, 2012
***This review first appeared on CHICK LIT CENTRAL
How does it feel to lose everything you own? Stella Hill knows only too well. She wakes up one morning to find her house up in flames. From there, things go from bad to worse in Joanne Phillips’ debut chick-lit comedy romance novel, CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT! Hard to imagine things getting tougher with a start like that, but where there’s smoke, there’s bound to be some flames and CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT has plenty of sizzle!
Written in a similar tongue and cheeky fashion we’ve all come to love from Carole Matthews, Phillips sets us up with a cast of characters that’ll have you keeping notes on the side. Stella’s best friend is her boss, Paul, but let’s face it, they really are in love with each other if they would just wake up to the fact, thank you very much. Her teenage daughter, Lipsy just wants Stella to back off a bit considering she burned down everything she owns in her 16-year old world, including ten diaries that have recorded life as she knows it. Then there’s Stella’s own spendaholic mother who has never looked past an item she couldn’t charge on her credit card, even though there is no money coming into the household. And finally, Stella’s dad locked up in prison, soon to be released, but no one’s talking to him or about his homecoming!
I love that Phillips creates in Stella, a character in her late 30s with many flaws, but ultimately the heart of an angel, someone all readers will rally around. At the risk of spoiling sub-plots, I will only say I believe there were a few too many and that tended to slow down the pace of what could have been a more snappy novel. I can share without giving anything away, that CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT has to do with a list Stella creates of the things she initially believes she can’t live without right after the fire. Ten weeks and one day later and guess what? I’m not giving it away!
CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT is all about finding out what really matters in life. It’s discovering how important family time is. It’s recognizing how necessary that phone call is. Sometimes it’s the big stuff, but more often than not, it’s the small things. FYI: I love that super-sassy cover!
You can find Joanne Phillips on Facebook, Twitter and her website. CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT is currently $2.99 for Kindle.
How does it feel to lose everything you own? Stella Hill knows only too well. She wakes up one morning to find her house up in flames. From there, things go from bad to worse in Joanne Phillips’ debut chick-lit comedy romance novel, CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT! Hard to imagine things getting tougher with a start like that, but where there’s smoke, there’s bound to be some flames and CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT has plenty of sizzle!
Written in a similar tongue and cheeky fashion we’ve all come to love from Carole Matthews, Phillips sets us up with a cast of characters that’ll have you keeping notes on the side. Stella’s best friend is her boss, Paul, but let’s face it, they really are in love with each other if they would just wake up to the fact, thank you very much. Her teenage daughter, Lipsy just wants Stella to back off a bit considering she burned down everything she owns in her 16-year old world, including ten diaries that have recorded life as she knows it. Then there’s Stella’s own spendaholic mother who has never looked past an item she couldn’t charge on her credit card, even though there is no money coming into the household. And finally, Stella’s dad locked up in prison, soon to be released, but no one’s talking to him or about his homecoming!
I love that Phillips creates in Stella, a character in her late 30s with many flaws, but ultimately the heart of an angel, someone all readers will rally around. At the risk of spoiling sub-plots, I will only say I believe there were a few too many and that tended to slow down the pace of what could have been a more snappy novel. I can share without giving anything away, that CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT has to do with a list Stella creates of the things she initially believes she can’t live without right after the fire. Ten weeks and one day later and guess what? I’m not giving it away!
CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT is all about finding out what really matters in life. It’s discovering how important family time is. It’s recognizing how necessary that phone call is. Sometimes it’s the big stuff, but more often than not, it’s the small things. FYI: I love that super-sassy cover!
You can find Joanne Phillips on Facebook, Twitter and her website. CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT is currently $2.99 for Kindle.
July 29, 2012
I was given an Advance Review Copy by the author, in order to provide an independent review.
Contrary to the cover, which I really like, but comes across as being very chick-lit, Can't Live Without is so much more than chick-lit. Rather it's the exploration of relationships and assessing what's important in life. After Stella's house burns down, she changes from being very materialistic to actually focusing on what she can't live without. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Stella and her daughter and I thought that the trials they went through were very appropriate and would be related to by many parents. I also thought the daughter trying to get the granny onside, driving a wedge between Stella and her mother was very well done. The parallels between the generations, with their similarities and differences was entertaining. The three love rivals vying for Stella's attentions was also interesting and sometimes hysterical to observe. As for the office bitch, I would have dealt with her a lot sooner, I have to say!! I applauded how Stella finally dealt with her.
The sub-plot about Stella's father was genius, although I still don't understand his actions... It took me a while to guess where he was and I had no idea of her mother's involvement, until it was laid bare for me. The sleazy lodger sub-plot was a welcome addition & showed the vulnerability of Stella's mother in the absence of her father. In my mind, this book starts off being similar in type to Dorothy Koomson and then later becomes a bit more chick-lit. It also has plenty of laughs, particularly with the OCD sports car driving neighbour, Stella turning up to work in her slightly smelly gym gear and with the many misunderstandings by her and her love interests. If I didn't already have a fab boyfriend, I would have quite liked Paul to be available! Oh and I loved the finale - including the little quirky detail right at the end - which appealed to my romantic, fun side.
Will be looking out for Joanne's next book later this year.
Contrary to the cover, which I really like, but comes across as being very chick-lit, Can't Live Without is so much more than chick-lit. Rather it's the exploration of relationships and assessing what's important in life. After Stella's house burns down, she changes from being very materialistic to actually focusing on what she can't live without. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Stella and her daughter and I thought that the trials they went through were very appropriate and would be related to by many parents. I also thought the daughter trying to get the granny onside, driving a wedge between Stella and her mother was very well done. The parallels between the generations, with their similarities and differences was entertaining. The three love rivals vying for Stella's attentions was also interesting and sometimes hysterical to observe. As for the office bitch, I would have dealt with her a lot sooner, I have to say!! I applauded how Stella finally dealt with her.
The sub-plot about Stella's father was genius, although I still don't understand his actions... It took me a while to guess where he was and I had no idea of her mother's involvement, until it was laid bare for me. The sleazy lodger sub-plot was a welcome addition & showed the vulnerability of Stella's mother in the absence of her father. In my mind, this book starts off being similar in type to Dorothy Koomson and then later becomes a bit more chick-lit. It also has plenty of laughs, particularly with the OCD sports car driving neighbour, Stella turning up to work in her slightly smelly gym gear and with the many misunderstandings by her and her love interests. If I didn't already have a fab boyfriend, I would have quite liked Paul to be available! Oh and I loved the finale - including the little quirky detail right at the end - which appealed to my romantic, fun side.
Will be looking out for Joanne's next book later this year.
October 9, 2012
This is a sleek, beautifully crafted novel about Stella, a thirty-seven-year-old single mother with a sixteen-year-old daughter, and a boss who’s been her best friend ever since the father of her child walked out on her many years ago. She’s known Paul since they were kids. She even had a crush on him once, and they have the easy kind of relationship that comes from being truly good friends.
Stella is instantly likable, self reliant and rather stubborn. Paul is an adorable confirmed bachelor whose life turns out not to be as simple as he thought. Although romance is a big factor in this story, it’s much more than that. The story is told from the points of view of Paul, Stella and the teenage daughter, and it delves into the kind of issues that face most people in their situations.
Unlike much romantic fiction, there’s also plenty of action to keep you interested. The story begins with Stella’s house burning down, followed by a new relationship with an obsessive compulsive neighbour, the re-appearance of a no-good ex and an estranged brother, the surprise revelation of an imprisoned father, an unplanned-for pregnancy, a tense evening in the hospital and an embarrassing incidence that causes a damaging assumption.
Ten weeks of bad luck Stella calls it, except that it isn’t all bad news because during this series of events, Stella grows, truths come out and relationships are healed. It all culminates in exactly the kind of end such a story requires. There’s simple, but important, wisdom at its core. Ultimately, it’s about not taking things at face value and the importance of being emotionally honest with yourself and others.
This is the kind of warm-hearted contemporary fiction that would be enjoyed by a wide readership. 5 stars.
Stella is instantly likable, self reliant and rather stubborn. Paul is an adorable confirmed bachelor whose life turns out not to be as simple as he thought. Although romance is a big factor in this story, it’s much more than that. The story is told from the points of view of Paul, Stella and the teenage daughter, and it delves into the kind of issues that face most people in their situations.
Unlike much romantic fiction, there’s also plenty of action to keep you interested. The story begins with Stella’s house burning down, followed by a new relationship with an obsessive compulsive neighbour, the re-appearance of a no-good ex and an estranged brother, the surprise revelation of an imprisoned father, an unplanned-for pregnancy, a tense evening in the hospital and an embarrassing incidence that causes a damaging assumption.
Ten weeks of bad luck Stella calls it, except that it isn’t all bad news because during this series of events, Stella grows, truths come out and relationships are healed. It all culminates in exactly the kind of end such a story requires. There’s simple, but important, wisdom at its core. Ultimately, it’s about not taking things at face value and the importance of being emotionally honest with yourself and others.
This is the kind of warm-hearted contemporary fiction that would be enjoyed by a wide readership. 5 stars.
July 10, 2012
I don't usually read books in this genre but was intrigued by the opening situation and gripped by the first few pages - a woman who loses everything in a house fire. When tidying up my eternally untidy house, I've been guilty of occasionally fantasising about this happening to me, as a quick and easy way of decluttering. But no more!
I immediately cared about what became of the heroine and her family and tore through the book as fast as I could. Well written, humorous, unexpectedly lyrical about Milton Keynes (so novelty value there!), with a few unexpected twists and surprises, it was an enjoyable light read that I'd recommend. A great book to download/pack for the holidays (but make sure you've got your insurance contents fixed up before you go to avoid anxious moments on the beach!)
There were a couple of minor niggles or distractions - e.g. the daughter's name, Lipsy. Where does that come from? I was half expecting an explanation of it to be a crucial turning point in the plot, but that never happened. But maybe that's just me - I've always avoiding reading books where all the characters have silly names, but that's probably my loss!
Also I couldn't quite believe that the heroine and her ideal man hadn't snapped each other up years before, as they'd known each other so long. But then life is strange, and I don't think it's necessarily unrealistic. Just think of "When Harry Met Sally" - one of my all-time favourite films. (Yes, I know that's not real life, but you know what I mean!) Again, blame me, not the author for that niggle!
Looking forward to her next book - and hoping she writes one soon!
I immediately cared about what became of the heroine and her family and tore through the book as fast as I could. Well written, humorous, unexpectedly lyrical about Milton Keynes (so novelty value there!), with a few unexpected twists and surprises, it was an enjoyable light read that I'd recommend. A great book to download/pack for the holidays (but make sure you've got your insurance contents fixed up before you go to avoid anxious moments on the beach!)
There were a couple of minor niggles or distractions - e.g. the daughter's name, Lipsy. Where does that come from? I was half expecting an explanation of it to be a crucial turning point in the plot, but that never happened. But maybe that's just me - I've always avoiding reading books where all the characters have silly names, but that's probably my loss!
Also I couldn't quite believe that the heroine and her ideal man hadn't snapped each other up years before, as they'd known each other so long. But then life is strange, and I don't think it's necessarily unrealistic. Just think of "When Harry Met Sally" - one of my all-time favourite films. (Yes, I know that's not real life, but you know what I mean!) Again, blame me, not the author for that niggle!
Looking forward to her next book - and hoping she writes one soon!
September 21, 2012
I read this in a couple of sittings and thoroughly enjoyed it. The novel opens with the horror of the heroine's home going up in flames and the pace never lets up. There's a big cast of characters, the plot's full of surprises and pathos, the dialogue is convincing and often very funny. But the story has depth. Despite the misfortunes that beset her, Stella the disaster-prone heroine (loveable, flawed and so very real) never resorts to self-pity. Stripped of her material possessions, she learns what really matters in life and eventually earns her happy ending.
If you're looking for something with more substance than chick lit, something thoughtful, funny and very well written, try CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT. I shall definitely be looking out for Phillip's next novel.
(And for those who care about these things: this was the first ebook I've read in which I didn't spot a single formatting error.)
If you're looking for something with more substance than chick lit, something thoughtful, funny and very well written, try CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT. I shall definitely be looking out for Phillip's next novel.
(And for those who care about these things: this was the first ebook I've read in which I didn't spot a single formatting error.)
November 17, 2012
This romance is the perfect pick-me-up if you're feeling a little down in the dumps for any reason. Well-written, perceptive and funny, it cheered me up on a dark, rainy day.
Stella picks her way around the disasters of losing her home in a fire and losing the trust and respect of her daughter by means of determination and sheer hard work, with a little help from her boss, Paul, who is also the guy she's had a crush on forever. Confused about her relationships with ex-husband, her parents and her brother, she is almost wilfully obtuse when it comes to choosing the right man with whom to spend the rest of her life. Accidents, misunderstandings and family issues add to Stella's problems in this charming and satisfying book.
I loved it!
Stella picks her way around the disasters of losing her home in a fire and losing the trust and respect of her daughter by means of determination and sheer hard work, with a little help from her boss, Paul, who is also the guy she's had a crush on forever. Confused about her relationships with ex-husband, her parents and her brother, she is almost wilfully obtuse when it comes to choosing the right man with whom to spend the rest of her life. Accidents, misunderstandings and family issues add to Stella's problems in this charming and satisfying book.
I loved it!
August 16, 2012
Really enjoyed this. A typical chick-lit book but easy reading and hardly any errors either which in itself makes it a delight for me these days with e-books.
OK, Stella (the star of the tale) has a teenaged daughter with a ridiculous name-Lipsy but I'll forgive this !! Stella wakes one morning and her house is on fire and she loses all her worldly goods. Her boss and best friend Paul helps her to get herself back together and she also has her mum to cope with who spends money like it's going out of fashion and she is estranged from both her dad and her brother so her life is pretty complicated.
I really liked Stella and most of the characters too. It's well worth a look.
OK, Stella (the star of the tale) has a teenaged daughter with a ridiculous name-Lipsy but I'll forgive this !! Stella wakes one morning and her house is on fire and she loses all her worldly goods. Her boss and best friend Paul helps her to get herself back together and she also has her mum to cope with who spends money like it's going out of fashion and she is estranged from both her dad and her brother so her life is pretty complicated.
I really liked Stella and most of the characters too. It's well worth a look.
September 8, 2012
Downloaded this as a free kindle book. Didn't expect a lot, was very pleasantly surprised. This is a quality chick lit. I will check out this author to see if she has any other kindle books. I would happily pay a few dollars to read them.
Good characters and interesting story, don't think I've ever read about someone who's house burnt down before. It's certainly made me check the washing machine is off and I paid my insurance bill!
Lipsy maybe does a bit too much of a personality flip to be convincing, but I did like her character.
Good characters and interesting story, don't think I've ever read about someone who's house burnt down before. It's certainly made me check the washing machine is off and I paid my insurance bill!
Lipsy maybe does a bit too much of a personality flip to be convincing, but I did like her character.
December 24, 2012
I read this book as part of an Eclectic Reading challenge and I am very glad that I did. I found the writing style very easy to read and both the characters and the story-line are engaging from the first page.
Stella is a fabulous character and the interaction with her boss and work colleagues, to the home life problems she has with her parents, brother, daughter and lodger made a cracking story to read.
It will also ensure you purchase something very important!
Stella is a fabulous character and the interaction with her boss and work colleagues, to the home life problems she has with her parents, brother, daughter and lodger made a cracking story to read.
It will also ensure you purchase something very important!
January 16, 2013
An engaging read with a believable protagonist in Stella, a sometimes dipsy woman with a fairly sensible head on her shoulders. This makes her easily identifiable with and someone to care about as the story moves forward.
I was genuinely laughing out loud in front of my dog, at the scene near the end, in the park, where Stella decides to go for a run. That's all I'm saying without doing a spoiler.
An enjoyable easy read and I'll be reading the next one by this author.
I was genuinely laughing out loud in front of my dog, at the scene near the end, in the park, where Stella decides to go for a run. That's all I'm saying without doing a spoiler.
An enjoyable easy read and I'll be reading the next one by this author.
June 7, 2012
This was a fun read, with very lively characters, a great sense of humour, some farcical situations... yet an underlying serious theme of a consumer society driven to rethink its priorities - which is very topical at the moment.
November 21, 2012
The charaters in this are instantly likeable and its a great read. The plot is not deep but it is well structured and there's an overall humorous edge that I liked. An easy read thoroughly recommended.
December 27, 2012
I enjoyed this book. I can't believe what all she goes through. I like it because it shows how it would happen in real life. This is real situations that people go through and it showed how people react.
July 19, 2012
Brilliant first novel. Well done, really enjoyed your book.
July 28, 2012
Another cute, quick read. Enjoyed the journey.
August 3, 2012
Very enjoyable, witty read by a new talent.
October 19, 2012
Loved this. :-)
January 24, 2014
I don't like the characters, especially the teenage daughter. I feel that they are exaggerated. I'm not going to finish it. No point in wasting time with books I don't like.
July 18, 2012
sooooo loved this book. funny, emotive and addictive!
April 24, 2019
I decided to start reviewing Self Pubbed books because I think Self Publishing is moving away from the 'Vanity Press' days to becoming a valid avenue for writers looking to get their work out there. With fierce competition for limited places in publishing house line ups, there must be thousands of good books out there that get turned away (Harry Potter, famously rejected many times before JKR made her fortune).
I must admit though, even though it's something I'm considering myself (for my novellas, which wouldn't find a place in a traditional publishing house, even if they were the most amazing books ever written) I still carry something of a bias myself. I don't expect anything from Self Published books. And that can be a good and bad thing.
Can't Live Without, then, before I start waffling completely off tangent.
A cracking opening had me instantly engaged, and Stella is a character easy to love, despite her flaws. Her first person, present tense narrative is energetic and opinionated, bordering on bitchy in a way that is very amusing. There was clear voice from the very first line, and it didn't take long to think of Stella as an old friend, with a measure of definite fondness as she screwed up time and time again.
But then the second chapter jumps to a third person, past tense narrative, following Stella's teenage daughter, who later writes a first person section in her diary, and then there's Paul, Stella's boss and love interest, who also gets a narrative perspective...
I'm not keen on books that swap styles as they swap viewpoints. You have to give your characters a unique viewpoint, yes, but it's my personal opinion that the viewpoints should at least be consistent in terms of tense and perspective. I find it jarring transitioning between the different styles.
That said, I did love Lipsy's diary entries. The stroppy teenager with unrealistic ideas about life was an entertaining view to have, and I preferred it enormously to the third person perspective sections that followed her. It was a nice way of revealing her character development as well, showing her change in attitude across the span of the novel.
And there was tonnes of character development. This wasn't the soggy sort of chick lit that makes me abhor the genre. The characters were realistic, flawed, with definite growth. Some of the more background characters were a little two dimensional (Loretta the office bitch, Billy, Stella's brother) but that's fairly standard for any book, and the major players more than made up for it.
In fact, I doubt I'd have even particularly noticed the background characters if they'd stayed very much in the background, but my second issue with Can't Live Without was the story.
It wasn't the issue that a lot of books I've read lately have: that there is no story. In fact, it was totally the opposite. There was too much. For a relatively short book, it did try to pack in a lot of stuff - teenage rebellion, family in prison, absent fathers, the issues of consumerism, as well as the romance side of things. Any one of these things could have made a good novel, and a couple could have made a great one. I just felt in the rush to pack all these things in, none were really explored in enough detail, and character revelations and epiphanies came thick and fast and usually quite cheesy. Characters changed completely in a page length. Relationships were forged and broken in a chapter. Everything (with the exception of one revelation about Stella's father) made sense, the character changes were logical and understandable, but nothing really had the emotional impact it could have carried.
It's hard to say all this without sounding like I didn't enjoy the book. I did, and I certainly don't feel like it was a waste of the two afternoons it took to read it. And I guess this comes back to my key thing about Self Publishing. I have no expectations. Anything better than absolute tripe is a bonus, and Can't Live Without is a long way above absolute tripe.
Also, it's cheap.
Admittedly, I got this free when Joanne ran a promotion, but I wouldn't have felt too bad about spending £1.91 on it. You can get Self Published books for 79p a lot of the time, so it's not a venture that's going to leave you out of pocket. Can't Live Without isn't as polished or cohesive as some of its published counterparts (but then, it's also a damn sight better than some of its published counterparts - being traditionally published is not always a hallmark of quality) but for the price you're paying it's an enjoyable, light read.
And I definitely think Joanne Phillips is an author to keep an eye on.
I must admit though, even though it's something I'm considering myself (for my novellas, which wouldn't find a place in a traditional publishing house, even if they were the most amazing books ever written) I still carry something of a bias myself. I don't expect anything from Self Published books. And that can be a good and bad thing.
Can't Live Without, then, before I start waffling completely off tangent.
A cracking opening had me instantly engaged, and Stella is a character easy to love, despite her flaws. Her first person, present tense narrative is energetic and opinionated, bordering on bitchy in a way that is very amusing. There was clear voice from the very first line, and it didn't take long to think of Stella as an old friend, with a measure of definite fondness as she screwed up time and time again.
But then the second chapter jumps to a third person, past tense narrative, following Stella's teenage daughter, who later writes a first person section in her diary, and then there's Paul, Stella's boss and love interest, who also gets a narrative perspective...
I'm not keen on books that swap styles as they swap viewpoints. You have to give your characters a unique viewpoint, yes, but it's my personal opinion that the viewpoints should at least be consistent in terms of tense and perspective. I find it jarring transitioning between the different styles.
That said, I did love Lipsy's diary entries. The stroppy teenager with unrealistic ideas about life was an entertaining view to have, and I preferred it enormously to the third person perspective sections that followed her. It was a nice way of revealing her character development as well, showing her change in attitude across the span of the novel.
And there was tonnes of character development. This wasn't the soggy sort of chick lit that makes me abhor the genre. The characters were realistic, flawed, with definite growth. Some of the more background characters were a little two dimensional (Loretta the office bitch, Billy, Stella's brother) but that's fairly standard for any book, and the major players more than made up for it.
In fact, I doubt I'd have even particularly noticed the background characters if they'd stayed very much in the background, but my second issue with Can't Live Without was the story.
It wasn't the issue that a lot of books I've read lately have: that there is no story. In fact, it was totally the opposite. There was too much. For a relatively short book, it did try to pack in a lot of stuff - teenage rebellion, family in prison, absent fathers, the issues of consumerism, as well as the romance side of things. Any one of these things could have made a good novel, and a couple could have made a great one. I just felt in the rush to pack all these things in, none were really explored in enough detail, and character revelations and epiphanies came thick and fast and usually quite cheesy. Characters changed completely in a page length. Relationships were forged and broken in a chapter. Everything (with the exception of one revelation about Stella's father) made sense, the character changes were logical and understandable, but nothing really had the emotional impact it could have carried.
It's hard to say all this without sounding like I didn't enjoy the book. I did, and I certainly don't feel like it was a waste of the two afternoons it took to read it. And I guess this comes back to my key thing about Self Publishing. I have no expectations. Anything better than absolute tripe is a bonus, and Can't Live Without is a long way above absolute tripe.
Also, it's cheap.
Admittedly, I got this free when Joanne ran a promotion, but I wouldn't have felt too bad about spending £1.91 on it. You can get Self Published books for 79p a lot of the time, so it's not a venture that's going to leave you out of pocket. Can't Live Without isn't as polished or cohesive as some of its published counterparts (but then, it's also a damn sight better than some of its published counterparts - being traditionally published is not always a hallmark of quality) but for the price you're paying it's an enjoyable, light read.
And I definitely think Joanne Phillips is an author to keep an eye on.
May 9, 2024
Can't Live Without" by Joanne Phillips is a delightful blend of humor and heartache, offering readers a genuine and engaging look into the life of its protagonist, Stella Hill. Stella's story begins with a rather drastic life event: her house burns down, leaving her to reassess her life and what she truly values. This moment of crisis leads to both comedic and poignant self-discoveries as she realizes that many of the possessions, she mourned losing were not essential to her happiness.
Phillips masterfully balances light-hearted moments with deep emotional truths, making "Can't Live Without" not just a story about loss but also about personal growth and resilience. Stella's journey is peppered with relatable challenges and quirky encounters that add depth and charm to her character. As she navigates single motherhood, rekindled romances, and new opportunities, Stella becomes a character readers root for, eager to see her rebuild a fuller, more meaningful life.
The narrative is fluid, filled with witty dialogue and a well-paced plot that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. Joanne Phillips has a knack for creating vivid characters that feel like friends by the end of the book. Overall, "Can't Live Without" is an uplifting, humorous, and touching read that explores the idea that sometimes, losing everything leads to discovering what you truly need.
Phillips masterfully balances light-hearted moments with deep emotional truths, making "Can't Live Without" not just a story about loss but also about personal growth and resilience. Stella's journey is peppered with relatable challenges and quirky encounters that add depth and charm to her character. As she navigates single motherhood, rekindled romances, and new opportunities, Stella becomes a character readers root for, eager to see her rebuild a fuller, more meaningful life.
The narrative is fluid, filled with witty dialogue and a well-paced plot that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. Joanne Phillips has a knack for creating vivid characters that feel like friends by the end of the book. Overall, "Can't Live Without" is an uplifting, humorous, and touching read that explores the idea that sometimes, losing everything leads to discovering what you truly need.
December 2, 2021
It was super frustrating waiting for Stella and Paul to finally get together, but I was so happy when they did!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2017
A sweet, find out what really matters in life story
January 11, 2013
I loved the opening. I was immediately drawn in and felt comfortable with Stella’s narration – her character was easy to relate to, funny, down to earth and perfectly believable. There were moments when she got a bit repetitive but it was always in character and never got too much for me to bear.
I liked Paul as a character, too. He was Mr Right but with a healthy dose of useless-man syndrome so I didn’t get as irritated with him as I do with the lead romantic interest in some books. My only issue was the complete character reformation he seemed to have in the middle of the book, it would have been fine if it had been slower to form but it all seemed a bit rushed and sudden. One minute he was this guy and then, half a chapter later BAM! he was completely going against what he’d been saying earlier. It eased itself out though, later in the book.
Lipsy’s storyline was particularly engaging as it didn’t land too far from home and I liked how realistic it was. Her reactions and feelings were very similar to many I had and made me smile and nod as I read.
I sometimes found myself re-reading paragraphs when the point of view changed because I wasn’t sure who was speaking. It was obvious when it was Stella because it was first person, present tense which I loved – The immediacy of it draws you in and you are really connected with her character.
But then it would switch either to Paul in third person, past tense, or Lipsy in either first person diary entries or third person, past tense, and I would sometimes get a bit muddled until I was a bit into the section and had established whose head I was in and where.
That said, I really enjoyed Lipsy’s diary entries and they often made me chuckle. She was a beautifully articulated example of an annoying stroppy teenager who thinks they know how the world is going to be and then finds everything turned upside down in a series of events they have no or little control over. It’s a place we’ve all been and I think Joanne captured it perfectly.
The pacing of the book was good although there were times when I felt a bit bombarded with information and new twists and turns. By the time I was 75% through, I felt a bit bogged down with story-lines and ended up being dissatisfied with several of them because they either fell by the wayside, got glossed over or just didn’t get the detail I wanted because there was no way of exploring everything all in one novel.
I think that is where Can’t Live Without fell down for me. There was just too much happening for one novel. None of it was bad, in fact, I enjoy the writing style and loved the main ideas, but I feel it would have been better if Joanne had picked just two or three of her sub-plots and run with them instead of trying to squish everything in.
Can’t Live Without is far from a bad book, I did enjoy it, but there were enough niggles that I was left feeling frustrated because I wanted more from it. I felt like I was promised a feast and got given a Deluxe Picnic Hamper – still enjoyable but not quite what I had hoped for.
I liked Paul as a character, too. He was Mr Right but with a healthy dose of useless-man syndrome so I didn’t get as irritated with him as I do with the lead romantic interest in some books. My only issue was the complete character reformation he seemed to have in the middle of the book, it would have been fine if it had been slower to form but it all seemed a bit rushed and sudden. One minute he was this guy and then, half a chapter later BAM! he was completely going against what he’d been saying earlier. It eased itself out though, later in the book.
Lipsy’s storyline was particularly engaging as it didn’t land too far from home and I liked how realistic it was. Her reactions and feelings were very similar to many I had and made me smile and nod as I read.
I sometimes found myself re-reading paragraphs when the point of view changed because I wasn’t sure who was speaking. It was obvious when it was Stella because it was first person, present tense which I loved – The immediacy of it draws you in and you are really connected with her character.
But then it would switch either to Paul in third person, past tense, or Lipsy in either first person diary entries or third person, past tense, and I would sometimes get a bit muddled until I was a bit into the section and had established whose head I was in and where.
That said, I really enjoyed Lipsy’s diary entries and they often made me chuckle. She was a beautifully articulated example of an annoying stroppy teenager who thinks they know how the world is going to be and then finds everything turned upside down in a series of events they have no or little control over. It’s a place we’ve all been and I think Joanne captured it perfectly.
The pacing of the book was good although there were times when I felt a bit bombarded with information and new twists and turns. By the time I was 75% through, I felt a bit bogged down with story-lines and ended up being dissatisfied with several of them because they either fell by the wayside, got glossed over or just didn’t get the detail I wanted because there was no way of exploring everything all in one novel.
I think that is where Can’t Live Without fell down for me. There was just too much happening for one novel. None of it was bad, in fact, I enjoy the writing style and loved the main ideas, but I feel it would have been better if Joanne had picked just two or three of her sub-plots and run with them instead of trying to squish everything in.
Can’t Live Without is far from a bad book, I did enjoy it, but there were enough niggles that I was left feeling frustrated because I wanted more from it. I felt like I was promised a feast and got given a Deluxe Picnic Hamper – still enjoyable but not quite what I had hoped for.
June 18, 2013
There's always a book you find that when you read it, it becomes more reality than fiction. I know most books do that they're supposed too, but I mean the ones were you forget it's not real. Can't live without to me is a perfect example of that book.
I loved that it was told by three different people, firstly and mainly being Stella, Secondly her daughter Lipsy, and third and finally Stella's boss and long-term friend Paul. Getting each individual thoughts and narrative increases the overall plot and has you enjoying it a lot more.
It's seriously a witty and British humoured book which again I loved. Regardless of the seriousness of some of the situations you read about you still end up guiltily giggling and Stella's dry remarks and comments. Its non stop drama and constantly has more little twists keeping you intrigued. It has you gripped from the very beginning and has you thinking about what's really important in life.
If you want funny, intelligent and a full on romance with lots of drama this is the book for you.
4/5
Merged review:
There's always a book you find that when you read it, it becomes more reality than fiction. I know most books do that they're supposed too, but I mean the ones were you forget it's not real. Can't live without to me is a perfect example of that book.
I loved that it was told by three different people, firstly and mainly being Stella, Secondly her daughter Lipsy, and third and finally Stella's boss and long-term friend Paul. Getting each individual thoughts and narrative increases the overall plot and has you enjoying it a lot more.
It's seriously a witty and British humoured book which again I loved. Regardless of the seriousness of some of the situations you read about you still end up guiltily giggling and Stella's dry remarks and comments. Its non stop drama and constantly has more little twists keeping you intrigued. It has you gripped from the very beginning and has you thinking about what's really important in life.
If you want funny, intelligent and a full on romance with lots of drama this is the book for you.
4/5
I loved that it was told by three different people, firstly and mainly being Stella, Secondly her daughter Lipsy, and third and finally Stella's boss and long-term friend Paul. Getting each individual thoughts and narrative increases the overall plot and has you enjoying it a lot more.
It's seriously a witty and British humoured book which again I loved. Regardless of the seriousness of some of the situations you read about you still end up guiltily giggling and Stella's dry remarks and comments. Its non stop drama and constantly has more little twists keeping you intrigued. It has you gripped from the very beginning and has you thinking about what's really important in life.
If you want funny, intelligent and a full on romance with lots of drama this is the book for you.
4/5
Merged review:
There's always a book you find that when you read it, it becomes more reality than fiction. I know most books do that they're supposed too, but I mean the ones were you forget it's not real. Can't live without to me is a perfect example of that book.
I loved that it was told by three different people, firstly and mainly being Stella, Secondly her daughter Lipsy, and third and finally Stella's boss and long-term friend Paul. Getting each individual thoughts and narrative increases the overall plot and has you enjoying it a lot more.
It's seriously a witty and British humoured book which again I loved. Regardless of the seriousness of some of the situations you read about you still end up guiltily giggling and Stella's dry remarks and comments. Its non stop drama and constantly has more little twists keeping you intrigued. It has you gripped from the very beginning and has you thinking about what's really important in life.
If you want funny, intelligent and a full on romance with lots of drama this is the book for you.
4/5
September 1, 2013
I liked the story, House burns down, daughter is seeing a man old enough to be her dad, mother had a shopping addiction, dad is inside and brother is AWOL. She is in love with a man who is in love with her, but both don't have a clue!
Stella wakes up to find her kitchen on fire, gets out of the house to find help, when her neighbour Joshua, finds her, he stops her from going back in. She goes to live with her mum, finds out that her daughter's boyfriend is twice her age! and she doesn't like it one bit, but she does not get any support from her mum. She gets more help and support from her best friend, not just any friend, but long standing since Senior school. Paul Smart who also happens to be her boss.
After dealing with the loss of her home, she starts to build a new life, but oh my word DRAMA seems to be her middle name, nothing seems to run smooth, its one disaster after another.
She makes a pass at Paul, who thinks the right thing to do is reject her advances, then his life makes a u-turn, and he realises he's in live with her.
Oh! Paul and Stella needed their heads bashing in, Paul listened to everyone except Stella, jumped to the wrong conclusions, was there for her almost all the time except for the one time she really needed him, when her daughter was in the emergency room at the hospital, although her brother Billy told him a few home truths, they still kept their distance from each other.
Stella, finally started to get her 'new' home in order, her relationships with her dad, mum, brother and daughter were beginning to go in the right direction, and she decided to have one last word with Paul, she followed him jogging, told him exactly how he felt, to my shock he stood there and was muted eventually she walked away, and I can't say I blamed her, hge had humiliated her before, she couldn't take any more!
We do end up with a happy ending, and I hope things continue on for them all.
The writing was good, and I enjoyed their story, it had me symphasisng, laughing, smiling, had butterflies followed by frustration. I just had to finish the book, willing them rto get it on and reveal their true feelings for each other.
Stella wakes up to find her kitchen on fire, gets out of the house to find help, when her neighbour Joshua, finds her, he stops her from going back in. She goes to live with her mum, finds out that her daughter's boyfriend is twice her age! and she doesn't like it one bit, but she does not get any support from her mum. She gets more help and support from her best friend, not just any friend, but long standing since Senior school. Paul Smart who also happens to be her boss.
After dealing with the loss of her home, she starts to build a new life, but oh my word DRAMA seems to be her middle name, nothing seems to run smooth, its one disaster after another.
She makes a pass at Paul, who thinks the right thing to do is reject her advances, then his life makes a u-turn, and he realises he's in live with her.
Oh! Paul and Stella needed their heads bashing in, Paul listened to everyone except Stella, jumped to the wrong conclusions, was there for her almost all the time except for the one time she really needed him, when her daughter was in the emergency room at the hospital, although her brother Billy told him a few home truths, they still kept their distance from each other.
Stella, finally started to get her 'new' home in order, her relationships with her dad, mum, brother and daughter were beginning to go in the right direction, and she decided to have one last word with Paul, she followed him jogging, told him exactly how he felt, to my shock he stood there and was muted eventually she walked away, and I can't say I blamed her, hge had humiliated her before, she couldn't take any more!
We do end up with a happy ending, and I hope things continue on for them all.
The writing was good, and I enjoyed their story, it had me symphasisng, laughing, smiling, had butterflies followed by frustration. I just had to finish the book, willing them rto get it on and reveal their true feelings for each other.
August 8, 2013
Last year my family and I upped sticks and left Paris for some sunny region in the south of France. I say some sunny region because we had no idea where exactly we were going to move to. We packed up our belongings, took our daughter out of school and hightailed it out of Paris.
With nowhere to go we put all our belongings in storage and just kept the essentials for camping over the summer, during which time we planned to find the perfect place to settle. It was a good lesson in learning to live without stuff, although truth be told I was pretty happy to unpack said stuff when we moved into our new home that September.
No such luck for Stella Hill who wakes up one morning to find her house is on fire and all her belongings are perishing in front of her eyes. Thus begins a transformation that will cause her to question what is disposable or unnecessary in her life, and what she simply can’t live without.
Joanne Phillips has an engaging and lively style and doesn’t shy away from serious issues like consumerism, teenage pregnancy and the vicissitudes of romantic love. Stella isn’t a one dimensional character–she’s realistic and unpredictable– a multi-layered protagonist who grows on you as the book progresses. While at first she comes across as sassy and smart, we soon discover that she’s all mush on the inside; a strong female that will resonate with many readers.
Stylistically, Phillips takes a risk with the point of view which changes from chapter to chapter and even within chapters. Stella’s chapters are in the first person, her daughter, Lipsy’s are told through the third person and diary entries, and Paul Smart’s (the love interest) are told exclusively in the third person. At first I wasn’t sure if this was going to work, but it all comes together beautifully and I take my hat off to Joanne Phillips for having the innovation and courage to try something different.
A great debut novel from a real British talent!
With nowhere to go we put all our belongings in storage and just kept the essentials for camping over the summer, during which time we planned to find the perfect place to settle. It was a good lesson in learning to live without stuff, although truth be told I was pretty happy to unpack said stuff when we moved into our new home that September.
No such luck for Stella Hill who wakes up one morning to find her house is on fire and all her belongings are perishing in front of her eyes. Thus begins a transformation that will cause her to question what is disposable or unnecessary in her life, and what she simply can’t live without.
Joanne Phillips has an engaging and lively style and doesn’t shy away from serious issues like consumerism, teenage pregnancy and the vicissitudes of romantic love. Stella isn’t a one dimensional character–she’s realistic and unpredictable– a multi-layered protagonist who grows on you as the book progresses. While at first she comes across as sassy and smart, we soon discover that she’s all mush on the inside; a strong female that will resonate with many readers.
Stylistically, Phillips takes a risk with the point of view which changes from chapter to chapter and even within chapters. Stella’s chapters are in the first person, her daughter, Lipsy’s are told through the third person and diary entries, and Paul Smart’s (the love interest) are told exclusively in the third person. At first I wasn’t sure if this was going to work, but it all comes together beautifully and I take my hat off to Joanne Phillips for having the innovation and courage to try something different.
A great debut novel from a real British talent!
January 10, 2013
This feels like the author hasn't written anything that's been edited and given constructive feedback before. It just keeps hitting you with bombshells (x did this, y got offended about that) just to (so it feels like) spin the story out another 50 pages. Take half the bombshells out and it would be a much nicer book to read.
It's not that it's a badly written book, in fact it's fairly well written I'd say. It just suffers from having too many events happening within a very short space of time that makes it harder to follow, or care about a character, because as soon as they've started dealing with one life-bending event, something else is dropped on them like an anvil from 35,000 feet and they forget the first thing to deal with the next.
What I do find completely confusing about the writing however is how it switches narration from one person to another, and even perspectives between different characters (or in some cases, the same character!) Quite often I found myself re-reading three paragraphs to work out whose point of view it was written from, and therefore who knows what about who from it. On occasion it jumps around from location to location as well, one moment Stella is talking to Lipsy in a coffee shop late at night, then within the same paragraph in the next sentence it's half two in the morning and Stella's alone in her bedroom. _Slightly_ confusing!
On the whole only something I finished reading because I almost vaguely could enjoy it, but I quite often raged at it and put it down for 24 hours before picking it up. (In truth, I only really finished it because it would be a waste of reading time towards my yearly challenge otherwise.)
I hope the author finds an editor willing to tell her to take ideas out of the sequel, and make it a less confusing narrative, as that may well then be a book to enjoy entirely.
It's not that it's a badly written book, in fact it's fairly well written I'd say. It just suffers from having too many events happening within a very short space of time that makes it harder to follow, or care about a character, because as soon as they've started dealing with one life-bending event, something else is dropped on them like an anvil from 35,000 feet and they forget the first thing to deal with the next.
What I do find completely confusing about the writing however is how it switches narration from one person to another, and even perspectives between different characters (or in some cases, the same character!) Quite often I found myself re-reading three paragraphs to work out whose point of view it was written from, and therefore who knows what about who from it. On occasion it jumps around from location to location as well, one moment Stella is talking to Lipsy in a coffee shop late at night, then within the same paragraph in the next sentence it's half two in the morning and Stella's alone in her bedroom. _Slightly_ confusing!
On the whole only something I finished reading because I almost vaguely could enjoy it, but I quite often raged at it and put it down for 24 hours before picking it up. (In truth, I only really finished it because it would be a waste of reading time towards my yearly challenge otherwise.)
I hope the author finds an editor willing to tell her to take ideas out of the sequel, and make it a less confusing narrative, as that may well then be a book to enjoy entirely.
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