Up All Night

by Carmen Reid (contributor)

There aren't enough hours in the day for Jo, overworked newspaper reporter, mother of two, and newly divorced after ten years of marriage. She's close to cracking the biggest scoop of her career - a cover-up with serious implications for her own family. If she knocks on the right doors and asks the right questions (with a little help from her outrageously smart friend, Bella Browning) then a real exclusive could be hers . . .But how will Jo meet her deadlines when her distractions include two needy daughters and a Barbie birthday party to organise, her pompous ex-husband, his new 'girlfriend' and the romantic intentions of a scruffy but delicious young super-chef?Time is running out, but who needs sleep when you can stay Up All Night?

Genres: Chick Lit

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Carmen was born and brought up in a chilly and windy corner of Scotland in the depths of the countryside.

This may explain her lifelong phobia of cows and abiding interest in cities, department stores, books, the cinema and newspapers.

She is currently working on her eigth novel for grown-ups and her third novel for teenagers. Well, she likes to keep busy.

Carmen did once study English Literature at University College London, but, ignoring everything she’d learned, she spent most of her 20s working as a local, regional and then national newspaper reporter.

Knowing deep down that she was supposed to be an author not a journo, she left her day job to have a baby and write her first novel. (Hey, and just four sleepless, penniless years later it was published!)

Although there is a corner of her heart that will always belong to London (property developers welcome) she now lives in Glasgow, Scotland, with her husband, Thomas, and two children, Sam and Claudie, plus Jimmy the (lunatic) Jack Russell and Clive, Orangey and Gorcha, the fish.

Fortunately her hobbies are cooking, cleaning, arguing about whose turn it is to walk the dog, clean the fish tank, take out the rubbish, do the laundry... and so on.

Reviews

[Mrs J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Up All Night starts off as a light fun read about Jo’s friendship with Bella, and her lusty relationship with her post-divorce toyboy, but it then takes on a far more serious shift.

Jo is an investigative journalist and although the book was originally written in 2005, the storyline is just as prevalent today as it was back then. She investigates the controversy of childhood immunisations whilst struggling with the complexities of life post-divorce when you have children.She also interviews a hopeful Green MP who talks about her lifestyle and the effects of the modern world and infantile allergies. Although this is fiction, the issues are still very real now and it’s rather sad how little progress society has made in many respects.

Interesting story. Not at all what I thought it would be but I’d definitely recommend it. A good one for post-read discussion.

[Marie (UK) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is just fluff with no real meat to the tale.

[Claire Griffin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad. An easy read

[Kat A · Rating 1 out of 5]

I generally like Carmen Reid for a light chick lit read, but this one wasn't very good unfortunately. The story was a bit whingy and worst of all, there was a gaping plot hole! Not an important part, but a bit irritating non the less. I didn't invest in the main character (perhaps because she was a mom, and I'm not) but liked the humanization of the ex-husband through his interaction with their children. Meh. Give it a miss unless you are really addicted to Carmen Reid.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got "Up All Night" because I really enjoyed "The Personal Shopper" and I wanted to check out more Carmen Reid books. This one, however, just bored me and I've just decided to shelf it for now. I may give it another go later. Maybe it's just a bit too hard for me to relate to a divorced w/two kids character, I'm more down with the singletons ;)

[Michelle Hurst · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pants, pants, pants. Big Bridget Jones pants!

Very slow at starting then when it finally did seem to be going somewhere it didnt. Such a let down. There were soooooo many loose ends, that if my 15month old had not been sleeping beside me as i finished the book it would have been bounced off the wall on the other side of the room!!!

Big disappointment. But make up your own mind obviously.

[Geraldine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute Book but a very open ending which would leave room for a second book

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book to keep you entertained while on a beach holiday by the pool...there's nothing much to it and is easy to read.

[Laia-Felicitat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of a SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPRWOMAN!!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard chick lit. Fluffy but lacking substance.
Ok for a quick read but don't expect anything life changing.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've liked the two other Carmen Reid books I've read but this was a dull read. Not much happens and the ending is weak...I started so I finished but not one of my faves!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, but slightly predictable.