The Ex-Factor

by Andrea Semple

When Martha Seymore finds out about her boyfriend's one-night-stand she doesn't know what to do. And Martha's business is relationships. She's the girl who gets paid to sympathise with the cheated and jilted, the under sexed and over attached at Gloss magazine. Realising she's just as clueless as her hapless readers, Martha finds it increasingly difficult to continue giving relationship advice whilst dealing with her own heartache. Also, there's the distinctly unattractive prospect of admitting a failed relationship not only to her colleagues, but also to her oldest friend, Desdemona, whose irritatingly perfect lifestyle would make even a saint harbour murderous tendencies. Worse, Desdemona's new fiance is Alex, Martha's first ex-boyfriend, who, contrary to all expectations, has matured into an infuriatingly sexy and talented chef. Life just isn't fair. Tired of always doing the right thing, Martha starts to wonder whether her new flatmate has the right approach to relationships after is the best way to get one man off your mind, at least temporarily, to get another one into your bed? A novel about sex, relationships, and other natural disasters

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Humor, Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

Reviews

[Aleksandra Fatic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Čitala sam ovu knjigu kao tinejdžerka i sjećam se da sam je prosto obožavala! Sada se, naravno, ne sjećam zašto i sada vjerovatno ne bi dobila 5 ⭐, ali petnaestogodišnja ja joj ne mogu dati ni mrvu manje 😀!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good, entertaining story. I liked that I couldn’t tell what was going to happen and the ending wasn’t what I was expecting.

[Dumpling Dumpling · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not Lauryn Hill's song and things could not had been different for Andrea who considers herself Miss X... But this miss x did not succeed in putting her lover to the test, meaning is not from universified hard-core house community of little Xx's or sororities who score and don't do them d's once more, just because Andrea's lover confessed her he had an affair while having sex with her... Pathetic... Anyways, an erased granny considers herself Madame X which is a character from Kerouac's Tristessa...and granny did not credit Kerouac an inspiration for hers, rather boring, album full of cravings or lifeful lusts. Who are Universified Little X's? Laters on that definition from another social network...

[Ivana Oltovska · Rating 4 out of 5]

not so bad

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

De Andrea Semple había leído hace años La Maquilladora y fue un libro que me encantó. Por esa razón me decidí a leer este libro. Pero la suerte no me ha sonreido esta vez. Si al otro le doy un 5, a este le doy un tres raspado.

El personaje de Martha está bien definido y me ha atraído en todo momento pero que en el libro hable constantemente de los ex, es bastante rollo. Me esperaba alguna historia de amor ó sus líos en el trabajo como suelen tener todos los libros de chick-lit. Ya sé que el título deja bien claro de que va a ir el argumento pero...

Tal vez el libro me parece demasiado real y suelo leer cosas que se salgan un poco de lo normal ó que se rían de la vida. Esto no tiene ninguna de las dos cosas.

Sí me ha gustado la forma de reaccionar Martha cuando lo deja con su novio. Se vuelve alocada y se piensa que tiene otra vez 17 años. Vive el momento y no mires con quién.

Gracias a que están sus amigos para hacerla ver la realidad y que no todo en el mundo es ella, ella y ella. El final, no lo voy a desvelar obviamente, pero me ha parecido un tanto extraño ó ilógico ó ??

Por cierto, el libro no para de hacer similitudes de escenas y algunas bromas con programas de televisión que lamentablemente tendrían más gracia si la traductora las hubiera vinculado más con España y no hubiera hecho la traducción literal. La mitad de programas de TV, cantantes y cómicos que menciona, por no decir todos ellos, les he oído mencionar por primera vez en este libro.

De recomendaros a esta escritora, no lo haría especialmente con este libro. En todo caso y como lectura obligatoria, La Maquilladora, un estupendo libro con el que no paras de reírte y disfrutarás un buen rato.

[Tatiana Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lectura ligera, fácil.
A una chica que trabaja en un consultorio sentimental su novio le pone los cuernos y no sabe cómo superarlo. La autora intenta darle un toque de comedia pero en mi opinión no lo consigue.
Particularmente creo que hay libros de este estilo mucho mejores que este, no me ha entusiasmado mucho.

[Dalimar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Son tantos las escritoras que tratan de imitar al personaje de Bridget Jones...el problema es que ella es única en su clase.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another quick and easy read! It was entertaining to see the the friendships Martha created and how she was coping or not coping after being betrayed by her boyfriend. Her mistakes on some level are relatable but other times seem very extreme. I especially enjoyed the ending and how she did not just jump into a relationship.

[Felicity · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not what I was expecting. Rather than a light trashy read, it took us through the protagonist's post breakup choices. It was a genuinely good read.

My Goodreads star rating...***

My Goodreads scale:
* waste of time
**filled in time
***good
****excellent
*****absolutely amazing

[Arnab Nandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy and fun read. No need to work your brain too much. Just the kind I was looking for at that point. I enjoyed the way the author drew some of the characters.

[Montse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bastante simple y aburrido salvo un par de capítulos algo más interesantes

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I bought this book for the pretty comic cover. The premise is quite familiar/done many times before, something I read before; 25yo woman (Martha) moving on after her boyfriend (Luke) cheated on her and she is a relationship column advisor for a magazine so it’s a bit of an ironic situation for her to be in. I remember reading a few other books like this wherein the protagonist of that book also got cheated on and had a job that made the situation they were in ironic. I got irritated at the part when Martha revealed the reason she broke up with her first boyfriend (Alex) all because the best friend Desdemona didn’t think he was good enough. This reminded me of Jane Austen's Persuasion which I didn't really like too. There was hardly any interaction between Martha and Alex in the book too so it was hard for me to feel/believe any sort of romantic chemistry between them. Overall however, it was an enjoyable read, finished in a day!

[Arianne The Bookworm on the Loose · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a world full of surprises, Martha was really in for the shock of her life when:

1) Luke, her boyfriend of two years admitted to have been unfaithful,

2) that the woman he was having an affair with was Martha’s friend, Desdemona

3) (Des), whose boyfriend was Martha’s ex-boyfriend, Alex.

A juicy rollercoaster love triangle, isn’t it?

I have already an idea about the whole story after having read the back-book cover. Yeah, it’s really quite predictable. But I still didn’t put the book down after getting to Chapter 5 and onwards. There’s still the “intriguing factor” that Andrea Semple have induced on each character and how Martha ended up with —- came with a few surprising twists that had me laughing out loud. It was a very engaging read, I was able to finish it within 24 hours.

Honestly, I was first attracted to the book cover – those three toothbruses re-enacting a scene – is really cute! My two kids, Kyle & Kian were actually intrigued when they saw me reading this book. Kyle grabbed the book from my bedside table and asked me ridiculous questions, “Mom, are you reading a story about toothbrushes? Why are they kissing? How come the white one looks lonely?” and my other son Kian asked “Mommy, can you read this for us on our next bedtime story? Hahaha, silly kids!

[Marnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this on vacation and it was just what my mind needed...entertaining with no thought required. It is very Bridget Jones/Shopaholic-esque in its British banter and clever catch phrases.

Briefly, Martha is a relationship advice columnist who ironically finds herself at the advice-seeking end of the stick after her boyfriend Luke cheats on her...with her oldest childhood friend, Desdemona. While no staggering work of genius, it is funny, sweet, and spot on with some brutal truths about life & love.

[Preet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the flow of this book. There was a twist or two that I could see coming, but that's due to reading many, many stories and books semi-similar to this one. Had I been a reader fresh to this material I definitely think I might have rated it higher. But Andrea Semple's a great writer and this book only reinforces that.

[Lou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok book. Not the typical chick lit because the girl doesn't get the boy in the end but it was still a good storyline. I had a hard time relating to all the casual sex and the drugs/drinking in the story.

[Sherri Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable! I found this story to be very humorous and engaging. I thought Martha was a likeable and believable character that the reader will root for to succeed. A few surprising twists that had me laughing out loud.

I will be on the watch for more from this author.

[Alba Gimeno · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vale, no es que esté mal pero se me ha hecho bastante pesado al hablar durante toda la novela de los ex de la protagonista.
Que si, que quizá se veía venir por el título pero es que no me esperaba que fuese a ser tan literal...

[Arwen Fowler-jonsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it..If you are a woman and have ever experienced any type of relationship with a man you need to read this one!!!!!Makes you laugh out loud, cry and want to call your best friend right away!!and I did!!!

[Sarah Philips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it!! Screwed up in all the right ways.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical chick lit - an entertaining read with some quite witty & funny lines.

[Tara Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just ok. some parts were laugh out loud, some tired and old.

Too Bridget Jones style for me.

Andrea Semple was much better with Bernadette.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit slow going at the start... you don't even really spend time with the ex in question until 2 thirds of the way through. So, not quite what I expected, but not bad wither I guess.

[Heather Roets]

Very cute book. Predictable but an enjoyable light read

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Angie Agerter · Rating 3 out of 5]

just a simple good chick lit book.