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Yours Truly
Your bum does not look big in that dress.
Mmmm, it tastes delicious!
Of course you're better looking than Jon Hamm.
Newly engaged Natalie Butterworth is an easy-going girl. She'll do anything for a quiet life and if telling a few teensy white lies keeps her friends and family happy, then so what? It's not like they'll ever discover what she's really thinking...
Until one night, thanks to a pub hypnotist, Natalie's most private thoughts begin to bubble up and pop out of her mouth. Things get very messy indeed, especially when some sticky home truths offend her fiancé.
Natalie must track down the hypnotist before her wedding is officially cancelled. So along with bad influence bestie Meg, Natalie finds herself in the Yorkshire Parish of Little Trooley - a small village bursting with big secrets, nosy old folk and intriguing Wellington-wearing men.
When the girls get stuck in the village with no means of escape and no way to break the hypnotist's spell, Natalie is forced to face the truths she has been avoiding her whole life...
Mmmm, it tastes delicious!
Of course you're better looking than Jon Hamm.
Newly engaged Natalie Butterworth is an easy-going girl. She'll do anything for a quiet life and if telling a few teensy white lies keeps her friends and family happy, then so what? It's not like they'll ever discover what she's really thinking...
Until one night, thanks to a pub hypnotist, Natalie's most private thoughts begin to bubble up and pop out of her mouth. Things get very messy indeed, especially when some sticky home truths offend her fiancé.
Natalie must track down the hypnotist before her wedding is officially cancelled. So along with bad influence bestie Meg, Natalie finds herself in the Yorkshire Parish of Little Trooley - a small village bursting with big secrets, nosy old folk and intriguing Wellington-wearing men.
When the girls get stuck in the village with no means of escape and no way to break the hypnotist's spell, Natalie is forced to face the truths she has been avoiding her whole life...
390 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 2012
1332 people are currently reading
5372 people want to read
About the author
Kirsty Greenwood
16 books2,140 followersKirsty Greenwood is a top ten bestselling author of funny, fearless and fast-paced romantic comedies about extraordinary love.
When she's not writing books she composes musicals, cooks new recipes with varying success, walks the blustery hills where she lives, buys too much glittery eyeshadow, sings to her dog, kisses her husband and reads all of the books she can get her grabby hands on.
If you want to find out about Kirsty's new releases and discounted books you can sign up to the newsletter here: www.kirstygreenwood.com/newsletter
Kirsty Instagrams at @kirsty_greenwood and can be found on Facebook at KirstyGreenwoodBooks. Say hi! She loves a natter.
When she's not writing books she composes musicals, cooks new recipes with varying success, walks the blustery hills where she lives, buys too much glittery eyeshadow, sings to her dog, kisses her husband and reads all of the books she can get her grabby hands on.
If you want to find out about Kirsty's new releases and discounted books you can sign up to the newsletter here: www.kirstygreenwood.com/newsletter
Kirsty Instagrams at @kirsty_greenwood and can be found on Facebook at KirstyGreenwoodBooks. Say hi! She loves a natter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 491 reviews
December 23, 2018
A hard pass
Much like our heroine, Natty, the story simply plods on with no redeeming arc in sight. Additionally, the plot is a recycled and much less entertaining version of Big Sexy Love, with characters who are both bland and annoying. So, sorry, but this is a DNF.
Much like our heroine, Natty, the story simply plods on with no redeeming arc in sight. Additionally, the plot is a recycled and much less entertaining version of Big Sexy Love, with characters who are both bland and annoying. So, sorry, but this is a DNF.
September 17, 2014
New haircut? Looks lovely, thank you. I’ll gladly pay 100 pounds for it.
Sex with fiancé? Yes, it was great, very satisfying.
No, you do not look fat in that dress.
Meet Natalie Butterworth. She tells white lies. Wait, did I just describe every human being ever? Imagine what would happen if your ability to tell lies got taken away from you. It happened to Natalie, and it’s every bit as humiliating and awkward as you can imagine. Natalie becomes the victim of a hypnotist and can only tell the truth when she’s asked a question.
So when her fiancé asks her how the sex was, she goes,
And when the shopkeeper asks Natalie what she thinks of the sweater she’s making for her husband, it gets even worse:
Needless to say, a very long list of problems starts piling up. She has to tell her mom and sister that she hates what they’ve done with the wedding preparations, her fiancé refuses to speak to her, she can’t do her work properly, and worst of all, she can’t find that bloody hypnotist again.
So she goes on a wild rabbit chase with her best friend Meg to find this hypnotist, and they end up in his hometown, Little Trooley. Little Trooley has an old and rustic bar called The Old Whimsy. The Old Whimsy has a very charming and handsome bartender called Riley. You probably don’t need me to tell you what’s going to happen. Natalie Butterworth thinks Riley is very shagadelic, which poses a whole new range of problems, because she’s engaged and he has a girlfriend. On top of that, the villagers are loving Natalie’s problem and are glad to help her make it public.
But it wouldn’t be chicklit if nothing went wrong. Sod’s law and all that. Yours Truly was completely and utterly hilarious. Natalie was such a cute and ditsy main character – she actually made the “Must dash! Haha, moustache!” joke – and I’d love to have her as a friend. Also because this woman knows how to cook, and she loves food as much as the next person:
Instant BFFs, am I right? But really, this book made me smile and laugh more than I can count. It was painful in its awkwardness, but so incredibly funny, and really very cute.
So why not 5 stars? You know that part in the book, nearing the end, where everything has to go wrong, only for everything to be right again? I thought that part was a little hectic – too many things going wrong and it made me a little tired. Other than that, I’d recommend this book to anyone who needs a good laugh, because for that purpose, it’s absolutely perfect.
Sex with fiancé? Yes, it was great, very satisfying.
No, you do not look fat in that dress.
Meet Natalie Butterworth. She tells white lies. Wait, did I just describe every human being ever? Imagine what would happen if your ability to tell lies got taken away from you. It happened to Natalie, and it’s every bit as humiliating and awkward as you can imagine. Natalie becomes the victim of a hypnotist and can only tell the truth when she’s asked a question.
So when her fiancé asks her how the sex was, she goes,
“Well, you know. Short. Could have been longer. Longer time-wise, I mean, not willy-wise – though, of course, that would be lovely too. I didn’t have an orgasm, but what else is new, hey?”
And when the shopkeeper asks Natalie what she thinks of the sweater she’s making for her husband, it gets even worse:
“ I told her that even if I was stranded stark bollock naked in deepest Alaska with only a perverted old Eskimo with skin disease to keep me warm through intimate cuddling, I would still refuse to wear it.”
Needless to say, a very long list of problems starts piling up. She has to tell her mom and sister that she hates what they’ve done with the wedding preparations, her fiancé refuses to speak to her, she can’t do her work properly, and worst of all, she can’t find that bloody hypnotist again.
So she goes on a wild rabbit chase with her best friend Meg to find this hypnotist, and they end up in his hometown, Little Trooley. Little Trooley has an old and rustic bar called The Old Whimsy. The Old Whimsy has a very charming and handsome bartender called Riley. You probably don’t need me to tell you what’s going to happen. Natalie Butterworth thinks Riley is very shagadelic, which poses a whole new range of problems, because she’s engaged and he has a girlfriend. On top of that, the villagers are loving Natalie’s problem and are glad to help her make it public.
But it wouldn’t be chicklit if nothing went wrong. Sod’s law and all that. Yours Truly was completely and utterly hilarious. Natalie was such a cute and ditsy main character – she actually made the “Must dash! Haha, moustache!” joke – and I’d love to have her as a friend. Also because this woman knows how to cook, and she loves food as much as the next person:
"But you can cook? You know about food?"
"Yes. I suppose I can cook and I do know about food. I love food. I eat a lot of it."
Instant BFFs, am I right? But really, this book made me smile and laugh more than I can count. It was painful in its awkwardness, but so incredibly funny, and really very cute.
So why not 5 stars? You know that part in the book, nearing the end, where everything has to go wrong, only for everything to be right again? I thought that part was a little hectic – too many things going wrong and it made me a little tired. Other than that, I’d recommend this book to anyone who needs a good laugh, because for that purpose, it’s absolutely perfect.
March 22, 2013
If you're looking for a FUN and light read, this one is for you!!!
Sure you had said a little white lie, right? To not hurt someone feelings or to spare your own.
The thing is Natalie is constantly saying it. No,I'm not saying she is a compulsive liar, she got to the point she doesn't want to let anyone down.
So the story starts with her at the hairdresser...where she gets the most HIDEOUS haircut ever, just weeks before her wedding.
She wants to say something...that she hate it, that it's awful, that she is not going to pay for it...but she doesn't want to hurt her feelings so she lies.
Then, she got home and her sister and mom,have bought her wedding dress!!! How in the world she doesn't have the right to choose her dress? And this one is ugly, it have all the things she doesn't like in a dress. And of course, she can't say she loathes the dress?
To put the cherry in the top of the cake, she have dinner with her fiance....he made it himself! Oh a guy that can cook, pretty much heaven? Wrong! It taste like rabbit food, and she is the expert,her dream is to become a chef.
To add to that, the sex is just blagh, she never have orgasms with him...
At this point, we already establish she have a BIG problem. We just want her to tell everyone what she is really thinking... and OH BOY, do we get that!!!
One night, she goes to the hypnotist with her best friend Meg... and while everyone things the Amazing Brian is a fake, because it didn't worked on Meg, Natalie discovers the hard way she was the one hypnotized.
Are you guessing, how did she finds out?
After her fiance asks after sex, " How was that, then, baby?"
" Well, you know. Short. Could have been longer. Longer time wise, I mean, not willy wise, though of course, that would be lovely too. I didn't have an orgasm, but what else is new,hey? You've left me unsatisfied, if truth be told, Olly."
Yep, every time anyone ask her a question, she has to tell the absolute TRUTH! What can only delivers truly hilarious and embarrassing moments!
Now Natalie must track down the hypnotist to make him, turn it off.... how else she is going to get married or live like a normal person?
In the quest to find Brian, she meets Rilley.
She never got so attracted to anyone before...Oh wonderful sexual tension!
Everything just gets complicated, when you can only say the truth,right?
I just loved this story, it cracked me up and made me feel all fuzzy inside,ehehe.
Just FUN, FUN, FUN!!
**5 hilarious stars **
December 31, 2015
Yours Truly is brilliant, entertaining and downright enjoyable. Feel free to include some more superlatives in there at your convenience as they are all deserved. Kirsty Greenwood is a fabulous author and I am eager to read anything else she writes. In parts the storyline reminded me a bit of Liar Liar, but in a very loose way. I loved every single second of this book, which I read in one sitting.
October 9, 2014
Also posted on This Chick Reads
*Copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review*
If you’re a fan of chick lit, you must be familiar with the ultimate chick lit blog ‘Novelicious’. Before becoming an author, Kirsty was known for her great, honest reviews on this blog, inspiring chick lit enthusiasts with her writing and recommendations. I was over the moon when I heard she decided to make the leap and publish her own novel. It’s a rather brave step, being a blogger you are so familiar with the things bloggers like and dislike. But, despite being very good in reviewing I must say the day she decided to write her own book is probably one of the biggest days in the history of modern chick lit. As a reader and a fan of this genre, I’m truly grateful to her for giving us this fantastic and enjoyable comedy.
The story is brilliant, centered around Natalie Butterworth, engaged to be married to quite a boring chap (if I may add). One day she attends a hypnotist’s night at the local pub with her friend and that’s when things start getting weird. Instead of hypnotizing her friend, she’s the one who ends up as a victim of the spell. Natalie has always been very kind, telling the odd little white lie here and there, just so she won’t insult anyone. I actually know a person like this in the real life, and I am in awe of these type of people. They do everything for others, hardly ever tell their own opinion for whatever the reason, and still end up underestimated and unacknowledged for whatever they do. Truth be told, it really isn’t even healthy to be that nice and not speaking out about your own needs. But anyway, I could understand Natalie and liked her from the beginning. But when that spell starts working, she’s not able to tell even the smallest lie, when asked a question she says only the truth. This was hilarious, as noone was expecting this from Natalie and was shocked to see her literally pouring out truth in everyone’s faces. That’s what I liked the most about this book, the brilliant concept!
As I said, baring in mind Kirsty has read god knows how many chick lits before publishing her own work, must have added more stress and burden to her. Coming up with an original plot after reading so many great books, must have been tough. But Kirsty pulled it off and I applaud to her for that! I was engaged throughout, rooting for Natalie, slightly hating her fiance (but we are supposed to hate him, I guess) and giggling till the very last page. ‘Yours Truly’ is one of these feel good reads which you will devour in a sitting or two. Very entertaining and surely would look magnificent on the big screens. Who knows, with so many great chick lits being made into movies, I honestly don’t see a reason why this one shouldn’t. It’s got all the necessary ingredients to be a hit. Fantastic debut and a must read for all chick lit/rom com/ women’s fiction fans. Kirsty’s second novel will be published April 2015 and I’m more than excited about it. Smashing debut, can only imagine how awesome her second novel will be.
December 29, 2018
I tried to like this one, but ultimately the character of Natalie worked my nerves. The premise of her getting hypnotized to tell the truth was truly hilarious in a couple of places, but I don't think the author did enough with it. And in the end, she wasn't that great IMHO considering that she went from being a doormat to just being a jerk about things and not discussing them. I did like the ending with her choosing herself though, and we do get a nice HFN.
Natalie is slated to marry her boring, but nice fiancee. She is troubled though by him saying that she's almost perfect (talking about her weight). And it doesn't help her mother and sister chose her wedding dress (she looks like a bedazzled ice skater). And she has a job she hates with a boss who talks down to her. When she and her best friend go out to a pub to meet a hypnotist, Natalie wakes up to find that if she is asked a direct question she has to tell the truth. Trying to track down the hypnotist has Natalie traveling back and forth to Little Trooley while trying to make amends with her fiancee and family.
Natalie is kind of a beige character. I didn't feel for anyone who just lets everyone walk all over them. Natalie's reasons are that her father left her mother, so she now has to be close and do whatever she says. Same issue with her sister forcing her to dog watch, and her eating food she doesn't like and having boring 5 minute sex with her fiancee. She is just passive to her own life. When Greenwood has her telling the truth, I did crack up a few times. But it just got old after a while. Natalie apparently can't be anything but blunt and rude when telling the truth so you go from feeling sorry for her, to feeling sorry for the people she's talking to.
The other characters read as wafer thin in this one. Natalie's two love interests, interested me not at all. Especially since one of them had a girlfriend and that whole thing turned into a mess that had me not liking anyone.
The writing was okay, I wish that we had spent more time on Natalie's love of cooking. When the author went in that direction I found myself more interested. The flow was not good though. Natalie runs away from Little Trooley I think like three times. I was tired of her going back and forth there (to look for the hypnotist) and it wasn't plotted very well.
The ending was good with Natalie setting out to do something for herself, but she gets a nice surprise and a HFN ending.
Natalie is slated to marry her boring, but nice fiancee. She is troubled though by him saying that she's almost perfect (talking about her weight). And it doesn't help her mother and sister chose her wedding dress (she looks like a bedazzled ice skater). And she has a job she hates with a boss who talks down to her. When she and her best friend go out to a pub to meet a hypnotist, Natalie wakes up to find that if she is asked a direct question she has to tell the truth. Trying to track down the hypnotist has Natalie traveling back and forth to Little Trooley while trying to make amends with her fiancee and family.
Natalie is kind of a beige character. I didn't feel for anyone who just lets everyone walk all over them. Natalie's reasons are that her father left her mother, so she now has to be close and do whatever she says. Same issue with her sister forcing her to dog watch, and her eating food she doesn't like and having boring 5 minute sex with her fiancee. She is just passive to her own life. When Greenwood has her telling the truth, I did crack up a few times. But it just got old after a while. Natalie apparently can't be anything but blunt and rude when telling the truth so you go from feeling sorry for her, to feeling sorry for the people she's talking to.
The other characters read as wafer thin in this one. Natalie's two love interests, interested me not at all. Especially since one of them had a girlfriend and that whole thing turned into a mess that had me not liking anyone.
The writing was okay, I wish that we had spent more time on Natalie's love of cooking. When the author went in that direction I found myself more interested. The flow was not good though. Natalie runs away from Little Trooley I think like three times. I was tired of her going back and forth there (to look for the hypnotist) and it wasn't plotted very well.
The ending was good with Natalie setting out to do something for herself, but she gets a nice surprise and a HFN ending.
November 13, 2015
This book was an easy, entertaining read that I truly enjoyed.
However I gave it only three stars because when I first read the summary, truth telling spell, or hypnotism, my expectation went super high, and, as it often happens, great expectations are hard to attain to.
The beginning annoys you at almost an unbearable level, you want to shout to Natalie: ‘Come on girl, don’t be such a push over!’; this way Greenwood builds enough tension in you that when the truth telling part arrives you are demanding some retribution for Natalie. However, I wished the long-due confrontation with some of the other characters had more momentum and force; hence the three stars instead of four.
Overall the book is witty, smooth-running, and relaxing. Towards the end there are also some unexpected turns of events that make the overall plot less predictable.
However I gave it only three stars because when I first read the summary, truth telling spell, or hypnotism, my expectation went super high, and, as it often happens, great expectations are hard to attain to.
The beginning annoys you at almost an unbearable level, you want to shout to Natalie: ‘Come on girl, don’t be such a push over!’; this way Greenwood builds enough tension in you that when the truth telling part arrives you are demanding some retribution for Natalie. However, I wished the long-due confrontation with some of the other characters had more momentum and force; hence the three stars instead of four.
Overall the book is witty, smooth-running, and relaxing. Towards the end there are also some unexpected turns of events that make the overall plot less predictable.
August 29, 2012
Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes
Move over Sophie Kinsella and let Kirsty Greenwood wiggle in beside you. Yes, this is an incredibly bold statement, but Greenwood's debut novel, Yours Truly, is so similar in voice and style to Kinsella that I couldn't wait to shout it from rooftops, so I bumped all my other reviews to post this one. I loved every word, and you will too. Seriously funny, fast paced, with perfect comedic timing, Yours Truly has brilliant characters to root for and a fabulous storyline. This is chick lit at its best. Pick this one up NOW!
Meet Natalie Butterworth. She likes to keep the status quo. She tells everyone what they want to hear. Then one evening out with her bestie she's accidentally hypnotized to never tell a lie. Only she has no idea. She returns to her cozy, secure and peaceful life with new fiance, Olly, and when he asks her a question, she answers, a brutally honest assessment flying from her lips that's far from complementary. Astonished, horrified, and dismayed at her outburst and offending her finance, Natalie Butterworth discovers she can't stop telling the truth and her perfect life begins to unravel.
This novel is absolutely hilarious. I laughed so hard I cried, I giggled throughout and I couldn't help but smile at Natalie's adventures and got more than one 'who's the nutter?' glance on the subway as I tried to control my laughter. I'm fairly certain Yours Truly is the funniest book I've ever read. Period. What could be funnier than having a main character that has absolutely no control over the truth spurting from their mouths when asked a question? Even the little white lies we all tell each other to protect those we love are blurted out as the truth, never mind the bigger things we may want to keep to ourselves. The possibilities were endless and I frantically flipped pages to see the trouble Natalie's truth telling would get her into and whether she would find the hypnotist in the tiny village of Trolley before it was too late to salvage everything she loved in her life.
I love novels where the heroine realizes that life isn't quite what she wants it to be and then pushes it forward in the right direction, regardless of the kind of shove she gets. You can't help but root for Natalie. She's really lovely, even with her pushover ways. I loved seeing her growth and realizations. I enjoyed the ending. I teared up. I really enjoyed it! Really. Got that yet?
No? Ok, here's more: I loved the tiny English village, the dreamy bartender, her bestie Meg and even her overbearing sister and mother. The entire cast of characters was well drawn and delightful. Holy Foccachia is my newest, most favourite phrase, especially with the need to eliminate foul language around young parroting nieces and nephews.
Yours Truly is a fabulous debut from Kirsty Greenwood. Fans of Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series and Lindsey Kelk's I Heart series will love this one. This book should be made into a movie. Really.
I can't wait to see what else Kirsty Greenwood gives us next!
FYI - This novel is heavy on Britishisms, so if you're not familiar, it may detract from your enjoyment. I've read so much British Chick Lit that it didn't deter me, but wanted to throw that out there. You can always read the preview on Amazon.
Move over Sophie Kinsella and let Kirsty Greenwood wiggle in beside you. Yes, this is an incredibly bold statement, but Greenwood's debut novel, Yours Truly, is so similar in voice and style to Kinsella that I couldn't wait to shout it from rooftops, so I bumped all my other reviews to post this one. I loved every word, and you will too. Seriously funny, fast paced, with perfect comedic timing, Yours Truly has brilliant characters to root for and a fabulous storyline. This is chick lit at its best. Pick this one up NOW!
Meet Natalie Butterworth. She likes to keep the status quo. She tells everyone what they want to hear. Then one evening out with her bestie she's accidentally hypnotized to never tell a lie. Only she has no idea. She returns to her cozy, secure and peaceful life with new fiance, Olly, and when he asks her a question, she answers, a brutally honest assessment flying from her lips that's far from complementary. Astonished, horrified, and dismayed at her outburst and offending her finance, Natalie Butterworth discovers she can't stop telling the truth and her perfect life begins to unravel.
This novel is absolutely hilarious. I laughed so hard I cried, I giggled throughout and I couldn't help but smile at Natalie's adventures and got more than one 'who's the nutter?' glance on the subway as I tried to control my laughter. I'm fairly certain Yours Truly is the funniest book I've ever read. Period. What could be funnier than having a main character that has absolutely no control over the truth spurting from their mouths when asked a question? Even the little white lies we all tell each other to protect those we love are blurted out as the truth, never mind the bigger things we may want to keep to ourselves. The possibilities were endless and I frantically flipped pages to see the trouble Natalie's truth telling would get her into and whether she would find the hypnotist in the tiny village of Trolley before it was too late to salvage everything she loved in her life.
I love novels where the heroine realizes that life isn't quite what she wants it to be and then pushes it forward in the right direction, regardless of the kind of shove she gets. You can't help but root for Natalie. She's really lovely, even with her pushover ways. I loved seeing her growth and realizations. I enjoyed the ending. I teared up. I really enjoyed it! Really. Got that yet?
No? Ok, here's more: I loved the tiny English village, the dreamy bartender, her bestie Meg and even her overbearing sister and mother. The entire cast of characters was well drawn and delightful. Holy Foccachia is my newest, most favourite phrase, especially with the need to eliminate foul language around young parroting nieces and nephews.
Yours Truly is a fabulous debut from Kirsty Greenwood. Fans of Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series and Lindsey Kelk's I Heart series will love this one. This book should be made into a movie. Really.
I can't wait to see what else Kirsty Greenwood gives us next!
FYI - This novel is heavy on Britishisms, so if you're not familiar, it may detract from your enjoyment. I've read so much British Chick Lit that it didn't deter me, but wanted to throw that out there. You can always read the preview on Amazon.
September 12, 2012
Loved this, Kirsty Greenwood's writing is very much like Trisha Ashley and Sophie Kinsella who I love... would highly recommend this to anyone who likes the more sophisticated style of chick lit!
February 24, 2019
27-year-old Natalie Butterfield has a great life. She's engaged to a great guy who loves her (nevermind the fact he's a health and fitness nut and she's addicted to toast), she's helping her mother recover from the shock of divorce (even if it meant moving back in with her mother) and she has a job at a deli counter at a gourmet food shop (so what if she'd rather be cooking the food than serving it?). Natalie is ready to settle down and have a family. That's what adults do right? She sticks to her plan even if she has to tell white lies to keep everyone happy. Natalie's bff Meg has a different life plan: find good looking, wealthy bloke to shag and become a pop star. Meg is convinced hypnosis will help her to her goals and she drags Natalie along to a pub to see the "Amazing Brian." Amazing Brian turns out to be a bit of a joke and Meg walks away unimpressed. Early the next morning when Natalie's fiance Olly asks her to evaluate his performance in bed, she finds she can no longer lie about his lackluster performance, angering Olly and threatening everything Natalie thinks she wants. Natalie is determined to get unhypnotized and get her life back on track. She grabs Meg and heads for a village in North Yorkshire where she expects to confront Amazing Brian, but he's nowhere to be found! Instead, a pub full of retirees and quirky villagers is enthralled by her tale and eager to help, while the pub owner needs Natalie's help to keep his pub safe from the big corporation who wants it for office space.
This is a cute romantic comedy British "chick-lit" novel. The premise is silly and goes on too long. The plot is predictable and yet I couldn't put the book down! I kept telling myself one more chapter, one more chapter, Ok 50% mark, 75% mark... until I read the whole thing. I stayed up way too late. The whole story was very charming when it was all set and done but I didn't quite buy the romance. It seemed based more on physical attraction than mutual understanding and admiration. The very minor secondary romance worked better but it wasn't really shown. I also could have done without the obvious villain and village secrets.
I really like Natalie and can relate to her. While I am comfortable telling family and friends exactly what I think and feel, sometimes with strangers, I act more like Natalie. What makes her really relatable for most women is her size. She's comfortable with her addiction to bread and how it gives her a tummy. She's a bit embarrassed but Olly finds her cuddly and adorable, so she's comfortable in her own skin. I also relate to her 90s music obsession but it does date the book a bit, making her an older heroine for contemporary readers. I do not like how often she got drunk and some of the decisions she made while drunk.
I do not care much for Meg. While I appreciate their close friendship and how Meg is the one person who never makes Natalie uncomfortable by forcing her to tell the truth. Meg is the one person Natalie has never lied to in the first place. I do not like how Meg has her own agenda in Little Trooley. Meg also has the morals of an ally cat. It's one thing to be in charge of your own sexuality and choose your partners and another to get so drunk to have a one night stand with a guy you don't even fancy. Natalie was wrong not to step in. It's not a choice of the person is drunk.
As bad as Meg is, she believes Natalie and stands by her friend, unlike Natalie's family and fiance. Olly is angry and hurt by Natalie's revelations, understandably so. However, I believe she should have told him the truth long ago. They're not compatible. He's creepy and controlling under his benign personality. He seems to perhaps have a touch of OCD or be a germaphobe. His parents are surgeons so he likes a sterile environment, even at home. Olly kind of reminded me of the ex of someone close to me. Natalie's mother loves Olly because he represents all she wanted out of her own marriage and never had. Natalie's mother is old-fashioned and co-dependant. She's a selfish drama queen who can't allow her children to live their own lives. She can't let go of the hurt she feels when her husband left yet she wasn't happily married to begin with. Her behavior affects Natalie's behavior. Natalie's sister, Dionne, is just as bad. Dionne is a bad stereotype of Valley Girl meets Italian-American Brooklynite from the movies. She loves everything to be over-the-top: pink, sparkly, crazy and she can get it all because of her boyfriend who has connections to the mob. Dionne is about as shallow as it gets but her character development is good, as is their mother's.
The secondary characters are even more quirky. Little Tooley is a charming, antiquated village. No need to make it more modern and flashy- American tourists will come to see the old-fashioned charm. English villages are so cute and nothing like what we have in America. We would expect to see the village pub at the center of town! It's rotten that a big corporation wants to own the town. Amazing Brian is one of many retirees living in the village. They seem genuinely interested in helping Natalie. I found Mrs. Grimes a little scary and Barney arrogant. I'm also not a huge fan of Riley. I think he's too self-assured and cocky for his own good. He clearly loves his family and their legacy but that's all I like about him. The simple fact that he's dating Honey shows his character. Honey is worse than Dionne in terms of being shallow and rude. She's incredibly self-centered and mean. Why is Riley dating her? Jasper is a rich playboy. It's hard to believe Alfred is his father. Alfred is a dear old man, if not a bit mischievous. I understand why Riley hates Jasper and I would too.
This book is recommended to fans of British chick-lit/rom-coms. Read this if you like Bridget Jones's Diary, Sophie Kinsella, Meg Cabot
Content:
This book is not a clean read. There is some "rude" content and some language.
This is a cute romantic comedy British "chick-lit" novel. The premise is silly and goes on too long. The plot is predictable and yet I couldn't put the book down! I kept telling myself one more chapter, one more chapter, Ok 50% mark, 75% mark... until I read the whole thing. I stayed up way too late. The whole story was very charming when it was all set and done but I didn't quite buy the romance. It seemed based more on physical attraction than mutual understanding and admiration. The very minor secondary romance worked better but it wasn't really shown. I also could have done without the obvious villain and village secrets.
I really like Natalie and can relate to her. While I am comfortable telling family and friends exactly what I think and feel, sometimes with strangers, I act more like Natalie. What makes her really relatable for most women is her size. She's comfortable with her addiction to bread and how it gives her a tummy. She's a bit embarrassed but Olly finds her cuddly and adorable, so she's comfortable in her own skin. I also relate to her 90s music obsession but it does date the book a bit, making her an older heroine for contemporary readers. I do not like how often she got drunk and some of the decisions she made while drunk.
I do not care much for Meg. While I appreciate their close friendship and how Meg is the one person who never makes Natalie uncomfortable by forcing her to tell the truth. Meg is the one person Natalie has never lied to in the first place. I do not like how Meg has her own agenda in Little Trooley. Meg also has the morals of an ally cat. It's one thing to be in charge of your own sexuality and choose your partners and another to get so drunk to have a one night stand with a guy you don't even fancy. Natalie was wrong not to step in. It's not a choice of the person is drunk.
As bad as Meg is, she believes Natalie and stands by her friend, unlike Natalie's family and fiance. Olly is angry and hurt by Natalie's revelations, understandably so. However, I believe she should have told him the truth long ago. They're not compatible. He's creepy and controlling under his benign personality. He seems to perhaps have a touch of OCD or be a germaphobe. His parents are surgeons so he likes a sterile environment, even at home. Olly kind of reminded me of the ex of someone close to me. Natalie's mother loves Olly because he represents all she wanted out of her own marriage and never had. Natalie's mother is old-fashioned and co-dependant. She's a selfish drama queen who can't allow her children to live their own lives. She can't let go of the hurt she feels when her husband left yet she wasn't happily married to begin with. Her behavior affects Natalie's behavior. Natalie's sister, Dionne, is just as bad. Dionne is a bad stereotype of Valley Girl meets Italian-American Brooklynite from the movies. She loves everything to be over-the-top: pink, sparkly, crazy and she can get it all because of her boyfriend who has connections to the mob. Dionne is about as shallow as it gets but her character development is good, as is their mother's.
The secondary characters are even more quirky. Little Tooley is a charming, antiquated village. No need to make it more modern and flashy- American tourists will come to see the old-fashioned charm. English villages are so cute and nothing like what we have in America. We would expect to see the village pub at the center of town! It's rotten that a big corporation wants to own the town. Amazing Brian is one of many retirees living in the village. They seem genuinely interested in helping Natalie. I found Mrs. Grimes a little scary and Barney arrogant. I'm also not a huge fan of Riley. I think he's too self-assured and cocky for his own good. He clearly loves his family and their legacy but that's all I like about him. The simple fact that he's dating Honey shows his character. Honey is worse than Dionne in terms of being shallow and rude. She's incredibly self-centered and mean. Why is Riley dating her? Jasper is a rich playboy. It's hard to believe Alfred is his father. Alfred is a dear old man, if not a bit mischievous. I understand why Riley hates Jasper and I would too.
This book is recommended to fans of British chick-lit/rom-coms. Read this if you like Bridget Jones's Diary, Sophie Kinsella, Meg Cabot
Content:
This book is not a clean read. There is some "rude" content and some language.
November 20, 2014
It's been done before, a lot and a lot better.
August 12, 2016
Succede, a volte sempre quasi sempre, che m'imbatta in un libro per cui nutro delle belle, grasse, addirittura magiche speranze.
Ma succede,a volte sempre quasi sempre, che a lettura ultimata io mi maledica per il pessimo fiuto nello scegliere IL libro.
Ok. Vengo attratta dalle copertine... fatemene pure una colpa.
Ok. Non presto molta attenzione ai giudizi negativi... fatemene una colpa.
Ok. Do troppa fiducia ai libri strambi... fatemi quante colpe volete.
Io semplicemente, ci spero.
Ogni santissima volta.
E con Come per magia poteva mica essere diverso?
In realtà la trama è particolare... e anche piuttosto fantasiosa. Solo che spesso e volentieri l'autrice inserisce qui e lì sproloqui gratuiti, descrizioni tipo che non me ne frega assolutamente niente se la tua amica ha stivali verdi, rossi, blu e a casa chissà quanti ancora, poca azione (concentrata tutta nell'ultima decina di pagine) e un indice di ilarità che sfiora l'1,01 %. Senza contare che hai l'impressione di sapere perfettamente cosa succederà sin dall'inizio.
Natalie aspira a diventare uno chef, ma nel frattempo lavora sottopagata in un negozio di... dolci? Boh. E' una tipa piuttosto riservata. Non dice mai quello che realmente pensa, e per questo rischia di convolare a nozze con Olly, tutto in fissa per il suo fisico tonico, un'alimentazione salutare (che non fa mai male!) ed il suo ego enorme. Quando la sua amica Meg la trascina ad uno spettacolo d'intrattenimento sottoponendosi ad un'ipnosi, tutto si aspetta tranne che risvegliarsi l'indomani sotto l'influenza dell'ipnosi. Ad ogni domanda sarà tenuta a rispondere con la pura verità, contro la sua stessa forza di volontà. Se prima faceva per accontentare tutti, adesso sono guai, perchè non riesce ad uscire da un qualsiasi dialogo senza offendere qualcuno. Tipo Olly, a cui rivela di non raggiungere mai l'appagamento sessuale. O la madre e la sorella, che organizzano il suo matrimonio secondo il loro pessimo gusto.
Ne va che Natalie e Meg cercano inutilmente per tutta l'Inghlterra il tizio che l'ha ipnotizzata e finiscono in questo posticino tranquillo e sperduto, Little Trooley, dove c'è questa specie di B&B gestito da questo bel fusto di nome Riley, che grazie ad una trasmissione radiofonica a cui Nat partecipa, scoprirà di essere l'uomo con cui lei vuol far disperatamente sesso. Cosa che poi accade, come ci tiene a precisare la stessa, circa 3 volte in 12 ore.
Ma lui è impegnato, e lei si deve sposare...
L'intervista finisce sul tubo, e il suo fidanzato disdice tutto e praticamente la lascia. Lei crede di aver capito che per Riley è stata solo una botta e via, sua madre ha avuto un infarto, quindi torna a casa, dove l'attende Olly, che non ha veramente disdetto, allora la riprende con sé, incontra l'ipnotizzatore all'ospedale, si dis-ipnotizza, ed è nuovamente pronta a procedere verso l'altare. Ma poi ci pensa, e manda affanculo invitati e sposo all'altare, scappa, incontra Riley che le dice che a lei tiene davvero... ma lei vuole vivere, quindi si rifugia in Francia, a fare un corso di cucina. E chi trova lì? Riley! Per il suo locale ha bisogno di imparare a cucinare, quindi che c'è di strano se è andato a Parigi a seguire un corso?
Credete forse che in Inghilterra esistano dei semplici corsi per le pippe che non sanno nemmeno accendere i fornelli? Perlamordelcielo, sappiamo tutti che sono dei corsi esclusivi della Francia!
E vissero tutti felici e contenti.
Ma succede,
Ok. Vengo attratta dalle copertine... fatemene pure una colpa.
Ok. Non presto molta attenzione ai giudizi negativi... fatemene una colpa.
Ok. Do troppa fiducia ai libri strambi... fatemi quante colpe volete.
Io semplicemente, ci spero.
Ogni santissima volta.
E con Come per magia poteva mica essere diverso?
In realtà la trama è particolare... e anche piuttosto fantasiosa. Solo che spesso e volentieri l'autrice inserisce qui e lì sproloqui gratuiti, descrizioni tipo che non me ne frega assolutamente niente se la tua amica ha stivali verdi, rossi, blu e a casa chissà quanti ancora, poca azione (concentrata tutta nell'ultima decina di pagine) e un indice di ilarità che sfiora l'1,01 %. Senza contare che hai l'impressione di sapere perfettamente cosa succederà sin dall'inizio.
Natalie aspira a diventare uno chef, ma nel frattempo lavora sottopagata in un negozio di... dolci? Boh. E' una tipa piuttosto riservata. Non dice mai quello che realmente pensa, e per questo rischia di convolare a nozze con Olly, tutto in fissa per il suo fisico tonico, un'alimentazione salutare (che non fa mai male!) ed il suo ego enorme. Quando la sua amica Meg la trascina ad uno spettacolo d'intrattenimento sottoponendosi ad un'ipnosi, tutto si aspetta tranne che risvegliarsi l'indomani sotto l'influenza dell'ipnosi. Ad ogni domanda sarà tenuta a rispondere con la pura verità, contro la sua stessa forza di volontà. Se prima faceva per accontentare tutti, adesso sono guai, perchè non riesce ad uscire da un qualsiasi dialogo senza offendere qualcuno. Tipo Olly, a cui rivela di non raggiungere mai l'appagamento sessuale. O la madre e la sorella, che organizzano il suo matrimonio secondo il loro pessimo gusto.
Ne va che Natalie e Meg cercano inutilmente per tutta l'Inghlterra il tizio che l'ha ipnotizzata e finiscono in questo posticino tranquillo e sperduto, Little Trooley, dove c'è questa specie di B&B gestito da questo bel fusto di nome Riley, che grazie ad una trasmissione radiofonica a cui Nat partecipa, scoprirà di essere l'uomo con cui lei vuol far disperatamente sesso. Cosa che poi accade, come ci tiene a precisare la stessa, circa 3 volte in 12 ore.
Ma lui è impegnato, e lei si deve sposare...
L'intervista finisce sul tubo, e il suo fidanzato disdice tutto e praticamente la lascia. Lei crede di aver capito che per Riley è stata solo una botta e via, sua madre ha avuto un infarto, quindi torna a casa, dove l'attende Olly, che non ha veramente disdetto, allora la riprende con sé, incontra l'ipnotizzatore all'ospedale, si dis-ipnotizza, ed è nuovamente pronta a procedere verso l'altare. Ma poi ci pensa, e manda affanculo invitati e sposo all'altare, scappa, incontra Riley che le dice che a lei tiene davvero... ma lei vuole vivere, quindi si rifugia in Francia, a fare un corso di cucina. E chi trova lì? Riley! Per il suo locale ha bisogno di imparare a cucinare, quindi che c'è di strano se è andato a Parigi a seguire un corso?
Credete forse che in Inghilterra esistano dei semplici corsi per le pippe che non sanno nemmeno accendere i fornelli? Perlamordelcielo, sappiamo tutti che sono dei corsi esclusivi della Francia!
E vissero tutti felici e contenti.
July 12, 2019
Truly enjoyed this. Laugh out loud moments, romance and a happy ending.
July 5, 2012
The story is about a young woman, Natalie Butterworth, who is engaged to be married to her fiancé Olly. He's a bit of a clean freak and a perfectionist, but he thinks Natalie is almost perfect so that's good enough for her. When she accompanies her best friend Meg on a special hypnotist's night at the local pub, she doesn't bank on being hypnotised herself without actually knowing it. The only problem is that she tells the truth to every question asked of her now... including whether Olly is good in bed or not... eek. Natalie is desperate to find the hyptonist before her big day in a few weeks before she can do anymore damage to the relationships in her life. She finds herself in the small village of Little Trooley, meeting pub landlord Riley and a whole host of interesting characters but no hypnotist. Is Natalie deemed to forever be truthful, and will she make it up the aisle for her truthful vows?!
When I first read the blurb for this novel, I thought it sounded like a really fun idea and wondered how the truthful nature of Natalie would bring a lot of humour to the book. Natalie was a fantastic character from the beginning, and I found her so likeable which is so important when the whole story focuses around a character like this. You have to like her because of some of her actions throughout the book, and I found that I did. Her fiancé Olly was a horrible man and I longed for Natalie to realise she was worth more than that, and I think the things she went through were a real journey for her character. Meg, Natalie's best friend, is a great character and really funny, a good antithesis to the more serious Natalie, and I thought the friendship between the pair seemed really genuine.
I loved how the idea of Natalie only being able to tell the truth opened up lots of new avenues for the book to be able to go down for the book. A few times I started cringing thinking 'please don't ask Natalie that!' but of course they did and it certainly made me laugh out loud a few times! I think it's probably everyone's worst nightmare that they have to tell the truth - I think we tell white lies to protect ourselves as much as other people sometimes! Natalie realised how damaging the truth can be in the book, whether it's with Olly or her mum and sister Dionne (who was absolutely hilarious), and her desperation to be able to lie again is quite reflective of her character, but I enjoyed how she changed and became stronger. The pace of the book felt just right too, with lots happening and I have to say I really enjoyed the scenes in the village of Little Trooley, it sounds picturesque, especially in the snow!
This really is a wonderful debut novel from Kirsty Greenwood that certainly deserves to be a success. I found the characters of Yours Truly to be so realistic and likeable, and I felt that I was really invested in the story of Natalie and co, and wanted desperately for them all to have happy endings. I thought the twist of truth telling was fabulous, and I was constantly wondering whether Natalie's hypnotist would reappear again or not, I loved that tension. Greenwood's writing style was very easy to read, told in the first person from Natalie's point of view which was perfect for this book as we get Natalie's stream of conscience all the time, and really feel for her situation. It's a book about lies, truth and becoming yourself, and I really did love it - I'll be looking out for future books from Kirsty, and I'm sure you'll all love it too.
When I first read the blurb for this novel, I thought it sounded like a really fun idea and wondered how the truthful nature of Natalie would bring a lot of humour to the book. Natalie was a fantastic character from the beginning, and I found her so likeable which is so important when the whole story focuses around a character like this. You have to like her because of some of her actions throughout the book, and I found that I did. Her fiancé Olly was a horrible man and I longed for Natalie to realise she was worth more than that, and I think the things she went through were a real journey for her character. Meg, Natalie's best friend, is a great character and really funny, a good antithesis to the more serious Natalie, and I thought the friendship between the pair seemed really genuine.
I loved how the idea of Natalie only being able to tell the truth opened up lots of new avenues for the book to be able to go down for the book. A few times I started cringing thinking 'please don't ask Natalie that!' but of course they did and it certainly made me laugh out loud a few times! I think it's probably everyone's worst nightmare that they have to tell the truth - I think we tell white lies to protect ourselves as much as other people sometimes! Natalie realised how damaging the truth can be in the book, whether it's with Olly or her mum and sister Dionne (who was absolutely hilarious), and her desperation to be able to lie again is quite reflective of her character, but I enjoyed how she changed and became stronger. The pace of the book felt just right too, with lots happening and I have to say I really enjoyed the scenes in the village of Little Trooley, it sounds picturesque, especially in the snow!
This really is a wonderful debut novel from Kirsty Greenwood that certainly deserves to be a success. I found the characters of Yours Truly to be so realistic and likeable, and I felt that I was really invested in the story of Natalie and co, and wanted desperately for them all to have happy endings. I thought the twist of truth telling was fabulous, and I was constantly wondering whether Natalie's hypnotist would reappear again or not, I loved that tension. Greenwood's writing style was very easy to read, told in the first person from Natalie's point of view which was perfect for this book as we get Natalie's stream of conscience all the time, and really feel for her situation. It's a book about lies, truth and becoming yourself, and I really did love it - I'll be looking out for future books from Kirsty, and I'm sure you'll all love it too.
September 3, 2012
Kirsty Greenwood’s debut novel is the perfect novel for fans of Jane Costello, Paige Toon or Sophie Kinsella. Perfect. Like read it in two days perfect. As a Chick Lit lover herself (and editor of the fab novelicious.com), I firmly believe that the best person to write a Chick Lit book is someone who knows the genre inside out. Who can pinpoint what they like and don’t like and somehow make their book into how they want it to be, while also making it brilliant for those who love Chick Lit. Like me. And I loved it.
Yours Truly is a one of those rare books with a plot you haven’t seen before, as Natalie Butterworth finds herself spilling all of her inner-most truths after being accidentally hypnotised one night. Seeing her life fall apart at her truths, she decides the only thing left to do is to track down the man who hypnotised her, the Amazing Brian. Finding out that he lives in Little Trooley in Yorkshire (see what she did, with the name there?), Natalie and her best friend Meg head up there to get her life back on track. Well, they would. If Brian was there. Instead, he’s firmly AWOL and the girls find themselves stuck in Little Trooley for a while, finding themselves getting firmly ensconced in village life while they’re there.
I really loved the novel. From the beautiful cover, to the easy writing style, to the brilliant characters, the book was a hit. The plot was just so unique, so interesting and Natalie’s story was just so, so addictive. I loved Nat, loved her honesty even if it was unintentional. She’s the type of character you adore and root for and hope it all works out fine and dandy in the end. Her best mate, Meg, is the perfect best friend, and I loved it even more that she was a Geordie girl, like myself. The characters we’re introduced to in Little Trooley make you want to move to Little Trooley, I’m not joking. I wanted to go to the pub, and see the beautiful little houses and the frozen waterfall… It all sounded just so perfect and beautiful, like the most desirable village ever.
Kirsty Greenwood could totally be the next big Chick Lit star. It’s really quite silly that a book of the calibre she’s written has not been snapped up by a publisher. I don’t mean that in any sort of negative way to self-publishing (it appears to be the future, or the now, rather), I’m just genuinely surprised no one bought this and published it. I absolutely can’t wait for Kirsty’s next novel. Considering some of the books I have read recently, and some of the very bad books I’ve read over the past few years, this is one of the very best. Kirsty knows the audience she’s appealing to, she knows what she likes in a book, and she’s put all her Chick Lit reading and reviewing into practice perfectly and written one of my favourite books this year. I really, truly loved it.
Yours Truly is a one of those rare books with a plot you haven’t seen before, as Natalie Butterworth finds herself spilling all of her inner-most truths after being accidentally hypnotised one night. Seeing her life fall apart at her truths, she decides the only thing left to do is to track down the man who hypnotised her, the Amazing Brian. Finding out that he lives in Little Trooley in Yorkshire (see what she did, with the name there?), Natalie and her best friend Meg head up there to get her life back on track. Well, they would. If Brian was there. Instead, he’s firmly AWOL and the girls find themselves stuck in Little Trooley for a while, finding themselves getting firmly ensconced in village life while they’re there.
I really loved the novel. From the beautiful cover, to the easy writing style, to the brilliant characters, the book was a hit. The plot was just so unique, so interesting and Natalie’s story was just so, so addictive. I loved Nat, loved her honesty even if it was unintentional. She’s the type of character you adore and root for and hope it all works out fine and dandy in the end. Her best mate, Meg, is the perfect best friend, and I loved it even more that she was a Geordie girl, like myself. The characters we’re introduced to in Little Trooley make you want to move to Little Trooley, I’m not joking. I wanted to go to the pub, and see the beautiful little houses and the frozen waterfall… It all sounded just so perfect and beautiful, like the most desirable village ever.
Kirsty Greenwood could totally be the next big Chick Lit star. It’s really quite silly that a book of the calibre she’s written has not been snapped up by a publisher. I don’t mean that in any sort of negative way to self-publishing (it appears to be the future, or the now, rather), I’m just genuinely surprised no one bought this and published it. I absolutely can’t wait for Kirsty’s next novel. Considering some of the books I have read recently, and some of the very bad books I’ve read over the past few years, this is one of the very best. Kirsty knows the audience she’s appealing to, she knows what she likes in a book, and she’s put all her Chick Lit reading and reviewing into practice perfectly and written one of my favourite books this year. I really, truly loved it.
September 22, 2012
I couldn’t wait to read Yours Truly mainly for two reasons, firstly I loved the cover and I remember reading the post about the cover being developed with the various changes being made to make it perfect which I found very interesting. Secondly the author is Kirsty Greenwood from over at Novelicious and the ladies over there seem to have a similar taste in books to myself so I was secretly confident that Kirsty would write something to my liking but with any debut book you are never quite sure what is in store!
Natalie is a sweet natured character with “walk over me” tattooed on her forehead! Everyone from her family to her boyfriend Olly walk all over her and do not take her feelings into account but poor Natalie doesn’t have the heart to say anything even when she has a bad time at the hairdressers she still doesn’t say anything it seems easier for her to be upset than to stand up for herself and say something.
On a night out with her best friend to a hypnosis night things go terribly wrong when her friend Meg is meant to be hypnotised but the next day it soon becomes clear that although Meg didn’t full under Natalie sure did problem is every time she is asked a question she can only tell the honest truth. Things soon spiral out of control and Natalie is on a mission to find the hypnotist again to put things straight.
I loved loved loved this book! What a fantastic debut. It is funny in all the right places with situations you would never dream of. I don’t make a habit of comparing authors but I think it does help with debut authors so as you know if to take a chance on their new book and so I have to say the first thing that came to my mind whilst reading this book is wow the humour is very similar to Sophie Kinsella’s humour in Can You Keep A Secret which for me is great as that is my favourite book so I knew I would love this one if it kept the pace.
The characters are all fantastic even the characters we are not meant to like I loved as they brought their own little something to the book. Natalie’s character I found easy to relate to as I am similar in I would rather keep quiet to not hurt other people’s feelings so to watch her out of her comfortzone speaking her mind was very entertaining.
I found the book very pacey and the storyline didn’t feel as though it was being dragged out it was a simple easy read that had you turning over the pages wanting to see the outcome.
I would definitely read future books by this author. Well done on your humours and down to earth read Kirsty Greenwood.
Natalie is a sweet natured character with “walk over me” tattooed on her forehead! Everyone from her family to her boyfriend Olly walk all over her and do not take her feelings into account but poor Natalie doesn’t have the heart to say anything even when she has a bad time at the hairdressers she still doesn’t say anything it seems easier for her to be upset than to stand up for herself and say something.
On a night out with her best friend to a hypnosis night things go terribly wrong when her friend Meg is meant to be hypnotised but the next day it soon becomes clear that although Meg didn’t full under Natalie sure did problem is every time she is asked a question she can only tell the honest truth. Things soon spiral out of control and Natalie is on a mission to find the hypnotist again to put things straight.
I loved loved loved this book! What a fantastic debut. It is funny in all the right places with situations you would never dream of. I don’t make a habit of comparing authors but I think it does help with debut authors so as you know if to take a chance on their new book and so I have to say the first thing that came to my mind whilst reading this book is wow the humour is very similar to Sophie Kinsella’s humour in Can You Keep A Secret which for me is great as that is my favourite book so I knew I would love this one if it kept the pace.
The characters are all fantastic even the characters we are not meant to like I loved as they brought their own little something to the book. Natalie’s character I found easy to relate to as I am similar in I would rather keep quiet to not hurt other people’s feelings so to watch her out of her comfortzone speaking her mind was very entertaining.
I found the book very pacey and the storyline didn’t feel as though it was being dragged out it was a simple easy read that had you turning over the pages wanting to see the outcome.
I would definitely read future books by this author. Well done on your humours and down to earth read Kirsty Greenwood.
January 16, 2019
Definitely don't read this one after reading BIG SEXY LOVE. It will be a letdown. This one is not badly written and has better grammar and spelling than the majority of e-format contemporary romances, but the characters and plot are not really worth the bother. I ended up skimming a lot of the pages.
That wasn't the case with BIG SEXY LOVE, which has a similar plot, with an insecure heroine lacking self confidence who undergoes personal growth as the story progresses. That one had me chuckling a lot and enjoying the way it was written. This one was, I hate to say, a bit tedious and frustrating to read.
Natalie, our heroine here, is a doormat. She lets everyone step on her, mother, sister, boyfriend, you name it. She has no confidence or assertive qualities, feels fat and unworthy of the miserly, insipid love her horrid boyfriend deals out to her. She's incapable of confronting anyone, not even her hairdresser when she gets the worst cut and color ever.
Until the night she is accidentally hypnotized by Amazing Brian into being unable to answer questions with anything but honest, brutal truth. Her boyfriend is told that sex with him is not all that good and his cooking is bland and tasteless. Her mother is told that the wedding dress and decorations mother and sister have chosen for her are unbearably ugly and not her style. Everyone is treated to a taste of Natalie's real thoughts, for the first time in her life. Well, oops, the wedding may be called off if she can't locate Amazing Brian to get that hypnotic spell broken.
Brian's location is tracked down to a small village in Yorkshire. But he's not there when she goes searching for him. However, this leads to some adventures with a lot of quirky characters in the village. And yadda, yadda. Will Natalie get her tact and diplomacy back in time to save her wedding? Will she learn anything about standing up for herself? Read to find out, if you want. I'd suggest reading BIG SEXY LOVE instead. It's much better. (In Greenwood's defense, YOURS TRULY was her debut novel. I guess she's polished her act since.)
That wasn't the case with BIG SEXY LOVE, which has a similar plot, with an insecure heroine lacking self confidence who undergoes personal growth as the story progresses. That one had me chuckling a lot and enjoying the way it was written. This one was, I hate to say, a bit tedious and frustrating to read.
Natalie, our heroine here, is a doormat. She lets everyone step on her, mother, sister, boyfriend, you name it. She has no confidence or assertive qualities, feels fat and unworthy of the miserly, insipid love her horrid boyfriend deals out to her. She's incapable of confronting anyone, not even her hairdresser when she gets the worst cut and color ever.
Until the night she is accidentally hypnotized by Amazing Brian into being unable to answer questions with anything but honest, brutal truth. Her boyfriend is told that sex with him is not all that good and his cooking is bland and tasteless. Her mother is told that the wedding dress and decorations mother and sister have chosen for her are unbearably ugly and not her style. Everyone is treated to a taste of Natalie's real thoughts, for the first time in her life. Well, oops, the wedding may be called off if she can't locate Amazing Brian to get that hypnotic spell broken.
Brian's location is tracked down to a small village in Yorkshire. But he's not there when she goes searching for him. However, this leads to some adventures with a lot of quirky characters in the village. And yadda, yadda. Will Natalie get her tact and diplomacy back in time to save her wedding? Will she learn anything about standing up for herself? Read to find out, if you want. I'd suggest reading BIG SEXY LOVE instead. It's much better. (In Greenwood's defense, YOURS TRULY was her debut novel. I guess she's polished her act since.)
August 19, 2012
I really enjoyed this book ( I even downloaded a kindle app to my phone just so I COULD read it.) Very unique premise (reminded me a bit of Liar Liar but much more positive as the protaganist wasn't a bad person; she just wanted to make people happy), very hot man . . . just what I like! And very funny!
September 12, 2025
SCONTATO ED ELEMENTARE
Premesse originalissime e qualche colpo di scena succoso (quelli riguardanti la storia famigliare di Riley, ad esempio), ma per il resto la storia è scontata e dal finale eccessivamente rapido. Neppure la scrittura, molto elementare, mi ha colpito.
Premesse originalissime e qualche colpo di scena succoso (quelli riguardanti la storia famigliare di Riley, ad esempio), ma per il resto la storia è scontata e dal finale eccessivamente rapido. Neppure la scrittura, molto elementare, mi ha colpito.
July 8, 2012
Absolutely loved this book!! It made me laugh so much!! :)
November 24, 2016
AUDIOBOOK
5 Words: Friendship, relationships, love, lies, truth.
Rachael Louise Miller is my absolute favourite audiobook narrator.
5 Words: Friendship, relationships, love, lies, truth.
Rachael Louise Miller is my absolute favourite audiobook narrator.
August 10, 2025
Eerst irriteerde ik mij heel erg aan het hoofdpersoon en dacht ik steeds: zegt toch eens de waarheid!!! Aahhhh maar vanaf het moment met de hypnotiseur was ik om en vond ik het zo grappig en leuk en een goede opbouw!!!
June 11, 2014
4.5
Reading this was just so comforting. Like having a cuddle with a sly rib tickle thrown in. The story, admittedly, is a little wacky. Hypnotism that messes up somebody's life? Cue slapstick comedy and a desperate search for the hypnotist? It could be the plot from a children's book, but trust me when I say it does work. I can be incredibly cynical of anything not based on facts or science and I honestly expected to be full of judgmental disdain. But this is BRILLIANT. Far-fetched at times, but it works. With such an unashamedly bizarre story, it could have easily descended into complete farce and nonsense, but Kirsty Greenwood maintains it in a very believable, matter-of-fact way. Who wouldn't become the unwitting subject of a hypnotist and travel to his hometown to hunt him down?
Natalie as the protagonist is wonderful; I can completely relate to her. She's a yes-woman, afraid to voice her true thoughts and feelings for fear of offending people she comes into contact with. One million percent I've had a haircut that I'm not completely happy with, or I've had appalling service in a restaurant, but I haven't complained. I concern myself with how others are feeling rather than what is best for me. Some people are naturally assertive and good for them, but the rest of us could use an Amazing Brian intervention. For some readers, Natalie will be so downtrodden and wimpy to the point of irritation, but I completely understand her and her motivations. For me, people take advantage of her good nature.
Natalie's internal monologue is great. Kirsty Greenwood's writing naturally oozes humour and wit which, for me personally, was the key strength. It's initially set in my hometown of Manchester with a good dollop of Northern humour so, as I said earlier, it felt very comforting and natural. The main character's transformation is wonderful to see because she doesn't inexplicably change all aspects of her personality, or become completely unrecognizable. Instead, she remains rooted in what made me like her in the first place, but she completely comes into her own. I felt like a proud friend, watching someone transform and blossom in front of my eyes.
Natalie's relationships with all of the other characters are well written and explored. The familial ties with her boisterous and outspoken sister Dionne and emotionally manipulative mother are suitably fraught and realistic. They are strained and tense relationships, yet grounded in love. It isn't the perfect family unit, which is good. Similarly, Natalie is deliriously happy with fiance Olly, yet we come to see that there are glaring differences in their personalities and lifestyles that she chooses to overlook. How many people have done this in a relationship? Lots I would imagine. Nothing is quite as it seems and Greenwood explores all of this to a good level.
This is a chick-lit book so OF COURSE it is predictable. That goes with the territory really. I love that though. I love the forgone conclusion and the inevitable cheese. It's why I choose to read these kind of books and I refuse to feel bad about it. I don't see predictability as a bad thing. As part of this, Yours Truly has the stereotypical, slightly cliched characters that one would expect, such as Dionne who is the brash, spoilt, Barbie-like sister. This may grate with some readers but Yours Truly isn't aiming to win the Nobel prize for literature. It's a lighthearted page turner.
The smaller story-lines concerning the Hobbs family, Riley's pub and the state of various love lives are all well written, easy to read and give extra dimensions to the story in some way. Love doesn't dominate the book, making it too sickly sweet. Obviously, there are occasions of cheese. Obviously. But Natalie grows as a person, deals with things in her life and becomes a better person for it, THEN throw a bit of romance in to the mix.
Overall: A really lovely read. A complete distraction from the dullness of real life. Funny, charming, great characters and an off-the-wall story. Predictable and cheesy with stereotypical cliches but a great read with a satisfying feel-good factor. Kirsty Greenwood is a really fantastic new writer on the women's fiction block and I would happily buy more of her books in the future.
Reading this was just so comforting. Like having a cuddle with a sly rib tickle thrown in. The story, admittedly, is a little wacky. Hypnotism that messes up somebody's life? Cue slapstick comedy and a desperate search for the hypnotist? It could be the plot from a children's book, but trust me when I say it does work. I can be incredibly cynical of anything not based on facts or science and I honestly expected to be full of judgmental disdain. But this is BRILLIANT. Far-fetched at times, but it works. With such an unashamedly bizarre story, it could have easily descended into complete farce and nonsense, but Kirsty Greenwood maintains it in a very believable, matter-of-fact way. Who wouldn't become the unwitting subject of a hypnotist and travel to his hometown to hunt him down?
Natalie as the protagonist is wonderful; I can completely relate to her. She's a yes-woman, afraid to voice her true thoughts and feelings for fear of offending people she comes into contact with. One million percent I've had a haircut that I'm not completely happy with, or I've had appalling service in a restaurant, but I haven't complained. I concern myself with how others are feeling rather than what is best for me. Some people are naturally assertive and good for them, but the rest of us could use an Amazing Brian intervention. For some readers, Natalie will be so downtrodden and wimpy to the point of irritation, but I completely understand her and her motivations. For me, people take advantage of her good nature.
Natalie's internal monologue is great. Kirsty Greenwood's writing naturally oozes humour and wit which, for me personally, was the key strength. It's initially set in my hometown of Manchester with a good dollop of Northern humour so, as I said earlier, it felt very comforting and natural. The main character's transformation is wonderful to see because she doesn't inexplicably change all aspects of her personality, or become completely unrecognizable. Instead, she remains rooted in what made me like her in the first place, but she completely comes into her own. I felt like a proud friend, watching someone transform and blossom in front of my eyes.
Natalie's relationships with all of the other characters are well written and explored. The familial ties with her boisterous and outspoken sister Dionne and emotionally manipulative mother are suitably fraught and realistic. They are strained and tense relationships, yet grounded in love. It isn't the perfect family unit, which is good. Similarly, Natalie is deliriously happy with fiance Olly, yet we come to see that there are glaring differences in their personalities and lifestyles that she chooses to overlook. How many people have done this in a relationship? Lots I would imagine. Nothing is quite as it seems and Greenwood explores all of this to a good level.
This is a chick-lit book so OF COURSE it is predictable. That goes with the territory really. I love that though. I love the forgone conclusion and the inevitable cheese. It's why I choose to read these kind of books and I refuse to feel bad about it. I don't see predictability as a bad thing. As part of this, Yours Truly has the stereotypical, slightly cliched characters that one would expect, such as Dionne who is the brash, spoilt, Barbie-like sister. This may grate with some readers but Yours Truly isn't aiming to win the Nobel prize for literature. It's a lighthearted page turner.
The smaller story-lines concerning the Hobbs family, Riley's pub and the state of various love lives are all well written, easy to read and give extra dimensions to the story in some way. Love doesn't dominate the book, making it too sickly sweet. Obviously, there are occasions of cheese. Obviously. But Natalie grows as a person, deals with things in her life and becomes a better person for it, THEN throw a bit of romance in to the mix.
Overall: A really lovely read. A complete distraction from the dullness of real life. Funny, charming, great characters and an off-the-wall story. Predictable and cheesy with stereotypical cliches but a great read with a satisfying feel-good factor. Kirsty Greenwood is a really fantastic new writer on the women's fiction block and I would happily buy more of her books in the future.
February 10, 2025
Another excellent read from Kirsty Greenwood!
Poor Natalie. She's spent her life fitting and molding herself around everyone else's needs. Her haircut is a disaster of epic proportions? Natalie will tell you it's all good. She'll also tip the hairdresser who created the atrocity. Anything to not make waves. Boyfriend awful in the sack leaving her unsatisfied? No worries, she'll stroke his ego and make him feel like the king of the world. Sister being a manipulative, asshat? It's okay, Natalie will smile and nod while she babysits her dog and ransacks her closet. Natalie has constructed a life based on those altogether tricky little white lies.
Thank god Natalie has that one friend. The friend who will call you on your BS and hold your feet to the flame... lovingly. The one whose eyes you can't pull the wool over. The one person you can be yourself with. Meg.
So it's Meg who drags Natalie to the pub to meet the Amazing Brian, a locally famous hypnotist who Meg is dying to see, and though he tries, and fails, to hypnotize Meg, it's Natalie who "falls under his spell". Hypnotized, or cursed, as Natalie sees it, to always tell the truth when asked a question.
Can you imagine how things might go when your fiancé, Olly, asks how the sex was and you reply with:
"Well, you know. Short. Could have been longer. Longer time-wise, I mean, not willy-wise, though, of course, that would be lovely, too. I didn't have an orgasm, but what else is new, eh? You've left me unsatisfied, if truth be told Olly.""
Needless to say, Natalie's carefully constructed web of lies begins to unravel as she's unable to answer even the most innocuous question without offending someone. So, with Meg in tow, they head off to Little Trooley in search of the infamous hypnotist so as not to ruin Natalie's upcoming nuptials and find themselves at a pub called The Old Whimsy.
In true Kristy Greenwood fashion, as we dive headlong into the story of Natalie, we discover that her life of lies is a safety mechanism, designed to keep herself safe and protected. If you pretend that everything is always alright maybe it actually will be. But as a snow storm traps her in this tiny country town and she is forced to confront the problems with her life back home, she begins to forge new relationships with people who aren't affronted by her truths. People like Riley, the handsome pub owner and many of the townsfolk who become invested in her story and band together to help her find Brian.
This is what Kristy Greenwood does so well, she adds layer upon layer of storytelling until you're in the midst of this wonderful mosaic of characters and scenery and story and it's way too lush to look away. This book is now exception, though I will argue that it's a bit less focused than some of her other works and the only reason it lost a star for me.
At the heart of this book is the story of someone who is learning to trust her inner voice and to allow it the freedom to be heard, despite that what it sometimes say may be characterized as being unpopular or unpleasant. Yes, certainly, is there a time and place for a little white lie? Yes. But they aren't something one should build their life around.
There are lots of shenanigans in this novel. It wouldn't be a Kristy Greenwood book if it lacked a certain amount of ridiculousness. But the humor is always perfectly timed and the characters are so well fleshed out that it's hard not to find yourself chuckling out loud.
The ending is a bit of a mess and where the novel loses focus. It seems a little sloppy, as though there was a mad dash to tie things up and the plot suffered for it. This is where that star got lost. There was just too much going on all at once and not enough time was taken to close the loop on some of the story arcs. Overall, though, this was a hugely fun story and will definitely not deter me from reading her other novels.
Poor Natalie. She's spent her life fitting and molding herself around everyone else's needs. Her haircut is a disaster of epic proportions? Natalie will tell you it's all good. She'll also tip the hairdresser who created the atrocity. Anything to not make waves. Boyfriend awful in the sack leaving her unsatisfied? No worries, she'll stroke his ego and make him feel like the king of the world. Sister being a manipulative, asshat? It's okay, Natalie will smile and nod while she babysits her dog and ransacks her closet. Natalie has constructed a life based on those altogether tricky little white lies.
Thank god Natalie has that one friend. The friend who will call you on your BS and hold your feet to the flame... lovingly. The one whose eyes you can't pull the wool over. The one person you can be yourself with. Meg.
So it's Meg who drags Natalie to the pub to meet the Amazing Brian, a locally famous hypnotist who Meg is dying to see, and though he tries, and fails, to hypnotize Meg, it's Natalie who "falls under his spell". Hypnotized, or cursed, as Natalie sees it, to always tell the truth when asked a question.
Can you imagine how things might go when your fiancé, Olly, asks how the sex was and you reply with:
"Well, you know. Short. Could have been longer. Longer time-wise, I mean, not willy-wise, though, of course, that would be lovely, too. I didn't have an orgasm, but what else is new, eh? You've left me unsatisfied, if truth be told Olly.""
Needless to say, Natalie's carefully constructed web of lies begins to unravel as she's unable to answer even the most innocuous question without offending someone. So, with Meg in tow, they head off to Little Trooley in search of the infamous hypnotist so as not to ruin Natalie's upcoming nuptials and find themselves at a pub called The Old Whimsy.
In true Kristy Greenwood fashion, as we dive headlong into the story of Natalie, we discover that her life of lies is a safety mechanism, designed to keep herself safe and protected. If you pretend that everything is always alright maybe it actually will be. But as a snow storm traps her in this tiny country town and she is forced to confront the problems with her life back home, she begins to forge new relationships with people who aren't affronted by her truths. People like Riley, the handsome pub owner and many of the townsfolk who become invested in her story and band together to help her find Brian.
This is what Kristy Greenwood does so well, she adds layer upon layer of storytelling until you're in the midst of this wonderful mosaic of characters and scenery and story and it's way too lush to look away. This book is now exception, though I will argue that it's a bit less focused than some of her other works and the only reason it lost a star for me.
At the heart of this book is the story of someone who is learning to trust her inner voice and to allow it the freedom to be heard, despite that what it sometimes say may be characterized as being unpopular or unpleasant. Yes, certainly, is there a time and place for a little white lie? Yes. But they aren't something one should build their life around.
There are lots of shenanigans in this novel. It wouldn't be a Kristy Greenwood book if it lacked a certain amount of ridiculousness. But the humor is always perfectly timed and the characters are so well fleshed out that it's hard not to find yourself chuckling out loud.
The ending is a bit of a mess and where the novel loses focus. It seems a little sloppy, as though there was a mad dash to tie things up and the plot suffered for it. This is where that star got lost. There was just too much going on all at once and not enough time was taken to close the loop on some of the story arcs. Overall, though, this was a hugely fun story and will definitely not deter me from reading her other novels.
September 30, 2016
I actually finished this book last night so had it read in a day. It has to be one of the funniest books I've read in a while,whilst being extremely irritating at the same time.
For the first few chapters before Natalie gets hypnotised I had to keep stopping and thinking how utterly stupid a woman she was,she says she is easy going and just wants a quiet life,yea there's that like myself and there's being a complete walkover to the point you need someone to prop you up as you seem to have permanently lost your backbone,not to mention your mind or your voice.
She was without a single doubt utterly pathetic,and what's then worse is that she makes excuses for other people's behaviour and thinks their only doing it cause they care about her etc...
Take her mum and sister helping her plan her impromptu wedding and literally taking over to the point they go out and buy her wedding dress for her and to boot it is utterly horrible..does Natalie complain,open her mouth and say anything..no of course she doesn't and then goes on to say that she can't hurt her mums feelings as she needs this distraction.
Her boyfriend Olly is a total muppet who controls everything they do,not in a evil way but just that Natalie is too pathetic to say she doesn't like his food,what they watch on tv and his taste in music..sitting in his car on the way to work and she is going to ask him to turn it down when she thinks no I really have no right as its his car and he's taking me to work,like seriously love your his fiancé you have a voice you can speak up.
So it's safe to say I hated the sight of her and thought how am I ever going to get through this book but then she was hypnotised and that really turned things on their head..Natalie changed into someone who couldn't be asked a question without telling the total truth and this brought laughter and hilarious moments.
I didn't feel sorry for the people she was being honest with as they all deserved to be brought down a peg or two.
I enjoyed it when Natalie and Meg went to Little Trooley and met lots of new friends..though things there did take a rather exaggerated turn at times but it was fun.
At times Natalie still irritated me as she was just too gullible,still doubting herself and believing people that she hates but well suppose she can't break all the habits of a lifetime.
After everything she went through I was surprised how things eventually panned out but things worked out thankfully.
Definitely a fun laugh out loud read,would recommend if you want a good laugh.
For the first few chapters before Natalie gets hypnotised I had to keep stopping and thinking how utterly stupid a woman she was,she says she is easy going and just wants a quiet life,yea there's that like myself and there's being a complete walkover to the point you need someone to prop you up as you seem to have permanently lost your backbone,not to mention your mind or your voice.
She was without a single doubt utterly pathetic,and what's then worse is that she makes excuses for other people's behaviour and thinks their only doing it cause they care about her etc...
Take her mum and sister helping her plan her impromptu wedding and literally taking over to the point they go out and buy her wedding dress for her and to boot it is utterly horrible..does Natalie complain,open her mouth and say anything..no of course she doesn't and then goes on to say that she can't hurt her mums feelings as she needs this distraction.
Her boyfriend Olly is a total muppet who controls everything they do,not in a evil way but just that Natalie is too pathetic to say she doesn't like his food,what they watch on tv and his taste in music..sitting in his car on the way to work and she is going to ask him to turn it down when she thinks no I really have no right as its his car and he's taking me to work,like seriously love your his fiancé you have a voice you can speak up.
So it's safe to say I hated the sight of her and thought how am I ever going to get through this book but then she was hypnotised and that really turned things on their head..Natalie changed into someone who couldn't be asked a question without telling the total truth and this brought laughter and hilarious moments.
I didn't feel sorry for the people she was being honest with as they all deserved to be brought down a peg or two.
I enjoyed it when Natalie and Meg went to Little Trooley and met lots of new friends..though things there did take a rather exaggerated turn at times but it was fun.
At times Natalie still irritated me as she was just too gullible,still doubting herself and believing people that she hates but well suppose she can't break all the habits of a lifetime.
After everything she went through I was surprised how things eventually panned out but things worked out thankfully.
Definitely a fun laugh out loud read,would recommend if you want a good laugh.
November 26, 2013
I had heard SO many amazing things about Kirsty’s book Yours Truly, and so I was very much looking forward to starting it!
Natalie is newly engaged and she doesn’t like to hurt other people’s feelings, so occasionally tells the odd white lie. So what if her mum and sister have completely taken over the arrangements for her wedding to Olly and are booking things she wouldn’t have booked herself? She doesn’t want to hurt their feelings, right? So you know, it’ll be fine to just go along with it, after all, it’s not like they’ll ever find out… But then one night, Natalie is hypnotised and everything Natalie thought was private starts coming out of her mouth. Natalie, together with her best friend Meg, must track down the hypnotist, and so begins an adventure they won’t forget…
I absolutely loved this! There is genuinely no other way to describe it than just BRILLIANT. From the moment I first started reading I was hooked and the writing flows so beautifully that before I knew it I’d nearly finished!
The characters were wonderful. I LOVED Natalie, her personality was so lovely and I warmed to her from the start! I’m quite similar to Natalie in that I wouldn’t want to hurt anyone else’s feelings, but after the hypnotist scene, Natalie starts spilling out her thoughts and I found myself embarrassed for her one minute, then completely cheering her on, as well as snorting with laughter at her truth-telling too!! I got many strange looks from bursting into hysterical laughter but it was so worth it…Kirsty is FANTASTIC at writing funny scenes! I also really liked Meg, and Riley…well…you need to read it but I fell in love with him straight away! I could gush over him all day!
Yours Truly is SO enjoyable! Full of romance, fun, hilarious moments and characters to really love, there is something everyone will love in here! I would thoroughly recommend it and I’m looking forward to reading more from Kirsty!
Natalie is newly engaged and she doesn’t like to hurt other people’s feelings, so occasionally tells the odd white lie. So what if her mum and sister have completely taken over the arrangements for her wedding to Olly and are booking things she wouldn’t have booked herself? She doesn’t want to hurt their feelings, right? So you know, it’ll be fine to just go along with it, after all, it’s not like they’ll ever find out… But then one night, Natalie is hypnotised and everything Natalie thought was private starts coming out of her mouth. Natalie, together with her best friend Meg, must track down the hypnotist, and so begins an adventure they won’t forget…
I absolutely loved this! There is genuinely no other way to describe it than just BRILLIANT. From the moment I first started reading I was hooked and the writing flows so beautifully that before I knew it I’d nearly finished!
The characters were wonderful. I LOVED Natalie, her personality was so lovely and I warmed to her from the start! I’m quite similar to Natalie in that I wouldn’t want to hurt anyone else’s feelings, but after the hypnotist scene, Natalie starts spilling out her thoughts and I found myself embarrassed for her one minute, then completely cheering her on, as well as snorting with laughter at her truth-telling too!! I got many strange looks from bursting into hysterical laughter but it was so worth it…Kirsty is FANTASTIC at writing funny scenes! I also really liked Meg, and Riley…well…you need to read it but I fell in love with him straight away! I could gush over him all day!
Yours Truly is SO enjoyable! Full of romance, fun, hilarious moments and characters to really love, there is something everyone will love in here! I would thoroughly recommend it and I’m looking forward to reading more from Kirsty!
February 15, 2015
This book is nothing like the books I usually read. I always thought I was quite an all-round reader, and just this month I realized that I’ve grossly neglected the contemporary romance genre. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I was craving a fun, upbeat read and it was incredibly frustrating to find that I had no such book on my bookshelves. Fortunately, that’s nothing a quick trip to the library won’t solve. But there I was also quickly reminded why this is a genre I usually ignore. Most books either described a plot were two polar opposites fall head-over-heels in love (ugh) or were worn-down mom goes on an adventure (double ugh). I should mention that our library only has a very small collection of English books and I refuse to read a translation of a natively English books, because it loses so much of the original meaning. Anyway, I was starting to give up hope to find the read that I wanted when I came across this book. And it was a perfect match. It was exactly the kind of light, fluffy read that I hoped it was and I finished this book in one sitting. It was funny, and properly paced, with just the right amount of romance and an appropriate lack of whining. I loved it! I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially those who normally evade this genre.
July 12, 2012
This is Kirsty's first novel. You may know her better as the editor of Novelicious.
Natalie is a doormat. She lets her mother, sister and fiance, Olly, walk all over her. She pays an extortionate amount of money for a disastorous haircut and is getting no say at all in her own wedding.
A trip to see a hypnotist with her best friend, Meg, results in a big problem for Natalie, with hilarious results. Meg and Natalie travel to an idyllic Yorkshire village where the locals vow to help solve Natalie's problem.
Will she find the hypnotist and go back to the life she thought made her happy, or is there something else in store?
This is a charming story and a very good first novel. In parts it's reminiscent of Jenny Colgan. It is very funny in parts and I did laugh out loud, almost waking the baby!
Is it perfect? No, but I'm not going to dwell on that because overall I really enjoyed it.
Well done Kirsty, I look forward to reading more from you :)
Natalie is a doormat. She lets her mother, sister and fiance, Olly, walk all over her. She pays an extortionate amount of money for a disastorous haircut and is getting no say at all in her own wedding.
A trip to see a hypnotist with her best friend, Meg, results in a big problem for Natalie, with hilarious results. Meg and Natalie travel to an idyllic Yorkshire village where the locals vow to help solve Natalie's problem.
Will she find the hypnotist and go back to the life she thought made her happy, or is there something else in store?
This is a charming story and a very good first novel. In parts it's reminiscent of Jenny Colgan. It is very funny in parts and I did laugh out loud, almost waking the baby!
Is it perfect? No, but I'm not going to dwell on that because overall I really enjoyed it.
Well done Kirsty, I look forward to reading more from you :)
July 3, 2014
I loved this book. It's been on my TBR pile since last year and now I wonder why I left it so long. A simple review is that a sweet sister, daughter, fiancé & best friend Natalie always says the right thing, rather than hurt anybody's feelings, yes, that is sometimes me! She goes to a hypnotherapy show at her local pub for the sake of her best friend Meg and somehow without knowing she us hypnotised into ALWAYS giving an honest answer wether it's appropriate or not, with often hilarious outcomes. This puts her forth coming wedding under doubt, so she goes off with her friend & sister twice in search of the hypnotist. She becomes well cared for in this intriguing little village and she catches the eye of the local bar owner. Read this book over 2 days and although the story was that she got snowed in at the village, this had no impact on the story reading it outside on a lively sunny day. A debut novel that really is worth reading.
December 18, 2019
Questa storia è proprio adatta se si vuole passare qualche ora in allegria, più volte mi sono ritrovata a sghignazzare e a pensare cosa uscirebbe dalla mia bocca, se fossi costretta a dire solo la verità a tutti.
Poi c'è la solita storia d'amore a tre e molte altre piccole trame di contorno, compresi scontati segreti di famiglia.
L'inizio è veramente scoppiettante, poi le verità comiche che escono dalla bocca di Nathalie vanno un pochino scemando, ma lei rimane comunque simpaticissima fino alla fine.
È un libro scorrevolissimo e non annoia mai.
Poi c'è la solita storia d'amore a tre e molte altre piccole trame di contorno, compresi scontati segreti di famiglia.
L'inizio è veramente scoppiettante, poi le verità comiche che escono dalla bocca di Nathalie vanno un pochino scemando, ma lei rimane comunque simpaticissima fino alla fine.
È un libro scorrevolissimo e non annoia mai.
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