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One Night at the Jacaranda
“A blinder of a tale” – The Sun.
“Sassy and classy in equal measures. A must” – Dr Pixie McKenna, media doctor and TV presenter.
“The dialogue is pitch-perfect, the sex scenes amongst the best I’ve ever read.” – Liza Perrat, Bookmuse.
“At times dark, at times laugh out loud funny, this snapshot of dating in London stays with you long after the final page” - Martel Maxwell, author of Scandalous.
“Contemporary romance for intelligent grown-ups. The characters are real, the medical details are spot on, and the sex scenes are utterly believable. An absolute joy"- Christine Webber, author and psychotherapist.
One young man dying of cancer. One struggling journalist. A group of single Londoners. One night that changes everything.
The trouble with speed dating is that three minutes can last a lifetime, and ever since he was diagnosed, Sanjay doesn’t have a lifetime to waste.
For one booze and hope-fuelled night in London, the lives of a group of thirty-somethings criss-cross. As well as Sanjay, there’s lawyer Laure, divorced doctor Geoff, newly single mother-of-four Karen and traumatized ex-con Dan all hoping to find love, solace or amazing sex.
Undercover journalist Harriet is after a by-line, not a boyfriend. She’s a struggling freelance with a live-in lover, but soon she has to choose between the comfortable life she knows and a bumpy road that could lead to happiness.
As they each discover in turn, relationships aren’t just about finding someone special. They’re about finding yourself too.
A Bookmuse recommended read. Finalist in Indie Excellence Awards 2014, quarter-finalist in Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2014, and Awesome Indies approved in 2015.
“Sassy and classy in equal measures. A must” – Dr Pixie McKenna, media doctor and TV presenter.
“The dialogue is pitch-perfect, the sex scenes amongst the best I’ve ever read.” – Liza Perrat, Bookmuse.
“At times dark, at times laugh out loud funny, this snapshot of dating in London stays with you long after the final page” - Martel Maxwell, author of Scandalous.
“Contemporary romance for intelligent grown-ups. The characters are real, the medical details are spot on, and the sex scenes are utterly believable. An absolute joy"- Christine Webber, author and psychotherapist.
One young man dying of cancer. One struggling journalist. A group of single Londoners. One night that changes everything.
The trouble with speed dating is that three minutes can last a lifetime, and ever since he was diagnosed, Sanjay doesn’t have a lifetime to waste.
For one booze and hope-fuelled night in London, the lives of a group of thirty-somethings criss-cross. As well as Sanjay, there’s lawyer Laure, divorced doctor Geoff, newly single mother-of-four Karen and traumatized ex-con Dan all hoping to find love, solace or amazing sex.
Undercover journalist Harriet is after a by-line, not a boyfriend. She’s a struggling freelance with a live-in lover, but soon she has to choose between the comfortable life she knows and a bumpy road that could lead to happiness.
As they each discover in turn, relationships aren’t just about finding someone special. They’re about finding yourself too.
A Bookmuse recommended read. Finalist in Indie Excellence Awards 2014, quarter-finalist in Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2014, and Awesome Indies approved in 2015.
- GenresFiction
381 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2013
17 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
Carol Cooper
40 books95 followersI've been making up stories for as long as I can remember. My first novel ONE NIGHT AT THE JACARANDA, in which a motley group of Londoners look for love, was described by The Sun newspaper as 'a blinder of a tale.'
HAMPSTEAD FEVER tells the story of six intertwined lives one hot summer as emotions reach boiling point. Think ‘Love, Actually’, but in a heatwave.
Now you can also read THE GIRLS FROM ALEXANDRIA, my historical novel set in Egypt. It's the frank and sometimes funny story of a woman searching for her missing sister, her lost memory, and her family origins.
In my other life, I'm a family doctor and the author of a string of health books.
HAMPSTEAD FEVER tells the story of six intertwined lives one hot summer as emotions reach boiling point. Think ‘Love, Actually’, but in a heatwave.
Now you can also read THE GIRLS FROM ALEXANDRIA, my historical novel set in Egypt. It's the frank and sometimes funny story of a woman searching for her missing sister, her lost memory, and her family origins.
In my other life, I'm a family doctor and the author of a string of health books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 14, 2014
In this debut novel from Carol Cooper, we meet a cast of characters from all walks of life. The only thing they initially have in common is that they meet at a speed dating event held at the Jacaranda Bar - and they are all looking for something more from life.
Amongst the attendees are a single mother trying to cope with her four exhausting children, the charity worker with a terminal illness, the newly divorced GP missing his son, the thirty something City lawyer who now wants more than just a career, and the ex-con trying to adjust to life outside of prison. They all hope to find someone they can connect with - from just a few questions and the ticks on a scorecard. The only person who does seem to be there under false pretences is the small time journalist looking for a story to boost her career but even she has a fairly unhappy back story.
This is a wonderfully gritty story with some flawed characters that you can’t help but feel empathy with. With untruths, elaborations, sadness and the hope for something better; each character is expertly drawn and the writing is witty and yet compassionate. It is obvious from the writing that the author is a doctor as she uses her experience to include medical incidents and references throughout the book. This is not a light read but it is a compelling one. We see anger, grief, loneliness and sex but also laughter and although not everyone has their happy ending, each of the stories does have an appropriate and satisfactory conclusion.
A recommended read.
My thanks to the author for the digital copy for review
Amongst the attendees are a single mother trying to cope with her four exhausting children, the charity worker with a terminal illness, the newly divorced GP missing his son, the thirty something City lawyer who now wants more than just a career, and the ex-con trying to adjust to life outside of prison. They all hope to find someone they can connect with - from just a few questions and the ticks on a scorecard. The only person who does seem to be there under false pretences is the small time journalist looking for a story to boost her career but even she has a fairly unhappy back story.
This is a wonderfully gritty story with some flawed characters that you can’t help but feel empathy with. With untruths, elaborations, sadness and the hope for something better; each character is expertly drawn and the writing is witty and yet compassionate. It is obvious from the writing that the author is a doctor as she uses her experience to include medical incidents and references throughout the book. This is not a light read but it is a compelling one. We see anger, grief, loneliness and sex but also laughter and although not everyone has their happy ending, each of the stories does have an appropriate and satisfactory conclusion.
A recommended read.
My thanks to the author for the digital copy for review
September 14, 2015
Not my usual choice of reading matter, I began One Night at the Jacaranda with trepidation, but after only a few pages, I was well and truly hooked.
Amongst a group of adults who meet at a London speed-dating bar––the Jacaranda––we are introduced to the six main characters: Laure the lawyer, terminally-ill Sanjay, divorced doctor, Geoff, newly-single mother-of-four, Karen, and ex-prisoner, Dan. Journalist Harriet also attends, but in search of a byline, rather than a boyfriend.
Through a whole plethora of emotions––sadness, happiness, desperation and frustration, to name a few––we join these people along their bumpy, intertwined journeys in their search for love, companionship and/or sex. With great skill, the author uncovers the present and past lives of this vast cast of characters, the satisfying ending leaving hope for the future … and me hoping for a sequel!
The characters are flawed, lovable and easy to empathise with. The dialogue is pitch-perfect, the sex scenes amongst the best I’ve ever read. The author is a doctor, so the medical details are spot on, as well as interesting.
Alternately entertaining, witty, outrageously funny, poignant and dark, I would highly recommend One Night at the Jacaranda to lovers of intelligent women’s fiction.
Amongst a group of adults who meet at a London speed-dating bar––the Jacaranda––we are introduced to the six main characters: Laure the lawyer, terminally-ill Sanjay, divorced doctor, Geoff, newly-single mother-of-four, Karen, and ex-prisoner, Dan. Journalist Harriet also attends, but in search of a byline, rather than a boyfriend.
Through a whole plethora of emotions––sadness, happiness, desperation and frustration, to name a few––we join these people along their bumpy, intertwined journeys in their search for love, companionship and/or sex. With great skill, the author uncovers the present and past lives of this vast cast of characters, the satisfying ending leaving hope for the future … and me hoping for a sequel!
The characters are flawed, lovable and easy to empathise with. The dialogue is pitch-perfect, the sex scenes amongst the best I’ve ever read. The author is a doctor, so the medical details are spot on, as well as interesting.
Alternately entertaining, witty, outrageously funny, poignant and dark, I would highly recommend One Night at the Jacaranda to lovers of intelligent women’s fiction.
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November 11, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. The writing is flowing and the subject matters edgy and, in places, brave. I was sucked in to the lives that unfurled after that one night at the Jacaranda and looked forward to being able to pick the book up whenever I got a moment.
I generally go for books that follow fewer characters but I didn't find having such a large cast too much of a problem. The central strand of Sanjay's fight with cancer and the twist near the end of the book had me particularly hooked.
I generally go for books that follow fewer characters but I didn't find having such a large cast too much of a problem. The central strand of Sanjay's fight with cancer and the twist near the end of the book had me particularly hooked.
February 23, 2014
Originally posted here: bit.ly/1cDTIgE
*I received this book in an exchange for an honest review*
When Carol contacted me to request a review for her book I was not quite sure to accept or not. It did not sounded like something I usually read but I decided to give it a go. Overall I can say I'm pleasantly surprised.
One Night at the Jacaranda starts with a group of people speed dating at the Jacaranda Bar in London. Each one of them are looking for different things. Love, sex, fun, friendship, solace and more. Speed dating is an organized form of matchmaking that focuses on meeting a lot of people in a short period of time. The characters have 3 minutes to examine the opposite sex and ask questions to each other. One day after the speed dating they have tick their crosses online which persons they'd like to see again. As the story unfolds, you find out more and more about every character but some things are not what they seem like. It turns out not everyone was saying the truth.
The novel started off really well for me. I enjoyed Carol's writing style. It is fresh, up lifting and straight to the point. The story is well paced too. It was interesting to get into in all those different peoples life stories. They are just people like you and me. You can relate to them very easily. If I'd to choose a favourite character I'd probably choose Hariet or Laure. I was also very enjoying reading about Geoff and Karen though. Being a doctor, journalist and mother for years, Carol included her mix of knowledge which made the story more diversified.
I think it's not easy to have so many different characters in one story. I've read a book recently which an similar amount of characters and it was a disaster to keep them apart because they were so alike but Carol found a clever solution and the chapters are very well structured. Even though I had some problems with the secondary characters. Sometimes I just couldn't remember who they were and had to go back to see what had been written about them in the latest chapters.
It was an enjoyable and entertaining read. I'd absolutely recommend it.
*I received this book in an exchange for an honest review*
When Carol contacted me to request a review for her book I was not quite sure to accept or not. It did not sounded like something I usually read but I decided to give it a go. Overall I can say I'm pleasantly surprised.
One Night at the Jacaranda starts with a group of people speed dating at the Jacaranda Bar in London. Each one of them are looking for different things. Love, sex, fun, friendship, solace and more. Speed dating is an organized form of matchmaking that focuses on meeting a lot of people in a short period of time. The characters have 3 minutes to examine the opposite sex and ask questions to each other. One day after the speed dating they have tick their crosses online which persons they'd like to see again. As the story unfolds, you find out more and more about every character but some things are not what they seem like. It turns out not everyone was saying the truth.
The novel started off really well for me. I enjoyed Carol's writing style. It is fresh, up lifting and straight to the point. The story is well paced too. It was interesting to get into in all those different peoples life stories. They are just people like you and me. You can relate to them very easily. If I'd to choose a favourite character I'd probably choose Hariet or Laure. I was also very enjoying reading about Geoff and Karen though. Being a doctor, journalist and mother for years, Carol included her mix of knowledge which made the story more diversified.
I think it's not easy to have so many different characters in one story. I've read a book recently which an similar amount of characters and it was a disaster to keep them apart because they were so alike but Carol found a clever solution and the chapters are very well structured. Even though I had some problems with the secondary characters. Sometimes I just couldn't remember who they were and had to go back to see what had been written about them in the latest chapters.
It was an enjoyable and entertaining read. I'd absolutely recommend it.
February 13, 2014
The old saying "never judge a book by its cover" is very true in this case. Not a cover that I would normally pick up and inspect further, but the contents more than made up for it!
This novel is the story of a group of people who sign up for a speed dating evening at The Jacaranda. Each person is searching for something, be it love, escape or just friendship and as their lives intermingle, the reader is treated to individual stories of hope, loss and change. All unique, the characters are just fantastic and have endearing qualities despite their vast differences.....A lawyer, a convict, a journalist, a doctor and other diverse personalities, all so cleverly written and each with their own soft spots. My favourite was Sanjay, recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, he is determined to enjoy his last time on earth. A warm and genuine guy, I felt all his woes and admired him for his courage under such dreadful circumstances. I also really enjoyed the chapters on Geoff, the lonely GP, who misses his son since his divorce and who is getting a bit jaded in his medical practice and all it entails. His patients drive him crazy and he often questions why he chose general practice. A good man, with a good heart, I could almost see him biting his tongue as the frustrations of the practice, and its demanding patients, push him to the limit.
The common thread within this group of people is the longing for someone special. Someone to talk to, moan to and basically just be with. No matter what your backround is, where you come from or where you plan on going in life, we all need someone special. This novel depicts this idea perfectly.
A doctor, journalist and author, Carol Cooper really gives the perfect mix of her expertise, without overkill.
Great writing, perfectly constructed chapters, and a real mixture of characters, make this a damn good book.
Highly Recommended........
This novel is the story of a group of people who sign up for a speed dating evening at The Jacaranda. Each person is searching for something, be it love, escape or just friendship and as their lives intermingle, the reader is treated to individual stories of hope, loss and change. All unique, the characters are just fantastic and have endearing qualities despite their vast differences.....A lawyer, a convict, a journalist, a doctor and other diverse personalities, all so cleverly written and each with their own soft spots. My favourite was Sanjay, recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, he is determined to enjoy his last time on earth. A warm and genuine guy, I felt all his woes and admired him for his courage under such dreadful circumstances. I also really enjoyed the chapters on Geoff, the lonely GP, who misses his son since his divorce and who is getting a bit jaded in his medical practice and all it entails. His patients drive him crazy and he often questions why he chose general practice. A good man, with a good heart, I could almost see him biting his tongue as the frustrations of the practice, and its demanding patients, push him to the limit.
The common thread within this group of people is the longing for someone special. Someone to talk to, moan to and basically just be with. No matter what your backround is, where you come from or where you plan on going in life, we all need someone special. This novel depicts this idea perfectly.
A doctor, journalist and author, Carol Cooper really gives the perfect mix of her expertise, without overkill.
Great writing, perfectly constructed chapters, and a real mixture of characters, make this a damn good book.
Highly Recommended........
December 30, 2013
After a trying day battling with IT problems, I downloaded this book for my Kindle in the hope of finding a bit of escapism and cheer. I picked the right book, and once I started it, I couldn't put it down, enjoying the easy humour as well as the "will-they, won't-they" pacy plot.
The story recounts the fortunes of a group of men and women who attend a night of speed-dating at the Jacaranda bar. When we first meet them, they all seem to be leading lives of quiet desperation, hoping,but not necessarily believing,that speed-dating will solve their problems. All is not what it seems, and as the tale unfolds, we learn more about the characters, including some surprises (but no plot-spoilers here).
This book contains all the elements of a good holiday or beach read - humour, love, sex, relationships - but there's more to it than that. There are also interesting themes about first impressions and ambitions, and interesting incidental detail about different occupations. There's lots of poignant and touching stuff about parenting, divorce and family life too.
The ending is largely happy, but there are some harsh realities too. By no means a blanket advertisement for speed-dating agencies, it will still be heartening for anyone despairing of finding a partner and may give them the courage to give that approach a try.
This is a fast-moving story, skilfully woven together to keep the pages turning. Given the episodic nature of the story, jumping from one character to another, it flows extremely well, demonstrating the author's great sense of timing. The prose is well written, the dialogue natural, convincing and lifelike.
An assured first novel, the author's background in journalism presumably having honed her writing skills, I highly recommend it, and I'm hoping there will be more like this to come from this author.
The story recounts the fortunes of a group of men and women who attend a night of speed-dating at the Jacaranda bar. When we first meet them, they all seem to be leading lives of quiet desperation, hoping,but not necessarily believing,that speed-dating will solve their problems. All is not what it seems, and as the tale unfolds, we learn more about the characters, including some surprises (but no plot-spoilers here).
This book contains all the elements of a good holiday or beach read - humour, love, sex, relationships - but there's more to it than that. There are also interesting themes about first impressions and ambitions, and interesting incidental detail about different occupations. There's lots of poignant and touching stuff about parenting, divorce and family life too.
The ending is largely happy, but there are some harsh realities too. By no means a blanket advertisement for speed-dating agencies, it will still be heartening for anyone despairing of finding a partner and may give them the courage to give that approach a try.
This is a fast-moving story, skilfully woven together to keep the pages turning. Given the episodic nature of the story, jumping from one character to another, it flows extremely well, demonstrating the author's great sense of timing. The prose is well written, the dialogue natural, convincing and lifelike.
An assured first novel, the author's background in journalism presumably having honed her writing skills, I highly recommend it, and I'm hoping there will be more like this to come from this author.
February 3, 2014
I don't tend to read many romance novels but when Carol Cooper asked if I would like to review her debut novel the interesting premise immediately tempted me.
It follows several characters who meet at a speed dating night - the eponymous One Night at the Jacaranda - and each chapter switches between them, offering their own individual take on proceedings. Among the characters are Sanjay, a young man facing the end of his life following a terminal testicular cancer diagnosis, Karen, a single mum to four children, Dan, newly released from prison, Geoff, a divorced GP who desperately misses his young son, Laure, a lawyer pretending to be a hairdresser and Harriet, a journalist who is there for the byline, not the romance. They briefly meet, chat, flirt, ask questions, tell lies, tick boxes and make decisions about who they want to see again.
Most of the book though is about what happens after that night. There's love, sex, children, illness, death, deceit, loneliness, fear, anger, grief and laughter. It's not really a romance, rather a look at each of the characters' lives during the few months featured in the book and all the more interesting for it. The main characters are a varied bunch but on the whole likeable despite their flaws. The secondary characters are perhaps a little less well fleshed out but as they are mostly on the periphery of the story this is only a small gripe. Carol Cooper is a doctor and uses that experience both in the believable and sensitive medical scenes and in her empathetic observations of how people behave.
This is a well plotted story, there are lighthearted moments but it has a darker edge than many romantic novels. If you're looking for something that is more than the predictable boy meets girl this Valentine's Day you may well want to check out One Night at the Jacaranda yourself.
May 12, 2014
Carol Cooper gives us a diverse group of singles from every walk of London life and facing a variety of personal challenges. There’s the housewife who answers questions of would be suitors with disinterest parroting the answers her children might give to their questions. There’s the man looking for a break in the loneliness and desperation of his inevitable expiration date as a result of cancer. There’s that man’s former girlfriend a looking for love idealist looking to manipulate her way into a man’s heart using her body. Cooper wisely formats her book so that we are essentially getting flash dates of our own with the souls of the characters.
There’s a reason for Cooper’s disclaimer at the end of the novel that none of the characters are based on people living or dead – these characters are real and wholly realized. Often novels of their type fall down on dialogue not so in the case of “One Night at the Jacaranda.” Cooper has a background in psychology and puts that knowledge to good use in forming characters that react to and interact with environmental stimuli. Cooper’s story moves forward at rapid fire pace rotating between the characters leaving no story line unresolved and no character flaw left underdeveloped.
“One Night at the Jacaranda” is expertly edited and polished. There is very little fat and filler on this storyline. Most of what we learn about these characters is essential to our understanding of them. Sanjay and Laure’s first meeting in the book is tense and involves Sanjay blurting his condition and banal discussion about how the cat hadn’t grown out of its vomiting problem. In that moment we have a clear picture of the intimacy they once shared with the complication of that interaction yet to be uncovered.
“One Night at the Jacaranda” is enjoyable, well written and sure to satisfy readers who like contemporary fiction.
There’s a reason for Cooper’s disclaimer at the end of the novel that none of the characters are based on people living or dead – these characters are real and wholly realized. Often novels of their type fall down on dialogue not so in the case of “One Night at the Jacaranda.” Cooper has a background in psychology and puts that knowledge to good use in forming characters that react to and interact with environmental stimuli. Cooper’s story moves forward at rapid fire pace rotating between the characters leaving no story line unresolved and no character flaw left underdeveloped.
“One Night at the Jacaranda” is expertly edited and polished. There is very little fat and filler on this storyline. Most of what we learn about these characters is essential to our understanding of them. Sanjay and Laure’s first meeting in the book is tense and involves Sanjay blurting his condition and banal discussion about how the cat hadn’t grown out of its vomiting problem. In that moment we have a clear picture of the intimacy they once shared with the complication of that interaction yet to be uncovered.
“One Night at the Jacaranda” is enjoyable, well written and sure to satisfy readers who like contemporary fiction.
February 13, 2014
During the eponymous one night at the Jacaranda, four very different individuals come together for a speed dating evening. In three minute conversation bursts, lives are laid bare, hidden hopes, fears and failings are brushed away, and the bright veneer of high expectation gathers momentum. The observation of such a night creates fodder for undercover journalist Harriet, who is only there to raise enough copy for her next piece of writing, and yet unwittingly gets drawn into the whole premise of what happens next.
The story is cleverly written and exposes the lives of the characters as they slowly interact in the aftermath of their first meeting, and although on the surface they have nothing in common, gradually common bonds are realised and as the different strands of the story come together, what is revealed are lives blighted by secrets, lies, hidden terrors and unfulfilled dreams.
My initial impression of the story was that it would be a light and frothy chick lit type of romance but I couldn't have been more wrong. What I got was a warm-hearted and compassionate story about the vagaries of modern life, written in a lively and fun style. Undoubtedly, the writer has a real skill with words, her ability to tell a good story really shines through and her affection for, and understanding of, her characters make this a commendable debut novel.
Recommended.
The story is cleverly written and exposes the lives of the characters as they slowly interact in the aftermath of their first meeting, and although on the surface they have nothing in common, gradually common bonds are realised and as the different strands of the story come together, what is revealed are lives blighted by secrets, lies, hidden terrors and unfulfilled dreams.
My initial impression of the story was that it would be a light and frothy chick lit type of romance but I couldn't have been more wrong. What I got was a warm-hearted and compassionate story about the vagaries of modern life, written in a lively and fun style. Undoubtedly, the writer has a real skill with words, her ability to tell a good story really shines through and her affection for, and understanding of, her characters make this a commendable debut novel.
Recommended.
March 15, 2015
I didn't expect to enjoy this book so much, as its not a genre I'd normally read - but I found it an thoroughly enjoyable page turner. Carol Cooper writes very well and has a very sharp wit so I was smiling all the way through. It's witty, naughty, touching and satisfying.
The book switches between the points of view of a large group of characters who meet at a speed dating night in Marylebone. There is a wide cross section - a young Indian charity worker with terminal cancer, a beautiful lawyer, an ex-con, a harassed single mum, an unfulfilled journalist, and a divorced doctor with erectile dysfunction. Carol Cooper weaves all their tales together in a very clever way that keeps you guessing about their fates until the last page.
As the author is a doctor - in fact the Sun newspaper's resident medical correspondent - there is a lot of medical detail - but I think most people find ailments fascinating - as the popularity of ER and Casualty et al prove. I know these days whenever I meet friends we seem to spend at least half an hour swapping updates on our ailments! And Cooper is the first author I've come across that not only happens to have the name of my ex employer P&G in the book - but actually managed to spell Procter correctly!
I read this as part of the Out of the Box box set of novels by women writers - and I look forward to reading the other books in the set.
The book switches between the points of view of a large group of characters who meet at a speed dating night in Marylebone. There is a wide cross section - a young Indian charity worker with terminal cancer, a beautiful lawyer, an ex-con, a harassed single mum, an unfulfilled journalist, and a divorced doctor with erectile dysfunction. Carol Cooper weaves all their tales together in a very clever way that keeps you guessing about their fates until the last page.
As the author is a doctor - in fact the Sun newspaper's resident medical correspondent - there is a lot of medical detail - but I think most people find ailments fascinating - as the popularity of ER and Casualty et al prove. I know these days whenever I meet friends we seem to spend at least half an hour swapping updates on our ailments! And Cooper is the first author I've come across that not only happens to have the name of my ex employer P&G in the book - but actually managed to spell Procter correctly!
I read this as part of the Out of the Box box set of novels by women writers - and I look forward to reading the other books in the set.
January 27, 2014
One Night at the Jacaranda takes the reader on a bumpy, fast-paced, warts-and-all tour of what life is like for a group of 30-something Londoners who find themselves at the same speed dating night in a Marylebone bar called the Jacaranda. What evolves from this night turns into a page-turning romp of "will they, won't they" style romantic start-ups, failings and twists and turns. Cooper has done well to give life to a wide range of characters all with varying backgrounds and burdens and I particularly liked those that sat on the fringe of the story and provided some humorous alternative storylines; London is full of oddballs so I'm glad they weren't excluded here! I particularly liked reading about Geoff - the GP - which is thanks to Dr Cooper's day job in family practice (my mother is also a GP) and I would really like to see the author develop a novel (or two!) about a similar character and story setting; her insight is wickedly funny but accurate! In short, Jacaranda is a sexy, quick-witted, eye-opening and heart-warming tale and I recommend it to anyone looking for a polished, well-crafted contemporary romance
January 26, 2014
“One Night at the Jacaranda” starts at a speed-dating event in London. The reader is introduced to a range of characters, some looking for love, some for a bit of fun, and some with no idea what they are looking for. From Sanjay, the terminally ill charity worker, to Dorottya, the maneater with has a big secret, the characters quickly grew on me and I turned the pages eagerly to find out what would happen next.
This book has a real sense of time and place, and I enjoyed the topical references, as the characters struggled to navigate the ups and downs of modern life in London. The characters all had their own flaws, but ultimately I liked them, and I quickly started to care about them and what would happen next in their lives.
At times tragic, at times highly comic, this carefully observed novel is thoroughly enjoyable. I raced through to the end to find out what how the characters’ lives would turn out. The ending was worth the wait, effectively tying up the multiple threads in the novel. Life didn’t turn out quite as planned for anyone, but the characters had grown and the ending was satisfying.
This book has a real sense of time and place, and I enjoyed the topical references, as the characters struggled to navigate the ups and downs of modern life in London. The characters all had their own flaws, but ultimately I liked them, and I quickly started to care about them and what would happen next in their lives.
At times tragic, at times highly comic, this carefully observed novel is thoroughly enjoyable. I raced through to the end to find out what how the characters’ lives would turn out. The ending was worth the wait, effectively tying up the multiple threads in the novel. Life didn’t turn out quite as planned for anyone, but the characters had grown and the ending was satisfying.
January 20, 2014
CARRY ON DOCTOR, THIS IS A CRACKING READ
By Charles Rae
It is not normally a subject that would grab my attention and only did so because I know the author who also happens to be a doctor. That said I think I am honest enough to give a true review. I have to say I was very impressed with the fast paced and witty novel about a group of people who end up on a speed dating night. This is a sort of book version of Friends who really aren't friends, although for quite a few of them they end up getting very friendly indeed. I liked the dialogue, and all six characters are flawed in some way or another. They all have a back story and of course there are some that you like more than others. I also liked the idea of the author focusing on each of the characters, so you knew exactly who she was talking about and how she linked with each of the stories throughout. Only piece of criticism is the journalist. Does she not have deadlines, when is she actually going to submit her story to her newspaper?
You will not go wrong at all in reading Carol Cooper's debut novel. Highly Recommended.
By Charles Rae
It is not normally a subject that would grab my attention and only did so because I know the author who also happens to be a doctor. That said I think I am honest enough to give a true review. I have to say I was very impressed with the fast paced and witty novel about a group of people who end up on a speed dating night. This is a sort of book version of Friends who really aren't friends, although for quite a few of them they end up getting very friendly indeed. I liked the dialogue, and all six characters are flawed in some way or another. They all have a back story and of course there are some that you like more than others. I also liked the idea of the author focusing on each of the characters, so you knew exactly who she was talking about and how she linked with each of the stories throughout. Only piece of criticism is the journalist. Does she not have deadlines, when is she actually going to submit her story to her newspaper?
You will not go wrong at all in reading Carol Cooper's debut novel. Highly Recommended.
October 24, 2014
In search of love, a delightful miscellany of contrasting London types sign up for a night of speed-dating at the Jacaranda pub. Following the trials and tribulations of an undercover journo desperate for a feature, a GP with custody issues, a single mother, a terminally ill cat-lover, an obsessive misogynist and an ex-con, among others, Carol Cooper has written a light, witty and enjoyable book about the perennial quest for one’s better half.
Read
November 6, 20145 stars! Review coming soon via Vine Leaves Literary Journal.
August 13, 2017
This is not normally the kind of book I would go for. At first, I found all the different people preparing for the speed dating night a little confusing. However, the writing sold it to me. A romance for grown ups quickly unfolded and I raced through the book, loving every minute of it. I particularly enjoyed the dialogue. The author listens to other people and she pinned it down superbly. Highly recommended.
November 26, 2017
This subtle humorous story features a group of well-portrayed characters as they seek romance while coping with the ups and downs of everyday life. I particularly liked the smooth transition between the protagonists as the plot thickens, with twists and turns that strengthens the interest in the outcome for each individual. Recommended!
March 5, 2017
A strange read...I enjoyed the style and the flow but actually felt that it didn't really go anywhere!
September 13, 2014
Cooper, Carol. One Night at the Jacaranda
Since its narrator flits like a butterfly between a dozen or so consciousnesses One Night at the Jacaranda fails to qualify as Chick-lit; otherwise it has all the hallmarks of its archetype the Bridget Jones diary. It is fast, funny and deals with that thing called love, which here, as often as not embraces hatred, envy, lust and the need for companionship. In many ways the book reminds me of Morgen Bailey’s The Serial Dater’s Shopping List,where a reporter is assigned the task of dating thirty men in thirty days. In both novels the total idiocy of trying to find a mate through the agency of electronic media is exposed. Of course it goes without saying that we are all equally ridiculous in our neurotic quest to find the eternal other, but at least Cooper and Bailey, unlike Jane Austen for instance, more or less face the fact that our searches are doomed from the start.
But to the story - or in this case the series of interconnected stories of our protagonists, all of whom are credible and even in some ways likeable. But of course we want to know why - and how and where and when it all takes place, and by ‘it’ we here mean coitus and its ambient tremors of lust, rage, self-satisfaction and personal aggrandisement. The caste - of housewife, lawyer, jailbird, stringer, general practitioner, teacher - and almost off-stage, marruage deserter, soldier and Hungarian cuckold - is Chaucerian in its social range. And as with Chaucer the subjects’ diversity is unified by their starting place; in this case the dating club at the Jacaranda, where three miniutes introduction is the maximum time for chatting-up.
That this tale is successful is indicated by the scores of appreciative reviews commending its realism, its saucy demotic dialogue and its general high-spiritedness. That the book is imbued with a feelgood factor is undeniable. Many readers stayed up all night until they finished; others recommended it unreservedly as excellent holiday reading. I would agree with this verdict; it is a beautuful escape into a land we all know, but, although the book works as entertainment, is this all one expects from a novel? One reviewer dslikes its open-endedness, while another finds it sad. There is after all more to life than dating, more to endings than romantic couplings. But only cats die in this book and to ensure that this one remains acceptable, our author gives a couple of final tweaks to ensure a ‘happy ending.’
Since its narrator flits like a butterfly between a dozen or so consciousnesses One Night at the Jacaranda fails to qualify as Chick-lit; otherwise it has all the hallmarks of its archetype the Bridget Jones diary. It is fast, funny and deals with that thing called love, which here, as often as not embraces hatred, envy, lust and the need for companionship. In many ways the book reminds me of Morgen Bailey’s The Serial Dater’s Shopping List,where a reporter is assigned the task of dating thirty men in thirty days. In both novels the total idiocy of trying to find a mate through the agency of electronic media is exposed. Of course it goes without saying that we are all equally ridiculous in our neurotic quest to find the eternal other, but at least Cooper and Bailey, unlike Jane Austen for instance, more or less face the fact that our searches are doomed from the start.
But to the story - or in this case the series of interconnected stories of our protagonists, all of whom are credible and even in some ways likeable. But of course we want to know why - and how and where and when it all takes place, and by ‘it’ we here mean coitus and its ambient tremors of lust, rage, self-satisfaction and personal aggrandisement. The caste - of housewife, lawyer, jailbird, stringer, general practitioner, teacher - and almost off-stage, marruage deserter, soldier and Hungarian cuckold - is Chaucerian in its social range. And as with Chaucer the subjects’ diversity is unified by their starting place; in this case the dating club at the Jacaranda, where three miniutes introduction is the maximum time for chatting-up.
That this tale is successful is indicated by the scores of appreciative reviews commending its realism, its saucy demotic dialogue and its general high-spiritedness. That the book is imbued with a feelgood factor is undeniable. Many readers stayed up all night until they finished; others recommended it unreservedly as excellent holiday reading. I would agree with this verdict; it is a beautuful escape into a land we all know, but, although the book works as entertainment, is this all one expects from a novel? One reviewer dslikes its open-endedness, while another finds it sad. There is after all more to life than dating, more to endings than romantic couplings. But only cats die in this book and to ensure that this one remains acceptable, our author gives a couple of final tweaks to ensure a ‘happy ending.’
August 21, 2021
Awesome Indies Book Awards is pleased to include ONE NIGHT AT THE JACARANDA by CAROL COOPER in the library of Awesome Indies'
Badge of Approval
recipients.
Original Awesome Indies' Assessment (4 stars):
Men and women meet at The Jacaranda in London for an evening of speed-dating, where they each have three minutes to talk to and assess each participant of the opposite sex.
The initial chapters introduce us to some of the characters who will be attending, take us through the event, and then we see the choices these people make afterwards about who they are interested in seeing again. Using the event of speed-dating provides an immediate intro into the characters and a neat way to bring them all together and show what then happens later.
There is no plot as such, the rest of the book follows the main characters over the subsequent weeks. The author gradually reveals more information and detail about the lives these people lead, and their relationships, both romantic/sexual and familial.
Cooper has attempted an ambitious style for this, her first novel, as she uses third person, mostly intimate, from multiple points of view. Each chapter can be told from the perspective of three or four people, sometimes up to six, with eight characters in total telling their story throughout the book.
It’s difficult to achieve successfully, but for the most part, it works well, although it can feel a bit busy at times. The six main characters, who go on to have dates, and sex, are credible and develop well throughout the book.
The author’s strength, as well as characterisation, lies in her use of dialogue, which is punchy and succinct, to move the story along. In some of the narrative sections, Cooper introduces information from the past by using the characters’ memories. Inevitably, these sections tend to be a mix of telling the reader what happened, and in longer passages, it occasionally feels like an information dump to bring us up to speed.
Overall though, it’s an enjoyable light read, nicely paced, with some good characters who are easy to empathise with. I liked the ending which completes the circle by bringing us back to the beginning in an unexpected way. It doesn’t provide a neat tidying up, but this isn’t a plot-based story. The book ends optimistically on a note of hope and a sense of direction for the future. And probably a sequel.
I give this four stars.
Original Awesome Indies' Assessment (4 stars):
Men and women meet at The Jacaranda in London for an evening of speed-dating, where they each have three minutes to talk to and assess each participant of the opposite sex.
The initial chapters introduce us to some of the characters who will be attending, take us through the event, and then we see the choices these people make afterwards about who they are interested in seeing again. Using the event of speed-dating provides an immediate intro into the characters and a neat way to bring them all together and show what then happens later.
There is no plot as such, the rest of the book follows the main characters over the subsequent weeks. The author gradually reveals more information and detail about the lives these people lead, and their relationships, both romantic/sexual and familial.
Cooper has attempted an ambitious style for this, her first novel, as she uses third person, mostly intimate, from multiple points of view. Each chapter can be told from the perspective of three or four people, sometimes up to six, with eight characters in total telling their story throughout the book.
It’s difficult to achieve successfully, but for the most part, it works well, although it can feel a bit busy at times. The six main characters, who go on to have dates, and sex, are credible and develop well throughout the book.
The author’s strength, as well as characterisation, lies in her use of dialogue, which is punchy and succinct, to move the story along. In some of the narrative sections, Cooper introduces information from the past by using the characters’ memories. Inevitably, these sections tend to be a mix of telling the reader what happened, and in longer passages, it occasionally feels like an information dump to bring us up to speed.
Overall though, it’s an enjoyable light read, nicely paced, with some good characters who are easy to empathise with. I liked the ending which completes the circle by bringing us back to the beginning in an unexpected way. It doesn’t provide a neat tidying up, but this isn’t a plot-based story. The book ends optimistically on a note of hope and a sense of direction for the future. And probably a sequel.
I give this four stars.
February 23, 2014
I was given an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review which I'm more than happy to give.
The Jacaranda is a bar in London where we're introduced to the characters in this book as they all meet for the first time at a speed dating evening. Three minutes with a person to chat, form an opinion and next!
First impressions really do count when you've only three minutes to decide if you'd like to meet up again and everyone is putting on a front - nobody it turns out is quite what they seem and that's what makes this book so enjoyable. We're all guilty I think of only letting people see the bits of us that we want people to see and the characters in this book are no different - all trying to display their best bits and hide the bits they think people wouldn't want to see.
Everyone has a story and Carol exploits this allowing us to eavesdrop chapter by chapter with a different one each time allowing us a clear vision of what they're really like. This could so easily have been drawn out, slow and a bit tedious as there are six main characters to get to grips with but Carol moves each person along at pace with both sensitivity and humour where appropriate.
My opinions of each of the characters changed as I got to know them and I think every emotion was demonstrated and felt at some point in the book - that's probably what kept the pages turning and this got quicker the more I read. Sometimes it is good to look beyond first impressions, as although they are important we don't always get to see the real person. The characters, if not all the situations were believable and I did care what happened to each of them in particular Sanjay. I just loved his family too and could clearly visualise his mother trying to feed him up!
This book is not all predictable and lovely but has enough loveliness to make this a perfect Sunday afternoon read. Not too heavy but not all light and frothy either.
I've always wondered what it'd be like to go speed dating and now I know - or do I?
The Jacaranda is a bar in London where we're introduced to the characters in this book as they all meet for the first time at a speed dating evening. Three minutes with a person to chat, form an opinion and next!
First impressions really do count when you've only three minutes to decide if you'd like to meet up again and everyone is putting on a front - nobody it turns out is quite what they seem and that's what makes this book so enjoyable. We're all guilty I think of only letting people see the bits of us that we want people to see and the characters in this book are no different - all trying to display their best bits and hide the bits they think people wouldn't want to see.
Everyone has a story and Carol exploits this allowing us to eavesdrop chapter by chapter with a different one each time allowing us a clear vision of what they're really like. This could so easily have been drawn out, slow and a bit tedious as there are six main characters to get to grips with but Carol moves each person along at pace with both sensitivity and humour where appropriate.
My opinions of each of the characters changed as I got to know them and I think every emotion was demonstrated and felt at some point in the book - that's probably what kept the pages turning and this got quicker the more I read. Sometimes it is good to look beyond first impressions, as although they are important we don't always get to see the real person. The characters, if not all the situations were believable and I did care what happened to each of them in particular Sanjay. I just loved his family too and could clearly visualise his mother trying to feed him up!
This book is not all predictable and lovely but has enough loveliness to make this a perfect Sunday afternoon read. Not too heavy but not all light and frothy either.
I've always wondered what it'd be like to go speed dating and now I know - or do I?
September 6, 2016
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
A fun tale of single life in London and what some will try to find someone to spend their lives with…..or for some a distraction from their boring life, or even a little research. Whichever you choose, speed dating is a great way to meet many potential dates in a short period of time! Who wouldn't like their first date (especially the bad ones) to be mere minutes!
This is a fun book with another twist to the hard life of dating, to be specific with this one Speed Dating! This is my first story on Speed dating, but it was well written and easy to picture how it all works. The story starts with all the main characters meeting at a speed dating event and go on to tell their stories. Sanjay, Laura, Harriet, Dan, and Karen and Geoff, telling each of their stories and how meeting each other affects their lives- all of them being from different walks of life and having far different stories.
This is a fast pace story that successful gives you a sneak peek into many different lives and how many people feel desperation when stuck in the dating games. The story opens one’s eyes to how lonely and sad many in their 30’s feel when trying to get through all of the dating woe’s, as well as how many skimp on honesty when trying to date.
This was a fun read for me and quite different from most books on reading. The author is well written and her characters are developed well enough to make it easy to relate to them and their stories. I recommend this to anyone looking for a relatively light romance story.
A fun tale of single life in London and what some will try to find someone to spend their lives with…..or for some a distraction from their boring life, or even a little research. Whichever you choose, speed dating is a great way to meet many potential dates in a short period of time! Who wouldn't like their first date (especially the bad ones) to be mere minutes!
This is a fun book with another twist to the hard life of dating, to be specific with this one Speed Dating! This is my first story on Speed dating, but it was well written and easy to picture how it all works. The story starts with all the main characters meeting at a speed dating event and go on to tell their stories. Sanjay, Laura, Harriet, Dan, and Karen and Geoff, telling each of their stories and how meeting each other affects their lives- all of them being from different walks of life and having far different stories.
This is a fast pace story that successful gives you a sneak peek into many different lives and how many people feel desperation when stuck in the dating games. The story opens one’s eyes to how lonely and sad many in their 30’s feel when trying to get through all of the dating woe’s, as well as how many skimp on honesty when trying to date.
This was a fun read for me and quite different from most books on reading. The author is well written and her characters are developed well enough to make it easy to relate to them and their stories. I recommend this to anyone looking for a relatively light romance story.
August 14, 2015
Carol Cooper skillfully uses speed-dating night at the Jacaranda bar to tell the stories of eight single adults. They came looking for ...well...sexual encounters, and perhaps a relationship. Their lives are missing something. But the question is less about what the participants want and more about what they need.
The primary speed daters are:
Harriet, a freelance writer looking for a story. Arriving with a tape recorder in her purse, she peppers participants with questions. The questions really are about her own life. Harriet's unresolved issues include an eight-year relationship that has lost its juice, continued mourning for a cat named Pushkin, and frustration that she has yet to write her first novel.
Dan, fresh from six years serving "at her majesty's pleasure," wants a woman and a normal life, whatever that turns out to be.
Laure is a highly educated lawyer masquerading as a hairdresser, because her profession intimidates men. She once shared a cat called Dainty with a man called Sanjay. She wanted children. He didn't. He kept the cat.
Sanjay, Laure's ex, has a lot of things to do. Diagnosed with testicular cancer, he wants to complete his bucket list. His longest relationship is with Dainty the cat whose preference for expensive organic cat food identifies her as a middle class. He wasn't expecting to meet Laure at the Jacaranda - didn't even know she was in town.
The primary speed daters are:
Harriet, a freelance writer looking for a story. Arriving with a tape recorder in her purse, she peppers participants with questions. The questions really are about her own life. Harriet's unresolved issues include an eight-year relationship that has lost its juice, continued mourning for a cat named Pushkin, and frustration that she has yet to write her first novel.
Dan, fresh from six years serving "at her majesty's pleasure," wants a woman and a normal life, whatever that turns out to be.
Laure is a highly educated lawyer masquerading as a hairdresser, because her profession intimidates men. She once shared a cat called Dainty with a man called Sanjay. She wanted children. He didn't. He kept the cat.
Sanjay, Laure's ex, has a lot of things to do. Diagnosed with testicular cancer, he wants to complete his bucket list. His longest relationship is with Dainty the cat whose preference for expensive organic cat food identifies her as a middle class. He wasn't expecting to meet Laure at the Jacaranda - didn't even know she was in town.
September 16, 2015
Not my usual choice of reading matter, I began One Night at the Jacaranda with trepidation, but after only a few pages, I was well and truly hooked.
Amongst a group of adults who meet at a London speed-dating bar––the Jacaranda––we are introduced to the six main characters: Laure the lawyer, terminally-ill Sanjay, divorced doctor, Geoff, newly-single mother-of-four, Karen, and ex-prisoner, Dan. Journalist Harriet also attends, but in search of a byline, rather than a boyfriend.
Through a whole plethora of emotions––sadness, happiness, desperation and frustration, to name a few––we join these people along their bumpy, intertwined journeys in their search for love, companionship and/or sex. With great skill, the author uncovers the present and past lives of this vast cast of characters, the satisfying ending leaving hope for the future … and me hoping for a sequel!
The characters are flawed, lovable and easy to empathise with. The dialogue is pitch-perfect, the sex scenes amongst the best I’ve ever read. The author is a doctor, so the medical details are spot on, as well as interesting.
Alternately entertaining, witty, outrageously funny, poignant and dark, I would highly recommend One Night at the Jacaranda to lovers of intelligent women’s fiction.
Amongst a group of adults who meet at a London speed-dating bar––the Jacaranda––we are introduced to the six main characters: Laure the lawyer, terminally-ill Sanjay, divorced doctor, Geoff, newly-single mother-of-four, Karen, and ex-prisoner, Dan. Journalist Harriet also attends, but in search of a byline, rather than a boyfriend.
Through a whole plethora of emotions––sadness, happiness, desperation and frustration, to name a few––we join these people along their bumpy, intertwined journeys in their search for love, companionship and/or sex. With great skill, the author uncovers the present and past lives of this vast cast of characters, the satisfying ending leaving hope for the future … and me hoping for a sequel!
The characters are flawed, lovable and easy to empathise with. The dialogue is pitch-perfect, the sex scenes amongst the best I’ve ever read. The author is a doctor, so the medical details are spot on, as well as interesting.
Alternately entertaining, witty, outrageously funny, poignant and dark, I would highly recommend One Night at the Jacaranda to lovers of intelligent women’s fiction.
August 17, 2016
If you love ‘First Dates’ on TV, or the film ‘Love Actually’, you’ll adore this book. The novel starts with a speed dating evening at the Jacaranda, its namesake, and goes on to delve deeper into the lives of the singletons trying to find love in London.
Although this book could be described as a romantic novel, it is much more than that. With an effortless narrative, the author Carol Cooper describes the complicated relationships of today’s thirty-somethings.
Not wishing to give the plot away, I can tell you that while the various characters are hugely believable and their stories authentic, Cooper leaves us with a wonderfully positive message of the power of love, whether for a child, cat or partner.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and would recommend it to anyone who loves romance, as well as contemporary novels set in London. As a Londoner, I felt the book painted a very accurate picture of the city, warts and all.
Although this book could be described as a romantic novel, it is much more than that. With an effortless narrative, the author Carol Cooper describes the complicated relationships of today’s thirty-somethings.
Not wishing to give the plot away, I can tell you that while the various characters are hugely believable and their stories authentic, Cooper leaves us with a wonderfully positive message of the power of love, whether for a child, cat or partner.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and would recommend it to anyone who loves romance, as well as contemporary novels set in London. As a Londoner, I felt the book painted a very accurate picture of the city, warts and all.
February 18, 2014
The author created an interesting menagerie of characters in her, One Night At The Jacaranda. The story is centered on the lives of the four main characters, Sanjay, Geoff, Karen and Dan, and to a lesser extent, Harriet and her live-in boyfriend. These characters were all seeking some kind of human interaction and succor, in one form or another. The plot thickens when each of the characters finds him/herself struggling to accept the card he/she had been dealt. It was interesting to watch the various characters grapple with his/her lot only to triumph in the end, when the dust settled. Interesting and thought-provoking, this book draws awareness to the frailty and vulnerability of human being—the more things change, the more they remain the same.
March 15, 2016
Speed Dating anyone??
One night, three minutes per person, it only allows for a brief getting to know you. But the story allows us to follow the Speed Daters and find out about them and what happens if or when they meet again. Not everyone is as they seem and the book teaches us not judge people on a brief meeting. Some of them may find the ONE. Or some of them may just find themselves. Some wonderful characters. I especially loved Sanjays story and Karen. Would love to have more of them and their families. Definitely a book that I will recommend.
One night, three minutes per person, it only allows for a brief getting to know you. But the story allows us to follow the Speed Daters and find out about them and what happens if or when they meet again. Not everyone is as they seem and the book teaches us not judge people on a brief meeting. Some of them may find the ONE. Or some of them may just find themselves. Some wonderful characters. I especially loved Sanjays story and Karen. Would love to have more of them and their families. Definitely a book that I will recommend.
January 5, 2014
I am always on the look out for good fiction that races along and which provides great and believable characters plus a terrific story. One Night at the Jacaranda ticks all those boxes. It's a spirited novel which perfectly captures the complicated world we live in. And it demonstrates very effectively how a couple of hours can change people's lives for ever. It's very funny. Sometimes sad. Always intriguing. And I am pleased to recommend it.
February 7, 2014
I'm baffled by the amount of five star reviews for this one. I found it slow moving and some of the characters ran together in my head as it was difficult to tell some apart. The story of a group of people that meet at a speed dating event and how they interact in relationships/sex afterwards. There were a few good scenes, one very sad scene, but overall...as Randy Jackson would say, "Just okay for me, dawg."
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