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Desperate #2
The Desperate Wife’s Survival Plan
From riches to rags... Charley Summers doesn't have a care in the world. She lives in the lap of luxury, supported by her rich husband and surrounded by a loyal group of friends.Until the business goes bust and her world collapses. Before long the bailiffs have taken everything, and as if things weren't bad enough, she catches her husband with another woman. Suddenly, Charley needs a job, any job, so she can start repaying some of the money her husband squandered. But with nowhere to live and no recognisable skills, how on earth is she to do that?Charley needs a survival plan fast!
- GenresChick LitContemporary
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2013
62 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 10, 2023
This is more women's fiction than a romance, however I found it extremely enjoyable. It is a story of three women who have found themselves in difficult situations and how they respond to them. Most notably, the main lead female character has lost everything because of her cheating husband who mismanaged their finances. She and her friends need to work hard to solve their problems, and the way they do it is very engaging.Their love interests are all really nice, appealing people, and the type of man who are worth having. They always treat the female characters with respect and affection, which is just wonderful when I think about how so many relationships are portrayed in contemporary romance and women's fiction.
There is a fourth woman in this book, a former friend of the other three, who has been making bad choices and who ends up paying for them somewhat by the end of the book. Her whole story could have been removed from the book with no loss. I ended up skimming past her sections after a certain point because she just wasn't interesting or appealing.
There is a fourth woman in this book, a former friend of the other three, who has been making bad choices and who ends up paying for them somewhat by the end of the book. Her whole story could have been removed from the book with no loss. I ended up skimming past her sections after a certain point because she just wasn't interesting or appealing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2018
2.5 stars round up...
a light read, a bit of fun, but too many cliches...
and the main character is.. a bit too shallow to my liking. her obsession with that ice cream maker... oh, dear saints, really, husband left, no home, but the ice cream maker is the ultimate point of sorrow...
just little too predictable. to the point that it gets boring.
a light read, a bit of fun, but too many cliches...
and the main character is.. a bit too shallow to my liking. her obsession with that ice cream maker... oh, dear saints, really, husband left, no home, but the ice cream maker is the ultimate point of sorrow...
just little too predictable. to the point that it gets boring.
April 23, 2018
When life tosses you lemons, what do you do? Well, in the case of Charley she mixes up some magical ice-cream (OK, maybe not with lemons but a plethora of other yummy ingredients). This is my second book by Alison Sherlock and – like The Desperate Bride's Diet Club – it is packed with lovely (and not-so-lovely) characters who will capture your heart and keep you frantically turning the pages. The theme of a woman hitting rock bottom and finding her feet again might not be new, but this is a refreshing and often very funny take on the subject. Warm, witty and with a generous dollop of romance this is feel-good fiction at its best.
June 15, 2015
Absolutely superb book and a great few lessons in life to learn and remember.
May 7, 2023
4 flavors stars 🌟
What a delight of a book! I was worried this would have been an empty chick lit but it was heartwarming story between friends who stood by each other. (Except for Samantha who I wanted to slap left and right)
Charley went from 100 to 0 overnight and she needed to build her life from scratch. I loved that her business didn’t pick up instantly and it built overtime like in real life.
What a delight of a book! I was worried this would have been an empty chick lit but it was heartwarming story between friends who stood by each other. (Except for Samantha who I wanted to slap left and right)
Charley went from 100 to 0 overnight and she needed to build her life from scratch. I loved that her business didn’t pick up instantly and it built overtime like in real life.
May 8, 2013
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
And I must admit that I have loved every single word of this book. But first of all please let me tell how much I LOVED its cover. I know that I am too old for those things but I'm just a sucker for such covers. It's so sweet and optimistic and I wanted to look at it all the time. Don't know what is the dog doing there because Charley didn't have one and Boris was golden retriever but nevertheless please just let me stroke the cover once again:)
The characters in this book are so nice that I loved all of them from the very beginning. Almost all of them as I had a feeling that Samantha doesn't suit the company of her friends. She didn't bring anything to the book and the action itself, the few moments that we read about her could be spared I think and her plot ends very suddenly. And I didn't feel sorry for her at all, she's got what she wanted. But the rest of the girls and Charley's family, and Mike, they were all brilliant. The friendship between the women is perfect (not talking about Samantha), they can count on each other and they know that "one for all, all for one".
It was a pleasure to read about Charley developing and fighting her way. If I were her I guess I would just went to bed and waited for the end of the world. She took all the matters in her hands and fought for herself. She has weaker moments and oh my God, who doesn't have them, especially in such situation, but she always embraces herself and starts again.
The writing is super easy to follow, it just flows. It's funny and fresh and totally heart - warming. The chapters are short and sharp, like I like best. Although the book was funny and positive I have found it in some aspects sad. The struggle to keep yourself over the water is not nice too see but it happens in everyday life as well and not all people has such luck as Charley. But one must be brave and take some risk - and this is what this book is about. Each of the girl in this book has her issues and problems and they are not the easiest one, what with Juliet and her son or Caroline who is a control - freak. I was happy in the end when she allowed Flora to be a child only.
Well, actually I can just praise this book and say how much I loved it over and over again. This book has this "something" that I am looking for in a book, it's sweet, it's funny, it's bitter, it's optimistic. It has it all. I fell for the characters in it, wanted to be a part of their lives, hoped everything will be okay for them. Maybe the action doesn't have many twists or turns but this what we get is enough for this book, the pace is all right, there are no boring moments and I just wanted to turn the page and see what's going to happen. I would really recommend this book, it's worth its reading time. Absolutely:)
And I must admit that I have loved every single word of this book. But first of all please let me tell how much I LOVED its cover. I know that I am too old for those things but I'm just a sucker for such covers. It's so sweet and optimistic and I wanted to look at it all the time. Don't know what is the dog doing there because Charley didn't have one and Boris was golden retriever but nevertheless please just let me stroke the cover once again:)
The characters in this book are so nice that I loved all of them from the very beginning. Almost all of them as I had a feeling that Samantha doesn't suit the company of her friends. She didn't bring anything to the book and the action itself, the few moments that we read about her could be spared I think and her plot ends very suddenly. And I didn't feel sorry for her at all, she's got what she wanted. But the rest of the girls and Charley's family, and Mike, they were all brilliant. The friendship between the women is perfect (not talking about Samantha), they can count on each other and they know that "one for all, all for one".
It was a pleasure to read about Charley developing and fighting her way. If I were her I guess I would just went to bed and waited for the end of the world. She took all the matters in her hands and fought for herself. She has weaker moments and oh my God, who doesn't have them, especially in such situation, but she always embraces herself and starts again.
The writing is super easy to follow, it just flows. It's funny and fresh and totally heart - warming. The chapters are short and sharp, like I like best. Although the book was funny and positive I have found it in some aspects sad. The struggle to keep yourself over the water is not nice too see but it happens in everyday life as well and not all people has such luck as Charley. But one must be brave and take some risk - and this is what this book is about. Each of the girl in this book has her issues and problems and they are not the easiest one, what with Juliet and her son or Caroline who is a control - freak. I was happy in the end when she allowed Flora to be a child only.
Well, actually I can just praise this book and say how much I loved it over and over again. This book has this "something" that I am looking for in a book, it's sweet, it's funny, it's bitter, it's optimistic. It has it all. I fell for the characters in it, wanted to be a part of their lives, hoped everything will be okay for them. Maybe the action doesn't have many twists or turns but this what we get is enough for this book, the pace is all right, there are no boring moments and I just wanted to turn the page and see what's going to happen. I would really recommend this book, it's worth its reading time. Absolutely:)
June 13, 2013
The Desperate Wife's Survival Plan follows spoiled rich Charlotte Summers or Charly to her friends on her journey from riches to rags.
Accompanying her on this journey is her ex next door neighbour and friend Julie, who is single, lonely, and is taken advantage of by her son. Old school friend Caroline, who is trying her very best to be mother of the year to daughter Flora, and lastly Samantha, a stuck up, whining, man eater. Binding them all together is Charly's homemade ice-creams on their scheduled meeting nights at their homes each fortnight.
I absolutely loved this book, from the very start it reads like a dream, flows perfectly and has you stuck to the pages. It's full of love, friendship and drama. A tale of life and how to deal with it when the going gets tough. It covers most financial strains in everyone's worlds and also covers some areas that need addressing more in people's lives not just financially either, medical wise, family wise, relationship wise, friendship wise. It really does have you eating out of its hands. Well, it also has you eating ice-cream too like, but that is never ever a bad thing is it?
The combination of characters are also balanced brilliantly allowing you to feel for each individual case surrounding them, we'll almost all Samantha I couldn't bare. She's a selfish cow. Anyway, they're brilliantly balanced and well documented even the back characters like Auntie Peggy and Charly's nan, she is utterly hysterical.
I honestly could write a million words about this book but I won't, I'll leave it here, but urge you to pick up a copy.
If your a chick lit, romance lover it's seriously one for you. Full of charm, love, friendship and ice-cream.
5/5*
Accompanying her on this journey is her ex next door neighbour and friend Julie, who is single, lonely, and is taken advantage of by her son. Old school friend Caroline, who is trying her very best to be mother of the year to daughter Flora, and lastly Samantha, a stuck up, whining, man eater. Binding them all together is Charly's homemade ice-creams on their scheduled meeting nights at their homes each fortnight.
I absolutely loved this book, from the very start it reads like a dream, flows perfectly and has you stuck to the pages. It's full of love, friendship and drama. A tale of life and how to deal with it when the going gets tough. It covers most financial strains in everyone's worlds and also covers some areas that need addressing more in people's lives not just financially either, medical wise, family wise, relationship wise, friendship wise. It really does have you eating out of its hands. Well, it also has you eating ice-cream too like, but that is never ever a bad thing is it?
The combination of characters are also balanced brilliantly allowing you to feel for each individual case surrounding them, we'll almost all Samantha I couldn't bare. She's a selfish cow. Anyway, they're brilliantly balanced and well documented even the back characters like Auntie Peggy and Charly's nan, she is utterly hysterical.
I honestly could write a million words about this book but I won't, I'll leave it here, but urge you to pick up a copy.
If your a chick lit, romance lover it's seriously one for you. Full of charm, love, friendship and ice-cream.
5/5*
May 9, 2013
Charley Summers lives in the luxurious and the most gorgeous house of the block with a husband who brings oodles of money into the house which is just enough for Charley to buy anything she wants. Never in her dreams Charley imagined that one day they will be bankrupt, homeless and her husband would turn out the cheating bastard. Now there is only one way to survive for Charley Summers, get the job. She started working as cleaning lady! The only thing which is keeping her from quitting is the support from her girlfriends. While Charley was working hard in order to repay her husband’s debt, her best friends came out with the plan which would give Charley a chance to use her skills of making most scrumptious ice-cream and hopefully earn some extra money. Even after the disastrous start of her ice-cream business, Charley is quite sure that she can pull this off. This is the only book I read by Alison and I must say that her writing is delicious. I loved the way Charley’s friends supported her through the rough phase while dealing with their own less than perfect lives. The protagonist has definitely come across as the strong and likable character who just doesn’t know how to give up.
October 14, 2013
I was lucky enough to win this book and pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it as Alison Sherlock is a new author to me. The style flows so smoothly and I was fascinated by the change in circumstances of the protagonist and how she deals with it. At first she wasn't very likeable, living a life of self indulgence but when bankruptcy forces the sale of her lovely house, she gradually becomes much more likeable. It's the relationship between the four friends that I particularly enjoyed and seeing how their hopes pan out. A lovely read and the characters stay with you long after you put the book down.
July 8, 2015
I was so excited to read this book after reading Alison's first book....it didn't disappoint!
I found myself really rooting for Charley and wanting her to do well for herself, and the other girls in the story were all really likeable too (with the exception of Samantha towards the end!)
I love how the chapters were only quite short, as I can sometimes find long chapters in a book quite tedious.
Alison Sherlock is a fantastic writer and I'm looking forward to more of her books!
I found myself really rooting for Charley and wanting her to do well for herself, and the other girls in the story were all really likeable too (with the exception of Samantha towards the end!)
I love how the chapters were only quite short, as I can sometimes find long chapters in a book quite tedious.
Alison Sherlock is a fantastic writer and I'm looking forward to more of her books!
February 19, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed this book it was another one of my 10p library bargains. A good holiday/beach read but also good for anyone who thinks they are having a hard time just shows what may feel like your world falling apart my turn out to be the best thing to happen to you.
July 30, 2018
A wonderful, heartwarming story that has you gripped to the very end and wanting more
I could not put this book down and I was left desperate to read more about the lives of these women.
I could not put this book down and I was left desperate to read more about the lives of these women.
June 3, 2014
Alison Sherlock has become one of my favorite writers, she has an easy way of writing that makes you want to keep on reading until the last page. I am looking forward to her next book.
May 12, 2013
Absolutely charming novel of finding your own feet and a strong tale of friendship. Loved it!
June 17, 2013
Great story of friendship and keeping your chin up when the going gets tough!
September 26, 2014
Overall, the storyline was good. However, the parts where it switches between characters was a bit confusing.
July 19, 2013
A nice one - not brilliant but you have a good time while reading it
May 14, 2015
Great chick lit read.
November 29, 2013
Very enjoyable. Well worth reading.
May 19, 2018
A truly amazing page turner. I could not put it down. such a brilliant witty book that you can't predict. These girls just made me laugh and the men were just men hahaha.
January 7, 2023
2.5/5. It's not a bad read overall but considering the topics it shouldn't be quite as fluffy as it is. The main character is a real vain and very indulgent at the start and spends a lot of money without really thinking about it. While I'm sure we all have moments where we wish we could do that I think even we would think twice. Money is a problem in this book for all the characters but Charley's fall from grace doesn't really cause any hesitation to the friends group really spending or re-evaluating their spending habits for the most part. When done right a riches to rags trope can be a lot of fun but when a character is more upset over losing the ice cream maker over a husband there's something really wrong with the scenario. I get that he's not the best but you have to at least pretend that there was something going for them or else a divorce should have appeared on the horizon pre-poverty.
February 3, 2019
Brilliant!
This is the first time I have read a book by this author, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! The back stories were a little too long but otherwise it was a sweet tale about strong women and some good men too! The story is about three women and how they deal with the curveballs thrown at them. The blurb on the back only tells you about one of them, Charley who is the main character..our heroine...but Julie and Caroline feature quite heavily. I was rooting for them all.
If this is a first book by the author, or even if not, I am looking forward to reading more of her stories to come.
Absolutely brilliant attention to detail in the descriptions of everything....many of them particularly mouthwatering! Well done! 5*
This is the first time I have read a book by this author, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! The back stories were a little too long but otherwise it was a sweet tale about strong women and some good men too! The story is about three women and how they deal with the curveballs thrown at them. The blurb on the back only tells you about one of them, Charley who is the main character..our heroine...but Julie and Caroline feature quite heavily. I was rooting for them all.
If this is a first book by the author, or even if not, I am looking forward to reading more of her stories to come.
Absolutely brilliant attention to detail in the descriptions of everything....many of them particularly mouthwatering! Well done! 5*
April 21, 2024
A really good rags to riches story and it does not come easy with her business but at least she is willing to do anything she can to get back on her feet.
December 4, 2019
I found this one a little disappointing as a follow-up to her excellent debut novel, it’s not bad but I didn’t make the same connections to the characters as I had with “The desperate bride’s diet club” until the last 15% of the book.
October 6, 2020
I read the first book of the Desperate Series and it was good but this one I think is better. It got me thinking about my life in general. It's an easy read and I've enjoyed every moment of reading it.
December 24, 2020
Unputdownable
A great read. I couldn't put it down, Charley's life is turned upside down when her husband's business goes bankrupt, but with help from her friends and swallowing her pride by taking a cleaning job she turns her life around. Ice cream anyone?
A great read. I couldn't put it down, Charley's life is turned upside down when her husband's business goes bankrupt, but with help from her friends and swallowing her pride by taking a cleaning job she turns her life around. Ice cream anyone?
June 15, 2021
Very enjoyable
Great story about friends and family looking out for each other when times are hard. Made me laugh out loud in places. Fabulous characters with a special friendship.
Great story about friends and family looking out for each other when times are hard. Made me laugh out loud in places. Fabulous characters with a special friendship.
October 23, 2018
Amazing funny lovely book
Loved the story line u feel like u know them all. Couldn't put it down read every day . Happy story
Loved the story line u feel like u know them all. Couldn't put it down read every day . Happy story
May 23, 2020
Enjoyable enough that I read it a second time even though I knew the ending
December 10, 2020
I love the book and how simple it was written yet full with emotions. It's a page turner and a feel good book. Charley is such a brave woman and Mike is a dream. 😊
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews