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The Wrong Girl
Lily is a producer on a successful cooking segment for a daily morning show. The new chef has just arrived on set and he is drop dead gorgeous. And despite everything – the sabbatical that Lily and her flatmate Simone are taking from men, the fact that Jack is a work colleague – Lily falls head over heels for him.
And while Lily battles her feelings, her flatmate Simone breaks their pact and starts dating some guy from her wholefoods shop. That guy turns out to be Jack. Up close, Lily bravely watches on as romance blossoms between Simone and Jack. Or does it? They don't seem to have much in common, apart from their striking good looks. And Lily and Jack just seem to get each other. Is that the same thing as falling in love? And could she ever dream of betraying a friendship? Lily has to make some difficult decisions about work and home, and realises that if she doesn't take life by the scruff of the neck, she is the one who'll be picked up, shaken and dumped.
And while Lily battles her feelings, her flatmate Simone breaks their pact and starts dating some guy from her wholefoods shop. That guy turns out to be Jack. Up close, Lily bravely watches on as romance blossoms between Simone and Jack. Or does it? They don't seem to have much in common, apart from their striking good looks. And Lily and Jack just seem to get each other. Is that the same thing as falling in love? And could she ever dream of betraying a friendship? Lily has to make some difficult decisions about work and home, and realises that if she doesn't take life by the scruff of the neck, she is the one who'll be picked up, shaken and dumped.
304 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2014
84 people are currently reading
2606 people want to read
About the author
Zoë Foster Blake
24 books660 followersZoë Foster Blake is an Australian author and the founder of Go-To skin care. Yes, she is writing this in third person.
Zoë writes mostly for young women, because she thinks they're wonderful and deserve nice books.
Zoë has published five fiction titles, THINGS WILL CALM DOWN SOON, AIR KISSES, PLAYING THE FIELD, THE YOUNGER MAN and THE WRONG GIRL (made into a network TV series in Australia).
Zoë has also written four non-fiction titles: a dating and relationship guide called TEXTBOOK ROMANCE, (written with Hamish Blake), AMAZINGER FACE, a compilation of beauty tips and tricks, BREAK-UP BOSS, (also an app) and LOVE!, essays from a decade spent writing relationship advice. She published CLEAN SLATE, an Audible Original about infidelity in a seemingly perfect marriage in 2020.
She also writes picture books: NO ONE LIKES A FART, which won the ABIA Children’s Picture Book of the Year in 2018 because farts are where it’s AT, BACK TO SLEEP, FART AND BURP ARE SUPERSTINKERS (titled NO ONE LIKES A BURP in the US), SCAREDY BATH, BATTLE MUM, HAPPY FARTER’S DAY, and BEST PRESENT EVER.
When she's not updating her goodreads bio she's writing her new novel, out Oct 2026.
Zoë writes mostly for young women, because she thinks they're wonderful and deserve nice books.
Zoë has published five fiction titles, THINGS WILL CALM DOWN SOON, AIR KISSES, PLAYING THE FIELD, THE YOUNGER MAN and THE WRONG GIRL (made into a network TV series in Australia).
Zoë has also written four non-fiction titles: a dating and relationship guide called TEXTBOOK ROMANCE, (written with Hamish Blake), AMAZINGER FACE, a compilation of beauty tips and tricks, BREAK-UP BOSS, (also an app) and LOVE!, essays from a decade spent writing relationship advice. She published CLEAN SLATE, an Audible Original about infidelity in a seemingly perfect marriage in 2020.
She also writes picture books: NO ONE LIKES A FART, which won the ABIA Children’s Picture Book of the Year in 2018 because farts are where it’s AT, BACK TO SLEEP, FART AND BURP ARE SUPERSTINKERS (titled NO ONE LIKES A BURP in the US), SCAREDY BATH, BATTLE MUM, HAPPY FARTER’S DAY, and BEST PRESENT EVER.
When she's not updating her goodreads bio she's writing her new novel, out Oct 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
October 6, 2016
Zoe Foster’s fourth novel, The Wrong Girl recently caught my attention when an Australian television network Ten, adapted it into a television series. I have had The Wrong Girl sitting on my bookshelves since it was released in 2014. As I dislike watching television or film productions of a book I haven’t read yet, I thought now was the perfect opportunity to dust this book off my shelves.
The Wrong Girl is the quintessential chick-lit novel, with a distinct Australian flavour. It takes the reader into the life of Lily Woodward, a young woman nearing thirty and seriously contemplating the lack of achievement in her life to-date. Lily works hard on a daily morning television show, as a successful producer on a cooking segment. She has itchy feet and longs for a promotion. Her career and love life is thrown a curveball when a new chef Jack starts to work closely with Lily. Despite initially rubbing Lily up the wrong way, she soon finds herself connecting with Jack. When Jack dates her flatmate, bikini model Simone, things get complicated for Lily. She does not want to entertain a relationship as she is undergoing a strict ‘guy detox’. This is a pact Lily has vowed to stick by for six months, after a less than successful coupling attempt with her friend Pete. However, her attraction for Jack may sway her man-cleanse but her friendship with Simone and her professional working relationship with Jack also stands in the way.
I used to lap up any chick-lit novel that came my way back in my late teens and early twenties but as I have matured and my life situation has changed, I rarely read novels such as The Wrong Girl. I actually really enjoyed being taken into the life as a singledom in current day Australia. Foster highlights the ins and outs of living the life as a single girl in Australia, complete with career doubts and life choices, through her main character Lily. What I also liked about The Wrong Girl is that it was not simply a book that focussed on romance. It is a book that looks at our current generation’s experience at navigating life as single woman. This is as much about the choices Lily’s faces and her career issues, as much as it s about her love life. What I also liked about The Wrong Girl is that it isn't a completely fluffy heart and rainbows style tale. It does take a look at some series issues, such as flatmate Simone’s lifestyle and resulting addiction issues. Balanced with these more serious issues, is the overall light-hearted tone of the novel. The dialogue in particular, has an honest and friendly tone, with more than few moments of good humour thrown in the mix. Finally, what I also enjoyed most about reading The Wrong Girl, was the Australian city setting. Blake uses The Wrong Girl’s setting to showcase many areas readers will be familiar with, such as Bondi and the city of Sydney itself.
The Wrong Girl is an enjoyable novel that will be sure to have you laughing at this modern day take on romance and life choices. It is an easy to read book, with a delightful cast of characters, led by an endearing protagonist Lily, who you just can’t help but cheer on.
3.5 stars
*This review also appears on my blog: https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com/
The Wrong Girl is the quintessential chick-lit novel, with a distinct Australian flavour. It takes the reader into the life of Lily Woodward, a young woman nearing thirty and seriously contemplating the lack of achievement in her life to-date. Lily works hard on a daily morning television show, as a successful producer on a cooking segment. She has itchy feet and longs for a promotion. Her career and love life is thrown a curveball when a new chef Jack starts to work closely with Lily. Despite initially rubbing Lily up the wrong way, she soon finds herself connecting with Jack. When Jack dates her flatmate, bikini model Simone, things get complicated for Lily. She does not want to entertain a relationship as she is undergoing a strict ‘guy detox’. This is a pact Lily has vowed to stick by for six months, after a less than successful coupling attempt with her friend Pete. However, her attraction for Jack may sway her man-cleanse but her friendship with Simone and her professional working relationship with Jack also stands in the way.
I used to lap up any chick-lit novel that came my way back in my late teens and early twenties but as I have matured and my life situation has changed, I rarely read novels such as The Wrong Girl. I actually really enjoyed being taken into the life as a singledom in current day Australia. Foster highlights the ins and outs of living the life as a single girl in Australia, complete with career doubts and life choices, through her main character Lily. What I also liked about The Wrong Girl is that it was not simply a book that focussed on romance. It is a book that looks at our current generation’s experience at navigating life as single woman. This is as much about the choices Lily’s faces and her career issues, as much as it s about her love life. What I also liked about The Wrong Girl is that it isn't a completely fluffy heart and rainbows style tale. It does take a look at some series issues, such as flatmate Simone’s lifestyle and resulting addiction issues. Balanced with these more serious issues, is the overall light-hearted tone of the novel. The dialogue in particular, has an honest and friendly tone, with more than few moments of good humour thrown in the mix. Finally, what I also enjoyed most about reading The Wrong Girl, was the Australian city setting. Blake uses The Wrong Girl’s setting to showcase many areas readers will be familiar with, such as Bondi and the city of Sydney itself.
The Wrong Girl is an enjoyable novel that will be sure to have you laughing at this modern day take on romance and life choices. It is an easy to read book, with a delightful cast of characters, led by an endearing protagonist Lily, who you just can’t help but cheer on.
3.5 stars
*This review also appears on my blog: https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com/
February 6, 2017
I think 2 stars is even being generous and the only reason I'm awarding this book 2 stars is due to the fact that I liked Jack as a character and I really like Zoe Foster...so I really wanted to like the book, but it was a tough slog...if I hadn't been on holiday and lacking more reading material I would have put it down quite easily.
All the characters were vapid and lacking any redeeming qualities. Lily was horribly jealous and rude to her friends. So judgemental! And a complete brat...sorry Zoe! I don't think your writing style suits me but I'm a big fan of you and your family!
All the characters were vapid and lacking any redeeming qualities. Lily was horribly jealous and rude to her friends. So judgemental! And a complete brat...sorry Zoe! I don't think your writing style suits me but I'm a big fan of you and your family!
November 17, 2016
This book falls into a rare category in my back catalogue of reviews. I hardly ever award a book 5 stars and I hardly ever award a book 1 star because I want to reserve them for books that are genuinely perfect or genuinely awful. Unfortunately for Zoe Foster, she now becomes the author of only the second book I’ve ever give 1 star to.
Lily is the narrator and she may well be the titular wrong girl as well – it’s hard to tell, there are so many of them in the book. After sleeping with her best friend, Pete, he casually tells her he’s in love with someone else. She not-so-casually tells him piss off and that’s the last we see of him. Lily’s housemate, Simone, has just broken up with a total dick so the girls decide to have a man break and detox.
But Simone is a bikini model and an airhead and a perpetual pill-popper, so she doesn’t last very long. Instead, she hooks up with… well, pretty much everyone in the book. And then she nabs the hot new chef Lily works with as a segment producer on a morning television show. Cue Lily spending pretty much the rest of the book alternating between being envious and telling herself she doesn’t really like the chef that much.
In between, Lily hates, then loves, then hates, then loves, then quits her job; dates a muso, ignores a muso, shags another muso, silently creeps out of that muso’s hotel room; goes to Greece for her thirtieth birthday with her mum and her mum’s new boyfriend (ew!); returns home to get kicked out of her house by a relocating Simone who is embracing an informal rehab program and the dick of a boyfriend she broke up with at the start of the book; and then lands her dream job. Because that’s what happens in Gen Y land – mummy pays for a trip to Europe and everything you ever wanted happens if you just let it. Vomit!
I read this book knowing that Valentine’s Day was coming up in my blog book review schedule and because I love a good theme, I thought it would be appropriate. But there is no stage of relationship anyone can be in that would make it timely for this book to be read. Whiny, self-indulgent, Gen Y characters, thank you but no. Snapshot of “I know everything, why am I not paid better and universally adored?” passing itself off as plot, ugh. Dialogue that sounds like a primary schooler wrote it while imagining how adults talk when children aren’t around, meh. And writing so bad I don’t understand how the book ever got published. Of course, I know how it got published. The author has an okay back catalogue, a famous husband and is now doing underwear commercials so she’s a marketer’s dream. But based on this effort, she certainly isn’t a reader’s dream.
If you’ve seen the television miniseries adaptation and read the book, you’ll realise that they share only the most basic of plot points. Clearly, the producers realised how bad the book was and knew they’d have to make changes but, you know, marketer’s dream and all that, especially with famous husband making a charming cameo.
Perhaps the worst part comes in the acknowledgements where the author thanks her editor and publisher “who encouraged me to perform some exquisite surgery on my story and make it into the tight, fun package you just read”. I’m not sure how this book could have been worse but apparently it was. It’s just a shame that neither the author nor her editor realised it was brain dead long before the surgery was over due to a lack of oxygen.
The only redeeming thing about this book is that it serves as an important lesson for everyone out there writing: if something as bad as this book can be published, then there’s still hope for the rest of us.
Lily is the narrator and she may well be the titular wrong girl as well – it’s hard to tell, there are so many of them in the book. After sleeping with her best friend, Pete, he casually tells her he’s in love with someone else. She not-so-casually tells him piss off and that’s the last we see of him. Lily’s housemate, Simone, has just broken up with a total dick so the girls decide to have a man break and detox.
But Simone is a bikini model and an airhead and a perpetual pill-popper, so she doesn’t last very long. Instead, she hooks up with… well, pretty much everyone in the book. And then she nabs the hot new chef Lily works with as a segment producer on a morning television show. Cue Lily spending pretty much the rest of the book alternating between being envious and telling herself she doesn’t really like the chef that much.
In between, Lily hates, then loves, then hates, then loves, then quits her job; dates a muso, ignores a muso, shags another muso, silently creeps out of that muso’s hotel room; goes to Greece for her thirtieth birthday with her mum and her mum’s new boyfriend (ew!); returns home to get kicked out of her house by a relocating Simone who is embracing an informal rehab program and the dick of a boyfriend she broke up with at the start of the book; and then lands her dream job. Because that’s what happens in Gen Y land – mummy pays for a trip to Europe and everything you ever wanted happens if you just let it. Vomit!
I read this book knowing that Valentine’s Day was coming up in my blog book review schedule and because I love a good theme, I thought it would be appropriate. But there is no stage of relationship anyone can be in that would make it timely for this book to be read. Whiny, self-indulgent, Gen Y characters, thank you but no. Snapshot of “I know everything, why am I not paid better and universally adored?” passing itself off as plot, ugh. Dialogue that sounds like a primary schooler wrote it while imagining how adults talk when children aren’t around, meh. And writing so bad I don’t understand how the book ever got published. Of course, I know how it got published. The author has an okay back catalogue, a famous husband and is now doing underwear commercials so she’s a marketer’s dream. But based on this effort, she certainly isn’t a reader’s dream.
If you’ve seen the television miniseries adaptation and read the book, you’ll realise that they share only the most basic of plot points. Clearly, the producers realised how bad the book was and knew they’d have to make changes but, you know, marketer’s dream and all that, especially with famous husband making a charming cameo.
Perhaps the worst part comes in the acknowledgements where the author thanks her editor and publisher “who encouraged me to perform some exquisite surgery on my story and make it into the tight, fun package you just read”. I’m not sure how this book could have been worse but apparently it was. It’s just a shame that neither the author nor her editor realised it was brain dead long before the surgery was over due to a lack of oxygen.
The only redeeming thing about this book is that it serves as an important lesson for everyone out there writing: if something as bad as this book can be published, then there’s still hope for the rest of us.
March 19, 2014
The Wrong Girl is the fourth lighthearted chick-lit novel from Australian author Zoe Foster. Despite having several of her previous works on my shelves including The Younger Man this is the first book of hers I have read, though I do read her weekly column in the Sunday paper.
Reeling from an ill-advised one night stand with a friend, Lily makes a pact with housemate and gorgeous bikini model bestie Simone, to swear off men for at least six months. It's hardly a stretch for Lily who has barely had a date in the last two years and besides she needs to focus on advancing her stalled career. Though she enjoys her role as a cooking segment producer on a popular morning television show, Lily is tired of her supervisor taking credit for her hard work and ideas. The only compensation in her job is the new TV chef, Jack Winters. Though they got off on the wrong foot when Jack first stole her parking space and then her kettle, twice, Lily can't help but be charmed by his amiable personality and good looks. Maybe she is developing a little crush, just a teeny one, but by the time she decides to risk breaking her 'SaBOYtical' she discovers Jack is seeing someone else. Simone. Deflated, she throws herself into a special project aimed at gaining her the promotion she craves but when she is passed over despite its success, she realises it's time to move on, not only from her job, but also from Jack.
The Wrong Girl is in many respects a coming-of-age novel on Gen Y terms. Nearing her thirtieth birthday, Lily feels as if her life has stalled. She has none of what she imagined she might at her age - a steady relationship, a progressive career, or her own home and Foster explores Lily's struggle with her inertia and insecurities.
The love triangle, of sorts, between Lily, Simone and Jack is well handled. Lily wouldn't dream of interfering in Simone and Jack's relationship, even if she believes they are all wrong for each other.
A more serious element of the story relates to Simone's struggle with addiction. One quick drink turns into a three day bender, an Ambien to help her sleep needs countering by an upper to get her to work. Despite her stunning looks, her successful career and enviable lifestyle Simone is as insecure as Lily, who has none of her advantages.
Foster grounds the novel in Sydney with mentions of Bondi, Wonderland and the Harbour, recognisable landmarks to both locals and overseas visitors. I'm thankful the author avoided the irritating name/label dropping that usually accompanies novels involving television/celebrity/models, though there is the odd reference.
I enjoyed The Wrong Girl, well written with appealing, genuine characters, it is an entertaining and easy read.
September 18, 2021
I’ve had this book for years and I decided to give it a go for my ‘W’ book on an A-Z book challenge. Zoe Foster Blake is quite well known in Australia and this book, in particular, is popular as it was adapted into a TV series. I didn’t watch the show, but I knew the general chicklit premise -- Lily is a producer of a morning tv show on which Jack, a chef, gets a regular gig -- think, Aussie Bridget Jones.
On the last point, the book is very Australian, especially its dialogue. If you want to know how Australians speak, read this book. The slang was spot on and I often felt like I was listening to some of my friends speaking. But…
There’s nothing wrong with the book or Foster-Blake’s writing per se but I just found it all a little bland and boring. I thought it would be funnier. I actually don’t remember laughing once, despite it being marketed as a hilarious romp. The romance was weak; I didn’t think Lily and Jack had much chemistry at all.
With these types of books though it’s often the supporting characters who steal the show. In this case, not so much, with only Lily’s mum having some potential but she's woefully underutilised. Lily's best friend Simone’s story was Foster-Blake’s attempt to highlight a serious issue (drug addiction) but it wasn't executed well, in my opinion.
While I was looking for something sweet with a touch of escapism from the reality of our lives at the moment, the talk of music festivals and holidays overseas just made me more depressed.
Average 2 ½ out of 5
On the last point, the book is very Australian, especially its dialogue. If you want to know how Australians speak, read this book. The slang was spot on and I often felt like I was listening to some of my friends speaking. But…
There’s nothing wrong with the book or Foster-Blake’s writing per se but I just found it all a little bland and boring. I thought it would be funnier. I actually don’t remember laughing once, despite it being marketed as a hilarious romp. The romance was weak; I didn’t think Lily and Jack had much chemistry at all.
With these types of books though it’s often the supporting characters who steal the show. In this case, not so much, with only Lily’s mum having some potential but she's woefully underutilised. Lily's best friend Simone’s story was Foster-Blake’s attempt to highlight a serious issue (drug addiction) but it wasn't executed well, in my opinion.
While I was looking for something sweet with a touch of escapism from the reality of our lives at the moment, the talk of music festivals and holidays overseas just made me more depressed.
Average 2 ½ out of 5
June 4, 2021
thought this would be a fun little novel to explore. IT WAS NOT. # BIGGEST WASTE OF MY TIME. Not too bad. Could be better. Very cliche. Idk what I expected. Thanks for reminding me on why I hate romance novels.
February 11, 2017
I picked up this book following the recent TV series which is based on it. It's an enjoyable light read, with enough differences from the TV series that the plot seems fresh. However, perhaps as a result of watching the TV series, I felt some characters were a bit underdeveloped, as they (or their equivalents) were more interesting in the TV version. I also felt that some plot threads were left unresolved, though again perhaps I was influenced by how these were handled in the TV series.
The plot is engaging, not focused solely on the romance but also on the central character's career and friendships. And while everything is wrapped up a little bit too neatly at the end, who doesn't like a happy ending?
Overall, this was an enjoyable, easy read.
The plot is engaging, not focused solely on the romance but also on the central character's career and friendships. And while everything is wrapped up a little bit too neatly at the end, who doesn't like a happy ending?
Overall, this was an enjoyable, easy read.
January 11, 2017
This took a long time to finish as I couldn't stand the vapidity of most of the characters. Having also watched the tv show, I can say that they made great changes, creating characters (out with the boring, a times painful, ones in the novel, in with more interesting nuanced ones) that were relatable. I would have thrown this book out, but was determined to finish, and really had to skim read to do so. Thank god, I've finished and can read something else. I hope these characters aren't based on real people.
April 20, 2016
I was curious to read this after reading that it had been optioned for a television series on Network 10. I don't often read chick lit of this variety and while it was a breezy read it has to be a solid 2.5 as a rating because it sat dead in the middle of being fun and "meh" for lack of a better word. There's nothing wrong with frothy fiction like this but if the characters had a bit more spunk it would have livened up the well-trod plot a notch for me.
February 7, 2018
Was suppose to be just a quick read but I've been sooooooooooooo busy! I hate not having much time to read these days.
Anyways, the book was a cute read. I wanted to read it before I start watching the show. The characters are so relatable.
Anyways, the book was a cute read. I wanted to read it before I start watching the show. The characters are so relatable.
April 17, 2015
A fun read!
April 20, 2014
Today I am reviewing The Wrong Girl by Zoe Foster.
I must admit I struggle a little with the chick literature genre. Previous books I have read in this genre remind me of a bad episode of Home and Away but I was pleasantly surprised with The Wrong Girl.
We first meet Lily as she is dealing with the aftermath of sleeping with her best guy friend who immediately after the fact confesses his feelings for another woman.
So in response to that lack of judgement, Lily and her flatmate Simone (a health conscious blogger & model who likes to party hard and date the bad boy) decide to go on a self-inflicted man cleanse to get their female power back.
Lily is also a producer for a cooking show segment on daytime television. She is overlooked for a promotion at work and finds herself working under one of her previous collegues. She also has a crush on the new chef Jack Winters (the man candy on her cooking show segment) but he is in a relationship with Simone who is dealing with issues regarding her ex-boyfriend and a potential drug habit.
So the story is about a love triangle between Lily, Jack and Simone with a potential career crisis thrown in.
What will unfold next?
This the first fiction book I have read from Zoe Foster and and found the book a lighthearted and an easy read. Zoe has a great ability to create characters easily identifiable and likeable no matter how flawed they are. The dialogue in the book reminded me of conversations after a big night out with my girlfriends in my single days rehashing the night before.
It did take me until the second or third chapter to "get into the book" as it was a little slow to start. There are many references to the Sydney area and many times thought I was reading about the secrets from a particular daytime TV cooking show on Channel Ten.
* Spoiler Alert: While the ending was a little predictable, it tied up the loose ends between the characters.
This book is an easy and entertaining to read and I give it 3 stars out of 5.
I must admit I struggle a little with the chick literature genre. Previous books I have read in this genre remind me of a bad episode of Home and Away but I was pleasantly surprised with The Wrong Girl.
We first meet Lily as she is dealing with the aftermath of sleeping with her best guy friend who immediately after the fact confesses his feelings for another woman.
So in response to that lack of judgement, Lily and her flatmate Simone (a health conscious blogger & model who likes to party hard and date the bad boy) decide to go on a self-inflicted man cleanse to get their female power back.
Lily is also a producer for a cooking show segment on daytime television. She is overlooked for a promotion at work and finds herself working under one of her previous collegues. She also has a crush on the new chef Jack Winters (the man candy on her cooking show segment) but he is in a relationship with Simone who is dealing with issues regarding her ex-boyfriend and a potential drug habit.
So the story is about a love triangle between Lily, Jack and Simone with a potential career crisis thrown in.
What will unfold next?
This the first fiction book I have read from Zoe Foster and and found the book a lighthearted and an easy read. Zoe has a great ability to create characters easily identifiable and likeable no matter how flawed they are. The dialogue in the book reminded me of conversations after a big night out with my girlfriends in my single days rehashing the night before.
It did take me until the second or third chapter to "get into the book" as it was a little slow to start. There are many references to the Sydney area and many times thought I was reading about the secrets from a particular daytime TV cooking show on Channel Ten.
* Spoiler Alert: While the ending was a little predictable, it tied up the loose ends between the characters.
This book is an easy and entertaining to read and I give it 3 stars out of 5.
April 24, 2017
This was an easy read, and I think my younger self would have liked this book a lot more than my present self. I found the characters to be fairly stereotypical, and it seemed like the author was trying too hard to make the main character, Lily, seem relatable, and when she attempted to add any dimensions to her characters it felt forced.
February 6, 2016
I love Zoe Foster. Her column is witty, clever, and just downright hilarious. I just don't think that humour translates well in her novels though. It just feels so try-hard. I enjoy the occasional chick-lit read, but this one was so predictable and just a little silly. I hated Simone with such a passion, and was waiting for her to get her comeuppance the entire novel. And as for Lily - anyone who can eat that much food, drink that much alcohol, not exercise, and STILL be thin - sheesh. I'm jealous. A good beach read, but not much substance.
February 24, 2017
Um I think I like chick lit now. I LOVE Zoe Foster (Blake) and this book left me giggling on the train.
OMG also 600% excited for the TV adaption!
OMG also 600% excited for the TV adaption!
May 14, 2023
i feel like i probably never gave this book a fair chance, i ran out of books and needed something to read for a few days… and this one had been sitting on my shelves for a few years. this book was just so… nothing? there was absolutely zero reason for lily to hate jack and it just wasn’t believable at all. the plot went nowhere and i didn’t care enough for any characters to truely become invested.
January 19, 2020
She changed the name of the protagonist in the last two chapters and I can’t move past this!
December 14, 2025
Average, very average.
The 2 season tv series starring Jessica Marais was 10 times better than this book. Characters in the series better than the mostly. Never mind that it was filmed in Melbourne, yet the novel is set in Sydney. Lily in the series is blonde, yet in the novel she is brunette. And Simmons is more likeable in the series.
The 2 season tv series starring Jessica Marais was 10 times better than this book. Characters in the series better than the mostly. Never mind that it was filmed in Melbourne, yet the novel is set in Sydney. Lily in the series is blonde, yet in the novel she is brunette. And Simmons is more likeable in the series.
May 26, 2020
Really quite enjoyed this book! A personal opinion for me is it could have been a bit longer, to see how jack and lily would go and her friend in rehab. Overall enjoyable book at that’s 2 Zoe Foster Blake books I’ve read in 4 days and I thoroughly enjoy her writing style
July 12, 2019
I didn't finish this one. 10 chapters was 10 too many. The fact that this was optioned for a TV series is, in my opinion, a clear case of "It's not what you know, it's who you know".
November 4, 2020
Would’ve given it 5 stars but they didn’t even kiss 😠
August 7, 2025
Interesting to see how the chick lit of 2014 like this basically doesn’t exist anymore and we just have hardcore smut
September 3, 2017
quite predictable, but an enjoyable light hearted read regardless for those who enjoy their feel goods. I found the protagonist, Lily, a bit irritating in a cute and innocent way, much like fifty shades of grey's Ana but not quite as bad to point of cringe. she was just so nice and over considerate with everyone and every situation which caused everything to not quite work in her favour. aside from all the sighs and ahhs and what could've been moments, the wrong girl is consistent with funny moments and thoughts, other fun and more outrageous characters which makes it all forgiving towards Lily's overly good hearted, do-right attitude.
August 7, 2016
The Wrong Girl has recently been made into a TV series (one of the many things premiering after the Olympics), starring Jessica Marais. I think Marais is a fantastic actress and that’s 90% why I chose to pick up this book (the other 10% is for the balloons on the cover). Some years ago I read Zoe Foster Blake’s Playing the Field and while I enjoyed it, it wasn’t 100% my cup of tea (seeing as we’re talking percentages, 90% of this was probably due to the wrong football code). The Wrong Girl is definitely more up my alley, with food, TV, snortingly funny moments and just the feeling of being totally…real. It’s the kind of thing that could happen to any girl if she was lucky!
The wrong girl of the story is Lily. She’s a TV segment producer on a morning program with aims to go higher but not really too sure how to get there. She’s also just slept with her best friend, who at the conclusion told her about the girl he’s in love with. Totally repelled by Pete’s idiotic actions, she and flatmate/best bud Simone decide to go on a man detox. Which is fine until hot new chef starts on Lily’s show, then promptly falls for Simone. Suddenly everything – work, friendship and love is even more mixed up than before. But Lily won’t go down without a fight, even if it means trying to drive a manual hot ute in a desperate search for ingredients for the lovely Jack…
I loved this book. It wasn’t just the humour, not the descriptions of the food nor the fun times that Lily, Jack and Simone have. To be all serious and kind of nerdy, it’s a coming of age book for those in their late twenties. The time when you want it all, but have no freaking clue of how to get there and wonder if you’re going to be in limbo forever after as those around you get hot men, promotions and just general luck. Lily epitomises all that, and while things do come together for her, it’s not in a way that she was expecting. It’s an ultimately a positive novel that celebrates friendship and finding out who you are. The other characters aren’t immune from that theme either – country boy Jack needs to work out his place in the city and Simone needs to face why she’s fond of pills and quite a few drinks.
The only character who didn’t quite get his time in the spotlight is Pete. At the start he seemed like a nice guy (if a little sleazy) but then he turned into an alpha douche. There’s a follow up scene where Lily cuts him down in rather a mature sense (very restrained girl!) and then he disappears. By this point I was quite glad because he was a total tool. From some early pics, I suspect Pete has more of a role to play in the TV show and it will be interesting to see how his character is portrayed (like does he have a reason to act like a total tool?). I’m also looking forward to more of free spirit Alice, Lily’s colleague and friend and Nikkii (2 Ks, 2 Is) the self-absorbed co-worker. All the characters are quirky and individualised, there aren’t any paper cut-outs here! I also loved the inherent Aussie-ness of the novel with its mentions of Bondi Beach, country shows (oh the competitiveness) and general fun times. (However, if you’re not Aussie, please don’t be put off by this – ask the internet!) Plus, bonus points for being about to mention rosewater and Iron Chef in the same novel.
I’m hoping with the imminent arrival of The Wrong Girl series there will be a reprint of Zoe’s other novels because I’ve been an idiot to ignore the rest based on my football leanings (even though Aussie Rules is 10 gazillion times better). That would be amazing, or should I say amazing-er?
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
The wrong girl of the story is Lily. She’s a TV segment producer on a morning program with aims to go higher but not really too sure how to get there. She’s also just slept with her best friend, who at the conclusion told her about the girl he’s in love with. Totally repelled by Pete’s idiotic actions, she and flatmate/best bud Simone decide to go on a man detox. Which is fine until hot new chef starts on Lily’s show, then promptly falls for Simone. Suddenly everything – work, friendship and love is even more mixed up than before. But Lily won’t go down without a fight, even if it means trying to drive a manual hot ute in a desperate search for ingredients for the lovely Jack…
I loved this book. It wasn’t just the humour, not the descriptions of the food nor the fun times that Lily, Jack and Simone have. To be all serious and kind of nerdy, it’s a coming of age book for those in their late twenties. The time when you want it all, but have no freaking clue of how to get there and wonder if you’re going to be in limbo forever after as those around you get hot men, promotions and just general luck. Lily epitomises all that, and while things do come together for her, it’s not in a way that she was expecting. It’s an ultimately a positive novel that celebrates friendship and finding out who you are. The other characters aren’t immune from that theme either – country boy Jack needs to work out his place in the city and Simone needs to face why she’s fond of pills and quite a few drinks.
The only character who didn’t quite get his time in the spotlight is Pete. At the start he seemed like a nice guy (if a little sleazy) but then he turned into an alpha douche. There’s a follow up scene where Lily cuts him down in rather a mature sense (very restrained girl!) and then he disappears. By this point I was quite glad because he was a total tool. From some early pics, I suspect Pete has more of a role to play in the TV show and it will be interesting to see how his character is portrayed (like does he have a reason to act like a total tool?). I’m also looking forward to more of free spirit Alice, Lily’s colleague and friend and Nikkii (2 Ks, 2 Is) the self-absorbed co-worker. All the characters are quirky and individualised, there aren’t any paper cut-outs here! I also loved the inherent Aussie-ness of the novel with its mentions of Bondi Beach, country shows (oh the competitiveness) and general fun times. (However, if you’re not Aussie, please don’t be put off by this – ask the internet!) Plus, bonus points for being about to mention rosewater and Iron Chef in the same novel.
I’m hoping with the imminent arrival of The Wrong Girl series there will be a reprint of Zoe’s other novels because I’ve been an idiot to ignore the rest based on my football leanings (even though Aussie Rules is 10 gazillion times better). That would be amazing, or should I say amazing-er?
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
October 26, 2017
This book was a bad romance novel with no sex scenes. I did not like it at all. Nothing happened.
May 8, 2014
Zoe Foster's latest book, The Wrong Girl, may possibly be her best yet. Sure, I've only read one of her other books, but The Wrong Girl was definitely better than The Younger Man. Same sort of concept, light and fluff chick lit, but with a lot more soul. Which is a lot more than I could about other girly books I've read recently.
Plus, I have to be a little bit biased. Not only is Zoe Foster Australian, but she's married to (and expecting a baby with) the delightfully funny Hamish Blake. So I just assume if she's with him then she has to be a nice person.
Lily is a 29 year old woman who isn't having much luck with men. Basically, she thinks they're all dogs and she doesn't want to have anything to do with them. So she decides to have a man break - no men for three months. No flirting, texting, dating or sleeping with men. No way.
Luckily for her, her beautiful model roommate, Simone, goes in on the pact with her to stop dating men. Unfortunately for Lily, a hot new chef Jack has started at her work, and not only can he cook, but he's a nice guy too. Uh-oh. So not only is Lily struggling to get a promotion at her work, but she's also struggling against her feelings for her co-worker. Double uh-oh. Simone breaks the pact...to start dating Jack.
Damn, can a girl just catch a break?
The Wrong Girl has all the ingredients for a light-hearted chick lit and Zoe Foster nails all of them. Sure, it is absolutely ridiculous that Simone and Jack would randomly meet in a city the size of Sydney, but hey! It's a chick lit, let's go with it. And really, would Lily be quite so cavalier about her best friend dating her crush - particularly since her best friend is a model, which already has to hit at the self-esteem.
Read the rest of my review here http://setinmotion1.wordpress.com/201...
Plus, I have to be a little bit biased. Not only is Zoe Foster Australian, but she's married to (and expecting a baby with) the delightfully funny Hamish Blake. So I just assume if she's with him then she has to be a nice person.
Lily is a 29 year old woman who isn't having much luck with men. Basically, she thinks they're all dogs and she doesn't want to have anything to do with them. So she decides to have a man break - no men for three months. No flirting, texting, dating or sleeping with men. No way.
Luckily for her, her beautiful model roommate, Simone, goes in on the pact with her to stop dating men. Unfortunately for Lily, a hot new chef Jack has started at her work, and not only can he cook, but he's a nice guy too. Uh-oh. So not only is Lily struggling to get a promotion at her work, but she's also struggling against her feelings for her co-worker. Double uh-oh. Simone breaks the pact...to start dating Jack.
Damn, can a girl just catch a break?
The Wrong Girl has all the ingredients for a light-hearted chick lit and Zoe Foster nails all of them. Sure, it is absolutely ridiculous that Simone and Jack would randomly meet in a city the size of Sydney, but hey! It's a chick lit, let's go with it. And really, would Lily be quite so cavalier about her best friend dating her crush - particularly since her best friend is a model, which already has to hit at the self-esteem.
Read the rest of my review here http://setinmotion1.wordpress.com/201...
February 7, 2015
To be honest, I expected to hate this book. I expected it to be dull, insipid, flat and cliched. But it turned out to be a lot better than I expected and I tore through it in a weekend.
Lily and Alice are the two best characters of the book; and Lily the heroine is especially relatable. Simone the blonde bikini model is too far off in the clouds and too perfect (but ahh wait, perfectly flawed) to be entirely, really likeable. And Jack has been shrouded in too much denim, polo T-shirts, spicy, musky aftershave and is probably too cute and perfect to bear resemblance to any living person, but hey, he is the incarnation of the Nice Guy every girl eventually starts to realise she needs in her life. As such, his actual attributes apart from his niceness don't really matter. And as a plot device, it actually all works out really nicely.
Being halfway through Dave Egger's Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, I had trouble adjusting to Zoe's writing style - the latter being more literal than literary - but in time I've come to prefer her voice (yes, not devoid of cliche, but overwhelming filled with warmth, affection, humour and a genuine sense of fun) compared to Egger's furious, pretentious, woe-is-me angry-male persona. There's some nice life lessons in there that don't feel forced or preachy, and in the end I felt as satisfied with the read as if I had had a bite of Jack's delicious, award-winning rosewater scones.
Lily and Alice are the two best characters of the book; and Lily the heroine is especially relatable. Simone the blonde bikini model is too far off in the clouds and too perfect (but ahh wait, perfectly flawed) to be entirely, really likeable. And Jack has been shrouded in too much denim, polo T-shirts, spicy, musky aftershave and is probably too cute and perfect to bear resemblance to any living person, but hey, he is the incarnation of the Nice Guy every girl eventually starts to realise she needs in her life. As such, his actual attributes apart from his niceness don't really matter. And as a plot device, it actually all works out really nicely.
Being halfway through Dave Egger's Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, I had trouble adjusting to Zoe's writing style - the latter being more literal than literary - but in time I've come to prefer her voice (yes, not devoid of cliche, but overwhelming filled with warmth, affection, humour and a genuine sense of fun) compared to Egger's furious, pretentious, woe-is-me angry-male persona. There's some nice life lessons in there that don't feel forced or preachy, and in the end I felt as satisfied with the read as if I had had a bite of Jack's delicious, award-winning rosewater scones.
February 19, 2014
I received this through courtesy Netgalley in return for an honest review.
The story follows Lily who is hitting the big 30, dealing with a new chef she instantly dislikes all the while, living with a crazy flatmate whom she's on a man ban with after some major fails when it comes to the opposite sex. Lily is the type of girl to put up with something for a while she fumes inside which gets her in trouble. This book features a host of cool characters, some hard out partying and an ending that could be the best or worst thing depending on your preference...
The Wrong Girl by Zoë Foster was a interesting adult contemporary novel that started out quite slow but soon picked up and became interesting due to its quirky characters; my favourite being Nikkii with 2 “k's” and 3 “i's”. This story felt very much divided, the first quarter was pretty bland I felt, mostly due to it being a very character dependent plot-line. I didn't really care about any of the characters early on so there was no reason for me to care that a new chef came or that Simone was on a bender. The ending has left me in two minds I'm review an ARC copy so I'm hoping the end just isn't finished in mine because it’s every open ended and that just isn't my thing. If this doesn't bother you go forth and enjoy this book.
My 3 star rating is mostly due to the ending, some repetition and slow points
The story follows Lily who is hitting the big 30, dealing with a new chef she instantly dislikes all the while, living with a crazy flatmate whom she's on a man ban with after some major fails when it comes to the opposite sex. Lily is the type of girl to put up with something for a while she fumes inside which gets her in trouble. This book features a host of cool characters, some hard out partying and an ending that could be the best or worst thing depending on your preference...
The Wrong Girl by Zoë Foster was a interesting adult contemporary novel that started out quite slow but soon picked up and became interesting due to its quirky characters; my favourite being Nikkii with 2 “k's” and 3 “i's”. This story felt very much divided, the first quarter was pretty bland I felt, mostly due to it being a very character dependent plot-line. I didn't really care about any of the characters early on so there was no reason for me to care that a new chef came or that Simone was on a bender. The ending has left me in two minds I'm review an ARC copy so I'm hoping the end just isn't finished in mine because it’s every open ended and that just isn't my thing. If this doesn't bother you go forth and enjoy this book.
My 3 star rating is mostly due to the ending, some repetition and slow points
October 1, 2016
I picked up this book primarily because of the author. I follow her on Instagram and to say I find her amazingly witty and hilarious would be an understatement! Between all the fitspo and green smoothie posts bombarding my feed-she is a tantalising zing. *Cue Spice Up Your Life by Spice Girls.
Chick-lit and me, we've had our moments and decided to go our seperate ways.
Most of what I have read from the genre frustrates me...common tropes of the damsel Betty Sue needing to be rescued by O'Knigteth in Shining Armour, only for us to find that the 'love' story is the only thing that matters in her life, or about her life, pisses me off seven shades of Sunday. This book made me pause and kinda see that I was being a 'little' harsh and judgemental of the genre and maybe, just maybe I have been reading all the wrong types of chick-lit.
Chick-lit and me, we've had our moments and decided to go our seperate ways.
Most of what I have read from the genre frustrates me...common tropes of the damsel Betty Sue needing to be rescued by O'Knigteth in Shining Armour, only for us to find that the 'love' story is the only thing that matters in her life, or about her life, pisses me off seven shades of Sunday. This book made me pause and kinda see that I was being a 'little' harsh and judgemental of the genre and maybe, just maybe I have been reading all the wrong types of chick-lit.
October 3, 2016
If you're into chic-lit, this is a great, quick and easy read. Zoe Foster's writing style is light and funny, and the main character Lily is easily relatable, whether you're in a long term relationship or forever single. However, the main reason I was interested in the book was the fact that the new TV series was starting, and I was yet to read something from Mrs Hamish Blake. To be honest when I first picked up the book I was a little frustrated to find the main two characters, Lily and Jack were not what I was expecting from the TV promo due to their physical description discrepancies but I soon forgave this as the quirkiness of Lily's character seemed to suit Jessica Marais' portrayal in the ads. Having just finished the book, it's left me wanting more and I'm happy now I can settle into the series.
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