Don't Tell the Boss

Don't Tell #2

by Anna Bell

A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Joanna Bolouri.

When newlywed Penny turns her hand to some casual wedding planning she only wants to help other women afford the big day of their dreams. But taming bridezillas turns out to be a full-time occupation, and what began as a hobby becomes a personal and professional nightmare. Soon Penny is struggling to keep her day job and prevent her own marriage from collapsing under the strain: tired, stressed and knee-deep in ivory satin, is Penny's life and livelihood hanging by a thread?

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Love, Adult

416 pages, Paperback

First published June 19, 2014

About the author

Anna is represented by the Marsh Agency and published by Quercus. 'Don't Tell the Groom' is released in paperback 5th December 2013.

Anna also writes new adult fiction under the pen name Annabel Scott.

Reviews

[Anja · Rating 5 out of 5]

About a year after her own marriage, Penny planned a wedding for one of the readers of her blog. Actually, that should've been the only wedding planning action for her, but at said wedding another woman asks her to do it again and plan her wedding and of course, wedding-lover Penny can't say no. Henri, the bride-to-be sometimes isn't the easiest of clients and soon it gets more and more difficult for Penny to keep her 'hobby' away from her acutal day job and most of all, from her new boss. And then there's Penny's husband Mark, who also wants to spend some time with his wife...

'Don't Tell the Boss' was just as wonderful as the first part of the trilogy. Although I think I liked the first part a little bit more. It was just very nice and lovely again.
There were two things that I didn't like very much, her work trip and a girl called Beth. But in hindsight, both were still OK, so nothing to really worry about. ♥

[Cheyenne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 Sterne. Ich mochte das Buch wirklich sehr, genauso wie den ersten Teil. Hier und da gibts natürlich etwas Bodyshaming und Misogynie, aber ich denke, dass das leider normal ist bei Büchern, die 10 Jahre alt sind. Ich freue mich schon darauf den dritten Teil zu lesen.

[Luise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This time this awful feeling of 'Penny is so consciously  digging her own grave' was even more intense than in the first book. And I really really don't like that feeling at all. (Scarred from the 'I heart ___' series.)

Yet again, it didn't turn out as bad and catastrophic as expected. Which was pretty nice  In fact, like part one, it also fell different-than-expected, but still great into place.

I really liked that Penny was actually good at what she does. Her job, planning weddings and stuff. This way, the 'problems' were of a different than usual nature. That was a pleasant to read.

So, I think I'm going to read part three as well. Not now, but surely at some point.

[Annetta Vairo imparato · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Becky of Shopaholic fame then falling in love with Penny will be just as easy. After reading Don't tell the groom I read this sequel with pleasure. Can't wait to read the third in the series.

[Dawn Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.. just like I also enjoyed her don't tell the groom book..she's a brilliant author got to say she's right at the top of my favourite authors.. loved this book so much I never put it down very often. :-). The story was brilliant. Loved how it had a slight change in emotions nearer the end. But loved the out come. . And looking forward to reading my next book also by Anna bell. The follow up to this book don't tell the brides to be :-)., a must read.. Esp for click lit lovers. :-)

[Sabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the novel quite slowly, had some laughs, but wasn't rolling on the floor like in the first one, "Don't Tell the Boss."

The Story: Penny has started a marriage blog and it is quite famous. She arranges a wedding now and is also in competition with an employee to get promoted.

It's just... so plain! Focuses more on different points of the story than the laughs or romance. While it was a good novel, it didn't have the charm of the previous one.

[Colette O'meara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the follow-up to Don't Tell the Groom. Newlywed Penny is still obsessed with weddings so much so that she has volunteered to help with planning a wedding on a budget in addition to holding down a full-time job. At the wedding she helped plan - she is introduced to Henri who asks her to plan her wedding on a budget. Her new boss tells her that she could be in line for a promotion and asks her to plan a team building day. What with the demands of her new job, planning Henri's wedding which proves to be a challenge and keeping her blog Shoestring Weddings updated -plus trying for a baby with new hubby Mark who disapproves of her wedding planning hobby not to mention her mentoring Beth from the gamblin support network - will Penny be able to juggle all she has going on -especially when bride to be Henri phones her constantly and her new boss dispproves of running a business on the side.

[Soozee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining, light hearted book. Part way through I did wonder if such people actually exist - maybe I'm too old and too far north to understand young London girls! - but it made for an easy read.
Not really believable, but for all that, its a fun read.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book. penny is a brilliant character i hope there's a book 3 in the future

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

predictable but quite an entertaining book.

[Kirsty Gannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable chick lit.

[Rebecca Fowkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved reading this. I really enjoyed the first one as well. This has made me laugh in places. Going to start the third book on the series next. Penny certainly made me laugh.

[Lisa Nicholls · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Penny is a great character.

[Miss Dizzy Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Same review as before 😀

[Andria Matasan ❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[Cindy aka "The Book Fairy" · Rating 5 out of 5]

Likeable, fun easy to read tale!

[Grace Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first in the series but it was still entertaining and good fun.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just love these books . Funny ,romantic feel good read

[Kaylee Lambert · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent and easy read for a book I found in my Airbnb on vacation! Some chapters felt almost cringe but overall a good story.

[Lucía · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and funny. A very enjoyable reading.

[Ibtissam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 These books remind me of Sophie Kinsella's writing which I love

[Meenal]

3%

[Christine Cameron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute

[Kobby Gyampoh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also on http://chicklitpad.blogspot.com

MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine This: You are happily married to the man of your dreams. You’ve put your act together and quit gambling. You idle at work blogging about planning weddings on a tight budget. You and your husband are trying to move up to stage six of your life plan, the baby stage. Everything in your life is running smoothly.

Until one of your blog followers pleads with you to plan her wedding. You are more than psyched. You are ecstatic. Your very first wedding. But your husband isn’t pleased. You guys are supposed to be planning for a baby and he doesn’t think you or the (yet-to-be) incoming baby could cope with the stress. Just this one wedding, you tell him.

It goes smoothly, thankfully, despite a few glitches with the music (——Beyoncé’s Single Ladies for the wedding march). A wedding guest sees your effort, and wants you to plan her wedding on a budget too for double the amount your first bride is paying you. An offer you cannot refuse. But your husband has other thoughts even though he knows he has no right to stop you from doing whatever that makes you happy.

A crazy bride who won’t stop calling you during work hours discussing a million ideas she has for her wedding, a husband-to-be you are acquainted with who entreats you to keep a secret from his fiancée despite your reluctance, mentoring a gambling teenager who would see some progress if only she ever looks up from her cell phone once in a while, and now a possible promotion at work keeping you on your feet, in competition with another co-worker and spending less time with your husband.

You are keeping a secret from the bride, you are keeping your wedding planner business from your boss, and there’s also the issue of your period showing up every month though you and your husband keep trying.

Penny Robinson’s crazy hours summed up for your delight.

MY REVIEW

I liked this title.

Despite it being a sequel to the author’s previous work, Don’t Tell The Groom, it fits as a perfect standalone with a unique storyline. So Girl is juggling between two jobs, moonlighting, and struggling not to keep secrets from her husband as he hates it. If only Girl could take a break, and spend more time with her husband, there’d be higher chances of her having a baby. If Girl could plan a wedding on a tight budget for a bride who always shows up for brunch with the season’s latest designer labels and accessories, she’d feel accomplished. A star to the storyline.

Penny Robinson is a star. If she ever had a literary sister, it should be Becky Bloomwood. Funny, optimistic, has a soft spot for Vera Wang wedding dresses and Kurt Geiger shoes, utterly charming! You would love her voice, her admiration for anything quality and cheap (much like you!), her tendency for being the peacemaker in every situation, and the ever-complicated adventures she finds herself on without asking for them.

Other characters in this title made it a blast. You would love Henri, the obsessive bride who’s particular about little details like her dog being the ring bearer. You would love Beth, the teenager who’s addicted to nicking credit card details and gambling away hard-earned money promising herself she’d pay back after winnings that never come.

You would also adore Gilles, the cold boss who loves assigning Penny with challenging tasks. Shelly, the competitive co-worker who loves teasing Penny with treats the former cannot resist. Louise, the friend who faintly remembers her encounter with Henri’s Husband-to-be. Baz, the army retiree who loves channelling his frustration on corporate men and women in his camp for team-building activities. There’s also a troublesome co-worker who doesn’t believe in armies and wouldn’t want to cooperate wearing army gears on team-building trips. A star to these characters.

Humor, check. Suspense, check.

My rating: Four/Five stars. (4/5 stars)

Do not fail to get Don’t Tell The Boss on Amazon and also check out the latest in Penny Robinson’s adventures coming out this month, Don’t Tell The Brides-To-Be.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves their chick-lit funny and Kinsella-esque. Anyone who wants tips on how to plan their weddings on a tight budget should grab this title as every chapter begins with posts from Penny’s blog with so many helpful (and——shockingly——practical) tips. Anyone who loves chick-lit that has an adorable main character they’d love to see do a comeback over and over again, should also pick this.

[Seema]

Picked this book immediately when I found out that it was a continuation of 'don't tell the groom'. I have to say that Penny is one my favorite character. With her love of weddings and zeal to organize it, she decides to a be a wedding blogger which leads to her being a wedding organizer. One thing leads to another, she now has another wedding to organize and simultaneously organize an outing for her office staff to impress her new boss. The new bride is slowly turning into a bridezilla and the new boss a Godzilla. She tries unsuccessfully to balance her husband, her career, and this new wedding. To top it all, she is now a mentor to a new charge for gambling addiction. Her new charge, a surly teenager who refuses to stop gambling, adds to the complication. It is hilarious reading her efforts to manage the bride, her boss, her husband and her new charge all at the same time. Moonlighting her job as a wedding organizer eventually jeopardizes her career and her chance of promotion. The book is sheer entertainment and is a chick lit through and through. The ending, although very predictable, was nice and sweet. I give it 4 stars since the book connects all the characters and elements very smoothly and the addition of humor makes it a very good read.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

After planning her own wedding to a strict budget due to her gambling debt, Penny got the wedding planning bug! Her blog, Princess-on-a-Shoestring, is getting so popular that she's now got brides-to-be asking her to be their budget wedding planner. While taking on the task of organising a fabulous wedding for highly strung Henri on a minimal budget, she's also trying to impress new boss Giles in order to get a promotion. But Giles takes a dim view of his employees moonlighting in other jobs, so she has to ensure that her newfound popularity as a wedding guru stays a secret.

I loved Penny in the first instalment of this series, and she was equally as fun and witty in this book. She's a very likeable protagonist, and gets into some hilarious situations! I loved all the money-saving tips and tricks that she wrote about on her blog, there are some brilliant ideas there. Unfortunately I felt the plot was a little predictable, I didn't find the big twist towards the end to be very surprising, however overall I enjoyed this and look forward to the next book.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This much like the first book was a case of "I liked it but I saw some stuff coming before it happened". I did get surprised by one or two things but a lot of stuff was kind of predictable. I wouldn't say it completely distracted away from the novel but it take away some of the excitement. I also felt that Mark (Penny's husband) was a little less likable and more irritating in this one than in the first book just due to how he reacted toward something toward the end and how quickly it got resolved. Some of that just seemed to resolve too quickly for my liking. Other than that, it was pretty good. A lot of it made me laugh, which is really why I read it. There were a bunch of mini-plots but I think it was kind of needed though I did sometimes get lost in what was going on. All in all, I liked it. Glad I won it. :)

[Lazy Cornish Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Don't tell the boss which is the second Anna Bell book I've read. Its a light hearted fun read which raised more than a smile or two. It was a bit predictable in places but nevertheless I enjoyed it and look forward to catching up with Penny again soon. I particularly loved the blog bits at the beginning of the chapters. :)

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please Anna Bell, write another book in this brilliant series!

Absolutely loved every second of this fab read. This is a great continuation, carrying on from Don't Tell The Groom, and reunites us with some of the characters and sees a lot of character growth from Penny and Mark.