Lovestruck

by Julia Llewellyn

Top ten bestselling author Julia Llewellyn explores how well a wife can ever really know her husband in her sparkling new novel Lovestruck.

Do you trust the ones you love?

Jake and Rosie fell in love fast. Before they knew it they were married with kids, and happily living in a cramped flat in London. All the while Jake struggled to make it as an actor - waiting for that big, lucky break.

When he got it - courtesy of his agent, Christy, who also happens to be Rosie's best friend - everything changed. Suddenly Jake was hardly there, working hard, always in demand - a rising star.

But as fame and fortune reveals a side to Jake that Rosie's not sure she likes, she begins to wonder just how well she knows the man she married. And soon enough she's questioning how far she can trust the woman always at his side - her best friend Christy . . .

Lovestruck by Julia Llewellyn is a witty and engaging story about always playing second best and not quite living the dream.

432 pages, Paperback

First published August 14, 2014

Reviews

[Rea Cobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never come across author Julia Llewellyn before but the lovely Francesca at Penguin kindly sent me a copy of her recent release Lovestruck to review and it couldn’t have come at a better time as the last few books I have read have been real intense, tear jerkers so I needed something light and enjoyable.

Rosie and Jake look like they have a perfect life a loving relationship, two gorgeous little boys a grand house like all the rich and famous but sometimes fame and money just isn’t enough as Rosie is beginning to find out. Jake’s career seems to be going from strength to strength but the time he manages to spend at their new home with Rosie and the boys is becoming less and less and poor Rosie is beginning to feel very lonely, sometimes when your dreams come true they never seem quite so good!

This book was the perfect read at the perfect time for me. It follows the relationship of Rosie and Jake who are both fabulous characters who have got a lucky break but it shows that although you can have all the money in the world it doesn’t buy love and happiness. The couple’s main problem was the fact that they couldn’t communicate, all of their problems could have been avoided if they were to have actually sat down and spoken to each other which is a day to day problem with a lot of couples so I am sure there will be a few readers who will relate to this.

I also loved the way the author managed to create such loathing characters that really got under my skin such as Yolande and Becki oh boy did I love to hate them! I can’t believe how well Rosie coped with them she deserved a medal.

I particularly enjoyed the last few chapters of this book because the pace of the book quickened and there was a lot of things revealed that I didn’t see coming which was a great bonus. This book really makes you appreciate what you have got rather than what you want.


I love discovering new authors and I have found a great one with Julia Llewellyn thanks to Francesca, I cannot wait to try another book by this author and I would definitely recommend this book.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been years since I last read a book by Julia Llewellyn, I always recall enjoying her books, and I was right. This was an enjoyable story, one which I enjoyed.

Ever since Jake has hit the big time with his acting career, he has been working harder and harder than ever, and is becoming a bit of a celebrity. Rosie and Jake, along with their two children, move from a small flat in Neasden, London, to The Village and a huge house.

Rosie is struggling to adjust not only to Jakes new found fame, but also to the level of wealth they now have, and is not used to being able to afford things without thinking them through. This book is in part a story on how to cope when you now have access to a large sum of money, and whether you will fit in with other rich people.

It is also a book about Rosie and Jake's family, and whether they really are as in love as they were before, or whether Jake is changing not necessarily for the better. Rosie finds herself feeling a bit isolated, in a new village, being a stay at home mum (previously she had to work) and not knowing anyone in the area, is struggling to adjust.

Slowly she starts to think that Jake is not the man she fell in love with, as you can never tell with actors.

There is an interesting dynamic to the relationship between Rosie and her best friend Christy, as Christy is Jake's agent, and is continually trying to do things for the sake of his career. Christy also doesn't seem too interested in the children, so Rosie feels like she can't even rely on her oldest friend any more.

There are interspersed with the present day story, there are the odd chapters that tell you more about Christy's friendship with Rosie as children, as well as parts of the early relationship between Rosie and Jake.

Lovestruck is a good book, it just wasn't amazing. There is nothing particularly wrong with the story, but I didn't find it had that special something either, its just a nicely written, entertaining book that I enjoyed.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an alright story but nothing great. I was surprised by how things turned out with Jake as he was a real jerk most of the book.

[Janet Camilleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always lovely to read a book where a husband and wife find their way back to each other.

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Katie's Book Haven · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really tried reading this novel, but every time I picked it up, it never excited or enticed me to continue reading. The writing style was not for me.

[Scarlett Rudd · Rating 3 out of 5]

wasn’t expecting anything great as I just picked up from a bookshelf on holiday, but was an easy read, quite predictable

[Mega Handiyani · Rating 3 out of 5]

money it's not everything, it didn't makes you happy.
somehow we need a simple life but full of love.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the ever so lovely Julia Llewellyn offered me the opportunity to review her pretty new novel Lovestruck, I was chuffed to pieces. It has the prettiest book cover I've ever seen this year (just LOOK at it), and I love books about movie stars. It's the celebrity stalker in me. The nosy cow, who wonders how the other half lives. They're always the best tales, getting to peek into the lives of the rich and famous, even more so when one half of the couple isn't even famous and has to deal with her husband's fame, as is the case here with Rosie and Jake, and I thought Julia did such a fabulous job with the novel, as I really, really enjoyed it.

Lovestruck is actually my first ever Julia Llewellyn read, although she has numerous novels to her name, though it certainly won't be my last, because she's a fantastic writer. At the beginning of the novel we get a brief glimpse into Rosie and Jake's life when they first started dating, and it's blissful. The kind of love between the pair that you dream of having yourself. Sigh. But when we pick back up with them, it's not all smooth-sailing. Sure, they have just bought a fantastic, massive state-of-the-art house in The Village, thanks to Jake's rising star as an actor, but Rosie feels alone. It's just her, and the kids, and we all know making friends is hard whenever you're over the age of, say, 10. It's even worse when you're dealing with Richie-Rich-type folks, who think nothing of spendings thousands on baby shower gifts. So while it may seem totally awesome to be married to an actor, we actually get to see the other side of it - the loneliness, how it's pulling Rosie and Jake's marriage apart, and it was sad.

Whenever you think about how the other half live, you don't expend to feel sorry for someone like Rosie - who doesn't have to work, who spends her time looking after her kids, and can go and buy a beautiful Vivienne Westwood dress without blinking, but I actually feld sad for Rosie. It's clear the move is taking a toll, and she's working with a new breed of people; Jake's working all hours and when he's around he's spouting about a move to LA; and her best friend Christy is more concerned with being Jake's agent than Rosie's friend. I just felt so sad for her, that this dream of living in a big, fancy house, with no money worries wasn't as perfect as it seems, proving time and again that money isn't everything (though it WOULD be nice, I confess). The saddest part was seeing Jake and Rosie's marriage disintegrate, as the pages wore on. For two people so happy at the beginning, the innocence was gone, the honeymoon over, and Jake started acting quite fake. He was a bit too big for his boots, he forgot where he came from, and it was super disappointing.

I really enjoyed Lovestruck. Julia Llewellyn has a fantastic voice, and I felt so bad for Rosie whilst I was reading the novel. Fame clearly isn't all it's cracked up to be, and it was nice to get a look in to a life where only one half of the couple is famous, and how the non-famous person copes. Rosie was so warm and inviting, and her love for her Nanna almost had me in tears. Her Nanna also almost had me in tears with her cool comments and the way she called everyone "lover". I really enjoyed the novel, and I look forward to trying all of Julia's previous novels, it's hard to believe I've never read a book from an author I've enjoyed so much. Lovestruck is a wonderful novel about marriage, about fame, and about how the grass most definitely isn't always greener on The Village side...This review was originally posted on Girls Love To Read

[Sharon Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beginning with a prologue of Rosie and Jake's first night together we're then taken to moving day from Neasden to upmarket The Village. They now have two sons, George 2 and Toby 4. Through flashbacks we're shown some of the backstory.

Rosie is now a full-time mum with a different routine, from previously running herself ragged trying to work and look after the children she’s now at a loose end in The Village and hoping to make friends with the other mum’s.

Not only is Jake absent a lot but when he is home, he's brought into the whole stardom package. Rosie feels her life spiralling out of control. She feels more and more uncomfortable, not only with the absence of Jake but also in using Jake's success to gain things that would have been unreachable before, compromising her principles. Christy is also moving further and further away from her.

There are also other conflicts in the story and although I had guessed what was coming, this adds depth to the plot.

I loved the tongue-in-cheek humour and what fabulous characters! Mother-in-law Yolande and sister-in-law Becki are characters that certainly got my back up. I loved Patrizia and her laid back attitude. Rosie's nanna is down-to-earth and I loved the care and concern they had for each other.

Rosie is a great lead. Her vulnerability comes across really well but when she needs the strength, it's there.


This romantic read was just what I needed.


Lovestruck is the story of how Rosie and Jake's relationship cope with the changes that success brings and what can happen when you give your power away. It’s about other people’s perceptions and how they may not always be correct.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a goodread giveaway.

The story isn’t bad, really it isn’t, a women’s husband suddenly becomes famous and she struggles with the change. Unfortunately I found the main character, Rosey, Extremely annoying. If you take Rosey out of the story it’s about the rise sudden success of an actor who is pushed by his parents. He struggles under the pressure and his family life suffers. Suddenly he is found to be tax avoiding, after being publicly against it, and his world collapses with his wife leaving him. The end of the book is about going back to the old area and starting again with his wife.

Unfortunately I found that the story with Rosey in it was about a woman who hates rich people, hates the people who try and friend her in her new life after her husband suddenly becomes famous. She hates that her husband is working and that she is looking after the kids, yet she hates people who have nannies. She was poor and grew up in the worst neighbourhood and wish she still lived there. She then separates from her husband because he didn’t have an affair.

[Angela L · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book you'll read for it's serious content. It's a fun read about a couple thrust into an extraordinary position but who ultimately are juggling the same stuff that most parents are - keeping a balance between the kids and yourselves. The characters are a little stereotyped perhaps but if you're looking for an easy read, that's easy to pick up and put down again and not too taxing this will do the job nicely

[Karen Mace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via the GoodReads Giveaway section.

Found this to be a very easy to read book that highlighted the ups and downs of how fame can affect a family when the husband becomes a household name . It definitely isn't all it is cracked up to be as this couple proved and it was good to read the journey they both went on

[Joanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this book on "good reads first reads" I really enjoy chick lit so thought this book would be one for me, but I couldn't get past the first hundred pages, just did not capture my attention. :(

[Danielle Dent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfectly pleasant read though to be honest nothing much happened. It was well written and the characters were well rounded though the break up towards the end felt a bit forced.

[Gloria]

Note to self, I think I have read this.

[Jenny L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun. Sweet story, lighthearted, a tale of how success can backfire........