The Wag's Diary

The WAG's Diary #1

by Alison Kervin

Welcome to the world of the WAGs…

32-year-old Tracie Martin is Luton Town FC's longest-serving WAG – for 12 years her husband Dean has kept her in raccoon hair extensions and quilted Chanel bags.

But looking around at the new breed of WAGS, Tracie is disgusted to see that standards have started to decline – some of them have been spotted in skirts that cover their bottoms and one or two have never drank four bottles of champagne on a night out!

And what's worse, Dean is dropped from the first team and their daughter Paskia Rose is only interested in the rules and skills of the beautiful game – she wants to follow in her father's footsteps rather than her mother's stiletto-clad ones.

What's a WAG to do? Armed only with her Smythson notebook and Tiffany pen, Tracie sets out to write the definitive rulebook on life as a WAG, soon developing a cult following. Surely it's only a matter of time before the Queen of the WAGS – Victoria Beckham – wants to be her new best friend?

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Humor, Contemporary

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Alison Kervin is the Sports Editor of the Mail on Sunday newspaper. She is the first female Sports Editor of a national newspaper in England.



Before her editing job, Alison worked as chief sports feature writer for The Times, chief sports interviewer for the Daily Telegraph and editor of Rugby World magazine.

She has a hugely varied sporting CV. A sports science graduate, she was in the England gymnastics squad before qualifying as a coach for no fewer than 10 sports. In 1991, she became the first woman to referee a rugby match at Twickenham.

In 1994 she was appointed editor of Rugby World magazine. In 1997 she became publisher of IPC sports publications, overseeing Rugby World and Golf Monthly.

In 1999 she became rugby editor of The Times, before becoming the paper’s chief sports feature writer in 2003.

She left in 2006 to embark on a series of book projects: she wrote World Cup winning Rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward’s biography, and co-wrote autobiographies with Olympic athlete Denise Lewis and England rugby stars Jason Leonard and Phil Vickery. She has also written a History of the Rugby World Cup and five novels.

From 2008-9, Alison was also chief sports interviewer for the Daily Telegraph.

Away from newspapers and magazines, Alison has written a vast array of books - from authoritative sports books, to light-hearted comedy. She has written fifteen books in total, all of which are listed in the books section of this website.

You can get in touch with Alison through the 'contact' button.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious! I don't think a book has ever made me laugh as much as this one did. This will probably go down as one of the funniest books of all time for me.

Five stars.

At the time of posting this title is available on Kindle Unlimited.

[essie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely something I would never, ever read in a million years but from what I can remember, it was so simple and funny. I remember it just being there and I ended up reading it more than once. I read it in a tone that almost seemed the author was taking the piss out of the MC and the British football elite culture too (which I am sure she actually was) and my God, it was hilarious.

[Clare F · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was hilarious. I can't imagine any real WAGS would though. The story was interesting and the only thing that would have improved it would have been to follow up on meeting her father.

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The funniest book I have ever read. Just a delight. Tracie appears superficial at first put soon grows into a lovely, rounded person who just wants to be a Wag so badly. Lovely book

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a book that I would've chosen myself but it was recommended to me and I'm glad it was. The Wags Diary is a surprisingly laugh out loud, very good, light hearted and fun read. The characters are all charming and likable and if you take it in the manner it was intended - tongue-in-cheek and not seriously you'll enjoy it.

[Shrilaxmi · Rating 1 out of 5]

June 2024:
I picked this book up because I saw that I had rated it four stars nine years ago, and my review indicated that I had enjoyed it too. I know it is supposed to be satirical but I could feel my brain cells dying as I read this story. Just a little too much on fake tans and plastic surgery.

May 2015:
This book was really funny and I just couldn't put it down. Really great.

[Angiie Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I own a copy of this book and have read it many times. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. I would recommend to those who like fashion and celebrity culture. It is a short read and I finished it in a day (I'm a slow reader overall... I have dyslexia but hey)

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hysterically funny, such a great read. Tracie is the WAG who you can't help but love.

[Fran Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC if you dont take life to seriously and want a nice lighthearted funny read - would definately recommend!!!

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The WAG’s Diary is based on a footballers wife, .a.k.a. a WAG, named Tracie, and as the title suggests is her diary which follows her very eventful life! Tracie believes WAGs should follow certain rules/do certain things to be a good/successful WAG, and she certainly airs her thoughts in her diary about these.
Initially, I found the book hard to get into as I didn’t really relate to the subject of the book (I’m far off being a WAG haha!), and I also found Tracie’s character very shallow and annoying. However, I persisted with the book and I’m so glad I did. The further I got into the book and as certain events in the book happened I actually grew to like Tracie, and actually feel quite sorry for her, as you slowly find out why she is the way she is. The book also had a couple of turns that I wasn’t expecting, which doesn’t happen often in this genre of book as they tend to be fairly predictable.
Overall, I thought the book was very funny and a light-hearted read, along with some moments of sadness. This book definitely gave me a ‘Bridget Jones’ kind of vibe. The ending left me wanting to know more about how Tracie gets on in the future and I was sad when I realised how it ended! But after research I’ve found it’s part of a series, so I will definitely be reading the next book in this series on books.
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars, mainly because I found it a bit hard to get into at first, however I ended up very invested in the characters and the story, as hopefully my review has proven! If you love this genre of book, then it’s definitely worth giving it a read.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started out hating this book because the main character, Tracy, is just so bloody stupid. She's the definition of dumb. I wanted to stop reading when I was 2 chapters in because I have zero tolerence for stupidity, but I persevered, and do you know what? I'm glad I did. Yes, Tracy is shallow, vain, and lacking a few brain cells, but she also has some redeeming qualities. She loves her husband, daughter, and Nell.... and actually, if you can get past how ridiculous she is, she's actually quite funny. In an absolutely clueless way. Her mother, on the other hand, is a nasty piece of work.
Is it a literary masetpiece? No!!! But it is a cute, light-hearted, laugh-out-loud read. Perfect for lounging on the beach or by the pool. I may even read the sequel....

[Smitha Vasudevan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The description says it all- it is light hearted and crazy. Tracy is the ultimate wag of all, wife of the captain, blonder than blonde, and dressed in micro minis. With a crazier mother, and a daughter that eschews all thing feminine, she has a family that is part of the team of teens that she is mom to. Writing to wannabe wags on how to be a wag has set her off on a path from which there seem to be no return.

I had fun reading it, and so will you..

[Anželika J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once you get to tolerate the superficial main character, Tracie Martin, and look at everything through ironic glasses it gets easier to read the book. Absolutely love the elderly ladies, especially Nell, bits in the book. It is also interesting how her traumatic childhood formed Tracie and how that traumatic relationship proceeds in her current life. Tracie somewhat grows in this book and I grew to tolerate her too.

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was brilliant and well written a truly laugh out loud book. Was a little hard to get into to start but really funny once i got into it. I loved seeing how she grew and she did develop but still be a bimbo at the same time

[Sophie Burden · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book! i give it 5 stars because i got it free with a magazine at the time and for a free/cheap book i was more than impressed! stomach hurtingly funny, not my style of book at all but i was gripped. would say this is a young adult read, the writing style is simple but a good holiday read

[Helen Cosford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light hearted easy read. Great summer reading.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satirical look at the life of a WAG. Very entertaining - kept me laughing all the way through

[Noel · Rating 3 out of 5]

funny and enjoyable

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gloriously british sarcastic

[Tasha Mahoney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a funny read. Alison has magnified the public perception of the WAG and taken it to extremes.

[Christina Rochester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tracie Martin's debut is a laugh a minute. This one is definitely better than the sequel, and I honestly wish there had been a book about Tracies pregnancy with Paskia Rose

[Coral · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly funny, did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did!!

[Enola Cuffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 loved this, nice easy read but hilarious

[Keris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite my general obsession with celebrity, I don't have much interest in the WAGs. In case you're unaware of them, the WAGs are the wives and girlfriends of professional footballers. Victoria Beckham is their Queen (obviously), but there are loads of others, like Wayne Rooney's fiance Coleen McLoughlin and Alex Curran, wife of Steven Gerrard.

Anyway, despite not being interested in the WAGs, I was interested to read The WAG's Diary because I'd heard so much about it and the author, Alison Kervin, gave us such a good interview.

To read the rest of this review, please visit http://www.trashionista.com/2007/12/b...

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I thought that it would be bog standard chick lit but it was very funny and takes a side swipe at the world of the Wags.

The main character is very likeable and is funny without meaning to be. It's definately the sort of book that you don't think that you would enjoy because of the subject matter but with the humour it is more than readable.

I have just started the second book in the series A Wag Abroad and hope that I enjoy it as much. So far, so good.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading The Wag`S Diary. Tracie Martin is a Wag (my first time hearing of the term). What a complicated life she is leading. Everything is strictly determined, all the fake tans, extensions, fake boobs, clothing etcetc. Being so naive must be easy to live. Not caring about anything except one`s apperance.
Tracie is offered a chance to teach aspiring Wags first by writing a blog and then a book. She is surrounded by people who really care about her (Dean, Paskia, Nell - oh, poor Nell) and those who are just bad.
Funny read.

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy enough book to read and in places it was quite funny but the author just seemed to be trying too hard to be funny and to make her main character Tracie Martin as dim as possible. Tracie is a WAG - wife of Luton Town's captain Dean. She's head WAG and find herself upstaged by up and coming new WAGS. So she sets about writing a WAGS handbook! Definitely light and fluffy chick lit with some funny parts but on the whole with OTT and not very believeable characters.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book came free with a Glamour magazine, and the writing in Glamour is better :) WAGS are apparently British soccer players' wives, and Tracie Martin is a queen-- fake tan, fake hair, fake nails, fake boobs, but not a fake person somehow. Begins writing a handbook, finds out mum's secrets. Hard to take it seriously when it takes a serious turn because the writing is clumsy and ironic but not within a lasting context.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was first drawn to this book because the cover was super adorable. I have always been super lucky at impulse buying because of an adorable cover and its a fantastic read!
The second thing was the title, it is so sweet :)
This book is fairly small page wise compared to others on the market so it makes for a quick read. I thought it was hilarious and i was envious at first, what girl doesn't want the acrylic nails, the jewelry, the ugg boots. Cute, light hearted read and would recomend! X

[Stone Bell]

I read this when I was like, 11, weirdly. Found it on one of those "take a book, leave a book" shelves in a hostel in Italy, on holiday. Same holiday I read, uh, Robin Hobb's "Golden Fool" and Mercedes Lackey's "The Wizard of London".

I remember one scene really vividly, where the main character gets glitter in her eye when she's trying to have sex with her husband. In retrospect, not a great book for a preteen.