What do you think?
Rate this book
If You Don't Know Me by Now
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
Imogen has come to London to make it as a writer. At least, that was the plan. Finding herself in a dead-end job serving coffee to hipsters was not on her to-do list. And even if gorgeous colleague Declan does give her more of a buzz than a triple-shot cappuccino, Imogen can feel her dreams evaporating faster than the steam from an extra-hot latte.
Until her anonymous tell-all blog about London’s rudest customers goes viral – and suddenly, Imogen realises that landing the worst job in the world might just be the best thing that’s ever happened to her! As long as she can keep her identity to herself…
Imogen has come to London to make it as a writer. At least, that was the plan. Finding herself in a dead-end job serving coffee to hipsters was not on her to-do list. And even if gorgeous colleague Declan does give her more of a buzz than a triple-shot cappuccino, Imogen can feel her dreams evaporating faster than the steam from an extra-hot latte.
Until her anonymous tell-all blog about London’s rudest customers goes viral – and suddenly, Imogen realises that landing the worst job in the world might just be the best thing that’s ever happened to her! As long as she can keep her identity to herself…
Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2015
8 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Michael
10 books80 followersA L Michael is a writer, currently living in Watford. She has a BA in English Literature with creative writing, and an MA in Creative Entrepreneurship, both from UEA. She also has an MSc in Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes, where she researched the usefulness of therapeutic writing with those in recovery from eating disorders.
She writes books about women who are trying to figure out their place in the world, and who aren't afraid to make mistakes.
When she's not writing novels, she's working as a content writer, practicing yoga, looking at puppy videos or drinking too much red wine.
She is represented by Madeleine Milburn.
She writes books about women who are trying to figure out their place in the world, and who aren't afraid to make mistakes.
When she's not writing novels, she's working as a content writer, practicing yoga, looking at puppy videos or drinking too much red wine.
She is represented by Madeleine Milburn.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 27, 2015
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
2.5 Stars
Let me begin with some . . . .
I say it all the time that my reactions to books are based 99% on timing. I could read something one day and give it 5 Stars but would have 1 Starred and raged out if I read it a month before or after. I’m also extremely hard to please when it comes to romance novels so 2.5 Stars actually ain’t half bad. The biggest problem I had with If You Don’t Know Me By Now (aside from the title – WTF does that title have to do with the plot??? Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING) was that I had read Ugly Love only a few weeks before and it was just so much better.
That’s a side effect of using the all-too-family-tired-trope – your stuff will end up getting compared to the work of others. If You Don’t Know Me By Now has a couple of familiar themes – the first being that of the girl who moves to the city with big dreams (in this case Imogen dreams of being a successful writer), but has to settle for a crap job in the meantime . . .
However, Imogen finds that as a barista she gets plenty of inspiration for what to write about. With the encouragement of fellow coffee slinger Declan (we’ll get to him in a minute), Imogen starts a blog . . . which of course immediately goes from zero hits to eleventy trillion . . .
Just go with it. Now let’s get back to Declan and tired trope #2 – the “manwhore who isn’t looking for a serious relationship but still wants to bang.” Even though Imogen has pretty much nill in the department of sexytimes experience she decides to give no-strings-attached lovin’ with Declan a whirl. You know . . .
Right. Friends . . .
Y’all know how this turns out, right?????
followed up by a HEA and some more of this . . .
All in all this wasn’t a bad book. As farfetched as the idea of someone starting a blog and ending up writing a column in a nanosecond was, I found the entries to be witty and pretty spot-on with respect to entitled customers. This one also featured fade-to-black PG-13 kind of lovemaking, which worked just fine for me. I never quite fell for Declan (mainly because he was in a band that probably sang songs like this . . .
#puke)
but I thought the twist of why he was such a smarmy commitment phobic chick banger was interesting and not something I’ve read to death already. I just wish it wouldn’t have been glossed over so quickly.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
2.5 Stars
Let me begin with some . . . .
I say it all the time that my reactions to books are based 99% on timing. I could read something one day and give it 5 Stars but would have 1 Starred and raged out if I read it a month before or after. I’m also extremely hard to please when it comes to romance novels so 2.5 Stars actually ain’t half bad. The biggest problem I had with If You Don’t Know Me By Now (aside from the title – WTF does that title have to do with the plot??? Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING) was that I had read Ugly Love only a few weeks before and it was just so much better.
That’s a side effect of using the all-too-family-tired-trope – your stuff will end up getting compared to the work of others. If You Don’t Know Me By Now has a couple of familiar themes – the first being that of the girl who moves to the city with big dreams (in this case Imogen dreams of being a successful writer), but has to settle for a crap job in the meantime . . .
However, Imogen finds that as a barista she gets plenty of inspiration for what to write about. With the encouragement of fellow coffee slinger Declan (we’ll get to him in a minute), Imogen starts a blog . . . which of course immediately goes from zero hits to eleventy trillion . . .
Just go with it. Now let’s get back to Declan and tired trope #2 – the “manwhore who isn’t looking for a serious relationship but still wants to bang.” Even though Imogen has pretty much nill in the department of sexytimes experience she decides to give no-strings-attached lovin’ with Declan a whirl. You know . . .
Right. Friends . . .
Y’all know how this turns out, right?????
followed up by a HEA and some more of this . . .
All in all this wasn’t a bad book. As farfetched as the idea of someone starting a blog and ending up writing a column in a nanosecond was, I found the entries to be witty and pretty spot-on with respect to entitled customers. This one also featured fade-to-black PG-13 kind of lovemaking, which worked just fine for me. I never quite fell for Declan (mainly because he was in a band that probably sang songs like this . . .
#puke)
but I thought the twist of why he was such a smarmy commitment phobic chick banger was interesting and not something I’ve read to death already. I just wish it wouldn’t have been glossed over so quickly.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
June 16, 2015
Last year I read and REALLY enjoyed A.L. Michael's novel How To Get A (Love) Life, so I was stoked to read about If You Don't Know Me By Now, and I downloaded it to my Kindle as soon as it appeared on Netgalley and it was a freaking awesome read!
If you don't know, I work in the customer service industry. I work in a supermarket, and it usually drives me to the edge of insanity, because I get asked stupid questions all day long. Do I speak English (yes), do I live here (yes), do I like it (yes). People like to complain at me about the prices in our supermarket, they like to whinge when we don't have something in stock, and only someone else in the same industry can know what it's like to be asked such inane questions all day, and Imogen is that kind of person. She works in a coffee shop, and deals with even worse questions than I do on daily basis; who knew coffee making was so difficult and that there were so many choices? And I can hardly believe that people have the cheek to have a drink REMADE. I MEAN WHAT?!?!?!? That's insane. It's a drink, drink it and shut up, am I right?!?!? I would only ever ask for a drink to be remade if it had a bloody mouse in it.
To read about someone else having all the same issues with the great British public was awesome, and reading Imogen's blog posts were an absolute delight. I wish it was a real blog, with real updates, because I would be subscribing immediately. More people should write snarky posts about the rubbish customers they deal with, it would be SO much fun. Or even just a collective place for everyone to share their stories. Either way, Imogen's were SO entertaining and I found myself nodding in a lot of places (it actually drives me NUTS when people put money down on my till but still expect me to hand it back to them. What, you don't want to hand it to me, but it's FINE to get it back from my still obviously grubby, gross hands? Confusing and rude!!!!!!)
Can you tell I REALLY LOVED the customer service aspect of this book? Haha. Honestly, though, it was so nice to see that not everyone works in fashion or magazines, and even though writing was Imogen's goal, it was nice to see she was hardly snobby about having to be a barista. It was nice to see a character doing an actual, menial job that tons and tons of folks have to do.
I actually loved everything about this book, it was so much fun and I loved Imogen and I loved Declan. There's just something about twinky-eyed Irish guys, am I right? And Declan is up there with the best of them, if not the best (except for his Ella blindness ugh).
If You Don't Know Me By Now was delightful. So, so delightful. A.L. Michael is such a good writer, proving it yet again after How To Get A (Love) Life. I've got to go and read her earlier two books because she's such a good writer, with wit and warmth and fabulous characters and the whole entire fact she set the book in the service industry. A.L, you are my hero!!!!!
If you don't know, I work in the customer service industry. I work in a supermarket, and it usually drives me to the edge of insanity, because I get asked stupid questions all day long. Do I speak English (yes), do I live here (yes), do I like it (yes). People like to complain at me about the prices in our supermarket, they like to whinge when we don't have something in stock, and only someone else in the same industry can know what it's like to be asked such inane questions all day, and Imogen is that kind of person. She works in a coffee shop, and deals with even worse questions than I do on daily basis; who knew coffee making was so difficult and that there were so many choices? And I can hardly believe that people have the cheek to have a drink REMADE. I MEAN WHAT?!?!?!? That's insane. It's a drink, drink it and shut up, am I right?!?!? I would only ever ask for a drink to be remade if it had a bloody mouse in it.
To read about someone else having all the same issues with the great British public was awesome, and reading Imogen's blog posts were an absolute delight. I wish it was a real blog, with real updates, because I would be subscribing immediately. More people should write snarky posts about the rubbish customers they deal with, it would be SO much fun. Or even just a collective place for everyone to share their stories. Either way, Imogen's were SO entertaining and I found myself nodding in a lot of places (it actually drives me NUTS when people put money down on my till but still expect me to hand it back to them. What, you don't want to hand it to me, but it's FINE to get it back from my still obviously grubby, gross hands? Confusing and rude!!!!!!)
Can you tell I REALLY LOVED the customer service aspect of this book? Haha. Honestly, though, it was so nice to see that not everyone works in fashion or magazines, and even though writing was Imogen's goal, it was nice to see she was hardly snobby about having to be a barista. It was nice to see a character doing an actual, menial job that tons and tons of folks have to do.
I actually loved everything about this book, it was so much fun and I loved Imogen and I loved Declan. There's just something about twinky-eyed Irish guys, am I right? And Declan is up there with the best of them, if not the best (except for his Ella blindness ugh).
If You Don't Know Me By Now was delightful. So, so delightful. A.L. Michael is such a good writer, proving it yet again after How To Get A (Love) Life. I've got to go and read her earlier two books because she's such a good writer, with wit and warmth and fabulous characters and the whole entire fact she set the book in the service industry. A.L, you are my hero!!!!!
June 22, 2015
This was a great read- so amusing. My first by A L Michaels- but I look forward to reading more. Her characters are so engaging.
Imogen wants to become a writer and has moved to London to make her dreams a reality. What didn’t feature in those dreams was taking a job as a barista in a coffee shop and dealing with the general public. They are very demanding and rude on a daily basis! Declan-a cheeky Irish barista from another branch of the coffee shop, sparks an idea to tell all in a blog (under an assumed name). Does he fancy Imogen? Will they take their friendly relationship further?
So we follow her blog where she describes the most demanding and annoying of her customers. It is picked up and goes viral. Can she keep her identity a secret and keep the amusing stories coming?
With many thanks to Carina Uk and Net Galley for a copy of this book.
Imogen wants to become a writer and has moved to London to make her dreams a reality. What didn’t feature in those dreams was taking a job as a barista in a coffee shop and dealing with the general public. They are very demanding and rude on a daily basis! Declan-a cheeky Irish barista from another branch of the coffee shop, sparks an idea to tell all in a blog (under an assumed name). Does he fancy Imogen? Will they take their friendly relationship further?
So we follow her blog where she describes the most demanding and annoying of her customers. It is picked up and goes viral. Can she keep her identity a secret and keep the amusing stories coming?
With many thanks to Carina Uk and Net Galley for a copy of this book.
July 3, 2015
Posted in full http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2015...
If You Don’t Know Me By Now is the third book I have read by A.L. Michael and I have loved every moment of them all. This one is the funniest of the lot and it was hugely entertaining to read, such a fresh and modern plot with a boundless group of characters that had me whooping and smiling and unable to stop reading.
Imogen has dreams of becoming a writer. She leaves her quiet life with her dad (and his new woman) behind to pursue her dreams of a writing job in London but instead finds herself working in a coffee shop and getting endlessly frustrated at how annoying the customers can be with their ridiculous requests, their snobbery and the way they talk down to her like she must be completely unintelligent to be working there. With the help of a new friend, Imogen turns the infuriating duty of working in a coffee shop into writing inspiration as she creates a blog under the name Twisted Barista and begins recounting the hilarious tales of the customers she deals with and the silly stuff they come out with. Imogen is a character you can’t dislike. From the first page she’s witty, ambitious, truthful and just really genuine. I loved her character and also her blog which is brilliant! I would sit and read that blog all day long. It’s snarky, bitchy, comical and so very honest. Anyone who has worked in a customer service job or even anyone who has just found themselves stuck behind that very bloody annoying person in the queue who is not happy and has a million different nonsensical requests which leave you screaming on the inside can relate to the stories she has to tell. Twisted Barista Tales goes viral and becomes super popular as Imogen strikes a deal and turns it into a job – all she has to do is hope nobody finds out she’s behind it else her coffee shop job will be gone, as well as her writing career.
I loved the set of characters the author wrote. There was Harry and Tabby (from another of A.L.’s books called The Last Word which is crying out on my Kindle for me to read it) – who employ Imogen to write a weekly column for online newspaper The Type. There was such chemistry between Tabby and Harry and they weren’t main characters in any aspect but they were lots of fun. We see a lot of Imogen working in the coffee shop and her interaction with colleagues Agnes and Emanuel, especially earlier on when they’re more involved, was very amusing. I loved Agnes who was quite terrifying but just with the one line she’d utter every few chapters, she cracked me up. I don’t think she was as scary as she liked to make everyone believe…! Emanuel was inimitable – always eyeing up the ladies and disappearing for days on end, up to no good but he was very honest with it and very funny. Early on, he introduces Imogen to a barista from a different store, Declan, who I may have fallen for just a little bit (teeny understatement).
Declan was lovely. He builds up such a nice friendship with Imogen at the beginning which felt so natural and I loved how he kept popping in to borrow stock when really he just wanted an excuse to see Imogen. I seriously, seriously adored the romance element to this book. It was just so refreshing to read. Firstly, when Imogen meets Declan for the first time, she isn’t instantly falling at his feet. She doesn’t think he’s the hottest, most amazing guy she’s ever laid her eyes on and she doesn’t find it impossible to focus on anything else in her life because she’s so much as looked at him. All the clichés are gone and that felt so good to read. They’re friends who explore the possibility of casually seeing each other – without any insta-love or other vices I have with a lot of contemporary romance novels. I loved the banter between both characters and how laid-back they were and we join them as they learn more about each other and some of their stories are not as predictable as you may imagine.
If you can’t tell, I kind of completely loved If You Don’t Know Me By Now. A.L. Michael writes such uplifting books and she has such a fresh voice in the contemporary romance genre where you know her stories are going to be a little bit different and a little less formulaic. Imogen’s blog made me laugh on so many occasions and I loved how the blog posts broke up parts of the story and so when the story moved on to the more romantic elements and less coffee-shop incidents, we don’t lose any of the rants and humour because we still catch on to the annoyances of customer service through Imogen’s blog. If You Don’t Know Me By Now was an intelligently put-together, feel-good book with sharp wit and the ability to put an insanely huge grin on your face. All I want to know is, why do the best books end so quickly?!
*Review copy
July 5, 2015
*Book provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
A.L. Michael is a great writer and I was really excited to read another of her books. The blurb sounds wonderful and the cover is just gorgeous.
Imogen is finally working and living in London. She wants to be a writer and works in a coffee shop in the meantime. That’s where she meets lovely Declan. He works in another coffee shop, but always comes by for supplies, well at the beginning that is…he just wants to see her. He encourages her and makes her feel different. I loved reading about the two of them, especially about how their relationship developed.
There was still some mystery behind it all, with his past and also an uncertainty about him being honest.
But that’s what a good story needs, isn’t it?!
Imogen starts writing that blog, where she rants about her job, the costumers and other stuff. It is a huge success and lands her a big job. But she has to keep her identity to herself. When it all is almost revealed, something great happens, I can’t really tell you though ;)
Some other drama make Declan’s and her relationship being on the edge, and I was really on the edge myself, I just wanted them to be together and page after page I was hoping for the right words ;)
Imogen’s blog posts were great!!! I really enjoyed them, full of passion, energy, soul and grip! They brightened up the chap and gave a good change to the story itself.
Both Imogen and Declan are great characters. He’s gorgeous and just really sweet.
A.L. Michael has a great voice, it’s bubbly, funny, young, fresh and the storyline has a beautiful flow.
Rating: 4.5
A.L. Michael is a great writer and I was really excited to read another of her books. The blurb sounds wonderful and the cover is just gorgeous.
Imogen is finally working and living in London. She wants to be a writer and works in a coffee shop in the meantime. That’s where she meets lovely Declan. He works in another coffee shop, but always comes by for supplies, well at the beginning that is…he just wants to see her. He encourages her and makes her feel different. I loved reading about the two of them, especially about how their relationship developed.
There was still some mystery behind it all, with his past and also an uncertainty about him being honest.
But that’s what a good story needs, isn’t it?!
Imogen starts writing that blog, where she rants about her job, the costumers and other stuff. It is a huge success and lands her a big job. But she has to keep her identity to herself. When it all is almost revealed, something great happens, I can’t really tell you though ;)
Some other drama make Declan’s and her relationship being on the edge, and I was really on the edge myself, I just wanted them to be together and page after page I was hoping for the right words ;)
Imogen’s blog posts were great!!! I really enjoyed them, full of passion, energy, soul and grip! They brightened up the chap and gave a good change to the story itself.
Both Imogen and Declan are great characters. He’s gorgeous and just really sweet.
A.L. Michael has a great voice, it’s bubbly, funny, young, fresh and the storyline has a beautiful flow.
Rating: 4.5
June 16, 2015
Have you ever been into a coffee shop, especially one of those big global brand name chains, and then looked down your nose at your barista, or changed your order many times, or just generally what whatever reason been less than polite, then this book will make you feel incredibly guilty.
As Imogen has just moved to London, hoping to become a writer, and the only job she can get is at a coffee shop. What she hadn't counted on was how angry and upset the customers were going to make her feel the whole time, and thus with a little prompt from Declan, a barista from another branch, who may fancy Imogen without fully admitting it, she starts an anonymous blog, discussing her most annoying customers.
From this blog she then gets offered to write it for The Type, and a chance to be mentored by her idol Tabby (From A.L. Michael's previous book The Last Word), and the blog and her writing go viral, so long as she stays as a barista full of rage.
If Imogen's blog was real, I would have happily subscribed to it. All the posts that she writes are hilarious, but I can see the truth of them. They are all instances with customers and personality types that you will have witnessed somewhere in your life (especially in London). The marginally racist customer expressing surprise that there is an English speaker working in a coffee shop, the parents which try to get their young non talking baby to express a preference in the order, the rude and obnoxious people that reckon they are always right. There are mentions of all the annoying members of the public you may encounter in your day to day life in the hospitality industry.
The blog is fantastic, but so is Imogen's story generally. I loved her "casual" relationship with Declan, her friendships with Emmanuel and Tabby. Her family only has a small part to play, but from what we see of Costas he is your typical Greek dad, and the mentions of the extended family, well think "Big Greek Family" and you will be in the right sort of ball park.
This book shows that it is possible to move to London, to follow your heart and to achieve your dreams, even if it doesn't all come about the way you expect. I absolutely loved If You Don't Know Me By Now, and would love to hear more from Imogen's character in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley and Carina for the review copy of this book. This was my honest review.
As Imogen has just moved to London, hoping to become a writer, and the only job she can get is at a coffee shop. What she hadn't counted on was how angry and upset the customers were going to make her feel the whole time, and thus with a little prompt from Declan, a barista from another branch, who may fancy Imogen without fully admitting it, she starts an anonymous blog, discussing her most annoying customers.
From this blog she then gets offered to write it for The Type, and a chance to be mentored by her idol Tabby (From A.L. Michael's previous book The Last Word), and the blog and her writing go viral, so long as she stays as a barista full of rage.
If Imogen's blog was real, I would have happily subscribed to it. All the posts that she writes are hilarious, but I can see the truth of them. They are all instances with customers and personality types that you will have witnessed somewhere in your life (especially in London). The marginally racist customer expressing surprise that there is an English speaker working in a coffee shop, the parents which try to get their young non talking baby to express a preference in the order, the rude and obnoxious people that reckon they are always right. There are mentions of all the annoying members of the public you may encounter in your day to day life in the hospitality industry.
The blog is fantastic, but so is Imogen's story generally. I loved her "casual" relationship with Declan, her friendships with Emmanuel and Tabby. Her family only has a small part to play, but from what we see of Costas he is your typical Greek dad, and the mentions of the extended family, well think "Big Greek Family" and you will be in the right sort of ball park.
This book shows that it is possible to move to London, to follow your heart and to achieve your dreams, even if it doesn't all come about the way you expect. I absolutely loved If You Don't Know Me By Now, and would love to hear more from Imogen's character in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley and Carina for the review copy of this book. This was my honest review.
June 17, 2015
If You Don't Know Me By Now was my first A. L. Michael read but it definitely will not be my last. You can sometimes judge a book simply on how quickly you took to the main character, and I have to say that I loved Imogen Cypriani from almost the minute we met. Imogen moved to London with that dream many people have on their way to the capital; to land that dream job, and live that amazing life. Well, as with most major cities the reality is often quite different for those that live there which is why she finds herself in an interview for coffee chain BeanTown.
A. L. Michael has got to have worked in the service industry before because the things she comes out with and the stories Imogen tells are just so true to life that you know they are happening in coffee shops around the world right now! I think being a barista is probably one of the hardest dealing with the public jobs, and Imogen had the patience of a saint (for the most part) and I loved that she took her frustrations out in the form of a blog as opposed to on the customers themselves. She somehow managed to remain quite professional. Imogen sets up a blog Twisted Barista Tales whereby she relays tales of annoying customers, stupid things they say or ask etc and it is so good that you just know it would be a huge success in real life.
Of course there's a romance element in the story and this was one of my favourite parts because of how natural the whole thing felt between Imogen and Declan, who works at another BeanTown store but keeps visiting Imogen's because his manager forgets to order supplies (and keeps 'forgetting' as the weeks go on). A friendship forms between the two at first, and their scenes together are brilliant. Along the way there's a lot of humorous moments but also some quite serious ones too as Imogen starts to learn a lot about herself, and she really blossoms over the course of the story thanks in part to her cousin Demi who is almost Imogen's opposite and who allows Imogen to make some realisations and then changes in her own life. I actually related to Imogen a lot in this book, which is why her journey in the story was so enjoyable for me. She's such a likeable character and one that I would really like to read about again in the future.
A. L. Michael has got to have worked in the service industry before because the things she comes out with and the stories Imogen tells are just so true to life that you know they are happening in coffee shops around the world right now! I think being a barista is probably one of the hardest dealing with the public jobs, and Imogen had the patience of a saint (for the most part) and I loved that she took her frustrations out in the form of a blog as opposed to on the customers themselves. She somehow managed to remain quite professional. Imogen sets up a blog Twisted Barista Tales whereby she relays tales of annoying customers, stupid things they say or ask etc and it is so good that you just know it would be a huge success in real life.
Of course there's a romance element in the story and this was one of my favourite parts because of how natural the whole thing felt between Imogen and Declan, who works at another BeanTown store but keeps visiting Imogen's because his manager forgets to order supplies (and keeps 'forgetting' as the weeks go on). A friendship forms between the two at first, and their scenes together are brilliant. Along the way there's a lot of humorous moments but also some quite serious ones too as Imogen starts to learn a lot about herself, and she really blossoms over the course of the story thanks in part to her cousin Demi who is almost Imogen's opposite and who allows Imogen to make some realisations and then changes in her own life. I actually related to Imogen a lot in this book, which is why her journey in the story was so enjoyable for me. She's such a likeable character and one that I would really like to read about again in the future.
June 23, 2017
This book is about a twenty-something girl called Imogen who moves to London from a small town in the north of England. There, she starts working as a barista at a coffee shop while she trying to pursue her dream of becoming a writer career in the big city.
This book revolves around moving on, finding inspiration and motivation to fulfill your dreams, the lows of life, and how everything bad in life can turn into a good thing if you don't let yourself be stuck.
I began reading this book last year, but abandoned it as I felt I could be reading better books.
I decided to give it a second chance this year and I don’t really regret it because it was a fun book to read. It was filled with happenings of the real life, and actual expressions people our age use. It felt fresh. It felt real.
Imogen was a very relatable character, even if I'm not a barista. And, let’s admit it: we've all met or known people like her clients on our everyday life, because not only as a barista do you encounter that sort of people.
What I didn't really like was when Imogen was first falling for Declan. I really thought it unnecessary to describe Declan as a "bear man", or "very tanned, and built man" every 2 pages. Honestly, I just couldn’t stop myself from rolling my eyes every time those phrases popped up... Luckily, that kind of descriptions ceased out eventually.
So, after all the typical drama included in every Chick Lit ever (a.k.a breakups, secrets being revealed, and a “gorgeous Italian b**ch” that keeps trying to steal your boyfriend because, ya know, that always happens…), Imogen finds herself making her dreams come true, writing a column for a renowned newspaper, and working alongside her role model.
Although Chick Lit isn’t really my thing, I can say that I did enjoy reading this book and I recommend it to those Chick Lit fans that are looking for a fresh read.
This book revolves around moving on, finding inspiration and motivation to fulfill your dreams, the lows of life, and how everything bad in life can turn into a good thing if you don't let yourself be stuck.
I began reading this book last year, but abandoned it as I felt I could be reading better books.
I decided to give it a second chance this year and I don’t really regret it because it was a fun book to read. It was filled with happenings of the real life, and actual expressions people our age use. It felt fresh. It felt real.
Imogen was a very relatable character, even if I'm not a barista. And, let’s admit it: we've all met or known people like her clients on our everyday life, because not only as a barista do you encounter that sort of people.
What I didn't really like was when Imogen was first falling for Declan. I really thought it unnecessary to describe Declan as a "bear man", or "very tanned, and built man" every 2 pages. Honestly, I just couldn’t stop myself from rolling my eyes every time those phrases popped up... Luckily, that kind of descriptions ceased out eventually.
So, after all the typical drama included in every Chick Lit ever (a.k.a breakups, secrets being revealed, and a “gorgeous Italian b**ch” that keeps trying to steal your boyfriend because, ya know, that always happens…), Imogen finds herself making her dreams come true, writing a column for a renowned newspaper, and working alongside her role model.
Although Chick Lit isn’t really my thing, I can say that I did enjoy reading this book and I recommend it to those Chick Lit fans that are looking for a fresh read.
November 9, 2015
I just couldn't make myself finish it, got to 41%! Imogen seemed like she just didn't know exactly what she wanted to be. She was the sassy, independent woman half the time , but then the other half she was too needy for compliments and just in general unsure of herself. Declan, I felt like there could be much more to him, maybe eventually there was, but it took too long to get there and I just got tired. This book moved so slow and Imogen was just being annoying, couldn't go any further sadly.
**I received a copy of this from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a review**
**I received a copy of this from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a review**
July 9, 2015
Couldn't make myself finish it... Declan was difficult to root for, and the whole thing felt formulaic (which I don't mind if the romance is dreamy but this was so not dreamy).
February 28, 2019
3.0 stars
Pretty decent read, but -
writers need to lighten up on the uncomplimentary descriptions of their heroines. If there is little or nothing to endear me to a character it affects how I experience the story.
I'm not one who feels pity or sympathy often in life and tend to feel annoyed when people play that card to win favour. It's wasted on me. So, when a heroine is too negatively self-deprecating - looks, personality, talents, etc - I don't connect. Imogen didn't show much growth in this area. Maybe she lightened up when things started to go her way, but it was hard to root for her with her attitude.
On the positive, Imogen's Twisted Barista articles were hilariously spot-on and anyone who has done that type of work will relate to them. And Declan was lovely and adorable. There were some very cute moments between the pair. He had some issues due to his past and his backstory was kind of a shock to me. You don't often encounter a hero who has endured such. I wish it had come into play a bit more than it did, but it's chick-lit.
Stemming from that past was a complication or two that caused some tension and a short separation between he and the h.
But it works out and all ends well.
Definitely worth reading.
Pretty decent read, but -
writers need to lighten up on the uncomplimentary descriptions of their heroines. If there is little or nothing to endear me to a character it affects how I experience the story.
I'm not one who feels pity or sympathy often in life and tend to feel annoyed when people play that card to win favour. It's wasted on me. So, when a heroine is too negatively self-deprecating - looks, personality, talents, etc - I don't connect. Imogen didn't show much growth in this area. Maybe she lightened up when things started to go her way, but it was hard to root for her with her attitude.
On the positive, Imogen's Twisted Barista articles were hilariously spot-on and anyone who has done that type of work will relate to them. And Declan was lovely and adorable. There were some very cute moments between the pair. He had some issues due to his past and his backstory was kind of a shock to me. You don't often encounter a hero who has endured such. I wish it had come into play a bit more than it did, but it's chick-lit.
Stemming from that past was a complication or two that caused some tension and a short separation between he and the h.
But it works out and all ends well.
Definitely worth reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2015
Oh boy - what a great story! Imogen has left her family home in Doncaster, moving to live and work in London. She thought she’d arranged a job but it fell through so now she’s working as a coffee monkey or barista. Initially disgusted by the antics of some of her customers, a colleague from a neighbouring branch of the same coffee company suggest she should use what she experiences in her writing - that’s the start of her blog as the Twisted Barista that totally changes her life! Read the hilarious commentary on customers, see which ones you recognise, it’ll start you looking at fellow customers and baristas in a new light when you go into a coffee shop or cafe! Meet her colleagues, Declan, her cousin and family as you learn about her life in the big city. Find out what happens when her blog goes viral and see how her relationship with Declan develops.
A really entertaining read with lots of complex characters and some fantastic, easy to relate to insights into life as a barista that others in service industries will find particularly easy to empathise with. The blog entries are fantastic but so is Imogen’s story. A delightful, enthralling chicklit that had me laughing out loud. You may also be interested in reading her earlier book, My So Called (Love) Life, which also has a lot of the setting in a cafe! Both are great books by A. L, Michael that I have no hesitation in highly recommending!
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley too, for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A really entertaining read with lots of complex characters and some fantastic, easy to relate to insights into life as a barista that others in service industries will find particularly easy to empathise with. The blog entries are fantastic but so is Imogen’s story. A delightful, enthralling chicklit that had me laughing out loud. You may also be interested in reading her earlier book, My So Called (Love) Life, which also has a lot of the setting in a cafe! Both are great books by A. L, Michael that I have no hesitation in highly recommending!
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley too, for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2015
This may be a short read but it packs a punch. Imogen has left home for the big city to try and become a writer. Like most people in this situation she now works in the service industry - as a barista. Put downs by her boss along with some seriously nasty, ignorant and down right rude customers makes her initially very unhappy until a barista from a nearby sister store who keeps popping in to borrow things makes a suggestion that changes her life completely.
As I have said before, I do like my chick-lit / romance books but I do like them to have a bit of substance and this book has just that, I loved Imogen's take on things - some of then very laugh out loud funny, others downright cringeworthy but all, sadly, very real.
The characters in this book also appeared to be very real and the romance came across to be written fluidly, never forced nor stereotyped and that is also important to me. I imagine that the author either did a lot of research into this industry, has been there, or has drunk a serious amount of coffee whilst people watching!
This is the first of this author's books that I have read, but it definitely won't be the last.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As I have said before, I do like my chick-lit / romance books but I do like them to have a bit of substance and this book has just that, I loved Imogen's take on things - some of then very laugh out loud funny, others downright cringeworthy but all, sadly, very real.
The characters in this book also appeared to be very real and the romance came across to be written fluidly, never forced nor stereotyped and that is also important to me. I imagine that the author either did a lot of research into this industry, has been there, or has drunk a serious amount of coffee whilst people watching!
This is the first of this author's books that I have read, but it definitely won't be the last.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2015
Imogen is living the dream…sort of. Well she is living my dream. She has moved to London and is trying to make it as a writer. She is living in a crappy flat, with no money, no job and no writing prospects. Things are looking grim but when she finally gets employment (albeit in the service industry – not media) she actually embarks on a whirlwind adventure that gets her everything that she wants. Make me want to pack my bag and move to London right now.
Ok, so Imogen seems to have the fairytale experience of ‘all’s well that ends well’ but AL Michael has created a really realistic story and lifelike characters in If You Don’t Know Me By Now. Imogen has her trials and tribulations and she battles her way through them. You never feel like she is grumbling about her lot in life. She just gets on with things. I think that is what actually makes her very likeable. You watch her blossom from an insecure little girl into a fighter. She works hard for everything she gets and it is nice to see a protagonist who isn’t relying on everyone else to make her happy.
One thing is for sure and that is that AL Michael has a finger firmly on the pulse of contemporary romance.
If You Don’t Know Me By Now by AL Michael is available now.
Follow AL Michael (@ALMichael_) on Twitter.
Ok, so Imogen seems to have the fairytale experience of ‘all’s well that ends well’ but AL Michael has created a really realistic story and lifelike characters in If You Don’t Know Me By Now. Imogen has her trials and tribulations and she battles her way through them. You never feel like she is grumbling about her lot in life. She just gets on with things. I think that is what actually makes her very likeable. You watch her blossom from an insecure little girl into a fighter. She works hard for everything she gets and it is nice to see a protagonist who isn’t relying on everyone else to make her happy.
One thing is for sure and that is that AL Michael has a finger firmly on the pulse of contemporary romance.
If You Don’t Know Me By Now by AL Michael is available now.
Follow AL Michael (@ALMichael_) on Twitter.
July 2, 2015
Imogen has moved down to London to try and make her way as a writer. Unfortunately, her intern job fell through and she's ended up working as a barista in a busy coffee shop. Cue a montage of a steep learning curve, customers who make her life hell, a supervisor who could be Hitler's female alter-ego, and a charming Irish co-worker who makes life a bit more interesting.
Michael has clearly spent some time working in the service industry. Imogen's experiences come from the heart. And they are at turns hilarious, outrageous and sad. They also make for a surprisingly good story. That's mostly down to Imogen - she's a great character, full of life, zest and snark. She makes this my favourite flavour of chick-lit - entertaining but with substance and sarcasm, romantic but not in a cheesy way. It's laugh-out-loud funny, moving, and a has a feel-good vibe that will keep a smile on your face throughout. And it made me really want to read Tally's story, so I'll definitely be investigating the rest of Michael's work.
Michael has clearly spent some time working in the service industry. Imogen's experiences come from the heart. And they are at turns hilarious, outrageous and sad. They also make for a surprisingly good story. That's mostly down to Imogen - she's a great character, full of life, zest and snark. She makes this my favourite flavour of chick-lit - entertaining but with substance and sarcasm, romantic but not in a cheesy way. It's laugh-out-loud funny, moving, and a has a feel-good vibe that will keep a smile on your face throughout. And it made me really want to read Tally's story, so I'll definitely be investigating the rest of Michael's work.
June 17, 2015
The book was refreshing, funny, hilarious with plenty of LOL moments thrown in. The romance was sweet and had just the amount of drama to keep the plot interesting. The heroine was honest, sarcastic and sassy and the hero sweet and adorable with plenty of charm and Cheshire-cat grins. The story was engaging and new. It wasn't the typical clichéd love story that we can see these days and adds different element with the whole British slang. I loved it and would definitely recommend to my friends. Happy reading...
For full review please check out my blog -
www.lostinthedreamyworld.wordpress.com
For full review please check out my blog -
www.lostinthedreamyworld.wordpress.com
December 15, 2015
As a hospitality worker this book just spoke to me. I have dealt with all the customers featured and I laughed out loud reading the 'Twisted Barista' rants that were very similar to ones I've delivered after a horrible day at work. This book caught me hook, line and sinker. I read it in one sitting completely grabbed by the characters and their story. I thought it was brilliant and A.L Michael is definitely one of my new favourite authors.
To check out my full review of this and 2 more books by A.L Michael check out this video :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TL78...
To check out my full review of this and 2 more books by A.L Michael check out this video :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TL78...
August 12, 2015
This was just an okay read for me. I liked the heroine and her secret belief in fairy tales, even though she says she doesn't believe in them. I found her blogs hilarious and feel that they are very truthful. It reminds us to be nicer to our baristas. I did not like the hero. I felt he was easily manipulated by his friend and not very much a hero. He does attempt to redeem himself at the end.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.
July 14, 2015
I've read and loved all of A L Michael's books. To be honest this one felt a little rushed at the end, but none the less a great easy read. Oh and as someone who had never ever tasted coffee let alone ordered one in a coffee shop I was amazed at all the different things people ask for. Baristas have my deep sympathy for remembering a list of instructions as long as a shopping list!
February 1, 2016
Not my favorite by this author, but still pretty cute. I didn't love the interspersed barista rants, because they started to feel a bit too bitter and took away from the story. I ended up skipping them even though I had lunch with my coffee shop friend today and told her about this book because the rants made me think of her. I still totally look forward to more A.L. Michael books though...
November 26, 2015
I got 12% in and I'd had enough, which isn't like me but it goes on a bit too much about poor her working in a coffee shop, could think of worse jobs. Then how people presume she isn't English, which is wrong.. A black guy who pretends he's French.. Oh I can't even keep up myself.
It's a bit dull, just nothing happens.
It's a bit dull, just nothing happens.
January 21, 2017
Very funny and many recognizable characters. A thoroughly enjoyable read and I cannot wait to read more of this author's works. Do yourself a big favour and settle down with this book for a great laugh at others and quite possibly yourself.
Very funny and many recognizable characters. A thoroughly enjoyable read and I cannot wait to read more of this author's works.
Very funny and many recognizable characters. A thoroughly enjoyable read and I cannot wait to read more of this author's works.
July 4, 2015
Review posted at http://wp.me/p2F7IH-a8w
January 7, 2018
Yeah, I did have some problems with it, but it was a fun and enjoyable read.
Full review here: https://charmainelimen.wordpress.com/...
Full review here: https://charmainelimen.wordpress.com/...
August 25, 2016
Just what i needed, a change of pace and scene!
Loved the concept of the book - just don't think the title really works.
Amusing= and i'll think twice about how i order my coffee in future!
Loved the concept of the book - just don't think the title really works.
Amusing= and i'll think twice about how i order my coffee in future!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews