No One Wants to Be Miss Havisham

by Brigid Coady

**Winner of the RNA Joan Hessayon New Writers’ Scheme Award**

What the Dickens is going on?
Edie Dickens is a shark of a divorce lawyer. She doesn’t believe in love and she scoffs at happily ever afters, however she’s agreed to be maid of honour for her oldest friend, Mel in two weeks and she still has the hen night to endure… But she has even more to endure when she’s visited by Jessica Marley’s ghost and finds out she must change her ways or end up being damned to an eternity watching other people’s happiness! Edie is visited by the Ghosts of Weddings Past, Present and Future, every Friday night until the day of the wedding. Can she learn from her mistakes in time? And did the ghosts send hunky new lawyer, Jack Twist, to distract her?

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Womens Fiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2015

About the author

Brigid Coady was born in the UK but raised round the world with most of her childhood spent reading.

Brigid works for a communications and digital marketing agency as a producer and storyteller. Much of her writing is done at weekends in various Starbucks around the world.

In the past, she has been the official Writer in Residence on the 06:37 train from London Victoria to Canterbury West.

Brigid is also a voice-over artist, loves country music and has had her own radio show. Brigid’s obsession with One Direction and Kenny Chesney is perfectly healthy, no matter what anyone else says. She lives in London. Persuading Austen and Emma Ever After are her tributes to Jane Austen and fan fiction.

Reviews

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

No One Wants to Be Miss Havisham is a witty modern day Charles Dickens story. A Christmas Carol meets Great Expectations with a more feminine wedding theme running through it.

This novel is a funny and sometimes slightly sad story. I really enjoyed this, and there was enough pink glitter to keep me happy. It reminded me of those feel good Christmas films I love to watch throughout December every year.

I highly recommend this for fans of chick lit and romance.

[Aoife · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free digital copy from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest feedback.

Edie Dickens has it all as far as she's concerned. A great job doing what she loves - being a shark of a divorce lawyer with a reputation as ice cold and a repertoire of successful cases, a beautiful home and a good income. Edie doesn't need love, marriage or any of the mush that comes with it. It's hard enough having to go to all her friend's weddings and play bridesmaid then have one of her own. Edie thinks life is great until she's visited by the ghost of her old friend Jessica Marley who tells Edie that if she doesn't get her act together and be nicer and thaw out her heart, she's facing an afterlife of misery. Edie is about to be visited by three ghosts and she's not sure if she wants to see what they have to show her.

First off, the whole idea of this story is genius. Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol meets chick lit. Yes. Plus the names of the characters just made me so happy - Edie Dickens, Jessica Marley, Timmy, Jack Twist. Yes. I laughed out loud at Edie's ghost chain being made out of glitter boas and penis straws as a sign of all the times she was the sourpuss at the hen parties. Edie was very much a Scrooge. She was cold, calculating and downright mean without seeing what she was doing wrong and it certainly took her a lot of convincing to prove it to her. She is definitely quite hard to like as it does take a while for her to really warm up and much like Jack see, she does crack sometimes and show the softness she's constantly holding back but sh just patched up the crack, said something bitchy and then I was back to hating her.

There were times were I felt like the book was written to give some cheap laughs and not all of it was totally realistic, asides from the whole being haunted by ghosts of weddings thing. I've read my fair share of 'chick lit' and I enjoy it for the most part as I did this book but there were definitely times that I groaned a bit at the cliches. I also felt a bit off at the slight accusation that because Edie didn't believe in marriage, she was an ice queen. I agree that her take on love was very much bitchface but that doesn't mean she has to believe in marriage and babies and all that jazz. And just because she was good at her job didn't mean she was a cold stone bitch too.

I would have liked more emphasis on Edie's abseil, I felt like the actual event just popped up out of nowhere though maybe this was on purpose to show Edie's lack of thought and proper planning that went with it. An epilogue of how Edie's relationship with Rachel and Jack, not to mention her dad, wouldn't have gone amiss for me either,

I really liked Jack and how steady he was in wanting to see the real Edie. I did feel like the pair were running around in circles at times and it was frustrating but eventually it seemed to settle well enough for me. Overall, a great piece of fun reading with a Dickens' twist!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dickens with a chick lit makeover, what's not to love??

(Aside: David Levithan could learn a lot from Brigid... his recent Christmas Carol modernisation Marly's Ghost was massively laboured and stilted, where here the well-known Victorian inspiration never overwhelms the story of the very modern Edie.)

I am full of superlatives for this book. It's very clever, very funny, very warm-hearted. The perfect read for wedding season!

[Liz Fenwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty, irreverent - a laugh out loud take on Dickens. The pages fly as you watch Edie transform with the help of the ghosts of weddings past, present and future. And I simply fell in love with Jack Twist... It's a brilliant read.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review first posted on my blog: http://spoonfulofhappyendings.blogspo...

Edie Dickens loves her job as a divorce lawyer because it confirms her beliefs that real love does not exist and neither do happy endings. Completely against her own principles, Edie takes on the role of head bridesmaid at her best friend Mel's wedding, but only because it's Mel and because she couldn't have possibly refused. One night Edie is suddenly visited by the ghost of her friend Jessica Marley, who tells her she will have to change if she wants to find happiness of her own. In the weeks before the wedding, Edie will be visited by the three ghosts of Weddings Past, Present and Future, to shed some light on her life. When handsome lawyer and colleague Jack Twist is also thrown in the mix, Edie is confronted with all kinds of feelings and thoughts she didn't know she had. But will it be enough for her to change her ways, once and for all?

I love retellings of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'; it's such a wonderful classic which I simply can't get enough of and authors can do so many different things with it. Brigid Coady has definitely written her own version of the famous tale, with instead of a Christmas theme a wedding theme at its core, which I loved. While the plotline and some of the characters are clearly based on Dickens' classic, the novel has its own touch and some different elements in there as well. Main character Edie is considered to be cold-hearted and ruthless, but there was just something about her which intrigued me and which I liked from the start. As the story progressed, the reader learns a lot about Edie and why she is the way she is. I really liked getting to know Edie and seeing her change because of everything that happens to her.

The book has a solid and well-drawn cast of secondary characters, including a handsome man in the form of lawyer and ex-Rugby player Jack Twist. This touch of romance really added another layer to the story (there's hardly any romance in Dickens' original, of course) and I loved the chemistry between him and Edie. I also want to mention the gorgeous book cover and great title, which both also really made me want to pick up this novel. I read another review which termed this novel 'Dickens with a chick-lit make-over' and I really think that sums up this novel quite well. Overall, 'No One Wants to Be Miss Havisham' is an entertaining and well-written story about second chances and being able to change who you are and what you believe in; a fabulous retelling of a classic tale that I loved from start to finish!

[Katey Lovell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review now live at www.bookswithbunny.blogspot.co.uk

When I first read the blurb for No One Wants to Be Miss Havisham I wasn't sure what to think.  I'd loved Brigid's 'Kiss' short stories and this sounded like something way out of leftfield in comparison.  Romance stories with ghosts are a bit hit and miss for me, and anything paranormal is out of my comfort zone.  This, however, is a work of genius.  The ghostly elements are humorous (leaving trails of pink glitter in their wake) as well as giving the reader an opportunity to find out about Edie's background by visiting weddings of the past, present and future.I really liked Edie's dry and cynical outlook, especially when compared to the romantic viewpoint of everyone else in the book and it was highly believable that she'd feel that way when her own experience of relationships is less than perfect.  She's somehow both bright and ditzy, and although she has a reputation for being hard nosed, her personality changes as the book progresses.  She's unlike most romantic heroines, that's for sure.Now onto Jack.  Jack Twist was a great character.  Rugby player and local hero, he works with Edie at a law firm.  He's strong in every sense and a no-nonsense kind of guy.  However, he's warm-hearted and always seems to be the one helping Edie out of all the messes she gets herself into.  There's one scene where Edie longs for her feet to be on solid ground and Jack's there beside her, offering support.  My heart was all aflutter right then and I could have done with the smelling salts. I was full on swooning, I'm telling you now.If laughs are your thing, then Coady's observations will have you chuckling- there are some hilarious portrayals of characters (Edie's boss in particular!), cringeworthy weddings and alcohol induced embarrassments. I think I'm going to be looking closely at suit linings for the foreseeable future as a result of this book...Overall, it's a well written and touching debut which strikes the balance between humour and heart.  If you're looking for an original romance with a quirky twist, look no further- Brigid Coady has stepped up to the helm.  No One Wants to Be Miss Havisham may appeal to fans of Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella and Carmen Reid.

[Kirke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book was surprisingly more fun than I expected it to be. It all starts off pretty negative, with one of Edie’s friends dying. She and Jessica were two peas in a pod. They both hated weddings, though happily ever after were just for fairy tales, and enjoyed making fun of people in love. So really it’s not that surprising that most people don’t like Edie.

Her career has always come first, second and third. This left little room for romance, friends, and family. There certainly is a coldness around Edie, and she’s in need of a wake up call. This comes in the form of the Ghosts of Wedding Past, Present and Future. Three trips through time, that hopefully make her see the error of her ways and start redeeming herself.

It wasn’t easy to like Edie in the beginning. She really was cold, harsh and sometimes even cruel. Honestly jaded and bitter, did not look good on her. Of course I was happy to see her make all those positive changes. Underneath all that ice, she’s actually quite nice and does mean well. It was also interesting to see that her trying to be nicer and do nicer things, didn’t always go so smoothly as she had hoped.

Now it wouldn’t be a story about redemption, and letting love in, without some delicious man. Jack Twist is one of Edie’s new coworkers, and he seems to be popping up everywhere she goes. There is that obvious attraction between them, but Edie isn’t easily persuaded to give into her feelings for him. Even Jack needs some convincing that Edie isn’t the ice queen she portrays to the outside world.

No One Wants to Be Miss Havisham was an excellent and fun story. Edie’s character and journey was certainly interesting enough. Some parts were a bit predictable, and there are the necessary cliché’s. Still I enjoyed it very much and left me with a nice grin at the end.

*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed many things about the book, but the editing was not so well done and was one issue that reduced it from an A- book to a C+ in my opinion.

Edie was so frozen that it was a challenge for me to warm up to her as a heroine, but her "ghostly journey" eventually did the trick....I really started to root for her.

Some of the things that didn't work for me was the level of betrayal committed by her family and friends, it would have been to much for me to forgive, what her mother did was unbelievable! The bit about bridesmaids' dresses being ill fitted and ugly was very cliche and I am really tired of the whole "ugly dress" and "one nasty bridesmaid" routine in so many books....it doesn't work for me anymore. I also would have liked Edie to have gotten a little revenge....living a good and happy life I guess is the best revenge. I also think the story ended rather abruptly, but again that might go with my earlier complaint about the editing.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. It's a modern day version of A Christmas Carol with a romantic twist on it.

I loved Edie Dickens, she really is someone you would not want to be anywhere near. She really does not suffer fools and has people quaking in their shoes just by being in the same room as her. She really lives up to her nick name, The Ice Queen.

We all know how the story, A Christmas Carol goes and as with Scrooge, Edie is also visited by three ghosts but for any Christmas haters out there do not fear as this is not set around that time of year.

I think this novel is a really clever take on such a great classic and one that I enjoyed immensely.

A read that will certainly warm the cockles of any heart!

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a clever, fun idea! As a lover of all things Dickensian, I really enjoyed this tongue-in-cheek take on A Christmas Carol, mingled with Great Expectations! The names were well chosen - so glad that the author managed to squeeze in a Pirrip and a Twist! Yet despite the humour and satire, Brigid Coady manages to cover some very pertinent themes and, dare I say it, conjures up a tear or two! Mr Dickens himself would have been impressed by little Timmy and the emotions evoked by the portrayal of his character. A contemporary fairy tale with a fast storyline that makes for a very enjoyable read.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

But every writer wants to be Brigid Coady after this!!

This book won the Joan Hessayon Prize from the Romantic Novelists Association.recently. Well, its a VERY worthy winner. I read it nearly at a single sitting (on a long ferry boat crossing).

While the plot structure uses that of A Christmas Carol, the finished product is a sparkling take. VERY well drawn characters - you will love to hate Elie sometimes, and other times just love to love her.

I keep finding odd bits of pink sparkly glitter!!

[Agi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second book with a ghost - or magic twist to it lately, although very different to the previous one, but still I absolutely enjoyed it. I didn't expect it to develop in a way it developed, but on the other hand, I am not sure what I've been expecting. I only know one thing - No One wants to Be a Miss Havisham was a great read with more than one twist and some very important lessons.
Yes, I do admit, I requested it based basically on this absolutely stunning cover and fantastic title, but it turned out that the story is brilliant, funny and also thought - provoking.

The book started in a very light - hearted, funny way and it continued so, but there came a moment that it started to feel a little more serious in tone. I mean, it was still full of laugh - out - loud moments but the story took a little different angle and focused more on much more gentle, important issues in Edie's life.

Edie was a very complex character and I'm guessing she was thought to be a little controversial and not so much likeable. However, I liked her from the very beginning, I think I fell for her when she said for the first time "Don't let the bastards see you cry" and then almost cried. Yes, she was Ice Queen on the surface, but under this I could feel incredible vulnerability and a nice person. Just this, or maybe as much as this - a nice person. No wonder that she built this brick - wall around her, and that all the attempts other people made to try to get into her, to make friends with her ricocheted, when we take her past and how rejected she felt herself by her father into consideration. Edie doesn't believe in romance, marriage, love, yes, she is very sceptical, and it seem she doesn't like anybody, even herself, but also anybody doesn't like her, and I think we could go that far and say that she was a very subtle bully to the weaker than her, and this is what makes her one of the best divorce lawyers, as she follows a strategy: hit them where it hurts most. How is it possible that two of her friends from her youth stayed by her - no idea, but one of them is now dead, and the other one is getting married, and Edie promised to be a maid of honour. Edie? Yes.

Edie is so much focused on being this "cold bitch", as everybody - her co - workers, exes - call her, that she is in need of a wake up call. And this comes in a form of three ghosts that should make her see her problems, and those are Ghost of Wedding Past, Ghost of Wedding Present and Ghost of Wedding Future. And please, give me a Ghost of Wedding Present anytime.

Edie also doesn't do feelings or talking to people at work, but let's welcome Jack Twist, ex - rugby player who's started working for the same company as Edie. They use to bump into each other in the lift or on hen - dos, and in many other different places, usually in embarrassing situations (for Edie of course) and Edie... well, can it be that she starts to fall for Jack? To be honest, if I were Edie, I would fell for him immediately, he is the object not only of every girl he meets dreams, he is also an object of my dreams. Nevertheless, Edie does everything to put him off her but Jack... Well, Jack is a great match for Edie.

I absolutely adored the idea of seeing things that could have happened if Edie hasn't changed her attitude. I loved it. My word, just imagine, you could see into your future and draw conclusions and get a chance for fixing everything even before you have spoiled it - brilliant! No "what ifs" in the future, just this feeling of having done a great job. Wouldn't say no to a ghost or two who would show me what to do. I truly never rolled my eyes or sigh with impatience at the way the book went and I really think the idea of using elements of "Christmas Carol" and intertwining ghosts into a modern - day story worked out. I always say that the authors either can pull ghosts and magic in their stories off or not, and Brigid Coady has done a brilliant job. I loved the parts with the ghosts, as they were truly characters of their own. Each of them so different to the other and they added so much colour and fun to the story, but also their actions were thought - provoking for Edie and really clever. (Yes, I've never thought that I'm going to say once that I loved "the parts with the ghosts"!). During their visits we can learn a lot about Edie's background and her past and slowly the mystery about her being like she is solves and we really get to know her better and understand her, but we also learn what other people think about her, and mostly it's very painful. Very. I often found myself cringing with embarrassment on behalf of Edie at the things I've heard. And the ghosts make Edie to see what's important, it's now up to Edie to decide if she's going to go for the challenge.

This is a great story about making the right choices and second chances, and I absolutely enjoyed accompanying Edie on her journey, see her learning how to open to other people, how to start to believe in love again and to see that world isn't as bleak as she thought it is. There are a lot of funny scenes in this book, a lot of embarrassing moments and overall, it is a great, entertaining read, but also a read that makes you think, and I really like it. It, in fact, has it all, all the elements that make a brilliant read and I am already looking for the next Brigid Coady's book, as this one was unforgettable. She has a sharp voice, the story is clever, there is a pink glitter and penis deely boppers, it is also full of tender moments - what more do you need? Highly recommended!

Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.

[Lynn Marie Hulsman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chick Lit is my cup of tea, and I was drawn right in by the gorgeous cover of this book. I was a little bit skeptical when I realized that it was going to involve elements of a Christmas Carol. I'm not generally a fan of books that are an overlay of an existing story. This premise, however, worked beautifully with the modern-day story of Edie Dickens. Coady skillfully used the older tale as a jumping-off point without ever belaboring it. I never rolled my eyes at the device.

Our heroine is a tough as nails, self-described "shark" of a divorce lawyer. She doesn't believe in love, marriage, or commitment. Once a carefree child, a traumatic event led to her closing herself off to these possibilities, and indeed to happiness itself. Instead, she aligns herself with Ms. Satis, a cold-hearted titan in the divorce law game. Her mentor hates love and marriage and preaches against weakness.

Edie picks apart the weak, breathes down the necks of the slow, and mocks the romantic. No one likes her, including, we suspect, herself. But, she grits her teeth and gets through every day, holding herself to an impossibly high standard and ticking off successes in business. It's remarked that it must be cold in her bed at night.

She's asked to be a bridesmaid in the wedding of the only friend she has, and despite the torture of it, she endures. Her having a best friend is the only spark of humanity we see. The bride's parents start to misbehave, propelling Edie into behaving like a disapproving task-mistress to ensure they don't ruin her best friend's big day.

Enter Jack Twist. As I read the book, I could only picture Jon Hamm/Don Draper (but nice). A pro Rugby player and skilled lawyer, Jack Twist is the object of every girl in their shared firm's attention. On a dare at a hen night, Edie winds up in a compromising position with the knight. He makes her feel uncertain and off-kilter: Her reaction to this is rage. She does everything she can to drive him away, licking his wounds. But, Jack's more than a match for Edie.

He magically appears at all the right times with all the solutions to all of her problems. As she begins to be visited by ghosts of weddings past, and as she is forced to face the woman she has become, Edie grows increasingly unraveled and in need of saving.

Like Scrooge, Edie has a mirror held up to herself in this tale, and when she can no longer bear what she sees, she has to make difficult new choices.

My favorite books follow the journey of a woman's growth and this book fits the bill. I enjoyed the rawness and honesty of Edie's self-evaluation, and the vulnerability she showed when faced with the puzzle that affected her entire life, forming her personality. The fact that hero Jack brings romance into the mix was icing on the (wedding) cake. The resolution is immensely satisfying.

Old-School Chick Lit, and I really enjoyed it.

Recommended

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever read or watched any of the many versions of A Christmas Carol? If so then you will find the basic plot of this book very familiar, however this has nothing to do with Christmas. This is to do with a girl called Edie Dickens, who is a divorce lawyer and is very cynical and hates wedding and doesn't believe in love. In this story instead of finding out the true meaning of Christmas, we see if Edie can learn how to let people in, and can she rid herself of the bad reputation as a "cold hearted bitch" to become a more rounded human being.

Between the blurb and the first sentence, I realised that this was going to be a very clever book. There are plenty of similarities to the Charles Dickens classic, but there is also a fresh new voice. The ghosts are spaced out, one a week over a fortnight, in the lead up to Edie being the maid of honour at her best (and only) friends wedding.

There are amusing name checks back to the original, including a modern current "tiny Tim". During the visits of Edie's ghosts, you get to learn a lot about the background of her character, as well as other people's perceptions of Edie.

It is in the time between the hauntings that this book really shows what it's about. After each ghost Edie is determined to change her ways, and there is the gorgeous ex-professional rugby player Jack Twist who keeps showing up to challenge her too.

Edie is initially a hard character to like, in fact she is hard and has more sharp edges than a knife. However as you learnt what is at the root of how she behaves, I found myself having a real sympathy towards her. As she tries to set things right with her life, she goes about things in the wrong way which is very amusing.

Watch out for the scene involving a fundraising attempt, it has everything, fear, tenderness and is probably one of my favourite scenes in the book. Oh and the hen party is great fun too!

Even though if you know of the story this is a homage to (and I suspect there are more Charles Dickens references in there than the ones I got), you have a vague idea what the ending will be, this story feels like an old friend, and the journey of reading it is very enjoyable.

Brigid Coady is not a writer I had come across before, but is definitely someone who I will be keeping an eye out for in the future. Overall No One Wants to Be Miss Havisham is a fun and entertaining read that will seem familiar to some readers, but regardless is worth reading.

Thank you to Harper Impulse and Netgalley for my review copy of this book.

[Lisa Bentley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My reasons for wanting to read No One Wants to be Miss Havisham were pretty simple. Firstly, I love Great Expectations and secondly, I too – like many other women – fear becoming the crusty old depressed Miss Havisham.

Admittedly, when I first started reading No One Wants to be Miss Havisham I was confused and a little bit put off by the premise of the story. It is essentially a modern day retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol but then by having Miss Havisham in the title and then having characters named after or similar to Dickensian characters I felt it was a little, dare I say it, lazy. However, once I got over my whole cross referencing issues (which I assure you dear reader were solely my own weird hang ups) I actually really enjoyed No One Wants to be Miss Havisham.

No One Wants to be Miss Havisham is a story about Edie Dickens, a hardcore divorce lawyer with a swinging brick where her heart should be. She is closed off from everyone and almost sees other peoples’ lives as an inconvenience to her own. Three weeks before her best friend wedding starts the visit from three ghosts who all show her how her life has taken a wrong turn. Seeing the error of her ways, Edie tries to make amends before it is too late.

You can see where the story is going, right? I think part of the reason I enjoyed reading this book is that I knew it could only have a happy outcome. That was kind of comforting. What I also liked about the No One Wants to be Miss Havisham is that whilst the reasons for Edie becoming an “Ice Queen” are justified they aren’t played on. In some books the author tries to rely on pop-psychology to rationalize a person’s actions but Brigid Coady lets it be a reason without dominating the entire story.

No One Wants to be Miss Havisham is definitely a hearty read with an outcome that you will enjoy. It should definitely be added to your book pile.

No One Wants to be Miss Havisham by Brigid Coady is available now.

Follow Brigid Coady (@beecee) on Twitter.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 A modern-day retelling of Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL, with Scrooge replaced by workaholic divorce lawyer Edie Dickens, and Christmas replaced by weddings. Edie's haunted by her friend Jessica Marley, who died of "death by canapé" during a wedding. Jessica and Edie used to trade snarky comments during weddings they knew were more likely than not to end in divorce. But it seems if Edie doesn't change her wedding-hating ways, she, like Jessica, will be doomed to "wander the earth, witnessing all that love and stuff and not being able to share in it." And wearing a tacky bridesmaid dress, hauling about a chain intertwined with "pink feather boas, 'L' plates and bunny rabbit ears, penis-shaped straws, red devil horns and fairy wings" all the while (Kindle Loc 160).

The Dickens parallel doesn't always work; the first ghost takes Edie to only weddings, but the others mix other visits in. Coady writes with humor and verve, but its obvious that she did not think much about the politics of switching the gender of her "scrooge." As a result, there's a deep well of implied misogyny here: Edie must open up, stop being such a "bitch," stop focusing so much attention on her job, and fall in love and get married. And the reasons why she's such a "bitch"? Her lying, unloving mother, and her ball-breaking female former boss. Yuck.

[Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a little special as it recently won the Romantic Novelists' Association's Joan Hessayon Award, and as soon as I started reading it I could see why. It is a refreshing take on a classic story with a heroine you can't help but love despite her huge flaws.

Ms Coady writes with humour and warmth and her characters are a joy to spend time with. Don't get me wrong, at first you want to slap Edie for the way she behaves, but once you get a few glimpses of why she is like she is you are soon rooting for her.

I was hooked by this novel and found myself making excuses not to do the chores so I could read just one more chapter, then another ...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish and give it 5 stars. Well done Brigid.

[Cryssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gobbled this story up in no time. It had the perfect balance of humorous and heartfelt moments. I laughed and I cried and thought it was a delightful rom/com variation of a Christmas Carole.
The heroine, Edie, is a cynical workaholic who is a shark of a divorce lawyer who has to be maid of honour for her best friend's wedding. She's visited by the ghosts of weddings past, present and future. She has to square with work, relationships, her past and ultimately herself or be doomed and alone. Absolutely loved Jack Twist!

[Julia Ibbotson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book; it was well written and amusing. I liked the way Brigid Coady reflected Dickens's A Christmas Carol to structure the novel, but used the Ghost of Weddings, since her protagonist has a phobia of weddings/marriage/hen parties. In many ways I agree with her horror of some of the tacky trappings of weddings these days but, of course, she is also very brittle, bitter and confused! A feel-good story. However, I still don't see why Miss Havisham (Great Expectations) is in the title - a different book altogether! And she is only referred to briefly in the plot.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really very cute. It's a retelling of A Christmas Carol, but instead of being a money miser, the main character is an emotional miser. The ghosts show Edie Dickens what is wrong with her life and inspire her to make it better. I liked it. It's also a really quick read.

[Emily Benet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an utter joy to read. Original, well-written and funny. I didn't know what I'd been missing until I found it. It was classic rom com with a quirky twist. I laughed, cried and enjoyed every minute of it. What a treat! I can't wait to read more from Brigid Coady.

[Angel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this thinking it was a holiday story. It's not. This is not a Christmas story. It's a retelling of Christmas Carol, but it takes place in June and has nothing to do with Christmas. It's all about weddings. The ghosts of weddings past and such.

I didn't like this book. I'm so tired of stories about women who are evil or in this case, a "cold bitch" because they devote a large part of their life to their job. Her boyfriend dumped her because her she couldn't make it to dinner on their anniversary or something like that - he was going to propose so it was very sad. But she's a young lawyer, just starting out her career. How dare she want to be successful and do well at work!

Someday I would like to read a book in which a woman dated a man who completely understood that sometimes her time might have to take priority over the fancy dinner he planned - a man who respected the fact that he was in love with a woman who is ambitious. I would also like to see stories in which marriages were viewed as important as weddings. This book is very wedding focused - must have perfect wedding. And Edie is terrible because she makes fun of weddings. But every marriage in this story is in shambles, even the ones that haven't happened yet, so really, Edie's feelings about weddings are sort of valid. Spent all this time and money for a big spectacle, only to go through a divorce a few years later. She's a divorce lawyer, she's something of an expert on this topic.

My biggest problem with the book is that I didn't think Edie was all that awful. She had reason to be bitter and she did well at her job. Maybe the people who viewed her as a cold bitch were the ones with the problem. And the co-worker she tried to help out? That whole story line was bizarre. Edie puts together a fundraiser for her and she goes ballistic? Also, totally okay for the co-worker to suck at her job because her step-son has health issues?

But what really upset me about the book was the decision Edie made in the end. She is given the opportunity to have something she's wanted for much of her life, and sets it aside because, "Mel must have the perfect wedding." What? Because weddings are more important than anything else. That's the point in which I decided I didn't like this book at all. The more serious and more interesting story line in the story gets tossed aside for a wedding.

I'm very annoyed that I wasted the very limited time I had to read holiday stories this year on this one - which, as I pointed out in the beginning, isn't even a Christmas story. Also, there are typos in this book. Multiple typos. I started highlighting them with my Kindle because it was bothering me so much. This is a book I bought, not an ARC, and it's published by a publishing house - not self published - so there shouldn't be such obvious typos. "Edie cuddle the canvas bags to her side." "She was struggling to at look her mom."

[Zee Monodee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky, funny, thought-provoking, a little bit sad - this is one roller-coaster of emotions in a story that keeps the reader on her toes and makes you want to know 'just a little bit more' what is going to happen. Thoroughly delightful and enjoyable

[Erin B SC · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story idea for this book was solid - basically a newer Christmas Carol. It was a bit choppy for me, lots going on and was tricky to follow in parts. A few storylines I feel didn’t get enough attention. The love story was just not flowing naturally.

[Kait · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, modern retelling of a Dickens classic

[Lisa Scott Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

just the kind of goopy British Rom-Com I love at Christmas time

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book and if you love a parady on classics this might be and easy fun read. This is a take on "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens with littered with Dickens charters from Charlie Dickens to Jack Twist. Miss Havisham makes an appearance but it is more about the spirt of Miss Havisham in current day England.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a modern Romantic Comedy take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The twist in this book is that Edie Dickens is a bitter, sour, damaged divorce lawyer who is being visited by the ghosts of Weddings Past, Present, and Future. Ordinarily, this is a summary that would send me running for the hills, sobbing ‘oh god, please, no’ (mostly because I’m not a fan of Dickens). However, such is the power of Twitter hype (and the fact that it was £1.89 on Kindle) that I threw my prejudices aside and gave it a go.

I have to say, I am glad that I did. It’s not exceptional and it’s not ground-breaking, but it is fun and it doesn’t pretend to be anything other than light-hearted entertainment and escapism. The main character is delightfully self-destructive, but I could still identify with her because her thoughts and behaviours, though magnified for comic purposes, are things I can recognise in myself at times. Brigid Coady obviously knows her genre, but still manages to stop the book from becoming too stale and same-ey. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but provides some good switch-off, chill-out reading.

It’s not a book I’m likely to read again, but it was just right for what I was looking for at the time – escapism, predictable romance, and a few giggles. Coady’s writing style is very readable, and it does exactly what it says on the tin.

If you’re looking for your first experience of reading this genre (I hate the term ‘chick-lit’ but it is a recognisable category) then I’d recommend trying someone like Janet Evanovich first. If you’re looking for your next funny and romantic book then I’d say give it a go, but don’t expect to be blown away.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jane Hunt Writer First Steps
Jane Hunt Writer Book Reviews Facebook
Jane Hunt Writer Book Reviews Google+

No One Wants to Be Miss Haversham is a modern twist on a Dickensian theme, a clever medley of 'Great Expectations' and the ghosts from 'Christmas Carol'. The aptly named Edie Dickens is a sharp, bitter divorce lawyer who abhors love, marriage and romance. Invited to her friend's nuptials she undergoes a self realisation with the help of the 'ghosts' but the question is does she come out the other side a better person, or a sad embittered Miss Haversham stereotype?
Edie is a strong, if often unlikeable character but as the climax of the tale nears, she does become more endearing. This story's pacing is slow at times. A shorter story would have been more readable. If you are a fan of Dickens and enjoy a contemporary take on a classic, this is for you. The ending is romantic and worth waiting for.
I received a copy of this book from Harper Impulse via NetGalley in return for an honest review.




Brigid Coady

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read this book 2x now and I really do like it. It makes you really think about how you treat others and how people react to you. Edie is obviously someone who has issues from her past and does not realize that it is affecting her present.
Very modern approach to the original telling.