I Hate That You Bloody Left Me

by Heather Hill

When three silver-surfer widows take a road trip to a bewitching island in the Southern Hebrides, kidnapping a world-renowned psychic medium was the last thing on their minds. And the first thing they did…

After three bereaved, elderly ladies meet in an online forum, it soon becomes clear they each have their own, quite specific, senior citizen plan. The first is desperate for a message from her husband, but his sudden death has made him unavailable. The second just wants a hole in the ground to swallow her up, and so it duly does. The third is in search of her true identity, and has all of life’s essentials in her over-sized handbag: lipstick, phone, spare pair of knickers, mother…

As a trio of desolate women transitions into a trio of friends, they embark on a mission to track a recently retired, world famous pyschic medium, which takes them on a series of zany and hilarious adventures, where shocking secrets are revealed, relationships are tested, and lobsters are liberated. The women want to know, and they want to know now: Is there life BEFORE death?

Genres: Humor, Fiction, Amazon, Unfinished, Chick Lit, Womens Fiction

315 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2016

About the author

Heather Hill - mum of five (not the band)is a comedy writer and author of the Amazon No1 best-selling comedy novels, 'The New Mrs D', 'I Hate That You Bloody Left Me' and 'The Advice Bucket.'

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a time when I loved a book like this. Real quirky laugh out loud chick lit but I feel in a way I’ve outgrown the genre; it just doesn't appeal as much anymore.

I couldn’t connect with the characters or plot.

While it’s 3 stars from me, for the right reader it’s definitely a 5.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun light hearted book. Definately worth reading.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

With many thanks to TBC and the publisher for a copy of this book t0 review.

This book was about 3 widows who wonder what the connection is when they find a photo they all have of their husbands with a well known psychic. There are many funny moments throughout the book as they 'accidentally' kidnap the psychic and travel to a remote island.

They are all dealing with grief in different ways and find solace in the unlikely friendships they develop. Each character is very cleverly drawn and makes you warm to them despite any character flaws. The island sounds like a lovely place to escape to even with such an eclectic group of people.

I thoroughly enjoyed the humour in the book and the friendship bonds. I will definately look out for more books by Heather Hill

[Donna Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well that was totally bonkers! It was also totally brilliant. I wasn't sure what to make of it at first, as three widows met up, drawn together by a photograph of their husbands, with a world famous psychic. He just happens to get kidnapped by the three women along the way. As they unravel various secrets, I found myself laughing out loud on the train.
It was a crazy crazy book but so well written and witty. Just loved it!

Many thanks to TBC and the author for a review copy.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has some great laugh out loud moments with memorable characters that really get to you even when you want to shout at them for their actions. As well as being a really funny book it also addresses the emotions of being widowed and that is told with empathy and understanding. All in all a good light read.

[Natasha du Plessis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to TBC and Heather Hill for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the three girls and their antics. This was also a story about coping with grief and how the ladies supported one another. This story was told wonderfully and I could picture the island, Fleur's house and everything else clearly in my mind's eye. All the characters were really believable and it brings home the fact that one day we all will have to go on in life without the one that you decided to spend your life with.

I would recommend this book to everyone, a great holiday read.

[Cal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is completely different to my usual sort of read, but what a refreshing change it turned out to be! Laugh out loud funny with touching moments and memorable characters, this book made me laugh so hard I had tears running down my face.

If you're in need of a pick-me-up this book may be just what you need. Lighthearted and fun, but with a lot of heart running through it, I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to read this lovely book.

Thank you to TBC and the publisher who gave me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. A recommended 4 stars.

[Carol Peace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be ready for fun, laughs and a little bit of empathy when you read this book. Joanna-Rose Hepple is a member of a closed Facebook group and she wasn't expecting the risque comment by Fleur, another member and she had to quickly wipe up the wine she had spat out all over her computer. Fleur was a little 'different' not exactly a normal grieving widow. When a photograph is put up on the site by Joanna it made Fleur wonder why she had the same photo and across town Cathy Harper wondered why she also has the photo. The adventure that the three of them get up to is hilarious and seem to be one misunderstanding after another with lots of laughs interspersed. I really enjoyed this book and it made me smile every time I picked it up.
Thank you to the author and TBC for my copy for an honest review,in my opinion a definite 5*.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three widows want to meet the celebrity psychic Derek Montgomery, these are their adventures...
If you are searching for a fresh and hilarious book, this is the one for you.
The three widows; Cathy, Fleur and Joanna-Rose had been mourning her husbands for more than a year, when they "decide" to visit the psychic Derek Montgomery to shut some open doors. But with an alcoholic, a free spirit and a good wife, their trip just could be a disaster!
I am not sure I have ever laughed so much with a book, this is a book with real characters and funny situations, you will love it and roar with laugh!
I don't want to make any spoilers, so go ahead and read the book, this will be the book of the summer!
Do you believe in psychics?

[Louise Beech · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a funny and witty frolic! A complete change from what I might read (anyone who knows me knows I read quite dark stuff) but this was a breath of fresh air. Kind of reminded me a little of The Witches of Eastwick! Three widows are part of an online forum for those who've lost partners - a set of coincidences leads to a psychic, a very funny kidnap, and ultimately some wonderful friendships. There are touching moments, laugh-out-loud moments, and the writing sparkles with wit. Highly recommend!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing story.
This book draws on bereavement for 3 women and how each are coping with this.
Cathy, Fleur and Joanna-Rose all meet through Facebook due to one posting a picture of their husband's together. This leads to an adventure and friendship which they all need.
This is a lovely heartfelt story.
I was offered this story as an ARC for an honest review and I can tell you I'm already curious about her other novels

[Gail Atkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you TBC for this ARC. What a great book to read. The characters in this book added to the charm. Although I was able to predict certain aspects of the book, it didn't take away anything from the story.
I loved how Facebook was used to connect the ladies after seeing a photo that had been shared by a recent widow. The ladies decide to find the connection between their departed men folk and a famous Medium. If you want a lovely, cheerful book then I would highly recommend it.

[Sarah Booth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started this book twice. I finally read up to 50 pages of it the second time and realized I just didn't like it. None of the characters appealed to me and one of them was so not the kind of person I would want to be around that I didn't even want to read any more about her. It maybe me and it was justs that I was not in the mood for black humor of a bunch of widows who seemed to have little or no redeeming qualities. I may try it again someday, but today is not that day.

[carlos rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of fun.

A great read, time well spent. It cheerer me up.. A lot of fun front to back.
I really liked it.

[Ramona Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather a different style from my usual cozies but very enjoyable. Being a senior citizen, I related very well to the hilarious ladies populating this book. It was edgy, funny and very up to date.

[Laura Doe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun look at bereavement

This book is a funny look at bereavement and is hilarious in some parts and quite unbelievable in others (in a good way!)
Fleur, Cathy and Joanna-Rose all meet on a bereavement Facebook group and from there on things get a little crazy. One of them wants one final message from her husband, and so goes to a psychic to see if he comes through for her. This results in the first meeting the psychic becoming unwell at his retirement show, and the second meeting they have results in the women kidnapping him. The second woman isn’t just grieving the death of her husband, but also the loss of her daughter who won’t speak to her anymore. She just wants to be swallowed up by a hole in the ground, and she gets her wish! The third woman is on a lifelong search to find out who she is, and has all of her essentials packed in her handbag: lipstick, phone, mother…
The three women’s adventure is hilarious as they take on lobster liberation and kidnapping world famous psychics, all while secrets are revealed and relationships are put to the test.

[Adri266 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ako hovori nazov, je to roman o zenach, ktore sa nevedia zmierit s tym, ze ich partneri opustili, teda zomreli. Zoznamia sa na netovom fore. Prva sa chce skontaktovat s duchom svojho manzela, ktory zomrel necakane a nemala sancu sa s nim rozlucit.
Druha si nepripusta, ze manzel zomrel, v dome ma bordel, dom kolabuje...dva krat sa pod nou otvori zem :wink: teda sa spravi diera v podlahe. No a tretia prisla v kratkom case o partnera, ktory bol gay, ale zili spolu, a o matku, ktorej popol nosi so sebou. Sama ma velke tajomstvo a svoj zial zapija alkoholom.

Vela som sa zasmiala, kedze tieto tri damy unesu medium, chlapika, ktory vraj dokaze komunikovat s dusami mrtvych, riesia tajomstva ich mrtvych partnerov a nakoniec v sebe najdu priatelky na cely zivot.
Za mna odporucam

[Treva · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story of three widows who meet up via Facebook while on Widow's website. One posts a picture of her husband with the other two's former husbands with Derek Montrose, a medium. The story progresses with the three meeting up with Derek and finding out more about their husbands and the relationship with Derek.

I almost gave up on this book before I was 25% in because the three seemed way too different to actually become friends. They all have personality "disfunctions" that causes them to "need" the strong characteristics of the others to grow and survive, so there was a point to their clicking before the end of the book.

[T.L. Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by this book when I saw it advertised.
I can only describe it as a farce (in the nice, theatrical sense).
Three widows in their later years join a group on fb. Little did they know they were all connected by one photograph.

The characters are well developed, and Fleur in particular is wonderfully whacky.
There's a wonderful adventure of misadventures as they seek answers to help them with their bereavement.
We are taken to Islay in Scotland to enjoy some beautiful scenery as well.

A very sad topic given a wonderful sense of humour which I found refreshing.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story follows three women who’re struggling to cope after their partners die.
They find each other through a Facebook group for widows and their friendship grows.
Fleur’s house is falling apart, Cathy’s not been paying her bills and Joanna-Rose has turned to alcohol to cope.
They help and support each other through trying to find a new way to live their lives. They even seek out a renowned psychic to try and help them get closure.
I found this a very funny story with lots of twists and turns.

[sandra smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

SANDRA SMITH

This was a very funny book. It reminded me of myself and my friends with me being Fleur. I too am a widow and aged 66 I love the silly side of life. It is very important not to forget the fact that we were all young once and embrace the craziness again. I will be reading more books by Heather Hill and hope to enjoy them as much as this one. Thank you for allowing me to be myself without feeling embarassed. Cheers Sandra Smith.

[Elisabet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I often buy books on recommendations from TBConFB and read them later when I have forgotten about what kind of book it is. This one was a good surprise just what I needed without knowing it. Funny, full of compassion and heart and a crazy story line. It had me laughing out loud. I hope when I am elderly I get to have friends like these women were and my daily workout is dancing without a care of what others think.

[Eryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable read. For some reason I had trouble really getting into it until halfway through, but that had more to do with the stuff going on in my life than the book, especially when I had to remind myself about how the women in the story were related to each other in the plot. I did stick with it, and I enjoyed the remainder of the book. The comedy is very British, which I liked, and I might have actually learned something about whiskey.

[michelle lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected

I chose a four star rating because at first I found it really hard to read putting it down a few times reading something else . I found it a bit slow and uninteresting but persevered and once into the book found it very funny "unexpected" in the end I really enjoyed it and found myself imagining who would play the characters in a film or tv drama .I would recommend it to friends .

[Stephannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read!

I chose this book because I am coming on fifty and I had lost my husband suddenly. I seemed to hit all the right cords in my soul. I am trying to be social again and have very few friends now most habe moved or died. The author hit all the right cords with humor, loss, dealing with pain that I have been walking through. I relate all too well to the characters and there adventures. Thank you for writing this book and me finding it when I did.

[Eddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I was never truly enamored with this book, I do think it was worth the time I put into it. The cast of characters was the highlight of it all. And I'm an easy sell on main characters who are over the age of forty. 😉 Anyways, this delightful romp of a book did have its slow parts, but it's one that while you're reading will make you think, "This would be a great film." And I hope one day I'll see it become one.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The quirky characters and unpredictable plot twists kept me entertained, and the book also touched on some more serious issues, while still being lighthearted. However, I felt rather frustrated by the frequent continuity errors, which could be fixed by some more careful proofreading/editing - hopefully this might be sorted out in later editions of the book.

[Amy J. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read over 100 pages into this book before allowing myself to admit that this was not the book for me. Although it is billed as being funny, I never so much as chuckled in those 100+ pages. The character of Fleur was especially annoying. In writing Fleur, I think Ms. Hill made the mistake of confusing vulgarity with wit. I was not amused.

[Neona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put dowm

I Hate That You Bloody Left Me had me hooked from the first page. I found the characters well developed and the story engaging. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good laugh and doesn't like television mediums.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good

I love the characters, especially Fleur! This book is very witty, entertaining and emotional. Three widows are connected by a photograph and the adventure takes off from there. Very well written!