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Isabel Bookbinder #1
The Glamorous (Double) Life of Isabel Bookbinder
There's an aroma of fresh coffee and warming bagels as gorgeous bestselling novelist Isabel, 27, welcomes us into her sunny apartment, light glinting off the huge Tiffany diamond studs in her ears. For Isabel Bookbinder, there's no doubt about where she's headed. Reasons to become a bestselling author: Opportunities to swish new Super-hair and captivate the lovely Joe Madison; Prove to father that Really Am Not a Waster; Leave column inch-measuring days at the Saturday Mercury behind Potential setbacks; Don't yet have 'Yoko' bag, as carried by arch rival with book deal, Gina D ...or honed size eight figure (useful for interviews). Am also at the centre of a major political sex scandal - Paparazzi are doorstepping my parents and boring boyfriend Russell. Of course she hasn't yet quite got round to putting pen to paper yet, but Isabel's not one to let a little thing like that stand in her way.
432 pages, Paperback
First published May 22, 2008
16 people are currently reading
744 people want to read
About the author
Holly McQueen
12 books63 followersHolly McQueen has wanted to be a writer ever since discovering that the nuns at her junior school would let her off maths homework if she wrote a story instead. After unexpected detours via law, magazine journalism, and even musical theatre, she began writing her first novel in 2006. Holly lives with her husband in London. She still avoids math.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
December 3, 2010
If there was a way to give negative stars to a book, this would be the one.
I don't want to stereotype, but why do so many British writers of chick lit think it's amusing to create heroines who are blithely stupid, self-destructive, lazy, clueless and unmotivated and then send them on their way, misunderstanding, mis-managing, and just plain messing up everything they touch?
I don't find it endearing, and I certainly didn't want to root for the titular character... I only found myself hoping against hope that all of her friends would tire of her self-absored bullsh*t and dump her. Had Isabel ended the book alone, broke, friendless and unemployed, all would be more or less right with the world.
I don't want to stereotype, but why do so many British writers of chick lit think it's amusing to create heroines who are blithely stupid, self-destructive, lazy, clueless and unmotivated and then send them on their way, misunderstanding, mis-managing, and just plain messing up everything they touch?
I don't find it endearing, and I certainly didn't want to root for the titular character... I only found myself hoping against hope that all of her friends would tire of her self-absored bullsh*t and dump her. Had Isabel ended the book alone, broke, friendless and unemployed, all would be more or less right with the world.
January 21, 2011
This book is so formulaic in a shameless rip-off of Sophie Kinsella way. Sophie may have a plot and character template from which she hardly ever deviates, but at least her heroines are likeable. I am trying to like Isabel. The reader always wants to like the main character, I think, but so far, I agree with Myles. She is an idiot.
Two days later: Frontrunner for Worst Book I Ever Read "award". Isabel is so irritatingly obtuse. The author was clearly going for cute humor in Isabel's naïveté, but it wasn't funny, just painfully frustrating.
So, if Becca had stepped up and gone to the press to reveal that she had authored the Captain Kidd books, it would have created a huge scandal and publicity. Katriona would have denied it. Someone, a defense attorney in the lawsuit Katriona would have brought against Becca, would suggest a writing sample be provided by each, under supervision. Becca's name would go on all future publications, and you can figure out the rest. This is one example of the numerous implausibilities in the book. Readers are willing to suspend disbelief to a point, and that point was far surpassed, into glaring plot hole territory. A good author must rigorously stop and think, "What will this lead the reader to think?" Holly McQueen failed to do that throughout. Is she lazy, or is she a real-life Isabel Bookbinder?
Two days later: Frontrunner for Worst Book I Ever Read "award". Isabel is so irritatingly obtuse. The author was clearly going for cute humor in Isabel's naïveté, but it wasn't funny, just painfully frustrating.
So, if Becca had stepped up and gone to the press to reveal that she had authored the Captain Kidd books, it would have created a huge scandal and publicity. Katriona would have denied it. Someone, a defense attorney in the lawsuit Katriona would have brought against Becca, would suggest a writing sample be provided by each, under supervision. Becca's name would go on all future publications, and you can figure out the rest. This is one example of the numerous implausibilities in the book. Readers are willing to suspend disbelief to a point, and that point was far surpassed, into glaring plot hole territory. A good author must rigorously stop and think, "What will this lead the reader to think?" Holly McQueen failed to do that throughout. Is she lazy, or is she a real-life Isabel Bookbinder?
January 1, 2011
Of course I enjoyed this book - after all I enjoyed the Confessions of a Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella the first time around. This is a very poor imitation that only received 3 stars from me because it made me laugh. Add a dash of the "lying to the father because I never measured up" from the Little Lady Agency series and BLAMMO you got this story. No need to read on if you have read these series before.
Isabel Bookbinder (1) lies to her father about what she does and is constantly trying to live up to an image for him (AHEM sounds like Melissa in LLA doesn't it?), (2) is clueless and gets herself into situations that you just shake your head at (looking around for Rebecca Bloomwood!! Where is she? I swear I'm reading Shopaholic!) (3) has a means-well-but-mucks-it-up-and-believes-the-lies mother (mama Becca?! You're here too???), (4) has friends of her mother's that believe the lies and spreads it to others (JANICE IS HERE TOO FROM THE SHOPAHOLIC SERIES?!??! Sophie Kinsella may want to consult a lawyer because her ideas have been JACKED!) (5) love interest who shakes his head at it all? Couldn't be a party without a Luke-esque character. And don't worry - Suze is here too only this time her name is Lara and she is a psychologist. And Danny the fashion guy is there too - his name in this book is Barney.
I am afraid to read the second book because now that I have typed out only SOME of the similarities (and yes there are more) I feel greatly disappointed. I'm downgrading this to a 2 star...
Isabel Bookbinder (1) lies to her father about what she does and is constantly trying to live up to an image for him (AHEM sounds like Melissa in LLA doesn't it?), (2) is clueless and gets herself into situations that you just shake your head at (looking around for Rebecca Bloomwood!! Where is she? I swear I'm reading Shopaholic!) (3) has a means-well-but-mucks-it-up-and-believes-the-lies mother (mama Becca?! You're here too???), (4) has friends of her mother's that believe the lies and spreads it to others (JANICE IS HERE TOO FROM THE SHOPAHOLIC SERIES?!??! Sophie Kinsella may want to consult a lawyer because her ideas have been JACKED!) (5) love interest who shakes his head at it all? Couldn't be a party without a Luke-esque character. And don't worry - Suze is here too only this time her name is Lara and she is a psychologist. And Danny the fashion guy is there too - his name in this book is Barney.
I am afraid to read the second book because now that I have typed out only SOME of the similarities (and yes there are more) I feel greatly disappointed. I'm downgrading this to a 2 star...
January 17, 2010
Isabel Bookbinder is a wannabe author and works for her local paper measuring the column inches on the weeks stories. Isabel decides she is going to be abest-selling author, but is annoyed when her best friend gets an agent before she does.
So Isabel decides to work with one of the countries best selling authors as a PA to get her foot on the ladder but things don’t quite go to plan, and Isabel realises she hasn’t actually written a word of this “best-selling” novel she is convinced she can write…
The plot does indeed sound a bit silly, and this is my general consensus of the book really. Although this book definitely falls into the chick-lit genre, I am sure that it isn’t as intelligent as most books I read, and I just found it all a bit too silly and childish for my liking. I do like books which can make me laugh, but this just tried too hard. Books such as the fantastically wonderful Shopaholic series are funny, not at all patronising and very enjoyable. This one didn’t match up, and left me pleased it had finished.
My main problem with the book wasn’t the writing style, or even the plot, it was the main character herself. Isabel Bookbinder was just plain annoying, and very childish to be honest. I think the author has tried to make her likeable and funny, but I just didn’t take it to be that way. Isabel’s first person narrative through the book was very well written, with good description throughout the book, but some of Isabel’s personal thoughts and things were incredibly annoying. Also, I found Isabel’s thoughts about her novel and how successful she was going to be, and also her stupid rantings about personal shoppers etc…..aagghhhh they really annoyed me.
But perhaps the most stupid and annoying thing about this book happened at the end of the chapter, each and every chapter throughout the book, and annoyed me so much, I simply stopped reading them when I got about halfway through the book. These endings to chapters were pretend magazine articles, letters or lists that Isabel had written about her being a super successful author, or things she had to do or letters to MI5 begging them not to kill her. They were ridiculous, stopped the flow of the book completely and just didn’t add anything to it at all. Just thinking about it now makes me cross, and glad that I’ve finished this book!
The idea of a writer writing about a wannabe author is a good one, after all they can draw on their own personal experience and inject a little realism into the book. But the scrapes and incidents that Isabel found herself in were quite unbelievable and a bit silly to be honest. There is a fair amount of humour in the book, some of which is funny, but the rest sort of washed over me a bit, leaving me a bit cold. As well as Isabel, we do meet her family, mainly her parents. Her mother is a bit obssessive about her daughter and her job, and her father is a horrible man thinking whatever his daughter does isn’t good enough, leaving you wondering if this is why Isabel has turned out as strangely as she did.
The book started off quite positively, introducing us to Isabel, her colleagues at the newspaper at which she works and Isabel’s ideas about being a novelist, but I found it quickly desended into farce and into a book which I didn’t find enjoyable to read at all, and actually couldn’t wait to end. Although the narrative was well written, and kept the author on track for the entire storyline, weaving throughout the story well, the character was not completely likeable and some of her ramblings became incredibly annoying and made me want to stop reading, which was a real shame. It is chick-lit but sadly chick-lit at its worst, with unbelievable characters, ridiculous additions to the story and a horrid lead character. I wouldn’t recommend this book, and its a disappointing debut for Holly McQueen.
So Isabel decides to work with one of the countries best selling authors as a PA to get her foot on the ladder but things don’t quite go to plan, and Isabel realises she hasn’t actually written a word of this “best-selling” novel she is convinced she can write…
The plot does indeed sound a bit silly, and this is my general consensus of the book really. Although this book definitely falls into the chick-lit genre, I am sure that it isn’t as intelligent as most books I read, and I just found it all a bit too silly and childish for my liking. I do like books which can make me laugh, but this just tried too hard. Books such as the fantastically wonderful Shopaholic series are funny, not at all patronising and very enjoyable. This one didn’t match up, and left me pleased it had finished.
My main problem with the book wasn’t the writing style, or even the plot, it was the main character herself. Isabel Bookbinder was just plain annoying, and very childish to be honest. I think the author has tried to make her likeable and funny, but I just didn’t take it to be that way. Isabel’s first person narrative through the book was very well written, with good description throughout the book, but some of Isabel’s personal thoughts and things were incredibly annoying. Also, I found Isabel’s thoughts about her novel and how successful she was going to be, and also her stupid rantings about personal shoppers etc…..aagghhhh they really annoyed me.
But perhaps the most stupid and annoying thing about this book happened at the end of the chapter, each and every chapter throughout the book, and annoyed me so much, I simply stopped reading them when I got about halfway through the book. These endings to chapters were pretend magazine articles, letters or lists that Isabel had written about her being a super successful author, or things she had to do or letters to MI5 begging them not to kill her. They were ridiculous, stopped the flow of the book completely and just didn’t add anything to it at all. Just thinking about it now makes me cross, and glad that I’ve finished this book!
The idea of a writer writing about a wannabe author is a good one, after all they can draw on their own personal experience and inject a little realism into the book. But the scrapes and incidents that Isabel found herself in were quite unbelievable and a bit silly to be honest. There is a fair amount of humour in the book, some of which is funny, but the rest sort of washed over me a bit, leaving me a bit cold. As well as Isabel, we do meet her family, mainly her parents. Her mother is a bit obssessive about her daughter and her job, and her father is a horrible man thinking whatever his daughter does isn’t good enough, leaving you wondering if this is why Isabel has turned out as strangely as she did.
The book started off quite positively, introducing us to Isabel, her colleagues at the newspaper at which she works and Isabel’s ideas about being a novelist, but I found it quickly desended into farce and into a book which I didn’t find enjoyable to read at all, and actually couldn’t wait to end. Although the narrative was well written, and kept the author on track for the entire storyline, weaving throughout the story well, the character was not completely likeable and some of her ramblings became incredibly annoying and made me want to stop reading, which was a real shame. It is chick-lit but sadly chick-lit at its worst, with unbelievable characters, ridiculous additions to the story and a horrid lead character. I wouldn’t recommend this book, and its a disappointing debut for Holly McQueen.
September 16, 2009
The Glamorous (Double) Life of Isabel Bookbinder is Holly McQueen’s debut novel. It tells the story of Isabel Bookbinder, an aspiring novelist. Trouble is, Isabel has a very different view as to how novels are written then how they are actually are written. Will this aspiring author ever be published?
Before reading Isabel Bookbinder I read the reviews on Amazon which weren’t favourable but wanted to form my own opinion of the book so decided to give it a read. I completely disagree with those on Amazon because I loved the book.
I thought Isabel was a brilliant character – very much in the vein of Becky Bloomwood but not a clone of Becky. The book was written in first person which I found worked for Isabel’s character. I loved how she had all of these ideas for writing a novel and had all the marketing and publicity sorted but hadn’t actually put pen to paper and wrote anything bar a few chapters she wrote as a teenager.
I loved the scandal at the beginning of the book and found it hilarious that Isabel thought the MI5 were trying to kill her. It was hilarious reading the letters Isabel wrote (but never sent) asking for the MI5 to leave her alone among others. There was also the imaginary Richard & Judy interviews. Very amusing.
All of the minor characters played their role be it Lara, Isabel’s psychologist best friend; Gina D, Isabel’s arch-nemisis; Will, a lawyer Isabel meets at a party; the famous author, Katriona De Montford who Isabel goes to work for with a huge secret; Myles and Joe (who’s Will’s brother) the literary agents; Isabel’s parents and Barney, Isabel’s friend from her job at RE:View where Isabel inadvertantly gets embroiled in a scandal!
The twist, or secret, involving Katriona de Montford was very surprising and not something I saw coming. I knew something was amiss with the famous childrens’ author but hadn’t thought that was her secret. Kudos to Holly for that as usually plot twists are very easy to guess.
Overall it was a very enjoyable debut novel. It had a very likeable main character in Isabel even if she is a little naive and thinks being a novelist involves having the perfect bag – to fit the manuscript in, you see – and going out to lunch and parties all of the time. It had laughs, it had romance and it was a very easy read. It’s a perfect read if you’ve got a few hours to spare or if you’re on the beach.
I have to say I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel, The Fabulously Fashionable Life of Isabel Bookbinder, to see exactly what kind of trouble gets herself into next time.
Rating: 5/5
Before reading Isabel Bookbinder I read the reviews on Amazon which weren’t favourable but wanted to form my own opinion of the book so decided to give it a read. I completely disagree with those on Amazon because I loved the book.
I thought Isabel was a brilliant character – very much in the vein of Becky Bloomwood but not a clone of Becky. The book was written in first person which I found worked for Isabel’s character. I loved how she had all of these ideas for writing a novel and had all the marketing and publicity sorted but hadn’t actually put pen to paper and wrote anything bar a few chapters she wrote as a teenager.
I loved the scandal at the beginning of the book and found it hilarious that Isabel thought the MI5 were trying to kill her. It was hilarious reading the letters Isabel wrote (but never sent) asking for the MI5 to leave her alone among others. There was also the imaginary Richard & Judy interviews. Very amusing.
All of the minor characters played their role be it Lara, Isabel’s psychologist best friend; Gina D, Isabel’s arch-nemisis; Will, a lawyer Isabel meets at a party; the famous author, Katriona De Montford who Isabel goes to work for with a huge secret; Myles and Joe (who’s Will’s brother) the literary agents; Isabel’s parents and Barney, Isabel’s friend from her job at RE:View where Isabel inadvertantly gets embroiled in a scandal!
The twist, or secret, involving Katriona de Montford was very surprising and not something I saw coming. I knew something was amiss with the famous childrens’ author but hadn’t thought that was her secret. Kudos to Holly for that as usually plot twists are very easy to guess.
Overall it was a very enjoyable debut novel. It had a very likeable main character in Isabel even if she is a little naive and thinks being a novelist involves having the perfect bag – to fit the manuscript in, you see – and going out to lunch and parties all of the time. It had laughs, it had romance and it was a very easy read. It’s a perfect read if you’ve got a few hours to spare or if you’re on the beach.
I have to say I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel, The Fabulously Fashionable Life of Isabel Bookbinder, to see exactly what kind of trouble gets herself into next time.
Rating: 5/5
August 7, 2016
This was trying desperately hard to be another Bridget Jones. It failed. The main character, Isabel, is indescribably naive. She has very little idea of the world around her and is lying to her parents about her career. She wants to write a book, but has no idea where to start. She's too busy creating fantasies about her launch party and being interviewed on morning television to actually WRITE anything.
Isabel irritated me to no end. There were numerous occasions when I wanted to reach into the book and throttle her. The inevitable love interest featured in about four scenes, to the point where I kept forgetting about him. And the whole thing was formulaic and predictable.
I honestly can't believe that this spawned several sequels. I certainly wouldn't want to read any more about Isabel, that's for sure.
Isabel irritated me to no end. There were numerous occasions when I wanted to reach into the book and throttle her. The inevitable love interest featured in about four scenes, to the point where I kept forgetting about him. And the whole thing was formulaic and predictable.
I honestly can't believe that this spawned several sequels. I certainly wouldn't want to read any more about Isabel, that's for sure.
January 30, 2010
I hated the book. The main character was beyond annoying. I wanted to reach through the book and strangle her. It was like the author was trying to make another Becky Bloomwood (of the Shopaholic series) and FAILED. I barely laughed while reading the book. I will not read anything again by this author. It was that horrible. I only completed the book because I hate not finishing books.
August 14, 2012
Isabel is an idiot and compulsive liar. She behaves like a 17 yr old not a 27yr old. None of the beginning of the book issues are resolved at the end. It was a complete waste of time.
August 19, 2020
Surprisingly entertaining. It's about an aspiring but non-writing novelist. She's kooky, slightly delusional, kind of a nutcase. She works at a newspaper in London and lies to her parents about her position and importance. She feels 2nd rate to everyone. Dad constantly berates her and mom showers her with often undeserved praise.
Poor Isabel, or Iz-Wiz as her mom calls her, is always in trouble, inadvertently and somewhat purposefully misleading people. She thinks MI-5 is after her. And they probably should be. She's a loose canon and who know where her errant shots will be fired next. Thankfully things go right in a bad sort of way by the end.
If this sounds messy, it is. She's all over the place but that's also why the book is good. You just can't believe it all happens to this one girl who is so clueless.
Poor Isabel, or Iz-Wiz as her mom calls her, is always in trouble, inadvertently and somewhat purposefully misleading people. She thinks MI-5 is after her. And they probably should be. She's a loose canon and who know where her errant shots will be fired next. Thankfully things go right in a bad sort of way by the end.
If this sounds messy, it is. She's all over the place but that's also why the book is good. You just can't believe it all happens to this one girl who is so clueless.
November 3, 2021
It is very rare for me to leave a book unfinished, but this one I simply could not get through. I'm sure there are lots of people who enjoyed it (and that's nice!). But sadly, I was not one of them. DNF at around 40%.
July 28, 2018
Novelist-in-Training or Writer-in-Training, Iz is definitely a NITWIT. Took me less than 4 hours to read this book and had quite a few laugh out loud moments. A fun read!
June 25, 2009
A review of this book compared it to Bridget Jones and the Shopaholic series, so I picked it up thinking it would be an entertaining, light-hearted read; it was definitely a “light” read but not very enjoyable. I continued to read it thinking it would get better, but I could never bring myself to empathize with the plight of the main character Isabel. Her few redeeming qualities could not override her almost total self absorption in her fantasy life as a famous author, and the attempted humor grew old quickly. Most unsettling was the ease with which Isabel moved from telling one untruth to the next, quite without thought to the consequences, and this lack of integrity prohibited me from feeling much sympathy for her even when she was being taken advantage of by the more ruthless characters.
January 12, 2016
I really enjoyed this book the first time I read it...I believe it was called Confessions of a Shopaholic.
It's ironic that a book about a novel getting stolen from under the rightful author's nose is a near carbon copy of another author's work. Down to the "funny" letters that begin each chapter, the hopeless, constantly screwing up heroine, the serious-man love interest, the continual inventory of an imaginary wardrobe and spending of money that the heroine can't afford - this is Sophie Kinsella's work to the smallest detail.
Only the father, who is rarely mentioned in Isabel's world, differs from Becky Bloomwood's dad - he seems to be the one person who realizes what a screw-up his daughter is.
I enjoyed this book as light, fun, escapist fiction, and would have given it a better rating if it wasn't a copy of someone else's work.
It's ironic that a book about a novel getting stolen from under the rightful author's nose is a near carbon copy of another author's work. Down to the "funny" letters that begin each chapter, the hopeless, constantly screwing up heroine, the serious-man love interest, the continual inventory of an imaginary wardrobe and spending of money that the heroine can't afford - this is Sophie Kinsella's work to the smallest detail.
Only the father, who is rarely mentioned in Isabel's world, differs from Becky Bloomwood's dad - he seems to be the one person who realizes what a screw-up his daughter is.
I enjoyed this book as light, fun, escapist fiction, and would have given it a better rating if it wasn't a copy of someone else's work.
July 28, 2013
I think everyone's taking the chick-lit genre a bit too seriously.
Isabel is absolutely an atrocious character, and heavens above I hope nobody in the world like her actually exists...but well, I'm pretty sure that's what the author was going for. I guess Isabel is endearing in a stupid kind of way.
I actually really enjoyed this read. The storyline, formulaic as it is, totally hooked me from the beginning.
My one MAJOR qualm, however, is the ending...you mean to tell me Isabel gets herself into several legal messes, the kind that can basically destroy your life, and then the heroic man sweeps in and with a few phone calls, cleans up the whole mess? I think our gender just got set back 30 years.
Isabel is absolutely an atrocious character, and heavens above I hope nobody in the world like her actually exists...but well, I'm pretty sure that's what the author was going for. I guess Isabel is endearing in a stupid kind of way.
I actually really enjoyed this read. The storyline, formulaic as it is, totally hooked me from the beginning.
My one MAJOR qualm, however, is the ending...you mean to tell me Isabel gets herself into several legal messes, the kind that can basically destroy your life, and then the heroic man sweeps in and with a few phone calls, cleans up the whole mess? I think our gender just got set back 30 years.
July 21, 2008
Was in London and thought it might be good to pick up a Brit chick lit that I could lightly breeze through to pass the time. Given, I finished this book, but it was awful. Awful story line. Awful characters. And practically copied every other (much better) chick lit book that came previously (Bridget Jones, Shopaholic, even Devil Wears Prada).
To give a synopsis, this particular lead lass is set to write her debut novel. She's burdened with procrastination, distracting fantasies and an awful penchant for fudging the truth (which of course gets exaggerated and out of hand). Serious high-jinks ensue.
To give a synopsis, this particular lead lass is set to write her debut novel. She's burdened with procrastination, distracting fantasies and an awful penchant for fudging the truth (which of course gets exaggerated and out of hand). Serious high-jinks ensue.
August 20, 2009
On the cover is an endorsement from The Mail on Sunday (4 stars) stating that "If you like Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic books and you miss Bridge Jones, then meet Isabel."
The Mail on Sunday got the Shopaholic part right. From the start Isabel is definitely delusional (like Rebecca Bloomwood) and after awhile she became rather annoying (again, like Rebecca Bloomwood).
In the end Isabel becomes somewhat redeemable, wait for it... like Rebecca Bloomwood! What a surprise! The premise was very promising but I felt that it missed the mark. Still, this book was (slightly) enjoyable for what it is.
(SuBC considered a beach read)
The Mail on Sunday got the Shopaholic part right. From the start Isabel is definitely delusional (like Rebecca Bloomwood) and after awhile she became rather annoying (again, like Rebecca Bloomwood).
In the end Isabel becomes somewhat redeemable, wait for it... like Rebecca Bloomwood! What a surprise! The premise was very promising but I felt that it missed the mark. Still, this book was (slightly) enjoyable for what it is.
(SuBC considered a beach read)
October 16, 2019
I hate read this book. The plot is pretty ridiculous- Isabel (27 year NITWIT) accidentally sends a salacious email from her boss not to her friend but to the layout people at her paper, and no one notices until it gets published, which causes a huge scandal and she somehow ends up living with a rich, famous writer who is using her to be her assistant on the basis of a few pages of a 'bonkbuster' Isabel wrote in middle school. (Less than) Hilarious hijinks ensue. Handsome men falling for her, rich people buying things for her, name dropping expensive brands. (Not) drôle references of how little she's interested in writing.
April 27, 2011
I bought it and the sequel because they were on clearance, glad I didn't pay full price. I found myself actually SKIPPING part of the book which is really not like me at all. Tryong way to hard to be a Bridget Jones or a Shopaholic. The ditzy British girl act is over played. I mean, if this is your lifes dream, to be a novelist, wouldn't you actually try and write a book instead of doing everything in your power to not do the work? It's weird. I haven't read the second installment yet, but I will at some point, just in no hurry. I do not recommend.
September 13, 2011
A review quote on the cover compares the book to Sophie Kinsella or Helen Fielding. I see the similarities, but it's a cheap knock-off of two really fabulous chick lit authors. The humor felt forced and the plot was just alright, but the characters are well done and, in the end, it's a cute, easy read. I will say that whereas Becca Bloomwood's antics in Kinsella's Shopaholic series are far-fetched but hilarious; I found Isabel's to be pretty tedious. Overall enjoyed the book, but I've had better.
June 6, 2009
Had high hopes for this book, really disliked it. Almost put it down, but was a glutton for punishment and wanted to see how it ended. I found the main character Isabel very annoying and a liar. The cover said "...if you miss Bridget Jones...", well Bridget Jones has nothing to fear, this twit can't hold a candle to her. And by the way, if one more adult called her Iz Whiz, i was truly going to vomit! Waste of my precious reading time!
March 24, 2010
I actually couldn't finish this book. At every turn, the heroine shoots herself in the foot--often confirming she's going to do it before she does--and I felt no sympathy for her. The other characters with some depth--her childhood friend and her co-workers--were too infrequently on scene. This author should have spent less time fantasizing about crazy things her lead character could do to draw attention, and more time developing an actual, interesting lead character.
March 14, 2018
The protagonist was so unbelievably irritating, I only finished it in hopes of seeing her fail. She is someone I could never tolerate in real life, and I put up with a lot. Her work ethic was nonexistent and she spent most of her time living in this alternate universe which quite frankly made her seem like an absolute moron. How she has a best friend with a PhD and lands a lawyer for a boyfriend is beyond me.
February 17, 2010
Main character was too annoying to really care what happens to her. Plus, the author needed to do some fact checking on where places like Ljubljana are (Slovenia not Slovakia).
December 21, 2010
Don't bother
June 24, 2017
1.5 stars
July 8, 2019
I do hope Holly McQueen set out to make Isabel, and everything that happens to her, downright ridiculous! I feel far too old to be reading this, it is exceedingly childish just like Isabel herself. I think the author wants her to be cute and lovable but so far she is juvenile and annoying. Here we have the formulaic chick lit story – 27 year old, dizzy and scatty (Bridget Jones anyone?) London-based heroine, working in a fairly junior job at a newspaper at which she constantly makes mistakes and messes up. Goes to her brother’s wedding and makes a fool of herself. Home Counties family. Parents having silly friends who refer to Isabel’s mother as “Mummy”. Nicknamed Iz-Wiz which is repeated over and over and over ad nauseam until it feels like nails scraping down a blackboard. Aarrgghh!! Why would any adult woman wanting to be taken seriously allow anyone to call her Iz-Wiz and even worse, answer to it? I’ve read Sophie Kinsella but none of the Shopaholic series so I cannot make the comparisons other reviewers have, although I definitely do see the parallels with Bridget Jones – particularly the mum getting on the career ladder mid-50s.
Through Isabel’s first person narrative we discover that she has been telling fibs to her father about her job, allowing him to think she is further up the hierarchy than she actually is because she doesn’t want to be a disappointment. She has a boyfriend called Russell (who she has been going out with a whole five weeks!) but quickly gets the hots for a literary agent called Joe Madison who she has met by accident when she stepped in for somebody at work and yes, her plan is to write her first novel which will propel her to stardom. But she doesn’t do any work! She fantasises about it, buys handbags and Smythson notebooks, writes to do lists that have nothing on them, daydreams about her Look and being interviewed by Richard and Judy but never, ever, writes a word!
She somehow manages to snag a job as a “special assistant” to children’s author Katriona and continues to act like a dippy klutz, rambling like a silly version of Bridget Jones and getting herself into silly scrapes. She goes through the whole novel in a fantasy dreamworld although in the last four or five chapters we do begin to see that the story does have a point to it, but by this time I had been driven so bonkers by Isabel I just wanted to get to the end of it.
Through Isabel’s first person narrative we discover that she has been telling fibs to her father about her job, allowing him to think she is further up the hierarchy than she actually is because she doesn’t want to be a disappointment. She has a boyfriend called Russell (who she has been going out with a whole five weeks!) but quickly gets the hots for a literary agent called Joe Madison who she has met by accident when she stepped in for somebody at work and yes, her plan is to write her first novel which will propel her to stardom. But she doesn’t do any work! She fantasises about it, buys handbags and Smythson notebooks, writes to do lists that have nothing on them, daydreams about her Look and being interviewed by Richard and Judy but never, ever, writes a word!
She somehow manages to snag a job as a “special assistant” to children’s author Katriona and continues to act like a dippy klutz, rambling like a silly version of Bridget Jones and getting herself into silly scrapes. She goes through the whole novel in a fantasy dreamworld although in the last four or five chapters we do begin to see that the story does have a point to it, but by this time I had been driven so bonkers by Isabel I just wanted to get to the end of it.
November 18, 2019
This book was my first Perth Book Fairy find. I was extremely excited when I found it and curious as to what the book would be about as I haven’t heard or ready anything by Holly McQueen previously.
The story follows the loveable and bumbling, Isabel Bookbinder. An aspiring novelist stuck in a dead-end job at a not so great newspaper measuring the columns. In a relationship for reasons she is not entirely clear on, possibly companionship, not that it’s very fulfilling in terms of that either.
Isabel also has a mother, like most mothers out there, who means well but can not seem to mind their own business and leave well enough alone, especially when asked too.
One day Isabel finally gets the break she is looking for, but that’s exactly when things start going down hill for poor bumbling Isabel. She accidentally lets her boss’s secrets end up published in his very own newspaper. And to top it off, it comes out that she was the one responsible her name getting splashed everywhere. But things do not end there for poor Isabel.
Her mother, trying to help and meaning well, sends her school homework, an old bonkbuster she wrote, into a book publisher with a “helpful” covering letter.
Isabel believing her luck is starting to change for the better, when she lands a job as the personal assisting to a multi-million-dollar bestselling author.
However, everything is not as it seems, the author has other plans for Isabel and her bonkbuster. Working to pass off Isabel’s work as her own, just as she has done in the past, the secret to how she really made all her millions.
As Isabel uncovers this dark secret, she manages to get herself the book deal that she has always wanted. The only catch being, through a series of unfortunate misunderstandings, they believe the author she works for wrote it, not Isabel herself. Isabel tries to find a work to turn it all around get herself want she has always wanted, a book deal and recognition as a legitimate author.
Isabel is such a loveable, naïve and bumbling character. A pleasant and enjoyable read.
The story follows the loveable and bumbling, Isabel Bookbinder. An aspiring novelist stuck in a dead-end job at a not so great newspaper measuring the columns. In a relationship for reasons she is not entirely clear on, possibly companionship, not that it’s very fulfilling in terms of that either.
Isabel also has a mother, like most mothers out there, who means well but can not seem to mind their own business and leave well enough alone, especially when asked too.
One day Isabel finally gets the break she is looking for, but that’s exactly when things start going down hill for poor bumbling Isabel. She accidentally lets her boss’s secrets end up published in his very own newspaper. And to top it off, it comes out that she was the one responsible her name getting splashed everywhere. But things do not end there for poor Isabel.
Her mother, trying to help and meaning well, sends her school homework, an old bonkbuster she wrote, into a book publisher with a “helpful” covering letter.
Isabel believing her luck is starting to change for the better, when she lands a job as the personal assisting to a multi-million-dollar bestselling author.
However, everything is not as it seems, the author has other plans for Isabel and her bonkbuster. Working to pass off Isabel’s work as her own, just as she has done in the past, the secret to how she really made all her millions.
As Isabel uncovers this dark secret, she manages to get herself the book deal that she has always wanted. The only catch being, through a series of unfortunate misunderstandings, they believe the author she works for wrote it, not Isabel herself. Isabel tries to find a work to turn it all around get herself want she has always wanted, a book deal and recognition as a legitimate author.
Isabel is such a loveable, naïve and bumbling character. A pleasant and enjoyable read.
July 7, 2021
– A nice book but was little annoyed by the characters.
🌟I was passing by a library where I saw many shopper bags filled with books that were to be donated to the library. I found many interesting books and asked if I can have them and will pay for them. But the librarian was very kind and said you can have them and no need to pay. God bless her for her kindness. So, I found this book and was really excited to read it. It is Holly McQueen’s first novel and after reading it I got to know that this book is part of a series. But I am not at all willing to read other books. I was so annoyed by it. And I have never in my entire life left any series unread.
🌟Isabel Bookbinder is a twenty-seven-year-old assistant at the Saturday Mercury newspaper in London. Although Isabel may spend most of her time measuring newspaper column inches, she's well on her way to becoming a bestselling author. She's already perfected Her Look and gets up at dawn to work on her novel (well, sort of). When she inadvertently exposes a political scandal and her name becomes known for all the wrong reasons, her glamorous double life starts to spin out of control.
🌟Isabel wants to become a best-selling author but she does everything to become an author except writing. Her procrastinations and not so genuine reasons for not writing made e so frustrated with this book that at one point it was very difficult for me to complete it. She met Katriona de Montford a famous children’s’ author and was hired as a secretary for her. The only reason I am giving it 3 stars is that this is Holly McQueen’s first novel and it was a good book for a first novel. Secondly the twist about Katriona de Montford was so unexpected and surprising that it really made story intense at one point. Overall, this was a good book but it did not work out for me.
🌟I was passing by a library where I saw many shopper bags filled with books that were to be donated to the library. I found many interesting books and asked if I can have them and will pay for them. But the librarian was very kind and said you can have them and no need to pay. God bless her for her kindness. So, I found this book and was really excited to read it. It is Holly McQueen’s first novel and after reading it I got to know that this book is part of a series. But I am not at all willing to read other books. I was so annoyed by it. And I have never in my entire life left any series unread.
🌟Isabel Bookbinder is a twenty-seven-year-old assistant at the Saturday Mercury newspaper in London. Although Isabel may spend most of her time measuring newspaper column inches, she's well on her way to becoming a bestselling author. She's already perfected Her Look and gets up at dawn to work on her novel (well, sort of). When she inadvertently exposes a political scandal and her name becomes known for all the wrong reasons, her glamorous double life starts to spin out of control.
🌟Isabel wants to become a best-selling author but she does everything to become an author except writing. Her procrastinations and not so genuine reasons for not writing made e so frustrated with this book that at one point it was very difficult for me to complete it. She met Katriona de Montford a famous children’s’ author and was hired as a secretary for her. The only reason I am giving it 3 stars is that this is Holly McQueen’s first novel and it was a good book for a first novel. Secondly the twist about Katriona de Montford was so unexpected and surprising that it really made story intense at one point. Overall, this was a good book but it did not work out for me.
March 4, 2025
– A nice book but was little annoyed by the characters.
🌟I was passing by a library where I saw many shopper bags filled with books that were to be donated to the library. I found many interesting books and asked if I can have them and will pay for them. But the librarian was very kind and said you can have them and no need to pay. God bless her for her kindness. So, I found this book and was really excited to read it. It is Holly McQueen’s first novel and after reading it I got to know that this book is part of a series. But I am not at all willing to read other books. I was so annoyed by it. And I have never in my entire life left any series unread.
🌟Isabel Bookbinder is a twenty-seven-year-old assistant at the Saturday Mercury newspaper in London. Although Isabel may spend most of her time measuring newspaper column inches, she's well on her way to becoming a bestselling author. She's already perfected Her Look and gets up at dawn to work on her novel (well, sort of). When she inadvertently exposes a political scandal and her name becomes known for all the wrong reasons, her glamorous double life starts to spin out of control.
🌟Isabel wants to become a best-selling author but she does everything to become an author except writing. Her procrastinations and not so genuine reasons for not writing made e so frustrated with this book that at one point it was very difficult for me to complete it. She met Katriona de Montford a famous children’s’ author and was hired as a secretary for her. The only reason I am giving it 3 stars is that this is Holly McQueen’s first novel and it was a good book for a first novel. Secondly the twist about Katriona de Montford was so unexpected and surprising that it really made story intense at one point. Overall, this was a good book but it did not work out for me.
🌟I was passing by a library where I saw many shopper bags filled with books that were to be donated to the library. I found many interesting books and asked if I can have them and will pay for them. But the librarian was very kind and said you can have them and no need to pay. God bless her for her kindness. So, I found this book and was really excited to read it. It is Holly McQueen’s first novel and after reading it I got to know that this book is part of a series. But I am not at all willing to read other books. I was so annoyed by it. And I have never in my entire life left any series unread.
🌟Isabel Bookbinder is a twenty-seven-year-old assistant at the Saturday Mercury newspaper in London. Although Isabel may spend most of her time measuring newspaper column inches, she's well on her way to becoming a bestselling author. She's already perfected Her Look and gets up at dawn to work on her novel (well, sort of). When she inadvertently exposes a political scandal and her name becomes known for all the wrong reasons, her glamorous double life starts to spin out of control.
🌟Isabel wants to become a best-selling author but she does everything to become an author except writing. Her procrastinations and not so genuine reasons for not writing made e so frustrated with this book that at one point it was very difficult for me to complete it. She met Katriona de Montford a famous children’s’ author and was hired as a secretary for her. The only reason I am giving it 3 stars is that this is Holly McQueen’s first novel and it was a good book for a first novel. Secondly the twist about Katriona de Montford was so unexpected and surprising that it really made story intense at one point. Overall, this was a good book but it did not work out for me.
February 3, 2025
Isabel Bookbinder is a delightfully flawed and funny character. I tend not to read many reviews here (at least, not from people I don’t know), but a few caught my eye so I’ll have a quick say about them. Some reviewers here have called Holly McQueen’s books in this series derivative, clichéd, and formulaic, but despite there clearly being a bit of a formula (it is chick-lit, after all, and I use that term with respect not derision), it’s enjoyable and escapist, which is the reason I picked it up. Reading can be for knowledge and curiosity, to find joy in someone else’s creative expression, and to stretch the mind, but it can also be simply for a little escape and fun and, frankly, self-care. Those need not be mutually exclusive…but sometimes they are. For that, I give this four stars, because it checked those boxes for me — I wasn’t expecting the next Booker Prize candidate; I simply wanted to be entertained. And I was.
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