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Best Friend for Hire
Need someone to talk to or a friend to lean on?
Call Best Friend for Hire.
I am here for you.
Jersey Girl Jessie DeSalvo has her dream job at one of New York’s top publishing companies. After ten years of hard work the day of her big promotion has arrived. Unfortunately, her company has other ideas. Instead of a corner office, Jessie is handed her pink slip.
Left with little more than her cell phone and an unusable contact list, Jessie retreats to less-than-fashionable Hoboken, New Jersey, to figure out her life—and deal with the attentions of her loving but inquisitive Italian-American family. Then she accidentally stumbles into a career as a professional best friend—by helping friends and strangers straighten out whatever is wrong with their lives. Her jobs include planning the New Jersey wedding of the year and saving a bankrupt rock club in town. Soon, things get complicated when she falls in love with the club manager—and promises an appearance by Bruce Springsteen.
In the end, Jessie realizes that not even “The Boss” can make things right—and that she needs to become her own best friend to be truly happy.
Call Best Friend for Hire.
I am here for you.
Jersey Girl Jessie DeSalvo has her dream job at one of New York’s top publishing companies. After ten years of hard work the day of her big promotion has arrived. Unfortunately, her company has other ideas. Instead of a corner office, Jessie is handed her pink slip.
Left with little more than her cell phone and an unusable contact list, Jessie retreats to less-than-fashionable Hoboken, New Jersey, to figure out her life—and deal with the attentions of her loving but inquisitive Italian-American family. Then she accidentally stumbles into a career as a professional best friend—by helping friends and strangers straighten out whatever is wrong with their lives. Her jobs include planning the New Jersey wedding of the year and saving a bankrupt rock club in town. Soon, things get complicated when she falls in love with the club manager—and promises an appearance by Bruce Springsteen.
In the end, Jessie realizes that not even “The Boss” can make things right—and that she needs to become her own best friend to be truly happy.
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 20, 2017
11 people are currently reading
563 people want to read
About the author
Mary Carlomagno
5 books52 followersMary Carlomagno is a bestselling author, organizer, speaker and spokesperson specializing in helping individuals and groups embrace simplicity in everyday life. She is one of the nation’s leading experts on organizing and a frequent contributor on national television, radio and print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
May 19, 2017
This was such a cute, fun read! It starts on the day Jessie thinks she's receiving her long awaited promotion, but instead she gets fired. The hits just keep on coming for her and she finds herself in a series of hilarious scenarios and mortifying moments. She's desperate for money and starts Best Friend for Hire on a whim, she'll take on just about any client and along the way she meets some memorable and eclectic characters.
Jessie was such an easy character to like, she's very relatable and I especially liked her sarcasm and sharp wit. Watching her take herself from a career driven woman to one who has watched her carefully laid plans go up in flames was sad, yes, but also funny and entertaining. She was really able to take everything on the chin and used humor to get her through tough times. She HAS to have a great sense of humor especially when she's dealing with her highly critical Sicilian family. There's a scene where her and her brother go for Sunday dinner at their parents house that had me laughing so hard!
This was an easy, light read about finding a new path in life and also finding confidence in oneself. It was a super fun way to spend an afternoon and is a great summer read!
Jessie was such an easy character to like, she's very relatable and I especially liked her sarcasm and sharp wit. Watching her take herself from a career driven woman to one who has watched her carefully laid plans go up in flames was sad, yes, but also funny and entertaining. She was really able to take everything on the chin and used humor to get her through tough times. She HAS to have a great sense of humor especially when she's dealing with her highly critical Sicilian family. There's a scene where her and her brother go for Sunday dinner at their parents house that had me laughing so hard!
This was an easy, light read about finding a new path in life and also finding confidence in oneself. It was a super fun way to spend an afternoon and is a great summer read!
May 25, 2017
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 5-STARS - Hilarious and Enlightening
I needed this book! Best Friend for Hire leaps out of the gate and picks up speed. Within the first few paragraphs I was laughing out loud!
We all know someone like Jessie De Salvo—control freak, expectation seeking perfectionist, in need of approval—her hot pink iPad case at the ready to solve everyone’s problems. In Jessie’s own words, “It was suddenly having more people to prove myself to.” If you’ve ever seen the classic movie, When Harry Met Sally, you know exactly the type. Jessie’s attempts to save face while saving the day leads to one tumbling hilarious catastrophe after another.
Author, Mary Carlomagno interjects every religion’s wisdom teachings tossing them together in a delightful fruit salad of Oprah style quotes. Jessie’s character is perfectly drawn, from back-story of family-formed insecurities to basically the Every-girl syndrome, “Saving the bar meant saving Dave.” There’s not a female reader who won’t identify with her.
Carlomagno’s got the psychology of repetition compulsion down pat, and her amusing explanation in the scene “Drop zee fruit” had me on the floor. As Jessie struggles to make sense of her self-created foibles she has glimmers of insight. What sounds like serious self-reflection concludes with the perfect annotation. “As I knew from my brief experience with self-help, the answers are always within. And most Bruce (Springsteen) songs help you recognize the difficulties.”
Without smugness, the story is imbued with Buddhist influenced enlightenment that makes you smile. My favorite quote is an aha moment from Jessie, “I wondered about time that is spent when you are desperately waiting for something to happen, for something to change; that time seems like eternity when you are waiting. But when the “something” happens, that time feels short, erased as if you never suffered through it.”
This is a clever and hopeful Must Read!
I needed this book! Best Friend for Hire leaps out of the gate and picks up speed. Within the first few paragraphs I was laughing out loud!
We all know someone like Jessie De Salvo—control freak, expectation seeking perfectionist, in need of approval—her hot pink iPad case at the ready to solve everyone’s problems. In Jessie’s own words, “It was suddenly having more people to prove myself to.” If you’ve ever seen the classic movie, When Harry Met Sally, you know exactly the type. Jessie’s attempts to save face while saving the day leads to one tumbling hilarious catastrophe after another.
Author, Mary Carlomagno interjects every religion’s wisdom teachings tossing them together in a delightful fruit salad of Oprah style quotes. Jessie’s character is perfectly drawn, from back-story of family-formed insecurities to basically the Every-girl syndrome, “Saving the bar meant saving Dave.” There’s not a female reader who won’t identify with her.
Carlomagno’s got the psychology of repetition compulsion down pat, and her amusing explanation in the scene “Drop zee fruit” had me on the floor. As Jessie struggles to make sense of her self-created foibles she has glimmers of insight. What sounds like serious self-reflection concludes with the perfect annotation. “As I knew from my brief experience with self-help, the answers are always within. And most Bruce (Springsteen) songs help you recognize the difficulties.”
Without smugness, the story is imbued with Buddhist influenced enlightenment that makes you smile. My favorite quote is an aha moment from Jessie, “I wondered about time that is spent when you are desperately waiting for something to happen, for something to change; that time seems like eternity when you are waiting. But when the “something” happens, that time feels short, erased as if you never suffered through it.”
This is a clever and hopeful Must Read!
May 13, 2017
Sometimes you need a light hearted read from the craziness of your life and this book does exactly that. I really liked it. It was engaging and entertaining. It had great laugh out loud moments. Don't miss this one. Looking forward to reading more books from this author.
December 16, 2017
“Best Friend for Hire” is a laugh out loud, fun read from start to finish and has “book club” written all over it! When publicist, Jessica De Salvo is expecting a promotion, and is suddenly fired, she realizes that she has neglected friends and relationships for over a decade in lieu of living the corporate life. Her trek home after being “let go” continues to spiral from bad to worse. Jessie tears her pants leaving the building, gets caught in the rain without an umbrella gaining a beautimous frizz and runs into her “sudo boyfriend” with her neighbor cozied up in a local bar in the middle of the day. That is one of many embarrassing and endearing events that happens to this likable character. The silver lining was the first of many encounters with a hot tattooed bartender.
Instead of getting back on the corporate ladder (which her loud, nosy and loving Italian family would have preferred), Jessie decides to become what has been lacking in her own life – A Best Friend (for hire). I don’t want to spoil the fun but I will say that Jessie elects to take on some interesting challenges like wedding planning for a former assistant turned Bridezilla, trying to save a “historical” bar where Bruce Springsteen shot a music video, cleaning out closets for a shop-a-holic fashionesta, and catering to a client with an eclectic and yet limited palette who just wants to talk. It’s a recipe for many hilarious debacles and quick attempts at problem-solving. Jessie is such a likable character; it’s impossible not to root for her. She is simply irresistible and it’s easy to determine who is “The Boss”.
I received an advance review copy of this book from Great Thoughts Ninjas. All opinions are my own.
Instead of getting back on the corporate ladder (which her loud, nosy and loving Italian family would have preferred), Jessie decides to become what has been lacking in her own life – A Best Friend (for hire). I don’t want to spoil the fun but I will say that Jessie elects to take on some interesting challenges like wedding planning for a former assistant turned Bridezilla, trying to save a “historical” bar where Bruce Springsteen shot a music video, cleaning out closets for a shop-a-holic fashionesta, and catering to a client with an eclectic and yet limited palette who just wants to talk. It’s a recipe for many hilarious debacles and quick attempts at problem-solving. Jessie is such a likable character; it’s impossible not to root for her. She is simply irresistible and it’s easy to determine who is “The Boss”.
I received an advance review copy of this book from Great Thoughts Ninjas. All opinions are my own.
June 21, 2017
This is a fun light read and a perfect book to read at the beach or pool. It's lighthearted and very funny in parts and is a feel -good book about about a wonderful main character.
As the novel begins, Jessie is mentally preparing herself for the promotion that she knows is coming. After 10 years of hard work at a major publishing company in NYC, she feels that she has earned this promotion. Imagine how surprised she is when she is called to her boss's office and given a pink slip. After the initial shock wears off, she knows that she needs to find work and decides to set up her own company and be a best friend for hire - help people arrange their closets, go shopping with them and do all of the things that a best friend would do. Believe me, Jessie gets herself into some very funny situations in her quest to be a best friend to several of the people who hire her. But despite the set backs and the worry of her large NJ Italian family, she keeps trying. Her biggest job is when she promises someone that she can get THE BOSS (and in NJ that would be Bruce Springsteen) to attend a fund raiser.
This is a fun well written book that will have you rooting for Jessie while you are laughing at some of the predicaments that she gets herself into.
I received an advance copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own
As the novel begins, Jessie is mentally preparing herself for the promotion that she knows is coming. After 10 years of hard work at a major publishing company in NYC, she feels that she has earned this promotion. Imagine how surprised she is when she is called to her boss's office and given a pink slip. After the initial shock wears off, she knows that she needs to find work and decides to set up her own company and be a best friend for hire - help people arrange their closets, go shopping with them and do all of the things that a best friend would do. Believe me, Jessie gets herself into some very funny situations in her quest to be a best friend to several of the people who hire her. But despite the set backs and the worry of her large NJ Italian family, she keeps trying. Her biggest job is when she promises someone that she can get THE BOSS (and in NJ that would be Bruce Springsteen) to attend a fund raiser.
This is a fun well written book that will have you rooting for Jessie while you are laughing at some of the predicaments that she gets herself into.
I received an advance copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own
August 10, 2017
Well shoot. I always get excited to start a new book when I think it’s going to be the perfect fit for me, and can’t help but feel disappointed when I don’t love it as much as I thought I would. Best Friend For Hire fell into that category, and try as I might, I just could not get invested in the story. My thoughts would wander while reading and I would find myself in a chapter without knowing what I read previously and I ended up speed reading throughout the majority of this one. I loved the premise and the cover was great, but I could not connect at all.
I received a review copy
I received a review copy
May 22, 2017
** ARC provided by author in exchange for honest review **
Best Friend for Hire by Mary Carlomagno is a laugh out loud story about a New Jersey native Jessie DeSalvo, a publicist from a New York publishing house who has just been fired on her first day back from vacation; which she was expecting a promotion...not to be unemployed!
So with her life now turned upside down she needs to find work... fast! At a job placement service she meets Caroline, a fellow member of the newly unemployed club, who asks her to help with her wardrobe. After spending the afternoon with Jessie going through her massive closest Caroline tells her that she is like her best friend, a best friend for hire. Jessie takes that idea and runs with it. Starting BFH, Best Friend for Hire business.
Multiple opportunities arise for BFH; weddings, organizing friends closest, but the biggest one...saving a hot bartender save his bar... and by bringing the Boss, Bruce Springsteen back to where he shot the Born to Run video.
The wedding turns into the wedding from hell! The fundraiser to save the bar turns into a disaster (or does it?!). But through all this Jessie finds herself and finds that she really doesn't need a corporate job to feel good about herself and BFH turns out to be exactly what her calling is.
This short novella was a great afternoon read. I totally related to Jessie's large Italian family from my childhood past, Jessie's Na will make you laugh. Jessie is very relatable as we are all just trying to find ourselves and what we want to do with our lives not matter how old we are.
5 Wonderful Stars
Best Friend for Hire by Mary Carlomagno is a laugh out loud story about a New Jersey native Jessie DeSalvo, a publicist from a New York publishing house who has just been fired on her first day back from vacation; which she was expecting a promotion...not to be unemployed!
So with her life now turned upside down she needs to find work... fast! At a job placement service she meets Caroline, a fellow member of the newly unemployed club, who asks her to help with her wardrobe. After spending the afternoon with Jessie going through her massive closest Caroline tells her that she is like her best friend, a best friend for hire. Jessie takes that idea and runs with it. Starting BFH, Best Friend for Hire business.
Multiple opportunities arise for BFH; weddings, organizing friends closest, but the biggest one...saving a hot bartender save his bar... and by bringing the Boss, Bruce Springsteen back to where he shot the Born to Run video.
The wedding turns into the wedding from hell! The fundraiser to save the bar turns into a disaster (or does it?!). But through all this Jessie finds herself and finds that she really doesn't need a corporate job to feel good about herself and BFH turns out to be exactly what her calling is.
This short novella was a great afternoon read. I totally related to Jessie's large Italian family from my childhood past, Jessie's Na will make you laugh. Jessie is very relatable as we are all just trying to find ourselves and what we want to do with our lives not matter how old we are.
5 Wonderful Stars
May 7, 2017
I enjoyed reading "Best Friend for Hire" by Mary Carlomagno. I received a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
The genres of this novel are Women's Fiction and Humor.
I found that this was a very witty, and at times extremely humorous book. The author does an amazing job of telling the story.
The characters are described as complex, complicated , flawed, and likeable. My favorite character is Jessica De Salvo. I can picture being a good friend or neighbor with Jessica. I was certainly rooting for her and cheering her on!!
The story starts with Jessica awaiting a promotion in her job, that she has worked in for ten years, as a publicist, and actually playing out the scene in her mind, where she gets her promotion. Instead, Jessica finds herself fired. What is Jessica to do now? Jessica wants to talk to a sort of "boyfriend", and find the" boyfriend" with her neighbor as a couple. It certainly hasn't been a good day.
Jessica just happens to fall into a role where she can be a "best friend for hire." The adventures that occur had me chucking. One of them actually had me laughing so much that I had tears in my eyes, and I had to use my inhaler. ( I really am not thrilled about having to use it, but I needed the laugh.) In one of her attempts at helping others, Jessica tries to save a very handsome bartender from losing the bar he works in.
I like the way the author describes Jessica's efforts to find herself, gain confidence and have hope. I also like how the author describes friendship, family, love, support and encouragement.
This was a wonderful read and I would recommend this highly. I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
The genres of this novel are Women's Fiction and Humor.
I found that this was a very witty, and at times extremely humorous book. The author does an amazing job of telling the story.
The characters are described as complex, complicated , flawed, and likeable. My favorite character is Jessica De Salvo. I can picture being a good friend or neighbor with Jessica. I was certainly rooting for her and cheering her on!!
The story starts with Jessica awaiting a promotion in her job, that she has worked in for ten years, as a publicist, and actually playing out the scene in her mind, where she gets her promotion. Instead, Jessica finds herself fired. What is Jessica to do now? Jessica wants to talk to a sort of "boyfriend", and find the" boyfriend" with her neighbor as a couple. It certainly hasn't been a good day.
Jessica just happens to fall into a role where she can be a "best friend for hire." The adventures that occur had me chucking. One of them actually had me laughing so much that I had tears in my eyes, and I had to use my inhaler. ( I really am not thrilled about having to use it, but I needed the laugh.) In one of her attempts at helping others, Jessica tries to save a very handsome bartender from losing the bar he works in.
I like the way the author describes Jessica's efforts to find herself, gain confidence and have hope. I also like how the author describes friendship, family, love, support and encouragement.
This was a wonderful read and I would recommend this highly. I look forward to reading more of this author's work.
May 26, 2017
Very sweet, light read. It was laugh out loud funny at times! Jessie, the main character, is at a tough time in her life. She's lost her job at a publishing company and has no idea how to start over. She begins helping some people she knows doing some odd jobs. Eventually, she's helping quite a few people, some she doesn't even know, do whatever it is that they need help with. She has become a best friend for hire. In the end, Jessie learns that she needs to take care of herself, and that a big corporate job does not really define who you are. Definitely a fun read!!!
October 30, 2017
This was really cute!
It was a fast read for me, and just wanted I needed after the last few heavy books I read. It did take me a few chapters to get really invested but once I did, I finished within two days.
The main character Jessie was definitely flawed, and her quirkiness made her even more entertaining. Not only is she an obvious control freak but you understand why she is like that when you meet her family. Who are as endearing as they are loud and hilarious. Her newly creative endeavor of being a Best Friend For Hire, is actually brilliant in a sense but hectic. You will LOL at several scenes as Jessie tries to keeps promises to clients and a crush, while keeping herself sane at the same time.
Get read!
It was a fast read for me, and just wanted I needed after the last few heavy books I read. It did take me a few chapters to get really invested but once I did, I finished within two days.
The main character Jessie was definitely flawed, and her quirkiness made her even more entertaining. Not only is she an obvious control freak but you understand why she is like that when you meet her family. Who are as endearing as they are loud and hilarious. Her newly creative endeavor of being a Best Friend For Hire, is actually brilliant in a sense but hectic. You will LOL at several scenes as Jessie tries to keeps promises to clients and a crush, while keeping herself sane at the same time.
Get read!
November 8, 2017
Oh Jessie, what are we going to do with you? This lady ends up making the best of almost every situation she finds herself in. Most of them hilarious. She's a fixer and she's good at it. Jessie only takes a moment after getting fired to wallow in self pity before she picks herself up and starts "fixing" herself and everyone else.
I loved this book. It's written with plenty of humorous moments. The book has a great feel to it. No matter what happens you can make the most of any situation
I loved this book. It's written with plenty of humorous moments. The book has a great feel to it. No matter what happens you can make the most of any situation
April 5, 2018
Looks like my opinion is the odd man out here. I didn't really care for this book. The writing was messy and really none of the characters were likeable. It's obvious the author is into organizing but I don't want to read about it. Jessie's idea for a business seemed cute but then the reader hardly gets any of that story. The author just seemed to focus on all the wrong things.
June 26, 2017
This was a quick read about someone who thinks life is going as planned until she is laid off instead of promoted. Everything spirals downhill from there. The search for what makes Jessie happy and satisfies her was a painful, but eye opening experience. She changes in ways she never imagines as she reflects and creates her new identity.
I received this advanced copy for an honest review from Great Thoughts Ninjas. My review is all my opinion. #bf4h
I received this advanced copy for an honest review from Great Thoughts Ninjas. My review is all my opinion. #bf4h
May 18, 2017
I absolutely loved this book! Had I not gotten sick, I would have finished it much sooner. The characters were lovable (minus crazy bridezilla) and the plot of the book was exciting. There was a lot of sarcasm and humor built in to the story, but it wasn't overdone. As someone who doesn't spend much time with friends, I'd hire Jessie to be my friend for a few days!
June 19, 2017
I so enjoyed this light, very funny read. It was the perfect way to spend a summer day and I enjoyed the time spent in its pages. Jessie was awesome, and to be honest I would like to hire her to be my best friend.
I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a perfect summer read and an awesome, funny heroine who figures out the hard things in life in such a fabulous way.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.
I recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a perfect summer read and an awesome, funny heroine who figures out the hard things in life in such a fabulous way.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.
May 13, 2017
This book had such an intriguing storyline that I could not wait to read it - I was not disappointed! I would absolutely love to be able to leave Corporate America and start this kind of business.
The characters in this book are amazing. I could envision all of the Bridezilla moments and it was hilarious! Dave was also a favorite. Tattoos and Tommy Lee? Yes please!
I highly recommend this book for people that are looking for a rather light-hearted but excellent read.
* I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.
The characters in this book are amazing. I could envision all of the Bridezilla moments and it was hilarious! Dave was also a favorite. Tattoos and Tommy Lee? Yes please!
I highly recommend this book for people that are looking for a rather light-hearted but excellent read.
* I received an ARC of this book for my honest opinion.
January 14, 2018
I received a copy of this book from a Giveaway on Goodreads. This is my personal review.
Book Notes:
Format: Paperback
Title: Best Friend For Hire - I like it.
Cover: Silver locket and blue backing - I like it.
About the Book:
Publicist, Jessie DeSalvo, was dedicated to her work. She expected a promotion but got fired instead. As she tries to put the pieces of her life back together, she plans a wedding, tries to rescue a bar and help those in need of a friend. All of those inspire her to start 'Best Friend for Hire'.
My Review:
I had high hopes for this book.
The summary made it sound like a lot of fun. I imagined Jessie running up and down the streets of New Jersey in search of 'The Boss' while jumping into the work of her new business, Best Friend for Hire.
Instead, the book fell very flat.
It started out great, anything that could go wrong went wrong. Jessie lost her job, her boyfriend, the entire day was a disaster. But the story went downhill from there because it lacked a lot of depth. The book told me a lot of things but never showed me any of it. And most of what I read was unimportant to the story like
I didn't understand the need to recap the work counseling days while skipping important events. For example, when Jessie went home for family dinner (around chapter 10) she is teased by her brother for crushing on the bar manager, Dave. She states that Dave had become a friend to her since losing her job but I didn't read ANY of that. I was halfway through the book and from what I read she had only interacted with Dave TWICE (First time was when she met him the second time was when she ran into him). So, when did they become friends?
The only good part of this story was the wedding, it was pretty funny. The ending was okay and her business but the epilogue told me NOTHING.
The quote that best sums up the book:
Book Notes:
Format: Paperback
Title: Best Friend For Hire - I like it.
Cover: Silver locket and blue backing - I like it.
About the Book:
Publicist, Jessie DeSalvo, was dedicated to her work. She expected a promotion but got fired instead. As she tries to put the pieces of her life back together, she plans a wedding, tries to rescue a bar and help those in need of a friend. All of those inspire her to start 'Best Friend for Hire'.
My Review:
I had high hopes for this book.
The summary made it sound like a lot of fun. I imagined Jessie running up and down the streets of New Jersey in search of 'The Boss' while jumping into the work of her new business, Best Friend for Hire.
Instead, the book fell very flat.
It started out great, anything that could go wrong went wrong. Jessie lost her job, her boyfriend, the entire day was a disaster. But the story went downhill from there because it lacked a lot of depth. The book told me a lot of things but never showed me any of it. And most of what I read was unimportant to the story like
I didn't understand the need to recap the work counseling days while skipping important events. For example, when Jessie went home for family dinner (around chapter 10) she is teased by her brother for crushing on the bar manager, Dave. She states that Dave had become a friend to her since losing her job but I didn't read ANY of that. I was halfway through the book and from what I read she had only interacted with Dave TWICE (First time was when she met him the second time was when she ran into him). So, when did they become friends?
The only good part of this story was the wedding, it was pretty funny. The ending was okay and her business but the epilogue told me NOTHING.
The quote that best sums up the book:
" I was still a friend in training myself." (Pg. 173)
November 8, 2017
Best Friend for Hire by Mary Carlomagno is a light hearted novel about truly finding yourself in the big confusing thing we call life. This story opens with New Jersey girl Jessie DeSalvo thoroughly convinced she is getting a promotion at her New York City publishing company. Unfortunately, she experiences the complete opposite when her new boss ends up firing her. So now Jessie must figure out life after working her way up the ladder at the publishing company for 10 years. Jessie runs back to her Hoboken apartment only to find her on-again off-again boyfriend canoodling with her neighbor Allison. Now not only has Jessie lost her job, her work friends, her connections, but also her boyfriend all in one day.
After a day of sulking Jessie begins her new life. She finds herself at workshops for ex-corporate employees trying to enter back into the workforce. After some networking, Jessie walks out with a possible job from a woman named Caroline. The following Saturday Jessie founds herself inside one of Caroline’s closet going through mountains of designer clothes. After returning one mountain of never worn clothes, Jessie finds her calling. She sees that this is exactly what people are looking for, someone to be there to offer advice in certain situations. Jessie wants to become the “best friend for hire.”
As Jessie not only tries to start up her own business but she also finds herself planning her ex-assistant’s wedding while trying to save a bankrupt a bar, The Garage, that has become a landmark in New Jersey. It does not help matters that Jessie begins falling for the club manager Dave. Her grand idea is to have one last concert at the bar and try to get big name rock bands to come and play. The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, filmed a music video at The Garage and Jessie was determined to have him come headline the concert.
This novel was quite entertaining as you watched Jessie’s life fall apart and then see her try to piece it back together. There are definitely bumps along the way and I thought for sure Jessie would quit early on. I was silently cheering Jessie on as I read her story, keeping my fingers crossed that she would come out triumphant.
After a day of sulking Jessie begins her new life. She finds herself at workshops for ex-corporate employees trying to enter back into the workforce. After some networking, Jessie walks out with a possible job from a woman named Caroline. The following Saturday Jessie founds herself inside one of Caroline’s closet going through mountains of designer clothes. After returning one mountain of never worn clothes, Jessie finds her calling. She sees that this is exactly what people are looking for, someone to be there to offer advice in certain situations. Jessie wants to become the “best friend for hire.”
As Jessie not only tries to start up her own business but she also finds herself planning her ex-assistant’s wedding while trying to save a bankrupt a bar, The Garage, that has become a landmark in New Jersey. It does not help matters that Jessie begins falling for the club manager Dave. Her grand idea is to have one last concert at the bar and try to get big name rock bands to come and play. The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, filmed a music video at The Garage and Jessie was determined to have him come headline the concert.
This novel was quite entertaining as you watched Jessie’s life fall apart and then see her try to piece it back together. There are definitely bumps along the way and I thought for sure Jessie would quit early on. I was silently cheering Jessie on as I read her story, keeping my fingers crossed that she would come out triumphant.
October 22, 2017
Best Friend for Hire: A Novel
By: Mary Carlomagno
5 out of 5 stars
The story Best Friend for Hire: A Novel by Mary Carlomagno is a humorous book that I enjoyed reading. It has plenty of moments that brought a smile to my face and had me laughing. It is a book that hooked me in from the beginning and I didn’t want to put down until I had read the last page. This is the story of Jessie DeSalvo and the journey that she takes when she quite unexpectedly finds herself without a job. Jessie is a smart, independent woman with a kind heart. Even with herself out of work she agrees to help a former co-worker plan her wedding and finds herself helping the owner of a bar/club that is facing the loss of his business. She also finds herself with an idea to start her own business. Who do those without a best friend go to in order to get advice and help? She believes that she has the answer. I love that the author is very detail oriented and her writing style is such that you feel the emotions that Jessie is going through. When reading of the traditional Sunday family dinner that Jessie goes to you are given details regarding family members and you have a better understanding of the relationship that the family members have with one another. Jessie is also finding herself attracted to the man whose bar she is helping to save. She finds that she can’t say no to him and her feelings for him leads to a situation where there is a promise given that may not be able to be kept. Read this book to finds out just how Jessie juggles a wedding, the fundraiser to save a famous bar, and the start-up of her new business. There are parts of this book that you just have to read to believe that they happen. This is the first book I have read by the author and I found she has a wonderful writing style and has created amazing characters. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
By: Mary Carlomagno
5 out of 5 stars
The story Best Friend for Hire: A Novel by Mary Carlomagno is a humorous book that I enjoyed reading. It has plenty of moments that brought a smile to my face and had me laughing. It is a book that hooked me in from the beginning and I didn’t want to put down until I had read the last page. This is the story of Jessie DeSalvo and the journey that she takes when she quite unexpectedly finds herself without a job. Jessie is a smart, independent woman with a kind heart. Even with herself out of work she agrees to help a former co-worker plan her wedding and finds herself helping the owner of a bar/club that is facing the loss of his business. She also finds herself with an idea to start her own business. Who do those without a best friend go to in order to get advice and help? She believes that she has the answer. I love that the author is very detail oriented and her writing style is such that you feel the emotions that Jessie is going through. When reading of the traditional Sunday family dinner that Jessie goes to you are given details regarding family members and you have a better understanding of the relationship that the family members have with one another. Jessie is also finding herself attracted to the man whose bar she is helping to save. She finds that she can’t say no to him and her feelings for him leads to a situation where there is a promise given that may not be able to be kept. Read this book to finds out just how Jessie juggles a wedding, the fundraiser to save a famous bar, and the start-up of her new business. There are parts of this book that you just have to read to believe that they happen. This is the first book I have read by the author and I found she has a wonderful writing style and has created amazing characters. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
November 5, 2017
Best Friend for Hire 3.5 stars
This is the first book I’ve read by Mary Carlomagno and I really really wanted to love this story. The premise is fantastic. An 80 hour a week career woman loses her job and decides to create her own business called Best Friend for Hire because sometimes we all just need that “person” to help us along in life; for errands, or advice, or companionship to go shopping - That’s what Jessie decided to do.
The good: I appreciated the fact that Jessie stood up for herself in different situations and didn’t allow people to walk all over her, she used her voice
The bad: She didn’t stand up for herself in different situations. She allowed others to walk all over her and didn’t use her voice.
The good: Having good business sense to do what is necessary to make her new business venture a success.
The bad: Throwing all that sense out the window over a perceived relationship with a guy and allowing a “friend” to make her feel less than.
The good: The fact that she loves her family and still goes to Sunday dinner each week.
The bad: Jessie allows such passive aggressive behavior from her family
The book is full of great story ideas but there are just too many to make it mesh and make sense. Jessie’s family kind of reminded me of “Stephanie Plum’s” family. The over the top things that happen throughout the story would have been lovely and delightful if this was a series where something happened in each one. There were JUST TOO MANY things that happened. And the guy… sheesh what’s up with the guy??? I’m so confused.
I appreciate the fact that Ms. Carlomagno wrote this story and shared her vision with readers. I believe this is the first fiction she has written and won’t rule out reading any future stories she publishes.
November 6, 2017
Best Friend For Hire by Mary Carlomagno 4 Stars
Who better to write a fictional comedy novel that deals with figuring out one's life than a Self help guru. This is Mary Carlomagno's first fictional novel. She is a spokesperson that helps people organize and live more balanced lives. That is just what the main character of this book is trying to achieve. Jesse DeSalvo is an Italian from Jersey and going down a path she didn't picture for herself. Waking up and heading to work, she was looking forward to a big promotion that she has worked hard for the last ten years. She was dreaming of a bigger paycheck from the publishing company that she has dedicated most of her adult life to. After being called into the office of one of the new bigwigs, she started feeling nauseous after realizing that her dreams are coming to a complete halt. Jesse got fired in the typical "it's not you, but me" form. After leaving the office on what she thought could be the worsted day of her life, it just kept going downhill. She decided to stop by a local bar and she saw her on again, off again boyfriend with a girl from her apartment building all cozy in a back booth. Her luck keeps going up and down from there. She tried support meetings, counseling sessions, and even weekend retreats to try and figure out where to go from here. Jesse figured out the only thing to do is try her hand at her own business. Writing her business plan and company statement proved to be more difficult than she thought. Even with her clients, she couldn't do anything right.
This laugh out loud book will have you in stitches for days! You will fall in love with Jesse from Jersey right from the start in this down to earth, true to life comedy.
Who better to write a fictional comedy novel that deals with figuring out one's life than a Self help guru. This is Mary Carlomagno's first fictional novel. She is a spokesperson that helps people organize and live more balanced lives. That is just what the main character of this book is trying to achieve. Jesse DeSalvo is an Italian from Jersey and going down a path she didn't picture for herself. Waking up and heading to work, she was looking forward to a big promotion that she has worked hard for the last ten years. She was dreaming of a bigger paycheck from the publishing company that she has dedicated most of her adult life to. After being called into the office of one of the new bigwigs, she started feeling nauseous after realizing that her dreams are coming to a complete halt. Jesse got fired in the typical "it's not you, but me" form. After leaving the office on what she thought could be the worsted day of her life, it just kept going downhill. She decided to stop by a local bar and she saw her on again, off again boyfriend with a girl from her apartment building all cozy in a back booth. Her luck keeps going up and down from there. She tried support meetings, counseling sessions, and even weekend retreats to try and figure out where to go from here. Jesse figured out the only thing to do is try her hand at her own business. Writing her business plan and company statement proved to be more difficult than she thought. Even with her clients, she couldn't do anything right.
This laugh out loud book will have you in stitches for days! You will fall in love with Jesse from Jersey right from the start in this down to earth, true to life comedy.
November 7, 2017
Best Friend for Hire by Mary Carlomagno is a fun, easy good feel-good read that will have you grinning like a crazy person.
So I'm going to start with the one thing I didn't like, as to get it out of the way. The beginning was slow, there was a lot of filler, that I felt didn't need to be in there. Sure it gave us background on Jessica's work life, but, in truth, I didn't care for it and to me it didn't really add anything to the over all plot.
Okay, now that I got that Off my chest, lets get into the rest of this charming story. I say charming, because it was so damn cute that I started wishing that his was a movie. (I'm a sucker for rom-coms) It was like a weird mix of, Ugly Truth/How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days/The Proposal, with a dash of 27 Dresses.
I loved Jess from from the get-go. She's smart, logical and she isn't scared to try new things. I liked how she visualized her success, even if it was a tab bit farfetched. She sets her goals, makes a plan, and then sets events in motion to make it happen. She's flawed, unsure, and she was written in a way to help the readers connect with her.
Now I will say that, like all rom-coms, you can pretty much guess what's going to happen, but I didn't care about that. The writing, flow and characters interactions made this typical read into a joyful, relaxing, fun time. I was hooked from the first chapter. This book will bring on all the warm fuzzies, pull at all the heart strings and have you cheering for Jess to succeed.
Take my high recommendation that you will adore this beautifully written, entertaining, moving story about of finding yourself, of loving yourself and learning to trust that you're not always right.
Happy Reading
-E.A. Walsh
So I'm going to start with the one thing I didn't like, as to get it out of the way. The beginning was slow, there was a lot of filler, that I felt didn't need to be in there. Sure it gave us background on Jessica's work life, but, in truth, I didn't care for it and to me it didn't really add anything to the over all plot.
Okay, now that I got that Off my chest, lets get into the rest of this charming story. I say charming, because it was so damn cute that I started wishing that his was a movie. (I'm a sucker for rom-coms) It was like a weird mix of, Ugly Truth/How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days/The Proposal, with a dash of 27 Dresses.
I loved Jess from from the get-go. She's smart, logical and she isn't scared to try new things. I liked how she visualized her success, even if it was a tab bit farfetched. She sets her goals, makes a plan, and then sets events in motion to make it happen. She's flawed, unsure, and she was written in a way to help the readers connect with her.
Now I will say that, like all rom-coms, you can pretty much guess what's going to happen, but I didn't care about that. The writing, flow and characters interactions made this typical read into a joyful, relaxing, fun time. I was hooked from the first chapter. This book will bring on all the warm fuzzies, pull at all the heart strings and have you cheering for Jess to succeed.
Take my high recommendation that you will adore this beautifully written, entertaining, moving story about of finding yourself, of loving yourself and learning to trust that you're not always right.
Happy Reading
-E.A. Walsh
November 7, 2017
Best Friend for Hire by Mary Carlomagno
4 out of 5 stars
This is the first book by Ms. Carlomango that I have read and I don’t know if I love the book or hate the book. This book was very funny that I had people looking at me in the doctor’s office when I laughed out loud. The characters are amazing and the secondary characters were off the charts the way they played off each other was awesome. But the storyline was weird. This is a hilarious, self-help, self-finding love story.
Jessie DeSalvo has her dream job at one of New York’s top publishing companies. After ten years of hard work the day of her big promotion has arrived. Unfortunately, her company has other ideas. Instead of a corner office, Jessie is handed her pink slip.
Jessie retreats to less-than-fashionable Hoboken, New Jersey, with little more than her cell phone and an unusable contact list to figure out her life and deal with the attentions of her loving but inquisitive Italian-American family.
Somehow she accidentally stumbles into a career as a professional best friend for hire she helps friends and strangers straighten out whatever is wrong with their lives. Her jobs include planning the New Jersey wedding of the year and saving a bankrupt rock club in town.
But things get complicated when she falls in love with the club manager and she promises an appearance by Bruce Springsteen.
What happens when Jessie can’t follow through with her promises? In the end, Jessie realizes that not even “The Boss” can make things right—and that she needs to become her own best friend to be truly happy.
This was a good read and I recommend it especially if you love to laugh while reading a story.
By
Tracy
4 out of 5 stars
This is the first book by Ms. Carlomango that I have read and I don’t know if I love the book or hate the book. This book was very funny that I had people looking at me in the doctor’s office when I laughed out loud. The characters are amazing and the secondary characters were off the charts the way they played off each other was awesome. But the storyline was weird. This is a hilarious, self-help, self-finding love story.
Jessie DeSalvo has her dream job at one of New York’s top publishing companies. After ten years of hard work the day of her big promotion has arrived. Unfortunately, her company has other ideas. Instead of a corner office, Jessie is handed her pink slip.
Jessie retreats to less-than-fashionable Hoboken, New Jersey, with little more than her cell phone and an unusable contact list to figure out her life and deal with the attentions of her loving but inquisitive Italian-American family.
Somehow she accidentally stumbles into a career as a professional best friend for hire she helps friends and strangers straighten out whatever is wrong with their lives. Her jobs include planning the New Jersey wedding of the year and saving a bankrupt rock club in town.
But things get complicated when she falls in love with the club manager and she promises an appearance by Bruce Springsteen.
What happens when Jessie can’t follow through with her promises? In the end, Jessie realizes that not even “The Boss” can make things right—and that she needs to become her own best friend to be truly happy.
This was a good read and I recommend it especially if you love to laugh while reading a story.
By
Tracy
November 8, 2017
“Oh yes this was shaping up to be a real bestseller of a day.”
This was such a cute, fast paced and fun read. Jessica De Salvo was so convinced she had worked her way up the corporate ladder just right to get the next promotion at work. She never saw what was coming the morning she got called into her boss’s office…
“I can’t believe I have to do this Jessie.” “It’s not you, it’s the company.” And “The company is belt-tightening.” And “You had a good run.” Is all she hears instead.
Jessie is forced to think fast and come up with what to do next with her life. She is not one to live without a plan and order. So, she embarks on some crazy enterprises and decides to start a business of sorts, a Best Friend for Hire. Taking on her first client of her old assistant and helping her plan her wedding and tame her inner bridezilla.
“Emily as a bride had a more direct side. And before you could say role reversal, I had signed up to work for my old assistant.”
“This is perf! It’s like I am your boss now!” she giggled.
“Omfg, I silently amended, what had I gotten myself into?”
This is just the beginning of several different clients and situations she finds herself in. And much to the disappointment of her nosy and loud Italian family. “Well Jessica, it’s really time to move on, let’s stop dwelling, things will end when they are supposed to, dear. Not longer, not shorter, all according to God’s plan.”
In the end will Jessica find herself in her journey to help others or will she find self-doubt at every turn? I think this is such a great little read and a really encouraging read for women that find themselves looking to really find their place of power in the world no matter what that may be or how big or little. I look forward to reading more by this author.
This was such a cute, fast paced and fun read. Jessica De Salvo was so convinced she had worked her way up the corporate ladder just right to get the next promotion at work. She never saw what was coming the morning she got called into her boss’s office…
“I can’t believe I have to do this Jessie.” “It’s not you, it’s the company.” And “The company is belt-tightening.” And “You had a good run.” Is all she hears instead.
Jessie is forced to think fast and come up with what to do next with her life. She is not one to live without a plan and order. So, she embarks on some crazy enterprises and decides to start a business of sorts, a Best Friend for Hire. Taking on her first client of her old assistant and helping her plan her wedding and tame her inner bridezilla.
“Emily as a bride had a more direct side. And before you could say role reversal, I had signed up to work for my old assistant.”
“This is perf! It’s like I am your boss now!” she giggled.
“Omfg, I silently amended, what had I gotten myself into?”
This is just the beginning of several different clients and situations she finds herself in. And much to the disappointment of her nosy and loud Italian family. “Well Jessica, it’s really time to move on, let’s stop dwelling, things will end when they are supposed to, dear. Not longer, not shorter, all according to God’s plan.”
In the end will Jessica find herself in her journey to help others or will she find self-doubt at every turn? I think this is such a great little read and a really encouraging read for women that find themselves looking to really find their place of power in the world no matter what that may be or how big or little. I look forward to reading more by this author.
October 8, 2017
Best Friend for Hire: A Novel by Mary Carlomagno is a fun, humorous story. This is my first story by this author and I found her writing skills to be engaging right along with her attention to details. She has created a story about someone who has things all planned out then when it don't, you find a way to make it work. This is the story of Jessie. She has her life planned out even up to the promotion she was expecting until it doesn't happen and she gets laid off. Now she is left trying to figure out a new plan and what to do with her life. This is where she creates her own business called Best Friend for Hire. You will laugh through her mishaps and complications. What will happen when she over commits and saying she booked Bruce Springsteen? Will she find more then what she bargained for in her last job? You will enjoy Jessie's character. Just when you think you have her figured out, she will surprise you. Her family will have you rolling especially her Na. They all are connectable characters that will warm your heart. One of the best things for me about Jessie is how she finds herself and grows throughout this story. She gets so messed up that I just had to see how she was going to fix things. Is this new business of hers just what she needs? Will this be her new nitch in life? You will just have to read this book to find out what happens with Jessie and find out if she may just find more then herself in her new journey. I highly recommend this story, I know you are want to see what happens to Jessie!
November 8, 2017
***3 Stars***
Best Friend for Hire by Mary Carlomagno
Best Friend for Hire was a fun and light 3 star read about going into work thinking you’re getting a promotion, only to find out you’re being let go from the company. Randomly after Jessica leaves the corporate world, she ends up coming across an idea of becoming a “Best Friend for Hire.” This story follows Jess as she meets new people and ends up doing random things to help them out, while still trying to plan a former coworkers Bridezilla Wedding and figure out how to get The Boss to come to a local bar and save it from having to close down.
This story was told in first person POV. Jess’ character expressed herself and her thoughts in a witty sarcastic manner. There were spots in the book that my attention must have wandered because I found myself having to go back and re-read parts thinking I must have completely missed something, when I guess I really had not. The “Best Friend for Hire” concept was cute and a good way to market someone who is willing to do all kinds of odd jobs until they figure out what they want to do with their future. I wasn’t particularly sucked into this story or emotionally invested, but this wasn’t meant to be a dramatic deep story. I give 3 stars to this book and recommend it for someone looking for a light read where the main character gets herself into weird situations that don’t happen like a planned out Fairy Tale story. If you are looking for something light-hearted and fun, this book is a good choice.
Best Friend for Hire by Mary Carlomagno
Best Friend for Hire was a fun and light 3 star read about going into work thinking you’re getting a promotion, only to find out you’re being let go from the company. Randomly after Jessica leaves the corporate world, she ends up coming across an idea of becoming a “Best Friend for Hire.” This story follows Jess as she meets new people and ends up doing random things to help them out, while still trying to plan a former coworkers Bridezilla Wedding and figure out how to get The Boss to come to a local bar and save it from having to close down.
This story was told in first person POV. Jess’ character expressed herself and her thoughts in a witty sarcastic manner. There were spots in the book that my attention must have wandered because I found myself having to go back and re-read parts thinking I must have completely missed something, when I guess I really had not. The “Best Friend for Hire” concept was cute and a good way to market someone who is willing to do all kinds of odd jobs until they figure out what they want to do with their future. I wasn’t particularly sucked into this story or emotionally invested, but this wasn’t meant to be a dramatic deep story. I give 3 stars to this book and recommend it for someone looking for a light read where the main character gets herself into weird situations that don’t happen like a planned out Fairy Tale story. If you are looking for something light-hearted and fun, this book is a good choice.
October 8, 2017
Best Friend for Hire by Mary Carlomagno is a funny and heart-warming novel about a young woman picking herself up and creating a new life for herself after she’s let go from her job. Jessie DeSalvo is driven and creative, with excellent networking skills. She’s a loveable and relatable character – I felt sorry for her as her world started falling apart and proud as she began to find a new path. There’s plenty of character development through the book and the reader grows a little with her.
In many ways, this reads like a self-help book disguised as a novel. We see not only how Jessie helps herself, but also how she helps others help themselves. I was not surprised to see that Mary Carlomango has also written self-help books! But I found that it was an enjoyable to get those kinds of ideas and the encouragement in a fun and accessible format.
I did feel at a few times the story jumped ahead quite suddenly, with some events not feeling particularly connected or relevant at the time. But generally, the strength of the character carried me through these bits and otherwise the writing style was great!
I give this book five out of five stars. I’d recommend it to anyone who keeps buying self-help books but not reading them (oops…) and fans of stories about people trying to get their lives together (I’m thinking of Bridget Jones and about three different Cecelia Ahern books!). It’s a great comfort read, and you will find yourself laughing out loud at a few points at least!
In many ways, this reads like a self-help book disguised as a novel. We see not only how Jessie helps herself, but also how she helps others help themselves. I was not surprised to see that Mary Carlomango has also written self-help books! But I found that it was an enjoyable to get those kinds of ideas and the encouragement in a fun and accessible format.
I did feel at a few times the story jumped ahead quite suddenly, with some events not feeling particularly connected or relevant at the time. But generally, the strength of the character carried me through these bits and otherwise the writing style was great!
I give this book five out of five stars. I’d recommend it to anyone who keeps buying self-help books but not reading them (oops…) and fans of stories about people trying to get their lives together (I’m thinking of Bridget Jones and about three different Cecelia Ahern books!). It’s a great comfort read, and you will find yourself laughing out loud at a few points at least!
November 8, 2017
A journey through the highs and lows of Jessica “Jessie” DeSalvo in the book Best Friend for Hire by, Mary Calomagno. Jessie was on her way to the top as a book publicist until it all came crashing down around her and she loses her job. So the story takes you through her journey on starting up a company, which of course is called…”Best Friend for Hire,” on her own and along the way she finds herself and meets a lot of new people. Jessie is Italian…so naturally, her family is all up in her business. They mean well but you know how that goes. This book is written from her point of view and basically everything that is going through her mind at the time. You never know whether or not you want to laugh, cry or just feel plain bad for her. Sometimes Jessie’s mind is all over the place but for some reason…you are able to follow along! LOL. Jessie tries to get entrepreneurial guidance along the way, which was interestingly funny. Needless to say that didn’t work so well. Ultimately she ends up helping the hottie that looks like Steven Tyler from Aerosmith that owns a local bar that is about to be shut down. This book is definitely a HEA. However, some of the ending is not what you think would happen but it still works out he way it should for this story. This story was really well written. It’s a little hard to get through the beginning but once you do you will love it!
September 21, 2017
In this captivating and humorous read, author wrangler extraordinaire Jessie DeSalvo abruptly finds herself untethered and casts about for a new career. Gifted with a toolbox of finely honed organizational skills, it isn’t long before Jessie has hired herself out to manage the lives of an assorted cast of characters, from a petulant bride-to-be to a down-on-his luck club owner. Pinging from one demanding client to another, Jessie is too harried to realize her own life could use a reset.
I thoroughly enjoyed this lighthearted tale, which is rich with detail. (When an over-the-top wedding threatened to go off the rails, I felt as though I were watching from the edge of the dance floor.) I also chuckled at the frequent tongue-in-cheek commentary on publishing, no doubt drawn from the author’s own experience in the field.
Particularly engaging are the protagonist’s delicious scenes with her Italian family, who nourish Jessie body and soul, and the Jersey Girl touches, from Route 22 jughandles to an eternal hope for a Bruce Springsteen sighting.
I heartily recommend this book, which the reader will want to consume in one sitting. Don’t miss this dazzling fiction debut from the author of three previous books on organizing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this lighthearted tale, which is rich with detail. (When an over-the-top wedding threatened to go off the rails, I felt as though I were watching from the edge of the dance floor.) I also chuckled at the frequent tongue-in-cheek commentary on publishing, no doubt drawn from the author’s own experience in the field.
Particularly engaging are the protagonist’s delicious scenes with her Italian family, who nourish Jessie body and soul, and the Jersey Girl touches, from Route 22 jughandles to an eternal hope for a Bruce Springsteen sighting.
I heartily recommend this book, which the reader will want to consume in one sitting. Don’t miss this dazzling fiction debut from the author of three previous books on organizing.
November 5, 2017
Best Friend for Hire by Mary Carlomagno is a fun, enjoyable read.
Jessie De Salvo's first day back from vacation should be a celebration, it's not everyday you get a promotion at work but it doesn't play out that way. Instead she gets fired and from that moment her day goes from bad to worse. From ripping her suit pants to getting caught in a down pour with no umbrella. Could things get any worse for Jessie?
After speaking to ex assistant Emily and agreeing to help plan her wedding and helping Caroline from Counselling Services to organise her closet space, Jessie comes up with the idea to start her own business. Best Friend for Hire - where people who need a "Best Friend" could hire her to be just that. Now all she needs is an office space to work from.
Jessie gets offered some space after giving Dave and Bertram some advice, she gets the space free of charge if she continues to help them re vamp their business and get it back off the ground. Who could turn that offer down?
Follow the loveable Jessie on her new path of being a Best Friend to anyone that will hire her. Along with dealing with her crazy Sicilian family at the same time. This novel is fun, humorous and has a great attention to detail that you can see the whole way through the story.
Jessie De Salvo's first day back from vacation should be a celebration, it's not everyday you get a promotion at work but it doesn't play out that way. Instead she gets fired and from that moment her day goes from bad to worse. From ripping her suit pants to getting caught in a down pour with no umbrella. Could things get any worse for Jessie?
After speaking to ex assistant Emily and agreeing to help plan her wedding and helping Caroline from Counselling Services to organise her closet space, Jessie comes up with the idea to start her own business. Best Friend for Hire - where people who need a "Best Friend" could hire her to be just that. Now all she needs is an office space to work from.
Jessie gets offered some space after giving Dave and Bertram some advice, she gets the space free of charge if she continues to help them re vamp their business and get it back off the ground. Who could turn that offer down?
Follow the loveable Jessie on her new path of being a Best Friend to anyone that will hire her. Along with dealing with her crazy Sicilian family at the same time. This novel is fun, humorous and has a great attention to detail that you can see the whole way through the story.
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