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The Barbershop Girl
You don't become a notorious British celebrity without rubbing a few people the wrong way, so writer and comedian Ben Martindale has decamped to Australia until the media frenzy surrounding his latest scandal dies down. When he meets Amy Blaine, a perky blonde barber who dresses like a 1950s pin-up girl, he knows he's hit the comedy jackpot.
He begins to fill his weekly London column with snarky observations about her house, style, troubled family members and dramatic employees. It doesn't occur to him that Amy, who is slowly letting her guard down for the first time in her adult life, might be just a little bit upset when she finds out ...
He begins to fill his weekly London column with snarky observations about her house, style, troubled family members and dramatic employees. It doesn't occur to him that Amy, who is slowly letting her guard down for the first time in her adult life, might be just a little bit upset when she finds out ...
296 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 2014
11 people are currently reading
1093 people want to read
About the author
Georgina Penney
9 books83 followersHello There,
So wonderful of you to drop by!
I am no longer writing novels under the name Georgina Penney but you can find all future releases published under the name Evie Snow. All Evie Snow books will be set in the same 'world' with characters you've already met in my Georgina Penney books.
Why the change in name? It's largely because I want to acknowledge how much my lovely husband Tony (AKA The Kraken) helps me in the writing process. We thought a pen name that we'd both come up with would be a much better choice.
Check out www.eviesnow.net for all the info.
But if you want to learn a little more about me, here goes:
Georgina Penney first discovered romance novels when she was eleven and has been a fan of the genre ever since. It took her another eighteen years to finally sit in front of a keyboard and get something down on the page but that's alright, she was busy doing other things until then.
Some of those things included living in a ridiculous number of towns and cities in Australia before relocating overseas to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam and presently, Scotland.
In between all these travels, Georgina managed to learn to paint, get herself a Communication and Cultural Studies degree, study Psychotherapy and learn all about Hypnotherapy. In the early days she even managed to get on the IT roller coaster during the early noughties boom, inexplicably ending the ride by becoming the registrar of a massage and naturopathy college. There was also a PhD in the mix there somewhere but moving to Saudi Arabia and rediscovering the bodice ripper fixed all that.
Today she lives with her wonderful husband, Tony in the Scottish wilds surrounded by hairy coos and far too many procreating rabbits.
So wonderful of you to drop by!
I am no longer writing novels under the name Georgina Penney but you can find all future releases published under the name Evie Snow. All Evie Snow books will be set in the same 'world' with characters you've already met in my Georgina Penney books.
Why the change in name? It's largely because I want to acknowledge how much my lovely husband Tony (AKA The Kraken) helps me in the writing process. We thought a pen name that we'd both come up with would be a much better choice.
Check out www.eviesnow.net for all the info.
But if you want to learn a little more about me, here goes:
Georgina Penney first discovered romance novels when she was eleven and has been a fan of the genre ever since. It took her another eighteen years to finally sit in front of a keyboard and get something down on the page but that's alright, she was busy doing other things until then.
Some of those things included living in a ridiculous number of towns and cities in Australia before relocating overseas to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam and presently, Scotland.
In between all these travels, Georgina managed to learn to paint, get herself a Communication and Cultural Studies degree, study Psychotherapy and learn all about Hypnotherapy. In the early days she even managed to get on the IT roller coaster during the early noughties boom, inexplicably ending the ride by becoming the registrar of a massage and naturopathy college. There was also a PhD in the mix there somewhere but moving to Saudi Arabia and rediscovering the bodice ripper fixed all that.
Today she lives with her wonderful husband, Tony in the Scottish wilds surrounded by hairy coos and far too many procreating rabbits.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
January 7, 2017
Amy Blaine owned two businesses which happened to be side by side – Babyface was her barber shop and her salon was named Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Amy didn’t expect to see Ben, the rude and sarcastic thug she’d fleetingly met Saturday night, arrive at 9 am Monday for a cut-throat shave – and she had no idea why her nerves were making her jittery either. Amy lived and worked in Fremantle in Western Australia and loved the area. She was exceptionally close to her sister Jo after the childhood they’d shared, and their best friend Scott was the big brother she had never had.
Going against everything she felt was right, Amy gradually let herself fall for the charm of Ben Martindale. Ben was a British celebrity, but Amy had no idea of Ben’s life. She knew he was well off; she knew he was far too high in the food chain for her – but she was happy; she was having fun and laughing more than she had for a long while in Ben’s company.
But Ben’s form of humour was the sort that didn’t amuse everyone – and one day Amy came across some of his writing. What would the pieces Ben had been writing for the London paper do to Amy? She’d done it again, hadn’t she…
The Barbershop Girl by Aussie author Georgina Penney is a delightful, entertaining romp with lots of laugh out loud moments which I enjoyed. The author portrayed Amy as the ditsy blonde well – I was getting frustrated with her and her inability to stand up for herself. I enjoy this author’s writing – Fly In, Fly Out was great! I found The Barbershop Girl a little too “chick-lit” for me but that said, I have no hesitation in recommending it.
With thanks to PenguinRandom House for my copy to read and review.
Going against everything she felt was right, Amy gradually let herself fall for the charm of Ben Martindale. Ben was a British celebrity, but Amy had no idea of Ben’s life. She knew he was well off; she knew he was far too high in the food chain for her – but she was happy; she was having fun and laughing more than she had for a long while in Ben’s company.
But Ben’s form of humour was the sort that didn’t amuse everyone – and one day Amy came across some of his writing. What would the pieces Ben had been writing for the London paper do to Amy? She’d done it again, hadn’t she…
The Barbershop Girl by Aussie author Georgina Penney is a delightful, entertaining romp with lots of laugh out loud moments which I enjoyed. The author portrayed Amy as the ditsy blonde well – I was getting frustrated with her and her inability to stand up for herself. I enjoy this author’s writing – Fly In, Fly Out was great! I found The Barbershop Girl a little too “chick-lit” for me but that said, I have no hesitation in recommending it.
With thanks to PenguinRandom House for my copy to read and review.
April 15, 2014
Book – Irrepressible You
Author – Georgina Penney
Publication Date – February 14, 2014
Type – Stand Alone
Genre – Romance
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Book provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Review
OMG…this book is just too freakin’ cute!! I so fell in love with Amy Blaine and her quirky ways – she is adorable with her 50’s style of dress, her outhouse, her leaky roof – just everything about Amy had me laughing and marveling at her strength and charisma!
Now Ben….oh how I hated him ---- enjoyed him ---- loved him ---- laughed at him ---- hated him again! What a cocky son-ova-bitch, but the best thing about Ben was getting what he deserved in the end. For once he realized just how his sarcastic writing and words can utterly devastate a person. Was he really that clueless that his articles he wrote wouldn’t hurt feelings, especially the woman he “so-called” was falling in love with. Amy opened up Ben’s world and showed him how exciting life could be – she didn’t know who he was or how famous he was – she just loved his personality and could go up to bat with him word – for – word!! Those two had me cracking up throughout the story!
Now the only problem I had with Amy was her ability to forgive Ben so easy. There were times he was such an arrogant asshole (like what happened with his car) and his words really cut Amy…but she forgave him. She gave him so many chances but the man was clueless with how to respect others and where he should draw some boundaries.
I also loved all the secondary characters in the book and their side stories ---- this book was amazing! Ms. Penney has a gift of making the reader laugh and transporting us into Australia to witness the story first hand. She pulled so many emotions out of me with this book and each character developed through the book, especially Amy. She finally put on her big girl panties and went head to head with her older sister.
Overall, this is an awesome read and I would recommend it to anyone who needs a good laugh along with a lesson filled sweet romance!
For more reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Author – Georgina Penney
Publication Date – February 14, 2014
Type – Stand Alone
Genre – Romance
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Book provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Review
OMG…this book is just too freakin’ cute!! I so fell in love with Amy Blaine and her quirky ways – she is adorable with her 50’s style of dress, her outhouse, her leaky roof – just everything about Amy had me laughing and marveling at her strength and charisma!
Now Ben….oh how I hated him ---- enjoyed him ---- loved him ---- laughed at him ---- hated him again! What a cocky son-ova-bitch, but the best thing about Ben was getting what he deserved in the end. For once he realized just how his sarcastic writing and words can utterly devastate a person. Was he really that clueless that his articles he wrote wouldn’t hurt feelings, especially the woman he “so-called” was falling in love with. Amy opened up Ben’s world and showed him how exciting life could be – she didn’t know who he was or how famous he was – she just loved his personality and could go up to bat with him word – for – word!! Those two had me cracking up throughout the story!
Now the only problem I had with Amy was her ability to forgive Ben so easy. There were times he was such an arrogant asshole (like what happened with his car) and his words really cut Amy…but she forgave him. She gave him so many chances but the man was clueless with how to respect others and where he should draw some boundaries.
I also loved all the secondary characters in the book and their side stories ---- this book was amazing! Ms. Penney has a gift of making the reader laugh and transporting us into Australia to witness the story first hand. She pulled so many emotions out of me with this book and each character developed through the book, especially Amy. She finally put on her big girl panties and went head to head with her older sister.
Overall, this is an awesome read and I would recommend it to anyone who needs a good laugh along with a lesson filled sweet romance!
For more reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
January 6, 2021
I kicked off my 2021 with a new book by a not read before author, and followed it with a re-read of one I loved back in 2014 by Georgina Penney (then called Irrepressible You). I've left my review below and it all still stands with the only exception that Ben did piss me off more this time around. Amy on the other hand was still completely gorgeous. Highly recommend this one.
****
I loved, loved, loved, The Barbershop Girl.
One of my complaints about chick lit is that often it feels like the author is trying so hard to make the book funny, and get a laugh, that the story falls flat. The story feels too 'forced' for me.
The Barbershop Girl is so refreshing. It had many moments that made me smile, a heck of a lot that made me laugh, and certainly toward the end, there were tears.
The heroine is an Aussie small business owner with a penchant for dressing and living '50s style'. The hero is a Brit comedian/columnist now living in Perth, Australia.
I am not a classic 'chick' kind of girl. I don't know what to do with make-up; I hate shopping; I visit a hairdresser maybe twice a year (if I'm lucky)... and yet I fell absolutely in love with Amy, who wears her 50s clothing and style as a plate of armour, for many good reasons.
I loved Amy - the Freo barber.
Contrary to other reviews I've read of this book, I also loved Ben.
There are scenes in this book that I will read over and over again. One is their first sex scene, where Amy struggles to give over control to Ben. I love that he 'calls' her on it, and just doesn't let it go without asking the 'why'.
The scene where Amy explains her adoration of all things Marilyn Monroe and the 50s is another heart-stopper for me.
And this is my favourite line in the book. For some context, Amy has just bought herself a guard dog called Gerald, because she feels the need for protection after her house is burgled, and she's waiting for the dog to 'do its business', only Gerald does absolutely nothing in a hurry, except sleep.
"Hurry up boy. Why is two in the morning the only time you voluntarily want to go to the loo?" she called out to the dog again, shifting her weight anxiously from one foot to the other. Unfortunately, Gerald either didn't understand or was ignoring her in his quest for the perfect spot. It took the dog another five minutes to finally complete his business and by that time Amy was twitchier than a fat chicken living next door to a KFC restaurant."
I need more stars than 5.
****
I loved, loved, loved, The Barbershop Girl.
One of my complaints about chick lit is that often it feels like the author is trying so hard to make the book funny, and get a laugh, that the story falls flat. The story feels too 'forced' for me.
The Barbershop Girl is so refreshing. It had many moments that made me smile, a heck of a lot that made me laugh, and certainly toward the end, there were tears.
The heroine is an Aussie small business owner with a penchant for dressing and living '50s style'. The hero is a Brit comedian/columnist now living in Perth, Australia.
I am not a classic 'chick' kind of girl. I don't know what to do with make-up; I hate shopping; I visit a hairdresser maybe twice a year (if I'm lucky)... and yet I fell absolutely in love with Amy, who wears her 50s clothing and style as a plate of armour, for many good reasons.
I loved Amy - the Freo barber.
Contrary to other reviews I've read of this book, I also loved Ben.
There are scenes in this book that I will read over and over again. One is their first sex scene, where Amy struggles to give over control to Ben. I love that he 'calls' her on it, and just doesn't let it go without asking the 'why'.
The scene where Amy explains her adoration of all things Marilyn Monroe and the 50s is another heart-stopper for me.
And this is my favourite line in the book. For some context, Amy has just bought herself a guard dog called Gerald, because she feels the need for protection after her house is burgled, and she's waiting for the dog to 'do its business', only Gerald does absolutely nothing in a hurry, except sleep.
"Hurry up boy. Why is two in the morning the only time you voluntarily want to go to the loo?" she called out to the dog again, shifting her weight anxiously from one foot to the other. Unfortunately, Gerald either didn't understand or was ignoring her in his quest for the perfect spot. It took the dog another five minutes to finally complete his business and by that time Amy was twitchier than a fat chicken living next door to a KFC restaurant."
I need more stars than 5.
February 19, 2014
I loved, loved, loved, Irrepressible You. I loved everything about it, but I'll start with the 'voice'. I haven't been a fan of chick lit, exactly, but the two recent books I've read in the genre have been Hindsight, and Irrepressible You, and I have adored both these books. One of my complaints about chick lit is that often it feels like the author is trying so hard to make the book funny, and get a laugh, that the story falls flat. The story feels too 'forced' for me.
Irrepressible You is so refreshing. It had many moments that made me smile, a heck of a lot that made me laugh, and certainly toward the end, there were tears.
The heroine is an Aussie small business owner with a penchant for dressing and living '50s style'. The hero is a Brit comedian/columnist now living in Perth, Australia.
I am not a classic 'chick' kind of girl. I don't know what to do with make-up; I hate shopping; I last ventured into a hairdressers in 2012... and yet I fell absolutely in love with Amy, who wears her 50s clothing and style as a plate of armour, for many good reasons.
I loved Amy - the Freo barber.
Contrary to other reviews I've read of this book, I also loved Ben. I wonder if it's because I'm familiar with journalism and media, and the sense of writing anecdotally to make situations seem funnier than they are?
There are scenes in this book that I will read over and over again. One is their first sex scene, where Amy struggles to give over control to Ben. I love that he 'calls' her on it, and just doesn't let it go without asking the 'why'.
The scene where Amy explains her adoration of all things Marilyn Monroe and the 50s is another heart-stopper for me.
And this is my favourite line in the book. For some context, Amy has just bought herself a guard dog called Gerald, because she feels the need for protection after her house is burgled, and she's waiting for the dog to 'do its business', only Gerald does absolutely nothing in a hurry, except sleep.
"Hurry up boy. Why is two in the morning the only time you voluntarily want to go to the loo?" she called out to the dog again, shifting her weight anxiously from one foot to the other. Unfortunately, Gerald either didn't understand or was ignoring her in his quest for the perfect spot. It took the dog another five minutes to finally complete his business and by that time Amy was twitchier than a fat chicken living next door to a KFC restaurant."
If you enjoy chick lit I think you will enjoy Irrepressible You. Dare I say, if you're more inclined to look for your reading pleasure in Contemporary Romance - I still think you will enjoy Irrepressible You.
I need more stars than 5.
Irrepressible You is so refreshing. It had many moments that made me smile, a heck of a lot that made me laugh, and certainly toward the end, there were tears.
The heroine is an Aussie small business owner with a penchant for dressing and living '50s style'. The hero is a Brit comedian/columnist now living in Perth, Australia.
I am not a classic 'chick' kind of girl. I don't know what to do with make-up; I hate shopping; I last ventured into a hairdressers in 2012... and yet I fell absolutely in love with Amy, who wears her 50s clothing and style as a plate of armour, for many good reasons.
I loved Amy - the Freo barber.
Contrary to other reviews I've read of this book, I also loved Ben. I wonder if it's because I'm familiar with journalism and media, and the sense of writing anecdotally to make situations seem funnier than they are?
There are scenes in this book that I will read over and over again. One is their first sex scene, where Amy struggles to give over control to Ben. I love that he 'calls' her on it, and just doesn't let it go without asking the 'why'.
The scene where Amy explains her adoration of all things Marilyn Monroe and the 50s is another heart-stopper for me.
And this is my favourite line in the book. For some context, Amy has just bought herself a guard dog called Gerald, because she feels the need for protection after her house is burgled, and she's waiting for the dog to 'do its business', only Gerald does absolutely nothing in a hurry, except sleep.
"Hurry up boy. Why is two in the morning the only time you voluntarily want to go to the loo?" she called out to the dog again, shifting her weight anxiously from one foot to the other. Unfortunately, Gerald either didn't understand or was ignoring her in his quest for the perfect spot. It took the dog another five minutes to finally complete his business and by that time Amy was twitchier than a fat chicken living next door to a KFC restaurant."
If you enjoy chick lit I think you will enjoy Irrepressible You. Dare I say, if you're more inclined to look for your reading pleasure in Contemporary Romance - I still think you will enjoy Irrepressible You.
I need more stars than 5.
March 23, 2023
4.5 stars
Wow, Evie Snow has an amazing way with words. What a writer!
The humour, dialogue, Aussie lingo, warmth, cuteness, authentic characters, suspense, heartbreak, setting… everything, just fantastic!
The Barbershop Girl is the 3rd instalment in the Evangeline's Rest series and is Amy’s story, sister of Jo from Fly In Fly Out. Amy is adorable, loved her story, engaging and interesting.
Wow, Evie Snow has an amazing way with words. What a writer!
The humour, dialogue, Aussie lingo, warmth, cuteness, authentic characters, suspense, heartbreak, setting… everything, just fantastic!
The Barbershop Girl is the 3rd instalment in the Evangeline's Rest series and is Amy’s story, sister of Jo from Fly In Fly Out. Amy is adorable, loved her story, engaging and interesting.
February 13, 2014
You can read the full version and my other reviews at My Written Romance.
I was provided with an ARC of this book by Destiny Romance via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When you read this book, there are times you'll laugh, times you'll cry and there are times when you will just want to get slappy on the hero. However, for me at all times when I read this the other day, I enjoyed every step of the journey in this fresh new take on the genre.
The romance that built between Amy and Ben was adorable. There of course is always the worry that Amy will discover what Ben has been writing. But this didn't detract from watching these two fall in love. Read More.
I was provided with an ARC of this book by Destiny Romance via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When you read this book, there are times you'll laugh, times you'll cry and there are times when you will just want to get slappy on the hero. However, for me at all times when I read this the other day, I enjoyed every step of the journey in this fresh new take on the genre.
The romance that built between Amy and Ben was adorable. There of course is always the worry that Amy will discover what Ben has been writing. But this didn't detract from watching these two fall in love. Read More.
February 13, 2020
Copy received for relaunch of title.
I adored the bits we got of Amy in her sister's book, Fly In Fly Out, and I immediately fell in love with her in The Barbershop Girl.
I love her style, her grace under pressure and her heart.
Ben, Ben, Ben. I love him, then I loathe him, then I love him again. Well, really only hated him for a little bit, but knew what he was doing so I knew I was going to hate him eventually.
I could picture lovely Amy in all her pin up style glory, and she made me smile.
Now, Jo on the other hand, I hated the way she talked down to and treated her sister when she didn't know all the facts. I know we all fight with our siblings, but sheesh lol. I could understand both sides of the story though.
A fun, enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more of Evie Snow's stories.
I adored the bits we got of Amy in her sister's book, Fly In Fly Out, and I immediately fell in love with her in The Barbershop Girl.
I love her style, her grace under pressure and her heart.
Ben, Ben, Ben. I love him, then I loathe him, then I love him again. Well, really only hated him for a little bit, but knew what he was doing so I knew I was going to hate him eventually.
I could picture lovely Amy in all her pin up style glory, and she made me smile.
Now, Jo on the other hand, I hated the way she talked down to and treated her sister when she didn't know all the facts. I know we all fight with our siblings, but sheesh lol. I could understand both sides of the story though.
A fun, enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more of Evie Snow's stories.
January 8, 2017
I’ve enjoyed Georgina Penney’s other books, which are set in my home state, but I knew I was going to love The Barbershop Girl as soon as I saw it. Not only do I own several flower hairpieces, but I have serious dress envy for the one Amy, our heroine is reading on the cover. As I read through the book, I realised that I wanted to be good friends with not only Amy, but Ben, the hero. I didn’t want to stop reading their story – it’s funny, sweet and the characters are perfectly constructed.
The story features characters that will be familiar to those who have read Fly In, Fly Out (such as Jo, Stephen and Scott) but the book works perfectly well as a standalone. Amy is Jo’s sister and they are as different as chalk and cheese. While Jo is tomboyish with a penchant for swearing, Amy never swears and wears her 1950s inspired outfits as armour, day in, day out. What both sisters have in common is their horrible upbringing which has left them very close. Amy is grateful to Jo for pretty much raising her and she wants Jo to know that she’s doing fine. Except that she’s not. Amy’s business (barbershop and hair salon) are doing well, but some of her staff have attitudes better left at the door and Amy’s love life has never worked out. Worse, one of her exes insists on making her life a misery every time he’s off swing back in Perth. So when Amy completely fails to recognise a famous opera singer and his famous comedian mate in a bar, she feels pretty useless. She has to apologise – and that’s how Ben Martindale comes into her life.
Ben is funny and lives behind a veneer of utter bastardry – he’s that guy you love to hate but secretly kind of like. He’s rich, says what he thinks and is hiding out in Australia to write and stay out of the British tabloids. Amy isn’t his usual type, but she wins his heart with her dedication to whatever she does. He’s hiding a scarred childhood too, but you’d never know that. And he doesn’t want you to know, so describing Amy under a code name in his weekly columns in a sardonic tone equals affection in Ben’s head. But will Amy agree?
The novel is absolutely gorgeous – it is truly funny and incredibly sweet at times. My only qualm would be the damage caused to an Aston Martin DB9, but at least it’s a fictional one! I truly felt the characters became friends (they were that well fleshed out and lifelike) and I’m trying to fight the urge to go to Fremantle to look for Amy’s salon. (She gives her customers homemade cake and cookies, how sweet is that)? I even found Amy as a fashion inspiration a few days over the last week for dresses and heels! While Amy is an easy person to like, it says a lot that Georgina Penney made Ben, who by his own admission is a bastard, a character to like. Seeing him alone, vulnerable and at a loss helped me as the reader to see there was more to him than just clever words and a flash car. Amy also helps him to see that he doesn’t need to hide as he helps her to see that it’s okay to vulnerable. They are quite similar in some ways.
My time with The Barbershop Girl just flew by. I’m really, really looking forward to hopefully reading Scott’s story one day. He’s a mysterious photographer who jets around the world, surely he has some secrets to reveal?
Thank you to Penguin for the copy of the book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
The story features characters that will be familiar to those who have read Fly In, Fly Out (such as Jo, Stephen and Scott) but the book works perfectly well as a standalone. Amy is Jo’s sister and they are as different as chalk and cheese. While Jo is tomboyish with a penchant for swearing, Amy never swears and wears her 1950s inspired outfits as armour, day in, day out. What both sisters have in common is their horrible upbringing which has left them very close. Amy is grateful to Jo for pretty much raising her and she wants Jo to know that she’s doing fine. Except that she’s not. Amy’s business (barbershop and hair salon) are doing well, but some of her staff have attitudes better left at the door and Amy’s love life has never worked out. Worse, one of her exes insists on making her life a misery every time he’s off swing back in Perth. So when Amy completely fails to recognise a famous opera singer and his famous comedian mate in a bar, she feels pretty useless. She has to apologise – and that’s how Ben Martindale comes into her life.
Ben is funny and lives behind a veneer of utter bastardry – he’s that guy you love to hate but secretly kind of like. He’s rich, says what he thinks and is hiding out in Australia to write and stay out of the British tabloids. Amy isn’t his usual type, but she wins his heart with her dedication to whatever she does. He’s hiding a scarred childhood too, but you’d never know that. And he doesn’t want you to know, so describing Amy under a code name in his weekly columns in a sardonic tone equals affection in Ben’s head. But will Amy agree?
The novel is absolutely gorgeous – it is truly funny and incredibly sweet at times. My only qualm would be the damage caused to an Aston Martin DB9, but at least it’s a fictional one! I truly felt the characters became friends (they were that well fleshed out and lifelike) and I’m trying to fight the urge to go to Fremantle to look for Amy’s salon. (She gives her customers homemade cake and cookies, how sweet is that)? I even found Amy as a fashion inspiration a few days over the last week for dresses and heels! While Amy is an easy person to like, it says a lot that Georgina Penney made Ben, who by his own admission is a bastard, a character to like. Seeing him alone, vulnerable and at a loss helped me as the reader to see there was more to him than just clever words and a flash car. Amy also helps him to see that he doesn’t need to hide as he helps her to see that it’s okay to vulnerable. They are quite similar in some ways.
My time with The Barbershop Girl just flew by. I’m really, really looking forward to hopefully reading Scott’s story one day. He’s a mysterious photographer who jets around the world, surely he has some secrets to reveal?
Thank you to Penguin for the copy of the book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
January 3, 2017
This book was an absolute pleasure to read. It had everything that I love in a great book- humour, humility, wit, warmth, life-like characters and a fast pace. Every scene was a page turner and I found myself staying up late, reading through bleary tired eyes simply because I didn't want to stop.
The characters were real and not contrived to fit the story. The conflict and 'will they, won't they' storyline grew organically out of the characters personalities and added extra dimensions to the book, making it much deeper than the usual chick lit style.
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves chick lit, contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I can't wait to read Ms Penney's next book! I am a fan!
The characters were real and not contrived to fit the story. The conflict and 'will they, won't they' storyline grew organically out of the characters personalities and added extra dimensions to the book, making it much deeper than the usual chick lit style.
I highly recommend this to anyone who loves chick lit, contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I can't wait to read Ms Penney's next book! I am a fan!
February 12, 2014
Loved the dialogue in this book, sparkling, witty stuff. And the heroine is a gorgeous, stylish, fluffy cupcake, caring but troubled. Just before I had to step in and give her toughness lessons, she worked it out for herself. Hero makes a satisfying journey from self-centred to less self-centred. Many laughs in between. If you like humour with your romance, this book is for you.
January 3, 2017
Loved the dialogue in this book, sparkling, witty stuff. And the heroine is a gorgeous, stylish, fluffy cupcake, caring but troubled. Just before I had to step in and give her toughness lessons, she worked it out for herself. Hero makes a satisfying journey from self-centred to less self-centred. Many laughs in between. If you like humour with your romance, this book is for you.
April 3, 2017
A fun read with some quirky characters and a conflicted romance.
February 10, 2017
Irrepresible You is a fun read that hides a deeper, more emotional story. And this is exactly the heroine's character. Amy has a facade that hides a deeply caring, emotionally damaged woman. Ben, the hero, describes her beautifully as, "...all smooth waters over a coral reef."
Ben has his own armour, comedic sarcasm, hiding his issues. Ben and Amy come together and it's when they're together that both their armour gets in the way.
This story is set in Western Australia (Fremantle and Perth) with a couple of international scenes. There are a lot of interesting people sharing the cast, and other people's relationships having difficulties. It's a big beautiful story.
And it has vomit (what is it with you Ninjas and your vomiting? Lily's Fairway to Heaven had it too.) but it's not graphically described here, thank heavens!
Gerald and Harvey are two of my favourite 'characters' - both of them being almost inanimate lumps...but important lumps!
We've been having Ninja Skype hookups and Georgina drops in some classic words, lines and comments, and this book is so like that. Sometimes I could hear her voice in my head as I read a line. Like this one:
"The woman was funny, fascinating, complicated, confusing and above all, unexpectedly fucking sexy."
And this:
"...she makes me look like the love child of the Marquis de Sade and Saddam Hussein."
I thoroughly enjoyed, Irrepresible You, and I'll be eagerly waiting for Georgina's next book.
Ben has his own armour, comedic sarcasm, hiding his issues. Ben and Amy come together and it's when they're together that both their armour gets in the way.
This story is set in Western Australia (Fremantle and Perth) with a couple of international scenes. There are a lot of interesting people sharing the cast, and other people's relationships having difficulties. It's a big beautiful story.
And it has vomit (what is it with you Ninjas and your vomiting? Lily's Fairway to Heaven had it too.) but it's not graphically described here, thank heavens!
Gerald and Harvey are two of my favourite 'characters' - both of them being almost inanimate lumps...but important lumps!
We've been having Ninja Skype hookups and Georgina drops in some classic words, lines and comments, and this book is so like that. Sometimes I could hear her voice in my head as I read a line. Like this one:
"The woman was funny, fascinating, complicated, confusing and above all, unexpectedly fucking sexy."
And this:
"...she makes me look like the love child of the Marquis de Sade and Saddam Hussein."
I thoroughly enjoyed, Irrepresible You, and I'll be eagerly waiting for Georgina's next book.
May 7, 2014
This author has a talent not many authors possess. She can bring you a story with characters that shouldn't fit and end of pulling you so deep into the book you never want to put it down. She makes you laugh at the right times while making you think seriously other times. She made me fall in love with quirky Amy who loves her family, and her fifties pin up clothes and Ben who is if written by any other person a character I would hate, he is rude and blatantly disrespectful. But she makes you love him all the more because of those quirks. This is truly a special book. Hoping this author writes more. She is a rare gem in the author world. For my official review check out allnightbooks.com
February 8, 2014
I loved Amy and Ben's story. I couldn't put the book down! Amy is absolutely adorable and Ben is the perfect lovable cad. He makes you want to curse and swear at him for being such a fool, especially with someone as precious as Amy.
Georgina Penney's writing draws you into the scene and the story as well as making you love the characters. I just hope some of the minor characters get their own stories because I want to know more about them as well! Miss Penney gives chick lit a refreshing new voice. Strongly recommended to everyone who enjoys the romance genre.
Georgina Penney's writing draws you into the scene and the story as well as making you love the characters. I just hope some of the minor characters get their own stories because I want to know more about them as well! Miss Penney gives chick lit a refreshing new voice. Strongly recommended to everyone who enjoys the romance genre.
February 22, 2014
Lively, slightly tongue in cheek and hilarious while still being a cracker romance (with some seriously steamy scenes!). I really enjoyed the dialogue between the two main characters - very witty. Of course, like ay good romance story, there's a storm brewing throughout which plays out deliciously in the end!
It was also great to read an Aussie romance set in my home town of Perth, Western Australia. Overall, an entertaining read - looking forward to the next one!
It was also great to read an Aussie romance set in my home town of Perth, Western Australia. Overall, an entertaining read - looking forward to the next one!
May 11, 2014
Cute, witty and totally loveable characters. Looking forward to book 2. Great work, Georgina Penney. You made me laugh and cry. Set in my favourite place in Western Australia...Fremantle.
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April 30, 2018This is now titled
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April 23, 2018
2.5 stars
Parts were cute. Parts were funny. Parts had feels. But parts also felt incomplete/not fully fleshed out.
Parts were cute. Parts were funny. Parts had feels. But parts also felt incomplete/not fully fleshed out.
March 25, 2014
It made me laugh more than I have in a long time in a book. Frequent bursts of uncontainable mirth bubbling out of me. So much so, my bf stopped asking what I was laughing at. The answer was the same every time: “this book, it’s just so awesome.”
I knew I was going to love the book when I was swept off my feet on the first and second pages by stunning narration, and dialogue that was sharp, setting up the hero and heroine flawlessly.
The sharp and deliciously witty dialogue from our hero, Ben, was like a constant fountain, speech one can only dream to create, the kind of character that is so hilariously quick you wish you could chat with him for five minutes, despite knowing you wouldn’t get a word in, and he would rip you to shreds. I dub him the smoothest talking Englishman to ever grace the west Australian shores.
‘Fungus, eh? Well, I’ve always thought mushrooms were one of the tastiest foods in existence. Think of me as a rare truffle.’ (Ben Martindale, “Irrepressible You”)
This novel made me want to be pretty. It made me want to paint my nails and frock up in my prettiest tea party dress and curl my hair and buy the gorgeous underwear I see in shops and rarely buy, as they are often quite expensive and shouldn’t be wasted under clothes. Yet sometimes perhaps one should think: we only have one life, why not live it in gorgeous underwear? I wanted to have Amy take me shopping, dress me up, and then watch movies with her over hot chocolate and cake. As her character progressed, I wanted to tuck her ridiculously cute and tiny person in my pocket, and I cheered almost aggressively when she found her strength and voice. She’s such a bombshell of a woman, I would be proud to be her friend, and I would love her wardrobe!
Ben is a fantastic character. You would definitely love to hate him in life, but through Georgina’s clever narration, we can see inside Ben and know that deep on some subconscious level he does know he what he is doing is disrespectful, he also is falling for Amy so hopelessly, so genuinely, that when things implode, you cringe, thinking, “Jeez, you’re an arse, you had it coming, but I hope you find a way out of this!”
There are also some very deep issues and themes explored in this work, especially for dear little Amy. I love a book that tackles some of the harsher realities of life, weaving them cleverly through the romance and humour, without trivialising or losing depth.
This novel was exceptionally well written. I’m always learning from everything I read, and the middle-distance multiple third person narrative had me saying to myself: THIS woman is someone to learn from. We shall bow down to her and beg that she take us to her master. Having the ability to stand back and hover over the characters like a puppet-master, yet swoop in close when we really need to be on the ground, in someone’s heart. Oh, goosebumps.
Georgina sets up the characters from the word go, develops them and delivers consistency followed by a brilliant arc, toping it off with a happily-ever resolution. Superb!
Hats off to Georgina Penney, I am awed, inspired and highly entertained.
Full review on: wordleberry.wordpress.com
I knew I was going to love the book when I was swept off my feet on the first and second pages by stunning narration, and dialogue that was sharp, setting up the hero and heroine flawlessly.
The sharp and deliciously witty dialogue from our hero, Ben, was like a constant fountain, speech one can only dream to create, the kind of character that is so hilariously quick you wish you could chat with him for five minutes, despite knowing you wouldn’t get a word in, and he would rip you to shreds. I dub him the smoothest talking Englishman to ever grace the west Australian shores.
‘Fungus, eh? Well, I’ve always thought mushrooms were one of the tastiest foods in existence. Think of me as a rare truffle.’ (Ben Martindale, “Irrepressible You”)
This novel made me want to be pretty. It made me want to paint my nails and frock up in my prettiest tea party dress and curl my hair and buy the gorgeous underwear I see in shops and rarely buy, as they are often quite expensive and shouldn’t be wasted under clothes. Yet sometimes perhaps one should think: we only have one life, why not live it in gorgeous underwear? I wanted to have Amy take me shopping, dress me up, and then watch movies with her over hot chocolate and cake. As her character progressed, I wanted to tuck her ridiculously cute and tiny person in my pocket, and I cheered almost aggressively when she found her strength and voice. She’s such a bombshell of a woman, I would be proud to be her friend, and I would love her wardrobe!
Ben is a fantastic character. You would definitely love to hate him in life, but through Georgina’s clever narration, we can see inside Ben and know that deep on some subconscious level he does know he what he is doing is disrespectful, he also is falling for Amy so hopelessly, so genuinely, that when things implode, you cringe, thinking, “Jeez, you’re an arse, you had it coming, but I hope you find a way out of this!”
There are also some very deep issues and themes explored in this work, especially for dear little Amy. I love a book that tackles some of the harsher realities of life, weaving them cleverly through the romance and humour, without trivialising or losing depth.
This novel was exceptionally well written. I’m always learning from everything I read, and the middle-distance multiple third person narrative had me saying to myself: THIS woman is someone to learn from. We shall bow down to her and beg that she take us to her master. Having the ability to stand back and hover over the characters like a puppet-master, yet swoop in close when we really need to be on the ground, in someone’s heart. Oh, goosebumps.
Georgina sets up the characters from the word go, develops them and delivers consistency followed by a brilliant arc, toping it off with a happily-ever resolution. Superb!
Hats off to Georgina Penney, I am awed, inspired and highly entertained.
Full review on: wordleberry.wordpress.com
May 15, 2014
At First Sight: Ben Martindale, a successful comedian and writer, decamped to Perth, Australia, partially to live down the scandal his latest fling with a reality tv 'star' brought down. One night, he was hanging out with a friend at a bar when he happened to meet Amy Blaine.
Amy owns a barber shop called Babyface, likes to dress up like a 50's pin up girl and is a generally nice and sunny person, even if her persona can be a little over the top. She and Ben don't like each other and at first, but after Ben goes to her shop, sits down for an old-fashioned shave and asks her out, Amy agrees and they start seeing each other.
Unbeknown to her, Ben has been using her in his writing, nicknaming her Babyface and using their budding relationship as fodder for his weekly column - which publishes in England. There is just something about her that makes his writing and his creativity flow.
But, as they start to open up to each other, Ben starts to see that under all that sunny disposition and kindness there is also a very hard past, which still haunts her; and that forces him to deal with a few skeletons in his own closet.
And then Amy finds out about his column... and all hell breaks lose.
Second Glance: Irrepressibly You has a weird sort of charm but it is very, very charming. I liked Amy a lot, even when I didn't always agree with her choices, they made sense for who she was and the life she had lived.
She has a loving but very complex relationship with her older sister Jo, who basically raised her, and a close relationship with Jo's best friend Scott, whom she sees as another sibling; and loves the life she has created for herself, even if not everyone understands it. I loved that about her, she's not a downer, even when things get crappy, she has her breakdowns and takes her a bit to process her feelings, but she keeps going and tries to be positive.
Ben was a harder sell. He's not a bad person and you can see that pretty early on, yet he does very jerky things, not out of meanness but out of obliviousness. And I think Georgina Penney did a great job in portraying that jerky, artistic type of guy who is a bit selfish and self-involved but still made him a sympathetic character.
I never hated Ben, even when I hated some of the things he did. And that's hard to pull off.
Bottom Line: Irrepressibly You was engaging and sweet and it really grabbed me from the start. I'm really looking forward to reading more from Georgina Penney, and I'm really interested on Scott! I want to read his story sometime.
Amy owns a barber shop called Babyface, likes to dress up like a 50's pin up girl and is a generally nice and sunny person, even if her persona can be a little over the top. She and Ben don't like each other and at first, but after Ben goes to her shop, sits down for an old-fashioned shave and asks her out, Amy agrees and they start seeing each other.
Unbeknown to her, Ben has been using her in his writing, nicknaming her Babyface and using their budding relationship as fodder for his weekly column - which publishes in England. There is just something about her that makes his writing and his creativity flow.
But, as they start to open up to each other, Ben starts to see that under all that sunny disposition and kindness there is also a very hard past, which still haunts her; and that forces him to deal with a few skeletons in his own closet.
And then Amy finds out about his column... and all hell breaks lose.
Second Glance: Irrepressibly You has a weird sort of charm but it is very, very charming. I liked Amy a lot, even when I didn't always agree with her choices, they made sense for who she was and the life she had lived.
She has a loving but very complex relationship with her older sister Jo, who basically raised her, and a close relationship with Jo's best friend Scott, whom she sees as another sibling; and loves the life she has created for herself, even if not everyone understands it. I loved that about her, she's not a downer, even when things get crappy, she has her breakdowns and takes her a bit to process her feelings, but she keeps going and tries to be positive.
Ben was a harder sell. He's not a bad person and you can see that pretty early on, yet he does very jerky things, not out of meanness but out of obliviousness. And I think Georgina Penney did a great job in portraying that jerky, artistic type of guy who is a bit selfish and self-involved but still made him a sympathetic character.
I never hated Ben, even when I hated some of the things he did. And that's hard to pull off.
Bottom Line: Irrepressibly You was engaging and sweet and it really grabbed me from the start. I'm really looking forward to reading more from Georgina Penney, and I'm really interested on Scott! I want to read his story sometime.
February 25, 2014
Read more of reviews like these at ReadAdultRomance.com
First off, I received this book from NetGalley as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC). The cover was too cute for me to not request.
After all the non-plot books I've recently read, it is nice to read a book with an actual plot with a dose of romance mixed into it. Irrepressible You follows a woman (Amy) who, is really living in the wrong era as she, dresses in flowery dress, hair with big curls, legs sheathed with stockings and completed with Mary Janes. Always the Positive Paula, she catches the attention of an opera singer (not the main character) and his friend Ben, a broody comedian who doesn't have the best intention or reputation. Somehow her offer to give the opera singer gets taken up by Ben. He ends up finding her to be amusing (even from the get-go!) and writes comedic columns in the newspaper about her.
The book is cuteness overdose. I want to weep sugar and spice and everything nice after finishing the book. I expected it to be when I saw the cover and it did not disappoint.
With some great dialogue, a lot of frustration, brave characters, and lots more misunderstanding, readers will get a book that follows a woman who is always bright and happy but passive grow into a strong-willed woman with the conviction to be true to herself and stand up for herself. I think it is such a positive thing to see when Amy finds the courage to deal and resolve the problems she has with her family (her sister), her friends and employees, and finally the (ex-) boyfriends in her life.
I give this book a 4.5, rounding up to a 5 because it really is a delight and this book is the first in awhile that I haven't screamed in frustration while reading. At times, it seemed to drag on, but after going through those parts, the pace picks up again to the point where you just want to see what else will happen.
I'm very happy with the way the book dealt with the darker plots and while it may not be the safest way, it shows one of the ways to deal with the problem.
The characters are fresh and realistic. It shows a lot of problems many people at their age faces.
I can't say enough good things about the book. Or that I give this book a 5-stars! (I know shocking and rare.) Go pick up a copy when you see it on the (e-)shelf!
First off, I received this book from NetGalley as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC). The cover was too cute for me to not request.
After all the non-plot books I've recently read, it is nice to read a book with an actual plot with a dose of romance mixed into it. Irrepressible You follows a woman (Amy) who, is really living in the wrong era as she, dresses in flowery dress, hair with big curls, legs sheathed with stockings and completed with Mary Janes. Always the Positive Paula, she catches the attention of an opera singer (not the main character) and his friend Ben, a broody comedian who doesn't have the best intention or reputation. Somehow her offer to give the opera singer gets taken up by Ben. He ends up finding her to be amusing (even from the get-go!) and writes comedic columns in the newspaper about her.
The book is cuteness overdose. I want to weep sugar and spice and everything nice after finishing the book. I expected it to be when I saw the cover and it did not disappoint.
With some great dialogue, a lot of frustration, brave characters, and lots more misunderstanding, readers will get a book that follows a woman who is always bright and happy but passive grow into a strong-willed woman with the conviction to be true to herself and stand up for herself. I think it is such a positive thing to see when Amy finds the courage to deal and resolve the problems she has with her family (her sister), her friends and employees, and finally the (ex-) boyfriends in her life.
I give this book a 4.5, rounding up to a 5 because it really is a delight and this book is the first in awhile that I haven't screamed in frustration while reading. At times, it seemed to drag on, but after going through those parts, the pace picks up again to the point where you just want to see what else will happen.
I'm very happy with the way the book dealt with the darker plots and while it may not be the safest way, it shows one of the ways to deal with the problem.
The characters are fresh and realistic. It shows a lot of problems many people at their age faces.
I can't say enough good things about the book. Or that I give this book a 5-stars! (I know shocking and rare.) Go pick up a copy when you see it on the (e-)shelf!
February 16, 2014
Irrepressible You . Georgina Penney
Review from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.
I didn't recognise the authors name, so looked up to discover this is her début book. What a great start to her writing career. I loved this book, a mix of irreverent humour and bitter-sweet romance. I'd read the description so I knew what was coming and it was like watching a car crash, I could see things building up and was just waiting for the collapse. I enjoyed Amy, she was so full of love for everyone and she's worked so hard for what she had. I understood Ben, though found him a bit of a jerk at first but warmed to him as I understood him more. That kind of prickly humour is acerbic, and can be very funny, except when you're the object of it.... He'd done it for so long though as his living, that he'd passed the stage where he thought about how it affected people, it had just become second nature. Poor Amy, what with the Liam problems and then the revelations about Ben's column she was just devastated, especially as her sister and friend had warned her about Ben, suspecting that her kind and generous nature may be taken advantage of. She'd rejected all their cautions though, and said everything they'd worried about was speculative, media gossip. I was so, so sad for her, it all hit at a really bad time, and Ben was a real burke about everything. He was really sorry once he understood what he'd inadvertently done but that was too late...he'd got a huge amount of back tracking and insults to make amends for. Fabulous book. Even though I thought Ben a jerk at first I still loved his snarky humour. That kind of sharp, quick wit appeals to me and makes me laugh, and Georgina had it spot on! Amy – oh Amy, who couldn't love her and her kindness. There are snippets of other characters, Ben’s friends, boss and manager, Amy's sister Jo and her husband, and Amy's friends, work colleagues and the horrible ex, Liam. Its a book that made me laugh and cry, a fabulous read and I’ll happily read the next book Georgina writes :) Its a bargain price too at just 99p for 288 pages.
Stars: Five, great dialogue, great premise and characters, and one I’ll re read when I want something light to make me laugh and well as indulge in the sad parts.
ARC supplied by Netgalley
Review from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.
I didn't recognise the authors name, so looked up to discover this is her début book. What a great start to her writing career. I loved this book, a mix of irreverent humour and bitter-sweet romance. I'd read the description so I knew what was coming and it was like watching a car crash, I could see things building up and was just waiting for the collapse. I enjoyed Amy, she was so full of love for everyone and she's worked so hard for what she had. I understood Ben, though found him a bit of a jerk at first but warmed to him as I understood him more. That kind of prickly humour is acerbic, and can be very funny, except when you're the object of it.... He'd done it for so long though as his living, that he'd passed the stage where he thought about how it affected people, it had just become second nature. Poor Amy, what with the Liam problems and then the revelations about Ben's column she was just devastated, especially as her sister and friend had warned her about Ben, suspecting that her kind and generous nature may be taken advantage of. She'd rejected all their cautions though, and said everything they'd worried about was speculative, media gossip. I was so, so sad for her, it all hit at a really bad time, and Ben was a real burke about everything. He was really sorry once he understood what he'd inadvertently done but that was too late...he'd got a huge amount of back tracking and insults to make amends for. Fabulous book. Even though I thought Ben a jerk at first I still loved his snarky humour. That kind of sharp, quick wit appeals to me and makes me laugh, and Georgina had it spot on! Amy – oh Amy, who couldn't love her and her kindness. There are snippets of other characters, Ben’s friends, boss and manager, Amy's sister Jo and her husband, and Amy's friends, work colleagues and the horrible ex, Liam. Its a book that made me laugh and cry, a fabulous read and I’ll happily read the next book Georgina writes :) Its a bargain price too at just 99p for 288 pages.
Stars: Five, great dialogue, great premise and characters, and one I’ll re read when I want something light to make me laugh and well as indulge in the sad parts.
ARC supplied by Netgalley
June 24, 2014
A copy of this book was received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
'Irrepressible You': fast-moving, original, sassy, paced, suspenseful. The characters leaped from the page with their quirky individualism and colour. Amy was adorable: fun. warm, motherly, professional, and yet at times, infuriating. Ben too, was a stand-out with a Bridget Jones blend of 'cynical wag Daniel Cleaver meets insufferably arrogant but good-hearted Mark Darcy'. The secondary characters hovered around these two, adding more colour and light and yet in the small space allowed them, stood alone on their own merits; I can't help feeling we'll see more of the furtive Scott and the enigmatic Myf.
But down to the story line. I wonder whether some reviewers will be hard on the protagonists in this conflict, particularly on Ben. Having your hero secretly writing published international comedy at your heroine's expense is risky, to say the least, particularly when he's pigheadedly defensive about his right to do it. I loved it. There wasn't a page when I didn't wonder how on earth an HEA was going to be carved out of this story. The suspense about whether Ben would be uncovered and undone stayed with me the whole way through, but I won't go into this any further.
I loved the refreshing, gutsy conflict and the less than perfect human beings at the centre of this story. I loved that it wasn't safe and that the protagonists weren't on the short list for canonisation. I loved that it didn't try and move the main characters towards a personality lobotomy to resolve that conflict. Some may say that Ben is just a jerk who doesn't deserve Amy - I don't agree. For me, Amy was forged in the fires of a crap childhood. Sure she's lovable, but she's also as tough as old boot leather as well as being intractably stubborn and stuck in her own quirky, matronly ways. Her saving grace is that she's smart enough to sense something in the emotionally constipated Ben that's deep-down decent, affectionate and dog-loyal. If anyone can keep the irrepressible Ben on a short leash it will be the irrepressible Amy.
'Irrepressible You': fast-moving, original, sassy, paced, suspenseful. The characters leaped from the page with their quirky individualism and colour. Amy was adorable: fun. warm, motherly, professional, and yet at times, infuriating. Ben too, was a stand-out with a Bridget Jones blend of 'cynical wag Daniel Cleaver meets insufferably arrogant but good-hearted Mark Darcy'. The secondary characters hovered around these two, adding more colour and light and yet in the small space allowed them, stood alone on their own merits; I can't help feeling we'll see more of the furtive Scott and the enigmatic Myf.
But down to the story line. I wonder whether some reviewers will be hard on the protagonists in this conflict, particularly on Ben. Having your hero secretly writing published international comedy at your heroine's expense is risky, to say the least, particularly when he's pigheadedly defensive about his right to do it. I loved it. There wasn't a page when I didn't wonder how on earth an HEA was going to be carved out of this story. The suspense about whether Ben would be uncovered and undone stayed with me the whole way through, but I won't go into this any further.
I loved the refreshing, gutsy conflict and the less than perfect human beings at the centre of this story. I loved that it wasn't safe and that the protagonists weren't on the short list for canonisation. I loved that it didn't try and move the main characters towards a personality lobotomy to resolve that conflict. Some may say that Ben is just a jerk who doesn't deserve Amy - I don't agree. For me, Amy was forged in the fires of a crap childhood. Sure she's lovable, but she's also as tough as old boot leather as well as being intractably stubborn and stuck in her own quirky, matronly ways. Her saving grace is that she's smart enough to sense something in the emotionally constipated Ben that's deep-down decent, affectionate and dog-loyal. If anyone can keep the irrepressible Ben on a short leash it will be the irrepressible Amy.
July 30, 2014
Love Love Love.
Honestly, i went into reading this book having really high expectations and i was hardly disappointed.
It has been such a long time when i explicitly liked the heroine as much as i liked Amy. I admired her so much. I'm a person who has a really bad temper, i don't know how to forgive as easily as i would like but i admired Amy for having that kind of compassion and being able to forgive. I read previous reviews where some said that she had a flaw and it was being able to forgive easily. i don't believe she forgives too easily, she gave him hell, i mean she freaking cursed him out and punched the hell out of him. I was egging her on and i approved of everything she did. Well, except the part of Liam and not reporting him to the police earlier but i glad she got the heck out of there the first time he put his hands on her.
Now, Ben. ah i really liked him, i did. i just felt he was too arrogant and cocky. he definitely needed to be taken down a few pegs. sometimes he acted a little too self absorbed and i honestly would have been done with him much earlier than Amy held out but she's a better person. i hated that he wasn't able to see that what he did was wrong, he was so stuck on the fact that she wouldn't take it that seriously. this was the moment i wished i was there, so i could slap him when he was thinking about this to himself.
I liked the feel of the story, it was not forced, the humor was there and it did make me laugh and chuckle at places of it. I'm very happy with this book and I'm very eager to read unforgettable you, even though i can't find it anywhere. but i will persevere and get that book! I haven't read something this good in a while, can't wait!
Honestly, i went into reading this book having really high expectations and i was hardly disappointed.
It has been such a long time when i explicitly liked the heroine as much as i liked Amy. I admired her so much. I'm a person who has a really bad temper, i don't know how to forgive as easily as i would like but i admired Amy for having that kind of compassion and being able to forgive. I read previous reviews where some said that she had a flaw and it was being able to forgive easily. i don't believe she forgives too easily, she gave him hell, i mean she freaking cursed him out and punched the hell out of him. I was egging her on and i approved of everything she did. Well, except the part of Liam and not reporting him to the police earlier but i glad she got the heck out of there the first time he put his hands on her.
Now, Ben. ah i really liked him, i did. i just felt he was too arrogant and cocky. he definitely needed to be taken down a few pegs. sometimes he acted a little too self absorbed and i honestly would have been done with him much earlier than Amy held out but she's a better person. i hated that he wasn't able to see that what he did was wrong, he was so stuck on the fact that she wouldn't take it that seriously. this was the moment i wished i was there, so i could slap him when he was thinking about this to himself.
I liked the feel of the story, it was not forced, the humor was there and it did make me laugh and chuckle at places of it. I'm very happy with this book and I'm very eager to read unforgettable you, even though i can't find it anywhere. but i will persevere and get that book! I haven't read something this good in a while, can't wait!
November 17, 2015
There is something addictive about Georgina Penney's story telling.
Actually - there's plenty that's addictive about Georgina Penney's story telling and it has certainly entrapped me since I entered her world through the doors of "Fly In Fly Out" which serves as the prequel to this title. I greedily gobbled Irrepressible You up over the past week, gleefully returning to the world of the Blaine sisters Jo and Amy. Where Jo took centre stage in the previous novel, the one thousand watt Amy gets her chance in the spotlight here and it was just a delight to see the world through her eyes. I have to admit to having something of a major crush on Amy and I found myself feeling the occasional pangs of jealousy as she traverses the tight rope of romance with English journo/comedian and sometimes *complete* horses arse in Ben Martindale.
Irrepressible You is packed full of Penney's signature wit, attractive characterisations and vivid imagery - particularly Western Australia's cosmopolitan capital Perth and the gorgeous Margaret River wine region. Penney has a skilfull sense of comic timing and she can quickly switch to moments of deep emotion, heartwarming sincerity and unbridled, crackling passion. All these combined make Irrepressible You such a satisfying romance and I was left, at the end, with my cup full but my heart aching to go back their and spend more time at Babyface/Gentlemen Pefer Blondes.
I quite fancy an old school cut throat shave.
Actually - there's plenty that's addictive about Georgina Penney's story telling and it has certainly entrapped me since I entered her world through the doors of "Fly In Fly Out" which serves as the prequel to this title. I greedily gobbled Irrepressible You up over the past week, gleefully returning to the world of the Blaine sisters Jo and Amy. Where Jo took centre stage in the previous novel, the one thousand watt Amy gets her chance in the spotlight here and it was just a delight to see the world through her eyes. I have to admit to having something of a major crush on Amy and I found myself feeling the occasional pangs of jealousy as she traverses the tight rope of romance with English journo/comedian and sometimes *complete* horses arse in Ben Martindale.
Irrepressible You is packed full of Penney's signature wit, attractive characterisations and vivid imagery - particularly Western Australia's cosmopolitan capital Perth and the gorgeous Margaret River wine region. Penney has a skilfull sense of comic timing and she can quickly switch to moments of deep emotion, heartwarming sincerity and unbridled, crackling passion. All these combined make Irrepressible You such a satisfying romance and I was left, at the end, with my cup full but my heart aching to go back their and spend more time at Babyface/Gentlemen Pefer Blondes.
I quite fancy an old school cut throat shave.
January 2, 2017
This is a fun read that hides a deeper, more emotional story. And this is exactly the heroine's character. Amy has a facade that hides a deeply caring, emotionally damaged woman. Ben, the hero, describes her beautifully as, "...all smooth waters over a coral reef."
Ben has his own armour, comedic sarcasm, hiding his issues. Ben and Amy come together and it's when they're together that both their armour gets in the way.
This story is set in Western Australia (Fremantle and Perth) with a couple of international scenes. There are a lot of interesting people sharing the cast, and other people's relationships having difficulties. It's a big beautiful story.
And it has vomit (what is it with you Ninjas and your vomiting? Lily's Fairway to Heaven had it too.) but it's not graphically described here, thank heavens!
Gerald and Harvey are two of my favourite 'characters' - both of them being almost inanimate lumps...but important lumps!
We've been having Ninja Skype hookups and Georgina drops in some classic words, lines and comments, and this book is so like that. Sometimes I could hear her voice in my head as I read a line. Like this one:
"The woman was funny, fascinating, complicated, confusing and above all, unexpectedly fucking sexy."
And this:
"...she makes me look like the love child of the Marquis de Sade and Saddam Hussein."
I thoroughly enjoyed, The Barbershop Girl, and I'll be eagerly waiting for Georgina's next book.
Ben has his own armour, comedic sarcasm, hiding his issues. Ben and Amy come together and it's when they're together that both their armour gets in the way.
This story is set in Western Australia (Fremantle and Perth) with a couple of international scenes. There are a lot of interesting people sharing the cast, and other people's relationships having difficulties. It's a big beautiful story.
And it has vomit (what is it with you Ninjas and your vomiting? Lily's Fairway to Heaven had it too.) but it's not graphically described here, thank heavens!
Gerald and Harvey are two of my favourite 'characters' - both of them being almost inanimate lumps...but important lumps!
We've been having Ninja Skype hookups and Georgina drops in some classic words, lines and comments, and this book is so like that. Sometimes I could hear her voice in my head as I read a line. Like this one:
"The woman was funny, fascinating, complicated, confusing and above all, unexpectedly fucking sexy."
And this:
"...she makes me look like the love child of the Marquis de Sade and Saddam Hussein."
I thoroughly enjoyed, The Barbershop Girl, and I'll be eagerly waiting for Georgina's next book.
September 2, 2016
Irrepressible You
By Georgina Penney
Rated 4 out of 5
I was provided with an ARC of this book by Destiny Romance via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book which is full of wonderful catchphrases with an Aussie bent. You will smile, laugh (several people stared at me whilst I was reading) and cry through this story.
Amy is a firebrand who runs her own businesses, ‘Babyface’ and ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’. She dresses and lives in the 50’s, even her business is a homage to the 50’s with prints of Marilyn Monroe and Rock Hudson hanging on the walls.
Whilst waiting at the local pub for her date to turn up, Amy meets Ben, a British comedian/columnist living in Perth. Ben is intrigued by how Amy rebuffs the advances of men whilst waiting for her date to arrive.
There are so many quirky things in this book; the outback toilet (brought back memories of staying at my grandmothers as a child), Amy’s fierce watchdog Gerald. Anyone with a sense of humour will love this book.
Irrepressible You is a refreshing read. If you enjoy chick lit I think you will enjoy Irrepressible You. Georgina draws you into the scene and the story making you love the characters.
Do yourself a favour and read this book. I can't wait to read Ms Penney's next book.
By Georgina Penney
Rated 4 out of 5
I was provided with an ARC of this book by Destiny Romance via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book which is full of wonderful catchphrases with an Aussie bent. You will smile, laugh (several people stared at me whilst I was reading) and cry through this story.
Amy is a firebrand who runs her own businesses, ‘Babyface’ and ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’. She dresses and lives in the 50’s, even her business is a homage to the 50’s with prints of Marilyn Monroe and Rock Hudson hanging on the walls.
Whilst waiting at the local pub for her date to turn up, Amy meets Ben, a British comedian/columnist living in Perth. Ben is intrigued by how Amy rebuffs the advances of men whilst waiting for her date to arrive.
There are so many quirky things in this book; the outback toilet (brought back memories of staying at my grandmothers as a child), Amy’s fierce watchdog Gerald. Anyone with a sense of humour will love this book.
Irrepressible You is a refreshing read. If you enjoy chick lit I think you will enjoy Irrepressible You. Georgina draws you into the scene and the story making you love the characters.
Do yourself a favour and read this book. I can't wait to read Ms Penney's next book.
June 28, 2014
The British satirical writer Ben has moved to Australia after a bad break up and the media attention that came with it. There he meets Amy, a small, cute woman with an exceptional dress style. She's working as a barber and hairdresser and she always looks impressive because of her fantastic fifties style. Ben immediately likes her and she becomes his muse. He writes satirical columns for a newspaper and describes their meetings. His audience loves what he's writing about Amy. In the meantime Amy is slowly starting to trust Ben. After a difficult past it isn't easy for her to open up to a man again. Unfortunately she doesn't know about Ben's articles and the way he's portrayed her.
Irrepressible You is an unusual love story. Georgina Penney has written a wonderful and original story. I liked the setting of this novel very much. Because of all the clear descriptions of the surroundings, clothing, looks, but also emotions the story is quite vivid. I had the feeling that I really got to know Ben, Amy and the people in their lives. I couldn't put this book down. I read it in one go, because I was so curious to see how the story would develop. I'm glad I had the chance to read this novel as it's very good!
Irrepressible You is an unusual love story. Georgina Penney has written a wonderful and original story. I liked the setting of this novel very much. Because of all the clear descriptions of the surroundings, clothing, looks, but also emotions the story is quite vivid. I had the feeling that I really got to know Ben, Amy and the people in their lives. I couldn't put this book down. I read it in one go, because I was so curious to see how the story would develop. I'm glad I had the chance to read this novel as it's very good!
January 16, 2015
★★1/2
Ever since I saw the synopsis of this book I had wanted to read it. And recently I managed to take out time to strike this book from my to-read list.But sometimes, unfortunately, reality does not meet any expectations and leaves us feeling confused.
Confusing the reader seems to be a theme that is followed throughout the book. The story seems to be quite fast-paced and many sub-plots arise but are not visited properly by the author. Also the MCs seem to fall in love quite fast and it all feels unfeasible and quixotic. The heroine interactions with the hero make her look like a starry-eyed and fanciful and feeble-minded romantic. The hero however remains an inconsiderate bastard before and after falling in love.Also the heroine is far too forgiving to the hero as well as other supporting characters. She accepts him all too easily after he apologises.
For all the high hopes I had on this book, none of it gained fruition !:(
Ever since I saw the synopsis of this book I had wanted to read it. And recently I managed to take out time to strike this book from my to-read list.But sometimes, unfortunately, reality does not meet any expectations and leaves us feeling confused.
Confusing the reader seems to be a theme that is followed throughout the book. The story seems to be quite fast-paced and many sub-plots arise but are not visited properly by the author. Also the MCs seem to fall in love quite fast and it all feels unfeasible and quixotic. The heroine interactions with the hero make her look like a starry-eyed and fanciful and feeble-minded romantic. The hero however remains an inconsiderate bastard before and after falling in love.Also the heroine is far too forgiving to the hero as well as other supporting characters. She accepts him all too easily after he apologises.
For all the high hopes I had on this book, none of it gained fruition !:(
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