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Hot Mess
Hot Mess [n.] - someone attractive, who is often in disarray.
Ellie Knight is just like you. Her life isn't turning out the way she thought it would. Some people might say she's a hot mess but then who really has their s**t together anyway?
It's Valentine's Day and Ellie finds herself eating Nutella in the bar stockroom after a no-show date.
But single doesn't have to be the loneliest number, does it?
She goes back home to her flatshare and weird flatmates.
It's ok there's black mould everywhere, right?
With a hangover from hell, she goes to the office job she thought she would have quit by now.
Doesn't everyone hate their job?
Maybe Ellie isn't following the *official life plan* but perfect is overrated. For fans of Fleabag and Girls, this is a fresh and funny coming-of-age story with a single-girl heroine that everyone will relate to - a modern Carrie Bradshaw meets Bridget Jones.
Ellie Knight is just like you. Her life isn't turning out the way she thought it would. Some people might say she's a hot mess but then who really has their s**t together anyway?
It's Valentine's Day and Ellie finds herself eating Nutella in the bar stockroom after a no-show date.
But single doesn't have to be the loneliest number, does it?
She goes back home to her flatshare and weird flatmates.
It's ok there's black mould everywhere, right?
With a hangover from hell, she goes to the office job she thought she would have quit by now.
Doesn't everyone hate their job?
Maybe Ellie isn't following the *official life plan* but perfect is overrated. For fans of Fleabag and Girls, this is a fresh and funny coming-of-age story with a single-girl heroine that everyone will relate to - a modern Carrie Bradshaw meets Bridget Jones.
296 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2017
180 people are currently reading
1990 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Vine
12 books238 followersLucy Vine is a writer, editor and the bestselling author of Hot Mess, What Fresh Hell, Are We Nearly There Yet? and Bad Choices. Her books have been translated into sixteen languages around the world, with Hot Mess optioned for a TV series. She has been nominated twice for the Comedy Women In Print Award and hosts the podcast and live event series Hot Mess Clubhouse, celebrating funny women. Her journalism has appeared in international publications, including Grazia, Stylist, heat, Fabulous, New, Now, Marie Claire, Glamour Online, Cosmopolitan, The Daily Telegraph, The Sun, and The Mirror. She lives in Cambridgeshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
August 9, 2017
"Hot Mess" by Lucy Vine is one of those books that's like a breath of fresh air.
This has to be one of the funniest books I've read in a long time, great story, fab characters and just so humorous you really do just want to laugh out loud.
I liked Ellie very much, I think as women we all can relate to at least one of her stories, and I also thought her Dad, Alan, was great too with his 'novel' he was writing and I especially thought the conversation about 'getting back out there' very funny!
This is a real page turner, before you know it you're half way through the book and loving every minute of it. I highly recommend this excellently written "Hot Mess" and I would happily read more by this debut author again!
This has to be one of the funniest books I've read in a long time, great story, fab characters and just so humorous you really do just want to laugh out loud.
I liked Ellie very much, I think as women we all can relate to at least one of her stories, and I also thought her Dad, Alan, was great too with his 'novel' he was writing and I especially thought the conversation about 'getting back out there' very funny!
This is a real page turner, before you know it you're half way through the book and loving every minute of it. I highly recommend this excellently written "Hot Mess" and I would happily read more by this debut author again!
July 13, 2017
Not quite the "modern Bridget Jones", because Bridget Jones wasn't NEARLY as whiney and self-pitying as Eleanor in this book. I just could not warm up to the main character - the constant whining about being single, about living in a shitty flat, the fact that most of the time she was embarrassed about her lovely father who was just lonely and wanted to spend some time with his daughter, the weird "story within a story" by including the "novel" excerpts Lennie's dad sent her (My Dad wrote a Porno, anyone?) - it just wasn't flowing for me. I was also pretty angry about Jenny, the bitchy sister - who would put up with someone like that and NOT say something?! Not a book I'd pick up again or recommend.
August 2, 2020
A hot and steamy read. Full Review to come.
August 20, 2017
'Hot Mess' is a witty, funny, laugh-out-loud book. Great characters, well written, it's a really good read.
It tells a story of an almost thirty year old Ellie King whose life is just not turning out the way she thought it's supposed to do. Disastrous dates, not quite the dream job, people insisting that they know what's best for her; Ellie is really struggling to find her voice and be able to live the life exactly how she wants it without having to explain herself to anyone.
To me the biggest strength of that story are the relationships between Ellie and her family and friends. There are some tender moments especially when Ellie is with her dad and when and how she deals with her family traumas where I felt the story really came to life. That's when I felt I got to know the real Ellie, the girl who makes mistakes, does silly, sometimes stupid, things but still tries and does the best for her loved ones.
'Hot Mess' is a modern and smart take on a single girl's quest for happiness and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It tells a story of an almost thirty year old Ellie King whose life is just not turning out the way she thought it's supposed to do. Disastrous dates, not quite the dream job, people insisting that they know what's best for her; Ellie is really struggling to find her voice and be able to live the life exactly how she wants it without having to explain herself to anyone.
To me the biggest strength of that story are the relationships between Ellie and her family and friends. There are some tender moments especially when Ellie is with her dad and when and how she deals with her family traumas where I felt the story really came to life. That's when I felt I got to know the real Ellie, the girl who makes mistakes, does silly, sometimes stupid, things but still tries and does the best for her loved ones.
'Hot Mess' is a modern and smart take on a single girl's quest for happiness and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
October 4, 2018
Het heeft even geduurd, maar ik heb dit boek (eindelijk) uit. Wat overigens aanvoelt als een opluchting. Ik vond het plot niet per se vervelend, maar het was meer de schrijfstijl die het voor mij verpestte. Ik had moeite met het vasthouden van m'n concentratie, terwijl ik sommige momenten en beschrijvingen wel echt grappig vond.
June 8, 2017
Quite disappointed with this one. It had all the right words, all the ~sassy~ comebacks, but overall it just felt like a rather long dating column. I have no idea why so much of the book was devoted to the "erotic novel" Ellie's father was writing. It wasn't funny. I felt like it was added to make the novel seem longer than it actually was, as it didn't add anything to the overall story. Whilst Hot Mess was enjoyable and certainly gave me a few laughs, it's not quite in the same league as Bridget Jones.
November 11, 2019
I really enjoyed this one - great fun, entertaining writing, with such a strong plot and message. I absolutely loved the characters, and the way this novel looked at friendship and family. I'd highly recommend.
June 16, 2017
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
OHMYGOD where has this book been all my life?!?! -puts back of hand to forehead dramatically-. I am over the moon that an author has taken one look at the 'lovey dove sticking tongue down neck slurping bae' type love stories, cleared them away like a totes dramatic clearing the desk scene in a Hollywood movie, and been all 'just...no, time to get realistic!!'. Well, TECHNICALLY the author may not have done that, but in my mind she has (just to clarify before I get spanked).
I will reiterate; WHERE HAS THIS BOOK BEEN ALL MY LIFE?! Choosing to be single is the quickest way to get a bucket load of dirty looks, people don't expect you to like your own company! Some folk just want to be selfish, get laid when they choose to and not when they get poked in the back with a morning love stick. Tell me, why is that so hard to believe?
Well ladies, times are about to change thanks to Lucy Vine and #HotMess! First of all let me just give you a little tip; don't have a drink in your hand at the start of this book. Why? Because, (and trust me on this), you will no doubt laugh your booty off, end up spilling your drink onto your lap and watch it settle in the most unfortunate place. Yes, you will look like you've done a little wee wee in your pants. Oh and yes, the first chapter (and the rest of the book tbh) is absolutely hilarious. I don't mean 'HAHA that's funny', I'm meaning full on snorting, tears streaming down your face, as well as realising that you have actual stomach muscles. It took me a while to stop laughing after that first chapter, even whilst cleaning up my fake piddle.
Ellie has had a few disastrous dates (understatement!). What makes it worse is how she doesn't even WANT to be on the dating scene, but thanks to her best friends and the constant stream of pitying looks from all and sundry, she meets a few guys just to see if they can change her mind. If you hadn't guessed it already, Ellie.Likes.Being.Single.
She doesn't want to be tied down, but nobody seems to get that!
#HotMess is such a relatable read. Ellie's antics will have readers covering their faces with embarrassment, laughing out loud, nodding in agreement, as well-being Ellie's biggest cheerleaders. Not only that, the book contains several characters whose personalities are larger than life, and who are incredible to read about. Two words; Ellie's dad. (Go and buy the book so you can find out what I'm on about!)
I absolutely loved everything about #HotMess! The humour was AMAZING. The storyline, in my opinion, is exactly what the book world has been missing. The relatable factor went above and beyond my expectations. The force of the girl-power was insane - fantastically written. Lucy Vine's novel is like the modern-day Sex and the City, except the fact that there is only one woman and not four. See, modern day!!
If you're the type of girl who would prefer to appear on Gladiators than Blind Date, #HotMess is your guardian angel. If you're the type of girl who is all for the white picket fences, couple double denim, and pet names for each others private parts, then you're going to see the side of the #singleladies in all its glory!
Laugh out loud hilarity from page one, through to page 304. #HotMess is filthy, fun, and effing fabulous, there is nothing about Lucy Vine's book that I didn't like. Honestly, this book is outstanding, I'm having withdrawal symptoms already. Roll on the next book from Lucy Vine, I want her as my new BFF! OHMGZ please -begs-.
Absolutely phenomenal. Hot Mess is the easiest 5 stars I have even given a book, even though it deserves the whole universe of stars!
One last thing, Hot Mess is 100% my MOST FAVOURITE BOOK EVERRRRRRR!!!!!
Go buy it, now!!!!!!
OHMYGOD where has this book been all my life?!?! -puts back of hand to forehead dramatically-. I am over the moon that an author has taken one look at the 'lovey dove sticking tongue down neck slurping bae' type love stories, cleared them away like a totes dramatic clearing the desk scene in a Hollywood movie, and been all 'just...no, time to get realistic!!'. Well, TECHNICALLY the author may not have done that, but in my mind she has (just to clarify before I get spanked).
I will reiterate; WHERE HAS THIS BOOK BEEN ALL MY LIFE?! Choosing to be single is the quickest way to get a bucket load of dirty looks, people don't expect you to like your own company! Some folk just want to be selfish, get laid when they choose to and not when they get poked in the back with a morning love stick. Tell me, why is that so hard to believe?
Well ladies, times are about to change thanks to Lucy Vine and #HotMess! First of all let me just give you a little tip; don't have a drink in your hand at the start of this book. Why? Because, (and trust me on this), you will no doubt laugh your booty off, end up spilling your drink onto your lap and watch it settle in the most unfortunate place. Yes, you will look like you've done a little wee wee in your pants. Oh and yes, the first chapter (and the rest of the book tbh) is absolutely hilarious. I don't mean 'HAHA that's funny', I'm meaning full on snorting, tears streaming down your face, as well as realising that you have actual stomach muscles. It took me a while to stop laughing after that first chapter, even whilst cleaning up my fake piddle.
Ellie has had a few disastrous dates (understatement!). What makes it worse is how she doesn't even WANT to be on the dating scene, but thanks to her best friends and the constant stream of pitying looks from all and sundry, she meets a few guys just to see if they can change her mind. If you hadn't guessed it already, Ellie.Likes.Being.Single.
She doesn't want to be tied down, but nobody seems to get that!
#HotMess is such a relatable read. Ellie's antics will have readers covering their faces with embarrassment, laughing out loud, nodding in agreement, as well-being Ellie's biggest cheerleaders. Not only that, the book contains several characters whose personalities are larger than life, and who are incredible to read about. Two words; Ellie's dad. (Go and buy the book so you can find out what I'm on about!)
I absolutely loved everything about #HotMess! The humour was AMAZING. The storyline, in my opinion, is exactly what the book world has been missing. The relatable factor went above and beyond my expectations. The force of the girl-power was insane - fantastically written. Lucy Vine's novel is like the modern-day Sex and the City, except the fact that there is only one woman and not four. See, modern day!!
If you're the type of girl who would prefer to appear on Gladiators than Blind Date, #HotMess is your guardian angel. If you're the type of girl who is all for the white picket fences, couple double denim, and pet names for each others private parts, then you're going to see the side of the #singleladies in all its glory!
Laugh out loud hilarity from page one, through to page 304. #HotMess is filthy, fun, and effing fabulous, there is nothing about Lucy Vine's book that I didn't like. Honestly, this book is outstanding, I'm having withdrawal symptoms already. Roll on the next book from Lucy Vine, I want her as my new BFF! OHMGZ please -begs-.
Absolutely phenomenal. Hot Mess is the easiest 5 stars I have even given a book, even though it deserves the whole universe of stars!
One last thing, Hot Mess is 100% my MOST FAVOURITE BOOK EVERRRRRRR!!!!!
Go buy it, now!!!!!!
dnf
October 8, 2017DNF @ 25%
No thanks. The protagonist is a horrible human being towards just about everyone and her bad dates are painful (in a not funny way). Next!
No thanks. The protagonist is a horrible human being towards just about everyone and her bad dates are painful (in a not funny way). Next!
March 31, 2020
Loved loved loved it. It was incredibly hilarious and also made me cry. Fantastic!
March 7, 2018
Bridget Jones/Sex and the City achtige humor in de huidige tijd van het Tinderdaten en de hel die dat is. Een heerlijk humorvol boek met een leuk en sterk hoofdpersonage.
Ik heb echt genoten van dit boek! Ook zeer vlot uitgelezen, omdat het zo leuk is.
Wat ik erg tof aan dit boek vind: het laat heel goed zien dat iemand niet zielig is omdat ze single is (ja we vinden dit kennelijk niet van mannen? Onze maatschappij is erg raar). Ellie is echt niet zielig , ze legt de lat niet te hoog, ze is niet te kieskeurig, ze heeft gewoon niet zo veel zin in een vaste relatie.
En waarom zou dat erg zijn? We roepen allemaal wel dat we modern denken enzo maar ik denk dat als het puntje bij paaltje komt, zoals in dit boek, dat we dan allemaal best wel eens vast zouden kunnen zitten in dit soort ideeën.
Erg goed onderwerp voor een roman, en door de luchtigheid van de humor komt het ook goed uit de verf.
Ondanks dat ik zo veel aan het boek supergeweldig vond, toch geen 5*. Dat heeft te maken met een aantal dingen in de plotopbouw of de verloop van het verhaal wat ik niet zo geweldig vond. Een beetje non-origineel of gemakkelijk. En het is dan wel een debuut, maar omdat de rest zo sterk was, vallen dat soort dingetjes dan een beetje meer op.
Ik heb het dan bijvoorbeeld over en .
Als ik 4,5 ster had kunnen geven, had ik dat nu gedaan - ook al ben ik uit principe tegen halve sterren :P Maar de twee dingen in de spoilertags maken het voor mij geen 5* boek. Dus het zijn wel 4 hele dikke vette glitterende sterren!
Ik heb echt genoten van dit boek! Ook zeer vlot uitgelezen, omdat het zo leuk is.
Wat ik erg tof aan dit boek vind: het laat heel goed zien dat iemand niet zielig is omdat ze single is (ja we vinden dit kennelijk niet van mannen? Onze maatschappij is erg raar). Ellie is echt niet zielig , ze legt de lat niet te hoog, ze is niet te kieskeurig, ze heeft gewoon niet zo veel zin in een vaste relatie.
En waarom zou dat erg zijn? We roepen allemaal wel dat we modern denken enzo maar ik denk dat als het puntje bij paaltje komt, zoals in dit boek, dat we dan allemaal best wel eens vast zouden kunnen zitten in dit soort ideeën.
Erg goed onderwerp voor een roman, en door de luchtigheid van de humor komt het ook goed uit de verf.
Ondanks dat ik zo veel aan het boek supergeweldig vond, toch geen 5*. Dat heeft te maken met een aantal dingen in de plotopbouw of de verloop van het verhaal wat ik niet zo geweldig vond. Een beetje non-origineel of gemakkelijk. En het is dan wel een debuut, maar omdat de rest zo sterk was, vallen dat soort dingetjes dan een beetje meer op.
Ik heb het dan bijvoorbeeld over en .
Als ik 4,5 ster had kunnen geven, had ik dat nu gedaan - ook al ben ik uit principe tegen halve sterren :P Maar de twee dingen in de spoilertags maken het voor mij geen 5* boek. Dus het zijn wel 4 hele dikke vette glitterende sterren!
January 30, 2018
wat een verademing is dit boek, wat een heerlijk verhaal. oh echt heerlijk. het vermijdt werkelijk alle clichés en het is zo ontzettend *eerlijk*. ik ben helemaal 100% fan van dit boek, een echte aanrader en nogmaals, wat een verademing.
July 5, 2017
"Hot Mess" was fresh, entertaining and fun. This was a story that made me smile big and chuckle with every turn of the page. Ellie Knight was single, approaching thirty and the pressure was on to meet the man of her dreams. When I began reading this story, I immediately expected a "Bridget Jones" style read, however it turned out to be completely different and a refreshing change to books I had previously read.
This book followed Ellie through the precarious world of dating as well as the relationships that she shared with her family and friends. Ellie's adventures were laugh-out-loud funny. I found the whole story easy to relate to. A realistic and amusing look at the life of a young single woman. It took me back to my days of dating and the endless bad experiences I had trying to find "The One" as well as the unrelenting questions from family and friends about needing a boyfriend in my life.The struggle was real!
I giggled my way through Ellie's encounters and couldn't help but wonder if she was ever going to find her Mr Right. But this book wasn't all about finding love, it was also about the secondary characters in Ellie's world. I loved Ellie's family and friends as much as I loved Ellie. especially Ellie's "Neighbours" loving Dad and her six year old niece that acted like a teenager. As well as the fun and laughter shared between Ellie and the gang, there was also some serious moments as Ellie contemplated her life choices and there was also part that brought tears to my eyes.
"Hot Mess" was a story that was like a breath of fresh air. It brightened up my day no end and it was well worth the read.
This book followed Ellie through the precarious world of dating as well as the relationships that she shared with her family and friends. Ellie's adventures were laugh-out-loud funny. I found the whole story easy to relate to. A realistic and amusing look at the life of a young single woman. It took me back to my days of dating and the endless bad experiences I had trying to find "The One" as well as the unrelenting questions from family and friends about needing a boyfriend in my life.The struggle was real!
I giggled my way through Ellie's encounters and couldn't help but wonder if she was ever going to find her Mr Right. But this book wasn't all about finding love, it was also about the secondary characters in Ellie's world. I loved Ellie's family and friends as much as I loved Ellie. especially Ellie's "Neighbours" loving Dad and her six year old niece that acted like a teenager. As well as the fun and laughter shared between Ellie and the gang, there was also some serious moments as Ellie contemplated her life choices and there was also part that brought tears to my eyes.
"Hot Mess" was a story that was like a breath of fresh air. It brightened up my day no end and it was well worth the read.
July 19, 2024
This book is not a romance, but I guess it's chick lit since it's been written by a woman for a public of women.
I first wanted to read it because I needed something fun, light, that would take me away from my problems for a weekend. But I found it was very different from what I expected : hilarious, yes - especially the parts with "Tony" that the author obviously vicariously enjoyed writing. It also contained a message. I'm not usually in favour of messages in books, it's as if they were written around it, but not including it. However, I truly adhered to this one, that I'll let you discover when you read it !
When Ellie talked about her late mother, the feeling of emptiness, the cleaning of her attic while wanting to keep the things she had to throw away, it really moved me to tears and reminded me of my own loss, with words that I truly felt.
After I finished it, I read some reviews and a lot of people found it "relatable", I agree with that 100%. You don't have to live exactly what the character lives to understand the situation she's in.
As a conclusion, I would say that it's a very entertaining book, but also a lot more than that, how someone who had lost her way finds it again.
I first wanted to read it because I needed something fun, light, that would take me away from my problems for a weekend. But I found it was very different from what I expected : hilarious, yes - especially the parts with "Tony" that the author obviously vicariously enjoyed writing. It also contained a message. I'm not usually in favour of messages in books, it's as if they were written around it, but not including it. However, I truly adhered to this one, that I'll let you discover when you read it !
When Ellie talked about her late mother, the feeling of emptiness, the cleaning of her attic while wanting to keep the things she had to throw away, it really moved me to tears and reminded me of my own loss, with words that I truly felt.
After I finished it, I read some reviews and a lot of people found it "relatable", I agree with that 100%. You don't have to live exactly what the character lives to understand the situation she's in.
As a conclusion, I would say that it's a very entertaining book, but also a lot more than that, how someone who had lost her way finds it again.
September 17, 2017
So I might be too old for this book but seriously... did not even make me giggle. I expected a good laugh after reading the reviews, but the book is missing any sort of plot or interesting story. It's a mess and not a hot one! Insecure, self-centred, needy main character who can't get it together. Why would you fill pages with a badly written rendering of an attempt to a short story written by the main character's father? Her sister's characters seems unrealistically mean. Just plain bad writing and totally uninspiring!
June 19, 2017
I blame The Writing Garnet for telling me about this book. That woman is a menace, she costs me so much money in new books! This book is amazing, so laugh out loud funny, and the dating scene is scary to read - single women of today need to read this book to know that it's not just them suffering! This is now in my top 4 of 2017. Absolute bargain at 99p too.
May 28, 2021
Ak by som si pozrela porno, asi by malo duchaplnejsi dej ako táto kniha. Obávala som sa, že by som sem mohla hodiť nejaký spoiler, ale to vôbec nehrozí. Zo samotného deja nemám čo prezradiť, keďže sa tam okrem sexu takmer nič iné nedialo.
Prvá kapitola - ľahký úvod a predstavenie postáv, teda Mony a Malcolma.
Druha kapitola - dohoda, že bude Mona bude robiť Malcolmovi k*rvu (doslova používaju toto slovo) výmenou za to, že zachráni jej galériu.
Tretia kapitola - sex
Štvrtá kapitola - sex
a takto pokračuje ďalej. Nie, nemyslím tým, že v každej kapitole je erotixka scéna. V každej kapitole je iba erotická scéna a okrem toho nič viac.
Ak by sa mi do rúk od autorky dostala ako prvá práve Rudá galerie, určite by som autorku hneď zatratila, no pritom jej séria The original sinners je výborná, so zaujímavými postavami a dobrou zápletkou.
Pri tejto knihe musela byť autorka nadržané ako stepná koza rovnako ako Mona, jej hlavná hrdinka.
Prvá kapitola - ľahký úvod a predstavenie postáv, teda Mony a Malcolma.
Druha kapitola - dohoda, že bude Mona bude robiť Malcolmovi k*rvu (doslova používaju toto slovo) výmenou za to, že zachráni jej galériu.
Tretia kapitola - sex
Štvrtá kapitola - sex
a takto pokračuje ďalej. Nie, nemyslím tým, že v každej kapitole je erotixka scéna. V každej kapitole je iba erotická scéna a okrem toho nič viac.
Ak by sa mi do rúk od autorky dostala ako prvá práve Rudá galerie, určite by som autorku hneď zatratila, no pritom jej séria The original sinners je výborná, so zaujímavými postavami a dobrou zápletkou.
Pri tejto knihe musela byť autorka nadržané ako stepná koza rovnako ako Mona, jej hlavná hrdinka.
March 19, 2021
I would give zero stars if I could!
I got through this book at lightening speed which usually means one of two things; either the book was amazing and un-put-down-able or it was awful and I wanted to finish it as quickly as possible. This book was VERY much the latter. The second book to be read as part of our lockdown book club, Hot Mess doesn't give much of the plot away from the blurb. Simply that Ellie Knight is essentially the next Bridget Jones (overweight in a "fun" way, tragically single and doesn't particularly have her shit together). And given that the reviews on the back of the book describe it as "laugh-out-loud" and "the funniest thing I have read in a long time", you'd have high hopes right? Well, clearly those reviewers were either paid a lot of money for their words, or they were on crack when they read this book. I have read genuinely funny books that have you trying to control your laughter when you read them in public, and this was soooooooo far from that I can't even explain. There were one or two mildly amusing anecdotes and dating analogies, but mostly, the storylines were far-fetched, clichéd and lazy. Lazy is a great word for the book as a whole actually. Lucy Vine is potentially the laziest author I've ever come across. Her characters were stereotypical and over the top, the writing style was juvenile and the commentary was unrealistic (every man and his dog is commenting on how tragic and single Ellie is when she's actually only come out of a serious, mortgage-sharing relationship a year ago and she's 29). I kind of saw what the author was trying to do. She was trying to be "woke" on issues such as feminism and modern attitudes to sexuality. She was trying to make "hilariously" unrealistic situations a reality. The problem was that she failed miserably. The comments on feminism came across as though she thought it was what she should put rather than what she actually felt and her observations on situations like men telling women to smile were nothing but wishy-washy. As for the unrealistic situations, that's exactly what they came across as. Not in an 'omg I can't believe that actually happened' kind of way, but in a 'that would clearly NEVER happen' kind of way that felt ridiculous at best and frustrating at worst. Like when Ellie takes her 60 year old Dad who wants to get back into dating to his first ever cocktail bar for his birthday (upon his request) and she's worried it will be awful and he'll hate it. But then the bouncer spots them in the queue, sends them straight through and stays in the bar with them for the rest of the night, the barmaid pays for their drinks all night (and also sits with them for the entirety) and then people start randomly joining them because her dad just seems so amazing. It was honestly laughable, but not in the kind of way that I hope to laugh at a book. As for the actual storyline, it's simply a book about a 29 year old woman (not as old as the author tried to make out btw) who's been single for a year and is attempting (yet failing) to get her life together. She goes on a number of tinder dates, secretly fancies her flat mate, has a childhood best friend who's always been a bit in love with her, lives in a shitty flat that she wants to get out of, and works in a job that doesn't really fulfil her. Naturally, some woman came up to her at a party and presented her with a job opportunity despite not knowing her and not having spoken to her for more than 3 minutes, because that was just the way this book seemed to operate. She slept with her flat mate and then he confessed his undying love for her without any kind of build-up. She and her best friend had a massive 'plot-turning' fight over literally nothing. Everything that happened (which really wasn't a lot) just happened too quickly without any effort by the author to actually develop or nurture a story. And also, it came across like the author just wanted to write a flimsy dating book and her editor said it needed a serious element to make it resonate with people so she had Ellie's mum die a year prior. But then just left it at that, rather than attempt to explore the complexities of grief in ways I've seen other books do rather well. Ellie's sister was a bitch who couldn't care less, her dad was raring and ready to date again only a year later and Ellie herself seemingly just used the whole situation to justify cheating on her perfectly lovely (at the time) boyfriend before breaking up with him at the funeral. A vague attempt at giving Ellie some more depth, only served to show her as a self-sabotaging woman worthy of equal parts pity and contempt. And while we're talking about the dad, there are huge chapters of "book" that he's written and sent to Ellie, that the author forces us to read. A book that's a supposed parody of 50 shades of grey and is deliberately in the worst, most-underdeveloped writing style ever. All it proved to me was that the author was capable of writing even worse drivel than the book itself, and the parody pages had me skipping bits faster than the speed of light. The one tiny bit of respect I have for Lucy Vine is thanks to the fact that the book ended with Ellie realising she really is happy single - and staying that way. Obviously every other character was coupled up clumsily, unrealistically and in the laziest way possible, but I'll give one shred of praise for the message that women don't need boyfriends to be happy. They do somehow randomly win art competitions that award them enough money to invest in their own gallery AND purchase property on their own (both in central London) apparently, but that's a rant for another time.
I got through this book at lightening speed which usually means one of two things; either the book was amazing and un-put-down-able or it was awful and I wanted to finish it as quickly as possible. This book was VERY much the latter. The second book to be read as part of our lockdown book club, Hot Mess doesn't give much of the plot away from the blurb. Simply that Ellie Knight is essentially the next Bridget Jones (overweight in a "fun" way, tragically single and doesn't particularly have her shit together). And given that the reviews on the back of the book describe it as "laugh-out-loud" and "the funniest thing I have read in a long time", you'd have high hopes right? Well, clearly those reviewers were either paid a lot of money for their words, or they were on crack when they read this book. I have read genuinely funny books that have you trying to control your laughter when you read them in public, and this was soooooooo far from that I can't even explain. There were one or two mildly amusing anecdotes and dating analogies, but mostly, the storylines were far-fetched, clichéd and lazy. Lazy is a great word for the book as a whole actually. Lucy Vine is potentially the laziest author I've ever come across. Her characters were stereotypical and over the top, the writing style was juvenile and the commentary was unrealistic (every man and his dog is commenting on how tragic and single Ellie is when she's actually only come out of a serious, mortgage-sharing relationship a year ago and she's 29). I kind of saw what the author was trying to do. She was trying to be "woke" on issues such as feminism and modern attitudes to sexuality. She was trying to make "hilariously" unrealistic situations a reality. The problem was that she failed miserably. The comments on feminism came across as though she thought it was what she should put rather than what she actually felt and her observations on situations like men telling women to smile were nothing but wishy-washy. As for the unrealistic situations, that's exactly what they came across as. Not in an 'omg I can't believe that actually happened' kind of way, but in a 'that would clearly NEVER happen' kind of way that felt ridiculous at best and frustrating at worst. Like when Ellie takes her 60 year old Dad who wants to get back into dating to his first ever cocktail bar for his birthday (upon his request) and she's worried it will be awful and he'll hate it. But then the bouncer spots them in the queue, sends them straight through and stays in the bar with them for the rest of the night, the barmaid pays for their drinks all night (and also sits with them for the entirety) and then people start randomly joining them because her dad just seems so amazing. It was honestly laughable, but not in the kind of way that I hope to laugh at a book. As for the actual storyline, it's simply a book about a 29 year old woman (not as old as the author tried to make out btw) who's been single for a year and is attempting (yet failing) to get her life together. She goes on a number of tinder dates, secretly fancies her flat mate, has a childhood best friend who's always been a bit in love with her, lives in a shitty flat that she wants to get out of, and works in a job that doesn't really fulfil her. Naturally, some woman came up to her at a party and presented her with a job opportunity despite not knowing her and not having spoken to her for more than 3 minutes, because that was just the way this book seemed to operate. She slept with her flat mate and then he confessed his undying love for her without any kind of build-up. She and her best friend had a massive 'plot-turning' fight over literally nothing. Everything that happened (which really wasn't a lot) just happened too quickly without any effort by the author to actually develop or nurture a story. And also, it came across like the author just wanted to write a flimsy dating book and her editor said it needed a serious element to make it resonate with people so she had Ellie's mum die a year prior. But then just left it at that, rather than attempt to explore the complexities of grief in ways I've seen other books do rather well. Ellie's sister was a bitch who couldn't care less, her dad was raring and ready to date again only a year later and Ellie herself seemingly just used the whole situation to justify cheating on her perfectly lovely (at the time) boyfriend before breaking up with him at the funeral. A vague attempt at giving Ellie some more depth, only served to show her as a self-sabotaging woman worthy of equal parts pity and contempt. And while we're talking about the dad, there are huge chapters of "book" that he's written and sent to Ellie, that the author forces us to read. A book that's a supposed parody of 50 shades of grey and is deliberately in the worst, most-underdeveloped writing style ever. All it proved to me was that the author was capable of writing even worse drivel than the book itself, and the parody pages had me skipping bits faster than the speed of light. The one tiny bit of respect I have for Lucy Vine is thanks to the fact that the book ended with Ellie realising she really is happy single - and staying that way. Obviously every other character was coupled up clumsily, unrealistically and in the laziest way possible, but I'll give one shred of praise for the message that women don't need boyfriends to be happy. They do somehow randomly win art competitions that award them enough money to invest in their own gallery AND purchase property on their own (both in central London) apparently, but that's a rant for another time.
July 20, 2017
Hot Mess is chick lit at its best, it made me laugh, smile and I wanted to keep reading and not put it down.
This is one of my favourite summer reads from this year, it follows Ellie through her relationship ups and downs and contains many comical moments along her journey of self discovery. Perfect book to take on your summer holiday or when you fancy something light and upbeat
This is one of my favourite summer reads from this year, it follows Ellie through her relationship ups and downs and contains many comical moments along her journey of self discovery. Perfect book to take on your summer holiday or when you fancy something light and upbeat
August 8, 2017
Funny and easy to relate to!
March 27, 2025
“it still hits me sometimes, how fucked up it is, the way everyone just carries on, as if the most important person in the world hasn’t left it.”
~~ spoilers below ~~
3.5⭐️ - i finally finished this book! it is one of the shortest books i’ve read in awhile yet it took me three months to get through. while there aren’t many pages, this book felt very long to me.
i wouldn’t say it was bad but i definitely had to force myself to read it sometimes. i think ellie is such a fun character. the writing and her character are something you don’t see a lot which i enjoyed. i loved that the book ended with her being happily single and it didn’t turn into a love story. we all get so caught up in life and the future— and romance books— that we sometimes forget our happiness is more important that getting married and having kids. not everyone wants that and that’s okay. ellie is an independent woman who is focused on herself and her career. we should see that more often.
my favorite chapters were definitely the ones about her mom which is why i picked the quote i did for this review. although the book is mostly very light hearted and fun— the author did a good job of capturing the emotions of someone grieving for their parent. i almost cried a few times with the way she talked about missing her mom. these parts are the reason i gave it 3.5 stars.
as for the things i didn’t like: again, it was a little boring. i don’t think im really the demographic for this book and i only read it because my mom owns it but i did think it got a little repetitive and boring at times. it felt long. i hated jen— even though i did gain some sympathy for her by the end, she is horrible to her sister (beyond a sisterly way sometimes) and sometimes she really pissed me off. also the emails about the dad’s short story?? kinda weird and very boring. i really wanted to skip them most times. i kind of see what the author was going for but it felt out of place and unimportant to me.
overall, this book is a good read if you’re looking for a fun book and a break from your normal heart heart wrenching stories :)
~~ spoilers below ~~
3.5⭐️ - i finally finished this book! it is one of the shortest books i’ve read in awhile yet it took me three months to get through. while there aren’t many pages, this book felt very long to me.
i wouldn’t say it was bad but i definitely had to force myself to read it sometimes. i think ellie is such a fun character. the writing and her character are something you don’t see a lot which i enjoyed. i loved that the book ended with her being happily single and it didn’t turn into a love story. we all get so caught up in life and the future— and romance books— that we sometimes forget our happiness is more important that getting married and having kids. not everyone wants that and that’s okay. ellie is an independent woman who is focused on herself and her career. we should see that more often.
my favorite chapters were definitely the ones about her mom which is why i picked the quote i did for this review. although the book is mostly very light hearted and fun— the author did a good job of capturing the emotions of someone grieving for their parent. i almost cried a few times with the way she talked about missing her mom. these parts are the reason i gave it 3.5 stars.
as for the things i didn’t like: again, it was a little boring. i don’t think im really the demographic for this book and i only read it because my mom owns it but i did think it got a little repetitive and boring at times. it felt long. i hated jen— even though i did gain some sympathy for her by the end, she is horrible to her sister (beyond a sisterly way sometimes) and sometimes she really pissed me off. also the emails about the dad’s short story?? kinda weird and very boring. i really wanted to skip them most times. i kind of see what the author was going for but it felt out of place and unimportant to me.
overall, this book is a good read if you’re looking for a fun book and a break from your normal heart heart wrenching stories :)
May 11, 2018
Chyba odkryłam moją nową ulubioną "babską" książkę! Nie pamiętam, kiedy ostatnio zdarzyło mi się tak rechotać przy jakiejś powieści (zdecydowanie to był rechot, tudzież rżenie, a nie zwykły śmiech). Ellie jest ilustratorką, która zmaga się z sercowymi problemami, mieszka w "norze" razem z macho z rozdmuchanym ego i dziewczyną, której nigdy nie widziała. Stosunkowo często odwiedza niedawno owdowiałego ojca, piszącego swe piewresze opowiadanie pt. "Siedemdziesiąt cztery oblicza Tony'ego" (coś Wam to przypomina, prawda?). Mamy tutaj całą plejadę fantastycznych postaci - od zahukanego szefa Dereka, przez irytującego Richa ssącego chipsy, wredną siostrę i kochanego ojca Ellie. Sytuacje opisane w książce są z życia wzięte, niewydumane i autentyczne, a przy tym niezwykle zabawnie przedstawione!
Mimo, że "Hot Mess" utrzymane jest w konwencji lekkiej komedii, z dużą dawką humoru, nie unika także poważniejszych tematów (m.in. radzenia sobie z samotnością po śmierci najbliższych, rozstania po długim związku).
Nie chciałam, żeby ta książka się kończyła i chyba już odczuwam jakiś syndrom odstawienia ;)
Mimo, że "Hot Mess" utrzymane jest w konwencji lekkiej komedii, z dużą dawką humoru, nie unika także poważniejszych tematów (m.in. radzenia sobie z samotnością po śmierci najbliższych, rozstania po długim związku).
Nie chciałam, żeby ta książka się kończyła i chyba już odczuwam jakiś syndrom odstawienia ;)
February 16, 2022
Just skip the book and read Fleabag.
Also, for a 30 year old, this woman is incredibly out of touch with her emotions. The entire narrative plot is driven by the fact that she still hasn't figured out her life which is fine except that she's so emotionally out of touch and seems to lack life experience that I would assume a 30 year old has.
Also also, I think it's pretty ageist that she had a weird negative reaction to her dad wanting to start dating. Specifically specifically too paraphrase she says something along the lines of "ew sixty year olds don't need to have sex!" and that is paraphrased. Even if she is having a hard time dealing with her dad dating again that seems like a pretty s***** and ageist comment to make.
I also was very unimpressed by the fact that she was being awkward about telling her niece about periods for the first time because, we've been over this, this is not something to be awkward about.
Also, for a 30 year old, this woman is incredibly out of touch with her emotions. The entire narrative plot is driven by the fact that she still hasn't figured out her life which is fine except that she's so emotionally out of touch and seems to lack life experience that I would assume a 30 year old has.
Also also, I think it's pretty ageist that she had a weird negative reaction to her dad wanting to start dating. Specifically specifically too paraphrase she says something along the lines of "ew sixty year olds don't need to have sex!" and that is paraphrased. Even if she is having a hard time dealing with her dad dating again that seems like a pretty s***** and ageist comment to make.
I also was very unimpressed by the fact that she was being awkward about telling her niece about periods for the first time because, we've been over this, this is not something to be awkward about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2023
4.5 stars
CW: vomiting, cancer descriptions/death of a parent (off page), cheating (off page)
I really enjoyed this book. I loved reading about Ellie and her dates, and I enjoyed reading about her friends and her dad too. I thought Alan's book chapters were great!
I hated Jen though. I don't think I would have tried as hard as Ellie to have a relationship with her.
This was my first book by Lucy Vine and I'm looking forward to reading other books by her.
CW: vomiting, cancer descriptions/death of a parent (off page), cheating (off page)
I really enjoyed this book. I loved reading about Ellie and her dates, and I enjoyed reading about her friends and her dad too. I thought Alan's book chapters were great!
I hated Jen though. I don't think I would have tried as hard as Ellie to have a relationship with her.
This was my first book by Lucy Vine and I'm looking forward to reading other books by her.
January 7, 2024
bridget jones is so so so much better than ellie. (and i don't even like bridget jones)
November 8, 2022
Dużo lepsza od klasycznej Bridget Jones
July 26, 2017
Oh jeez, guys, Lucy Vine just went to the very top of my favourite authors list! I've no idea where she's been hiding my whole life and I hope she'll keep writing books - "Hot Mess" was one of the funniest novels I have ever read, full of "oh no, she didn't do/say this" moments, cringing with embarrassment moments and I know that I say it in my reviews, but this time I really mean it - laughing out loud! It was like reading Kirsty Greenwood and Lisa Dickenson mixed together - abso - bloody - brilliant and fantabulous.
I'll be honest with you, when I started reading the book I really didn't know what to expect. I haven't read the synopsis before, I only heard people talking about it and falling in love with it - and now I know why! It turned out to be different to what I think it's going to be - I've never supposed it's going to be THAT funny! Really, this book cheered me up ceaselessly and even though I am a little older than Ellie, and maybe this little bit serious about life than she is, I totally enjoyed her adventures and well, yes, there were moments that even I could relate to her and her awkward moments.
Yes, I get it - some may say Ellie was whiney, self - pitying, unhappy with almost everything in her life and not trying to change it, embarrassed about her lovely, lovely father, and what was the point of the story he was writing, and that Jenny was a real bitch - but I won't! Nobody's perfect, right, and all of this above mentioned just made Ellie so much more genuine, and the novel written by her dad was hilarious, guys, hilarious! I was really disappointed when he suddenly stopped sending the chapters to his daughters, to be honest. And Jenny... well, Jenny, yes, you have to get used to Jenny, but in my opinion she was really funny in all her smugness and arrogance, and I think it was because she took herself so seriously and I didn't. Ellie was full of flaws, but she was also relatable, loyal to her friends, adored her family, and I simply loved her from the beginning.
What was absolutely brilliant and fresh is that it was a story about being single and not about looking for a boyfriend at any cost! Hats off to Ellie - sure, she was trying, and we accompanied her on many disastrous blind dates (YES! Finally a book where the blind dates DO really appear on the pages!) but not falling for the guys only to tell that she has a boyfriend now. Why shouldn't you be choosy and selfish when it is about you and your life and your choices, right? And Ellie likes being single, even if others can't believe it - hence she's being literally forced by her best friends to go on those dates.
I loved all the characters - even Jenny! They were larger than life and so perfectly and realistically drawn, and oh my god, I think I fell a little in love with Alan, Ellie's dad - he was so gentle and oh my word, so talented, ha! Really, even the most secondary characters, just like the bodyguards or the staff in the cocktail bar were personalities that added tons of humour but also a lot of depth, for example Ellie's best friend Sophie, still adapting to motherhood, her 6 - years - old going on sixty niece Millie with questions about periods or work friend Maddie - all brilliantly drawn and jumping out of the pages.
But this book also has some emotional moments and a depth. For example Ellie is still trying to get over her mum's death, and the whole situation with Jenny just went and showed that there is also a sensible side to her. And it is also about following your dreams, not forgetting about them.
So altogether, "Hot Mess" was bloody brilliant! The humour was ah - mazing. The characters were ah - mazing. The storyline was - yes, you guessed it! Ah - mazing. You could easily relate to Ellie and her antics - she is like a Bridget Jones for younger women. It was laugh out loud from start to finish, it was quirky, sexy, filthy and just fabulous read and I can't wait to see what Lucy Vine has in story for us next - I hope more such stories like this one - refreshing, original, like a real breath of fresh air. It was sharp - observed, fast - paced without any flat moments, abso - bloody - lutely very highly recommended as an entertaining, easy read.
Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
August 9, 2017
Hot Mess
I've had the privilege of reading a couple of really funny books recently...Hot Mess is one of them!
Hot Mess is entertaining, relatable and laugh out loud funny! I read a lot of thrillers and so every so often I need something more upbeat, and this book was the perfect choice! I always enjoy a light hearted chick lit read and this one can't fail to entertain! Four solid shiny stars from purplebookstand!
I've had the privilege of reading a couple of really funny books recently...Hot Mess is one of them!
Hot Mess is entertaining, relatable and laugh out loud funny! I read a lot of thrillers and so every so often I need something more upbeat, and this book was the perfect choice! I always enjoy a light hearted chick lit read and this one can't fail to entertain! Four solid shiny stars from purplebookstand!
July 31, 2017
A thirty something Eleonor, is looking for the 'one'! After a failed romance she lives in room in a house she calls the 's***hole'. Eleanor tries various ways to meet her ideal man; we read her trials and tribulations in the dating game.
Throughout the book the other main characters are her dad: grieving for his dead wife, begins to write a novel. Her sister and niece who live in America. Their communication is mainly through Skype and emails.
Will Eleanor finally find the loves she thinks she needs to fulfil her life?
An easy read but unfortunately for me it lack bite but I know others will really enjoy this tale.
Throughout the book the other main characters are her dad: grieving for his dead wife, begins to write a novel. Her sister and niece who live in America. Their communication is mainly through Skype and emails.
Will Eleanor finally find the loves she thinks she needs to fulfil her life?
An easy read but unfortunately for me it lack bite but I know others will really enjoy this tale.
July 21, 2017
This is an extremely entertaining book. The characters are original and genuinely funny, there is just enough pathos to create empathy and the humour is down to earth and believable. I especially liked Alan, our heroine’s sixty-something widowed Dad, with his emails and the hilarious extracts from his ‘bloke-lit’ novel (the sort of thing I usually skip when I’m reading this type of story).
Hot Mess is an ideal summer read, whether you are heading to the beach or simply having a bit of quality time on the sofa with a block of chocolate and a bottle of Prosecco.
Hot Mess is an ideal summer read, whether you are heading to the beach or simply having a bit of quality time on the sofa with a block of chocolate and a bottle of Prosecco.
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