Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Secret Lives of Sisters #1

Single and Looking: Daisy

Rate this book
A HEARTWARMING TALE OF A 39-YEAR-OLD SCREW-UP, HER SEARCH FOR LOVE & HER TALKING CAT.

Daisy is turning 40. To make the crises worse, her five sisters pray over her unmarried status, and then her cat begins speaking English with a British accent! Well, no wonder the cat quotes William Shakespeare sometimes! Daisy did name the cat Shakespeare after all.

The mess of Daisy's life is even kookier because the cat is cursing and smoking now like a Downton-Abbey criminal, and the cat is drinking more alcoholic beverages, even though booze makes his whiskers wrinkle. Mm, there must be a connection to all this flowing alcohol, which may explain the bubbly in Daisy's brain. Even her blind dates, men referred by her meddling sisters, are named after liquor.

Even with her cat's dating advice, Daisy has been looking for love in all the wrong places. Darn! When God texted Daisy, after she parked in a church handicapped spot, she forgot to text back, "Where is my soulmate on my phone's map app?"

A laugh-out-loud, feel-good book. ONE OF THE FUNNIEST BOOK EVER! QUIRKY, WITTY and CLEVER.

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 24, 2018

26 people are currently reading
534 people want to read

About the author

Belinda Austin

11 books206 followers
Belinda loves to create novels that will make you scream with laughter. She shudders as she writes thrillers with twists and turns, and love stories that will squeeze your heart. Her goal is to entertain and touch you by making you laugh, cry, get angry, i.e. go through the emotional experience that makes us all human and by doing so, humanize her characters.

Her aim with her books is to grab the reader by the shirt collar and drag him or her into the book, and not let go until the end. She hopes that the reader will not just read her story, but experience it, with chills, blood pounding, brain bursting, LOL, etc.

She writes Chick-Lit, Women's Fiction, Psychological Thrillers and Romantic Suspense.

She writes under two other names: B. Austin and Belinda Vasquez Garcia.

Belinda is also a Zumbaholic.

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBelind...
https://twitter.com/MagicProse

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
12 (24%)
4 stars
16 (32%)
3 stars
13 (26%)
2 stars
6 (12%)
1 star
2 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Keep Calm Novel On.
469 reviews72 followers
September 22, 2018
The Goodreads group Shut Up & Read (Read It & Read) provided a copy of the eBook in exchange for an honest review.

Belinda Austin has created a truly original romance filled with page-turning humour. Daisy is 39 (not quite 40), a forever post-secondary student, and looking for Mr. Right. With ongoing pressure from her eccentric sisters and mother the hilarious drama unfolds. Each sister has a go at arranging a date for Daisy. The dates are beyond laugh out loud. And of course, her honest and loyal feline confidant, Shakespeare does not disappoint. His verbal insight and friendship add a unique layer to this read. The primary and secondary characters are well-developed with strong and distinct voices. But, Shakespeare is the star of this tale. The author has included Daisy’s must-read dating lists and visuals as well. Just when you think the story cannot get funnier—it does. The laughter meter is off the scale. Looking forward to the next instalment in series.
Profile Image for Lolly K Dandeneau.
1,933 reviews254 followers
August 6, 2018
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
The cat swayed slightly on his paws. “I had a pint me dear. I imbibe now and then because you cut off me love buds.”

Daisy is approaching her 40th birthday, and of course there is nothing her sisters (the Estrogen Squad as Shakespeare the kitty calls them) want more for her than to be married off. Daisy’s adopted cat Shakespeare is another story, when he isn’t imbibing or making money with his business he is helping her land a man. Sober Shakespeare is less easy to manage, telling her how to dress (certainly not ho-ishly), quoting William Shakespear when the situation takes his fancy. It’s time, he tells her, to let her sisters take the reins and help her find a man!

Daisy keeps a list, one not too demanding. Is it asking too much of the universe to send her man who isn’t, say, a peeping tom? It’s not like she is asking for outrageous qualities! Just a solid, sane man! Her sisters all take a shot at it, beginning with the youngest, 21-year-old Doll. Joey… Joey Cuervo is the first. Will he be as deliciously smooth as Tequilla? What about Dove’s man, chosen for her big sister, one Harvey Wallbanger?

Men aside, the fun is all with Shakespeare’s antics. With his ‘catty’ comments and spot on advice “You look like a witch with a wart on your chin!”, it’s a novel spent in feline head space. Trust a talking cat to tell it like it is when no other will! This whip-smart cat even helps her remove her dreaded first gray hair with his sharp little claws, earning any and all kitty treats. Who wouldn’t love this sassy fuzzball, be he a drunkard or not? You gotta be cruel to be kind!

I needed this book right now in my life, it’s been a tough year full of illness and the loss of a beloved aunt, whom might I add was a cat lover. Books find us, I promise you that. I was a giggling nuisance in bed while reading Austin’s story. Sometimes we just need something fun and wacky to escape from the drudgery of life. “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” I’m sure kitty Shakespeare would growl that in my ear right now. This really is a fun, silly book. Maybe some of the men she’d have been better off just downing their namesake and skipping a date altogether!

Will Daisy find love, will she survive her sisters' disastrous choices? Will Shakespeare ever get over losing his love buds (no, no he will not)? A fun, light summer read!

Publication Date: August 24, 2018

BooksGoSocial
Profile Image for Shannon .
2,387 reviews160 followers
dnf
August 3, 2018
Single and Looking Daisy: A Funny Laugh Out Loud Feel Good Summer Read
Secret Lives of Sisters, Book 1

I Picked Up This Book Because: Author’s description in my Netgalley Goodreads group

The Characters:

Daisy:
Shakespeare the cat:
David

The Story:

For me this did not live up to the hype of the title. I could see where the author was trying to be funny but it just wasn’t my kind of humor. It struck me as Broad City humor which I just don’t like.

I found Daisy to mostly be a hot mess. Her easy acceptance of her cat talking to her leads me to believe she is mentally unstable and I drew the line at the stalker like behavior of neighbor David. Daisy should run far far away from Mr. “I just want to watch you eat” and “sip slower” #HeebieJeebies

The Random Thoughts:

*DNF so no rating
Profile Image for Andrea Guy.
1,483 reviews67 followers
August 30, 2018
This is probably one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. Daisy is nearly 40 and a hot mess. She has a cat that suddenly starts talking in a British accent and her family want her to find a man.


Perish the thought that a woman could be complete without a man.



Daisy was just unbelievable and the blind dates, and the names of the blind dates! It really is absolutely hilarious. I felt so bad for her and then again I didn't.



I have to admit I questioned whether or not her sisters (all that have D names) really loved her, because the guys they set her up with were real doozies.


All that aside, it is hard not to read this book without laughing out loud.



The real star of this book was Shakespeare the cat and all the note and websites that ended the chapters.



I have to admit I kept thinking that this would make a hilarious romcom and not in the sappy way a lot of them are, but a more physical type of comedy a'la Jim Carrey.


This was a super fast, fun read. If you need a book that's a real pick me up, this one is it!
Profile Image for Elissa.
Author 39 books109 followers
December 1, 2018
Spinster Exorcism

The opening morning after the night before seems to have wandered into a Shakespearean fairy tale or, more likely, nightmare. Dysfunctional is inadequate to describe Daisy's family; each of the sisters is a bigger mess than the last, but her siblings, mother and aunt are all focused on relieving her, at nearly 40, of the stigma of spinsterhood. Enter the cat . . .

Stacy Gonzalez narrates with gusto and has a great deal of fun with various American, British, and Scots accents as our heroine bumbles her way through blind dates from hell. Prepare to suspend your disbelief and laugh out loud as the absurdities pile up.
Profile Image for Mary.
108 reviews44 followers
October 5, 2018
I received a copy through the RI&R group here on G to base my review on.

OMGosh! I could not stop laughing throughout this book. Belinda you write with so much humor my eyes were watering so hard because I was laughing so hard. I would giggle and my oldest daughter would look over and ask "What's so funny mom?" I told her she would have to find out for herself once I was finished reading the book. I know she will be laughing right along with the book too.

I can honestly picture Shakespeare talking in his accent. If I were Daisy I would probably would have fainted at first, but she took it all in stride.

Loved the Book Belinda. I can't wait to see what else you have in store for us.
Profile Image for Rachel Clark .
55 reviews1 follower
June 19, 2018
If you fantasize about what your cat is thinking when you talk to him about your day, or wonder if your GPS is secretly out to get you, you'll enjoy this fun, lighthearted story. Daisy, who is in her 30s and single (the horror!), agrees to a string of dates set up by her sisters and mother. And then her cat starts to talk to her... in a British accent.

This is a super quick read that is silly and fun. If you're looking for something deep and intellectual, move on. If you want something a bit ridiculous to read while having a margarita or two, this isn't a bad choice.
Profile Image for Robyn .
470 reviews2 followers
June 23, 2018
I love Daisy and her cat Shakespeare! This is book is laugh out loud funny, and I couldn't stop reading it. Daisy just turned 39 and is single. Her sisters, mother, and aunt all set her up on blind dates, each one worse than the next. When her cat starts speaking to her in English, she really thinks she's gone over the deep end, trying to figure out if something is wrong with her. This book is thoroughly enjoyable, with great characters and a refreshingly enjoyable story.
261 reviews
July 15, 2018
OMG this book is soooooo funny. I laugh out loud several times while reading this book. I loved it. Daisy just turned 39 and everyone is trying to set her up on blind date. Her cat is talking to her and she thinks she is going crazy!
Profile Image for Cristina.
23 reviews3 followers
January 5, 2019
this is a good summer read! It makes me laugh a lot. Daisy and Shakespeare the cat are funny and lovely characters.
3,334 reviews37 followers
October 26, 2018
Ha! Laugh out loud funny! I wasn't sure I'd like this one, but took a chance. Romantic comedy- best I've read in ages!

I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
Profile Image for Belinda Austin.
Author 11 books206 followers
October 10, 2019
I am a former web developer and I did the cover myself. As soon as I added the cat to the cover, I got the idea of having the cat speak and giving Daisy dating advice.

I have a cat named Shakespeare who is grey in color with stripes, white socks for paws and a white underbelly. I named the cat in the book after my cat and gave him an English accent because of his name. I, also, had him quote William Shakespeare occasionally. I must confess that the idea of having the cat talk in the book, also, came from a couple of dreams where my own cat talked to me in English. We had quite a conversation, Shakespeare and I.

My other cat Whiskey, who died in 2003 used to sit like a human in a chair or lie on the floor or bed with an empty beer can on his head. That cat was so mellow, the can would stay on his head for about half an hour before falling off. Thus, my original cover had Shakespeare with a beer can on his head, which also gave me the idea of having the cat be a boozer, along with his other bad habits. I decided to change the beer can to a red top hat and make the British cat more dapper. Plus the blue beer can sort of clashed with the blue background.

The beer can, also, led me to name all of Daisy's blind dates after liquor but sometimes with alternate spellings: Glen Livet, Johnny Walker, Young Ling, Joey Cuervo, and Olive Martini. Check out the trailer on my author profile page or my website http://authorbelinda.com and you'll see the blind dates brought to life as liquor.

Throughout the writing of Single and Looking, I was laughing out loud in my office. It was a really fun book to write. The audio book, which came out August 1, 2018, is outrageous with all the different accents and characters. The actress did a rip-roaring job of bringing to life the book. The audio sample can be heard at http://authorbelinda.com/audio-books....

I'm looking forward to finishing the second book in this funny series called The Pickup Artist, which I'm working on now.

Thanks for reading my "author review" of Single and Looking, Daisy.
Single and Looking Daisy A Funny Laugh Out Loud Feel Good Summer Read (Secret Lives of Sisters Book 1) by Belinda Austin Single and Looking Daisy: A Funny Laugh Out Loud Feel Good Summer Read
484 reviews2 followers
September 27, 2018
OMG I literally laughed out loud, this is a funny and entertaining story, well worth a listen, I enjoyed it! I talk to my cat & dog all the LOL.... uhhhh did I just say that out loud? They haven't answered me though.... yet :)

What a fun listen! Daisy, I just turned 50 so cry me a river lol! And my cat, Sonny, asked me to get Shakespeare's number ;)

Wonderful story, really great narration, really enjoyed it!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Profile Image for Toni.
207 reviews1 follower
July 19, 2018
This book was hilarious from start to finish!! It had me laughing and giggling out loud all throughout this book and that doesn't happen very often. First and foremost, the talking cat kind of threw me off a bit but, in the end, Shakespeare was my favorite character. The mouth on him; I wish I could say half the things he says and get away with it. Now Daisy, I went from feeling sorry for her, laughing at her failed endeavor's and relating to her lackluster love life. She was a trooper throughout this book, because after the second setup, I would've thrown in the towel and prepared for a life of singlehood. All in all, this was a really good book! Read it for a good laugh and an enjoyable happily ever after.
Profile Image for Mani.
812 reviews
June 14, 2018
This book was so funny, that I had to stop reading it in front of my family as they kept giving me funny looks and probably thought that I was going mad, because I couldn’t stop laughing and giggling.

It was a great change from the books that I have been reading recently. I just wanted to keep reading to find out how Daisy’s next date would turn out and whether she will find her ideal man.

Don’t want to give the ending away so you’ll just have to read the book to find out what happens.

I haven’t read any books by Belinda Austin before so I have nothing to compare her writing in this book with, but I thought this book is was well written and easy to read.

Would like to thank #NetGalley for my digital review copy, in return for unbiased review.

The review can also be found on www.manisbookcornerblog.wordpress.com
Profile Image for Paula Pugh.
2,296 reviews11 followers
July 9, 2018
What a funny book Single and Looking: Daisy is! There’s a woman on the cusp of forty unmarried with no prospects, her meddling sisters and mother and a British accented talking cat (who can also read, write, use the computer and phone, not to mention a smoker and drinker, too!).
Daisy decides to take her sisters’ offers of blind dates to try to fins The One for her. The dates are a series of humorous (for the reader) disasters. Poor Daisy feels doomed to a life with only her crazy cat as her companion unless something happens to change it.
Profile Image for Sheina.
50 reviews2 followers
October 6, 2018
A free copy of this book was provided to me, in exchange for an honest review.

A crazy, fun story about 'Crazy Daisy' and her (mis)adventures with a string of blind dates. Her well meaning but interfering sisters and mother have decided she needs to find a man before her 40th birthday. This book follows her hilarious and somewhat traumatic experiences on the road to finding her soulmate.

A simple plot and story line but very enjoyable read. The most complex character and my favourite is most definitely Shakespeare.
Profile Image for Angie ~aka Reading Machine~.
3,746 reviews134 followers
January 1, 2019
Daisy will be turning 40 in eleven months. Her family decides that she needs to be prayed over and intervention on her dating life. Each of her sisters set Daisy up on a blind date. Blind dating isn't Daisy's thing but goes along anyway. She meets on disaster after another. To make things worse her cat Shakespeare isn't talking to her anymore. Can Daisy find her soulmate? Find out in Single and Looking: Daisy.

Some of the best parts are when the cat is talking. I thought the story was fine as a whole. I wish the author luck in the future.
193 reviews1 follower
August 8, 2018
I've had a hard time finding "funny" books that I think are funny.

That being said, this is a funny book. The back and forth between Daisy and Shakespeare is great.

I listened to the audiobook and voice acting was good. I enjoyed Shakespeare quite a bit.

The story was fun to listen to and I had a hard time turning away.

Profile Image for M T.
340 reviews6 followers
August 8, 2018
Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

This is a fun light hearted perfect for the beach book. The exploits of nearly on the cusp of Daisy 40 and her cat Shakespeare are delightful and guaranteed to make you laugh. Great cover art also.
Profile Image for Carmen.
625 reviews18 followers
July 11, 2018
I really liked the lists that were slotted in between the chapters, the humor was awesome in this book and is one that I really enjoyed! I got an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
18 reviews1 follower
February 25, 2019
Enjoyed

Was a fun and quirky read. Whatever could go wrong did go wrong. I don't like having a word limit.
Profile Image for Kandiemarie.
2,197 reviews3 followers
October 19, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It was hilarious! I couldn't stop laughing. Definitely recommend. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.