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Ready or Not?
Every bride is entitled to pre-wedding jitters, and what reasonable girl wouldn't think twice about marriage when her fiancé shaves off his eyebrows just in time for the photographs? But what if the bride-to-be is really freaked out by something else? Like, perhaps, the terrifying notion of happily-ever-after? With her ex-boyfriend back in the town, Heidi Savage is wondering whether she can really forsake all others-especially for the man waiting at the end of the aisle with no eyebrows.
326 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
7 people are currently reading
584 people want to read
About the author
Chris Manby
38 books122 followersThis author has also released books under the name Chrissie Manby.
Encouraged my by English teacher, Mrs. Pocock, I published my first short story in Just Seventeen when I was fourteen years old. The story was called ‘Whatever happened to the wonderful boy I fell in love with’ and I published it under the pseudonym ‘Carolyn Lane’ because it largely consisted of a transcript of an argument I’d had with my boyfriend. I bought a black denim jacket from C & A with the proceeds.
I continued to contribute short stories to Just Seventeen to help pay my way through university. I studied Experimental Psychology at St Edmund Hall in Oxford. Alas, I devoted rather too much time to my social life and staggered away with an unimpressive 2:2. In retrospect, that 2:2 saved my life. It meant that none of the graduate training schemes I had hoped to join would have me. I wouldn’t become an accountant after all. I moved to London and took a series of temp jobs to support myself. It was while I was working at Prelude Audio Books, a company which took erotic ‘classics’ and put them on tape, that I met my first real novelist: David Garnett.
David is a very well respected science fiction writer, who once dabbled with writing erotica under the name Angelique. Prelude was recording the Angelique novels. One afternoon, David spent a couple of hours sitting on my desk, waiting for my boss to come back from a very long publishing lunch to discuss some unpaid royalties. I told David I’d always wanted to be a writer. He dared me to write a novella like Angelique’s. A few weeks later, I handed him my first full-length manuscript. David cast his experienced eye over my scribblings, helped me tweak it and then passed it on to his editor at Little Brown. Incredibly, she made an offer on it. My dream of becoming a proper writer was reborn.
That first book was called ‘Inspiration’. It centred on the sexual shenanigans of a group of artists in St Ives. Wary of embarrassing my parents, I published ‘Inspiration’ as Stephanie Ash. Four more Stephanie Ash novellas followed, helping me to pay my rent and attract the attention of a literary agent. In 1997, I published my first Chris Manby novel, ‘Flatmates’…
Thirteen novels on the single life as Chris Manby later, I’ve just published ‘Getting Over Mr. Right’ as ‘Chrissie Manby’ (apparently too many people are under the impression that I am a bloke!).
I live in London and when I’m not writing (in fact, even when I’m supposed to be writing) I spend an awful lot of time on Twitter. Follow me on @chrissiemanby.
Encouraged my by English teacher, Mrs. Pocock, I published my first short story in Just Seventeen when I was fourteen years old. The story was called ‘Whatever happened to the wonderful boy I fell in love with’ and I published it under the pseudonym ‘Carolyn Lane’ because it largely consisted of a transcript of an argument I’d had with my boyfriend. I bought a black denim jacket from C & A with the proceeds.
I continued to contribute short stories to Just Seventeen to help pay my way through university. I studied Experimental Psychology at St Edmund Hall in Oxford. Alas, I devoted rather too much time to my social life and staggered away with an unimpressive 2:2. In retrospect, that 2:2 saved my life. It meant that none of the graduate training schemes I had hoped to join would have me. I wouldn’t become an accountant after all. I moved to London and took a series of temp jobs to support myself. It was while I was working at Prelude Audio Books, a company which took erotic ‘classics’ and put them on tape, that I met my first real novelist: David Garnett.
David is a very well respected science fiction writer, who once dabbled with writing erotica under the name Angelique. Prelude was recording the Angelique novels. One afternoon, David spent a couple of hours sitting on my desk, waiting for my boss to come back from a very long publishing lunch to discuss some unpaid royalties. I told David I’d always wanted to be a writer. He dared me to write a novella like Angelique’s. A few weeks later, I handed him my first full-length manuscript. David cast his experienced eye over my scribblings, helped me tweak it and then passed it on to his editor at Little Brown. Incredibly, she made an offer on it. My dream of becoming a proper writer was reborn.
That first book was called ‘Inspiration’. It centred on the sexual shenanigans of a group of artists in St Ives. Wary of embarrassing my parents, I published ‘Inspiration’ as Stephanie Ash. Four more Stephanie Ash novellas followed, helping me to pay my rent and attract the attention of a literary agent. In 1997, I published my first Chris Manby novel, ‘Flatmates’…
Thirteen novels on the single life as Chris Manby later, I’ve just published ‘Getting Over Mr. Right’ as ‘Chrissie Manby’ (apparently too many people are under the impression that I am a bloke!).
I live in London and when I’m not writing (in fact, even when I’m supposed to be writing) I spend an awful lot of time on Twitter. Follow me on @chrissiemanby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 16, 2024
De hoofdpersoon is jaloers, egocentrisch en hysterisch. Haar partner pikt alles wat ze doen en zegt. Tot de laatste twee bladzijdes is er drama en ineens is alles goed en leven ze happily ever after. Ben blij dat het voorbij is.
April 12, 2022
The reviews given here seems unfair. I really enjoyed the book.
May 19, 2012
Heidi has been engaged for a year and is in the last six months of planning her big day when work, friends and her relationship all hit a few speed bumps. A friend who is now a single mom, an ex reentering her life and a fiance who is sneaking around all make Heidi wonder whether this impending wedding is a good idea. If I had been in her shoes, I probably would have had the same crazy stress filled reaction.
An entertaining look at wedding planning and how it can affect a relationship. I also appreciated the real life aspect of talking about what happens after the big day because that is just as important as planning the big day. It was great to read about the same spats that each couple has while planning a major event.
Although, I felt justified in the spats that we have had, apart of the time I am not sure that this is quite the book to be reading while getting ready for a wedding. Full of secrets and exs reappearing, I didn't feel warm and gooey after reading it, but if I had read it at any other time I would have loved the story. I maybe would recommend it to those who are on their honeymoon and enjoying the after bliss of the day being in the past!
An entertaining look at wedding planning and how it can affect a relationship. I also appreciated the real life aspect of talking about what happens after the big day because that is just as important as planning the big day. It was great to read about the same spats that each couple has while planning a major event.
Although, I felt justified in the spats that we have had, apart of the time I am not sure that this is quite the book to be reading while getting ready for a wedding. Full of secrets and exs reappearing, I didn't feel warm and gooey after reading it, but if I had read it at any other time I would have loved the story. I maybe would recommend it to those who are on their honeymoon and enjoying the after bliss of the day being in the past!
December 30, 2008
This was the 1st Chris Manby book I read.
It was a very easy light read and didn't take me long to finish.
Not her best and I'm so glad I wasn't put off by reading more of her books as she is a great author.
It was a very easy light read and didn't take me long to finish.
Not her best and I'm so glad I wasn't put off by reading more of her books as she is a great author.
September 26, 2010
The explanation for the narrator's behavior came too late for me to forgive her.
Read
August 24, 2019It is chick lit but it kept me interesed because it is very funny.
December 27, 2020
"Ready Or Not?", de Chris Manby, é um romance e drama que fala sobre Heidi, uma personagem muito sem sal, sem características que a destaquem, que não se atreve a sair da sua zona de conforto.
Neste livro temos pouquíssima diversidade, e não acho que essa pouca representação tenha sido bem feita. A única personagem negra, a Flo, é uma histérica que flirta com qualquer homem que encontra pela frente, mesmo sabendo do desconforto da sua colega, Heidi.
Um assunto bastante retratado ao longo deste livro é ser mãe/pai solteirx, acontece com Kara, melhor amiga de Heidi, e Steven, ex-namorado de Heidi.
Ed, o noivo de Heidi, é um completo pateta que só faz asneira, e, de alguma maneira consegue ser pior e mais aborrecido que a personagem principal.
Desde início que vi que o livro não era muito a minha praia, mas mesmo assim decidi sair um bocado do tipo de leitura a que estava habituada, o que aconteceu com "A Chave de Dante" ( que acabou por correr bem) e aconteceu com este livrinho (que não correu tão bem assim).
Este livro só começa a ficar interessante a partir dos últimos 10 capítulos, o livro tem 40 e poucos.
Dou o desconto de ser antigo, mas mesmo assim sinto que esta autora é overrated…
Neste livro temos pouquíssima diversidade, e não acho que essa pouca representação tenha sido bem feita. A única personagem negra, a Flo, é uma histérica que flirta com qualquer homem que encontra pela frente, mesmo sabendo do desconforto da sua colega, Heidi.
Um assunto bastante retratado ao longo deste livro é ser mãe/pai solteirx, acontece com Kara, melhor amiga de Heidi, e Steven, ex-namorado de Heidi.
Ed, o noivo de Heidi, é um completo pateta que só faz asneira, e, de alguma maneira consegue ser pior e mais aborrecido que a personagem principal.
Desde início que vi que o livro não era muito a minha praia, mas mesmo assim decidi sair um bocado do tipo de leitura a que estava habituada, o que aconteceu com "A Chave de Dante" ( que acabou por correr bem) e aconteceu com este livrinho (que não correu tão bem assim).
Este livro só começa a ficar interessante a partir dos últimos 10 capítulos, o livro tem 40 e poucos.
Dou o desconto de ser antigo, mas mesmo assim sinto que esta autora é overrated…
August 21, 2023
The opening held great promise as Ed turns up on the doorstep of the house he shares with fiancé Heidi
‘Heidi, I’ve lost my key,’ he said
It wasn’t the only thing he’d lost that weekend.
‘Ed,’ I sighed. ‘Where are your clothes?’
There were some laugh out loud moments but three quarters of the way through I’d got a bit tired of the ‘will they won’t they’ make it to the church and Heidi’s angst at the reappearance of her first love. Her reluctance to baby sit her friends son and reason for angst were revealed at the very end of the book. This made the ending feel rushed, these issues could have been introduced and looked at in more depth earlier on.
‘Heidi, I’ve lost my key,’ he said
It wasn’t the only thing he’d lost that weekend.
‘Ed,’ I sighed. ‘Where are your clothes?’
There were some laugh out loud moments but three quarters of the way through I’d got a bit tired of the ‘will they won’t they’ make it to the church and Heidi’s angst at the reappearance of her first love. Her reluctance to baby sit her friends son and reason for angst were revealed at the very end of the book. This made the ending feel rushed, these issues could have been introduced and looked at in more depth earlier on.
April 12, 2021
This book was pretty much a mess. Apart from being a slow read on my part I struggled to like any of the characters apart from Ed and Kara (even through her immature and reckless decisions) and I just could not bring myself to like the main protagonist, Heidi Savage. Without banging on I thought the author often said contraindicating things and wrote things which didn’t make sense at times. On a positive, I did not DNF this book and it was supposed to be a light, fluffy read which is ultimately what led me to finishing the book at the end
February 16, 2021
The character is awful and the plot twist at the end comes way too late to resurrect the character in hopefully anyone's eyes. The second thoughts should have been on his side 🙄 Don't bother reading this awful book unless you are ~really~ bored 😂
January 11, 2024
A funny book from beginning to end. Had some unexpected twists and turns and kept my on the edge of the seat and wanted to keep on reading. (I'm not sure why there are so many negative reviews, I quite enjoyed this one!)
July 3, 2017
Better than I thought it would be. Easy read didn't end how I thought it would.
April 5, 2020
Absolutely brilliant read! I couldn't put it down.
August 19, 2025
'when you break a bone, the fibres that form around the break are stronger than the broken matter they're replacing'
December 9, 2016
Easy read with a slightly foreseen plot but enjoyable nonetheless.
February 2, 2023
I give this 3 1/2 stars, it was slow to grab my attention but then it picked up about halfway through and I couldn’t put it down.
May 27, 2012
Okay so this book was a perfect, light, chick-lit summer read. And that's the best way to sum it up for me.
Blurb:
[i]Every bride is entitiled to some pre-wedding jitters. And what girl wouldn't think twice about marriage when her fiance gets his eyebrows shaved off just in time to look hideouos for photographs?
But what if it's not the ceremony that freaks you out but the happy ever after? Heidi Savage is wondering whether she can really forsake all the others for macho, beer-swelling Ed. And how can a couple who've never even been baby-sitters be ready to start a family of their own?
Will the answer come in the form of her ex-boyfriend Steven? Grown-up, gorgeous and good-with-children. Is Heidi's dilemma simple a case of right shoes, right dress, wrong husband?[/i]
Okay, so from the blurb I expected to be reading about this woman who is second-guessing her whole life with her fiance, and I guess that is the basis of the story - though for some reason it was not at all what I expected. It isn't as simple as the blurb and you get into a lot more detail about why she is feeling the feelings she is... and they are what make the book for me. The ending to me was unexpected - completely the opposite to what I thought was going to happen - but I must admit it did make me smile.
The upporting Characters of Kara and her son were wonderful, too. I loved them.
Overall, it was a very good book in it's own right. Though it is not one I'd re-read, I would recommmend it for a sweet, romantic, sometimes funny summer read.
The only problem I had with this book, and why it didn't get a higher amount of starts for me was the fact that I could not easily sit down and read this book for hours on end - which is what I like in a good book. I happily read it, but I could easily put it down and I must admit, did get bored with at times.
But, like I said - I do not regret reading it, it was a fun journey.
Blurb:
[i]Every bride is entitiled to some pre-wedding jitters. And what girl wouldn't think twice about marriage when her fiance gets his eyebrows shaved off just in time to look hideouos for photographs?
But what if it's not the ceremony that freaks you out but the happy ever after? Heidi Savage is wondering whether she can really forsake all the others for macho, beer-swelling Ed. And how can a couple who've never even been baby-sitters be ready to start a family of their own?
Will the answer come in the form of her ex-boyfriend Steven? Grown-up, gorgeous and good-with-children. Is Heidi's dilemma simple a case of right shoes, right dress, wrong husband?[/i]
Okay, so from the blurb I expected to be reading about this woman who is second-guessing her whole life with her fiance, and I guess that is the basis of the story - though for some reason it was not at all what I expected. It isn't as simple as the blurb and you get into a lot more detail about why she is feeling the feelings she is... and they are what make the book for me. The ending to me was unexpected - completely the opposite to what I thought was going to happen - but I must admit it did make me smile.
The upporting Characters of Kara and her son were wonderful, too. I loved them.
Overall, it was a very good book in it's own right. Though it is not one I'd re-read, I would recommmend it for a sweet, romantic, sometimes funny summer read.
The only problem I had with this book, and why it didn't get a higher amount of starts for me was the fact that I could not easily sit down and read this book for hours on end - which is what I like in a good book. I happily read it, but I could easily put it down and I must admit, did get bored with at times.
But, like I said - I do not regret reading it, it was a fun journey.
June 17, 2018
Here’s another one I have resurrected from my retro book pile and it was a very good read. I do like Chris(sie) Manby – she writes contemporary women’s fiction that is relatable, doesn’t feature irritatingly devastatingly annoying hunks that you really should resist, you know, because they are so annoying, but you can’t ignore your hormones ............. anyway enough ranting, back to the book.
Radio producer Heidi is about to marry Ed but she is irritated by his childish larking about with his mates, rugby antics, boozing and stupidity. Marriage means children, too, or so she thinks and she has serious doubts whether either of them are up to the task. Heidi’s friend Kara is a single mum to a cute little boy called Forester who she spends some time with, and which provides the silly moments in the book, but the crunch really comes when Heidi’s ex Steven appears on the radio show as a single dad. She starts to question whether she is with the right guy. Kara tells Heidi it is the “Friends Reunited syndrome” (now there is a blast from the past) and she has rose tinted glasses about the Steven relationship. It’s amusing to see that after Heidi has been shopping in the Virgin Megastore (something else that no longer exists) she buys a dress to wear when she next sees Steven. She definitely is unsure what she wants! But she has a secret she has never told anyone, and certainly never told Steven and it is this that is the real reason for her doubting her right to be a mother. All the rest is just projection.
The focus seems, though, to be mainly on Kara, her son and her new love interest, and the dissembling she does in order to keep this going. It means that Heidi gets more time alongside the little boy and moves the story along but there is less emphasis on the central relationship in the book. As always though, all’s well that ends well.
An enjoyable way of passing a day.
Radio producer Heidi is about to marry Ed but she is irritated by his childish larking about with his mates, rugby antics, boozing and stupidity. Marriage means children, too, or so she thinks and she has serious doubts whether either of them are up to the task. Heidi’s friend Kara is a single mum to a cute little boy called Forester who she spends some time with, and which provides the silly moments in the book, but the crunch really comes when Heidi’s ex Steven appears on the radio show as a single dad. She starts to question whether she is with the right guy. Kara tells Heidi it is the “Friends Reunited syndrome” (now there is a blast from the past) and she has rose tinted glasses about the Steven relationship. It’s amusing to see that after Heidi has been shopping in the Virgin Megastore (something else that no longer exists) she buys a dress to wear when she next sees Steven. She definitely is unsure what she wants! But she has a secret she has never told anyone, and certainly never told Steven and it is this that is the real reason for her doubting her right to be a mother. All the rest is just projection.
The focus seems, though, to be mainly on Kara, her son and her new love interest, and the dissembling she does in order to keep this going. It means that Heidi gets more time alongside the little boy and moves the story along but there is less emphasis on the central relationship in the book. As always though, all’s well that ends well.
An enjoyable way of passing a day.
June 7, 2009
It's a pretty riveting book on a girl who has signs of pre-wedding jitters. Kudos to Ms. Manby. Always loved her books. This wasn't her best work though. It was hard to empathize with Heidi the protagonist as she was getting uninterested in being married and made the silliest mistakes with her best friend's baby.
At many points in the book, I felt like rolling my eyes and saying, "Geez, what's her beef? What's wrong with this woman?" She seemed clueless herself and pretty self-absorbed for most part of the book.
It was only towards the end - a few passages shed illumination to her dark secret and coloured her perception about babies and all. But I felt the 'revelation' would be better placed earlier in the book and I could empathize with her better instead of being tempted to push the book aside in frustration.
Other than that, I loved that the main characters were three-dimensional and not the usual cardboard caricatures of good bloke of a boyfriend, the evil ex, the ditzy best friend, etc.
At many points in the book, I felt like rolling my eyes and saying, "Geez, what's her beef? What's wrong with this woman?" She seemed clueless herself and pretty self-absorbed for most part of the book.
It was only towards the end - a few passages shed illumination to her dark secret and coloured her perception about babies and all. But I felt the 'revelation' would be better placed earlier in the book and I could empathize with her better instead of being tempted to push the book aside in frustration.
Other than that, I loved that the main characters were three-dimensional and not the usual cardboard caricatures of good bloke of a boyfriend, the evil ex, the ditzy best friend, etc.
February 29, 2016
Was attracted to this book mostly due to the wedding theme, in light of my own impending nuptials, and of course the 99p Kindle price tag.
This was a quite slow at times, considering it's straight-up Chick Lit which is usually a bright and breezy affair. But, saying that, it was also a completely inoffensive book with no real surprises in the plot – as to be expected in this genre. I was hovering between 2- and 3- stars throughout, but in light of the more serious themes touched on towards the end (and the ending itself) I'll be kind and say I liked it.
I'm fairly sure I read another Chris Manby a few years back, though I can't remember which. I'm not totally put off reading a third on the basis of this one. Who knows...
This was a quite slow at times, considering it's straight-up Chick Lit which is usually a bright and breezy affair. But, saying that, it was also a completely inoffensive book with no real surprises in the plot – as to be expected in this genre. I was hovering between 2- and 3- stars throughout, but in light of the more serious themes touched on towards the end (and the ending itself) I'll be kind and say I liked it.
I'm fairly sure I read another Chris Manby a few years back, though I can't remember which. I'm not totally put off reading a third on the basis of this one. Who knows...
June 19, 2011
This book went on FOREVER! I don’t know it’s certain books that take forever to read. There was nothing wrong with this book, it just brought nothing new to the table and went on forever! Girl is going to get married, but starts doubting herself when her old and first love comes back into her life. She thinks future husband is cheating on her, so she cheats with the old boyfriend and then freaks when she finds out that he didn’t. She doesn’t tell future husband about this and proceeds with life, dropping the old boyfriend from her life. The moral of this book? Talk it out!
Grade: C-
Grade: C-
July 1, 2012
A quick and easy read with a fun and whitty story-line. Heidi is engaged to Ed and is about to be married. At work, she runs into a former flame, Steven, who broke off their relationship several years earlier without any real reason. Heidi tries to ignore Steven, but everyone at her work adores him. Stressful situations along with frequent babysitting her best friend's baby, Ed's frequent rugby matches, and the return of Steven into her life, all accumluate and leave Heidi to wonder if she is making the right decision to marry Ed.
May 31, 2015
Eh. I'm very glad I purchased this book at our Library's quarterly bookseller for $1. I started reading it because i needed something light and easy after my plethora of heavy novels. This was a great palette cleanser, but it is by no means a great novel. It just was what it was, girl in her late 20s about to get married, wedding jitters etc. Nearly every character in this novel is intolerable. Heidi is annoying at best, Ed just seems pathetic for most of the novel until the very end, Kara is pushy, selfish and doesn't seem to have a care in the world.
January 8, 2012
Enjoyable wedding-nerves/what-if tale with the inevitable misunderstandings leading to a happy ever after conclusion.
As in previous books I have read by this author, I felt the characterisation was less important than the sometimes farcical events, but as the book went on, the main characters rather suddenly revealed hidden depths, and I think more evidence could have been provided for these aspects which were hinted at before by rather repetitive motifs in how they were described.
As in previous books I have read by this author, I felt the characterisation was less important than the sometimes farcical events, but as the book went on, the main characters rather suddenly revealed hidden depths, and I think more evidence could have been provided for these aspects which were hinted at before by rather repetitive motifs in how they were described.
June 30, 2015
This was a lovely surprise of a book! Very light, very easy to read, fun and feel-good. "Chick-lit" is my guilty pleasure and this was a joy!
A typical plot - Heidi is engaged to Ed. With three months to go to the big day, the nerves overwhelm her at the same time a certain ex boyfriend makes an appearance. Who will she choose?
Chances are, if you're a fan of this genre, you've read many books like this one. But don't let that put you off - this was a treat. Four easy stars!
A typical plot - Heidi is engaged to Ed. With three months to go to the big day, the nerves overwhelm her at the same time a certain ex boyfriend makes an appearance. Who will she choose?
Chances are, if you're a fan of this genre, you've read many books like this one. But don't let that put you off - this was a treat. Four easy stars!
February 14, 2011
This book is funny. I like it. It kind of makes me think of the times when I actually decided to commit to something and second-guess myself when, at the end of the day, I'm always ready and never been readier, to commit. We just need time and some hard times to make us to realize that. :)
October 15, 2011
This was an interesting book, very light in style but had some heavy themes - such as what happens when an ex walks in to your life, responsibility and pre-wedding jitters. I enjoyed this book a lot as there were a lot of twists and turns I wasn't expecting.
June 28, 2009
An easy read for when you don't want to think too much about plots etc.
December 7, 2009
Very funny book, alot of humour :)
April 21, 2010
Quick read that kept my interest.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews