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Girl Meets Ape
Upright young zoologist Dr. Jennifer Niederhauser is looking forward to making her mark in the conservation world as head of the chimpanzee project at Prowdes Animal Sanctuary. Prowdes seems even more determined to make its mark on her with its uncontrollable chimps and even wilder keepers. Especially Guy Gibson, her deputy and part-time Gorilla-Gram. But Prowdes is in financial trouble and she may not have a job for much longer. Salvation comes in the form of a documentary team who want to film the sanctuary's most recent arrival, Ulysses. But does Jennifer need to be exposed to the show's presenter, chimpanzee expert Dr. Timothy Lauder? Who is also, unfortunately, her ex...
406 pages, Paperback
First published January 5, 2004
About the author
Chris Manby
42 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 33 reviews
September 23, 2021
I was really waiting for Timothy to get the dressing down he deserved. Alas, not everyone is vicious and cold as I am so... He got off too easy though. I would have even settled for a bit of name calling and a slap😒
July 27, 2014
This book haunts me. I thought I had given my copy to the charity shop (I distinctly remember doing so). I was wrong. It peeped at me from my bookshelf and I was compelled to read it again. There is another copy at my parents house and most recently I've seen it in my local library. I dread the day I will feel the urge to read it again, but I know it will come. Utter dross that I cannot escape.
June 15, 2012
I love this book because it is light, fun and has the the right amount of drama & romance. Very typical story and extremely predictable. This is the kind of book you read if you don't want to think and want to laugh and feel warm and mushy inside.
June 20, 2010
Too contrived to be believable; not funny enough to be a comedy: I skipped to the end to confirm the inevitable.
August 23, 2021
I actually liked this book. Yes there was some predictability about it but I was looking for an easy read without too much thought so this fitted the bill exactly.
I enjoyed the characters of Guy and Jennifer. Timothy was a right ar** - hated him from the start.
The chimps added the cute factor.
Nice book.
I enjoyed the characters of Guy and Jennifer. Timothy was a right ar** - hated him from the start.
The chimps added the cute factor.
Nice book.
December 31, 2020
Deliciously funny.
August 6, 2021
Another of my favourite books
November 11, 2022
Timothy is awful. Jennifer is stupid. Not sure what bugged me more - the awful guy or the stupid woman! Cutest were the chimps and JoJo and Snowy.
July 8, 2023
Registered on Bookcrossing - https://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/...
January 17, 2024
Há muito tempo que não me ria tanto com um livro. Girl Meets Ape conta uma história leve, despretensiosa, simples e super divertida. Com muita acção e romance no meio, daqueles romances, digamos, selvagens! Li super rápido, não consegui poupar o livro, hehehe! Vale mesmo a pena, recomendo bastante!
January 24, 2026
Misogynistic dickhead alert.
Also mentions of Australian paedophile Rolf Harris and pigs named after Harry Potter characters.
Also mentions of Australian paedophile Rolf Harris and pigs named after Harry Potter characters.
July 12, 2026
I'm so disappointed that it was short :<
February 28, 2017
This was my February love story read for a challenge. And when I have to read a love story, it had better be a Brit Chick Lit or else I'd die of boredom/hatred. Behind the icky love story was a much better drama story. The tale of a sanctuary where the ultimate goal will be to release saved chimpanzees back into the wilds of Africa. And you know what? I actually cried. Sobby girlie tears. And no, it wasn't about the love story. I did enjoy this, much to my chagrin :)
April 6, 2022
At the start of the book I really enjoyed the story and the building of the apes in the sanctuary.
Unfortunately as the book progressed I felt that the development was not quite up to par.
The pace for the story was too slow. Unfortunately many parts were over the top and did not end up resulting in a laugh.
I was also disappointed with the ending if we would have been given another chapter there could have been additional progression for character but it ended abruptly.
Overall this was an okay read. I did not at any point feel like I could no longer read on, but I wasn't particularly attached to the characters meaning when I did put the book down I was in no rush to pick it back up again.
Unfortunately as the book progressed I felt that the development was not quite up to par.
The pace for the story was too slow. Unfortunately many parts were over the top and did not end up resulting in a laugh.
I was also disappointed with the ending if we would have been given another chapter there could have been additional progression for character but it ended abruptly.
Overall this was an okay read. I did not at any point feel like I could no longer read on, but I wasn't particularly attached to the characters meaning when I did put the book down I was in no rush to pick it back up again.
September 17, 2011
I really liked the story in this book. I enjoyed reading it, mostly, and I think it was fun to read what the animals got up to.
However, there were things about the book that annoyed me. Besides the stupid chick-lit girl that I occasionally wanted to slap, there were also some ridiculous over-the-top, very unlikely, "scenes" and reactions, which could have been made much better by the author not taking "the easy way out".
But as a whole I enjoyed reading the book, and I rather liked how the character Guy Gibson was written, personality-wise.
However, there were things about the book that annoyed me. Besides the stupid chick-lit girl that I occasionally wanted to slap, there were also some ridiculous over-the-top, very unlikely, "scenes" and reactions, which could have been made much better by the author not taking "the easy way out".
But as a whole I enjoyed reading the book, and I rather liked how the character Guy Gibson was written, personality-wise.
December 29, 2010
As always, Chris Manby has the ability to turn every character into your favourite. Her characters are never perfect, with a few flaws here and there, but she never fails to make you fall in love with each and every one of them.
Girl Meets Ape was fun, and I was impressed by how much I learned about apes (who knew?) as well as a few other animals. In the end, it's always about letting yourself give others second (and sometimes, third, fourth and fifth) chances.
Give it a read!
Girl Meets Ape was fun, and I was impressed by how much I learned about apes (who knew?) as well as a few other animals. In the end, it's always about letting yourself give others second (and sometimes, third, fourth and fifth) chances.
Give it a read!
August 5, 2011
As much as I had hoped to get into this book and really enjoy it, I didn't. I took it work with me on a nighshift as a means to pass some time, but even then, it didn't excite me enough to really have much effect.
For me, the story didn't have the usual pace within it that I have come to enjoy from the majority of books I have and although it is nice to see a book focused on an issue such as animal conservation, it doesn't necessarily make entertaining reading..
For me, the story didn't have the usual pace within it that I have come to enjoy from the majority of books I have and although it is nice to see a book focused on an issue such as animal conservation, it doesn't necessarily make entertaining reading..
June 8, 2013
As an ape lover anyway I was really looking forward to reading this story. I enjoy Chris Manby books and as usual I quickly became interested in the different characters and how they develop. The story made me laugh out loud and it didn't take long to read. The only downside was the irritating best friend. But apart from that I can thoroughly recommend the apes antics and the story.
May 15, 2015
I was in the mood for some chick-lit again after I finally finished my thesis and had read only scientific stuff for weeks.
The story is an old one, that's true. But I did appreciate the "educational" side of the story and the fact, that it's not taking place in a big city like London but in the country. Makes a nice change. Still, I definitely have read better stories, but also worse..
The story is an old one, that's true. But I did appreciate the "educational" side of the story and the fact, that it's not taking place in a big city like London but in the country. Makes a nice change. Still, I definitely have read better stories, but also worse..
April 29, 2008
Funny and witty
July 22, 2011
I laughed and smiled and smiled again. Perfectly predictable, but for me it was fun to read something that I didn't have to seriously concentrate on - for a change.
August 12, 2011
Well this book is a complete entertainer and very movie-like. Not a serious sort of book. However I had absolute fun reading it.
February 2, 2012
pretty interesting though the ending was some what anti climax for me
September 10, 2012
Nice chick lit book very easy to read
May 3, 2016
It was downright funny silly light rom com reading 
May 30, 2016
An enjoyable read with lots of laugh-out-loud moments. Chris Manby is a good writer. My only criticism is that the final part would have benefited from a lot more Guy.
September 26, 2016
This is one of my guilty pleasure books. I re-read it every couple of years. Great fun, a bit educational and pure chick-lit.
January 31, 2017
Unremarkable chick-lit. Very predictable storyline, somewhat redeemed by the descriptions of primate behaviour.
November 22, 2008
A fun book. An enjoyable light read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews