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Second Prize
Lara Fenton is resigned to life on the shelf, especially now her best friend Julie's got engaged. But then Lara is swept off her feet by the divine Hugo Armstrong-Hamilton - and suddenly nothing can spoil her happiness. Hugh has his faults - Lara can't deny that - but who cares if he cancels dates at the last minute? What does it matter if he never picks up the bill? Lara can even put up with the insult from his snooty friends. Just to be seen in the arm of someone like Hugh is consolation enough. After Hugh, any man would seem like second prize. And Lara would never be able to settle for that. Or would she...?
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
4 people are currently reading
137 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 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 14, 2012
Average read. Very frustrated with Lara. Had expected more from Chris Mansby
June 20, 2022
I can’t tell if this book was meant to be ironic or not.
For someone who had a very high opinion of who they should date Lara was a total dim wit. God she deserved Hugh with how much of a prat she was.
Avoid this book!
For someone who had a very high opinion of who they should date Lara was a total dim wit. God she deserved Hugh with how much of a prat she was.
Avoid this book!
January 26, 2021
It was... okay. I've definitely read better chic lit, but it was an easy read, slightly funny here and there. The main character doesn't have any positive dominant traits but she' not a bad person. Some of her interactions with other characters seemed a bit forced and the whole action was quite fast paced and chaotic in the beginning, only to slowly become boring and predictable afterwards.
January 26, 2021
Good easy read.
February 24, 2021
Wouldnt have bothered me if I dropped it in the bath or pool.
September 27, 2022
Utterly contrived storyline filled with idiotic characters and sexist stereotypes.
April 16, 2023
It got a bit dry. I DNF this book
September 19, 2023
És graciós, no cal pensar i se m’ha fet molt amè.
July 18, 2016
I've read several Chris Manby's back to back and I'm definitely noticing a pattern with them.
I like them, and it's fun chick lit, but the characters always seem to be a bit dumb and desperate with men, and here we have it again.
What the hell Lara sees in Hugh is beyond me for the entire book. Just when you think she's wised up, he sweet talks her again - but it's not even that sweet. I don't think I'd be too keen to hang onto a guy who cheated, stole and is tight with money despite being loaded.
With Chris's books, I find though they are good for a bit of light entertainment (or her 90's ones I am reading at the moment are, I would be interested in seeing how she's evolved as a writer), there's always the point of too far with suspending disbelief, which obviously if you're reading chick lit, you expect to do anyhow.
With this one it was Hugh borrowing money (or stealing it) from Lara. I couldn't buy that. Using her physically, yes, but what would he have to gain from stealing her money?? Unless it was part of some f*d game he was playing, but the book didn't really go there with him. Maybe it should have.
And the rattle. Come on. I'm sure they have the equivalent of a $2 store in the uk. If someone was that tight, they would go there. Another step too far.
I like them, and it's fun chick lit, but the characters always seem to be a bit dumb and desperate with men, and here we have it again.
What the hell Lara sees in Hugh is beyond me for the entire book. Just when you think she's wised up, he sweet talks her again - but it's not even that sweet. I don't think I'd be too keen to hang onto a guy who cheated, stole and is tight with money despite being loaded.
With Chris's books, I find though they are good for a bit of light entertainment (or her 90's ones I am reading at the moment are, I would be interested in seeing how she's evolved as a writer), there's always the point of too far with suspending disbelief, which obviously if you're reading chick lit, you expect to do anyhow.
With this one it was Hugh borrowing money (or stealing it) from Lara. I couldn't buy that. Using her physically, yes, but what would he have to gain from stealing her money?? Unless it was part of some f*d game he was playing, but the book didn't really go there with him. Maybe it should have.
And the rattle. Come on. I'm sure they have the equivalent of a $2 store in the uk. If someone was that tight, they would go there. Another step too far.
September 7, 2021
Bleh. Read another book by Chris Manby and did NOT like it. thought I would try one more time. Though this one was marginally better, I really was not a fan. The storyline was predictable and absolutely crazy sometimes...lots of unrealistic situations that were too outrageous to really ever happen. Will not be reading anymore by this author.
June 26, 2013
After reading another Chris Manby book a few weeks ago I was looking forward to reading this. I found the book started off well but then it seemed to become very predictable to the point where I had a feeling how it was going to end.
I got very frustrated with Lara as she just seemed so naive and couldn't see what was going on in front of her.
I know everyone will make their own mind up about the book, I hope it was just me and more people find it a lot more enjoyable than i did
I got very frustrated with Lara as she just seemed so naive and couldn't see what was going on in front of her.
I know everyone will make their own mind up about the book, I hope it was just me and more people find it a lot more enjoyable than i did
June 10, 2012
A great beach read
June 24, 2015
An enjoyable lighthearted read.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews