What do you think?
Rate this book
The Seven Steps to Closure
Tara Babcock awakes the morning after her 30th birthday with a hangover that could kill an elephant - and the knowledge she is still no closer to achieving closure on her marriage breakup. Things go from bad to worse when she discovers that, not only is her ex-husband engaged to her cousin - Tash, the woman he left her for - but that Jake is also running for Lord Mayor of Sydney.
Desperate to leave the destructive relationship behind and with nothing to lose, she decides- with encouragement from her three best friends - to follow the dubious advice from a magazine article, Closure in Seven Easy Steps.
The Seven Steps to Closure follows Tara on her sometimes disastrous- always hilarious - path to achieve the seemingly impossible.
Desperate to leave the destructive relationship behind and with nothing to lose, she decides- with encouragement from her three best friends - to follow the dubious advice from a magazine article, Closure in Seven Easy Steps.
The Seven Steps to Closure follows Tara on her sometimes disastrous- always hilarious - path to achieve the seemingly impossible.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2012
1079 people are currently reading
3007 people want to read
About the author
Donna Joy Usher
22 books187 followersHi there, I’m Donna Joy Usher. I started writing my first novel when I was seven. With no idea about plot or character development (I mean I was only seven) my storyline quickly disintegrated into a muddled jumble of boring dialogue between two horses. Disillusioned, I gave up writing stories for quite a while after that. Instead, I concentrated on my studies, eventually graduating as a dentist.
After many years of ‘drilling and filling’ I turned to writing in an effort to escape the seriousness of my day job. During that time I created my first book, The Seven Steps to Closure, and discovered that I love nothing more than making other people laugh. Well that, and my husband and two miniature schnauzers, Chloe and Xena.
I currently live in beautiful Perth When I am not working or writing, I love to paddle board, walk on the beach and sip chai lattes at the local cafe.
You can connect with me on Twitter (@DonnaJoyUsher), Facebook, Goodreads, Linked In or my blog site, www.donnajoyusher.com.
After many years of ‘drilling and filling’ I turned to writing in an effort to escape the seriousness of my day job. During that time I created my first book, The Seven Steps to Closure, and discovered that I love nothing more than making other people laugh. Well that, and my husband and two miniature schnauzers, Chloe and Xena.
I currently live in beautiful Perth When I am not working or writing, I love to paddle board, walk on the beach and sip chai lattes at the local cafe.
You can connect with me on Twitter (@DonnaJoyUsher), Facebook, Goodreads, Linked In or my blog site, www.donnajoyusher.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 477 reviews
December 17, 2017
Ohhh how I loved this read! Just a book so light and clear and humorfull. Gives the good spirits and positiv thinking a heads up. 😀🌸❤️🌷😀 surely read this book if you like chick-lit novels. I highly recommand it.
August 25, 2022
1.5 stars rounded up only for the Australian setting that I enjoyed. At 30% end I just started skimming this hot mess -once you kill a pet cat for apparent laughs & follow that up with needless racist cliches, I'm pretty much done. Well, at least I can delete it off my Kindle where it's been since 2014! Moving on to something better...
April 6, 2017
Quite enjoyable.
The plot was overdone. A little boring in spots, but quite sweet in others.
The heroine was a bit dumb and a lot judgemental. I personally can't stand hero(in)es who find it acceptable to body-shame. I get it. You're threatened by women who are thinner than you. Okay.
The hero was too perfect. Perfect to the point of being boring. There was literally nothing wrong with him. Where the fun in that?
Also, there were an odd number of references to bodily fluids. I mostly mean poo and pee. Many different references and scenes involving poo and pee. An odd amount for a romance, really.
But overall, I finished it and liked it. It read like a mindless rom-com I watch in the background. Cute. Funny sometimes. Easy to read.
Would probably rec if this is your genre, and especially if you grabbed a copy when it was free like I did.
The plot was overdone. A little boring in spots, but quite sweet in others.
The heroine was a bit dumb and a lot judgemental. I personally can't stand hero(in)es who find it acceptable to body-shame. I get it. You're threatened by women who are thinner than you. Okay.
The hero was too perfect. Perfect to the point of being boring. There was literally nothing wrong with him. Where the fun in that?
Also, there were an odd number of references to bodily fluids. I mostly mean poo and pee. Many different references and scenes involving poo and pee. An odd amount for a romance, really.
But overall, I finished it and liked it. It read like a mindless rom-com I watch in the background. Cute. Funny sometimes. Easy to read.
Would probably rec if this is your genre, and especially if you grabbed a copy when it was free like I did.
July 29, 2013
I'm not really a regular reader of the chick-lit genre but I really enjoyed this light-hearted amusing tale about accident prone Tara Babcock and her Seven Steps to Closure after an disastrous first marriage. Especially the parts about surviving Delhi-belly, I laughed so much it reduced me to tears. As an added bonus the book was set in Sydney, Australia, my home town.
Want to read
November 30, 2017💝 FREE on Amazon today (11/30/2017)! 💝
December 13, 2012
3.5 stars
Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book, especially the last half of it.
For me, the first half of The Seven Steps to Closure was okay. I had a hard time connecting with Tara and really feeling for her. She just seemed kind of pathetic rather than sympathetic.
However, I LOVED the second half of the book. The trip to India was fantastic. I got caught up in the romance...in the "will they or won't they" aspect. I laughed out loud, especially during the plane scene. In fact, Tara made me laugh quite often in this part of the book.
As for the characters, Tara was heartbroken but on the mend. Jake is an asshole. Matt was my favorite...I loved him. Tara's mother was a trip. The crazy pets she found were always worth a good chuckle. I also really enjoyed hearing about what was going on in Tara's friends lives. Too often, the secondary characters stay in the background even though we want to know what is happening in their lives as well as the main character's. In this book, we get some details and glimpses into what the friends are doing. I liked that a lot.
Would I recommend it: I would recommend this book to any chick lit fan.
Will I read it again: I will not.
http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blo...#
Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book, especially the last half of it.
For me, the first half of The Seven Steps to Closure was okay. I had a hard time connecting with Tara and really feeling for her. She just seemed kind of pathetic rather than sympathetic.
However, I LOVED the second half of the book. The trip to India was fantastic. I got caught up in the romance...in the "will they or won't they" aspect. I laughed out loud, especially during the plane scene. In fact, Tara made me laugh quite often in this part of the book.
As for the characters, Tara was heartbroken but on the mend. Jake is an asshole. Matt was my favorite...I loved him. Tara's mother was a trip. The crazy pets she found were always worth a good chuckle. I also really enjoyed hearing about what was going on in Tara's friends lives. Too often, the secondary characters stay in the background even though we want to know what is happening in their lives as well as the main character's. In this book, we get some details and glimpses into what the friends are doing. I liked that a lot.
Would I recommend it: I would recommend this book to any chick lit fan.
Will I read it again: I will not.
http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blo...#
June 9, 2014
There is something to be said for originality - for coming up with a somewhat interesting twist on some of the old standbys. It's hard to do in most fiction and I'd bet it's impossible in romance. Which means that what counts is not the story you tell, but the way you tell it.
Which is why I gave "Closure" five stars, despite the fact that it's an often-told story. But it's told well, it's written well, you root for the Aussie heroine who has had her heart broken by a miserable, but very good looking and hot, husband who cheated on her and then to make things worse, is marrying her rich cousin she could never stand. And it is funny.
There seem to be more Aussie novels and particularly chick-lit of which this is a variant, but it's still a different environment for most American readers.
As the novel opens Tara is still grieving for the loss of her husband Jake a year later, when he rubs salt in the wounds by announcing that he is not only marrying her cousin, but he's running for Lord Mayor of Sydney as well so she will not be able to avoid seeing his picture all over the place.
Her friends, a varied lot, insist she has to get over Jake, and fortunately there's an article in Cosmopolitan that tells you how to do it. So she has her hair done and gets a makeover and indulges in some very enjoyable, if uncharacteristic meaningless sex involving a one-night stand with a luscious cricket player, or soccer player, or some kind of footballer. She's so drunk she never figures it out and she never gets his name. But that one night is enough to convince her that life does go on - even after Jake.
There's an entertaining twist that is only revealed when Tara travels to India to get out of the country during Jake's wedding. The trip through India is unexpected and it makes the story that much less run of the mill. How many romances feature terrorism and murder and bombs in Mumbai and robbers in other Indian cities?
This part isn't funny at all, but it adds a bit of grit and realism to the story. It's not romantic suspense. It's just the way the world is in places today.
I could tell you there's a happy ending without giving away too much, but you weren't really expecting an unhappy ending, I hope. The story delivers for readers in not just one happy ending, but a number of them.
So, if you're looking for a funny, romantic, moving and satisfying story of how to bounce back from heartbreak, this would be well worth a look.
Which is why I gave "Closure" five stars, despite the fact that it's an often-told story. But it's told well, it's written well, you root for the Aussie heroine who has had her heart broken by a miserable, but very good looking and hot, husband who cheated on her and then to make things worse, is marrying her rich cousin she could never stand. And it is funny.
There seem to be more Aussie novels and particularly chick-lit of which this is a variant, but it's still a different environment for most American readers.
As the novel opens Tara is still grieving for the loss of her husband Jake a year later, when he rubs salt in the wounds by announcing that he is not only marrying her cousin, but he's running for Lord Mayor of Sydney as well so she will not be able to avoid seeing his picture all over the place.
Her friends, a varied lot, insist she has to get over Jake, and fortunately there's an article in Cosmopolitan that tells you how to do it. So she has her hair done and gets a makeover and indulges in some very enjoyable, if uncharacteristic meaningless sex involving a one-night stand with a luscious cricket player, or soccer player, or some kind of footballer. She's so drunk she never figures it out and she never gets his name. But that one night is enough to convince her that life does go on - even after Jake.
There's an entertaining twist that is only revealed when Tara travels to India to get out of the country during Jake's wedding. The trip through India is unexpected and it makes the story that much less run of the mill. How many romances feature terrorism and murder and bombs in Mumbai and robbers in other Indian cities?
This part isn't funny at all, but it adds a bit of grit and realism to the story. It's not romantic suspense. It's just the way the world is in places today.
I could tell you there's a happy ending without giving away too much, but you weren't really expecting an unhappy ending, I hope. The story delivers for readers in not just one happy ending, but a number of them.
So, if you're looking for a funny, romantic, moving and satisfying story of how to bounce back from heartbreak, this would be well worth a look.
March 16, 2015
I absolutely loved this book with all my heart. It's a light, easy and funny read.
I loved the characters - Tara and the girls, her mum and her sister. But I especially like the bond between Tara and Matt. Like they were meant for each other. I found myself with a ridiculous smile on my face most of the time and at others I was either laughing or emotional.
This book and the author are amazing! Im so glad I found this book and even more glad that I took the time to read it!
I loved the characters - Tara and the girls, her mum and her sister. But I especially like the bond between Tara and Matt. Like they were meant for each other. I found myself with a ridiculous smile on my face most of the time and at others I was either laughing or emotional.
This book and the author are amazing! Im so glad I found this book and even more glad that I took the time to read it!
September 19, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up
Would have given more if not for the bit of TMI in the intimate scenes and looong dragged our part in the end with the radio stunt. But credit to the author some parts of the book were huge belly laughs especially with those deranged pets!
Would have given more if not for the bit of TMI in the intimate scenes and looong dragged our part in the end with the radio stunt. But credit to the author some parts of the book were huge belly laughs especially with those deranged pets!
June 21, 2020
This book aw damn took me forever to finish
Ok the main plot is Tara follow the seven steps to closure her friend show her at the magazine after her fiancee dumped her and was about to marry her cousin and become the mayor.
Ok get it Main Character is Tara
We got a bit of each chapter of Tara doing the steps recommeded by the magazine. Other than that , its focus too much on the life of side characters which are totally unrelated to the plot. I don't need to fucking know about the whole crap that is Dina's love life with the cleaner Ricardo. Dafuq I wanna stab myself hearing Dina describing her sex with Ricardo. She talks like a 7 year old boy who have seen her first dick. Oh god then I pull down his pants and I can see his dick.
Also the part where Tara's niece and nephews was fighting over who get to give Tara flowers. I don't need that load of crap taking up a whole page.
I also don't want to know about how Tara's cat died and how they are fighting with each other.
The first half is a total snoozefest but after that when Tara get to India isn't so bad. India sounds like a nice place but if I am here to read for the story , not watch lonely planet.
The ending is somewhat ok.
Ok the main plot is Tara follow the seven steps to closure her friend show her at the magazine after her fiancee dumped her and was about to marry her cousin and become the mayor.
Ok get it Main Character is Tara
We got a bit of each chapter of Tara doing the steps recommeded by the magazine. Other than that , its focus too much on the life of side characters which are totally unrelated to the plot. I don't need to fucking know about the whole crap that is Dina's love life with the cleaner Ricardo. Dafuq I wanna stab myself hearing Dina describing her sex with Ricardo. She talks like a 7 year old boy who have seen her first dick. Oh god then I pull down his pants and I can see his dick.
Also the part where Tara's niece and nephews was fighting over who get to give Tara flowers. I don't need that load of crap taking up a whole page.
I also don't want to know about how Tara's cat died and how they are fighting with each other.
The first half is a total snoozefest but after that when Tara get to India isn't so bad. India sounds like a nice place but if I am here to read for the story , not watch lonely planet.
The ending is somewhat ok.
March 31, 2015
I downloaded this book, "The Seven Steps to Closure" months and month ago when it came up for free on BookBub (love that website and their daily emails!). I finally got around to reading it and I LOVED it! Surprisingly enough, I think I'm going to give it five stars!
Main character Tara just turned thirty and is STILL not over her divorce from ex-husband, Jake. It doesn't help that she still has to see and hear about Jake, as he is engaged to her cousin and running for Lord Mayer. One of Tara's friends read a Cosmo article about the Seven Steps to Closure. The steps are:
1. Get a new haircut
2. Get a new wardrobe
3. Start a new hobby
4. Have meaningless sex
5. Travel to an exotic destination
6. Have meaningful sex
7. Obtain closure
Tara decides to take the challenge! The book is very fun right from the beginning, but I feel like it really gets interesting once Tara moves onto step number 5. Tara decides to let the universe decide where she goes by throwing darts at a map and ends up going to India! I loved that she was going somewhere more "gritty" than most chick lit novels (I've read a lot lately with girls going to Caribbean islands). While in India, she re-connects with "meaningless sex" guy and he asks her to come along on his trip. I loved the love interest, Matt, in this story. He was so incredibly sweet to Tara, always looking out for her. He didn't mind that she had some meat on her bones and had a big appetite. I don't always love chick lit men, but Matt was good through and through and also, HOT!
I loved reading about all the places they went in India. I felt like I got a good idea of the culture. They were even in the same town as where a bombing occurred. Tara's reaction was very fitting and although it was a chick lit, the situation wasn't taken lightly and it showed some of the realism of the world. Throughout the book, funny, unlucky situations keep happening to Tara and India is no exception. She has to give up her shoes to go into a Temple and gets the wrong shoes back. By far, the luckiest and most realistic situation was when Tara gets "Delhi belly" and is terribly sick in the bathroom. She's so embarrassed because Matt can hear- and possibly smell- her outside the bathroom door! This just added to the cuteness and realness of their relationship.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect blend of chick lit, humor, realism, and romance. I would highly recommend this book!
Main character Tara just turned thirty and is STILL not over her divorce from ex-husband, Jake. It doesn't help that she still has to see and hear about Jake, as he is engaged to her cousin and running for Lord Mayer. One of Tara's friends read a Cosmo article about the Seven Steps to Closure. The steps are:
1. Get a new haircut
2. Get a new wardrobe
3. Start a new hobby
4. Have meaningless sex
5. Travel to an exotic destination
6. Have meaningful sex
7. Obtain closure
Tara decides to take the challenge! The book is very fun right from the beginning, but I feel like it really gets interesting once Tara moves onto step number 5. Tara decides to let the universe decide where she goes by throwing darts at a map and ends up going to India! I loved that she was going somewhere more "gritty" than most chick lit novels (I've read a lot lately with girls going to Caribbean islands). While in India, she re-connects with "meaningless sex" guy and he asks her to come along on his trip. I loved the love interest, Matt, in this story. He was so incredibly sweet to Tara, always looking out for her. He didn't mind that she had some meat on her bones and had a big appetite. I don't always love chick lit men, but Matt was good through and through and also, HOT!
I loved reading about all the places they went in India. I felt like I got a good idea of the culture. They were even in the same town as where a bombing occurred. Tara's reaction was very fitting and although it was a chick lit, the situation wasn't taken lightly and it showed some of the realism of the world. Throughout the book, funny, unlucky situations keep happening to Tara and India is no exception. She has to give up her shoes to go into a Temple and gets the wrong shoes back. By far, the luckiest and most realistic situation was when Tara gets "Delhi belly" and is terribly sick in the bathroom. She's so embarrassed because Matt can hear- and possibly smell- her outside the bathroom door! This just added to the cuteness and realness of their relationship.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect blend of chick lit, humor, realism, and romance. I would highly recommend this book!
March 3, 2015
I'm one of the few that didn't rate the book 4 or 5 stars. Even though I read the whole book and didn't give up at any point says something.
I did like the story line, the descriptions of her trip to India makes me almost want to go and see the sites.
I did feel like the main character was just too aloof. Yes, she had some funny things happen to her, and she's a bit accident-prone, but I found her extremely lacking and with no passion that you come to expect from these types of novels.
The flashbacks to her life with her ex got to be tedious. This was a free book on Amazon and thought I'd give it a try. I'm not upset I read it, just wish there was more substance and passion to the main characters.
I did like the story line, the descriptions of her trip to India makes me almost want to go and see the sites.
I did feel like the main character was just too aloof. Yes, she had some funny things happen to her, and she's a bit accident-prone, but I found her extremely lacking and with no passion that you come to expect from these types of novels.
The flashbacks to her life with her ex got to be tedious. This was a free book on Amazon and thought I'd give it a try. I'm not upset I read it, just wish there was more substance and passion to the main characters.
February 21, 2015
I am in LOVE with this book!
It has been such a long time since I read a book that was so fun, funny, and charming.
The characters were so realistic and their relationships felt so genuine. The story flowed so well and didn't feel rushed or drawn out.
It just felt like you were hanging out with your girlfriends having a great time.
Not to mention it had me laughing so hard I cried.
It was a truly wonderful read that I can see myself rereading over and over.
It has been such a long time since I read a book that was so fun, funny, and charming.
The characters were so realistic and their relationships felt so genuine. The story flowed so well and didn't feel rushed or drawn out.
It just felt like you were hanging out with your girlfriends having a great time.
Not to mention it had me laughing so hard I cried.
It was a truly wonderful read that I can see myself rereading over and over.
April 16, 2013
Am I biased? Of course I am - but my mother likes it too! It's sassy and saucy and a little bit naughty, with LOL moments that will keep you turning the pages. Only $3.99 on kindle and a finalist in the Shirley You Jest Book Awards, it's chicklit at its best.
What are you waiting for??
What are you waiting for??
May 25, 2022
2.5*
I'm not exactly sure why I've a recent curse of romances who seem to think chemistry is all about the physical. Where's the banter, the vulnerability, the wit.
Anywho this was reminding me of The Single Girl's To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk, which I had loved when I read it. This story was mostly boring. The romantic buildup happened over the course of repetitive days while our MC is on a holiday with the LO. And there was the most disturbing part of this book - the tinges of Orientalism. Why one of India's most horrifying incidents in recent history was used as a plot point was beyond me! And then comments like this -
The Indian people as a nation were going to doubly suffer for this through a lack of the tourism they so desperately relied on.
Yes, there is a lot of pain and suffering in India. But there is also laughter and joy. You see those kids living in the slums? They are capable of happiness. So don’t get caught up in the tragedy of India, but instead learn to embrace the life here.
So anyone white authors should be far more sensitive writing about the East, even while they do seem to be writing a quite genuine experience of the country. I think the plot would have still stood without bringing in the whole terrorist attack event. It was all a bit distasteful.
And then to go on to mess up "marsala chai" and "humaryun's tomb"... I don't know if it was bad editing or bad research.
Anyways, the rest of the book didn't really redeem itself. Sure I rooted for Tara to get over her awful ex, but I barely rooted for Matt and Tara. You gotta tell me why these two need to be together, beyond their supposed physical attraction which they more tell than show.
Overall, lacklustre, and then a very strange abrupt end.
I'm not exactly sure why I've a recent curse of romances who seem to think chemistry is all about the physical. Where's the banter, the vulnerability, the wit.
Anywho this was reminding me of The Single Girl's To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk, which I had loved when I read it. This story was mostly boring. The romantic buildup happened over the course of repetitive days while our MC is on a holiday with the LO. And there was the most disturbing part of this book - the tinges of Orientalism. Why one of India's most horrifying incidents in recent history was used as a plot point was beyond me! And then comments like this -
The Indian people as a nation were going to doubly suffer for this through a lack of the tourism they so desperately relied on.
Yes, there is a lot of pain and suffering in India. But there is also laughter and joy. You see those kids living in the slums? They are capable of happiness. So don’t get caught up in the tragedy of India, but instead learn to embrace the life here.
So anyone white authors should be far more sensitive writing about the East, even while they do seem to be writing a quite genuine experience of the country. I think the plot would have still stood without bringing in the whole terrorist attack event. It was all a bit distasteful.
And then to go on to mess up "marsala chai" and "humaryun's tomb"... I don't know if it was bad editing or bad research.
Anyways, the rest of the book didn't really redeem itself. Sure I rooted for Tara to get over her awful ex, but I barely rooted for Matt and Tara. You gotta tell me why these two need to be together, beyond their supposed physical attraction which they more tell than show.
Overall, lacklustre, and then a very strange abrupt end.
August 4, 2017
I absolutely loved this book!! It had such a good balance between all the characters! Especially between the MC and her friends! No one was pushed to the side or forgotten, each friend was represented and had a fair share of page time and the support system they have is so amazing!! #ActualSquadGoals. This makes me wish all my BFFs were in one place and we'd grow old together, have amazing memories and support each other through everything life throws at us.
The romance was so amazing and subtle. It wasn't thrown on your face or shoved down your throat. I absolutely loved it!! Matt is so adorable and a sweetheart.
Complaints that I have about this book is that I needed the Jake confrontation to be more dramatic and have more flair and I skipped a few pages because it got tedious reading about one thing for 3 or so pages.
It's a good book for travelling or something to read on the beach or by the pool.
The romance was so amazing and subtle. It wasn't thrown on your face or shoved down your throat. I absolutely loved it!! Matt is so adorable and a sweetheart.
Complaints that I have about this book is that I needed the Jake confrontation to be more dramatic and have more flair and I skipped a few pages because it got tedious reading about one thing for 3 or so pages.
It's a good book for travelling or something to read on the beach or by the pool.
October 16, 2017
Overall rating: 5 stars
Genre: Chick Lit
Plot: 10/10
Ending: 6/10
Writing: 9/10
Hero: 8/10
Heroine: 10/10
Humour: 9/10
Feels: 9/10
HEA:
Genre: Chick Lit
Plot: 10/10
Ending: 6/10
Writing: 9/10
Hero: 8/10
Heroine: 10/10
Humour: 9/10
Feels: 9/10
HEA:
June 2, 2013
This was another free book from Amazon. It takes place in Sydney, Australia, which added a bit of local interest for me! It's a light, funny chick-lit book, but it has enough substance and character development to it that it's very engaging and was an enjoyable read.
Tara is trying, unsuccessfully, to get over her ex. He was a manipulative charmer who began showing his rotten side shortly after their whirlwind wedding, but still she remains entranced. Her best friends band together to try and help her break his spell - especially now that he's engaged to her cousin AND becoming a public figure. One of her friends has found a "7 Steps" guide for getting over someone, and Tara reluctantly agrees to try it. Once she starts the steps, though, she's off and running with them and we watch her progress, which is sometimes hilarious and sometimes touching or even scary. We also learn about the best friends' own relationship issues and developments, and there are unexpected and endearing moments.
I found myself really looking forward to reading more each night (I usually read a chosen book at bedtime), and I couldn't predict the developments or the ending. All in all, very enjoyable.
Tara is trying, unsuccessfully, to get over her ex. He was a manipulative charmer who began showing his rotten side shortly after their whirlwind wedding, but still she remains entranced. Her best friends band together to try and help her break his spell - especially now that he's engaged to her cousin AND becoming a public figure. One of her friends has found a "7 Steps" guide for getting over someone, and Tara reluctantly agrees to try it. Once she starts the steps, though, she's off and running with them and we watch her progress, which is sometimes hilarious and sometimes touching or even scary. We also learn about the best friends' own relationship issues and developments, and there are unexpected and endearing moments.
I found myself really looking forward to reading more each night (I usually read a chosen book at bedtime), and I couldn't predict the developments or the ending. All in all, very enjoyable.
February 10, 2015
Fun Read!
This book was a hoot. Tara had a great personality and a realistic issue of letting go. I think a lot of people have a hard time moving on and I like how that was explored in the book. The psycho animals were an awesome addition to the story! Fair warning to some but this takes place in Australia and has Aussie lingo that some might find off putting (I loved it). The descriptions of the towns and surrounding areas in India was well done and enjoyable to read. I really liked how there was a spiritual connotation to her stepping out of her comfort zone too (using a dart to decide where she would travel and running into Matt because of it). The only complaint I have is the very end, I found it a strange "chapter" (I use " since it was basically 2 pages). It was nice that they covered where Nat's relationship was at, Dinah and Gloria still together, and Elaine having gotten married at some point, but I was disappointed that the only reference to her own was wanting to ravish him and they were going on holiday. Huh? I guess I just found it a bit weird to not really talk about them. I still really love the book and would recommend it. Thank you!
This book was a hoot. Tara had a great personality and a realistic issue of letting go. I think a lot of people have a hard time moving on and I like how that was explored in the book. The psycho animals were an awesome addition to the story! Fair warning to some but this takes place in Australia and has Aussie lingo that some might find off putting (I loved it). The descriptions of the towns and surrounding areas in India was well done and enjoyable to read. I really liked how there was a spiritual connotation to her stepping out of her comfort zone too (using a dart to decide where she would travel and running into Matt because of it). The only complaint I have is the very end, I found it a strange "chapter" (I use " since it was basically 2 pages). It was nice that they covered where Nat's relationship was at, Dinah and Gloria still together, and Elaine having gotten married at some point, but I was disappointed that the only reference to her own was wanting to ravish him and they were going on holiday. Huh? I guess I just found it a bit weird to not really talk about them. I still really love the book and would recommend it. Thank you!
November 24, 2017
1.5 stars. A freebie on the Kindle, this was a way too long chick lit novel by an Australian author I'd never heard of, but decided to give a try. Tara has both incredibly good or bad luck, depending on the day or year, with men. This is the story of her romance during a trip to India with a local radio personality/journalist as she rebounds from a bad marriage and divorce. Honestly, the story dragged way too long, iy probably could have been a very fun to read book had it been about 200 pages shorter and with the elimination if several superfluous characters with next to no real role in the story, but as it was, it was unevenly paced and though there were some truly fun chapters, I rushed through the second half, often skimming (something I only really do with Kindle reads). I was glad to just finish it. Not recommended u less its free and you're really bored.
July 6, 2014
This was the perfect book for a summer read. It was entertaining and left me wondering where the characters would go next. The trip to India makes me want to go, but really only if I can have one like hers.
November 28, 2016
Donna Joy Usher writes in two distinct genres: cozy, female-sleuth humorous mysteries PLUS paranormal, faery fantasy. The Seven Steps to Closure is her first novel and is pure chick lit – but for such a commercial genre this read was truly something special. I found myself LOL’ing – no, really – and won over by the side characters – in the form of psychotic pets and best girlfriends – our heroine Tara Babcock is funny and quite unco and totally endearing.
Sometimes in chick lit I kind of grit my teeth at how the female characters spin their world around the men – or hopeful men – in their lives. Not here. Tara may be heartbroken but we love her all the more for it. She has a very different spin to her world.
I also loved that it was set in Sydney, Australia – we get all the bar life and feeling of nature in the city and especially how brutal it can be to find a decent guy in that city. (I lived there for a year in 2001 and can concur!!) Donna Joy Usher is clearly happy writing about her home country and I loved that about this read. The only low to this book is that the psychotic pets do get a rough ride so if you are super sensitive about animals avert your eyes in the crazy kitty chapter.
Surprising, funny, and an all-round 5-star read. No wonder this chick lit novel has won awards and acclaim!! I’ll definitely try Donna Joy Usher’s cozy, female-sleuth mysteries after this.
Fab book.
Sometimes in chick lit I kind of grit my teeth at how the female characters spin their world around the men – or hopeful men – in their lives. Not here. Tara may be heartbroken but we love her all the more for it. She has a very different spin to her world.
I also loved that it was set in Sydney, Australia – we get all the bar life and feeling of nature in the city and especially how brutal it can be to find a decent guy in that city. (I lived there for a year in 2001 and can concur!!) Donna Joy Usher is clearly happy writing about her home country and I loved that about this read. The only low to this book is that the psychotic pets do get a rough ride so if you are super sensitive about animals avert your eyes in the crazy kitty chapter.
Surprising, funny, and an all-round 5-star read. No wonder this chick lit novel has won awards and acclaim!! I’ll definitely try Donna Joy Usher’s cozy, female-sleuth mysteries after this.
Fab book.
December 2, 2018
Abschluss
Seit der Trennung von ihrem Ex, die schon ein Jahr her ist, hat sich Tara noch nicht richtig erholt. Und um dem Übel auch noch die Krone aufzusetzen, verlobt der Fiesling auch noch mit ihrer Cousine und tritt zur Bürgermeisterwahl an. Taras Freundinnen Nat, Elaine und Gloria stehen ihr eng zur Seite. Allerdings sind die drei so langsam der Meinung, dass die Zeit der Trauer so langsam mal vorbei sein sollte. Als sie in einer Zeitschrift einen Artikel über die „sieben Schritte um über ihn hinweg zu kommen“, ist der Plan gefasst. Tara muss diese Schritte durchlaufen, damit sie endlich neu starten kann.
Recht harmlos beginnt es mit den Schritten, die wohl viele kennen, erstmal eine neue Frisur und eine neue Garderobe. Auch das neue Hobby ist noch machbar. Doch dann kommt die erste Hürde, der bedeutungslose Sex ist zu absolvieren, bevor ein Urlaub an einem exotischen Ort angetreten werden kann. Man merkt jedoch, dass jeder kleine Schritt eine gewisse Bedeutung hat. So wie der miese Ex Taras Selbstbewusstsein mit seinen blöden egoistischen Äußerungen dezimiert hat, muss sie selbst sich wieder zusammenraufen und befreien.
Zum Glück handelt es sich bei diesem Roman nicht um ein trockenes Selbsthilfewerk. Auch wenn sicher ein paar Weisheiten dargelegt werden, passiert dies doch in sehr amüsanter Form. Schon zu Beginn, wenn Tara ihrem frechen sprechenden Kakadu den Mund verbieten möchte, kommt man aus dem Lachen nicht heraus. Solche Szenen genialer Lustigkeit ziehen sich durch das ganze Buch. Natürlich gibt es auch ernstere und romantische Momente. Herrlich, wie man seinem Widerwillen gegen den Ex freien Lauf lassen kann, wie Tara von ihrer Mutter immer wieder mit psychisch gestörten Tieren versorgt wird, wie sie sich durch die sieben Schritte kämpft, immer in der Hoffnung zu sich selbst zu finden.
Dieses witzige Selbstfindungsbuch kann wirklich jedem empfohlen werden, dem es nach ein paar Stunden lustiger, aber auch gefühlvoller Unterhaltung gelüstet.
Seit der Trennung von ihrem Ex, die schon ein Jahr her ist, hat sich Tara noch nicht richtig erholt. Und um dem Übel auch noch die Krone aufzusetzen, verlobt der Fiesling auch noch mit ihrer Cousine und tritt zur Bürgermeisterwahl an. Taras Freundinnen Nat, Elaine und Gloria stehen ihr eng zur Seite. Allerdings sind die drei so langsam der Meinung, dass die Zeit der Trauer so langsam mal vorbei sein sollte. Als sie in einer Zeitschrift einen Artikel über die „sieben Schritte um über ihn hinweg zu kommen“, ist der Plan gefasst. Tara muss diese Schritte durchlaufen, damit sie endlich neu starten kann.
Recht harmlos beginnt es mit den Schritten, die wohl viele kennen, erstmal eine neue Frisur und eine neue Garderobe. Auch das neue Hobby ist noch machbar. Doch dann kommt die erste Hürde, der bedeutungslose Sex ist zu absolvieren, bevor ein Urlaub an einem exotischen Ort angetreten werden kann. Man merkt jedoch, dass jeder kleine Schritt eine gewisse Bedeutung hat. So wie der miese Ex Taras Selbstbewusstsein mit seinen blöden egoistischen Äußerungen dezimiert hat, muss sie selbst sich wieder zusammenraufen und befreien.
Zum Glück handelt es sich bei diesem Roman nicht um ein trockenes Selbsthilfewerk. Auch wenn sicher ein paar Weisheiten dargelegt werden, passiert dies doch in sehr amüsanter Form. Schon zu Beginn, wenn Tara ihrem frechen sprechenden Kakadu den Mund verbieten möchte, kommt man aus dem Lachen nicht heraus. Solche Szenen genialer Lustigkeit ziehen sich durch das ganze Buch. Natürlich gibt es auch ernstere und romantische Momente. Herrlich, wie man seinem Widerwillen gegen den Ex freien Lauf lassen kann, wie Tara von ihrer Mutter immer wieder mit psychisch gestörten Tieren versorgt wird, wie sie sich durch die sieben Schritte kämpft, immer in der Hoffnung zu sich selbst zu finden.
Dieses witzige Selbstfindungsbuch kann wirklich jedem empfohlen werden, dem es nach ein paar Stunden lustiger, aber auch gefühlvoller Unterhaltung gelüstet.
April 10, 2017
I literally laughed out loud (and annoyed people near me) while reading this book. It was fun and funny and moved from surface feelings and situations to depth. I liked the characters--they were genuine and enjoyable--and just wish this was a series.
June 21, 2017
4.5 stars. I wasn't really in the mood for a chick-lit book but needed it for a reading challenge. Luckily, this one hooked me from the beginning. I really enjoyed the writing style, all the characters were likable, and I enjoyed the storyline. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
April 21, 2017
DNF. A year later she is still crying over some man... nope cannot do it
January 21, 2018
So unexpected and so good! Fun read :)
January 16, 2019
I had so much fun reading this book!
Funny from the first paragraph. Insightful and romantic.
Funny from the first paragraph. Insightful and romantic.
June 22, 2020
This book is fun to read. Tara's journey to get closure from her previous relationship is entertaining and full of misadventures. I loved her friend circle. An enjoyable book for a light read.
August 28, 2018
4.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 477 reviews