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Evie's Little Black Book
Is hunting down every man you’ve kissed the answer to finding Mr Right?
When Evie is invited to the wedding of the guy she’d fancied throughout her teens, it’s the final straw. What’s wrong with her and why can’t she keep a man?
In between consoling herself with ice cream and chocolate, and sobbing her heart out to her cousin Chamaine, Evie has a brainwave – and it all centres around her ‘little black book’ (well, more floral patterned notebook really) – which contains the details of every man she’s ever kissed or dated. Perhaps the cure for her disastrous love life has been nestled within its pages all along …
Does Evie’s little black book really hold the answers, or will she learn that exes are exes for a reason?
When Evie is invited to the wedding of the guy she’d fancied throughout her teens, it’s the final straw. What’s wrong with her and why can’t she keep a man?
In between consoling herself with ice cream and chocolate, and sobbing her heart out to her cousin Chamaine, Evie has a brainwave – and it all centres around her ‘little black book’ (well, more floral patterned notebook really) – which contains the details of every man she’s ever kissed or dated. Perhaps the cure for her disastrous love life has been nestled within its pages all along …
Does Evie’s little black book really hold the answers, or will she learn that exes are exes for a reason?
224 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2019
3 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Pearl
9 books23 followersHannah Pearl was born in East London. She is married with two children and now lives in Cambridge.
She has previously worked as a Criminology researcher, as a Development Worker with various charities and even pulled a few pints in her time.
In 2015 she was struck down by Labrynthitis, which left her feeling dizzy and virtually housebound. She has since been diagnosed with ME. Reading has allowed Hannah to escape from the reality of feeling ill. She read upwards of three hundred books during the first year of her illness. When her burgeoning eReader addiction grew to be too expensive, she decided to have a go at writing. In 2017 she won Simon and Schuster’s Books and the City #heatseeker short story competition, in partnership with Heat magazine, for her short story The Last Good Day.
Hannah is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association.
Follow Hannah:
www.dizzygirlwrites.wordpress.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/HannahPearl_1
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
September 3, 2018
4 Delightful Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Can you imagine hunting down every boy you ever kissed or crushed on? To try to figure out what went wrong? Well after receiving a wedding invitation to an excrushes wedding evie does just that.... completely blindsided and confounded by her ex getting married before her Evie wants to find out what’s wrong with her?“ A fun book filled with laughs, romance, and self discovery...
Evie was such a fun and likable character who I also found tremendously relatable.... her best friend pointed out to her that it wasn’t her, she just had bad taste in men, something I completely understand.... but Evie was not completely convinced so she busted out her little black book, that was actually more floral them black and contacted the men of her past... along the way she meets jake as well as his sister and adorable niece, and a wonderful friendship develops.... loved the relationship between Evie and Jake especially because it began with such a strong friendship.... also Jake went along with the journey of discovery, that included some bumps and surprises...
This was such a quick enjoyable read filled with so much hope... I could absolutely see this book as a movie, in fact it reminded me of a few movies with a bit of a different angle.... recommend to those of you who enjoy a book of self discovery filled with some romance and laughs...
*** many thanks to Ruby Fiction for my copy of this book ***
Can you imagine hunting down every boy you ever kissed or crushed on? To try to figure out what went wrong? Well after receiving a wedding invitation to an excrushes wedding evie does just that.... completely blindsided and confounded by her ex getting married before her Evie wants to find out what’s wrong with her?“ A fun book filled with laughs, romance, and self discovery...
Evie was such a fun and likable character who I also found tremendously relatable.... her best friend pointed out to her that it wasn’t her, she just had bad taste in men, something I completely understand.... but Evie was not completely convinced so she busted out her little black book, that was actually more floral them black and contacted the men of her past... along the way she meets jake as well as his sister and adorable niece, and a wonderful friendship develops.... loved the relationship between Evie and Jake especially because it began with such a strong friendship.... also Jake went along with the journey of discovery, that included some bumps and surprises...
This was such a quick enjoyable read filled with so much hope... I could absolutely see this book as a movie, in fact it reminded me of a few movies with a bit of a different angle.... recommend to those of you who enjoy a book of self discovery filled with some romance and laughs...
*** many thanks to Ruby Fiction for my copy of this book ***
March 5, 2022
CW/TW - Domestic violence, abuse and emotional abuse.
'Do you believe in happy ever afters?'
When Evie receives a wedding invitation to George's wedding, she cries cries cries and cries some more. George is the guy Evie used to fancy and also had an on-again-off-again relationship, only it wasn't a relationship. Evie has half a mind to not go but George is Evie's brother's best friend and Evie's brother, Matt is George's best man. Evie's cousin, Charmaine is her only support as she knows Evie's dilemma very well. To get Evie into a good mood, Charmaine suggests going shopping. When they get back, Evie tries the things they bought and she comes across her floral notebook that she had received for her thirteenth birthday and that floral notebook was filled with all the guys Evie had ever kissed. Then an idea strikes her. Evie wants to chase down every guy that's mentioned in her floral notebook and maybe find out where did she go wrong? Why can't she keep a man? Is there something wrong with her? Does the answer lie in the pages of that floral notebook?
Evie starts her journey to track down the guys with Charmaine's support and we find out what happened in Evie's past too. Little by little, things start to make better sense as to why Evie is feeling so let down by George's wedding. She realizes that there's nothing wrong with her. This journey that she embarks on, not only does she find that some things are not meant to be but she also finds herself and her confidence along the way.
It felt so healing to let go of the pain.
I would say that pacing felt a bit off and towards the end, there is some dark stuff revealed that I suspected but I wasn't ready for. But overall, this was a warm, fun, and a quick read. Evie is a school teacher and she loves her job. Evie's character was likable and relatable enough. But my favorite character was Charmaine. Charmaine was a powerhouse and she supported Evie like no other. We all need a Charmaine in our lives.
There were some things that I didn't like. For example, if Evie would have realized all of that without Jake acting as a love interest, that would have been better. And I think Evie needed to stay single for a little while after that realization and Jake shouldn't have been in the picture. Charmaine's character should have been dealt with better, especially at the wedding where her date cancels on her the night before. I know this was to further Evie and Jake's relationship but it could have been handled better.
This book is all about romance but it also works as a journey of self-discovery. That's why I think I would have liked it even more if Evie would have realized all of that without Jake acting as a love interest. I liked all the supporting characters. It was an interesting list of characters but George was my favorite. I know George's wedding invitation was the thing that started all of this but after reading the book, we get to know what exactly went down with George. And I definitely liked Evie's journey. I also liked that at last, Evie found her peace.
This is Hannah Pearl's debut novel and it was a good read. The writing flowed. The story was gripping enough, a little predictable (but that was not an issue) and I couldn't wait to get to the end. I look forward to reading more from her.
3.75 stars
'Do you believe in happy ever afters?'
When Evie receives a wedding invitation to George's wedding, she cries cries cries and cries some more. George is the guy Evie used to fancy and also had an on-again-off-again relationship, only it wasn't a relationship. Evie has half a mind to not go but George is Evie's brother's best friend and Evie's brother, Matt is George's best man. Evie's cousin, Charmaine is her only support as she knows Evie's dilemma very well. To get Evie into a good mood, Charmaine suggests going shopping. When they get back, Evie tries the things they bought and she comes across her floral notebook that she had received for her thirteenth birthday and that floral notebook was filled with all the guys Evie had ever kissed. Then an idea strikes her. Evie wants to chase down every guy that's mentioned in her floral notebook and maybe find out where did she go wrong? Why can't she keep a man? Is there something wrong with her? Does the answer lie in the pages of that floral notebook?
Evie starts her journey to track down the guys with Charmaine's support and we find out what happened in Evie's past too. Little by little, things start to make better sense as to why Evie is feeling so let down by George's wedding. She realizes that there's nothing wrong with her. This journey that she embarks on, not only does she find that some things are not meant to be but she also finds herself and her confidence along the way.
It felt so healing to let go of the pain.
I would say that pacing felt a bit off and towards the end, there is some dark stuff revealed that I suspected but I wasn't ready for. But overall, this was a warm, fun, and a quick read. Evie is a school teacher and she loves her job. Evie's character was likable and relatable enough. But my favorite character was Charmaine. Charmaine was a powerhouse and she supported Evie like no other. We all need a Charmaine in our lives.
There were some things that I didn't like. For example, if Evie would have realized all of that without Jake acting as a love interest, that would have been better. And I think Evie needed to stay single for a little while after that realization and Jake shouldn't have been in the picture. Charmaine's character should have been dealt with better, especially at the wedding where her date cancels on her the night before. I know this was to further Evie and Jake's relationship but it could have been handled better.
This book is all about romance but it also works as a journey of self-discovery. That's why I think I would have liked it even more if Evie would have realized all of that without Jake acting as a love interest. I liked all the supporting characters. It was an interesting list of characters but George was my favorite. I know George's wedding invitation was the thing that started all of this but after reading the book, we get to know what exactly went down with George. And I definitely liked Evie's journey. I also liked that at last, Evie found her peace.
This is Hannah Pearl's debut novel and it was a good read. The writing flowed. The story was gripping enough, a little predictable (but that was not an issue) and I couldn't wait to get to the end. I look forward to reading more from her.
3.75 stars
January 29, 2019
Favorite Quotes:
‘What you need next,’ she declared, ‘is new underwear. I always feel better when I’m wearing really sexy knickers.’ She pulled the top of her pants up over her trousers to show me. I could see what looked like a piece of leopard print string, and I presumed her taste in underwear was a little skimpier than mine. An elderly gentleman on the next table choked on his tea.
‘I like a lot of different types of women.’ That was an understatement. I suspected that Matt and George had very few types of women they didn’t like. ‘But you know what I find most attractive of all in women?’ he asked me. I shook my head, wondering whether he’d be offended if I’d answered with my first response of a vagina and a pulse.
If you want people to notice you, you have to show them that you have something worth noticing.
I wasn’t a pretty crier. My nose was running and I was taking big, heaving gulps of air every few seconds to power the tears. Jake walked to the cupboard, opened it and handed me a huge bar of Dairy Milk. ‘I’m sure Bea won’t mind you raiding her stash,’ he said. ‘This seems like an emergency.’
My Review:
This was a slow moving yet thoughtful and often humorous read that chronicled a woman’s efforts to examine her past to recoup and repair her tattered identity by reaching back to examine what had transpired during and after her previous crushes, attractions, and relationships with men. Much of the narrative is interior as she works through her memories and observations of the past while also dealing with the present and meeting new and more interesting people while learning to trust again. The writing was insightful and observant with frequent lashings of slyly amusing dry wit.
Ms. Pearl had obviously done her research and compiled the easiest and clearest representation of how an intelligent woman would allow herself to be treated in such a heinous and dastardly manner. She nimbly captured the subtleness and myriad nuances of how a woman could gradually be stripped of her identity and self-confidence and allow and even expect mistreatment and subjugation. Evie wasn’t merely trying to understand what went wrong with her previous relationships, she was trying to find who she had been as she had lost herself and no longer trusted her own judgment, and rightly so, she had been decimated. And thanks to Ms. Pearl, my Brit Vocab List now includes stonking - which Mr. Google tells me is something remarkably large or exciting, I like that. In an effort to utilize a fraction of my newly acquired knowledge I will close this review with a small sampling of what I have gleaned from my sloney and swot reading list… Bloody Nora, I’m not telling porkies when I say my personally culled Brit list is mahoosive and stonking.
‘What you need next,’ she declared, ‘is new underwear. I always feel better when I’m wearing really sexy knickers.’ She pulled the top of her pants up over her trousers to show me. I could see what looked like a piece of leopard print string, and I presumed her taste in underwear was a little skimpier than mine. An elderly gentleman on the next table choked on his tea.
‘I like a lot of different types of women.’ That was an understatement. I suspected that Matt and George had very few types of women they didn’t like. ‘But you know what I find most attractive of all in women?’ he asked me. I shook my head, wondering whether he’d be offended if I’d answered with my first response of a vagina and a pulse.
If you want people to notice you, you have to show them that you have something worth noticing.
I wasn’t a pretty crier. My nose was running and I was taking big, heaving gulps of air every few seconds to power the tears. Jake walked to the cupboard, opened it and handed me a huge bar of Dairy Milk. ‘I’m sure Bea won’t mind you raiding her stash,’ he said. ‘This seems like an emergency.’
My Review:
This was a slow moving yet thoughtful and often humorous read that chronicled a woman’s efforts to examine her past to recoup and repair her tattered identity by reaching back to examine what had transpired during and after her previous crushes, attractions, and relationships with men. Much of the narrative is interior as she works through her memories and observations of the past while also dealing with the present and meeting new and more interesting people while learning to trust again. The writing was insightful and observant with frequent lashings of slyly amusing dry wit.
Ms. Pearl had obviously done her research and compiled the easiest and clearest representation of how an intelligent woman would allow herself to be treated in such a heinous and dastardly manner. She nimbly captured the subtleness and myriad nuances of how a woman could gradually be stripped of her identity and self-confidence and allow and even expect mistreatment and subjugation. Evie wasn’t merely trying to understand what went wrong with her previous relationships, she was trying to find who she had been as she had lost herself and no longer trusted her own judgment, and rightly so, she had been decimated. And thanks to Ms. Pearl, my Brit Vocab List now includes stonking - which Mr. Google tells me is something remarkably large or exciting, I like that. In an effort to utilize a fraction of my newly acquired knowledge I will close this review with a small sampling of what I have gleaned from my sloney and swot reading list… Bloody Nora, I’m not telling porkies when I say my personally culled Brit list is mahoosive and stonking.
September 5, 2018
5☆ A Page Turner
Evie's Little Black Book or should I say Little floral book is a feel good, funny, warm read I devoured in one day.
Evie is devastated when she receives an invitation to her Teenage Crush's wedding.
So she calls on her cousin Charmaine for reinforcement.
Shopping, pizza and plenty of wine and a girls night in. What could be better.
But drunk Evie pulls out to show Charmaine her Little Black Book.... well it's actually a pretty floral notebook, that is like a diary which she has recorded every guy she has ever fancied, kissed or more.
Evie believes If she reads her Little Black Book then she just might be able to figure out just why she's still single
So the pair embark on a crazy journey to track down all of Evie's Ex's etc.. to see just why she's failing so bad at Love.
Some are quiet clearly obvious and some not so.
Will Evie get the answers she's looking for?
Will Evie manage to get her plus 1 for the wedding?
I absolutely loved Evie and Charmaine together. Their bond was so lovely to see.
Evie's Character is so relatable and I warmed to her from the first few pages. We've all been in Evie's situation at some point, maybe not a Teen Crush wedding but definitely asking why am I still single... what's wrong with me... well I certainly have.
Charmaine was a brilliant character I warmed to her straight away. She has Evie's back no matter what and she encourages her to make changes and realise it's not her it's her bad choices in men that's the problem.
I thoroughly enjoyed tagging along on Evie's adventure. It was a light hearted, fun, laugh out loud read, about self discovery, friendship, romance, mistakes, with plenty of loveable quirky characters. It cheered me up so much, just what I needed.
A Must Read!
Thank you to Random Things Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
Evie's Little Black Book or should I say Little floral book is a feel good, funny, warm read I devoured in one day.
Evie is devastated when she receives an invitation to her Teenage Crush's wedding.
So she calls on her cousin Charmaine for reinforcement.
Shopping, pizza and plenty of wine and a girls night in. What could be better.
But drunk Evie pulls out to show Charmaine her Little Black Book.... well it's actually a pretty floral notebook, that is like a diary which she has recorded every guy she has ever fancied, kissed or more.
Evie believes If she reads her Little Black Book then she just might be able to figure out just why she's still single
So the pair embark on a crazy journey to track down all of Evie's Ex's etc.. to see just why she's failing so bad at Love.
Some are quiet clearly obvious and some not so.
Will Evie get the answers she's looking for?
Will Evie manage to get her plus 1 for the wedding?
I absolutely loved Evie and Charmaine together. Their bond was so lovely to see.
Evie's Character is so relatable and I warmed to her from the first few pages. We've all been in Evie's situation at some point, maybe not a Teen Crush wedding but definitely asking why am I still single... what's wrong with me... well I certainly have.
Charmaine was a brilliant character I warmed to her straight away. She has Evie's back no matter what and she encourages her to make changes and realise it's not her it's her bad choices in men that's the problem.
I thoroughly enjoyed tagging along on Evie's adventure. It was a light hearted, fun, laugh out loud read, about self discovery, friendship, romance, mistakes, with plenty of loveable quirky characters. It cheered me up so much, just what I needed.
A Must Read!
Thank you to Random Things Tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
September 1, 2018
My Review Evie's Little Black Book by Hannah Pearl
Who had a black book when they were young?
The Good
The storyline of this book is a hit. Fresh different new and so, believable!
I have done what Evie did but never followed through. Who doesn't Google the ex?
The Bad
There are some sensitive issues towards the end of the book that are tragic and hard. But the start and the middle are unstoppable. From the invitation to the cousin to the wedding - I was hook, line, and sinker into this book!
The Ugly
If you are looking for a romance with some serious bits - this is an unstoppable story with some laughs. Also, there are some gulp moments. I honestly have to say that meeting the gay-ex, the different men, the one that stuck out his tongue... was my pleasure!
Quite simply a great read.
5 Stars - I read this as part of a blog tour and this review is posted on my blog Six Tinder Weeks and Goodreads.
Who had a black book when they were young?
The Good
The storyline of this book is a hit. Fresh different new and so, believable!
I have done what Evie did but never followed through. Who doesn't Google the ex?
The Bad
There are some sensitive issues towards the end of the book that are tragic and hard. But the start and the middle are unstoppable. From the invitation to the cousin to the wedding - I was hook, line, and sinker into this book!
The Ugly
If you are looking for a romance with some serious bits - this is an unstoppable story with some laughs. Also, there are some gulp moments. I honestly have to say that meeting the gay-ex, the different men, the one that stuck out his tongue... was my pleasure!
Quite simply a great read.
5 Stars - I read this as part of a blog tour and this review is posted on my blog Six Tinder Weeks and Goodreads.
September 1, 2018
I’ve been struggling a bit choosing which genre of book to read to quench my thirst in reading, to be honest I wasn’t sure ‘chic-lit’ was going to cut it but I had agreed to the blog tour so had obligations to read it on time.
Thankfully as soon as I turned the first page of Evie’s Little Black Book I knew this was going to be something different. The whole approach to writing was immediately likeable. Evie gets an invitation to a wedding, not any old wedding but a friend of her brother, with crippling embarrassment she recalls she had the hots for him in her teens. She never expected him to marry before her! How very dare he!
As Evie slides into a classic chocolate and ice-cream binge fest accompanied by a million tears of self pity the only person who can possibly pull her out of it is her cousin Charmaine whose remedy is to go and buy some skimpy knickers to make herself feel great again!
Evie is rummaging in her drawer and finds the little black book, actually she’ll let you know a few times it’s flowery lol .. this book contains every single boy/man Evie has dreamt about, kissed, dated or even got engaged to, it’s while reading this she is convinced there must be something wrong with her or why would she still be single?
This is a fabulous light-hearted treat to read .. Evie with the help of a few others begins to seek out all these guys, sometimes it’s blatantly obvious why it didn’t work. I enjoyed the interaction between all the characters, Evie is likeable and I found myself hoping one particular relationship would work out, it was a joy to watch her unfold, lose some of her insecurities and turn towards the kick ass side. I liked Charmaine’s attitude she wasn’t going to stand any crap from anyone and was very protective of Evie.
All fans of romance, chic-lit and humour will race through this book, it’s so nice to find a story with a new twist. I loved every minute of Evie’s Little Black Book and have no hesitation in recommending it.
Thanks to the author, publisher, netgalley and Rachel from Random Resources for my copy which I reviewed voluntarily.
Thankfully as soon as I turned the first page of Evie’s Little Black Book I knew this was going to be something different. The whole approach to writing was immediately likeable. Evie gets an invitation to a wedding, not any old wedding but a friend of her brother, with crippling embarrassment she recalls she had the hots for him in her teens. She never expected him to marry before her! How very dare he!
As Evie slides into a classic chocolate and ice-cream binge fest accompanied by a million tears of self pity the only person who can possibly pull her out of it is her cousin Charmaine whose remedy is to go and buy some skimpy knickers to make herself feel great again!
Evie is rummaging in her drawer and finds the little black book, actually she’ll let you know a few times it’s flowery lol .. this book contains every single boy/man Evie has dreamt about, kissed, dated or even got engaged to, it’s while reading this she is convinced there must be something wrong with her or why would she still be single?
This is a fabulous light-hearted treat to read .. Evie with the help of a few others begins to seek out all these guys, sometimes it’s blatantly obvious why it didn’t work. I enjoyed the interaction between all the characters, Evie is likeable and I found myself hoping one particular relationship would work out, it was a joy to watch her unfold, lose some of her insecurities and turn towards the kick ass side. I liked Charmaine’s attitude she wasn’t going to stand any crap from anyone and was very protective of Evie.
All fans of romance, chic-lit and humour will race through this book, it’s so nice to find a story with a new twist. I loved every minute of Evie’s Little Black Book and have no hesitation in recommending it.
Thanks to the author, publisher, netgalley and Rachel from Random Resources for my copy which I reviewed voluntarily.
August 28, 2018
Evie O’Reilly is upset when she received a wedding invitation in the mail. George is someone she used to fool around with, but never actually dated and she can’t believe that he was getting married before her especially since she never thought he would ever settle down. Evie is having a crisis and the only person who can help her through her ordeal is her best friend and cousin, Charmaine. Charmaine claims Evie is still single because she has awful taste in men and goes about proving this theory to Evie when Evie finds her little black book (ok its mostly floral!) with pages filled of all of her crushes and first kisses since she turned fifteen. Evie sets out on a journey revisiting the past and all of the men who have filtered in and out of her life. This leads her into meeting Jake, his sister Bea, and his adorable three year old niece Alice. But, while on her quest through the past, will Evie realize that love is right under her nose?
Evie is a really cute character that I feel most women can relate to. We have all dated men and often wondered what went wrong with the relationship and why did it really end or have met guys and it really didn’t go anywhere. We often wonder what is wrong with us? Sometimes, I think back on past boyfriends and wonder what would have happened. But, then I remembered why we broke up or never really went any further then a few dates. It is for a reason! They were not perfect for us. I think it is a real eye opener for Evie reliving her past and along the way she gets to grow as a person. Her relationship with Jake starts off really strong and while Evie doesn’t see it as a relationship at first, you can see how the two start to bond. The one good thing to come out of this little black book was her chance encounter with Jake.
Evie’s Little Black Book is a story of one woman’s journey of finding herself and what it truly means to be happy. Evie learns about herself along the way and comes to realize its not her and she is quite capable of finding a happily ever after all on her own. This is such a sweet story that has its funny moments as well as a cute little love story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Evie is a really cute character that I feel most women can relate to. We have all dated men and often wondered what went wrong with the relationship and why did it really end or have met guys and it really didn’t go anywhere. We often wonder what is wrong with us? Sometimes, I think back on past boyfriends and wonder what would have happened. But, then I remembered why we broke up or never really went any further then a few dates. It is for a reason! They were not perfect for us. I think it is a real eye opener for Evie reliving her past and along the way she gets to grow as a person. Her relationship with Jake starts off really strong and while Evie doesn’t see it as a relationship at first, you can see how the two start to bond. The one good thing to come out of this little black book was her chance encounter with Jake.
Evie’s Little Black Book is a story of one woman’s journey of finding herself and what it truly means to be happy. Evie learns about herself along the way and comes to realize its not her and she is quite capable of finding a happily ever after all on her own. This is such a sweet story that has its funny moments as well as a cute little love story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
September 25, 2018
This was totally a fun book where Evie finds her little black book, a journal if sorts, where all her past dates/relationships have been chronicled. And Evie then decides to meet up with her dates to find out what went wrong.
My first book by author Hannah Pearl, had me smiling and chuckling at her attempts to go back in time to meet up with the exes. It gave me an insight about myself too in a way that I always felt a relationship broke up because of me, but probably that was not the case.
Evie was delightful in her role as a school teacher who was loving and caring and quite brave. Her meet cute with Jake had me longing for such a happening in my life too. The other characters cousin Charmaine, Jake's sister Bea and niece Alice kept the pace of the book going smooth and strong.
Hannah Pearl, via an example of an ex-fiance Ryan, dealt with domestic control and violence and the perils of being in a relationship with such a man along with the after effects. I felt that part was written sensitively intermerging well with the plot.
This was a cute book which kept me up reading late into the night. What niggled me and kept me loving the book was that I felt it needed something more to make the book complete and a bit more humor.
The book did keep me hooked to it, there was both introspection and retrospective perception to make me go into my own self-discovery. Overall an enjoyable fast read!
My first book by author Hannah Pearl, had me smiling and chuckling at her attempts to go back in time to meet up with the exes. It gave me an insight about myself too in a way that I always felt a relationship broke up because of me, but probably that was not the case.
Evie was delightful in her role as a school teacher who was loving and caring and quite brave. Her meet cute with Jake had me longing for such a happening in my life too. The other characters cousin Charmaine, Jake's sister Bea and niece Alice kept the pace of the book going smooth and strong.
Hannah Pearl, via an example of an ex-fiance Ryan, dealt with domestic control and violence and the perils of being in a relationship with such a man along with the after effects. I felt that part was written sensitively intermerging well with the plot.
This was a cute book which kept me up reading late into the night. What niggled me and kept me loving the book was that I felt it needed something more to make the book complete and a bit more humor.
The book did keep me hooked to it, there was both introspection and retrospective perception to make me go into my own self-discovery. Overall an enjoyable fast read!
August 19, 2018
A new book from the Ruby offshoot of Choc Lit books and another winner. I'm having counselling at the minute, going back over past times and looking at my behaviours with a view to moving forward in life so this tale of Evie going back over past boyfriends to see why she has made bad love choices really resonated with me. The end goal may be different but there's a lot of similarities in the journey.
Evie goes through her little (floral actually) book and re-visiting past boyfriends and learning a lot about herself on the way. The last ex-fiance is a story that is saved til the very end and without spoiling that plot point it's another that resonated and gave me something to both think about and take away.
While all this is going on Evie meets Jake, his sister and niece and forms a tight bond with them. What's nice is the relationship with Jake evolves with no dramas, no huge relationship destroying secret; even the reveal of the ex-fiance's behaviour isn't enough to spoil the developing love and it gives the book a nice even feel whilst Evie is on her journey of discovery.
Romance stories always seem to be quick reads for me and I think this one was about 4-5 hours start to finish so a lovely way to spend an afternoon now now that the weather can't make it's mind up what it wants to do. I found it so easy to keep turning the pages and see what happens next. The characters are all well defined and so easy to picture.
It's a well written debut and I can't wait to see what the next one is :)
Evie goes through her little (floral actually) book and re-visiting past boyfriends and learning a lot about herself on the way. The last ex-fiance is a story that is saved til the very end and without spoiling that plot point it's another that resonated and gave me something to both think about and take away.
While all this is going on Evie meets Jake, his sister and niece and forms a tight bond with them. What's nice is the relationship with Jake evolves with no dramas, no huge relationship destroying secret; even the reveal of the ex-fiance's behaviour isn't enough to spoil the developing love and it gives the book a nice even feel whilst Evie is on her journey of discovery.
Romance stories always seem to be quick reads for me and I think this one was about 4-5 hours start to finish so a lovely way to spend an afternoon now now that the weather can't make it's mind up what it wants to do. I found it so easy to keep turning the pages and see what happens next. The characters are all well defined and so easy to picture.
It's a well written debut and I can't wait to see what the next one is :)
August 29, 2018
What a gorgeous story of hope, faith and restoring confidence
Wow! I read Hannah Pearls short and wanted to devour this. I’m glad I didn’t finish it quickly as I loved being on Evie’s journey she’s a kick arse female who has me feeling more motivated than ever. A story of hope, love, friendships and so much more. I wasn’t expecting the OMG moments. I’m such a huge fan of Hannah’s
Wow! I read Hannah Pearls short and wanted to devour this. I’m glad I didn’t finish it quickly as I loved being on Evie’s journey she’s a kick arse female who has me feeling more motivated than ever. A story of hope, love, friendships and so much more. I wasn’t expecting the OMG moments. I’m such a huge fan of Hannah’s
September 3, 2018
All my reviews can be found at: http://jessicasreadingroom.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Should you look at your past to move forward in your life? The premise of Evie’s Little Black Book had me wanting to read it! This is a fun chick lit novel that entertains throughout and you can’t help but like ALL of these characters.
I enjoyed going on this journey with Evie and learning about her past as she did. Was the problem in past relationships actually Evie or her former partners? Has she just not met the right man yet? Is it really “It’s me and not you”?
You know where the novel is going once she meets Jake, but it is a fun ride. There is a deeper meaning here towards the end of the novel that I was not expecting. Even though this is a fun and quick read, I found myself genuinely concerned with the actions the characters chose to go with towards the end of the novel. Luckily that direction did not happen (Note to self: Remember this is light-hearted chick lit!)
There is an important message here: Real and true friends will always come back to you even if you have not been treated well.
Evie’s Little Black Book is recommended.
**I received a copy as a part of the blog tour**
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Should you look at your past to move forward in your life? The premise of Evie’s Little Black Book had me wanting to read it! This is a fun chick lit novel that entertains throughout and you can’t help but like ALL of these characters.
I enjoyed going on this journey with Evie and learning about her past as she did. Was the problem in past relationships actually Evie or her former partners? Has she just not met the right man yet? Is it really “It’s me and not you”?
You know where the novel is going once she meets Jake, but it is a fun ride. There is a deeper meaning here towards the end of the novel that I was not expecting. Even though this is a fun and quick read, I found myself genuinely concerned with the actions the characters chose to go with towards the end of the novel. Luckily that direction did not happen (Note to self: Remember this is light-hearted chick lit!)
There is an important message here: Real and true friends will always come back to you even if you have not been treated well.
Evie’s Little Black Book is recommended.
**I received a copy as a part of the blog tour**
August 6, 2018
Sometimes you have to go back in order to be able to go forward ...
First of all I absolutely adored the cover. It's playful and fun but behind this cover there are a lot of other things going on.
'It's not you, It's me', is what you often here when relationships come to an end, but sometimes it makes you wonder. That's the perfect time to take a closer look and get yourself the answers you need. Is there a happy ever after for you or are you destined to spend your life alone?
Come and join Evie on a trip through her little (not so) black book. If you ask yourself the same questions, maybe you should follow her example.
A lovely, funny and fluently written story with a deeper meaning. Good friends are forever even if you did not always treat them right.
Thank you, Hannah Pearl and Ruby Fiction
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
First of all I absolutely adored the cover. It's playful and fun but behind this cover there are a lot of other things going on.
'It's not you, It's me', is what you often here when relationships come to an end, but sometimes it makes you wonder. That's the perfect time to take a closer look and get yourself the answers you need. Is there a happy ever after for you or are you destined to spend your life alone?
Come and join Evie on a trip through her little (not so) black book. If you ask yourself the same questions, maybe you should follow her example.
A lovely, funny and fluently written story with a deeper meaning. Good friends are forever even if you did not always treat them right.
Thank you, Hannah Pearl and Ruby Fiction
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
September 13, 2018
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I really enjoyed this story, I was intrigued by the blurb and the cover really drew me in, it is a well written, well paced story that I found to be a delightful read!
I thought that the characters were excellent, very well developed and Evie was great, a fascinating last that I loved reading about! It has a good solid plot and I enjoyed the setting for the book too.
Four stars from me for this one, highly recommended and the cover is gorgeous!
I really enjoyed this story, I was intrigued by the blurb and the cover really drew me in, it is a well written, well paced story that I found to be a delightful read!
I thought that the characters were excellent, very well developed and Evie was great, a fascinating last that I loved reading about! It has a good solid plot and I enjoyed the setting for the book too.
Four stars from me for this one, highly recommended and the cover is gorgeous!
August 21, 2018
I have had so much fun reading this book! In Evie, there's a character who we can all relate to!! Looking back at the men in her life, and wondering why she's still single! Is it her? Has she been picking the wrong men? Luckily for her she's kept notes over the years in her 'little black book' - more of a floral notebook! - of all the crushes and kisses she's had!
So now is the perfect time for her to go back and track down some of the exes, and to see if she made did make mistakes or if she had lucky escapes! Anything to help her try and get over the news of the forthcoming wedding she's been invited to of one of those crushes she spent her teenage years pining over!
I loved the fun side of this book and it just felt really sassy!! Evie isn't afraid of confronting her past and looking back often ends up throwing you off track, and finding out some shocking secrets about those you thought you knew! Her cousin Charmaine was straight talking and helped set her on the right track and was always there with good advice!
She learns so much about herself by going back and it was so enjoyable to go on that journey with her in the hope that she'd find her Mr Right! Loved it!
So now is the perfect time for her to go back and track down some of the exes, and to see if she made did make mistakes or if she had lucky escapes! Anything to help her try and get over the news of the forthcoming wedding she's been invited to of one of those crushes she spent her teenage years pining over!
I loved the fun side of this book and it just felt really sassy!! Evie isn't afraid of confronting her past and looking back often ends up throwing you off track, and finding out some shocking secrets about those you thought you knew! Her cousin Charmaine was straight talking and helped set her on the right track and was always there with good advice!
She learns so much about herself by going back and it was so enjoyable to go on that journey with her in the hope that she'd find her Mr Right! Loved it!
August 30, 2018
Taken by surprise when a former boyfriend, one that she thought herself in love with, invites her to his wedding, Evie’s world, at least her confidence, took a hard hit that even ice cream and a pity party wasn’t helping. Her old ‘black book’, actually a flowery-covered journal, listed each of her boyfriends, how she felt, what she was thinking, even their contact info, and she wonders if going back to those relationships will help her to see where she went wrong. Starting with a boy whose family lived a few doors down, Evie interrupts a cake fire, soon followed by a helping hand to a childminding uncle with more heart than skills, at least where baking is concerned. Jake is helping his sister Bea with her three-year old daughter Alice after a sudden divorce left Bea juggling work, childminding and life. Helpful to the nth degree, they helped Evie to find her early boyfriend, even as she instantly could suss out why that wasn’t an option for her.
Slowly Evie’s connection and friendship with Bea, Jake, and Alice starts to grow, with Evie’s own responsibilities at the school where she teaches English, and with Jake searching for a job, Alice needing care, and Evie finding herself helpful(as well as truly enjoying her time with Alice, the flirtation (or whatever it is) with Jake, and the offered friendship from Bea, she’s ‘helping out’ with Alice’s care over her summer holidays.
And there are stones to upturn: a visit to her grandmother in Ireland to reclaim the ‘feeling’ she had in the freedom of being young and bold during a visit in Dublin (with Jake who provided her with more questions), revisiting her old college hangout, finding another performing in a band near her brother’s house, and even a now married former flame who got her drunk, talked about old times, and with his husband nursed her through a hangover and advice. The wheels came off the bus when her former fiancé’s new girlfriend, and her friend, ends up in hospital after being beaten by said ex-fiancé where Evie recognizes his grooming her for a similar fate, undermined only by the fact that Evie had both family who she could rely on, and a sense that she wasn’t safe or happy with him, before he sent her packing. Revelations galore, a discovery of her own sense of worth, the slow and steady erosion of her confidence by the ex, and a supportive and gentle admiration from Jake (as well as a lovely heart-to-heart chat with her brother’s best friend and former boyfriend) that put her back on the path to finding her feet and reclaiming her own life.
Hannah Pearl gently mined the layers of expectation, self-doubts, and simple growing up and discovering who you are, and with Evie, who you were meant to be, even as circumstances may seem to be conspiring to stall you at every turn. With the dual stories of her ex-fiancé’s approach to isolating her versus her friend, the subtle controls, the tantrums and power plays that were less aggressive, but no less damaging to her own confidence, and the realization that abuse comes in many forms, and can escalate in intensity in ways unexpected. A truly clever way to show ‘danger signs’ in relationships, and the after-effects of a controlling and abusive partner – whether or not hands are thrown. A solidly crafted cast of characters, palpable emotions and many different stages of relationships, all in a caring an supportive setting kept this story intriguing without overburdening it with darkness, or brushing things under the rug. Clever, engaging and emotionally available with memorable characters and a sense of hope, this is far more than a simple romancey chick lit.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
Slowly Evie’s connection and friendship with Bea, Jake, and Alice starts to grow, with Evie’s own responsibilities at the school where she teaches English, and with Jake searching for a job, Alice needing care, and Evie finding herself helpful(as well as truly enjoying her time with Alice, the flirtation (or whatever it is) with Jake, and the offered friendship from Bea, she’s ‘helping out’ with Alice’s care over her summer holidays.
And there are stones to upturn: a visit to her grandmother in Ireland to reclaim the ‘feeling’ she had in the freedom of being young and bold during a visit in Dublin (with Jake who provided her with more questions), revisiting her old college hangout, finding another performing in a band near her brother’s house, and even a now married former flame who got her drunk, talked about old times, and with his husband nursed her through a hangover and advice. The wheels came off the bus when her former fiancé’s new girlfriend, and her friend, ends up in hospital after being beaten by said ex-fiancé where Evie recognizes his grooming her for a similar fate, undermined only by the fact that Evie had both family who she could rely on, and a sense that she wasn’t safe or happy with him, before he sent her packing. Revelations galore, a discovery of her own sense of worth, the slow and steady erosion of her confidence by the ex, and a supportive and gentle admiration from Jake (as well as a lovely heart-to-heart chat with her brother’s best friend and former boyfriend) that put her back on the path to finding her feet and reclaiming her own life.
Hannah Pearl gently mined the layers of expectation, self-doubts, and simple growing up and discovering who you are, and with Evie, who you were meant to be, even as circumstances may seem to be conspiring to stall you at every turn. With the dual stories of her ex-fiancé’s approach to isolating her versus her friend, the subtle controls, the tantrums and power plays that were less aggressive, but no less damaging to her own confidence, and the realization that abuse comes in many forms, and can escalate in intensity in ways unexpected. A truly clever way to show ‘danger signs’ in relationships, and the after-effects of a controlling and abusive partner – whether or not hands are thrown. A solidly crafted cast of characters, palpable emotions and many different stages of relationships, all in a caring an supportive setting kept this story intriguing without overburdening it with darkness, or brushing things under the rug. Clever, engaging and emotionally available with memorable characters and a sense of hope, this is far more than a simple romancey chick lit.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
August 23, 2018
What a sweet and warm story! Hannah Pearl is a new to me author, yet as soon as I read the back blurb I was fascinated by the original storyline and I can say I wasn’t disappointed. Evie’s Little Black Book is a fresh and new romance that will have you laughing out loud at Evie’s escapade’s as well as having your heart string’s pulled as she tries to find her path to love.
The story opens to Evie wailing away as she receives a wedding invitation from her ex, a man she thought she was hopelessly in love with even though he had never wanted to take their relationship any further then occasional sex. She thinks there must be something wrong with her as all her relationship’s have been more or less the same, why can’t she just find the one? So she digs out her little black book – well her childish floral patterned diary where she has stored every bit of information from every boy and man she has ever dated, kissed and everything between. Evie’s plan is that if she goes through it she will be able to figure out why her life is how it is.
There is a lot of up’s and down’s along the way that will make you laugh and cry, in some ways her plan fails brings her more trouble and strife then it should as she goes on this adventure in to her past and she soon finds out that probably the best place for them, in her past. But on the other hand, if she hadn’t chosen to go on this quest of enlightenment then she wouldn’t have found the amazing man she did and let me tell you, he is worth all the heartache.
Ms Pearl has written a fabulously witty and romantic story that is fun and engaging to read, this is a wonderful story all about a young woman who has become a little lost in life and Ms Pearl has captured Evie’s anguish over her life with spot on clarity. The story is well paced that keeps you reading, and the character’s are charming and well defined that makes you instantly like them and want to know more about them. I really like this, it is a wonderful introduction for me into this author’s work and from this alone I know that I will be reading more by Hannah Pearl.
Full of emotion and fun!
The story opens to Evie wailing away as she receives a wedding invitation from her ex, a man she thought she was hopelessly in love with even though he had never wanted to take their relationship any further then occasional sex. She thinks there must be something wrong with her as all her relationship’s have been more or less the same, why can’t she just find the one? So she digs out her little black book – well her childish floral patterned diary where she has stored every bit of information from every boy and man she has ever dated, kissed and everything between. Evie’s plan is that if she goes through it she will be able to figure out why her life is how it is.
There is a lot of up’s and down’s along the way that will make you laugh and cry, in some ways her plan fails brings her more trouble and strife then it should as she goes on this adventure in to her past and she soon finds out that probably the best place for them, in her past. But on the other hand, if she hadn’t chosen to go on this quest of enlightenment then she wouldn’t have found the amazing man she did and let me tell you, he is worth all the heartache.
Ms Pearl has written a fabulously witty and romantic story that is fun and engaging to read, this is a wonderful story all about a young woman who has become a little lost in life and Ms Pearl has captured Evie’s anguish over her life with spot on clarity. The story is well paced that keeps you reading, and the character’s are charming and well defined that makes you instantly like them and want to know more about them. I really like this, it is a wonderful introduction for me into this author’s work and from this alone I know that I will be reading more by Hannah Pearl.
Full of emotion and fun!
August 21, 2018
Evie’s brother’s best friend George is getting married, sending Evie into meltdown. He's the one guy she had a mega-crush on during her teens but never got to go out on a date with. Now he's about to tie the knot with someone else. The approaching wedding sees her taking stock of all her past relationships. She has written about them in detail in her ‘little black book’ (actually a pretty floral notebook). By revisiting each of her old loves, she hopes to be able to see where she went wrong and how she might be able to change her luck with men in the future and maybe find 'Mr Right.'
The first ex on her list grew up just around the corner from where she lives but now the house is occupied by Jake, who is living there with his sister Bea and her small daughter Alice. Evie arrives in the middle of a domestic crisis in the kitchen and she’s only too happy to help Jake and Alice out. She befriends Jake and his family, enjoying their company as she continues to revisit her past and catch up with old flames. However, it’s soon clear that maybe happy ever after is right in front of her if she will only open her eyes.
A delightful romantic debut and super summer read...I absolutely loved it!
Many thanks to Choc Lit/Ruby Fiction for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
The first ex on her list grew up just around the corner from where she lives but now the house is occupied by Jake, who is living there with his sister Bea and her small daughter Alice. Evie arrives in the middle of a domestic crisis in the kitchen and she’s only too happy to help Jake and Alice out. She befriends Jake and his family, enjoying their company as she continues to revisit her past and catch up with old flames. However, it’s soon clear that maybe happy ever after is right in front of her if she will only open her eyes.
A delightful romantic debut and super summer read...I absolutely loved it!
Many thanks to Choc Lit/Ruby Fiction for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2018
This was a great read that kept my interest from start to finish! It has an interesting premise: main character Evie receives a wedding invitation for one of her former beaus and embarks on a journey to reconnect with her past loves to find out where she went so wrong. Along the way, she meets Jake, a kind-hearted, generous guy who doesn't overreact upon learning about her quest, and instead befriends her and helps her with it. This story will bring out a range of emotions: humor, excitement, shock, sadness, and vindication. I liked the main characters in this book, which include Evie's cousin Charmaine, Jake's sister Bea, and Bea's young daughter Alice. I found the ending quite satisfying, which iced the cake on this all-around great read! I'll be looking for more books from Hannah Pearl!
I received an advance copy of this book. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
I received an advance copy of this book. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
April 23, 2020
I finished this book in one sitting and it was great to read a book that I picked up on a whim when there was a sale on The Book People for only £1!
So, at first I was a bit hesitant to carry on reading this book as it was a bit far-fetched, the whole idea of genuinely tracking down every boy you've ever kissed (or more) seems utterly ridiculous to me. Like, for anybody who had a regular upbringing that list would have all sorts of weirdos on there (teenage years, amiright?) and they should stay in the past. Charmaine should have girl powered the shit out of her and done something more than going shoe shopping to cheer her up. However, when I was thinking about it I began to laugh thinking about some of my own personal experiences and thinking how funny it would be to see what some of those people are up to, but then I definitely wouldn't go and see them in person because social media is a thing and solves all the weirdness about justifying to them why you're there in the first place (not that I would genuinely consider it anyway).
Anyway, Evie is a likeable character, she's a secondary school teacher (who doesn't seem to have a lot of work going on at school - as a teacher myself I struggled with how blasé her job was compared to that of an actual teacher) and has a cousin but great friend in Charmaine. This "journey" she goes on is a good one as it allows her to discover some of the things she's lost about herself, rather than what she lost out on relationship wise and I think that's the reason I wanted to keep on reading really. It will resonate with every girl that no matter what relationship you leave a little something is taught to you or taken away from you, so it was nice to read about somebodies journey and pick up/rediscover some pieces of herself she thought she had lost and some she didn't even realise she had lost as it had been that long.
Jake is a wonderful character. He is funny, charming and just an all round enjoyable character to read about. Alice is such a cute character, reading about her made me miss teaching nursery, which is something I never thought I'd say! Bea is a character I like but at the same time I find a bit off. When Evie confides in her what she's actually doing and how she came to be in Bea's house, for me as a person that would be really hard to understand/resonate. How Bea takes it in and just accepts it is just beyond me and I know she is dealing with her own issues at the same time she may understand in a way, but I don't know it's just something that I couldn't really understand.
I really liked George's character. You knew the whole way through he was that character who was a bit of a shit for sleeping with his brother's little sister. But, all the way through you could see it was Evie who needed to realise that even though she felt like George had been cruel to her, he never promised her anything and remained true to his character for their entire "relationship". I really liked the wedding for this reason. It was definitely one relationship for me that served as a good one for her to revisit, not only to get closure but to shelf the experience as something that was valuable and actually really shaped her as a person, which you then see in her character as she remembers what it's like to be confident.
The ending was one I wasn't really expecting. Ryan's character sort of flew in at the last minute as she didn't really seem too bothered or too keen on discussing his character so as the reader I just thought oh she's fine not revisiting this one because its still fresh and she can see where she'd gone wrong with this choice of relationship. In no way did I expect what happened, happen. I then felt that all of the attention was put on Ryan and Tina's relationship and moved away from the growth of Evie as a character. It was a brilliant way to raise awareness for domestic abuse, but I feel it was a bit heavy from this light read that happened for the majority of the book.
Overall, I did like the book and I would read it again so its gone onto my book shelf. My main reason for liking this book was because it reminded me how sometimes we should look back on our past to see how far we've come as sometimes we need that little positivity check, but sometimes we can find some things we didn't know we lost along the way.
So, at first I was a bit hesitant to carry on reading this book as it was a bit far-fetched, the whole idea of genuinely tracking down every boy you've ever kissed (or more) seems utterly ridiculous to me. Like, for anybody who had a regular upbringing that list would have all sorts of weirdos on there (teenage years, amiright?) and they should stay in the past. Charmaine should have girl powered the shit out of her and done something more than going shoe shopping to cheer her up. However, when I was thinking about it I began to laugh thinking about some of my own personal experiences and thinking how funny it would be to see what some of those people are up to, but then I definitely wouldn't go and see them in person because social media is a thing and solves all the weirdness about justifying to them why you're there in the first place (not that I would genuinely consider it anyway).
Anyway, Evie is a likeable character, she's a secondary school teacher (who doesn't seem to have a lot of work going on at school - as a teacher myself I struggled with how blasé her job was compared to that of an actual teacher) and has a cousin but great friend in Charmaine. This "journey" she goes on is a good one as it allows her to discover some of the things she's lost about herself, rather than what she lost out on relationship wise and I think that's the reason I wanted to keep on reading really. It will resonate with every girl that no matter what relationship you leave a little something is taught to you or taken away from you, so it was nice to read about somebodies journey and pick up/rediscover some pieces of herself she thought she had lost and some she didn't even realise she had lost as it had been that long.
Jake is a wonderful character. He is funny, charming and just an all round enjoyable character to read about. Alice is such a cute character, reading about her made me miss teaching nursery, which is something I never thought I'd say! Bea is a character I like but at the same time I find a bit off. When Evie confides in her what she's actually doing and how she came to be in Bea's house, for me as a person that would be really hard to understand/resonate. How Bea takes it in and just accepts it is just beyond me and I know she is dealing with her own issues at the same time she may understand in a way, but I don't know it's just something that I couldn't really understand.
I really liked George's character. You knew the whole way through he was that character who was a bit of a shit for sleeping with his brother's little sister. But, all the way through you could see it was Evie who needed to realise that even though she felt like George had been cruel to her, he never promised her anything and remained true to his character for their entire "relationship". I really liked the wedding for this reason. It was definitely one relationship for me that served as a good one for her to revisit, not only to get closure but to shelf the experience as something that was valuable and actually really shaped her as a person, which you then see in her character as she remembers what it's like to be confident.
The ending was one I wasn't really expecting. Ryan's character sort of flew in at the last minute as she didn't really seem too bothered or too keen on discussing his character so as the reader I just thought oh she's fine not revisiting this one because its still fresh and she can see where she'd gone wrong with this choice of relationship. In no way did I expect what happened, happen. I then felt that all of the attention was put on Ryan and Tina's relationship and moved away from the growth of Evie as a character. It was a brilliant way to raise awareness for domestic abuse, but I feel it was a bit heavy from this light read that happened for the majority of the book.
Overall, I did like the book and I would read it again so its gone onto my book shelf. My main reason for liking this book was because it reminded me how sometimes we should look back on our past to see how far we've come as sometimes we need that little positivity check, but sometimes we can find some things we didn't know we lost along the way.
September 3, 2018
We all have that one, don’t we? That one past ‘love’ that we always wonder about. The one that might have been The One if only things had been different – timing, circumstance – we’ll always wonder that little bit, ‘what if?’ That is until we find the actual One when we realise the other one was never The One at all.
So that probably doesn’t make any sense but I know what I’m trying to say and, for this reason, the basic premise of this book was something I could relate to. The central character, Evie, receives an invitation to the wedding of the boy she thought once might have been The One, except the circumstances meant she never got to find out. She’s not in a great position romantically, so the invitation sets her on a road of introspection that leads her to looking up all her past boyfriends – as listed in the Little Black Book of the title – to try and see where she has been going wrong in her relationships.
This book took me on my own journey of introspection. I remember very clearly the first time I kissed my ‘the one who turned out not to be The One after all’, whom I was mad about at the time. I rushed home and wrote about it ecstatically in my diary which, at the time, was a notebook I had covered and stuck a picture of Tom Cruise as Maverick in Top Gun on the front of (some historical context for you there) and hidden under my mattress. This book took me on a pleasant trip down memory lane to revisit my teenage self, who was not that different from Evie in this book.
This book is a really light, pleasant read with a fun premise at the centre that might lead you on some interesting reminiscences of your own. Can you imagine looking up and revisiting all of your old boyfriends? That would fill a lot of people with horror, but I think there is a fascinating idea that we can learn something from our past relationships to stop us making the same mistakes again at the centre of this book.
The characters in the book are really likeable and easy to relate to, they are presented very humanly and realistically. I’m not sure how easy it would actually be to track down people after such a huge period of time but, although it seems quite straight forward in the book, the way it is written makes it seem totally credible. Hannah’s writing style is very warm and friendly and easy to read and I romped through the book very easily, looking forward to the end.
There turns out to be an issue addressed in the book that is currently a very popular topic in women’s fiction. I don’t want to say more because it will spoil the plot but it is handled very lightly here, in a good way. All in all, this is a really confident and enjoyable debut and i would highly recommend it to fans of the genre.
So that probably doesn’t make any sense but I know what I’m trying to say and, for this reason, the basic premise of this book was something I could relate to. The central character, Evie, receives an invitation to the wedding of the boy she thought once might have been The One, except the circumstances meant she never got to find out. She’s not in a great position romantically, so the invitation sets her on a road of introspection that leads her to looking up all her past boyfriends – as listed in the Little Black Book of the title – to try and see where she has been going wrong in her relationships.
This book took me on my own journey of introspection. I remember very clearly the first time I kissed my ‘the one who turned out not to be The One after all’, whom I was mad about at the time. I rushed home and wrote about it ecstatically in my diary which, at the time, was a notebook I had covered and stuck a picture of Tom Cruise as Maverick in Top Gun on the front of (some historical context for you there) and hidden under my mattress. This book took me on a pleasant trip down memory lane to revisit my teenage self, who was not that different from Evie in this book.
This book is a really light, pleasant read with a fun premise at the centre that might lead you on some interesting reminiscences of your own. Can you imagine looking up and revisiting all of your old boyfriends? That would fill a lot of people with horror, but I think there is a fascinating idea that we can learn something from our past relationships to stop us making the same mistakes again at the centre of this book.
The characters in the book are really likeable and easy to relate to, they are presented very humanly and realistically. I’m not sure how easy it would actually be to track down people after such a huge period of time but, although it seems quite straight forward in the book, the way it is written makes it seem totally credible. Hannah’s writing style is very warm and friendly and easy to read and I romped through the book very easily, looking forward to the end.
There turns out to be an issue addressed in the book that is currently a very popular topic in women’s fiction. I don’t want to say more because it will spoil the plot but it is handled very lightly here, in a good way. All in all, this is a really confident and enjoyable debut and i would highly recommend it to fans of the genre.
September 2, 2018
A heartwarming page-turner that will tickle the funny bone and tug at the heartstrings, Evie’s Little Black Book is an uplifting read by award-winning author Hannah Pearl.
Being invited to a wedding is enough to throw any woman into a panic – but when the invitation is for the wedding of the guy you had a major crush on as a teenager, the word panic officially classifies as the understatement of the century! Evie finds herself in such a predicament when the guy she had been head over heels in love with as a teenager, but who never had much time for her, announces he is getting hitched and wants Evie to attend the wedding! Consoling herself with industrial quantities of chocolate and ice cream simply will not do – and there is only so much sobbing she can do on her cousin’s shoulders. Evie’s track record with relationships is chequered at best and keeping a man seems to be nigh on impossible. Desperate to find out what is wrong with her and how she can reverse the situation, Evie vows to get to the bottom of her inability to keep a man interested and she thinks she has hit upon an idea that could provide her with all the answers she is desperate for: her little black book…
Evie’s little black book contains the details of all the men she has kissed or dated throughout the course of her life. If Evie tracks down these men and asks them why they had walked away from her, might she find out why she is still single? Being destined for a spot at the singles’ table for the rest of her life is not something Evie is prepared to take lying down, but has the cure for her disastrous love life been hidden in the pages of her book all along? Is Evie prepared to hear some shocking home truths? Or will she end up even more stumped than before she started? There is only way to find out and thus begins Evie’s quest for happiness. But will she likes what her exes have to say?
As Evie begins to go through her list, will she realises that her happiness has been staring her in the face all along? And that true love might be even closer than she initially thought…
When I started reading Evie’s Little Black Book, I thought that it was going to be a light-hearted romantic comedy, but it is so much more than that. Hannah Pearl writes with a light and deft touch, and Evie’s Little Black Book is a story of self-discovery, taking chances and finding the courage to fight for what you want that I thoroughly enjoyed and which I simply did not want to end.
A lovely romantic read which readers will thoroughly enjoy, Evie’s Little Black Book is a terrific book that I highly recommend!
Being invited to a wedding is enough to throw any woman into a panic – but when the invitation is for the wedding of the guy you had a major crush on as a teenager, the word panic officially classifies as the understatement of the century! Evie finds herself in such a predicament when the guy she had been head over heels in love with as a teenager, but who never had much time for her, announces he is getting hitched and wants Evie to attend the wedding! Consoling herself with industrial quantities of chocolate and ice cream simply will not do – and there is only so much sobbing she can do on her cousin’s shoulders. Evie’s track record with relationships is chequered at best and keeping a man seems to be nigh on impossible. Desperate to find out what is wrong with her and how she can reverse the situation, Evie vows to get to the bottom of her inability to keep a man interested and she thinks she has hit upon an idea that could provide her with all the answers she is desperate for: her little black book…
Evie’s little black book contains the details of all the men she has kissed or dated throughout the course of her life. If Evie tracks down these men and asks them why they had walked away from her, might she find out why she is still single? Being destined for a spot at the singles’ table for the rest of her life is not something Evie is prepared to take lying down, but has the cure for her disastrous love life been hidden in the pages of her book all along? Is Evie prepared to hear some shocking home truths? Or will she end up even more stumped than before she started? There is only way to find out and thus begins Evie’s quest for happiness. But will she likes what her exes have to say?
As Evie begins to go through her list, will she realises that her happiness has been staring her in the face all along? And that true love might be even closer than she initially thought…
When I started reading Evie’s Little Black Book, I thought that it was going to be a light-hearted romantic comedy, but it is so much more than that. Hannah Pearl writes with a light and deft touch, and Evie’s Little Black Book is a story of self-discovery, taking chances and finding the courage to fight for what you want that I thoroughly enjoyed and which I simply did not want to end.
A lovely romantic read which readers will thoroughly enjoy, Evie’s Little Black Book is a terrific book that I highly recommend!
August 30, 2018
What a clever and charming story! I loved the concept. Evie has had enough after being invited to the wedding of a crush she had in her teens. On top of that, she has broken up with an ex not too terribly long ago. She can’t understand what she keeps doing wrong, and why she can’t find lasting happiness. So, she decides to go to her little black book which is really a floral notebook that is filled with every crush and kiss she had since she was fifteen. Oh my, what a journey that was!!!
Her quest will lead her to find happiness in a place she was never expecting it. Who knew her little black book would lead her to Jake, who is a swoon worthy hero. He is loyal to those he loves. Evie is funny, intelligent, and caring. Readers will see how much she cares about each others as the book progresses.
I loved the romance and the characters. I loved the passages that she and Charmaine shared in from her book. They were quite funny! As much as I loved all these things, my favorite part was watching Evie discover who she really was! Great, heartwarming book!!!
Her quest will lead her to find happiness in a place she was never expecting it. Who knew her little black book would lead her to Jake, who is a swoon worthy hero. He is loyal to those he loves. Evie is funny, intelligent, and caring. Readers will see how much she cares about each others as the book progresses.
I loved the romance and the characters. I loved the passages that she and Charmaine shared in from her book. They were quite funny! As much as I loved all these things, my favorite part was watching Evie discover who she really was! Great, heartwarming book!!!
September 16, 2018
Evie has been invited to her ex-boyfriends wedding which has started her thinking about her past and why she is not in a relationship.
Evie decides to look up her past boyfriends in the hope that this will put to rest some demons and allow her to move on. The little black book is actually floral which lists her past romances and her feelings about them. During her quest she meets Bea and her Daughter Alice and Bea’s Brother Jake, who is single and they are all very welcoming.
I love the way this book took you on the journey with Evie and the last few chapters which explained the true reason that Evie was struggling with relationships. I also found it great to see her relationships with Bea, Jake and Alice evolving.
A lovely easy read which was well written, with great characters showing how revisiting the past can heal the present and make a better future.
Thanks to Choc-Lit for providing me with a review copy of this book in return for an honest review which is completely my own opinion.
Evie decides to look up her past boyfriends in the hope that this will put to rest some demons and allow her to move on. The little black book is actually floral which lists her past romances and her feelings about them. During her quest she meets Bea and her Daughter Alice and Bea’s Brother Jake, who is single and they are all very welcoming.
I love the way this book took you on the journey with Evie and the last few chapters which explained the true reason that Evie was struggling with relationships. I also found it great to see her relationships with Bea, Jake and Alice evolving.
A lovely easy read which was well written, with great characters showing how revisiting the past can heal the present and make a better future.
Thanks to Choc-Lit for providing me with a review copy of this book in return for an honest review which is completely my own opinion.
October 29, 2018
I sped through this book and found it to be a diverting and enjoyable read. The premise of the story is that Evie is tracking down some of the boys she has dated, loved or fancied over the years so that she can make sense of what sort of person she is. This leads her into a variety of conversations and situations where she revisits her past and finds out what has happened in the interim. I thought that this was a great structure for story-telling and introduced a real variety of characters.
As the story develops, you come to realise that there is more to Evie's quest and in fact there is something serious in her past which has led her to want to revisit it in this way. There are some dark shadows which she has to come to terms with. I found Evie to be a sparky, intelligent and funny character who had a warmth about her which made her friendship with Jake and his family perfectly believable. For a fun holiday read, this will hit the spot.
In short: a light-hearted read with heart.
Thabks to the author for a copy of the book
As the story develops, you come to realise that there is more to Evie's quest and in fact there is something serious in her past which has led her to want to revisit it in this way. There are some dark shadows which she has to come to terms with. I found Evie to be a sparky, intelligent and funny character who had a warmth about her which made her friendship with Jake and his family perfectly believable. For a fun holiday read, this will hit the spot.
In short: a light-hearted read with heart.
Thabks to the author for a copy of the book
August 22, 2018
I was asked to review this book and so glad I was. It was an original and beautifully written story. We meet Evie, just as she’s been invited to the wedding of the “one who got away”. She’s lacking self-confidence and takes a brave decision to revisit everyone she’s ever kissed to try and discover where she went wrong. It is a lovely easy, humorous read as we discover where all Evie’s exs are now and what happened with each relationship. Along the way she meets Mr Perfect, but convinced she needs to understand the past before she can commit to the future, she is not ready to start a new relationship without completing the journey. A great page turner, a lovely way to spend an afternoon. It was a fabulous read, I can’t wait to read more by this author.
March 16, 2019
A fabulous story with a lovely touch of humour that made me smile as I read. I liked the main character, Evie, and there is a lovely cast of supporting characters – who are equally as likeable and help to bring out a new side of Evie, as she embarks on her journey and endeavours to rediscover her confidence.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that Evie’s look back through her little black book and the encounters held within its pages was used to reveal more about her, and the person she had become as the author gently leads you towards unexpected revelations.
This was the first book by Hannah Pearl I had read, and I am looking forward to the next.
I particularly enjoyed the fact that Evie’s look back through her little black book and the encounters held within its pages was used to reveal more about her, and the person she had become as the author gently leads you towards unexpected revelations.
This was the first book by Hannah Pearl I had read, and I am looking forward to the next.
August 22, 2018
I loved this story. Read it in one go, a VERY late night! It is a story which initially seems like a normal, light romance. It is but with a lot of different levels, some of which only were revealed towards the end of the book. Elvie’s search to find out why she is still single will strike a note with many of us. I found the character very real and the different scenarios likewise. Evie’s budding romance with Jake gives hope and light to her future. A smashing book which offers hope for a future we all look forward to.
September 7, 2018
I enjoyed the premise of this book very much as Evie decides to revisit her past relationships in order to find out where she went wrong and what she can do to change. It’s a light hearted book in many ways but with darker undertones because Evie’s confidence in herself and her judgments is at rock bottom to begin with and it’s only as the story develops that we discover why she is this way. It’s a witty, sharply observed tale and I look forward to reading more by this author.
September 28, 2018
"What went wrong?", is the question that Evie asks herself when she receives a wedding invitation from an ex. Trying to replay the relationship out in her head, Evie cannot grasp the fact she is still single. So begins the search for her exes, in a quest to understand what went wrong in her past relationships and discovering herself.
This was such of funny and understandable story. Definitely recommend this.
This was such of funny and understandable story. Definitely recommend this.
February 7, 2020
Hannah really captured true emotion in this book, the way she writes is so life like it really helps you imagine what the characters look like and what they’re going through. The story line was so eye opening and helpful especially to those going through similar, I loved Jake and Evie’s story, they were written so well it’s almost as if they really did meet by chance and it wasn’t orchestrated for a book 😂
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