For Love or Money

by Clodagh Murphy

'Clodagh Murphy is the queen of romantic comedy and her latest is witty and warmhearted, with fantastic characters, laugh out loud dialogue and plenty of intrigue. This was my favourite kind of read - one where you fall in love with the characters to the point that they feel like your friends. Highly recommended!' Sarah Painter

Lesley has always fancied herself as an amateur sleuth, a sort of modern day Miss Marple without the support stockings.

So when Al wants to hire her to investigate his elderly uncle’s young fiancée, she jumps at the chance. It doesn’t hurt that the job will involve posing as Al’s girlfriend and joining his glitzy, star-studded family on holiday in Nice.

Stella still can’t quite believe she’s engaged to legendary actor Sir Peter Bradshaw. She accepted what she thought was a deathbed proposal. Now she has a living, breathing fiancé and a wedding to plan.

First, though, she has to get through a holiday in the South of France with Peter’s extended family, who all seem convinced she’s a gold-digger with her sights set on the family fortune.

As Lesley bonds with Stella over shopping trips and bottles of rosé, she thinks she has it all figured out. After all, it’s no great mystery why a young woman would marry a fabulously wealthy seventy-two-year-old with a heart condition, is it? It’s an old story.

And Al may be the nicest boyfriend she’s ever had (even if he is fake), but Lesley believes in instant attraction and there’s just no spark ... no matter how fit he looks in his swimming trunks. So there’s no chance he’s going to grow on her.

But people have a way of surprising you, as she’s about to discover ...

Genres: Romance, Chick Lit, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary, Audiobook, Family Drama, Rom Com

414 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 26, 2020

About the author

Clodagh (rhymes with Yoda) is an Irish writer of romantic comedies. She lives in Dublin with a large circle of imaginary friends.

You can find Clodagh on Facebook too:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Clodagh...

Reviews

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

‘How do I know this isn’t all an elaborate ploy because you have designs on my wotsit?’ ‘I can assure you your wotsit will be perfectly safe. It won’t even know I’m there.’

‘I’m irresistible to women. Can’t you tell?’ Then suddenly his grin vanished and he shot her an intense intimate look that went straight to her groin. ‘Don’t you smoulder at me,’ she said crossly, feeling herself flush. Damn him! ‘Worked, though, didn’t it?’ He grinned happily… ‘Anyway, aren’t you supposed to be gay?’ she huffed, feeling flustered.

Out on the terrace, Scott was engrossed in a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey. Lesley hoped he wasn’t looking there for insights into the female mind… ‘Don’t believe everything you read,’ Lesley said with a sniff. ‘Most women would still prefer a little spontaneity over a twenty-page contract. When it comes to sex, contracts aren’t the things you want to be lengthy.’

I have no desire to be twenty again. I think it suits me being a wise old owl. I’ve grown out of my looks and into my personality.



My Review:

This was my first exposure to the effervescent and refreshing zing of Clodagh Murphy’s clever arrangements of words and I was an instant fangirl of this skilled and entertaining and raconteur. I was immediately captivated by the crisp and clever levity and flippant and acerbic wit that was liberally sprinkled on each page. It was delightfully effortless reading that kept me smirking and giggle-snorting throughout perusal. Dialogs were often peppered with smartly honed rapid-fire banter and sassy quips, while the canny storylines and magnetic characters were decidedly outside the box. And I couldn’t get enough.

Every character magically came alive on the page and they were diverse and immensely varied in nature, yet the vast majority were appealingly nonconformists and mischievous in some way. I was beguiled and besotted with this oddly endearing collection of audacious and irresistible individuals and their peculiar family dynamics. More, please!

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this RomCom and how it hooked me to the fun story line and a great cast of characters I easily fell in love with. Lesley is my kind of gal who was just happy living in the moment, taking her time and enjoying that single and ready to mingle life. I loved how exciting her life became when she meets Al and poses as her fake girlfriend to investigate Stella the 26 yo fiancée of their 72 yo uncle. The series of incidents that follow are just a romp full of fun. It had the right amount of funny moments and some tender moments as well. This was a great read that I needed that was light, funny, well written, and heartwarming too. It was definitely addicting and I really enjoyed reading this book.

[Sam I AMNreader]

Am now on a 'quit the book!' streak.

I've been reading this for ages. The POV has changed within a couple chapters (I'm at a lowly 17%) to 4 different characters...and I really don't care!

[Sabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was nice. There's even a twist in the end which I appreciated.

If only there were more 3.5 stars

[Agi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes Lesley likes to smarten up and colour her life, and the last fib at the speed dating lands her with the offer of a Private Investigator job - what a coincidence, as Lesley always fancied herself as an investigator, and after accepting the job, albeit a little reluctantly, she immediately gets a lovely file for the case. You have to start somehow, right? What is she supposed to do? Well, Al, the one she has met at the single events, asks her to pose as his girlfriend to unmask a potential gold - digger Stella, who is just about to marry his famous and wealthy uncle. A trip to the Riviera and mixing with some famous actors is thrown in as a bonus and Lesley jumps at the opportunity...

There was a great bunch of characters and maybe because of the huge number I had a feeling that we don't know them well, that they're not too deeply described and that their personalities are not so well captured. Except for Lesley actually, I didn't have a feeling that I know the characters, you know, even Al and Stella were a bit too 2 - dimensional for me. I think the author has tried a bit too much to make Stella like an enigma, full of mystery and secrets - it seemed too forced and the final revelation, when not nice at all, didn't turn my world upside down. Nevertheless, they were really bubbly and full of life and I liked their life - approaches, they were all so cool and relaxed. And Lesley was a truly exceptional leading character, she was hilariously funny and appealing and you can't not like her. She was happy, living the moment and altogether enjoying the life. And also prone to accidents, jumping to conclusions and ready to take chances - accepting Al's indecent proposal just proves it.
I truly loved the interactions between Lesley and Al. Lesley had such a special way with words, she had me smiling more than once, and those two really worked well together.
There are so many different paths in this book, so many subplots, and some of them are truly hilarious, like the YouTube obsessed mother for example, and they were a nice final touch to the story. Yes, you could live without them, but they were so funny so why forego them, right? I, for once, am really thankful for those laugh and eye - roll inducing scenes and events.

Altogether, it is a funny and also touching book, filled with sarcastic humour and brilliant one - liners. The writing style was light, easy and chatty, drawing you into the story immediately.

As a huge Clodagh Murphy's fan I've been waiting impatiently for her new release. "For Love or Money" is a bit different to what I was expecting from this author but it doesn't mean that it is a bad read, because of course it's a wonderful, hilarious story full of quirky characters, misunderstanding, few secrets and hidden depth. However, I found it occasionally too long, the humour too forced and the plot not as complex as I'd like it to. And everything was happening oh so conveniently, there weren't really any twists nor turns, which is a great shame. So as you can see probably see, I'm a bit in two minds about this book, that's true, but it was for sure an entertaining and amusing novel. Try it for yourself, I'm sure you won't regret it.

[Louise McAuliffe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brief review of this book. I didn’t get it, I really didn’t! 5 star brilliant reviews on here and the author seems well reviewed all round.
I found myself hating both of the main characters from the beginning- Lesley was unlikable, a tad stupid, and just lacking in any empathy whatsoever. And Al was just a stuffed up snob who I couldn’t care less about. I skimmed most of the book estimating the ending correctly. I’ve read plenty of chick lit books like this before that were better written and had nicer characters you rooted for. Sorry, this book was not for me.

[Celine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want this to be a movie

[booksofallkinds · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the tour organiser.

FOR LOVE OR MONEY by Clodagh Murphy is a wonderful story full of laughter, misunderstandings, and a few secrets thrown in for good measure. But it is the warmth and connection that I felt with the characters that make this story truly special.

​Lesley is happy enough being single, even if her parents are not, and her freelance job is perfectly fine albeit a little dull at times. When Lesley meets Al at a singles event, she knows instantly that there is no connection no matter how nice he is, but when he asks her to pose as his girlfriend for a while to unmask a potential gold-digger who is about to marry his wealthy, famous, old uncle, Lesley cannot refuse! Soon, she finds herself mixing with successful actors and holidaying in France, and even becoming friends with the supposed 'gold-digger' herself, Stella. But the more time Lesley spends with Stella the more she is sure that Stella is not after anyone's money but that Stella is certainly hiding something, but what is it?
Lesley is also getting to know how lovely Al really is and when his ex-girlfriend shows up and appears to want Al back, Lesley cannot help but feel a flutter of jealousy. Throw in a mother obsessed with getting on YouTube, some heartbreaking secrets from the past, and plenty of sizzling tension, and this book has got it all!!!

I adored every word of this book and from the moment I picked up FOR LOVE OR MONEY by Clodagh Murphy I couldn't put it down. Lesley is hilarious and felt like a best friend by the end of the first chapter and I loved watching her realise what a good guy Al is. Stella is an enigma for some of the book where I knew she wasn't using anyone but yet knew that she was hiding something from everyone. When the truth is revealed my heart broke for what had happened to her and I desperately wanted her to find the happiness and love that she deserved.

FOR LOVE OR MONEY by Clodagh Murphy made me laugh, made my eyes tear up a little, and kept me hooked from start to finish, and is sure to please fiction fans everywhere. Buy this book and enjoy a beautiful story that has something for everyone!

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new author for me .. and definitely worth a read!

Lesley doesn't always tell the truth, but her latest fib lands her with the offer of a PI job - and Lesley has always fancied herself as an investigator! She is hired to look into the past of a young woman who, on the surface, looks like a gold digger. After all, not many 26 year olds get themselves engaged to a famous man of 70 plus - and his family are not pleased! As a trip to the French Riviera is thrown in, Lesley jumps at the opportunity to flex her sleuthing muscles . . .

There's more to this one than it seems at first glance; this is a good solid story full of fun and surprises. Well written in a style which draws the reader in from the very first, I must say that this is totally different from anything else I've read - and in a good way. Lesley is a grand character, very appealing and I loved everything about her! With several different threads in this story, it kept my attention throughout and the ending was unexpected, but lovely all the same. Definitely an author to keep an eye on and, after some thought, I've decided on 4.5*.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun rom-com with a young woman pretending to be the girlfriend of a new acquaintance in order to investigate the young fiancée of his famous uncle for him. In the process she gets to visit the family's home in France with the family of famous actors, and naturally finds herself getting more personally involved than she had planned.

[Niamh Boyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

For Love or Money is such a warm, funny read, I laughed so many times! Lesley was a really likable, independent, refreshing, strong character. I loved her take on life, and following her to Nice. And was turning pages to discover what happened next, and what exactly the secret was... highly recommended, a great read, a fantastic escape!

[Vicki Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - there is a twist in here I would never have sudpected- very good read- wish this was a series !

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story that had me in stitches one minute and serious the next. This is the story of two women and their romances. Stella is 26 and engaged to a 72 year old, rich, actor, who is recovering from a heart attack. Is she a gold-digger or a caring woman who just wants a relationship that is warm, accepting and caring. Someone she can take care of. Lesley is a 30ish woman whose mother is worried she will never get married. She goes to a dating dinner and meets Al, a nice guy but with no spark. Now a month later, Al shows up at her door with an offer she can't turn down. Al wants Lesley to pose as his girlfriend so that she can get close to Stella, his uncle's young fiance to find out if she is a gold-digger and if she has any secrets she is trying to hide. The fact that there will be a trip to Nice involved makes it very inviting.

This book was so funny. Lesley and Al were hilarious. These two were meant for each other. They had such great chemistry. I loved watching them get to know and develop feelings toward each other. Al was ready for a relationship, but Lesley still fights against the attraction. When she finally gives in, it is explosive, but the road to relationships is not always smooth so there is a bump along the way. If only Lesley would listen? Throw in Lesley's family, a mother who wants to be on Youtube, a father who is upset he doesn't get more liked on instagram and a sister who is just a little bit odd and I could see where Lesley gets her humour. Stella was a puzzle. You know there is something in her past, but she is a closed book. Everytime I thought she was going to share something, she clammed up. I enjoyed watching Lesley and Stella become friends and how Lesley's original impression of Stella changed. Then there was Peter, the rich, old actor. He loved Stella in his own way, but it was obvious to this reader that it was not romantic love. As the story progressed I saw feelings change in so many characters and was pretty sure who was going to end up with who. The final revelation in this story took me by surprise, but it finally allowed this reader to fit those last pieces of the puzzle together. So, I really enjoyed this story. It was so funny, yet poignant at times. The story was well-written, the characters well-developed, enough humour to have me laughing, some real-world issues and a couple of great romances. Clodagh Murphy is a new author to me, but I can guarantee, this won't be the last book I read by this author. If you enjoy a good rom-com with some serious storylines along with it, then I recommend you pick up this book, I highly recommend it. I received a copy of this book from Rachel's Random Resources upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

[L.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the outset, this story had me laughing out loud; the humour is natural and topical, the characters are real people, the kind who might live in your street, and therefore so very relateable.

Lesley, much to her parents' chagrin, is single again, and to keep the peace she attends a singles night with zero expectations of meeting "the one". Instead she reinvents herself as a private investigator ... just for fun. And, fun it is, given that she doesn't click with any of the hopefuls at the table and doesn't expect to meet any of them ever again. Even the one, Al, who asks to take her home.

Only, Al appears to have taken her little game seriously, and turns up at her door some months later with a proposition ... a job offer, of course! He asks her to pose as his girlfriend for a while, and to use her "investigative" skills to expose a potential gold-digger who is about to marry his wealthy uncle.

When the job includes a holiday to the family villa in the South of France, Lesley doesn't hesitate to say yes. Soon, she finds herself meeting the family and off to France, enjoying a lifestyle she has only ever seen in magazines. However, the fiancée in question - Stella - doesn't strike Lesley as a gold-digger, and the two grow closer. Lesley is convinced Stella is not marrying for money, but rather she has a secret of her own and is hell-bent on staying out of the limelight.

During this time, Lesley  gets to know Al better, and discovers he's a lovely guy, one who she could really, possibly, even grow to love. Which is totally out of the question, naturally, and she knows the job will end ... or does she?

Romance, humour, secrets and lots of warmth make this book unputdownable. The story flows effortlessly; you won't even realise you're halfway through it in no time, so be prepared to stay up late to finish it.

I received a copy from the author for this blog tour, and this review is given voluntarily. That said, I shall be keeping a look out for more from this author in the future.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This was such a great read! I'm a massive fan of chick lit, Irish chick lit in particular, and I felt this was up there with novels by authors such as Marian Keyes and Cecelia Ahern. The plot was original and juicy, with some really excellent side plots going on alongside the main storyline. I loved Lesley as a main character - assertive and fun, she was easy to relate to and just felt so real. I also loved that the book followed two perspectives - Lesley, of course, but also Stella, who the other characters see as an antagonist of sorts. This made it really interesting as we do not follow her as such, so you really get to see both sides of the story. The author did this very well and it added a lot of depth. Plus, the humour is witty, and the inevitable sex scenes are intense and moreish. What more could you want?

Got to mention the cover as well, which I loved! Perfectly suits the story and immediately made me want to read the book.

You can read my full review here:
https://pagesplacesandplates.com/2020...

[Stephanie Dagg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just lovely!
Whilst that sums my feelings about this book up perfectly, I don’t think it will quite do for a review!
I love romcom as a genre because it has so many permutations. Here we have an unlikely heroine with a truly dysfunctional family thrown in with another slightly off-the-wall group of people to do some poking around. While not quite a cosy mystery, there are plenty of elements of this equally wonderful genre to make life interesting.
There’s lots of wit and humour as these lively characters spark off each other, also modern and pertinent issues touched upon, and some moving moments. The romance we encounter comes in both slow-burn and firework modes – something for everyone!
A clever, sophisticated, funny novel that is definitely one to read.
More please!

[ginny ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ideas and plot were there, they had me, it was amazing, well thought out and genuinely fun to read. However I couldn't get into this book as much as I liked, the character development wasn't there enough for me personally. I really struggled to enjoy the highs and lows of the book without a connection to the characters and it was a slow-burn but quick paced at the same time? Idk if that makes sense but it kinda threw me off too.

Not to mention that when Al let C live in his house, hid it, and then acted like it didn't even matter had me fuming, I really liked him prior to that but afterwards he was a straight clown, he needed to grovel more imo.

But also so happy for Rafe and Stella! Would've loved to have more of the story focus around them rather than Lesley and Al.

[Anne Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a good strong start with lots of great quirky and comic moments and I was all set for a great read. But sadly then it just seemed to fade away a bit and I think it needed a lot of editing and a reasonable amount of cutting to make it sharper. The sex scenes weren't great either, which was such a shame - the first one was very awkward indeed and entirely unfunny (which I think it was meant to be!).

I did love the whole transitioning plot twist though - very interesting indeed. And I did like the two main women but they needed a stronger writer to make them really jump from the page. A so-so read in the end then.

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I got swept away by fun characters, a bit of a mystery, and lots to laugh and sigh about! It's one of those rare books that you have to go back and check several times because surely there must be more! Not because the ending wasn't great, but because I am selfish and I wanted more! I love Clodagh's books because they are a perfect balance of emotions and wit! Don't miss this fantastic addition to her line-up!

[Aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I’m going to give this one a 5 stars, even tho the ending felt a bit rushed. I just fell in love with the mystery style of a rom com. It had some of my favorite tropes, the characters were lovable and I’m eager to read another book by this author! I chose this book on a whim and was very positively shocked. I don’t regret picking it up and I’ll def have to buy myself a copy!

[Judy Rolph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Clodagh Murphy's book and was so excited when this came out. It was the perfect escape- full of quirky characters, humor, sex and romance as well as touching moments and surprises.

[Rachel Boss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book.

[Katherine Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hilarious book about a 26-year-old woman engaged to a 76-year-old man, and the disapproval of his family, one of which hires a fake girlfriend to find out the truth about his uncle's much younger finance.
I loved the way this book was written from the POV of Lesly, who was hired to spy on Stella. As someone who is not already a part of the family, her view is completely new and unbiased, which was a good view.
Her sleuthing skills are questionable and her attempts to find out answers at the same time as getting to know her fake boyfriend's family is very funny.
The other half of the book is written from Stella's POV, the 26-year-old dating the 76-year-old. It is great to see the relationship from her viewpoint and to see how it might be about something other than money. Of course, everyone in the book assumes she would only be after their inheritance rather than love, putting her in the position of having to prove them wrong.
As I got further into the book I found myself desperately hoping that Stella and Peter's relationship would last and they would get married as they had planned, just to prove the rest of the family wrong, and maybe in some way show the reader that people can fall in love with someone they wouldn't expect.
The big reveal at the end of the book was something I just did not see coming but completely made sense when I read it. As the reader, you are trying to work out the truth about Stella just as everyone else is, with the same clues that they have, and I'm glad it wasn't too obvious.

[MJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun

I started with very lukewarm feelings about this book. There were so many characters (POV) that I almost lost interest. But as the story picked up, my interest grew. I like how Lesley and Al didn't start out with fecking instalove but, instead, their relationship grew organically (which I don't often read). Granted they posed as a fake couple but you get what I mean haha. Would've loved it if they focused on just one pair but I grew to like the other POVs. I also love the reveal of the "plot twist" (I did pieced together the clues better and earlier than Lesley and Al lol).

[Rose Five · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed something light after reading a memoir about depression and this book fit the bill. I really enjoyed it and it made me laugh out loud a couple of times. There were just a couple of things that I didn't like: the incongruous use of the word 'paleface' as an insult and the rushed ending. I liked the twist and didn't see it coming although there was a tiny bit of me that wondered if the book wasn't sensationalizing it. I can't say anything else without giving it away! Overall a good read, 4 stars.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this book was really cute and surprisingly poignant at moments. I became more attached to Stella as a character than Lesley, which I wasn’t expecting at the beginning. Stella is very compelling and I appreciate that her storyline was handled with care. My only critique is that there were some pacing issues. The novel was too long overall (400 pages is pretty long for a RomCom) but then it ended quite abruptly. Definitely worth reading though — especially for a summer read!

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read this book today, not quite in one sitting but definitely in one day! I really enjoyed it. I like the main character Lesley, I took to her straight away! I needed a light hearted make you chuckle book after my last read and this one ticked all the boxes I needed ticking. Sure, I could work out mostly what was going to happen but not how! And I must say the twist in the tale took me completely by surprise!

Highly recommended. I will read more of Clodagh Murphy for sure!

[Catherine Blackmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clodagh Murphy is a new author for me and I have to say I will be reading more from her in the future.

All the characters had me captivated from the start. Lesley and Al had to be my favourite though. From the moment she met Al, Lesley had him all figured out but did she? Surprising her a few times, all of this and the laugh out loud moments kept me hooked until the very end.

Definitely worth a read.

[Naomi Bafunso · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Warm and Fuzzy Read

A cozy romance that got me in the mood for romance, Nice, good family connections, all of it. Even though I had a feeling what Stella's secret was, the book kept me guessing and unsure until the reveal. I do want to go further, read more about how things keep going for everyone, and get fully immersed in their lives. The book was that engaging.

[Elaine Bennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never laugh out loud, but I really did!

This was a fun colorful comedy for 21st century readers. I would have made it a five star rating, but I'm too old to know all the terms for Irish love making today! Love the fast repartee I'm looking for more