Wilde About the Girl

Robin Wilde #2

by Louise Pentland

rare book

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, Chick Lit, Adult, Ebooks

Paperback

First published August 9, 2018

About the author

Louise Pentland is a British author, vlogger, blogger and internet personality.

Pentland is best known for her online work, under the title Sprinkleofglitter. She was working in a number of office roles when she began writing a craft and interior DIY blog named "Sprinkle of Glitter". In January 2010, Pentland began her YouTube channel, also named "Sprinkle of Glitter". At first the channel covered beauty, fashion and lifestyle; it has since expanded to include motivational and advice videos. In August 2012, Pentland began a second channel named "Sprinkle of Chatter", where she uploads lifestyle vlogs.

Pentland grew up in Northampton. In 2003, she moved to Liverpool to study Psychology and Biology; she attended Liverpool John Moores University and graduated with honours in 2006.

Pentland has identified as a feminist and interviewed Labour Party leader Ed Miliband during the 2015 United Kingdom general election.

On 2 November 2014 she performed a pilot of her LouiseLIVE stage show in Northampton, her home town, and went on to take it on tour around the UK.

On 2 July 2015 she released her debut book Life with a Sprinkle of Glitter through Simon & Schuster publishing. The following month she published Sprinkle of Glitter 2016 Diary: Have the Best Year of Your Life! through Faber and Faber.

She released her debut novel, Wilde Like Me in 2017.

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book 'Wilde Like Me' was one of my favorite books last year. Yes, it even got a spot on y end of year wrap up. So I was excited when the second book was announced and even more excited when we could preorder it and i was OVER THE MOON when I finally had it in my hands and pushed all the other books back, just so I could read it right away.


Summary: Robin Wilde is acing life.

After the year from hell, she's pulled herself up and out of the Emptiness, her love life is ticking along nicely, single motherhood is actually quite fun and she is ready for whatever life throws at her. When a thrilling opportunity at work arises, Robin is more than excited to step up and show everyone, including herself, what she's made of.

But her best friend Lacey is increasingly broken-hearted about struggling to conceive, and her daughter Lyla is starting to come out with some horrible attitudes she's learning from someone at school. Is Auntie Kath hiding loneliness under her bubbly, loving veneer? And can Robin definitely trust the people she must depend on in her fab new role?

But Robin has her girls. And her girls have got her. Together they can handle any crisis. Can't they?

Life is about to throw quite the curve ball at Robin Wilde, and she'll need to make some pretty brave choices if she's going to stop everything she cares about falling apart . . .


I love Robin Wilde so damn much. She has become my everything. I love her strength, I love her world views, I love everything about her. I love her little one Lyla. I love all the girls around her. Seriously, something that I loved in the first book and that I enjoyed even more in this book, was the girl power in the story. There are so many amazing and strong women in this story. So many different ladies who all have their backs. Of course there are moments they don't get along, I had some serious pain in my heart through some of the Robin and Lacey moments but at the end, everyone is supporting each other and I love it so DAMN MUCH.


Robin went through some serious ups and downs in this story, and I felt every emotion with her. I laughed with her, I cried with her and I felt my heart breaking with her, but I also felt every happy emotion with her. Have I mentioned that Robin Wilde is my everything at this point? I seriously feel like she is one of my best friends and I want all the good things happen to her.


Something that I loved in the first book aswell, that got even better in this book, was Louise's writing. While reading I could hear her voice telling me the story of Robin. She tackled some serious topics in this second book and she did it amazingly, she broke my heart and fixed it again.


There has to be a third book. I think the book ended in a good way to end the whole thing but I'm not ready to say goodbye to all these characters yet. I need to have more Robin in my life. And I seriously wanna see her and Edward as a couple. I just love these two so much.

[Em · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pros: A much easier read than the first book because proper sentences were used and it didn't sound like a vlog script throughout, the experiences were a little more removed from the author's life, the plot was a little more advanced and engaging. There were fewer attempts at it being a 'laugh out loud' affair which was nice because the humour wasn't forced and had less potential to flop.

Cons: Writing still a little clunky, plot still had pacing issues - the conflict happened much earlier into the novel than I expected and the resolution took up way too many pages, protagonist is still a little 'woe-is-me' considering they're supposed to be a 30 year old with their daughter in private school, their own large home (she has too much space apparently) and many supportive friends, as well as a job they genuinely love with very little difficulty gaining it.

Overall a perfectly decent read. I'm glad I stuck to my word and gave it a chance, it was definitely a better book than the first. Nothing incredible about it and the writing wasn't good enough to fully engage me with the emotional subject matter, but interesting nonetheless. My only major gripe was that it did feel like there was some judgement on abortion or women who never 'come round' to being pregnant and that for a character who wasn't particularly religious, the Christian religion was shoehorned into every discussion about death - potentially to the detriment of more involved character discussion. It was fine, I'm not sure I'd read the next (inevitable) book in the series.

[Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy for review via the website Readers First!

T/W- Miscarriage

I've been a long-time subscriber to Louise's YouTube channel. When I first read Life With A Sprinkle of Glitter back in 2014, reading her Robin Wilde books now has been a really exciting experience! Confession: I need to get a hold of book one in this series ahhhh XD

The good news is when I started reading Wilde About The Girl, I didn't end up confused. Straight away, the storyline started with Robin's role at work and her love for her young daughter Lyla. She is a single Mum but determined to give her the best future possible. There is a new love flame in her life, a guy called Edward who is in New York City. One of Robin's closet friends has been trying for a baby but with no success. Robin's Aunt Kath is also part of her and her daughter's lives but she meets a new man who Lyla doesn't want to accept as part of the family. Even though the pacing at times was a little slow, I did find this an extremely enjoyable read. I would say that the dialogue was my favourite thing, it really opened up for character connection.

I had no major issues with the novel, it was funny, heartbreaking but just a little slow moving at times.

[Aza · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very warming book. It showed the effects on how a mother, like Robin Wilde, had to live with her daughter in the most best ways ever. Robin and her daughter, Lyla, have very strong connections and true love for each other. They show you how to live your life in many ways, but the only way to do that is . . . not lose each other.
This extremely poignant read will teach you the ways in life and will show that sometimes you have to choose your own path in life but without loosing or hurting others in a way which can damage your life as well.

A brilliant read.

[Fabulous Book Fiend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this novel on audiobook and was pleased to discover that the notes from the author at the front of the book was actually read to me by Louise, it made it feel like a much more personal reading experience because she read that part herself and the narrator did a great job as well so my audiobook experience was a really positive one.

It was great to be back in Robin's world again and of course its not long before things in that world start to go tit-up again and we would expect if we've read book one! I love the way Robin decides how to handle a crisis and the talks that she gives to herself before she goes and deals with something difficult or tries something new. This is one of the things I loved about her character in the first book and so I am glad to see she hasn't given this up in the time between the two novels. This is really what makes her such a like able character, she is just like you and me. She doesn't always relish trying new things and has to psyche herself up to stepping out of her comfort zone, she is a procrastinator and so she is just so easy to relate to.

Of course we have plenty of mum action in this book too. One of the great things about the last book was that it shone a light on what feeling like a bad mum can do to you and the importance of having a support network and also being honest with other mums. We still have the posh school mums around in this novel as well as plenty of new things for Robin as a mum to deal with including some deeper subjects that Lyla has questions about.

Speaking of deeper things, this book does get into some quite serious issues surrounding grief and things connected with grief and I thought it was handled really well. I was pleased to see Robin dealing with these things head on and having her as a vehicle for talking about these darker issues was great because it definitely softened the blow for the reader. Of course there is some romance in this novel, I'm sure Louise wouldn't want Robin to be without romance and I really enjoyed watching our main characters priorities in that area grow and change as the novel went on. There's also that great body positive message running throughout the novel just like in Wilde Like Me so we can all cheer about that!

There are some seriously funny moments. I laughed out loud, which is always even more hilarious when you're laughing at what's coming out your headphones, and these balance out the more serious things that Robin is being forced to deal with really well. I so enjoyed this novel, I read it in one sitting basically, and I would really recommend adding it to your summer TBR. Make sure you read Wilde Like Me first though so there are no spoilers, get the audiobook, it was great!

[Georgie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book and series. It’s so relatable, sad and funny. It’s a great read for anyone who has an interest in friends and family life. The main character has a great voice and she has a lot to say on important real life issues. I would definitely pick this up for my mum or sister. You want the main character to have a happy ending as she’s so likeable and you Want to know where the rest of her life goes which is why you need to read the whole series. I like reading about village life and some of the additional characters are so cute and you want to meet them. I love Lacey and want Auntie Kath to adopt me. It’s like a hot chocolate on a cold day and you won’t be able to get enough either. It’s extremely fast paced too which is always a bonus. The hype is real and I hope to see more from the author. I love books this these which deal with difficult issues but in a warm way.

[Merle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book I've read so far this year. WLM was good, but WATG was phenomenal.
I just loved Robin and her story so much, and this book made me laugh and cry the whole time. I barely could put it down. It dealt with some sensitive topics, but in a very realistic and raw way.
Also Louise's writing did really improve a lot since #1.
I am hoping for #3 - the ending was okay, but I still feel like the story of Robin, Lyla and all of their friends isn't done being told.

[Jordana Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Can't wait to see what happens for Robin and co in the next book.

[Janay Brazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading on Saturday night, just before midnight (I'm not sure why I got into bed so late and decided to read but clearly I couldn't help myself) and I had finished the whole book by 11pm Sunday night. I read the whole book in less than twenty-four hours. That's the sign of a good book already, when you can't put it down.

It had me hooked from the very beginning.

It was so great to go back to characters that I'd fallen in love with during the first book. Going back to Robin and Lyla was a pleasure and the journey these characters go on during this book really develop them as characters, especially with Robin. Character development is always important in a sequel because you've already been introduced to them and you need progression for it to remain engaging and interesting, and this book definitely does this well.

Robin is a juggler of work, parenthood, love, friendship and life in general and I love her for being so real.

The events of this book are really gripping, through the high points and the lows. The calm is constantly being challenged and it keeps the reader on their toes with anticipation as to what comes next for Robin. It changes quite quickly at times and hooks you in so you can see how the main character comes out the side, no matter what she faces.

It's packed full of emotion and heart.

The writing has Louise's signature flare that I adore. You can see so much of Louise in this book, which just goes to show how much love and dedication she has poured into it. As a person, Louise often has me laughing until my stomach hurts and her writing matches that same humour.

I laughed. I cried. I want to be friends with Robin Wilde.

I also want to be friends with Louise because honestly, I think she is so real and positive and relatable. She feels like a friend already through the computer screen and even more so after reading these books because it's another part of her to love.

Speaking of her books, I need a third one and I need it soon!

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, through all of the ups and downs, all of the giggles and tears and cringey moments, and I definitely recommend reading this sequel.

Louise writes humour so well. I've never had a book make me laugh like this before.

[Jessica Noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG?! What more can I say than I LOVED this book! I’ve never laughed and cried so much at a book before in my life.

Louise stayed true to the characters throughout this sequel, and I could still resonate with Lacey really well and all the infertility problems she was facing.

Robin Wilde is definitely the best friend everyone wants and the person everyone wants to be.

The only thing I would say is for anyone who has suffered a miscarriage then read with caution as the topic is approached and dealt with in the story.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

From start to finish this book was amazing. I loved learning more about Robins life and I loved all the characters. It was very funny throughout but also sad and heartbreaking in places. It was beautifully written and a real ‘cosy’ read. I loved it just as much as the first book and I really hope there is more to come as I didn’t want it to end.

[Kate’s Book Spot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m afraid I didn’t love this which is a shame because I really enjoyed the first book. It wasn’t terrible but I did struggle to get into the storyline, I just kind of felt like it wasn’t getting to the point.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Very enjoyable but the main character is a little bit too privileged to be relatable at times. Is fun to read though.

[Victoria Loder · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know a book's good when you get choked up on the last chapter and MUST read the acknowledgements because you don't want it to be over yet.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was full of love and heartbreak. I love the Wilde girls and adore Edward. I hope he is in the next one even more.

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating 3.5*

Wilde About the Girl is the sequel to Wilde Like Me from YouTuber and parenting/lifestyle/beauty blogger/vlogger, Louise Pentland.

Just published by Bonnier Zaffre, Louise Pentland is described as ‘the fresh voice contemporary women’s fiction has been waiting for. She is sharp, funny, a natural storyteller and completely relatable’

Admittedly not a book I would normally pick up, not being from the YouTube generation, so I was well intrigued to check it out.

Robin Wilde is a woman trying to juggle life in the best way she can. Now as a single mother with a young child, Robin Wilde is filled with the guilt of many a parent, that constant nag in your ear that tells you you are not enough. In Wilde About the Girl, Robin Wilde is back in the sequel to Wilde Like Me. It works perfectly fine as a stand alone so have no fear there folks. It’s very easy to jump into Robin Wilde’s life and keep her company during this new year that she has embarked on. With a positive swing to her step and a general ‘joie de vivre’ about her demeanor, Robin is set to take on the world.

Robin is thrilled at the opportunity to temporarily take over the reins at work when her boss takes some time out. Working in the make-up artist business is what Robin loves. The fizz of the transformation of the model never fades and Robin relishes the opportunity to be the leader for a short duration. But Robin soon discovers that all is not as straightforward as she had hoped for. With snide remarks and quite competitive attitudes from her colleagues Robin is soon battling an internal work dilemma. In the meantime her daughter Lyla is working up an attitude and her best friend Lacey is having her own family dramas. Suddenly Robin’s life doesn’t seem as sorted as she had hoped….

Can Robin shift the gear up another notch and battle her way through all these ever-changing dilemmas in her life? Or is her world about to come crashing down?

Wilde About the Girl is what I would term a joyous kind of a read, while also a light-hearted tribute to motherhood.

Robin Wilde’s character has challenges in her life but she also has a good support network. She lives in a lovely home but she has a rather large mortgage repayment. Lyla’s father is still in the picture (as just that Lyla’s father) but his presence does provide Robin with time out, time for her to catch up on her own love-life. Robin has a relaxed relationship with a person that she sees occasionally and this has suited Robin….up to now!! Life can sometimes leave you in a quandary and it’s not long before Robin finds herself pulled….in lots and lots of different directions.

Louise Pentland is a YouTuber with a very high profile. With her natural presence and humorous nature, you can’t help but feel that much of her own personality is expressed through the character of Robin Wilde. Robin is sweet-natured. She is loveable. She is the best friend everybody wants. There is a vulnerability to Robin, yet also she is a fighter, someone who wants to get on the right track in life and be a success. Robin wants Lyla to have a good life and it is her responsibility, as Lyla’s main support and carer, to provide that life for her.

Wilde About the Girl is a charming read filled with wit, heart-break and humour. It is not an overly complex tale and many of the story-lines are predictable, however it really is an easy read to just switch off with and take time out!

Delightful. Entertaining. Appealing.

[Pubudini Jayakody · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Wilde by name, wild by nature".

THE Wilde girls rock again!! It's so awesome to see how the series is getting better, and I can't wait for the third. It can be clearly seen Louise Pentland's improvement from her debut novel, Wilde Like Me. Being behind Robin Wilde, Louise talks about some lady matters that aren't often said loud, like infertility, miscarriage, body equality and heartbreaks. I enjoyed how much Robin has grown from the first book, not that I loved her less before. My favourite part of the book, sorry for the spoiler, but I can't help but add this because it's too cute to say no.

"'I think you want Edward to be your boyfriend. You talk about Edward to Lacey on the phone ALL the time'. You love him, she laughs, and skips off".

Robin Wilde's life is getting better. She is clearly going uphill in her carrier, her friend circle is growing wider and a little bit of romance is popping here and there. Not that any of this is permanent, Robin is still afraid of making these be so. And one small incident makes her life upside down. Heartbroken and furious Robin, with the help of her girls, will make things alright.

"I feel that familiar fizz of happiness knocking at the door. Hello, I've missed you".

In this marvellous book two, Robin has proved again that she can be anyone's best friend. To wind up let me just note out something from 'Louise's letter for readers' for you girls out there.

"I want you to know that Robin isn't any braver, stronger or riskier than you are. Robin is an ordinary woman with the potential to do anything, just like you and me".

[Emmie Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Zaffre for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Note: This is the second book in Louise Pentland’s Wilde series so you need to have read the first book Wilde Like Me before reading this book
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Robin Wilde is acing life. After having the year from hell Robin has managed to pull herself out of the emptiness she was feeling. Her love life is in a good place, single motherhood is a breeze at the moment and she’s ready for everything that life can throw at her.

An opportunity at work arises and Robin is more than ready to step up and show everyone what she’s made of however life decides that now is the perfect time for a curve ball. Her best friend Lacey is having no luck when it comes to conceiving , her daughter Lyla is starting to adopt some horrible attitudes that she’s learning from other kids at school and this dream role leads her to wonder whether she can trust the people she depends on to make it happen.

Robin is left in a situation where she has to make some pretty brave choices if she’s going to stop everything caving in around her.

I honestly forgot how much I love these characters. Each one is so unique and so well built that you can’t help but want to be a part of this group. I adore Robin, she’s a strong woman who still suffers from insecurities. She has flaws, but she accepts and embraces them. She’s doing everything she can to provide Lyla with the perfect life.

This book was a roller-coaster for me; it had me laughing out loud, crying from heart-break but in the end it provided such an uplifting message. I feel like Louise Pentland’s writing has improved so much from the first one and I am so proud of how far she has come.

I loved this book and I honestly cannot wait until the third book is out!

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a really nice, enjoyable, light read. Very similar to Wilde Like Me in terms of it not being a heavy read and it is a book that is nice to go to when you are just wanting something light, funny and easy.

I love Robin, she made me laugh out loud throughout the book. I think she is a really lovely character and I really like reading from a perspective of a single mum, balancing work life and mother life. I think it is nice to have these kinds of characters as many books tend to be written from a nuclear family unit, often with a stay at home mum. So i find Robin to be quite relatable to many people. I love that although Robin struggles sometimes she still gets up and does her best with what she has and what she can. She makes the most of everything she has.

There were definitely some laugh out loud moments in this book and I really enjoyed it.

I also appreciated that this book was not completely light hearted, it did raise and speak about some serious issues that some women go through, i appreciated that it raised awareness to these issues and the struggles that some women are going through. I like it when authors use their writing to also include serious topics that affect many.

[Oriana Blyth (_head_in_a_book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my word! Where do I even start with this?! “Wilde about the girl” was an absolutely gorgeous read 😊 Louise Pentland has once again smashed it out of the park. This book deals with some truly heartbreaking issues (which I felt was dealt with compassion and respect) but Robin is lucky because all the while she is surrounded by the people who mean the most to her......auntie Kath and Lyla Blue. Louise Pentland’s writing is just beautiful, and as a mum myself I really relate to Robin, and this is one of the reasons why I love her so much. I sincerely hope there is a third book, because I feel like there’s so much more on the horizon for her. Without a doubt, an astounding ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me 😍💕📚

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me two days to finish this wonderful book because I got sucked back into Robin’s life in a matter of minutes of listening to the audiobook. What I love about this book is how well Louise Pentland’s writing has progressed since the first instalment! It’s very easy to read and it packs a punch by tackling the topic of miscarriage.

I laughed, cried and cringed my way through another Robin Wilde instalment and I hope there is another one of the horizon (or at least another book by Lady Pentland soon). I would happily say that the lovely Lady Pentland is now an auto buy author of mine from now on!

[Joany Vries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een heerlijk boek weer van Louise. Robin Wilde heeft me opnieuw enorm laten lachen, maar dit keer ging dat ook gepaard met een stukje healing dankzij de mooie wijze waarop werd verteld over een enorme verdrietige gebeurtenis waar ik zelf ook mee te maken heb gehad in het verleden. Fijn boek om het nieuwe jaar mee te beginnen 😊

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely read. I loved the first one, and the sequel did not disappointment. A tale of heartache, romance, family life and happiness all rolled into one. A beautifully written account of a year in the life of Robin Wilde. A summer ‘must read’.

[Emily Lovell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in a bit of a reading slump and this was so joyous, so heartfelt, made me want to cry! What a beautiful book, loved Louise Pentlands style of writing, very descriptive, loved it!! Can’t wait to read the others in the series

[Literate _Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this but I had to skip the parts about miscarriage as it turns out thats not something I was prepared to read about.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

been in the biggest slump and i needed a book like this to get me out- so cute and very easy to read!

[Alex Ankarr · Rating 1 out of 5]

lol no.

[Leah Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

emotions were very felt, has to be a 5* this book made me laugh actually out loud and cry

[Natalie Temene · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book!!! It's been a long time since I finished a book in just two days (this says something)!!!! Loved each page of it! Incredible story abd characters... totally recommend it!!!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal rating 4.5