Wrapped Up In You

by Carole Matthews

***A classic Christmas Carole with a brand-new look***

'A cosy tale that's brim-full of Christmas spirit'
Sunday Express

Includes a BONUS follow-up story, PLUS the first chapter of Carole's new book
Sunny Days & Sea Breezes

******

Janie Johnson is ringing the changes this Christmas.

As a thirty-something hairdresser, Janie's single status is a constant source of concern for her clients as well as her friends. So after one too many questions about her love life, a blind date disaster and hearing her ex-boyfriend is getting married, Janie decides it's time to do something dramatic.

Leaving winter behind, Janie takes the plunge and books an exotic trip to Africa. Her friends think she's mad and Janie thinks they may very well be right. Until that is she meets her gorgeous tour guide, Dominic.

But all good things must come to an end. Can Janie now face spending a snowy Christmas back home without him, or will she get her Christmas wish in W rapped up in You

Praise for Carole Matthews

'A cosy tale that's brim-full of Christmas spirit'
Sunday Express

'A wonderful story of friendship and romance'
Katie Fforde

'The perfect escape'
Woman

Genres: Christmas, Chick Lit, Romance, Fiction, Holiday, Contemporary, Romantic Comedy

464 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Carole Matthews is an international bestselling author of hugely successful romantic comedy novels. Her unique sense of humour has won her legions of fans and critical acclaim all over the world.

A Minor Indiscretion and A Compromising Position both reached the Top 5 in the Sunday Times bestseller chart in the UK. You Drive Me Crazy reached number 8 in the original fiction charts. The novel Welcome To The Real World was shortlisted for RNA romantic novel of the year 2007.

In 2006 Carole co-edited - with writer Sarah Mlynowski - two new editions of the hugely popular Girls' Night In charity series called Girls' Night Out - one for the USA and one for Canada. All proceeds go to War Child.

Carole has presented on television and is a regular radio guest. When she’s not writing novels, television or film scripts she manages to find time to trek in the Himalayas, rollerblade in Central Park, take tea in China and snooze in her garden shed in Milton Keynes which is near London, England.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow start but once I got into it, I found it very funny. I was actually sniggering in public while reading this one.

The cover is a bit deceiving though as it's not really about Christmas.

Five stars.

[Fanny Reads ♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Solo diré, no lo lean.

Es la historia de romance de una chica que trabaja en una estetíca y al enterarse de que su ex va a casarse y ser padre, pues ella decide hacer algo impulsivo y pasar su navidad en áfrica, donde se enamora de uno de los guerreros-cuidadores de ahí, claramente el viaje le costo un ojo de la cara y pues se obseciona con el man y vive y muere por el, figurativamente.

Pero si, todo su mundo se centra ahora en el que es casi casi un cavernicola porque donde vivia pues practicamente tenía que cazar su comida jaja ay no que risa, se quisieron creer Jane y Tarzán y fue horrible.

[Kezza22 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Carole Matthews read most of her books and loved them .....BUT I really didn't warm to this book... I've thought this through a lot to think why on earth I feel like this but although I liked janie the main character I thought the whole plot of her falling for her warrior all a bit strange and felt it uncomfortable reading when He came to see her in the uk.... I loved the character mike but the rest of it just didn't work for me... I'm really disappointed cause I've been waiting to read this for ages... Sorry to be one of the only ones to rate this book so low...

[Sharon Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit that having read and enjoyed quite a few novels from author Carole Matthews before my blogging days began (Let’s Meet on Platform 8, The Chocolate Lovers Club and All You Need is Love spring immediately to mind) I was really excited to be offered a copy of Wrapped up in You to review.

Through Janie’s clients in the ‘Cutting Edge’ salon we get to know about her love life … and how she feels about romance. Having listened to all her regular clients about their love lives she asks herself ‘Is there really such a thing as perfect love?’

We find out that her seven year relationship with ex Paul lit no passions for her and her best friend Nina’s marriage with Gerry leaves a lot to be desired. The awful blind date that Nina sets up ends in her being stalked. The male stability in her life comes from neighbour Mike whose wife has left him. He is predictable, kind, always on hand – and hints of dating!

The reader comes to the conclusion that Janie is a ‘plodder’. She likes stability, predictability, routine and has to be in control.

The key turning point is when ex Paul tells Janie he is getting married with a daughter due to be born in March. Regular client Mrs Silverton has already laid the foundations with her photos of being on safari and leaving a brochure. Janie acts totally out of character – booking a holiday in Maasai Mara. Dominic is her personal Maasai warrior in camp, there to protect her. Their feelings for each other are there from the very beginning. Making a return trip over Christmas, reality hits when Janie meets Dominic’s tribal family and sees/takes part in some of their customs. Can this relationship work? Is love enough in the face of reality?

I did wonder how Carole Matthews would take us away from a holiday romance into every day life and I wasn’t disappointed. I thought she portrayed a mixed race relationship really well. Not only the misunderstandings due to cultural differences but also how friends and colleagues might react. I must admit to being saddened at some reactions but loved the way her village in Buckingham reacted to Dominic! Plenty of incidences to make you smile J

And there’s Mike. Dependable, lovable, non-judgemental Mike. Literally the ‘boy next door’ whose love is gentle and warming.

One of my favourite parts in the story was the Sno!Zone outing with everyone from ‘Cutting Edge’. Nail biting tension had me sitting on the edge of my seat. Would the challenge be met or would there be broken bones?

Wrapped up in You for me was about watching Janie’s emotional journey unfold … Janie flowering from a woman who had never experienced passion in life on any level and playing it safe to a woman who took life with all its passions of highs and lows and felt every single nuance of feeling (and not just in love relationships!) She ends up swimming in the sea rather than paddling in the shallows! She embraces life, which leads her to the start of emotional maturity. The reader experiences the whole gamut of feelings alongside Janie – despondency, excitement, betrayal, love, passion, tears and laughter.

[Hailee]

DNF at 193 pages

There was nothing really wrong with this book but I just personally wasn't bothered about the characters and I wasn't invested in the romance. With other book genres if I don't like a certain aspect such as the characters or something else there is another aspect such as plot or world building that will keep me reading but with contemporary romance like this, lets face it if you don't like the romance aspect why bother reading it.

I was really interested in the idea of a romance between and English woman and a Maasai warrior but when the L word was spoken between them 25 pages after meeting I realized the book probably wasn't for me. I had other problems with it as well but that was the main one.

It is annoying for me personally as it has broken my streak of not having had to DNF a book in over a decade but for the last 50 pages that was literally the only reason I kept on reading it but I realised that wasting so much of my time by actually finishing it for that reason alone would be silly. However since I DNFed this I'm not going to rate it and I'm not counting it towards my goodreads goal.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book, it shows you can find love in places you would not expect.

I am glad Janie finally fell in love with someone which is Dominic from Africa and everything worked out for her and she proved everyone wrong, goes to show you can never judge a book by its cover.

[Juliana Graham · Rating 2 out of 5]

As you can see, I read this book really quickly. It had very short chapters that made it ideal to pick up and read here and there, and so perfect to have on the go on the Christmas holidays. However, one of the main reasons I started this book mid December is that I thought it would be at least a bit festive. It has a lovely sparkly cover and asks the question 'will Janey bring love home this Christmas?' However, I think the word Christmas is mentioned once or twice in passing, and the main character leaves the country over the holiday, which was a bit disappointing. Also, the plot was incredibly 'fluffy', with no dramatic tension, twists or surprises. It was over 400 pages long but I'd worked out pretty much exactly what was going to happen by page 160. A very easy read, but not festive, very predictable and not really that satisfying. At least it didn't take up too much of my time.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Thought it was going to get a bit silly when Dominic arrived on the scene - but I was wrong. Best chick lit I have read in a while.

[Kirsty (Book - Love - Bug) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully unique book. Don’t let the cover fool you – it isn’t your typical girl meets boy storyline. Yes, girl (Janie Johnson) certainly does meet boy, but he isn’t just any boy – he’s a man, a Massai Warrior man (Dominic). Carole Matthews has a wonderful style of writing, it’s descriptive enough for you to feel like you’re in the same room as the characters and flowing and paced well to keep you reading. I really enjoyed the short chapters, something which has been lacking in my life for a while now!

I have to admit, I struggled with the storyline; it was too unrealistic for me. But then I live in a bubble of safety so just couldn’t relate to the situation. I just couldn’t see this happening in real life (and deep down was hoping Mike would feature more heavily in Janie’s life) but then who am I to stand in the way of true love? You don’t always fall in love with the people who want you to. There isn’t a set formula; it just doesn't work that way. So I guess in that way, it is realistic, but I just struggled to relate. That said, I did enjoy the book as a whole and it was an enjoyably easy read – I would certainly look out for future works of Carole Matthews.

My favourite part of the book has got to be Janie’s cat, Archibald the Aggressive. He reminded me of my old cat, eager to take a chunk of flesh at any opportunity but incredibly loving when his tummy rumbles. This develops into something wonderful when Archie meets Dominic. Archie was constantly making me smile.

[Sophie Narey (Bookreview- aholic) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking for the perfect Christmas/Winter story to read and this one caught my eye. I found that this book was incredibly hard to put down, the story line had me completely hooked.

Carole Matthews is an incredibly talented author, all her books have a way of caputuring you from the first word. This story features Janie and Dominic as the main feature characters, however all the other characters that come in and out of their lives are described so well, especially the ladies in the hairdressers, you can see them being someone you know, see similarities.

Any fan of cozy chic lit books will really enjoy this one!

[Rea Cobb · Rating 5 out of 5]

am a huge Carole Matthews fan.. I cannot walk past new Carole Matthews book without picking it up. I was so excited when an advanced copy of Wrapped up in You arrived in my letter box to review, all wrapped up in a lovely little bow, my Christmas had come early!






Plot.


A Christmas fling, or has Janie found the real thing? Thirty-something hairdresser Janie Johnson's single status is a constant source of gossip for her friends and clients. So after too many nights in with her cat, a blind date disaster and news that her ex is getting married, Janie realises it's time to do something dramatic with her life. It's time for an adventure! Leaving winter behind, Janie takes the plunge and books an exotic trip to Africa. Her friends think she's mad and Janie thinks they may very well be right ...but then she falls head over heels for her tour guide ? and fully fledged Maasai Warrior ? Dominic. But can Janie now face spending a snowy Christmas back home without him? Packed with unforgettable characters, romance and laughter, Wrapped Up In You is your very own perfect Christmas Carole!


My Opinion
Sighhhhhhhhhhhh! I Loved it....The End!


Carole Matthews has come back with a bang this year. From the first chapter of Wrapped Up in You I was hooked. I connected with the main character from the moment I met her. Janie works as a hairdresser which is a similar industry that I work in so when we first meet her at work with her chatty clients talking about love and holidays, I felt like I was reading about my working day! Janie's character comes over as very warm and caring if a little vulnerable. We only hope that she can soon find the love and happiness she deserves.


Carole teases us in this book with two gorgeous men, Dominic and Mike, who are two worlds apart and who are both perfect in every way and will have you looking at your partner wondering why he isn't more like these characters!


The descriptive method of writing Matthews uses in this book really gives this book an intriguing and exciting feel to it. I think this book should come with a warning on the festive front cover as once you have read this it will have you looking at holidays in Africa!


As you will see from the picture above now that Carole has moved over to Sphere she now has a fresh new look which in my opinion looks much more inviting. I was expecting more of a festive feel to the book judging by the cover so I was a little surprised y the storyline when Janie leaves the festive setting for a gorgeous setting in Africa.


We also get our little touches of humour in this book, my favourite involving a difficult escape route! The book starts at a great pace and continues the whole way through with no dull points to the book. I thought by the second chapter that I knew how the story was going to pan out but I was wrong. This novel is beautifully written and the ending is wrapped up in a lovely way not leaving us hanging and not feeling a rush to the close.



This is one of my favourite Carole Matthews books and I cannot recommend it enough, everyone needs this book sitting under their Christmas tree.

[Kim Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m thrilled Carole didn’t fail to disappoint me with her new novel Wrapped Up In You - a delightful, heart warming, hilarious and truly wonderful read.

Janie, a single hairdresser, is constantly harassed by her clients about her love life and when she meets her ex, who tells her that the girl he left her for, is now pregnant and that they are getting hitched, she finds herself telling him that she too, is happy in her life and is going off to Africa on safari, an idea which was given to her by one of her clients. Realising that she needs some excitement in her life, she wonders, why the hell not, and books a trip to do exactly that! Much to the disappointment of the only man in her life, Mike from next door, who is her best friend and realises that he wants more from her than just friendship.

Janie goes on her exotic safari to a stunning Africa and falls madly in love with Dominic – her tour guide, hero, dream man, protector, oh and I forgot to mention fully fledged Massai Warrior! He shows her his amazing home country and the incredible animals that stroll along as an everyday occurrence in his life, just a little bit different from hers.

When her safari is over, how on earth is she going to go back to her previous life and how will she cope without this wonderful man in it, who is the only man who has ever made her feel the way he has?

Carole has such a fabulous way of writing, making you feel like you are actually in the plot of her books. I could so easily picture myself in Janie’s front room of her cottage in the Buckinghamshire village with Mike popping round for coffee whenever he had the chance. I felt like I went to work with her every day to the hairdressers and then I had such a great experience when I went with her to Africa and shared the amazing sights that she did. I felt every single one of her emotions when she missed Dominic with the whole of her heart when she returned from Africa and tried to fit back into her previous life which suddenly felt so wrong.

Carole continues to make you unable to put one of her books down. She makes them so easy to read and so enjoyable that you definitely lose yourself and become lost in her world. I sincerely hope that Carole never gives up writing. She must give so many people so much pleasure from her novels, and I hope that she continues to think of new ideas and interesting plots to keep on writing!

Thanks Carole – you are an absolute star and an inspiration to us all.

[Sam Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fab book. One of Carole's best ones. Was just brilliant xx

[Tish · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Carole Matthews style of writing and I'd probably read another story by her but this one didn't hit this spot. I didn't mind it, it wasn't awful but 400 plus pages and i couldn't be convinced of their love, I didn't like the main character, she fell for a man and then just spent her time trying to squash him and change him.

[Akcherrybomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, light, easy romance read.

Didn't feel particularly festive though

[Lucy Felthouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Article first published as Book Review: Wrapped Up in You by Carole Matthews on Blogcritics.

Wrapped Up in You is the first of Carole Matthews' novels that I've read. Based on how much I enjoyed it, it definitely won't be the last. I read it in a couple of sittings, and had life not gotten in the way, I could have easily have done it in one. It's that easygoing, not to mention a page turner!

This heartwarming romantic comedy is about Janie Johnson, a thirty-something hairdresser who's pretty much given up on love. She doesn't think she's ever been in love, and isn't hopeful that she ever will be. She's just plodding along in life, aware that she's missing out on something, but has no idea what to do about it. That is, until several things conspire at once to make her change her mind: too many nights in alone, a terrible blind date and the news that her ex is getting married. Before you know it, Janie has booked a ludicrously expensive holiday to Africa and is looking forward to getting away from it all. All her friends think she's barmy, and by the time the holiday rolls around, Janie's beginning to agree with them.

However, a flight and a very bumpy drive later and Janie's being introduced to Dominic, her tour guide for the week. She very quickly forgets her misgivings, and by the time her holiday of a lifetime is over, she's also convinced she's found the love of her lifetime. Maasai warrior Dominic is a charming sex god who speaks very good English, and Janie is completely besotted. It appears Dominic feels the same way. Therefore when it's time for Janie to go home, she really doesn't want to. But she must.

Arriving home, all Janie can think about is the fact that the love of her life is thousands of miles away. Once again, her friends think she's crazy and are convinced that Dominic is just trying to snare himself a rich British woman so he can come and live in England. Janie knows that isn't the case, and continues to think of a way she can be with Dominic. But it certainly won't be easy...

Wrapped Up in You really is a fab book. It's an easy read, and had me speed reading to find out what happened next. Janie is a fab - if somewhat ditzy heroine - and Dominic is just... well. He's not your typical romance novel hero; he's big, he's adorable, he's hilarious and a total sweetheart. There were lots of twists and turns in the book and I wasn't sure where it was going to end up, which is always a good thing. It's all wrapped up in a satisfying ending which left me with a great big silly grin on my face. Call it a rom com, call it chick lit. Call it what you like - I'm calling it a damn good book.

[Carol W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Janie is just an ordinary girl, and single for way too long. So long that her friends and clients at the hairdressing salon are trying to fix up her love life. She tries to convince even herself that she is happy being single.


Lovable Mike, is the divorcee from next door. He is a good friend to Janie and she would be lost without him. He is always there for Janie and wants to be more than just a good friend.


Lewis is Janie's blind date, never to be repeated, who just doesn't get the message that Janie is not interested.


One of Janie's regular customers suggests she goes on holiday to Africa. Janie would never think of going to Africa on holiday alone! But she does just that after blurting it out whilst trying to look for an excuse not to attend her ex-boyfriend's wedding!


Lovable Mike, takes Janie to the airport and tells Janie about his true feelings. It is not what Janie wants right now.
Once Janie arrives in Africa she is still unsure how she managed to get into this situation. How will she sleep at night with all those wild animals out there?
That is where her Maasai Warrior guide, Dominic comes into the picture.
Dominic is completely different to the last blind date, Lewis the creep. Dominic is the perfect romantic and exotic hero without even trying.


When Janie finishes her African holiday and returns home to England all she can think about is her holiday romance. Was it just a holiday romance or can they have a future together when their lives are so different?


I really enjoyed a different take on boy meets girl in this storyline. These two characters are so different and their lives are worlds apart. It made for interesting reading, in amongst the love story, to discover the problems that these two characters would face trying to be together. The will it work, won't it work scenario had me gripped.




I kicked off my festive seasonal reading with this review copy of Carole Matthews latest novel. I would recommend this as a perfect festive read. Fellas - this would make a good stocking filler, too.


It is like Shirley Valentine meets Out of Africa!


5 out of 5 for me!

[Karschtl · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not really a "Christmas book", other than Christmas also happens to occur during the duration of the story. Its rather a book about a culture clash between a Maasai Warrior from Kenia and small-town Britain. And I have to say that the elderly ppl of the small village our heroine lives in are surprisingly open-minded about the newest resident in their midst. Its Janies friends that cause concern and who don't approve of their unusual union.

I was quite surprised that Dominic agrees to Janies suggestion to come live with her in the UK so readily. I would have thought that this would be out of the question for him. And Dominic does his best to adjust to his new surroundings, like Crocodile Dundee when he came to New York. Even Mike swallows his disappointment that he is not the choosen one, and becomes a great friend to Janies new lover. But of course there needs to be an obstacle in the love-story, otherwise it might be to boring. But for me this turn of events was a bit silly.

All in all I wasn't really overwhelmed by this book. But still, I wanted to know how their story would go on and so I read the short-story sequel as well (available on the homepage of the author).

[Mayu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Miré el libro por encima pero hubo cosas que no me gustaron y por eso lo dejé. Entre otras, estas fueron algunas razones:

1) La protagonista tiene novio, y pasa gran parte de la novela junto a él. Suspirando por su novio hasta que rompen.

2) Una vez que está soltera, inicia una relación con el chico africano, pero en otro continente. Y alli hay toda clase de momentos dramaticos pues la vida para este joven es lo opuesto a lo que conocia. Él se siente inadaptado y es incapaz de comprender el mundo que le rodea. Echa de menos su tierra, su familia, sus raices, su religión, todo lo que compone su mundo, y el amor no le compensa.

3) Amar no es suficiente para Él. Ama a esa mujer tan opuesta pero no soporta la vida que tiene con ella, y los dos rompen, y cada uno a su mundo y a su vida.

4) Drama, drama, drama. Odio el drama. Me encanta reir. Este libro, como ocurre siempre con el chick lit, lo venden como una comedia, y si es asi, yo no le encuentro la gracia O.o

[shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

well I'm back in the reading game! if you are ever in a reading slump, this is the book for you! it's quick, easy to read, cute and funny! definitely enjoyed it more than I was expecting to!

[AmyMreadsx · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Review: Wrapped up in you by Carole Matthews

Synopsis:
Janie's single status is a constant source of concern for her clients as well as her friends. After an awful blind date and a surprise visit from her ex, she decides drastic action is needed. Leaving winter behind, Janie takes the plunge and books an exotic trip to Africa where she meets her gorgeous tour guide, Dominic. But all good things must come to an end. Can Janie now face spending a snowy Christmas back home without him, or will she get her Christmas wish.

Review:
This beautiful book was kindly gifted to me by @catherine_reads_too_much and was a lovely winter read! This month I have been enjoying exploring more light hearted romances and I will definitely be reading more of them in the New Year.

Janie is a loveable main character, stuck in a rut with her hairdressing job and group of friends you really just want her to find love! I really felt sorry for her when she ends up on her disastrous date (genuinely laughed out loud at how she escaped) and ended up with the creep practically stalking her!

When she escapes to Africa, I felt like I was alongside her. The description is so beautifully and it made me want to go on a safari even more!! I loved how beautiful both settings in the story were and how they contrasted so well. The idyllic, snowy village in comparison to the bold colours of the African landscape. I'd just love to visit both!

Whilst in Africa, she meets Dominic who she quickly falls for. My heart was wanting it all to be true especially when she visits again for Christmas Eve and he takes her on the balloon ride!! But in my head I did have doubts...

Saying this, I hated how her friends from the salon treated Dominic and Janie's relationship. I thought they were awful friends, not really looking out for her just being bitchy and spiteful. I'm not going to say how it all worked out as I don't want to ruin the story but it definitely had me hooked wanting to know!

My other favourite character is Mike. Such an absolute sweetheart- I think we all need a Mike in our lives!! The characters are all well developed which meant I could love (or hate in some instances) easily and I was totally absorbed in their lives.

I've found myself with romance having to throw out my 'this is just unbelievable' radar otherwise I ruin it for myself! Does anyone else have to do this or am I a bit loopy?

I'm going to give this one a ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5, beautiful settings, characters and romances but maybe a tad far fetched if you have your sensible brain on. Saying that I do recommend for any romance lover- Carole Matthews is a brilliant writer.

#bookreview #bookstagram #bookrecomendations

[Adelyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went for a Christmas-in-July when choosing this one from my TBR, and no regrets whatsoever. With the trips to Africa and description of life there it wasn’t exactly freezing cold and snowy throughout either, though a large chunk of this book is set in the UK. Matthews is one of my favourite authors: This one doesn’t change anything and in fact I liked reading about a story where she had to do some research to plot out, the previous books by her that I’d read and loved tended to be set in the more familiar settings of British cities. Her description of the Maasai Mara was beautiful, and I spent a wonderful hour after I finished reading on my phone just Googling the different aspects of Maasai life to get a visual of what she was describing. The shuka that Dominic wears all the time, how the community dress up for special occasions and the whole warrior-style jumping (which, by the way, was nothing like the picture I’d formed in my head)!

I fell in love with the “wrong” guy from quite close to the start (I guess it’s quite obvious from the blurb how things are going to pan out), and my other only qualm with this one is how long it took to get to Africa the first time around! At the start I thought we faffed about the hair salon for far too long before our heroine decides to take her life-changing trip to the other side of the world, but from then on everything really fell into place and it was a wonderful read right through till the end. I agree with some other reviewers on this page that the romance does take some suspension of disbelief, but with these sorts of feel-good books I’m very happy to go along with it.

The thing I really like about Matthews’ books is how they make me get completely lost in the plot, I feel almost like one of Janie’s friends given how familiar I felt with the characters by the end (and did I mention how much I liked Mike?). I’m not sure where the magic is – the writing style, keeping it to a relatively small number of characters and always having something a little different perhaps. 4.5 stars for this one, 4 on Goodreads as I really felt we should have gotten out there to Africa a bit earlier to give the plot that bit of a kick start that it needed.

[Julie Makin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very far fetched plot but nonetheless a lovely romance story and easy read.

[Amanda Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - I really wasn’t sure what to expect to begin with but as it progressed I found myself getting totally lost in Janie and Dominics story.

I laughed and I cried as I read it especially towards the end. Well worth a read for some human kindness escapism.

[Bjorg Hreinsdottir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked the way the book started, thought it was so funny. But the whole thing about falling in love with Dominic and having him move to England just felt a bit too weird and unrealistic for me. Their backgrounds are so very different, don´t think this would work out in real life. Oh well, enjoyed the book though. Thought it would be more christmasy though!

[Carol Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had a slow start but then took off and i couldnt stop reading it. Really enjoyed the story.

[Tara Hassel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Verste skvipet jeg har lest. Men nå kan jeg si at jeg har lest en kioskroman 😜

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carole Matthews is a go-to author for me. I devour her new releases as soon as I can and she’s one of the most prolific Chick Lit authors there is. Of her 19 novels (including Wrapped Up In You), there’s only four or five I haven’t read. She’s consistent and she’s proven that it is possible for authors to publish two novels a year as that’s what Carole has been doing for the past few years and is going to continue to do so well into the future. Wrapped Up In You is her first novel with her new publishers and I love the cover (the silver and red, the Christmassy feel), and I was delighted to receive an early copy, all wrapped up in red ribbon. It’s probably daft that I read it during sunny June, but for me I read what I want when I want, rather than reading books by season (especially since Tenerife is generally hot all year round so we don’t really have seasons).

Despite enjoying Wrapped Up In You, I’ve been thinking for a while that her newer reads aren’t as charming or as brilliant as her earlier novels. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the Chocolate club duo, no Carole Matthews book since The Sweetest Taboo has been brilliant for me. Her novels haven’t been bad, but they just haven’t been able to match the light-heartedness of her earlier works. It’s gotten to the point – for me – where although I read Carole’s books religiously, they increasingly seem to be the same. However when I first discovered Carole’s novels they had different plots to each other, brilliant characters. I did feel that Wrapped Up In You was better than the past two Carole Matthews’ novels I’ve read, mind you, but it still wasn’t perfect.

What I liked best about Wrapped Up In You was Dominic, who is one of the most unique heros I’ve ever come across in a novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact he was a Maasai warrior and I liked the way he looked after Janie when she went on her holiday to the Maasai Mara. I thought Janie and Dominic’s relationship was incredibly sweet and I found it amusing when Dominic came over to the UK and tried to make his customs fit in to the more strait-laced UK customs. Dominic really perked the novel up, and I found it incredibly sad the way Janie’s friends treated him. I found it disgusting that Janie’s so-called best friend Nina kept warning Janie off, telling her he was only after her money. I can understand being worried for your friend, and perhaps mentioning it in a friendly way, but Nina was continually horrible and continually dismissive of Janie and Dominic’s relationship and it really really annoyed me. I thought Janie was spineless for not telling Nina exactly where to stick her so-called friendship.

Despite the fact that I liked the way Janie was so protective over Dominic and so sure of the fact he wasn’t just saying he loved her for her money, I did find her to be a bit annoying. At the beginning of the novel she agrees to go on a blind date and when she meets him, the horrible lech Lewis, she doesn’t like him at all but instead of going home, she goes to a bar with him and then she’s surprised when he keeps calling her and pestering her when any sane woman would have left him the moment she lay eyes on him, quite frankly. Like I’ve already said, I loved Dominic. I sort of fell in love with him a little bit and it’s rather tempting to head to Africa and find my very own Maasai warrior. Janie is a hairdresser, working at a salon called Cutting Edge, and I didn’t like any of her colleagues. They’re all absolutely horrible about Dominic, let by the loathsome Nina, and I just wanted to punch them all. Another character I enjoyed, though, was Mike, Janie’s next door neighbour, he was incredibly sweet and was the only one who didn’t ridicule or belittle Janie at any point.

Wrapped Up In You is fairly well written, told entirely from Janie’s point of view. I wasn’t a fan of the way Janie continually refers to Dominic as “my lover”. I understand it’s a logical thing to call someone who is undoubtedly your lover, but I personally found it very cringe-worthy when she said things like “I looked over at my lover”, especially since we knew he was her lover. I also wasn’t a fan of the way she talked to her cat, Archie, it was rather sad-old-lady-ish. I did however find the parts set in Africa to be fascinating, I love learning about new cultures and I liked the culture in the novel. I liked how proud Dominic was of his Maasai warrior heritage and I loved learning all about it. I did enjoy Wrapped Up In You, but it didn’t blow me away. Of the 14 or so Carole Matthews novels I’ve read, Wrapped Up In You would be somewhere in the middle, with novels like the Chocolate Club duo, With or Without You, For Better For Worse and The Sweetest Taboo above it. The romance was definitely the best part of the novel, and a lot of people would love it but the novel was only OK for me and my insanely high standards.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely easy read when your brain is overloaded with the world. Enjoyable characters and a great comfortable read.

[Louise Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wrapped up in You is Carole Matthews 19th novel due out at the end of October 2011.

Janie Johnson is a 30 something single hairdresser living on her own in a little cottage in Buckinghamshire with just Archibald the Aggressive (her cat!) for company.

Her Clients and Friends constant check on her love life gets her down. Nightmare blind dates and the news that her Ex is getting married and his Fiancee is with child pushes her over the edge. Before she knows what she is saying she blurts out that she is off on an Adventure to Africa!

Arriving in the baking heat in Maasai Mara in Kenya whilst the UK is covering in Christmas snow with the knowledge that all her friends think she has lost the plot! Janie meets Dominic, a Maasai Warrior who is to be her guide for the next week and who takes her breath away the moment she meets him. Can "Just" Janie stop herself falling head over heels in love with Dominic and return to her boring in life in the UK or could they live happily ever after?

I was delighted to get an advanced copy of Carole's latest book armed with a hot chocolate and a blanket, (well it is a Christmas read) I set about Janie's journey. Straight away I was hooked and couldn't put it down. Janie is a very loveable character and I could understand her need to show her friends she had the guts to try something different with this trip to Africa. The sheer joy of her relationship with Dominic and the tenderness Carole writes of their developing love at the beginning of the story had me turning the pages to see what happens next.

An absolutely delightful story, packed full of comedy moments and also the changing dynamics of friendships as people reach new chapters in the lives. l truly felt Janie's sadness at many parts of the story and you just can't help willing it to turn out right for her. Is it possible to make true love work when you are from very different backgrounds or should Janie listen to what her Friends are telling her?

Perfect winter read that I totally recommend that I know you won't be able to put down!

You can follow Carole on Twitter @carolematthews or via her website www.carolematthews.com