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Unexpectedly Stellar
"A delicious romcom. as funny as Bridget Jones's Diary" Andrew Davies, screenwriter for Bridget Jones's Diary Laugh-out-loud debut novel, this romantic comedy is the perfect read to stop feeling angry or bitter towards someone who has done something wrong or made a mistake Easier said than done. Betrayal comes in all shapes and sizes; short acts of pointed malice, sneaky insidious side-swipes, long, drawn-out dramas that test your very sense of self or, simply, betrayal by omission. And once betrayed, can you forgive? Should you forgive? Stella Halfpenny doesn’t think so. Ever. There she was, sitting pretty in a palatial flat in Primrose Hill with the love of her life, Jackson T Lysander-Perry - don’t forget the T please, he is very particular. Her first proper (according to some) boyfriend, one with a proper job, solvent, a homeowner. Job done. Granted he was a bit of a control freak, most of her friends had drifted away and drinking alone was heavily frowned upon, but none of that mattered. She had Jackson. Or did she?
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 20, 2020
10 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Emma Henry
1 book3 followersEmma Henry is a first time published author.
She is a Brit who lives abroad in Switzerland, where an ideal day would be a long walk before holing up in a coffee shop with her computer and tapping out the next bit of the story - unless she is meeting a friend, in which case the book takes a back seat.
Next on the 'to do' list is to get a dog to join her on the walks and give her a boost when writer's block hits....
She is a Brit who lives abroad in Switzerland, where an ideal day would be a long walk before holing up in a coffee shop with her computer and tapping out the next bit of the story - unless she is meeting a friend, in which case the book takes a back seat.
Next on the 'to do' list is to get a dog to join her on the walks and give her a boost when writer's block hits....
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 21, 2021
I really enjoyed this book and it always held my attention. The characters were vividly portrayed, especially that of the heroine, Stella. I laughed a lot as I read and it gave me something to look forward to each time I resumed reading it. A tonic for these grim times!
January 3, 2021
Very entertaining, charismatic characters, we love that they are all so imperfectly perfect! The story has great rhythm and unexpected turns. Loved it!
December 23, 2020
I think the synopsis gives away far too much of this immensely funny book, so I'll begin by saying - don't read it! You'll enjoy Unexpectedly Stellar so much more if you go in blind. I'd forgotten the synopsis by the time I read the book, so I didn't have a clue what I was in for.
Unexpectedly Stellar is told from the point of view of Stella Halfpenny, a 34-year-old who works as a PA to an unreasonable, sadistic boss. Her controlling, manipulating, and gaslighting boyfriend of five years, Jackson, breaks her heart and leaves her bereft. In the process, Stella also becomes estranged from one of the few people she is truly close with.
What follows is a heartwarming saga of how she tries to pick up the pieces, fails, and tries again. On a chance visit to her childhood town, she discovers a different facet to her alcoholic mother and learns something about her absent father. This gives her a wakeup call about the current state of her life and she is boosted into action.
Stella is helped along her journey of self-discovery by a whole lot of wine drinking and self-deprecating humor. I don't know anything about wines so this was an education.
The puns and the sarcasm made the book great fun to read. Sample this: "Nina told me to aim for the stars and look where it got me. Much safer to aim for Streatham."
Stella never views herself as anything other than average, even though she sounds like a friendly, happy, fun person. Consider how she describes herself in the beginning: "I was ashamed at my pathetic life, thirty-four years old, a rejected failure with a few bin liners of cheap clothes and a heap of charity shop books."
But I could relate to her the most when she said this, somewhere towards the end of the book: "Wearing black is like eating comfort food or lying on the sofa in pyjamas, drinking tea. It is easy, undemanding, manageable." You've got to love a girl with no artifice whatsoever, completely natural.
Watch out for Olive and Iris, who are so wholesome that it made me want to hug them. I liked Miles, too, and I wished there was more lovey-dovey stuff with him.
There are plenty of characters in this book and some sort of action on nearly every page, but you never get lost or bored. I think this is a great holiday read which carries you on its highs and lows, laughing and shedding a tear or two. It all comes together in a satisfying and uplifting end, and I felt sorry to leave the story.
(I received an ARC from Reedsy Discovery in exchange for an honest review.)
Unexpectedly Stellar is told from the point of view of Stella Halfpenny, a 34-year-old who works as a PA to an unreasonable, sadistic boss. Her controlling, manipulating, and gaslighting boyfriend of five years, Jackson, breaks her heart and leaves her bereft. In the process, Stella also becomes estranged from one of the few people she is truly close with.
What follows is a heartwarming saga of how she tries to pick up the pieces, fails, and tries again. On a chance visit to her childhood town, she discovers a different facet to her alcoholic mother and learns something about her absent father. This gives her a wakeup call about the current state of her life and she is boosted into action.
Stella is helped along her journey of self-discovery by a whole lot of wine drinking and self-deprecating humor. I don't know anything about wines so this was an education.
The puns and the sarcasm made the book great fun to read. Sample this: "Nina told me to aim for the stars and look where it got me. Much safer to aim for Streatham."
Stella never views herself as anything other than average, even though she sounds like a friendly, happy, fun person. Consider how she describes herself in the beginning: "I was ashamed at my pathetic life, thirty-four years old, a rejected failure with a few bin liners of cheap clothes and a heap of charity shop books."
But I could relate to her the most when she said this, somewhere towards the end of the book: "Wearing black is like eating comfort food or lying on the sofa in pyjamas, drinking tea. It is easy, undemanding, manageable." You've got to love a girl with no artifice whatsoever, completely natural.
Watch out for Olive and Iris, who are so wholesome that it made me want to hug them. I liked Miles, too, and I wished there was more lovey-dovey stuff with him.
There are plenty of characters in this book and some sort of action on nearly every page, but you never get lost or bored. I think this is a great holiday read which carries you on its highs and lows, laughing and shedding a tear or two. It all comes together in a satisfying and uplifting end, and I felt sorry to leave the story.
(I received an ARC from Reedsy Discovery in exchange for an honest review.)
November 14, 2020
It's hard to know whether to laugh or cry when reading Unexpectedly Stellar. But you'll probably end up doing both.
Emma Henry has managed to create a character that you just can't help loving. You have to keep turning the pages to find out how Stella copes with what life is dealing her, be it at work or at home.
From the very beginning of this book, I found myself gunning for Stella. She is someone you can relate to, with her strengths, her weaknesses, her resolve, her tenderness, her wicked sense of humour and her totally outrageous side.
This book is pure therapy.
A must read.
Emma Henry has managed to create a character that you just can't help loving. You have to keep turning the pages to find out how Stella copes with what life is dealing her, be it at work or at home.
From the very beginning of this book, I found myself gunning for Stella. She is someone you can relate to, with her strengths, her weaknesses, her resolve, her tenderness, her wicked sense of humour and her totally outrageous side.
This book is pure therapy.
A must read.
November 12, 2020
Congratulations Emma! Having not read a book since 2013 I didn't think I would be able to concentrate for long enough to read a whole book in a week but I did! A great fun read - helped me through the first week of lockdown here in France with the extra long evenings (although I had to limit myself to a few chapters at a time so I didn't finish it too quickly!) .. perfect for my style of read and am looking forward to a sequel (please Emma!) ... well done - I may even pick up another book now! Tor
November 13, 2020
I enjoyed this book immensely. A wonderfully uplifting, bubbly, genuinely laugh-out-loud funny read, it's a joyous rom-com with heart and soul, and the eponymous Stella is a thoroughly lovable and fabulous force of nature. You want to spend time with the characters and, by the end, you almost feel they’re your friends too. This is a brilliant first novel, deftly switching from moments of tender heartbreak to hilarious comedy. I urge you to read it!
November 7, 2020
This is not my normal genre but my wife was reading it so I gave it a go. It turned out to be a real page turner, with a lead character I cared about, some laugh out loud moments, and a great read overall. Reminded me in some ways of Bridget Jones, and if you enjoyed reading about her you’ll enjoy Stella! Looking forward to the next one.
November 30, 2020
What a fabulous story! Immediately familiar and comfortable (even when uncomfortable) characters and a heroine so real that I was completely on her side from the get go. She’s a bit of all of us. Funny, miserable... kind, mean, insecure, confident, pissed off, happy, and completely real. Well done Emma Henry! A splendid first book!! More please!!
February 19, 2021
5 stars!
I loved this book! Stella was such a fun and relatable character. I felt so invested in her story of romance, friendship, career and all the hiccups of life. I love how all the characters developed throughout and how interconnected they were. Olive was my favourite character because she was so so sweet- everyone needs an Olive in their life.
I loved this book! Stella was such a fun and relatable character. I felt so invested in her story of romance, friendship, career and all the hiccups of life. I love how all the characters developed throughout and how interconnected they were. Olive was my favourite character because she was so so sweet- everyone needs an Olive in their life.
October 31, 2020
Fabulous believable and relatable characters and a story that keeps you turning the pages until the very end. Stella’s escapades were a great distraction from real life. I might have to read it again during lockdown!
November 3, 2020
I really enjoyed this book as it made me laugh and cry and I loved all the twists and turns. If you like Marian Keyes I think you'd enjoy Emma Henry. The various characters came to life beautifully and I could see it working as a blockbuster rom com!
November 4, 2020
What a cracking read!
Stella's story had me hooked straight away. With her sharp mind and busy London life, I was laughing at her take on the madness around her. Full of real characters and a bubbling back story, I loved the wit and the hidden truths.
Give it a go.
Stella's story had me hooked straight away. With her sharp mind and busy London life, I was laughing at her take on the madness around her. Full of real characters and a bubbling back story, I loved the wit and the hidden truths.
Give it a go.
November 7, 2020
Move over Bridget Jones! This wouldn't normally be my "type" of book but I really enjoyed it. Well thought out believable characters with a super twist almost on the last page. Bring on the wine Emma and start on the next one!
November 7, 2020
A riotous read! If you loved Bridget Jones, you'll love this book. Stella, the lead character, is larger than life and sounds like great fun - she'd be a laugh to share a glass of wine with. The London vibe is very evocative - took me straight back to my days in the city.
November 11, 2020
Hugely entertaining and funny, ‘Unexpectedly Stellar’ deals with love, betrayal, forgiveness and even hangovers, but Stella’s rather chaotic and endearing struggle with everything spinning around her keep us firmly on the bright side of life. A really good read - I found myself laughing out loud.
September 26, 2021
Good read, funny at times, but too drawn out in between
Good read, funny at times, but too drawn out in between. Really liked all the characters and all the emotions, but had to skip certain pages.
Good read, funny at times, but too drawn out in between. Really liked all the characters and all the emotions, but had to skip certain pages.
October 30, 2020
Unashamedly page turning rip roaring chicklit romp. Fun and sassy. Will keep you entertained to the end.
November 1, 2020
Loved this - kept me guessing -thought I knew what was going to happen to the main character but I kept being proved wrong! Good fun read!
November 2, 2020
One of those books that you don’t want to put down! Thoroughly enjoyed it.
November 3, 2020
I really enjoyed this! it is fresh and entertaining with characters that are funny and touching in equal measure. A perfect read when you are looking for some escapism and a good laugh out loud!
November 13, 2020
I loved this book, I really couldn't put it down. I don't think a book has ever made me laugh so much and a real page turner of a story too. Cannot wait for the next one.
December 1, 2020
I was hooked from the first page on. Often hilarious, sometimes serious, the story could be everyone's. I couldn't stop reading. A perfect book to enjoy a moment of entertainment.
December 2, 2020
Loved this book. Really made me laugh. So much fun.
I wanted to meet all the characters by the end and there was also a good twist.
Highly recommend.
I wanted to meet all the characters by the end and there was also a good twist.
Highly recommend.
December 7, 2020
I have so enjoyed this book. Funny from start to finish and so relevant. I found myself invested in the characters and just loved the ending too. This would make a terrific film! Highly recommended
February 10, 2023
Hilarious, fun and uplifting. I loved reading Stella’s story with all her mishaps and blunders (very relatable) but also her effort of self improvement that turned her life around. Recommended!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews