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Life's a Catastrophe
What if thinking like your cat could solve your problems?
Aly Meadows is a self-proclaimed 'catfluencer' using her two beloved pets to earn thousands of likes on Instagram. But behind the lens, Aly is broke, facing eviction and living a life that's a million miles away from the glamourous world of social media stardom.
Rick Harvard, the CEO of talent agency Glimmer, has the power to change her life, but only if Aly agrees to dive in at the deep end. Can Aly come out of her shell and channel the confidence of her insta-famous cats? And if so, will she finally find the love and laughter she deserves?
Perfect for fans of Fiona Gibson, Lindsey Kelk and Mhairi McFarlane
Aly Meadows is a self-proclaimed 'catfluencer' using her two beloved pets to earn thousands of likes on Instagram. But behind the lens, Aly is broke, facing eviction and living a life that's a million miles away from the glamourous world of social media stardom.
Rick Harvard, the CEO of talent agency Glimmer, has the power to change her life, but only if Aly agrees to dive in at the deep end. Can Aly come out of her shell and channel the confidence of her insta-famous cats? And if so, will she finally find the love and laughter she deserves?
Perfect for fans of Fiona Gibson, Lindsey Kelk and Mhairi McFarlane
- GenresRomanceContemporary
354 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2022
190 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
February 23, 2022
You should read this book if, like me you're well on your way to becoming a crazy cat lady.
Aly Meadows and her kitties Molly and Milly are known as Alycat on Instagram. Aly joins the PR firm Glimmer and becomes enamored of the CEO Rick Harvard
Aly seems insecure and a little self absorbed. It seems like she has a hard time connecting with other people and connects with her cats instead.
Overall this book was just okay to me. I didn't particularly like it, but I certainly didn't hate it. It had its moments and was a very quick and easy read.
Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Aly Meadows and her kitties Molly and Milly are known as Alycat on Instagram. Aly joins the PR firm Glimmer and becomes enamored of the CEO Rick Harvard
Aly seems insecure and a little self absorbed. It seems like she has a hard time connecting with other people and connects with her cats instead.
Overall this book was just okay to me. I didn't particularly like it, but I certainly didn't hate it. It had its moments and was a very quick and easy read.
Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2022
trigger warnings: death of animal, abusive parents, homelessness, financial insecurity, mental illness, anxiety and panic attacks, sexism, sex work mention, death of parent, alcohol addiction mention
This book was so fucking weird for what. It's a romance supposedly but the two leads interact like a total of 5 to 6 times. The two smut scenes were both fade to black, like why waste my time. There are so many sub plots working together that they lose value fighting for the focus in the book.
The whole "live your life like a cat" would have been fine had this book not been so cat heavy. I love a good kitty but man this book LOVES cats. There's a whole subplot of some influencer who tells people to let their inner cat out and all her clients act like cats during the sessions (licking paws meowing etc). Dangerously toeing the line of furry nonsense. Please make sure you market a furry book as such.
The side character romance had more emotional drama to get me invested than Rick and Aly ever did. The only worthwhile moment with Rick and Aly was the Andromeda galaxy bit which was so cute it hurt but that's like one paragraph out of what...400 pages?
Ugh I wasted five days on this book because I didn't want to read it but needed to finish it.
This book was so fucking weird for what. It's a romance supposedly but the two leads interact like a total of 5 to 6 times. The two smut scenes were both fade to black, like why waste my time. There are so many sub plots working together that they lose value fighting for the focus in the book.
The whole "live your life like a cat" would have been fine had this book not been so cat heavy. I love a good kitty but man this book LOVES cats. There's a whole subplot of some influencer who tells people to let their inner cat out and all her clients act like cats during the sessions (licking paws meowing etc). Dangerously toeing the line of furry nonsense. Please make sure you market a furry book as such.
The side character romance had more emotional drama to get me invested than Rick and Aly ever did. The only worthwhile moment with Rick and Aly was the Andromeda galaxy bit which was so cute it hurt but that's like one paragraph out of what...400 pages?
Ugh I wasted five days on this book because I didn't want to read it but needed to finish it.
January 15, 2022
Cute title about a “cat influencer of the Insta-verse,” which might be the Gen Z precursor to becoming a weird old cat lady fifty years from now. I’m not a cat person, but I have friends who are and I don’t worry about them becoming weird (yet). So, I was more than ready to give Kirstie Pelling, a UK travel writer and debut author with EmblaBooks (who has two book fiction deal) a go with her cat heavy story. Strangely, I looked immediately at the acknowledgements and “about the author” and Ms. Pelling does not claim to be a cat owner…
Anyway, our main character is Aly/Alyssa, owner of virtual AlyCat (really two hairless cats willing to be posed and dressed up for wry commentary, Milly and Molly) who could become the next Grumpy Cat sensation if she allows a digital marketer, Glimmer, to promote and sponsor her Instagram creation. Aly has her standards and doesn’t want to sell out, never mind that Glimmer’s CEO, Rick, could be the man of her dreams, and she really could use a career boost.
The book was very heavily trendy, which I guess I should expect from a story about an Instagram influencer, somewhat unexpectedly futuristic (DNA hug coffee, hot-desking?) and laden with a lot of family subplots getting in the way of Aly and Rick’s personal story progressing. It did sometimes move into sad serious moments that almost made me stop reading (I am the owner of a shirt that says “I don’t care who dies in the movie, as long as the dog lives”).
Good effort for a debut novel — I think it’ll be a hit with lovers of cats and Instagram backstories, but it was so-so as the rom-com I thought the cover conveyed (my bad). 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for the opportunity to review an advance copy and good wishes to Ms. Pelling’s career as a fiction author.
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES I was really expecting a dozen cats described as with green eyes (a usual default), but only the main character has them and they are “muddy”, not cat-like.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Not beyond a comparison of equating talking to houseplants being like talking to cats.
Anyway, our main character is Aly/Alyssa, owner of virtual AlyCat (really two hairless cats willing to be posed and dressed up for wry commentary, Milly and Molly) who could become the next Grumpy Cat sensation if she allows a digital marketer, Glimmer, to promote and sponsor her Instagram creation. Aly has her standards and doesn’t want to sell out, never mind that Glimmer’s CEO, Rick, could be the man of her dreams, and she really could use a career boost.
The book was very heavily trendy, which I guess I should expect from a story about an Instagram influencer, somewhat unexpectedly futuristic (DNA hug coffee, hot-desking?) and laden with a lot of family subplots getting in the way of Aly and Rick’s personal story progressing. It did sometimes move into sad serious moments that almost made me stop reading (I am the owner of a shirt that says “I don’t care who dies in the movie, as long as the dog lives”).
Good effort for a debut novel — I think it’ll be a hit with lovers of cats and Instagram backstories, but it was so-so as the rom-com I thought the cover conveyed (my bad). 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and Embla Books for the opportunity to review an advance copy and good wishes to Ms. Pelling’s career as a fiction author.
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES I was really expecting a dozen cats described as with green eyes (a usual default), but only the main character has them and they are “muddy”, not cat-like.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Not beyond a comparison of equating talking to houseplants being like talking to cats.
March 9, 2022
Life's a Catastrophe is an entertaining and fun read, but does have a more serious side to it. Aly Meadows is an influencer, her fans are in awe of her cat Instagram site 'Alycat'. Aly is a 'catfluencer' and uses her spare as a carer to build her influence and her followers. This has led to her being offered a real game-changer as she has been head-hunted.
While this is a fun and really entertaining read, there are also some serious sides to this story. A disjointed and not warm home life growing up and living in a flat full of boxes isn't a situation anyone wants to be in. But for Aly though, it is all hers - for the time being!
TI really loved the humour of this story and Aly is a bit of a clutz, a walking catastrophe really does sum her up. She manages to get herself into some random predicaments, and with not altogether negative effects. It does make for some chuckling moments throughout the story.
I am going to admit to being more of a dog person than a cat person, but the author has done such a wonderful job with the feline characteristics and traits with the cats. Also, some really interesting things that I never knew about the care of a hairless Sphynx cat.
\You don't have to go far on any of the social media sites to find vids and posts of pets and this is what appealed to me about this book when I first saw it. I really liked the balance of fun and serious and there is of course a romantic element to this book.
It is a slow-burner of a romance, but one that has Aly in a bit of a quandary. But it definitely does add a steamy extra to this story.
It is an entertaining read and one that I really enjoyed, ideal for lovers of fun and humorous as well as rom-coms and of course everything cat. It is one I would definitely recommend.
While this is a fun and really entertaining read, there are also some serious sides to this story. A disjointed and not warm home life growing up and living in a flat full of boxes isn't a situation anyone wants to be in. But for Aly though, it is all hers - for the time being!
TI really loved the humour of this story and Aly is a bit of a clutz, a walking catastrophe really does sum her up. She manages to get herself into some random predicaments, and with not altogether negative effects. It does make for some chuckling moments throughout the story.
I am going to admit to being more of a dog person than a cat person, but the author has done such a wonderful job with the feline characteristics and traits with the cats. Also, some really interesting things that I never knew about the care of a hairless Sphynx cat.
\You don't have to go far on any of the social media sites to find vids and posts of pets and this is what appealed to me about this book when I first saw it. I really liked the balance of fun and serious and there is of course a romantic element to this book.
It is a slow-burner of a romance, but one that has Aly in a bit of a quandary. But it definitely does add a steamy extra to this story.
It is an entertaining read and one that I really enjoyed, ideal for lovers of fun and humorous as well as rom-coms and of course everything cat. It is one I would definitely recommend.
January 26, 2023
A bit uneven, but good overall….
February 20, 2022
TW: death, bereavement, death of animal, abuse, mention of sex work, mention of addiction, mental illness
When I saw this title listed on NetGalley I was immediately excited. I love cats, and usually love stories which include pets as supporting characters. But this book was... well, honestly? Bizarre. It was billed as a rom-com, and likened to the style of some of my favourite romance authors, but I just can't fathom why.
Right from the get-go, we're supposed to believe that in 2022 anyone is stupid enough to give consent for their DNA to be tested for something as frivolous as representation by an influencer talent agency. And not even to know why? I'm sorry but what?! I almost tapped out there, but wanted to give it a fair go. Well, that's only the start of this chaotic read.
Aly, a cat instagrammer, has been approached by the biggest influencer talent agency to grow and monetise her brand, but despite the fact that she's apparently broke (yet has somehow still managed to put savings away towards getting on the property ladder), she initially turns the agency down instead of simply telling them she actually has two cats, not one.
From there it just gets more and more chaotic. Aly seems hell-bent on self-sabotaging herself at every opportunity. The romance between her and Rick feels paper thin, and there are so many random sub-plots. I even had visions of a certain Big Brother moment at one point (if you know, you know), and dear God, that's something I thought I'd wiped from my memory.
Layered throughout this absurdity are some really heavy themes. Listen, I LOVE some angst in a story. But the lighter parts and the actual 'rom-com' felt weighed down by them. I can't honestly remember laughing at any of the scenes.
Finally, the linguistic tone of the writing just didn't tally with the ages of the main characters for me.
*Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to give an honest review*
Overall Rating: ❤❤*
Heat Rating:
Emotional Rating: 😾🤦♀️
*I rated this 1.5, but rounded up to 2 as it is a debut novel and everyone has to start somewhere. This wasn't for me.
When I saw this title listed on NetGalley I was immediately excited. I love cats, and usually love stories which include pets as supporting characters. But this book was... well, honestly? Bizarre. It was billed as a rom-com, and likened to the style of some of my favourite romance authors, but I just can't fathom why.
Right from the get-go, we're supposed to believe that in 2022 anyone is stupid enough to give consent for their DNA to be tested for something as frivolous as representation by an influencer talent agency. And not even to know why? I'm sorry but what?! I almost tapped out there, but wanted to give it a fair go. Well, that's only the start of this chaotic read.
Aly, a cat instagrammer, has been approached by the biggest influencer talent agency to grow and monetise her brand, but despite the fact that she's apparently broke (yet has somehow still managed to put savings away towards getting on the property ladder), she initially turns the agency down instead of simply telling them she actually has two cats, not one.
From there it just gets more and more chaotic. Aly seems hell-bent on self-sabotaging herself at every opportunity. The romance between her and Rick feels paper thin, and there are so many random sub-plots. I even had visions of a certain Big Brother moment at one point (if you know, you know), and dear God, that's something I thought I'd wiped from my memory.
Layered throughout this absurdity are some really heavy themes. Listen, I LOVE some angst in a story. But the lighter parts and the actual 'rom-com' felt weighed down by them. I can't honestly remember laughing at any of the scenes.
Finally, the linguistic tone of the writing just didn't tally with the ages of the main characters for me.
*Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to give an honest review*
Overall Rating: ❤❤*
Heat Rating:
Emotional Rating: 😾🤦♀️
*I rated this 1.5, but rounded up to 2 as it is a debut novel and everyone has to start somewhere. This wasn't for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2022
This book was…wild. In a very weird way. I’m giving it 2.5 stars, rounded down to 2. I feel like the potential is here in the story, but it didn’t come together in any kind of a cohesive narrative. Life’s a Catastrophe (big emphasis on CAT) introduces us to Aly, an up and coming cat influencer who is about to be evicted and seems to barely be hanging on by a thread in any aspect of her life. She’s being scouted by a fancy PR company, and runs into the CEO, Rick, in a lackluster meet-cute where she word-vomits her opinions about all of the pretentiousness of his company.
This is a very Wealthy Businessman meets Manic Pixie Dreamgirl trope of a story, except Aly isn’t just eccentric but seems to actually be self sabotaging her life. She makes a series of bizarre decisions that act against her own self interest, including deleting her 100k+ followed Instagram account right after being hired on by the PR firm, lying about the most mundane of things all of the time, and co-opting the #blacklivesmatter hashtag in an incredibly dense and thoughtless way.
This book is a tornado of thoughts and scenes being spewed out kind of randomly, and the flow of the narrative was oddly choppy and chaotic. Because of this, we don’t see much interaction between Rick and Aly, and it never makes sense to me why Rick is attracted to Aly or what he sees in her until the VERY end after their reconciliation. The two spicy scenes we get fade-to-black in weird ways that make you question even if they hooked up or not. For example, Aly is finally on Rick’s bed, and he’s in the middle of taking her clothes off, but Kav calls and she answers while presumably Rick is giving her an orgasm? But it’s hard to tell if her “I’m coming right now” that she says to her friend on the phone is a double entendre that she’s coming or “coming” ya know? Then the very next sentence, like the very next sentence they’re on the stairs:
‘Before you rush off, I have something for you. Almost forgot.’ Taking the last two stairs together Rick lands evenly on the wood and produces a heavy square of white material from the banister.”
Like they were just in bed together and now they’re on the stairs? What just happened? This is just one of dozens of examples of odd and random transitions that make me question what scene I’m in or what’s happening.
I’ve accepted far weirder storylines from rom coms than a woman who is obsessed with cats as her only friends, and this whole “be more like your inner cat” subplot thing, so it’s not just the cat weirdness that put me off of this book. For a while I thought some of my confusion with the storyline was just the difference between reading a book in British English vs. American English, but the more I thought about it I’ve read plenty of British authors without issue, like Jill Mansell and Sophie Kinsella. I really just think this book needs some heavy editing to create a throughline I care about and that doesn’t give me whiplash while I’m being jerked around from scene to scene and thought to thought.
This book just definitely wasn’t for me.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This is a very Wealthy Businessman meets Manic Pixie Dreamgirl trope of a story, except Aly isn’t just eccentric but seems to actually be self sabotaging her life. She makes a series of bizarre decisions that act against her own self interest, including deleting her 100k+ followed Instagram account right after being hired on by the PR firm, lying about the most mundane of things all of the time, and co-opting the #blacklivesmatter hashtag in an incredibly dense and thoughtless way.
This book is a tornado of thoughts and scenes being spewed out kind of randomly, and the flow of the narrative was oddly choppy and chaotic. Because of this, we don’t see much interaction between Rick and Aly, and it never makes sense to me why Rick is attracted to Aly or what he sees in her until the VERY end after their reconciliation. The two spicy scenes we get fade-to-black in weird ways that make you question even if they hooked up or not. For example, Aly is finally on Rick’s bed, and he’s in the middle of taking her clothes off, but Kav calls and she answers while presumably Rick is giving her an orgasm? But it’s hard to tell if her “I’m coming right now” that she says to her friend on the phone is a double entendre that she’s coming or “coming” ya know? Then the very next sentence, like the very next sentence they’re on the stairs:
‘Before you rush off, I have something for you. Almost forgot.’ Taking the last two stairs together Rick lands evenly on the wood and produces a heavy square of white material from the banister.”
Like they were just in bed together and now they’re on the stairs? What just happened? This is just one of dozens of examples of odd and random transitions that make me question what scene I’m in or what’s happening.
I’ve accepted far weirder storylines from rom coms than a woman who is obsessed with cats as her only friends, and this whole “be more like your inner cat” subplot thing, so it’s not just the cat weirdness that put me off of this book. For a while I thought some of my confusion with the storyline was just the difference between reading a book in British English vs. American English, but the more I thought about it I’ve read plenty of British authors without issue, like Jill Mansell and Sophie Kinsella. I really just think this book needs some heavy editing to create a throughline I care about and that doesn’t give me whiplash while I’m being jerked around from scene to scene and thought to thought.
This book just definitely wasn’t for me.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2022
Princess Fuzzypants here: Aly is a catfluencer. On her Instagram page she has ignited a horde of fans who love the cheeky and irreverent commentary on current events. For this she uses her two cats, Molly and Milly. Dressing them up in costumes that she creates and then photographing them is her way of expressing herself. She has zero self confidence and by making her cats “human” she has delighted an army of fans and attracted the attention of a big marketing firm.
Glitter promises to shoot her popularity into the stratosphere but Aly, oddball that she is, thinks she does not fit. She is completely flummoxed when the big hunky boss shows more than just professional interest in her. As her star is on the rise, she makes an egregious mistake which almost ends both her career and her relationships. It could not come at a worse time when she suffers a huge loss and is about to be homeless.
Yet, out of the ashes, she arises again. How, you might ask. Instead of making cats into humans, she does the wise thing. She starts to think things through from the lens of how a cat might approach problems and challenges. By channeling her inner cat, she finds the answers and when the book is over, she is about to share what she has learned with the world. Wise woman. Everyone knows things would be far better if cats were in charge.
Five purrs and two paws up.
Glitter promises to shoot her popularity into the stratosphere but Aly, oddball that she is, thinks she does not fit. She is completely flummoxed when the big hunky boss shows more than just professional interest in her. As her star is on the rise, she makes an egregious mistake which almost ends both her career and her relationships. It could not come at a worse time when she suffers a huge loss and is about to be homeless.
Yet, out of the ashes, she arises again. How, you might ask. Instead of making cats into humans, she does the wise thing. She starts to think things through from the lens of how a cat might approach problems and challenges. By channeling her inner cat, she finds the answers and when the book is over, she is about to share what she has learned with the world. Wise woman. Everyone knows things would be far better if cats were in charge.
Five purrs and two paws up.
February 26, 2022
"Catfluencer" Aly has a huge following on Instagram, where she posts photos of her cats dressed in costumes. But it's not paying full-time money, and even with her job as an in-home carer, she's struggling to pay her bills. She's contacted by a promo company that wants to help her make her brand more profitable. She's wary, but CEO Rick convinces her to give them a try. Over time, she starts feeling like she's taking advantage of her cats and questions the basis of her online business. Can she and Rick find a compromise, in both their personal and professional lives?
This is a quirky chick lit that's primarily about Aly's relationship with her cats. There's also a love triangle. The book has a very British feel, so if you enjoy British humor, this novel might be for you.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
CW: death of a pet, death of a parent
This is a quirky chick lit that's primarily about Aly's relationship with her cats. There's also a love triangle. The book has a very British feel, so if you enjoy British humor, this novel might be for you.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
CW: death of a pet, death of a parent
February 28, 2022
This is such a cute story! I love the Instagram and Cat-fluencer piece of this novel! As an avid follower of any animal account on Instagram or TikTok I was heavily swayed to read this book because of that!
Aly is at times a bit full of herself but then also insecure. This actually can be related to as well because as someone who has times of an inflated ego and sometimes a low period of 'am I actually doing the right things' it's nice to see that featured in a character in a RomCom. Basically, everyone has flaws, and sometimes an MC being mirrored closely to real-life can be a turn-off but I enjoyed it.
There are aspects that will have you almost crying while others will have you laughing! This is a great debut for Kirstie and I would definitely read the next novel she puts out. While there are pieces that could have been explored more or elaborated on, this is a fast read that will definitely enthrall millennials and Gen Z RomCom readers!
Aly is at times a bit full of herself but then also insecure. This actually can be related to as well because as someone who has times of an inflated ego and sometimes a low period of 'am I actually doing the right things' it's nice to see that featured in a character in a RomCom. Basically, everyone has flaws, and sometimes an MC being mirrored closely to real-life can be a turn-off but I enjoyed it.
There are aspects that will have you almost crying while others will have you laughing! This is a great debut for Kirstie and I would definitely read the next novel she puts out. While there are pieces that could have been explored more or elaborated on, this is a fast read that will definitely enthrall millennials and Gen Z RomCom readers!
December 17, 2022
This was an enjoyable read, taking us into the life of Aly who has success online as a 'catfluencer' but behind the scenes things are not so rosy. The supporting characters are well developed and we get to find out more about Aly and her life as she struggles to juggle everything to keep a roof over her head and her cats insta-famous.
I was expecting a really light, frothy read and was pleasantly surprised that this story has more substance to it - all the characters have their flaws and they are drawn as real, believable people rather than romanticised 'ideals'.
There were elements I struggled with, for me the ex-boyfriend reappearance seemed overly contrived - and her relationship with her Mum is referenced and hinted at throughout but then seemed to be dealt with in a flash. I did however love the side story of Kav and Manolis, this was really nicely done.
Overall a lovely debut that I think lots of people will really enjoy.
I was expecting a really light, frothy read and was pleasantly surprised that this story has more substance to it - all the characters have their flaws and they are drawn as real, believable people rather than romanticised 'ideals'.
There were elements I struggled with, for me the ex-boyfriend reappearance seemed overly contrived - and her relationship with her Mum is referenced and hinted at throughout but then seemed to be dealt with in a flash. I did however love the side story of Kav and Manolis, this was really nicely done.
Overall a lovely debut that I think lots of people will really enjoy.
March 7, 2023
This was an enjoyable read, taking us into the life of Aly who has success online as a 'catfluencer' but behind the scenes things are not so rosy. The supporting characters are well developed and we get to find out more about Aly and her life as she struggles to juggle everything to keep a roof over her head and her cats insta-famous.
I was expecting a really light, frothy read and was pleasantly surprised that this story has more substance to it - all the characters have their flaws and they are drawn as real, believable people rather than romanticised 'ideals'.
There were elements I struggled with, for me the ex-boyfriend reappearance seemed overly contrived - and her relationship with her Mum is referenced and hinted at throughout but then seemed to be dealt with in a flash. I did however love the side story of Kav and Manolis, this was really nicely done.
Overall a lovely debut that I think lots of people will really enjoy.
I was expecting a really light, frothy read and was pleasantly surprised that this story has more substance to it - all the characters have their flaws and they are drawn as real, believable people rather than romanticised 'ideals'.
There were elements I struggled with, for me the ex-boyfriend reappearance seemed overly contrived - and her relationship with her Mum is referenced and hinted at throughout but then seemed to be dealt with in a flash. I did however love the side story of Kav and Manolis, this was really nicely done.
Overall a lovely debut that I think lots of people will really enjoy.
March 9, 2022
If you're a cat lover, this book is definitely for you! Aly is cat influencer on Instagram and has a big following. As popular as she is, she can't make enough to pay the bills. Rick from a promo company contacts her in an effort to help make her brand more profitable. As time goes on, she feels as if she is taking advantage of her cats. She has a hard time connecting with people and Rick helps give her a boost. Could they possibly have a future together?
This was a cute and quirky story that I found to be quite enjoyable and entertaining. There were plenty of humorous moments that had me laughing or just generally left me with a smile on my face. A really adorable story and am glad I had the opportunity to read it.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
This was a cute and quirky story that I found to be quite enjoyable and entertaining. There were plenty of humorous moments that had me laughing or just generally left me with a smile on my face. A really adorable story and am glad I had the opportunity to read it.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
January 17, 2022
This book is definitely for the cat lovers out there. It was a very cute story but there was some issues for me. The 2 love interest only interacted with each other a few times and the relationship progress was very awkward. The 3rd love interest from her past had a more interesting story. If there was more to the progress of the relationship with the 2 love interests this would have been a fantastic romance.
If you into a book for the love scenes this book is fade to black.
There are some trigger warnings in this book to keep in mind.
Death of animal, death of a parent, financial issues, possible homelessness, mental illness, sexism, mention of sex work, death of parent.
If you into a book for the love scenes this book is fade to black.
There are some trigger warnings in this book to keep in mind.
Death of animal, death of a parent, financial issues, possible homelessness, mental illness, sexism, mention of sex work, death of parent.
March 6, 2022
This is not my usual type of reading material (I'm a crime fiction sort of person), but I thought that as I know the author I'd buy it as a gesture of support. It was a fun read though, the story is quirky, lots of amusing moments, some "oh gosh" moments when Aly did something that didn't seem like a good idea (we can all be wise from a distance or in hindsight eh?!), and overall it was well-written and an easy comfortable read. I'm looking forward to seeing what Kirstie's next book due in November is.
March 6, 2022
This is not my usual type of reading material (I'm a crime fiction sort of person), but I thought that as I know the author I'd buy it as a gesture of support. It was a fun read though, the story is quirky, lots of amusing moments, some "oh gosh" moments when Aly did something that didn't seem like a good idea (we can all be wise from a distance or in hindsight eh?!), and overall it was well-written and an easy comfortable read. I'm looking forward to seeing what Kirstie's next book due in November is.
April 24, 2022
A cute little story about a catfluencer who might be the most frustrating character, who makes dumb decisions all the time, but somehow I was still rooting for her. Some aspects of the story were so over the top and unrealistic, it really felt like that game, Episode - Choose Your Story 😆, but I thoroughly enjoyed the more "real" side of this book, Kav and Manolis, Aly and her struggling relationship with her mom, Aly and her relationship with her feline children, and to a degree, even her romance with hot man boss.
June 2, 2023
I really wanted to like this book - the premise is super-sweet - but everyone just drove me up the wall. Why does the millionaire businessman spend his spare time selling flowers on a market stall? (Or maybe I was just super-confused by that point...) What is going on with the bickering couple at her local corner-shop? Why on earth does the protagonist make any of the choices that she does?
I love a good romance, I love a plucky heroine overcoming her difficulties, I love cats and the practicalities of cat-wrangling, but this was a DNF FOR ME.
I love a good romance, I love a plucky heroine overcoming her difficulties, I love cats and the practicalities of cat-wrangling, but this was a DNF FOR ME.
August 5, 2023
There was a lot to love about this story, the interactions with the cats were amazing, the friendship characters were fully-fleshed out and had their own stories and the author created a meaningful world with struggles for the character to overcome. There was also a good use of humour.
Spoilers below:
I didn't feel the interactions with the romantic interests as much as I'd like and there is a cat moment that pulled me from the fun rom-com vibe completely. I would have liked more on the resolution moment with the mother as I really enjoyed the idea of a fear of receiving gifts.
Spoilers below:
I didn't feel the interactions with the romantic interests as much as I'd like and there is a cat moment that pulled me from the fun rom-com vibe completely. I would have liked more on the resolution moment with the mother as I really enjoyed the idea of a fear of receiving gifts.
February 17, 2022
Whip-smart and just so funny, this story hooked me from the get go. I raced through it but found myself slowing down in the final chapters because I didn’t want it to end.
Don’t be fooled though, Ms Pelling pulls no punches in this cracking debut and she has created characters and relationships with depth. The work place environments and office culture really resonates too.
#NoSpoilers but this is cracking book and I can’t wait to read more from the author.
Highly recommend.
Don’t be fooled though, Ms Pelling pulls no punches in this cracking debut and she has created characters and relationships with depth. The work place environments and office culture really resonates too.
#NoSpoilers but this is cracking book and I can’t wait to read more from the author.
Highly recommend.
May 4, 2022
This was free on prime reading and I thought, let's give it a chance. It's supposed to be lik a Mhairi McFarlane book, but no it was not.
The pace is totally weird, I did not enjoy the writing style and what story was that? Also that love story? And who talks like that? That cat story was also weird. I did not find any side character likeable either and her whole mother storyline was also weird. I should have DNF'd that book.
The pace is totally weird, I did not enjoy the writing style and what story was that? Also that love story? And who talks like that? That cat story was also weird. I did not find any side character likeable either and her whole mother storyline was also weird. I should have DNF'd that book.
dnf
June 21, 2022DNF at 24%
Normally I wouldn't DNF books this early, but this one wasn't clicking with me at all. I found myself dreading reading, which isn't something that ever happens. Initially, I picked this one up because it promised cats, but the cat content wasn't too compelling. Maybe this would've gotten better as I read on, but I'm not motivated to continue.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review
Normally I wouldn't DNF books this early, but this one wasn't clicking with me at all. I found myself dreading reading, which isn't something that ever happens. Initially, I picked this one up because it promised cats, but the cat content wasn't too compelling. Maybe this would've gotten better as I read on, but I'm not motivated to continue.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review
April 26, 2024
Sweet little story, loved the catstagram storyline as I have cats myself that I’m obsessed with. Love interests weren’t that exciting but I enjoyed it still. Listened to on audiobook and it was easy to keep up with whilst working. Didn’t like the ending as I felt like when one of the cats died it was kind of skimmed over. I think Ally would have been way more upset about it than what was described.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2026
A solid 3 star read. It's very silly and moderately predictable but if your ok with a main character who thinks modeling oneself of a cat is a better idea than seeing an actual therapist and just want some light fun then you will find that here. Not a must read but also not a must avoid. Cat lovers might like it or be annoyed by it. Some attempts at character depth where made but they are only half cooked.
May 19, 2022
Whoa! What a ride. It was very fast-paced. The writing style kept me hooked and I didn't find myself losing any interest. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and how real the story felt. The author did a great job painting the setting, so it was easy for me to visualize the scene played out before me. I recommend giving this one a chance!
July 24, 2022
A big thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This book was so different. The characters were extremely likeable. I truly enjoyed this book. I think maybe if you are a true dog person you might not enjoy this as much, but still I think you should give it a go. Aly is so talented yet has no self confidence. Truly a good read. 4 stars.
August 5, 2022
I didn’t understand the point of this book and even worse, I didn’t understand why I bothered reading it until the end. I kept hoping it would get better but it didn’t. Whole chapters were either boring where nothing happened or were so erratic that they made no sense. Didn’t like any of the characters either.
January 30, 2023
Fabulous romp through the ruins of Aly, the smart if somewhat chaotic protagonist. Cracking, sharp writing throughout, with some scorching one liners and asides. Plenty of joyful suspense, some very sympathetic characters (even the villains have redeeming features), and entertaining plot twists. Catch this one ... it's cathartic.
February 26, 2022
This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was clever, fun, held my interest and I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.
May 1, 2022
Not great but not a catastrophe
Not a laugh out loud and predictable. Poorly written and ridiculous. Not waiting eagerly for her next book. But had to read to the end as I always finish what I start.
Not a laugh out loud and predictable. Poorly written and ridiculous. Not waiting eagerly for her next book. But had to read to the end as I always finish what I start.
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