Love Affairs for Grown-ups

by Debby Holt

Rare book

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Debby Holt lives with her husband in Bath. She started writing short stories when her five children were small. She wrote her first novel, The Ex-Wife’s Survival Guide in 2006. Since then, she has written three more: Annie May’s Black Book, The Trouble with Marriage and Love Affairs for Grown-Ups. Having been a spectacularly useless teacher in the past, she is fully aware of how lucky she is to be doing something she loves.

Reviews

[Yamna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

I've read better

Overall, a very cute story but I won't recommend it to anyone nor will I be ever re-reading it.
The story is basically about a woman, Katrina, who agrees to go see her sister in Montelimar or something and since she doesn't have a ride, her colleague hooks her up with some guy going the same way. The two basically decide to ride together to her sis's house and the guy, Cornelius, can then drive on.
It turns out that Katrina's sister is seeing her ex-boyfriend (unbeknownst to the sister) so Katrina is hesitant to appear in Montelimar, single and lonely. So, she presents Cornelius as her boyfriend. That leads to a series of events where Cornelius must appear as the said-boyfriend and the two try to break the news to friends and family that they are not, in fact, together but keep failing to do so.

I absolutely hated Katrina's sister. She is one selfish, stuck-up, Sugar Daddy digging woman who won't stop taunting her own sister about how she isn't "pretty" or how she is "lonely" and "needs a man". What was more annoying was that Katrina never called her out on it. Not even when it is revealed that her boyfriend is also Katrina's son's actual father, which was very funny business if you ask me, because it just didn't help with the story and put Katrina in a bad light
Katrina's children appear only to lament about their latest crushes or love interests. If you ask me, if a kid is moping around about some girl he met literally weeks ago and has no relationship with and she starts going out with some other guy, that kid really needs a reality check. If he is sad about some potential love interest, how will he deal with real-life issues? And Katrina's daughter swore off of on any guy just because some guy she liked not went out with kissed some other girl during her teen years. How such a small incidence can shape a person's adult life is beyond me.

The ending, as expected with all rom-com novels, is sweet and super cheesy. Very, very predictable
All in all, I didn't really hate the book but I didn't quite love it either.
Oh well. Better luck next time

[carlota · Rating 3 out of 5]

lovely

[Moodie_Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book 3 years ago..stopped..then decided to pick it up again the past few days. If you're tired reading contemporary romantic cliches, you may want to give this book a try.

It's a different take on romance, a different perspective since our main characters Katrina and Cornelius are already in the world of middle-aged adults. They both have secret pasts and they began with a fake relationship that's slowly turning to be real.

I liked their time in France and how the author described how they travelled there. I got frustrated in Katrina's character of being tight lipped (though understandable it frustrated me a lot) while I empathized with Cornelius' reserved character.

Overall, this was a nice read if you're tired of YA romances and want to give other stories a try.

[Coreene Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous

This book is beautifully written. It is gentle, funny and heartwarming. The storyline is not obvious and held my attention all the way through. I highly recommend this book. It surprised and delighted me. I had tears in my eyes at the end. Again.... Fabulous!

[R C GEEVES · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read.

Compelling twists and turns , a leisurely and totally enjoyable book, very good holiday read I might suggest? Not just for the ladies , fine as a guilty secret blokes !

[Emma Francois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story! There were plot twists I was loving for and an unlikable characters I couldn’t connect with! Which was obviously the point!!! Really interesting read. Had my hooked from the beginning, really recommend!!

[Rae Callander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like it but I was also kinda not satisfied with the ending.

[Elka]

Fluffy chick lit, but the plugs for Noam Chomsky ensured that I won't be reading any more of her books.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main characters were quirky and lovely. I loved how chaotic their first meeting was and how easy their dialogues were. They definitely had the chemistry and seemed meant to meet and be with each other.

On the other hand, I hated the female lead's sister and her ex so much so that in my mind, they are definitely the villains.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved loved loved this book!!! It was really sweet. I loved how the reader knew they were in love with each other but they couldn't see the signs. It was like reading a young schoolgirl romance twenty years later with additional life problems. This book made me laugh in places, feel sad and feel totally angry at the situations both Cornelius and Katrina faced. This book is a nice quick read and I would recommend it to anyone who just wants to feel the love!

[Ella Parkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always enjoyed Debby Holt's books: she writes really well and the dialogue sparkles. Nice that the characters are that bit older too: it's easy to warm to Cornelius and Katrina and the French setting is nicely evoked. As a read, it didn't exactly change my world but it did make me laugh (and cry) quite a bit, which can't be bad.

[Di Castle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually, I have marked this book as read but I did not finish it. It had to be returned to the library and I was not sufficiently involved with the characters to sit and finish it that evening. I may borrow it again and finish it. I do like Debby Holt books and loved the earlier one I read before this.

[mirole · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I did not like it but gradually warmed up to it. This is women's fiction, a gentle romance of older people (she is 45 and he in his early 50s). I would not mind reading more books by this author.

[Fluffychick · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better older chick-lit types...enjoyable meander to the resolution! The character of Cornelius was a bit thin at times, but overall a pleasant read.

[Lisa]

this was a great story..

[Gillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny in many places. Made for a great discussion on relationships in 2011!

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect holiday reading; an easy read with a happy ending.

[Alejandro]

i love reading this book i gain alot abt love and grown ups and also dealing with your relationship.

[Geetha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice one... kept me wondering whether Katrina will find her love..

[Letitia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable, but enjoyable enough.

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don’t usually go for this type of book but I quite enjoyed it. It was funny and easy to read. It had a nice happy ending albeit a fairly predictable one.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apart from the fact that I want to kick Rose jn the face, a lovely read.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read. Loved the protagonists! Good read for a relaxing holiday!!!

[Sara Hollett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, it was a perfect summer read.