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One Thing Led to Another
Tess Jarvis' rules for life have always been relaxed... She has always been one to wing it but she's fast realising that her bank of blag is running out of funds. At 28, is it time to grow up? Maybe having a baby with your best friend isn't the best way to start...
359 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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693 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 24, 2011
This was a great, quick read about a girl who gets pregnant by her "best friend" and then finally realizes she is in love with him......sort of a "Bridget Jones Diary" type of book....loved the British humour and slang!
December 6, 2009
When Tess Jarvis and Jim Ashworth drunkenly sleep together neither of them expects that it will result in a baby.
But that’s exactly what happens, and Tess is in complete shock over her unexpected pregnancy. Both Tess and Jim want to stay friends with no romantic involvement but don’t like the confused looks people give them when they try to explain their situation.
Tess, with the help of her friends, has to try to come to terms with single parenthood, and has to do a little growing up of her own.
Pregnancy is a very common theme in women’s fiction these days – from IVF, to women getting pregnant on the sly and unplanned pregnancies. But One Thing Led To Another has a different slant on the issue, and perhaps one which sits well in our modern times as well – a baby with a best friend after a suprise ‘union’ shall we say! This book is actually based loosely on author Katy Regan’s personal experience of having a baby with her own best friend, and the relationship that followed. The book really benefits from her experience with brilliant writing, real emotion and realistic characters all the way through.
The book starts at the beginning of Tess’ pregnancy, although she doesn’t actually know it yet! She’s an instantly likeable character, stuck in a bit of a rubbish job as journalist on a magazine covering the ‘real life’ sob stories, sharing a house with best mate Gina and occasionally getting together with other best friend Jim Ashworth, who is unknowingly about to become the daddy to Tess’ child. The discovery of her pregnancy is done with real humour, and actually made me laugh out loud which was a great start! From there on, the laughs kept coming and Regan’s easy writing style really allows the reader to get into the story, and makes the book impossible to put down!
The story’s very believable and this is what allowed me to get so into this book, without a doubt. I really enjoyed Jim’s reaction, and I was pleased that Regan chose to write Jim as she did as he is a lovely character, and the on-going and changing relationship between Jim and Tess was really fascinating to read. The twists and turns along the way kept the momentum going and stopped the book from getting at all boring, instead keeping the reader engaged. It wasn’t easy to see how it would work out for Tess and Jim, and Regan certainly didn’t make it a smooth ride, leaving you guessing almost up until the final pages about how it would all end. But the most enjoyable thing about the book is the realistic insight into pregnancy, and having a baby with a friend. Regan really goes into Tess’ emotions and so the book has such a believability to it, there are points where you feel you could be reading Regan’s own life story. It really is inspiring, as well as being funny and poignant.
The pace of the book was just right, and it seemed to move through Tess’ pregnancy at a good pace, and luckily without too many characters. So many novels are ruined, I believe, through having too many characters but Regan keeps it to just Tess, Jim, their friends Vicky and Gina, and Tess’ family. Others get a mention but aren’t too vital to the plot and just work well as minor characters. Also, the book is written in the first person and allows you to get to the heart of Tess, almost living her pregnancy, hormones and emotions with her because of the emotive and compelling writing style. The narrative is really enjoyable; you can tell Regan has a background in journalism (she wrote a column based on her own pregnancy for Marie Claire) because her writing just flows, and reads so well.
This is women’s fiction at its best, and I would expect this book to be a real hit with lovers of the genre. It takes a somewhat overdone subject and puts a new spin on it, injecting a little humour and plenty of emotion into the mix just to make it that bit more appealing to the reader. Add in loveable characters, a wonderful heroine and you have a real recipe for success. For a debut novel, this is really brilliant and I really hope Regan goes on to write more in this genre – Regan and the Women’s fiction genre are a match made in heaven! Definitely recommended – light-hearted, funny and a great unputdownable read!
But that’s exactly what happens, and Tess is in complete shock over her unexpected pregnancy. Both Tess and Jim want to stay friends with no romantic involvement but don’t like the confused looks people give them when they try to explain their situation.
Tess, with the help of her friends, has to try to come to terms with single parenthood, and has to do a little growing up of her own.
Pregnancy is a very common theme in women’s fiction these days – from IVF, to women getting pregnant on the sly and unplanned pregnancies. But One Thing Led To Another has a different slant on the issue, and perhaps one which sits well in our modern times as well – a baby with a best friend after a suprise ‘union’ shall we say! This book is actually based loosely on author Katy Regan’s personal experience of having a baby with her own best friend, and the relationship that followed. The book really benefits from her experience with brilliant writing, real emotion and realistic characters all the way through.
The book starts at the beginning of Tess’ pregnancy, although she doesn’t actually know it yet! She’s an instantly likeable character, stuck in a bit of a rubbish job as journalist on a magazine covering the ‘real life’ sob stories, sharing a house with best mate Gina and occasionally getting together with other best friend Jim Ashworth, who is unknowingly about to become the daddy to Tess’ child. The discovery of her pregnancy is done with real humour, and actually made me laugh out loud which was a great start! From there on, the laughs kept coming and Regan’s easy writing style really allows the reader to get into the story, and makes the book impossible to put down!
The story’s very believable and this is what allowed me to get so into this book, without a doubt. I really enjoyed Jim’s reaction, and I was pleased that Regan chose to write Jim as she did as he is a lovely character, and the on-going and changing relationship between Jim and Tess was really fascinating to read. The twists and turns along the way kept the momentum going and stopped the book from getting at all boring, instead keeping the reader engaged. It wasn’t easy to see how it would work out for Tess and Jim, and Regan certainly didn’t make it a smooth ride, leaving you guessing almost up until the final pages about how it would all end. But the most enjoyable thing about the book is the realistic insight into pregnancy, and having a baby with a friend. Regan really goes into Tess’ emotions and so the book has such a believability to it, there are points where you feel you could be reading Regan’s own life story. It really is inspiring, as well as being funny and poignant.
The pace of the book was just right, and it seemed to move through Tess’ pregnancy at a good pace, and luckily without too many characters. So many novels are ruined, I believe, through having too many characters but Regan keeps it to just Tess, Jim, their friends Vicky and Gina, and Tess’ family. Others get a mention but aren’t too vital to the plot and just work well as minor characters. Also, the book is written in the first person and allows you to get to the heart of Tess, almost living her pregnancy, hormones and emotions with her because of the emotive and compelling writing style. The narrative is really enjoyable; you can tell Regan has a background in journalism (she wrote a column based on her own pregnancy for Marie Claire) because her writing just flows, and reads so well.
This is women’s fiction at its best, and I would expect this book to be a real hit with lovers of the genre. It takes a somewhat overdone subject and puts a new spin on it, injecting a little humour and plenty of emotion into the mix just to make it that bit more appealing to the reader. Add in loveable characters, a wonderful heroine and you have a real recipe for success. For a debut novel, this is really brilliant and I really hope Regan goes on to write more in this genre – Regan and the Women’s fiction genre are a match made in heaven! Definitely recommended – light-hearted, funny and a great unputdownable read!
June 1, 2019
For a second there at first I thought it might be more than just rgular chick lit. But nope. It's just chick lit after all. I was reading it by a swimming pool in the villa we were renting in Cyprus so I can't really complain about anything. It is not like I could have digested anything more profound anyway. The world needs chick lit too! In fact, I think the world needs it so much that I am going to write something like that myself. And I will refrain from mocking my heroine. Hopefully.
July 27, 2019
Leuk boek voor tussendoor. Romantiek, wat emotie en humor.
March 12, 2013
This was an impulse buy, the blurb was intriguing and I quite liked the cover too. I discovered that the book was based on the authors column in Marie Claire (all about her falling pregnant by her best mate) and wondered if this would make the story feel too real for fiction or if it would give it an extra interesting edge.
It had a fantastic start in my opinion, the prologue was engaging and made me feel involved straight away – I found myself wanting the best outcome for this character, Tess, who I had only just met and who was in the toilets waiting for the result of a pregnancy test.
I became very caught up in Tess’s life – her friendship with Jim fascinated me and her feelings towards Laurence confused me. I also enjoyed following her pregnancy and seeing how it affected her day-to-day life and friendships with those closest to her. I couldn’t relate to the accidental pregnancy because both of my children were planned but I often found myself nodding my head in recognition of many of her pregnancy/baby issues and concerns.
Towards the end I found that I couldn’t decide which direction I wanted Tess to go, she was already in somewhat of an unconventional situation so I wanted her to find the best solution (I really did take this character to heart). The witty writing style had me laughing out loud many times and there was also family dramas, complicated ex boyfriends and a talking snail toy to contend with! The ending was great, it really wrapped everything up nicely and left me with a smile on my face.
This was a fun book with likeable characters, I definitely want to read more from this author.
It had a fantastic start in my opinion, the prologue was engaging and made me feel involved straight away – I found myself wanting the best outcome for this character, Tess, who I had only just met and who was in the toilets waiting for the result of a pregnancy test.
I became very caught up in Tess’s life – her friendship with Jim fascinated me and her feelings towards Laurence confused me. I also enjoyed following her pregnancy and seeing how it affected her day-to-day life and friendships with those closest to her. I couldn’t relate to the accidental pregnancy because both of my children were planned but I often found myself nodding my head in recognition of many of her pregnancy/baby issues and concerns.
Towards the end I found that I couldn’t decide which direction I wanted Tess to go, she was already in somewhat of an unconventional situation so I wanted her to find the best solution (I really did take this character to heart). The witty writing style had me laughing out loud many times and there was also family dramas, complicated ex boyfriends and a talking snail toy to contend with! The ending was great, it really wrapped everything up nicely and left me with a smile on my face.
This was a fun book with likeable characters, I definitely want to read more from this author.
March 23, 2009
When I first saw Katy Regan's One Thing Led to Another, I assumed it was a collection of her columns for Marie Claire magazine. A few years ago, Regan became pregnant by her best friend - they weren't a couple, just friends who occasionally ended up in bed together - and began writing a column about it. I was actually quite keen to read it and then less keen when I learned that it wasn't a collection, but rather a novel based on the same premise.
I shouldn't have worried. It's one of the best chick lit books I've read for ages.
To read the rest of this review, please visit Five Minutes Peace
I shouldn't have worried. It's one of the best chick lit books I've read for ages.
To read the rest of this review, please visit Five Minutes Peace
August 17, 2015
Such a feel-good, fun little book (a book that actually made me crave a baby - be warned!).
Tess and Jim are best friends who occasionally have one night stands. After a drunken night, Tess finds herself pregnant and shocked to the core! She confides in Jim who is absolutely delighted and they continue their dysfunctional friendship throughout the pregnancy. But can they REALLY stay "just friends"?
Predictable but warm and enjoyable. So much happy, fluffy baby stuff mixed with typical chick-lit dilemmas and of course, it wouldn't be complete without a dodgy ex boyfriend thrown into the mix to stir things up a little.
Big thumbs up for Katy Regan!
Tess and Jim are best friends who occasionally have one night stands. After a drunken night, Tess finds herself pregnant and shocked to the core! She confides in Jim who is absolutely delighted and they continue their dysfunctional friendship throughout the pregnancy. But can they REALLY stay "just friends"?
Predictable but warm and enjoyable. So much happy, fluffy baby stuff mixed with typical chick-lit dilemmas and of course, it wouldn't be complete without a dodgy ex boyfriend thrown into the mix to stir things up a little.
Big thumbs up for Katy Regan!
April 13, 2010
I found this book difficult to get into, but maybe because I'm more into the Nicholas Sparks types. It's a good summer read, light and predictable about life and how things don't always turn out they way you plan.
May 31, 2011
I wanted to stop reading this as I found it quite mundane and the only reason I persevered was to see if ended as I thought it would. It did. I feel I've wasted precious reading time on a very mediocre chiclit novel.
November 21, 2023
Such a wonderful feel good read , so well needed 😊
This book has been on my TBR for way too long , so thrilled l finally read it 😃 So well worth it !
Tess and Jim are best friends, who occasionally have one night stands .
After a drunken night, Tess finds herself pregnant 🫃 and shocked to the core 🥹
She confides in Jim who is absolutely delighted and they continue their dysfunctional friendship throughout the pregnancy 🫃.
But can they really stay just friends????
Predictable, but warm and enjoyable 🧡
So much happy fluffy baby stuff, mixed with typical chick lit dilemmas and of course, it wouldn’t be complete without a dodgy ex boyfriend thrown into the mix to stir things up a little 😁
Enjoyable slice of real life , loved all the characters, could imagine going for a drink 🥃 with them .
The ending was never in doubt but the journey to get there kept me hooked.
BIG Thumbs up 👍
This book has been on my TBR for way too long , so thrilled l finally read it 😃 So well worth it !
Tess and Jim are best friends, who occasionally have one night stands .
After a drunken night, Tess finds herself pregnant 🫃 and shocked to the core 🥹
She confides in Jim who is absolutely delighted and they continue their dysfunctional friendship throughout the pregnancy 🫃.
But can they really stay just friends????
Predictable, but warm and enjoyable 🧡
So much happy fluffy baby stuff, mixed with typical chick lit dilemmas and of course, it wouldn’t be complete without a dodgy ex boyfriend thrown into the mix to stir things up a little 😁
Enjoyable slice of real life , loved all the characters, could imagine going for a drink 🥃 with them .
The ending was never in doubt but the journey to get there kept me hooked.
BIG Thumbs up 👍
March 20, 2022
Enjoyable slice of “real life”. Loved all the characters, could imagine going for a drink (or several) with them. The ending was never in doubt but the journey to get there kept me hooked. Highly recommended.
January 11, 2024
Tess and Jim are best friends, who start sleeping together. Everything is working out perfectly - no catching feelings - until Tess gets pregnant. Takes them a while to figure out they actually ARE in love with the other, but they figure it out before bubs arrives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2018
Leuk verhaal om tussendoor te lezen.
April 5, 2019
DNF @ 23%
July 31, 2019
The reviews going back this far are copied out of a notebook I kept with records of the books read...
Quite refreshing and funny. Enjoyed it.
Quite refreshing and funny. Enjoyed it.
April 16, 2023
I really struggled to even get to 25% through . Did not grab me at all and found I was doing other things to avoid picking it up .
May 8, 2024
This is a nice easy read with a feel good factor.
Loved the friendship between the FMC and MMC.
Loved the friendship between the FMC and MMC.
September 8, 2024
I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would. Very 'Brigit Jones Diary' esk. Quick to read and a bit of fun
September 16, 2009
One Thing Led To Another is Katy Regan’s debut novel. One Thing Led To Another is based loosely on Katy’s own experience of having a baby with a friend. It tells the story of Tessa and Jim who are friends who occassionally sleep together. Unfortunately Tess ends up pregnant and the story begins….
I really enjoyed One Thing Led To Another. Usually when books say they are hilariously funny they usually aren’t but One Thing Led To Another had me laughing out loud a few times. I thought the plot was new and unique compared to other chick lit books and thought Katy’s execution and writing style was brilliant.
I loved Tess and Jim’s easy friendship. I felt they complemented each other as well as being able to take the mickey out of each other. I thought Tess was a well-written character and I enjoyed the easiness of the first person narrative. I also liked the way Jim wanted to be a father even if it was a total surprise. I also liked how Katy portrayed Tess and Jim’s relationship. It was real and Katy kept us guessing throughout the entire novel. One of the characters said they were like Ross & Rachel on Friends and that’s exactly – EXACTLY – what they were like.
I enjoyed all of the minor characters, too. Vicky and Gina, Tess and Jim’s other best friends, I liked how they each had their own troubles and managed to resolve them. Tess’ mum and dad, it was great to read about a father and daughter who are incredibly close. Then there’s Laurence who was quite irritating. I knew there was more to him that met the eye.
I thought Katy wrote about Tess’ pregnancy very well and found the novel just kept going along at a briliant pace. The ending was brilliant and for the last few chapters I was rushing to finish it to see if just maybe we would get the ending I was hoping for!
That’s where the novel differs from Katy’s experience, the ending but I’m not complaining!
I also enjoyed the paragraphs at the beginning of each chapter telling us about other women and their experiences of having a baby.
It was definitely an enjoyable and engaging debut and I sincerley hope Katy Regan is writing a second novel.
Rating: 5/5
I really enjoyed One Thing Led To Another. Usually when books say they are hilariously funny they usually aren’t but One Thing Led To Another had me laughing out loud a few times. I thought the plot was new and unique compared to other chick lit books and thought Katy’s execution and writing style was brilliant.
I loved Tess and Jim’s easy friendship. I felt they complemented each other as well as being able to take the mickey out of each other. I thought Tess was a well-written character and I enjoyed the easiness of the first person narrative. I also liked the way Jim wanted to be a father even if it was a total surprise. I also liked how Katy portrayed Tess and Jim’s relationship. It was real and Katy kept us guessing throughout the entire novel. One of the characters said they were like Ross & Rachel on Friends and that’s exactly – EXACTLY – what they were like.
I enjoyed all of the minor characters, too. Vicky and Gina, Tess and Jim’s other best friends, I liked how they each had their own troubles and managed to resolve them. Tess’ mum and dad, it was great to read about a father and daughter who are incredibly close. Then there’s Laurence who was quite irritating. I knew there was more to him that met the eye.
I thought Katy wrote about Tess’ pregnancy very well and found the novel just kept going along at a briliant pace. The ending was brilliant and for the last few chapters I was rushing to finish it to see if just maybe we would get the ending I was hoping for!
That’s where the novel differs from Katy’s experience, the ending but I’m not complaining!
I also enjoyed the paragraphs at the beginning of each chapter telling us about other women and their experiences of having a baby.
It was definitely an enjoyable and engaging debut and I sincerley hope Katy Regan is writing a second novel.
Rating: 5/5
November 3, 2013
The blurb of this book (on the actual book not goodreads) doesn't match up to what's between the covers in the slightest so I was blind-sided a little by this one. Within the first few pages you discover Tess' unplanned pregnancy and you follow her through it and all the awkward hazards and roadblocks she encounters. It's the sort of story I would usually avoid, after having had two difficult pregnancies/births myself I tend to steer clear of anything vaguely similar. I must admit I'm quite glad I stumbled onto 'One Thing Led to Another,' it was nothing like I expected and I found it a really good, easy to read book. I won't spoil the ending for you but I was pleasantly surprised with how cleverly everything pulled together...even if I did want to scream at the pages in frustration at some of Tess' decisions.
February 10, 2017
I found this book very entertaining. It had a perfect mix of humour, seriousness, love and lust and I couldn't put it down.
May 10, 2009
This is a better than average chick lit novel. It's written well, kind of funny in places but seriously... it didn't really engage my reading mojo. Maybe I'm getting too old for chick lit, or perhaps I've read so many that I can predict the ending.
Tess is a fun loving late 20's singleton. She drinks, she parties, she had sex with her best friend. And now she's pregnant. Oops.
You can probably guess where this one ends up. Ms Regan writes well, the characters are well drawn, but the ending...well, too predictable for me I'm afraid!
Tess is a fun loving late 20's singleton. She drinks, she parties, she had sex with her best friend. And now she's pregnant. Oops.
You can probably guess where this one ends up. Ms Regan writes well, the characters are well drawn, but the ending...well, too predictable for me I'm afraid!
July 24, 2015
I loved this book. Tess gets pregnant (unplanned) by her friend Jim. The characters are so realistic and relatable, and you really want them to end up together, even when they’re dating other people, hoping that they find their way. The book has laugh-out-loud moments, and what I particularly liked was the situation the characters were in, the strength they had, and how people can relate to this novel, and know that even if life takes a sharp turn, it’s not the end of the world. Humorous romance with depth. I will definitely read more of Katy’s novels.
April 6, 2012
Mostly, I read chicklits when I feel I don't want to think about anything. 'One Thing Led To Another' was, in my opinion, different than other chicklits.
Loved the characters and the ending. It was fun to read that there were no clichés in this book. Everything was discussed in details, that led me to so much laughing!
Yes, Katy Regan did a wonderful job writing this awesome chicklit.
**** Spoiler *****
1. So happy Jim and Tess got together in the ending!
Loved the characters and the ending. It was fun to read that there were no clichés in this book. Everything was discussed in details, that led me to so much laughing!
Yes, Katy Regan did a wonderful job writing this awesome chicklit.
**** Spoiler *****
1. So happy Jim and Tess got together in the ending!
May 13, 2014
The storyline of this book is interesting. However I dont really like the style of writing. Since english is not my mother tongue, I have hard time to understand the double meaning/metaphor behind a few sentence. I prefer if it written straight forward, so I may understand the situation clearly.
However I still give this book 3 start in term of ideas. It different although at the end the ending it still what we expected
However I still give this book 3 start in term of ideas. It different although at the end the ending it still what we expected
December 2, 2009
Surprisingly, i really like this book. What makes this book so interesting is the fact that it is written based on the writer's experience, so that makes it very real. I really like jim's character. He is so sweet and nice......such a shame that it took him and tess so long to realize their attraction for one another. This book is defintely a page turner, very engaging and filled with laughter.
September 24, 2010
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, based on Tessa, and her life after becoming pregnant by her best friend, Jim! It's fabulously written with a great mix of believable characters and situations.
I loved Katy Regans writing style, which was so flowing and interesting, and I will certainly purchase 'The one before the One' when it is available. Hope it's as good as this one!
I loved Katy Regans writing style, which was so flowing and interesting, and I will certainly purchase 'The one before the One' when it is available. Hope it's as good as this one!
October 31, 2016
A funny, girly read. You can't help but fall in love with Tess. She's an everyday girl that has everyday disasters. I enjoyed that the book dealt more with the pregnancy of the characters and less about her having the baby. The relationship between Tess, Jim and her friends was the focus and that is what I enjoyed.
March 23, 2010
This was a nice little fluffy book. Perfect for my beach holiday. I felt like I was really enjoying the beginning and towards the end the tone of the story stepped out of line and I began enjoying it less. That being said it was short and fairly sweet.
February 23, 2011
Classical chick-lit, but very enjoyable. I especially enjoyed the fact that the story was inspired by the author's experiences, so she obviously knew what she was talking about!
You can find my review here:
http://funny-wool.blogspot.com/2011/0...
You can find my review here:
http://funny-wool.blogspot.com/2011/0...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews