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Calling Romeo
What is the worst thing that could happen to you on Valentine s Day
Getting stood up by your boyfriend
Having to spend the evening alone
Being drenched by an idiot driving a sportscar
When all three happen to Juliet on the same night, she reckons her love life can't get any worse. But it s actually about to get a lot more complicated...
Because the identity of the driver of the sportscar is revealed to be her arch business rival. She knows she should stay away. Except it's not that easy. Handsome, sexy and utterly glamorous, Sykes is determined to sweep her off her feet and away from her boyfriend Will.
But is it worth risking everything for Are they really destined to be star-crossed lovers Or is Romeo actually a little closer to home
Juliet is about to find out in Alexandra Potter's delightful romantic comedy about passion, truth and how the path to true love never did run smooth...
Getting stood up by your boyfriend
Having to spend the evening alone
Being drenched by an idiot driving a sportscar
When all three happen to Juliet on the same night, she reckons her love life can't get any worse. But it s actually about to get a lot more complicated...
Because the identity of the driver of the sportscar is revealed to be her arch business rival. She knows she should stay away. Except it's not that easy. Handsome, sexy and utterly glamorous, Sykes is determined to sweep her off her feet and away from her boyfriend Will.
But is it worth risking everything for Are they really destined to be star-crossed lovers Or is Romeo actually a little closer to home
Juliet is about to find out in Alexandra Potter's delightful romantic comedy about passion, truth and how the path to true love never did run smooth...
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2002
72 people are currently reading
1611 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Potter
26 books2,295 followersAlexandra Potter is the best-selling author of fourteen romantic comedy fiction novels including Confessions of a Forty-Something F##k Up (which is now the basis of a major US TV show, NOT DEAD YET on ABC, Hulu and Disney+) MORE Confessions of a Forty-Something F##k Up and One Good Thing. These titles have been published in twenty-five territories and have sold millions of copies worldwide (making the bestseller charts in the UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Serbia).
Yorkshire born and raised, Alexandra lives in London with her Californian husband and their Bosnian rescue dog. When she's not writing or travelling, she's getting out into nature, trying not to look at her phone and navigating this thing called mid-life.
https//www.instagram.com/alexandrapotter
https://www.facebook.com/Alexandra.Po...
Yorkshire born and raised, Alexandra lives in London with her Californian husband and their Bosnian rescue dog. When she's not writing or travelling, she's getting out into nature, trying not to look at her phone and navigating this thing called mid-life.
https//www.instagram.com/alexandrapotter
https://www.facebook.com/Alexandra.Po...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
June 8, 2013
Ovo je prvi roman Aleksandre Poter koji sam pročitala... i zaključila da na nju treba obratiti pažnju, da ima potencijal i da može biti interesantna našim čitaocima... ali da ova knjiga nije dovoljno dobra (po mom mišljenju) da bi se s njom krenulo...
March 6, 2011
Alright, if I have to sum it up in two words, I would say -- excruciatingly long and the only reason as to why it wasn't half a star or a star is -- I liked Trudy. And no, she is not the main character. Honestly speaking, after having read a decent book by Alexandra Potter, I find myself somewhat disappointed by the book. It was long and no, I have no problem with reading long books, I've read Harry Potter and loved it, remember. Maybe that's it, chick-lit is definitely not my genre. Juliet (I find myself unable to stop cursing the fact of how overused the name happened to be in modern literature) is, in one word -- whiny. Believe me, I can be a hopeless romantic when I want, but Juliet, she makes me feel annoyed and wanted to slap her with a verbal wet fish. It's painful to read her agonizing over everything. I don't get it, really...
Luckily however, the book wasn't a total lost and it's saying something because my favourite character is a hypochondriac - Trudy. Funny, a little over the top, somewhat detached from reality from my point of view, Trudy made the book salvageable. True, she can be frantic and her moral value can be extremely flawed, but, I can't help but finding myself relating to her. There's Violet, another character that made me think it wasn't so bad. Still, honestly -- if I have a grandmother like Violet, I might shoot myself, I'm not kidding. She would embarrass me so bad that I would pull an ostrich. You know, burying your head in the sand thing...
The guys... Uhh... Decent. Will is your typical everyday guy. The one you'd get married to on normal basis. He'd annoy you half to death but you'd still love him. Sykes (That name definitely brings back some sort of a distant fond memory -- not a romantic one), he's the crush you never get over from High School and now driving a flashy car. Fergus, he's just a douche. Funny how Rolf and Amber are the only two characters that didn't really irk me and I'm not really over the moon over. It was an okay book. But, I really don't think I'd read it again. It's way too depressing to read because of Juliet. Not even Alexandra Potter's occasional witty remarks that pop out every now and then could save it...
Luckily however, the book wasn't a total lost and it's saying something because my favourite character is a hypochondriac - Trudy. Funny, a little over the top, somewhat detached from reality from my point of view, Trudy made the book salvageable. True, she can be frantic and her moral value can be extremely flawed, but, I can't help but finding myself relating to her. There's Violet, another character that made me think it wasn't so bad. Still, honestly -- if I have a grandmother like Violet, I might shoot myself, I'm not kidding. She would embarrass me so bad that I would pull an ostrich. You know, burying your head in the sand thing...
The guys... Uhh... Decent. Will is your typical everyday guy. The one you'd get married to on normal basis. He'd annoy you half to death but you'd still love him. Sykes (That name definitely brings back some sort of a distant fond memory -- not a romantic one), he's the crush you never get over from High School and now driving a flashy car. Fergus, he's just a douche. Funny how Rolf and Amber are the only two characters that didn't really irk me and I'm not really over the moon over. It was an okay book. But, I really don't think I'd read it again. It's way too depressing to read because of Juliet. Not even Alexandra Potter's occasional witty remarks that pop out every now and then could save it...
April 14, 2011
hmm,, calling romeo..
the story is ordinary, but there's a good meaning that contain in there.
like we know, the story was telling about the relationship between 2 lovers. will and juliet, they falling in love but they experience saturation in their relationship. i think its natural. ppl who having relationship over years must be experience such thing. its almost impossible that they still adore one another after a plenty years. and juliet experience that.
she love will, but for her will is just like her roomate, thats all. and she tired of the ordinary things that she do day by day, until the climax. will not come to the place that they agree with when vals day, and juliet find the new man. handsome, rich, and romantic. he treat juliet just like a princess. he buy her expensive clothes, invite her to Verona, etc. Juliet enjoy it, til she feels that its not the rite thing. she feel guilt, and decide to leave Sykes and back to will. and will changes too. he loves juliet and she want juliet to be happy so he do things to make juliet happy and to fix their relationship. everything just going well, till Will found the photos of Jules and Sykes. He hurt and decide to broke up. But after then, they can't forget each other, so after 6 months later they back again. happy end.;)
the point is: no matter how boring your relationship is, never cheat!!
actually as a woman i understand how juliet feel. she feels unappreciate, unhonour, and unloved. but however she cant do that! i know will its wrong but cheat is something crucial.
but everyone can do mistake, so its natural. the most important that jules know that she wrong and admitted her mistake. but actually they realize their mistake after jules went to verona. if not, perhaps will never realize his mistake and jules still the same. so, theres a good point too. and also, i don like sykes. i mean, nothing wrong with him. he's not evil or what, but he flirt with somebody's girl. it just wrong and when he still do that after know the truth. i know exactly that that type of guy is not good for juliet or anybody.
the story is ordinary, but there's a good meaning that contain in there.
like we know, the story was telling about the relationship between 2 lovers. will and juliet, they falling in love but they experience saturation in their relationship. i think its natural. ppl who having relationship over years must be experience such thing. its almost impossible that they still adore one another after a plenty years. and juliet experience that.
she love will, but for her will is just like her roomate, thats all. and she tired of the ordinary things that she do day by day, until the climax. will not come to the place that they agree with when vals day, and juliet find the new man. handsome, rich, and romantic. he treat juliet just like a princess. he buy her expensive clothes, invite her to Verona, etc. Juliet enjoy it, til she feels that its not the rite thing. she feel guilt, and decide to leave Sykes and back to will. and will changes too. he loves juliet and she want juliet to be happy so he do things to make juliet happy and to fix their relationship. everything just going well, till Will found the photos of Jules and Sykes. He hurt and decide to broke up. But after then, they can't forget each other, so after 6 months later they back again. happy end.;)
the point is: no matter how boring your relationship is, never cheat!!
actually as a woman i understand how juliet feel. she feels unappreciate, unhonour, and unloved. but however she cant do that! i know will its wrong but cheat is something crucial.
but everyone can do mistake, so its natural. the most important that jules know that she wrong and admitted her mistake. but actually they realize their mistake after jules went to verona. if not, perhaps will never realize his mistake and jules still the same. so, theres a good point too. and also, i don like sykes. i mean, nothing wrong with him. he's not evil or what, but he flirt with somebody's girl. it just wrong and when he still do that after know the truth. i know exactly that that type of guy is not good for juliet or anybody.
September 20, 2015
I had a problem with this book: pace. It was too, too slow!! It took an effort to get through the first 40% (I am reasoning kindle), after that luckily it got a little faster but not nearly enough to name the book gripping. The main story was ok I guess, but the side stories were annoying. The best friend part was boring in the beginning, depressing in the middle, and just meh in the end. The 80-years-old naighboor part useless! A waste of pages, the author uses it in the end, but should have found a different way.
June 27, 2016
В своя защита ще кажа, че ми предстоеше да чакам 2 часа пред кабинета на лекаря. В компанията на жега, баби и бебата. Беше единствената книга в реп-чето - 5лв с космополитън.
Списанието беше по интересно :(
Списанието беше по интересно :(
January 21, 2010
I am not one to normally give up on a book. However I reached about the 100th page and just really could not take how slow the book was forming. It possibly could be that I am simply not in a patient mood so I might return to try to reread this book but as of right now I do not suggest it.
March 31, 2019
U početku zanimljiva, zatim sam stala sa čitanjem i malo mi je bilo monotono, očekivala sam neko putovanje u knjizi jer su sve njene koje sam čitala do sad u sebi sadržale takvu radnju i ispostavilo se kao tačno, s tim što se ono dešava u drugoj polovini knjige. Stil mi se razlikovao od drugih njenih knjiga, jedna je od prvih koju je pisala, pa je bila malo ispod očekivanja. Nije bila loša, ali mi nije bila ni preterano zanimljiva, ali sam je čitala jako dugo pa je efekat možda i zato izostao.
March 25, 2011
Reviewed @ Girls Without a Bookshelf.
I'm not certain why I somehow still read books about someone infidelity when I know that all it ends up doing is making me feel terribly agonised. It irks me to no end, but perhaps I keep looking for a book that gives an insight to both sides of the party. Well, Calling Romeo fits well, but it isn't the best read, I don't think.
I'm very torn about my response to this book. On the one hand, the trickling pace of the plot bored me. Too much narrative! I was tempted to skip through and just get to the ending. I disliked the ending; hated the message it could have easily given to the reader. On the other hand, I appreciated Juliet's hesitations because that is how it is. Unless one is unfeeling or morally apathetic, you would hesitate and reconsider to the nth degree your decision to begin an affair. I thought Juliet's thoughts and indecision - her consultations to friends even - were an accurate portrayal of that dilemma. But I'm not saying she justifies it - adultery for me is never justified, whatever the circumstance. Juliet does however, show that she isn't indifferent and has genuine reasons for her affair with Sykes. Admittedly, I believe part - a very small part - of the blame lies on Will, but as Juliet realises love is not always the happy side of the coin.
Calling Romeo is underscored by many subplots, and one can view the events from different points of view. And so when everything unravels, there is much, too much pain swivelling around the characters. I'm not exactly happy how Will handled Juliet's unfaithfulness, and how towards the end Juliet for me didn't feel as apologetic as she should be. Oh yes, there were many tears and pain but I didn't feel she was ultimately entitled to be angry at Will after her unfaithfulness, because whatever Will did or did not do, cheating surpasses that. I tell myself this though: she isn't me. She's a flawed character, and in that she is entitled to feel what she does. I don't think they resolved anything by the ending, and it was very vague, but there you go.
The plot is cliche. The characters are naive, sometimes foolish, sometimes selfish. It can be dragging. But ultimately, Calling Romeo is a book that builds on its imperfections. It made shed tears, it made me angry, it made me want to lash out at the ending, but at the end of it all it's a story of two people that isn't me. Therefore while I don't think it's the best book, plot or ending for me, it might just be for them.
I'm not certain why I somehow still read books about someone infidelity when I know that all it ends up doing is making me feel terribly agonised. It irks me to no end, but perhaps I keep looking for a book that gives an insight to both sides of the party. Well, Calling Romeo fits well, but it isn't the best read, I don't think.
I'm very torn about my response to this book. On the one hand, the trickling pace of the plot bored me. Too much narrative! I was tempted to skip through and just get to the ending. I disliked the ending; hated the message it could have easily given to the reader. On the other hand, I appreciated Juliet's hesitations because that is how it is. Unless one is unfeeling or morally apathetic, you would hesitate and reconsider to the nth degree your decision to begin an affair. I thought Juliet's thoughts and indecision - her consultations to friends even - were an accurate portrayal of that dilemma. But I'm not saying she justifies it - adultery for me is never justified, whatever the circumstance. Juliet does however, show that she isn't indifferent and has genuine reasons for her affair with Sykes. Admittedly, I believe part - a very small part - of the blame lies on Will, but as Juliet realises love is not always the happy side of the coin.
Calling Romeo is underscored by many subplots, and one can view the events from different points of view. And so when everything unravels, there is much, too much pain swivelling around the characters. I'm not exactly happy how Will handled Juliet's unfaithfulness, and how towards the end Juliet for me didn't feel as apologetic as she should be. Oh yes, there were many tears and pain but I didn't feel she was ultimately entitled to be angry at Will after her unfaithfulness, because whatever Will did or did not do, cheating surpasses that. I tell myself this though: she isn't me. She's a flawed character, and in that she is entitled to feel what she does. I don't think they resolved anything by the ending, and it was very vague, but there you go.
The plot is cliche. The characters are naive, sometimes foolish, sometimes selfish. It can be dragging. But ultimately, Calling Romeo is a book that builds on its imperfections. It made shed tears, it made me angry, it made me want to lash out at the ending, but at the end of it all it's a story of two people that isn't me. Therefore while I don't think it's the best book, plot or ending for me, it might just be for them.
December 8, 2014
It took me a while to finish this book since i was so busy these days but it totally worth it. :)
It's a beautiful book about the true meaning of "ever after", about what a relationship really is (with good and bad), about making mistakes, about how hard it is to find the true love (and the bitterness of realizing too late that it was right beside you and you lost it so foolishly).
It's funny and emotional, it's romantic and dramatic.. it's all in one, and it's amazing. I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves romantic books.
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It's a beautiful book about the true meaning of "ever after", about what a relationship really is (with good and bad), about making mistakes, about how hard it is to find the true love (and the bitterness of realizing too late that it was right beside you and you lost it so foolishly).
It's funny and emotional, it's romantic and dramatic.. it's all in one, and it's amazing. I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves romantic books.
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Blog (EN) | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Booklikes | Blog (RO)
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December 23, 2010
Yet another book with a misguiding title and review. It's not about a fluffy romance between one-dimensional characters. It's about the excitement brought by the new and unknown, the stability of the familiar and the choice between the two.
This is the story of Juliet and Will, a couple of more than 2 years, that seem to be more or less estranged at the beginning of the book. A few stupid decisions and wrong turns later and they both get a wake up call and start re-evaluating their lives and their choices.
I liked that the book is realistic and doesn't sugar coat things - people make decisions and face consequences. Simple as that. Appreciating what you have, taking a risk and experiencing something new, and finally figuring out what it is you really want.
Much of the drama would have been avoided if only people would just talk to each other! That's a real-life problem, too, though, so even here the story stays true. All in all an enjoyable and kind of educational (if not too original) story.
This is the story of Juliet and Will, a couple of more than 2 years, that seem to be more or less estranged at the beginning of the book. A few stupid decisions and wrong turns later and they both get a wake up call and start re-evaluating their lives and their choices.
I liked that the book is realistic and doesn't sugar coat things - people make decisions and face consequences. Simple as that. Appreciating what you have, taking a risk and experiencing something new, and finally figuring out what it is you really want.
Much of the drama would have been avoided if only people would just talk to each other! That's a real-life problem, too, though, so even here the story stays true. All in all an enjoyable and kind of educational (if not too original) story.
March 24, 2015
I can't quite understand the negative views on this book. Seen the front cover and noted the back? You know you're getting a genuine chick-lit fluff overload. Saying that, I devoured this in a single day. I really, really enjoyed this but then again I enjoy *ALL* of Alexandra Potter's books. This one was a complete gem. Started off with a relationship getting 'overly comfortable' and lacking excitement - the girl has an affair etc etc - but I found it so entertaining throughout despite the cliche. Loved it.
January 17, 2020
Funny read. I'm glad Juliet ended up with the person I thought right for her , though the path to love wasn't that smooth.
I had some lovely memories of. Verona flooding back, as Juliet wandered around there.
Ended was a bit abrupt , felt rushed sadly .
Interesting reread . I enjoyed it more this time !
I had some lovely memories of. Verona flooding back, as Juliet wandered around there.
Ended was a bit abrupt , felt rushed sadly .
Interesting reread . I enjoyed it more this time !
April 16, 2017
Krásna kniha. Najkrajšia a najlepšia doposiaľ od tejto autorky.
Tak krásna myšlienka. Mala som slzy v očiach po dočítaní tejto knihy. Dojala ma. Neskutočne ma dojala. Samozrejme, ten spisovateľkin štýl písania tam bol. Bola to vtipná, romantická, oddychová kniha, ktorá vás pohladí na duši. Milujem Willa, ale vážne ho milujem, je jednoducho skvelý. Aj tak stále nechápem, prečo každý Will v knihe musí byť skvelý. Vy to viete?
Krásne...už som to písala, že?
No nemám slova.
A tá myšlienka o láske je nezabudnuteľná...
9/10.
Tak krásna myšlienka. Mala som slzy v očiach po dočítaní tejto knihy. Dojala ma. Neskutočne ma dojala. Samozrejme, ten spisovateľkin štýl písania tam bol. Bola to vtipná, romantická, oddychová kniha, ktorá vás pohladí na duši. Milujem Willa, ale vážne ho milujem, je jednoducho skvelý. Aj tak stále nechápem, prečo každý Will v knihe musí byť skvelý. Vy to viete?
Krásne...už som to písala, že?
No nemám slova.
A tá myšlienka o láske je nezabudnuteľná...
9/10.
January 26, 2018
Može se reći da sam četiri zvezdica dala samo zbog Vila. On mi je baš prirastao srcu. Džulijet me je nervirala, a Sajks je debil.
Knjige ove autorke me opuštaju, ali mi ova nije legla kao ostale.
Knjige ove autorke me opuštaju, ali mi ova nije legla kao ostale.
November 22, 2018
Neurazí, nenadchne, ale romantické čtenářky určitě potěší. 🙂
January 18, 2012
Whew. I finally finished reading this one. I should tell you, this is definitely not an easy read. I find myself annoyed with it at times that i wanted to throw it away and never read it again. well,not literally throw it away.haha. But its just that i find it annoying thus making it hard to read for me. Get my point? Well right. Moving on.
The story revolves around Juliet. A lady with a decent job, decent life and a decent boyfriend. Will, Juliet's long-time boyfriend has seemed to be more absorbed with his work as a landscaper than playing as Juliet's boyfriend. He stands her up on Valentine's day and even refuse to accompany her on her company ball. That's when she starts to question, when did Will lost interest on her? She feel alone and sad. Then came a guy named Sykes appear in the picture, giving Juliet the attention and gestures that her boyfriend was forgetting to give her. And from then, Juliet finds herself torn between the old guy or the new one.
GAA! This is one excruciating looonnnggg story. I really find it hard to finish. As I've mentioned above i'm really annoyed with the main character Juliet, sometimes i find myself wanting to spank or slap her. ugh! Super face-palm for her and her misguided heart and mind. I kinda hate how she simply jumped her bones with Sykes knowing well the he is her competitor when it comes to work. But there is also a time wherein i pity this girl, just like when Will stand her up on Valentines Day. GOD! thats Valentines day! And any girl who get stand up by their boyfriend on that exact day would truly cause World War 3! But most of the time, i'm still annoyed with her. HAHA. Anyway, as for Will, he is the typical boy you wanna marry on a typical day. Well, he's just simple as it is. I like him for the fact that he really do love Juliet. I liked how he has realized his mistakes on their relationship and acted upon it as soon as he can with the best that he could.
As he said "I never stopped joking around long enough to realize you weren't laughing anymore."
But toward the end, i feel pretty bad for him, after he discovers something. My heart broke for him. For their relationship.
"And like a soprano shattering glass, Juliet heard something snap deep inside.It was the sound of her heart breaking."
This book also contains a good set of supporting characters such as Trudy, Juliet's best friend. She may seem to be a weird one, but she makes this story lighter and she definitely makes me laugh at times. Then there is Violet, their old lady neighbor. Well, she is the one that seems to open up Juliet and Will's heart during their hard moment. She may be old but the age of experience already teaches her a lot in life. Oh! And i almost forgot the other man, Sykes! Well, Sykes is the hot guy, flashy guy, designer clothes kind of guy. You get the picture. Well, you can't really blame Juliet for falling for his epic charisma. But remember, sometimes Looks could really be deceiving.
In the end, its an okay one. But I should say its not the kind of book that you would want to read over and over again because you would just feel annoyed and depressed with it. Though i'm not judging Alexandra Potter's writing skills on this one but, its just not as good as the first book of her that I've read. Well, i'm still looking forward on reading her other novels and praying its better than this. So okay. I'll stop now. :)
PS. Sorry for repeating my annoyed feeling towards this one. Just expressing my thoughts. :)
The story revolves around Juliet. A lady with a decent job, decent life and a decent boyfriend. Will, Juliet's long-time boyfriend has seemed to be more absorbed with his work as a landscaper than playing as Juliet's boyfriend. He stands her up on Valentine's day and even refuse to accompany her on her company ball. That's when she starts to question, when did Will lost interest on her? She feel alone and sad. Then came a guy named Sykes appear in the picture, giving Juliet the attention and gestures that her boyfriend was forgetting to give her. And from then, Juliet finds herself torn between the old guy or the new one.
GAA! This is one excruciating looonnnggg story. I really find it hard to finish. As I've mentioned above i'm really annoyed with the main character Juliet, sometimes i find myself wanting to spank or slap her. ugh! Super face-palm for her and her misguided heart and mind. I kinda hate how she simply jumped her bones with Sykes knowing well the he is her competitor when it comes to work. But there is also a time wherein i pity this girl, just like when Will stand her up on Valentines Day. GOD! thats Valentines day! And any girl who get stand up by their boyfriend on that exact day would truly cause World War 3! But most of the time, i'm still annoyed with her. HAHA. Anyway, as for Will, he is the typical boy you wanna marry on a typical day. Well, he's just simple as it is. I like him for the fact that he really do love Juliet. I liked how he has realized his mistakes on their relationship and acted upon it as soon as he can with the best that he could.
As he said "I never stopped joking around long enough to realize you weren't laughing anymore."
But toward the end, i feel pretty bad for him, after he discovers something. My heart broke for him. For their relationship.
"And like a soprano shattering glass, Juliet heard something snap deep inside.It was the sound of her heart breaking."
This book also contains a good set of supporting characters such as Trudy, Juliet's best friend. She may seem to be a weird one, but she makes this story lighter and she definitely makes me laugh at times. Then there is Violet, their old lady neighbor. Well, she is the one that seems to open up Juliet and Will's heart during their hard moment. She may be old but the age of experience already teaches her a lot in life. Oh! And i almost forgot the other man, Sykes! Well, Sykes is the hot guy, flashy guy, designer clothes kind of guy. You get the picture. Well, you can't really blame Juliet for falling for his epic charisma. But remember, sometimes Looks could really be deceiving.
In the end, its an okay one. But I should say its not the kind of book that you would want to read over and over again because you would just feel annoyed and depressed with it. Though i'm not judging Alexandra Potter's writing skills on this one but, its just not as good as the first book of her that I've read. Well, i'm still looking forward on reading her other novels and praying its better than this. So okay. I'll stop now. :)
PS. Sorry for repeating my annoyed feeling towards this one. Just expressing my thoughts. :)
July 11, 2016
Juliet Morris, account manager in an advertising firm, was supposed to meet her boyfriend, Will Barraclough on their much awaited catch-up date; unfortunately, Will stood her up. It made her think about their relationship and if they could still bring back the love they used to have for each other.
After the disappointing no-show, pent-up emotions rose as she ventured Oxford Street under the cold rain – and then her new sheepskin coat got splashed with rain water by a handsome Aston Martin driver who drove away. All these bad luck happened on Valentine’s Day.
What made the matters worse, she was caught sniffing and crying in the Gent’s restroom at a charity ball by someone who happened to be her company’s major competitor on a big time car contract pitch.
After a moment of meditating, she surmised that she needed a break from Will. The next week, she found herself mingling and flirting with the very same man who splashed on her – Sykes, who was also her ad competitor. A weekend in Verona, Italy made her feel like a woman again. But when she came back to London, she didn’t expect Will to be as romantic as he had been when they were still newly dating years ago. Now she’s torn between Will and Sykes and afraid that she’ll screw up her future when she learned that her idea of the car advertisement is somewhat the same with her competitor. What should she do now?
Calling Romeo is a chicklit novel that focuses on strain relationships and finding a solution on how to secure your place under the sun. Although I had fun reading Juliet’s story, I thought her friend Trudy’s struggles being pregnant and being a single parent was more appealing and relatable. Between the two ladies, I actually found Trudy a much stronger character as she is firmer with her life after a devastating shrug-off from the one who got her pregnant.
Likewise, Will wasn't really the kind of guy a reader would want for the female lead, but his transformation softened my heart. At first, I wasn't entirely buying the whole Romeo & Juliet vibes in the book, having to go all the way to Verona Italy and all. Don't start me with Sykes, I definitely wasn't a fan of him either.
Juliet’s story is rather common among women who are caught up in a relationship where the men in their lives can no longer sustain the romance. I liked how Will stood his ground when he learned about his girlfriend's infidelity and came up with the biggest decision of his life. That ending though, kinda ruined it for me. I dunno, I just didn't expect it to end that way.
After the disappointing no-show, pent-up emotions rose as she ventured Oxford Street under the cold rain – and then her new sheepskin coat got splashed with rain water by a handsome Aston Martin driver who drove away. All these bad luck happened on Valentine’s Day.
What made the matters worse, she was caught sniffing and crying in the Gent’s restroom at a charity ball by someone who happened to be her company’s major competitor on a big time car contract pitch.
After a moment of meditating, she surmised that she needed a break from Will. The next week, she found herself mingling and flirting with the very same man who splashed on her – Sykes, who was also her ad competitor. A weekend in Verona, Italy made her feel like a woman again. But when she came back to London, she didn’t expect Will to be as romantic as he had been when they were still newly dating years ago. Now she’s torn between Will and Sykes and afraid that she’ll screw up her future when she learned that her idea of the car advertisement is somewhat the same with her competitor. What should she do now?
Calling Romeo is a chicklit novel that focuses on strain relationships and finding a solution on how to secure your place under the sun. Although I had fun reading Juliet’s story, I thought her friend Trudy’s struggles being pregnant and being a single parent was more appealing and relatable. Between the two ladies, I actually found Trudy a much stronger character as she is firmer with her life after a devastating shrug-off from the one who got her pregnant.
Likewise, Will wasn't really the kind of guy a reader would want for the female lead, but his transformation softened my heart. At first, I wasn't entirely buying the whole Romeo & Juliet vibes in the book, having to go all the way to Verona Italy and all. Don't start me with Sykes, I definitely wasn't a fan of him either.
Juliet’s story is rather common among women who are caught up in a relationship where the men in their lives can no longer sustain the romance. I liked how Will stood his ground when he learned about his girlfriend's infidelity and came up with the biggest decision of his life. That ending though, kinda ruined it for me. I dunno, I just didn't expect it to end that way.
July 12, 2007
Hari Valentine harusnya jadi hari yang romantis untuk Juliet, tapi ternyata justru di malam Valentine itu Juliet malah ‘ditelantarkan’ Will, pacarnya, yang lupa akan janji makan malam sama Juliet. Dan bukan itu aja, dalam perjalanan pulang di tengah hujan, sebuah mobil sport mewah yang lewat menciprati baju Juliet yang dibeli dengan hampir membuat kartu kreditnya berteriak ‘Overlimit’. Si pengemudi mobil tidak berhenti sedikit pun untuk minta ma’af.
Kejadian malam itu, membuat Juliet berpikir ulang tentang hubungannya dengan Will. Menurut Juliet, hubungan mereka sudah biasa banget, gak ada lagi keromantisan. Dan Will berubah jadi laki-laki ‘biasa’ yang cuek sama baju kotor, jorok dan kurang perhatian.
Di tengah-tengah kebimbangan itu, Juliet bertemu Sykes. Cowok dari perusahaan saingannya yang perhatian dan romantis. Dan bukan itu saja, ternyata Sykes adalah si pengemudi mobil sport yang membuat Juliet basah kuyup. Sykes menghujani Juliet dengan perhatian sebagai permintaan ma’af. Mengajak kencan ke London Eye, Sykes mengajak Juliet berakhir pekan ke Verona.
Di Verona, Juliet merasa dirinya sedang mencari Romeo di balkon tempat Juliet dalam kisah romantis menunggu sang Romeo. Sykes membuatnya merasa spesial. Tapi, sekembalinya dari Verona, justru Will menunjukkan tanda-tanda perubahan. Tiba-tiba Will jadi penuh perhatian. Pesona Sykes pun pelan-pelan memudar.
Tapi, lagi-lagi hubungan Will dan Juliet diuji. Di malam Will melamar Juliet, justru Will harus menerima kenyataan kalau Juliet punya affair dengan laki-laki lain yang ternyata adalah klien Will juga. Mereka pun putus, meskipun di hati mereka masing-masing ada rasa penyesalan dan rasa ingin kembali.
Jadi, ketemukah Juliet dengan Sang Romeo?
Ada fakta lucu dari buku ini, ternyata balkon di rumah Juliet tempat ia menunggu Romeo sebenarnya gak ada. Balkon yang ada dibuat untuk memuaskan rasa ingin tahu para turis (Hal. 348 – 349).
Kejadian malam itu, membuat Juliet berpikir ulang tentang hubungannya dengan Will. Menurut Juliet, hubungan mereka sudah biasa banget, gak ada lagi keromantisan. Dan Will berubah jadi laki-laki ‘biasa’ yang cuek sama baju kotor, jorok dan kurang perhatian.
Di tengah-tengah kebimbangan itu, Juliet bertemu Sykes. Cowok dari perusahaan saingannya yang perhatian dan romantis. Dan bukan itu saja, ternyata Sykes adalah si pengemudi mobil sport yang membuat Juliet basah kuyup. Sykes menghujani Juliet dengan perhatian sebagai permintaan ma’af. Mengajak kencan ke London Eye, Sykes mengajak Juliet berakhir pekan ke Verona.
Di Verona, Juliet merasa dirinya sedang mencari Romeo di balkon tempat Juliet dalam kisah romantis menunggu sang Romeo. Sykes membuatnya merasa spesial. Tapi, sekembalinya dari Verona, justru Will menunjukkan tanda-tanda perubahan. Tiba-tiba Will jadi penuh perhatian. Pesona Sykes pun pelan-pelan memudar.
Tapi, lagi-lagi hubungan Will dan Juliet diuji. Di malam Will melamar Juliet, justru Will harus menerima kenyataan kalau Juliet punya affair dengan laki-laki lain yang ternyata adalah klien Will juga. Mereka pun putus, meskipun di hati mereka masing-masing ada rasa penyesalan dan rasa ingin kembali.
Jadi, ketemukah Juliet dengan Sang Romeo?
Ada fakta lucu dari buku ini, ternyata balkon di rumah Juliet tempat ia menunggu Romeo sebenarnya gak ada. Balkon yang ada dibuat untuk memuaskan rasa ingin tahu para turis (Hal. 348 – 349).
March 7, 2013
This is a novel based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet but it was set in the modern times and it has a very different twist.
The love story was a roller coaster ride for me. On one hand, I get really love drunk whenever the scene was romantic or just plain sweet. Sometimes, I even blush for the protagonist, Juliet, because I was really overwhelmed on how the events turned out.
On the other hand, the story was a tearjerker. Tears filled up my eyes when I got to the climax part. It was really intense. You want to get angry, you want to cry with Juliet, you can also feel their pain. Every words and phrases will make you realize things we ignore in life. I, for one, got my fair share of realizations about love.
Anyway, the lesson I acquired from reading this book is that love never gets old. Love can be seen in different ways and can be felt in different ways. We just have to open our eyes to see beyond material things, sweet words and romantic gestures. The book showed it through the friendship Juliet had with her best friend; Trudy going through pregnancy and facing her future: single mom-hood; Violet finding the love of her life at the age of eighty; William's parents who grew old together but still kept their love ablaze; Rolf and Amber's acceptance of each others' flaws and embracing it; last but not the least, the forgiveness, reconciliation and unconditional love of Juliet and William.
I still consider this book a light read despite the heavy emotions I felt. I love its simplicity and how realistic the story is that everyone can relate to. :)
The love story was a roller coaster ride for me. On one hand, I get really love drunk whenever the scene was romantic or just plain sweet. Sometimes, I even blush for the protagonist, Juliet, because I was really overwhelmed on how the events turned out.
On the other hand, the story was a tearjerker. Tears filled up my eyes when I got to the climax part. It was really intense. You want to get angry, you want to cry with Juliet, you can also feel their pain. Every words and phrases will make you realize things we ignore in life. I, for one, got my fair share of realizations about love.
Anyway, the lesson I acquired from reading this book is that love never gets old. Love can be seen in different ways and can be felt in different ways. We just have to open our eyes to see beyond material things, sweet words and romantic gestures. The book showed it through the friendship Juliet had with her best friend; Trudy going through pregnancy and facing her future: single mom-hood; Violet finding the love of her life at the age of eighty; William's parents who grew old together but still kept their love ablaze; Rolf and Amber's acceptance of each others' flaws and embracing it; last but not the least, the forgiveness, reconciliation and unconditional love of Juliet and William.
I still consider this book a light read despite the heavy emotions I felt. I love its simplicity and how realistic the story is that everyone can relate to. :)
April 27, 2009
If this, her first novel, was the first book I had read of Potter, I would most certainly, undoubtely, not have read the other two..... I just finished this book because I kept expecting that the Alexandra Potter with an imagination and a better writing style would show up any minute....but she didnt.
Not that I think she is something out of this world, but her two other books really enterteined me, this one just annoyed me a bit....like usually all British female characters do at the beginning, but I end up liking them as the author makes you either fall in love with them or understand them (and in here I;'m talking contemporaneus authors in general, the Brits)
But I couldn't like this Juliet.
The whole thing is bland, silly and if I had payed for this book (I got it out of my local library) I would have been REALLY really annoyed....
oh well...
at least the following toe books she developed an imagination....
Not that I think she is something out of this world, but her two other books really enterteined me, this one just annoyed me a bit....like usually all British female characters do at the beginning, but I end up liking them as the author makes you either fall in love with them or understand them (and in here I;'m talking contemporaneus authors in general, the Brits)
But I couldn't like this Juliet.
The whole thing is bland, silly and if I had payed for this book (I got it out of my local library) I would have been REALLY really annoyed....
oh well...
at least the following toe books she developed an imagination....
January 14, 2015
This book is awesome. It's about love.It explains that Love is not only about VAlentine's or dating, or one-thousand roses or romantic holiday in romance country like Italy. But, it's about trust, faith and kindness. Find out how Juliet tried to get her love back, when her 'husband-to-be' Will discovered that she had a fling with a guy called Sykes, a gorgeous half-Italian man...;)
October 12, 2010
Sorry, but I just can't enjoy books where the lead character commits adultery. At least have the couple break up first, but to have her cheat and then give us a happy ending SO sent the wrong message IMO.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2012
I read other Alexandra Potter books and I did like them but this one is a little boring . There's nothing special about it . A couple Juliet and Will who are facing few problems in their lives which is somthing ordinary in every relationship. It was a very long boring story that I couldn't finish.
September 19, 2008
I read about 3/4 of the book hoping it would get better before finally giving up.
April 16, 2013
Значи тоа е тоа, Александра Потер и знаете што да очекувате кога станува збор за нејзините романи!!!
October 26, 2013
lovely read! i had a great time reading it!!!!!
March 26, 2018
Having read Alexandra Potter’s first two novels, my expectations were low for her third. The first two had been predictable and poorly written, with one-dimensional characters, and characters named purely for the sake of a fairly poor joke. Fortunately, the author did not let me down and my expectations were met.
In “Calling Romeo”, Juliet has been stood up by her boyfriend Will, being left alone in a fancy restaurant on Valentine’s Day. This seems to be symptomatic of the way things are going between them at the moment, as since Will gave up a decent job to become self-employed, he has been working longer hours and paying less attention to Juliet and their relationship. As Juliet finally gives up on him for the evening, she is soaked by a car splashing through a puddle, ruining a new jacket and spoiling her mood even further, which isn’t helped by Will not realising he’s done anything wrong by the time she gets home and trying to smooth things over.
Will stands her up again at a big Ball relating to her work, which is unfortunate as Juliet is trying to make a good impression on both her evil boss and the clients from a car company who they are trying to win an advertising account for. In Will’s absence, Juliet meets the man who splashed her, who she is instantly smitten with and who works for a competing advertising agency. He manufactures a situation where they can meet again and then whisks her off for a weekend in Verona.
Once again here, the characters are horribly one dimensional and flat and not only are they clichés, it feels like Potter is imitating herself, as Juliet’s wild, self-employed clothing designer friend Trudy is quite reminiscent of Vivienne in her debut “What’s New, Pussycat?”. Sykes, the supposed Romeo of the book, turns out not to be the attentive person Juliet is looking for, and the clue is signposted in his initials early on, as when we discover his full name is “R. A. T. Sykes”, you know exactly how things are going to turn out. Juliet is largely self-indulgent and outward looking and it was tough to feel any sympathy for her at all and, as a self-employed person who works long hours myself, it was really only Will I felt much towards, as despite finding out little from him other than this, at least we had something in common, which wasn’t true of any of the other characters in the book.
It's not all bad, as Will’s business partner Rolf and his partner Amber didn’t seem to be as hard done by as the others by Potter’s lack of characterisation, although this is largely because they were only background characters and so you wouldn’t expect much from them. Will and Juliet’s neighbour Violet is quite sweet as well, as one of the few characters who doesn’t have any negative features, but does have some distinguishing ones, which are fortunately less quirky than Trudy and Juliet’s colleague Magnus, who comes across as a new-age stereotype and much kinder than Juliet’s boss, Gabby, who is everybody’s ice queen female manager, as seen in books and on television more or less everywhere.
The locations are not much better, either, with Juliet enjoying the view from the balcony in Verona, but no indication of what she is seeing and even the tourist location is described in terms of crowds and generalisations, almost as if the author’s research into the location was done from magazine and travel brochures, never first hand. Equally, the locations of both Juliet’s office, the places they all live and even the location of the big ball are described so broadly that you get absolutely no feel for the places, although this is largely appropriate as you don’t really get a feel for the people inside them from Potter’s writing, either.
Potter’s usual predictability is ever present here, from the lack of imagination in Sykes’ initials to the dreadful coincidence of the man of Juliet’s dreams rushing her off to Verona, setting for Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” and the predictable effect this has on the novel’s title. The way the characters act the whole way through is entirely in keeping with genre clichés, from the overall plot of the novel to the revelation of who Will has been working for to Trudy’s actions when she has some unexpected news to how things end up with her towards the end of the novel. Even the ultimate setting for the end of the book could be seen coming a mile off, as well as the events that occurred at this point.
There really is nothing new or unexpected here, for fans of either Alexandra Potter or the chick-lit genre. Two dimensional characters, clunky dialogue and a predictable plot are not new for either. The only thing Potter has done differently here is to write a longer novel than the two previous, meaning that the torture goes on for even longer than usual. The only redeeming feature this book has is that the ideas and story aren’t as wildly outlandish as the ideas that the previous two were held on, but that isn’t enough to save a novel that is, once again, so poor that the predictable ending, whilst taking too long to arrive, is an excuse to stop reading.
In “Calling Romeo”, Juliet has been stood up by her boyfriend Will, being left alone in a fancy restaurant on Valentine’s Day. This seems to be symptomatic of the way things are going between them at the moment, as since Will gave up a decent job to become self-employed, he has been working longer hours and paying less attention to Juliet and their relationship. As Juliet finally gives up on him for the evening, she is soaked by a car splashing through a puddle, ruining a new jacket and spoiling her mood even further, which isn’t helped by Will not realising he’s done anything wrong by the time she gets home and trying to smooth things over.
Will stands her up again at a big Ball relating to her work, which is unfortunate as Juliet is trying to make a good impression on both her evil boss and the clients from a car company who they are trying to win an advertising account for. In Will’s absence, Juliet meets the man who splashed her, who she is instantly smitten with and who works for a competing advertising agency. He manufactures a situation where they can meet again and then whisks her off for a weekend in Verona.
Once again here, the characters are horribly one dimensional and flat and not only are they clichés, it feels like Potter is imitating herself, as Juliet’s wild, self-employed clothing designer friend Trudy is quite reminiscent of Vivienne in her debut “What’s New, Pussycat?”. Sykes, the supposed Romeo of the book, turns out not to be the attentive person Juliet is looking for, and the clue is signposted in his initials early on, as when we discover his full name is “R. A. T. Sykes”, you know exactly how things are going to turn out. Juliet is largely self-indulgent and outward looking and it was tough to feel any sympathy for her at all and, as a self-employed person who works long hours myself, it was really only Will I felt much towards, as despite finding out little from him other than this, at least we had something in common, which wasn’t true of any of the other characters in the book.
It's not all bad, as Will’s business partner Rolf and his partner Amber didn’t seem to be as hard done by as the others by Potter’s lack of characterisation, although this is largely because they were only background characters and so you wouldn’t expect much from them. Will and Juliet’s neighbour Violet is quite sweet as well, as one of the few characters who doesn’t have any negative features, but does have some distinguishing ones, which are fortunately less quirky than Trudy and Juliet’s colleague Magnus, who comes across as a new-age stereotype and much kinder than Juliet’s boss, Gabby, who is everybody’s ice queen female manager, as seen in books and on television more or less everywhere.
The locations are not much better, either, with Juliet enjoying the view from the balcony in Verona, but no indication of what she is seeing and even the tourist location is described in terms of crowds and generalisations, almost as if the author’s research into the location was done from magazine and travel brochures, never first hand. Equally, the locations of both Juliet’s office, the places they all live and even the location of the big ball are described so broadly that you get absolutely no feel for the places, although this is largely appropriate as you don’t really get a feel for the people inside them from Potter’s writing, either.
Potter’s usual predictability is ever present here, from the lack of imagination in Sykes’ initials to the dreadful coincidence of the man of Juliet’s dreams rushing her off to Verona, setting for Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” and the predictable effect this has on the novel’s title. The way the characters act the whole way through is entirely in keeping with genre clichés, from the overall plot of the novel to the revelation of who Will has been working for to Trudy’s actions when she has some unexpected news to how things end up with her towards the end of the novel. Even the ultimate setting for the end of the book could be seen coming a mile off, as well as the events that occurred at this point.
There really is nothing new or unexpected here, for fans of either Alexandra Potter or the chick-lit genre. Two dimensional characters, clunky dialogue and a predictable plot are not new for either. The only thing Potter has done differently here is to write a longer novel than the two previous, meaning that the torture goes on for even longer than usual. The only redeeming feature this book has is that the ideas and story aren’t as wildly outlandish as the ideas that the previous two were held on, but that isn’t enough to save a novel that is, once again, so poor that the predictable ending, whilst taking too long to arrive, is an excuse to stop reading.
February 4, 2021
Honestly, I read this book because it was sitting on my shelf and I didn’t want to buy any new books before finishing all the ones that I already had. With that being said, I read Calling Romeo and I *think* I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to FINISH the book without having to force myself; I say this because I genuinely struggled to get into the book however after a while, I guess I found it somewhat interesting enough to want to continue.
As for the actual storyline, I think it was a bit cliché - a beautiful, smart, hardworking girl, with a character of a best friend, who also happens to be stuck in a long term boring relationship. This however, does not mean Juliet, the protagonist, should have gone and got herself a lover. I’m not a fan of affairs (as I’m sure many people aren’t) but I don’t what it was about this book, it just made me feel a bit mad at Juliet and I couldn’t feel sorry for her, after she’d of course started her affair. I also didn’t like that she was lucky enough to get her happily ever after but perhaps I’m being too cynical.
I think if you’re looking for a quick read, and perhaps something that isn’t exactly the most "amazing" storyline, this is the book for you. A positive however, would be the substance that the other characters provide as I’ve mentioned above.
As for the actual storyline, I think it was a bit cliché - a beautiful, smart, hardworking girl, with a character of a best friend, who also happens to be stuck in a long term boring relationship. This however, does not mean Juliet, the protagonist, should have gone and got herself a lover. I’m not a fan of affairs (as I’m sure many people aren’t) but I don’t what it was about this book, it just made me feel a bit mad at Juliet and I couldn’t feel sorry for her, after she’d of course started her affair. I also didn’t like that she was lucky enough to get her happily ever after but perhaps I’m being too cynical.
I think if you’re looking for a quick read, and perhaps something that isn’t exactly the most "amazing" storyline, this is the book for you. A positive however, would be the substance that the other characters provide as I’ve mentioned above.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2017
Къде си Ромео е интересна,леко комична,но изпълнена с много общочовешки истини история. Истина е,че в началото действието се развива малко бавно,но си заслужава усилието да се прочете до края. Това,което не ми допада е леката острота на чиклита. Искаше ми се да е една-две идеи по-фин. Какво ми допадна: Труди с 2 ръце (отракана и донякъде безпардонна,но истинска и подкрепяща приятелка),Джулс,но не изцяло (някак ми е една идея по-истерична и неуравновесена що се отнася до връзката и). Описанието на Лондон и Верона е също едно от нещата които ми допаднаха,но не достатъчно да ме накарат с билет и стегнат куфар да чакам полета си. Обобщено казано книгата си струва! Любимата ми част от нея е финалът - неочакван,вълнуващ и приятно романтичен.
November 9, 2017
Briefly, this is the tale of Juliet, who surprise, surprise is wanting a Romeo in her life. Though she loves her boyfriend Will, she yearns for some romance & when the devastatingly handsome -& rich! - Sykes comes into her life, Juliet is tempted into a brief affair.... but does Will find out? Any guesses?
Although I did find this an amusing read I didn't think it up to Potter's usual standard. If this had been the first book I'd read by this author I wouldn't have had me champing at the bit wanting to read more of her work. The idea is nothing original & the story is rather spun out. Without wanting to give too much away I felt the ending was rather cliched. Having said that if you want fun, untaxing, romantic chick-lit, this will keep you entertained for an hour or two.
Although I did find this an amusing read I didn't think it up to Potter's usual standard. If this had been the first book I'd read by this author I wouldn't have had me champing at the bit wanting to read more of her work. The idea is nothing original & the story is rather spun out. Without wanting to give too much away I felt the ending was rather cliched. Having said that if you want fun, untaxing, romantic chick-lit, this will keep you entertained for an hour or two.
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