What do you think?
Rate this book
Straight Talking
Meet Tasha—single and still searching. A producer for Britain’s most popular morning show working under a nightmare boss, Tash is well-versed in the trials and tribulations of twenty-first century dating. She and her three best friends certainly haven’t lived the fairy tale they thought they would: there’s Andy, who’s hooked on passion, but too much of a tomboy to have moved much beyond the beer-drinking contest stage; Mel, stuck in a steady but loveless relationship; and Emma, endlessly waiting for her other half to propose. Their love lives are only complicated by the sort of men who seem to drift in and out: Andrew—suave, good-looking and head over heels in love . . . with himself; Simon, who is allergic to commitment but has a bad-boy nature that’s impossible to resist; and Adam—perfectly attractive, but too sweet to be sexy.
The bestselling first novel that launched Jane Green, one of the brightest stars in contemporary women’s fiction, Straight Talking sets the record straight regarding the real world of dating, and follows the adventures of Tash and her friends as they search for fulfillment and the right kind of love. Funny, flirty, and ultimately tender, Straight Talking gets at the heart of modern romance.
The bestselling first novel that launched Jane Green, one of the brightest stars in contemporary women’s fiction, Straight Talking sets the record straight regarding the real world of dating, and follows the adventures of Tash and her friends as they search for fulfillment and the right kind of love. Funny, flirty, and ultimately tender, Straight Talking gets at the heart of modern romance.
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 26, 1997
183 people are currently reading
11914 people want to read
About the author
Jane Green
94 books8,719 followersJane Green's twenty first novel, Sister Stardust, is out April 5th 2022.
She is the author of eighteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, and known as one of the world's leading authors in women's fiction, with over ten million books in print, and translations in over 25 languages.
Previous novels have included The Beach House, Second Chance, Jemima J, and Tempting Fate.
She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton.
A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.
Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking, and has a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.
A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green is bringing out her first cookbook: Good Taste , with Berkley in October 2016.
She is a storyteller for The Moth radio hour on NPR,
and lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks.
Jane's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jane-Gr...
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
She is the author of eighteen previous New York Times Bestselling novels, and known as one of the world's leading authors in women's fiction, with over ten million books in print, and translations in over 25 languages.
Previous novels have included The Beach House, Second Chance, Jemima J, and Tempting Fate.
She joined the ABC News team to write their first enhanced digital book— about the history of Royal marriages, then joined ABC News as a live correspondent covering Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton.
A former journalist in the UK, she has had her own radio show on BBC Radio London, and is a regular contributor on radio and TV, including as well as regularly appearing on television shows including Good Morning America, The Martha Stewart show, and The Today Show.
Together with writing books and blogs, she contributes to various publications, both online and print, including anthologies and novellas, and features for The Huffington Post, The Sunday Times, Cosmopolitan and Self. She has taught at writers conferences, and does regular keynote speaking, and has a weekly column in The Lady magazine, England’s longest running weekly magazine.
A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York, Green is bringing out her first cookbook: Good Taste , with Berkley in October 2016.
She is a storyteller for The Moth radio hour on NPR,
and lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband and their blended family. When she is not writing, cooking, gardening, filling her house with friends and herding chickens, she is usually thanking the Lord for caffeine-filled energy drinks.
Jane's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jane-Gr...
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 432 reviews
December 30, 2024
another chick lit. not as great as sophie kinselle ( sorry i might mistype the name).
straight talking is about finding love. and love is not neccessary ur fantasy man. sometimes the person who loves ubthe best is not as best looking as brad pitt.
but again i read better.
straight talking is about finding love. and love is not neccessary ur fantasy man. sometimes the person who loves ubthe best is not as best looking as brad pitt.
but again i read better.
July 9, 2010
This is my least favorite Jane Green book to date. I just felt continuously annoyed with the Tasha. What I found most annoying was that the book was written as if she's sitting beside you telling you the story. That drives me insane! "Hang on, the doorbell's ringing." Really, is that necessary? Should I stop reading while you answer the door? Isn't that the purpose of saying hang on? "You may as well join us," (umm, ok thanks for the permission to keep reading) "sit down, kick your shoes off," (way ahead of you, i'm not one to read standing) "Beer or Chardonnay, which would you prefer?" (well between those two, I'd say beer but if you can figure out how to get that to me from out of the page on a book, i'd be highly impressed and you'd be, well, awesome!) Anyway, I'm reading a book not holding a conversation so stop addressing me and get on with the story!
July 19, 2012
This book reads like a long, long letter from one of your shallow and promiscuous girlfriends. The narrative includes the reader by asking your opinion once in a while, and addressing the story to you which makes the reading feel like a two way street in a way which is kind of fun and intimate. It's sort of like a sex in the city British style except the characters are less ambitious, less mature and less diversified in their personalities. The main focus of the story is a young 30 year old English singleton, Anastasia looking for love in all the wrong places. She meets with her girlfriends for lunches to gossip about sex, has a cool job working as a TV producer, and sleeps with lots of men. I enjoyed this book on some level, but found the lead character just a bit too self absorbed to truly care about. Also confusing was that every character had a nick name I had I learn, and there was a character named Andrew, a girl named Andy, a guy named Adam....too many names that were similar. Okay for a light read, but nothing really satisfying.
March 9, 2008
This was one of the books I started in the last few weeks. I couldn't commit to any others and wasn't too into this one either. One day I got stuck without anything else to read and ended up just deciding to finish the damn book.
It was no Jemima J, lets put it at that. I hate when you find an author you really like and then find out that you started with their best book. Oh bummer.
I will say that this book has one of the hottest sex scenes ever ever ever. I was flustered at work when I was reading it. Other than that the book was kind of lacking and I didn't end up ever really liking the main character, she was lameo and her "quest for passion" really just made her look like a big ol slut bag. It was very Sex and the City-ish and I have to admit, I have never like that show. I know, I know.
I do love how Jane Green speaks directly to the reader. She writes how I write and that gives me a smidgeon of validation and hope, hope that one day, if I can get past page two, I might finish my own book.
Final Rating: 3/5
It was no Jemima J, lets put it at that. I hate when you find an author you really like and then find out that you started with their best book. Oh bummer.
I will say that this book has one of the hottest sex scenes ever ever ever. I was flustered at work when I was reading it. Other than that the book was kind of lacking and I didn't end up ever really liking the main character, she was lameo and her "quest for passion" really just made her look like a big ol slut bag. It was very Sex and the City-ish and I have to admit, I have never like that show. I know, I know.
I do love how Jane Green speaks directly to the reader. She writes how I write and that gives me a smidgeon of validation and hope, hope that one day, if I can get past page two, I might finish my own book.
Final Rating: 3/5
August 9, 2019
Well that was pretty much read-it-all-in-one go Chick Lit perfection! Super fun. It's Sex and the City if it was set in London, if Carrie was more Samantha-ish and if she
January 17, 2017
I had to force myself to finish this book. I wanted to throw in the towel very early, but I wanted to finish. I was just not a fan of the main character Tasha. She just drove me crazy!
October 8, 2010
They say not to judge a book by its cover, however, the content of this book is true to its title: STRAIGHT TALKING. This book is perfect for ANY WOMAN, especially a single woman, who is going through the motions of relationships. Whether good or bad motions, Straight Talking covers every spectrum of emotions of what women deal with when dealing with men.
The main character, Annastasia aka: Tasha, is so relatable and real, it's like you've known her all your life. Her struggles and situations, as heart-wrenching or lovely they may seem, will resonate with every woman.
Whether you've been in a long-term relationship awaiting engagement or dating freely, this book will speak to you; if not through the main character Tasha, then through her three best friends who are dealing with their own "relatable" situations.
Straight Talking is what every woman who's confused or has questions needs to read. :)
The main character, Annastasia aka: Tasha, is so relatable and real, it's like you've known her all your life. Her struggles and situations, as heart-wrenching or lovely they may seem, will resonate with every woman.
Whether you've been in a long-term relationship awaiting engagement or dating freely, this book will speak to you; if not through the main character Tasha, then through her three best friends who are dealing with their own "relatable" situations.
Straight Talking is what every woman who's confused or has questions needs to read. :)
October 23, 2021
This is a book that starts a little boring, then it starts to get on your nerves a little bit, and, in the end, you realize that instead of being a reader, you become a psychiatrist. It is passing one, but not too convincing...
August 20, 2008
I loved this book. It's about relationships and how the main character realizes that she falls in love with her best friend when it is too late and she comes close to ruining their relationship. The ending wasn't as detailed as I wanted it to be and was left open for your imagination. Overall, I really enjoyed the book.
August 16, 2008
How I love Jane Green. Excellent Brit chick-lit, and close second behind Marian Keyes.
As chick lit is wont to be, this has a predictable ending... until the predictable ending gets a little unpredictable.
I love that the ending isn't... well, typical of a chick lit book.
As chick lit is wont to be, this has a predictable ending... until the predictable ending gets a little unpredictable.
I love that the ending isn't... well, typical of a chick lit book.
December 23, 2018
Ehhh, quite well done, such as it is. But the hero is a soft git, a mug. And the heroine is frankly unlikeable. Kept me reading, and made me regret spending the time when I was done.
June 10, 2009
Loved this book! Be prepared to be surprised/shocked in the first 50 pages with just how 'straight' Jane Green is with her readers. A bit into it...this way of talking to the the reader will grow on you and then you'll quite enjoy the fact that you really get to be inside this girls head...finding out just what she's thinking and most of the time you'll probably relate. It's just all of those things you think about but never really put into words or don't have the guts to say aloud...
My favorite parts/quotes:
"You gradually get over the pain. It doesn't go away, not for a long time, but it becomes easier to live with. One morning you wake up and he's not the first thing on your mind. And then a few months down the line you realize you've made it through half the day without thinking of him. Sometimes it takes months, sometimes years, but eventually you reach a point when you only think about them occassionally. You manage to do this because you don't see them, you don't hear about them, you try not to think about them. And then you bump into them walking down the street, or someone unexpected mentions their name . . . and the memories come flooding back. But memories also become less painful in time"
"Here's my theory on men and women. When a man meets a woman he decides within around thirty seconds whether or not he finds her attractive. If he doesn't, they become friends. If he does, they might become friends, but the potential for them to become lovers never quite goes away. When a woman meets a man she decides within around thirty seconds whether or not she finds him attractive. Even if she doesn't, they become friends, but at any given point in their relationship she could fall in love with him. She could fall in love with him because he's kind, sensitive, and he makes her laugh. Because she grows up and realizes the sexual attraction is not the be-all and end-all to life. Because she finally realizes that she deserves a nice guy. That nice guys aren't all boring. That sometimes they do wonders for your ego, that sometimes they're just what you need."
"Perhaps this is what we need. A dream, a hope for the future, something to aspire to, and perhaps we need to keep replacing this dream with something a little bigger because when we manage to fulfill the dream, we usually find that it's not what we wanted in the first place. Or if it is, it doesn't feel the way we always thought it should. Sometimes, if you're very mixed up, very stupid, or very thoughtless, you screw up the dream just as you get it. You tell yourself you don't deserve it, and you have to start all over again."
Enjoy!
My favorite parts/quotes:
"You gradually get over the pain. It doesn't go away, not for a long time, but it becomes easier to live with. One morning you wake up and he's not the first thing on your mind. And then a few months down the line you realize you've made it through half the day without thinking of him. Sometimes it takes months, sometimes years, but eventually you reach a point when you only think about them occassionally. You manage to do this because you don't see them, you don't hear about them, you try not to think about them. And then you bump into them walking down the street, or someone unexpected mentions their name . . . and the memories come flooding back. But memories also become less painful in time"
"Here's my theory on men and women. When a man meets a woman he decides within around thirty seconds whether or not he finds her attractive. If he doesn't, they become friends. If he does, they might become friends, but the potential for them to become lovers never quite goes away. When a woman meets a man she decides within around thirty seconds whether or not she finds him attractive. Even if she doesn't, they become friends, but at any given point in their relationship she could fall in love with him. She could fall in love with him because he's kind, sensitive, and he makes her laugh. Because she grows up and realizes the sexual attraction is not the be-all and end-all to life. Because she finally realizes that she deserves a nice guy. That nice guys aren't all boring. That sometimes they do wonders for your ego, that sometimes they're just what you need."
"Perhaps this is what we need. A dream, a hope for the future, something to aspire to, and perhaps we need to keep replacing this dream with something a little bigger because when we manage to fulfill the dream, we usually find that it's not what we wanted in the first place. Or if it is, it doesn't feel the way we always thought it should. Sometimes, if you're very mixed up, very stupid, or very thoughtless, you screw up the dream just as you get it. You tell yourself you don't deserve it, and you have to start all over again."
Enjoy!
June 16, 2009
this is a book that honestly looks into the life of a woman lost in the perils of dating and confusion of what it really means to be in love. reviews i have read say that readers are so frustrated with her inability to just "do the right thing" but it wouldn't be a good book, now would it? it is very straight forward in a way that may be shocking for readers, but the shock factor and character flaws are what had me rooting for her to figure herself out and finally enjoy contentment and bliss in a healthy relationship. i felt like crying and smiling at the end for her character. great beachy read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2011
I normally jude a book by its cover, and yes i do mean an actal book cover. When i read the reviews to this book I thought to myself, "How will I ever like it?" Well I LOVED it!! If you are in your mid to late 20's and single, this is the book for you. I could not stop laughing! the characters are so on point and the story lines eminate reality. jane Green did not hold anything back. This book was one of my favorite books. So lesson is, don't go by the cover of the book, or by what people say. give it a try and you will love it. I ahve not read any of Jane Green's books, this my first and surely not the last!
April 27, 2012
This was a very quick, fun read. It broke all the rules. I hate first person, loved the narrator. I hate when the narrator speaks directly to the reader ("Hey reader, what do you think?") but it worked in this book. It's not a masterpiece, by any means, but if you're looking for a simple, fun book, this is a good choice. Jane Green is a hit or miss with me. When she tries to be too serious, or pull too hard at the heart, it doesn't work (The Beach House). But when she lets her quirky characters lead, fail, and come back up again, it's entertaining.
September 19, 2011
i didnt like it,i didnt like the way that it was written,i found the talking straight to the reader format embarassing to be honest, and i really disliked tash. the only reason i finished it was out of pure boredom,i found tash so whiny and annoying,and extremely self-centred - i know it wouldnt be realistic if the lead of every book was perfect but i found it impossible to find one thing i liked about her!
February 23, 2016
Characters are very shallow, no relationships develop, you just don't care about any of them. Story of Tasha, she just needs to quit whining and get on with it. It's clear she's stuck and wants a relationship, but in reading the novel you just get so tired of the shallowness. I thought it was going to be a story of woman friendship, but other than an occasional lunch, the friends don't appear at all.
February 14, 2013
This is a worthless book. The main character is emotionally immature, unlikeable, stunted, and stupid. She has no redeeming qualities and yet we're supposed to root for her anyway, because she's the protagonist.
However, if you like hate-reading (reading something because it's effing awful and mocking it in your head along the way), this book is your winner.
However, if you like hate-reading (reading something because it's effing awful and mocking it in your head along the way), this book is your winner.
April 23, 2007
This is purely beach-reading. Not a lot of thought, not a lot of surprises in the plot, but a switch-off, relaxing and possibly even mindless sort of girlie book. I have a weakness for these types of books and after reading some legit types of literature, I turn to them for a break.
August 17, 2009
I've been on a chick lit binge, and I keep reading these books by Jane Green, and she's a truly terrible writer. These books are so poorly written -- why do I nonetheless find them compelling? Don't read them. They're really not worth it.
June 26, 2025
I liked Bookends well enough, but Straight Talking was unbearable. I found Tasha completely daft, re: all things, but especially Adam. I hung in there, hoping for something better that never came. Sigh.
December 15, 2015
The ending was a disappointing cliff hanger. I was left on the top of the second hill of this roller coaster love story. Mostly well written but more lewd than "wickedly funny"!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2020
The reason I picked this book up was because I had read so many great reviews stating how hilarious and easy to relate the book was. When I first began reading, I was really disinterested in the perspective and the pace. I thought about completely stopping to read this book. I kept on reading because of the great reviews I had previously read and I am glad I did. As I continued to reading, I began to see the effect of a first person point of view. I fell in love with the whole situation Tasha had to face because I myself are going through something similar. This book is great for anyone who loves both romance and comedy.
August 24, 2019
A fun read.
September 25, 2021
This wasn’t my favourite Jane Green, and it certainly got better as the book went on. Had my laughing some moments, and angry the next. It was a nice read, but could have been a lot better.
August 21, 2022
#180 - 2022
Genre: Chick Lit
Genre: Chick Lit
April 7, 2025
Trying so hard to be Sex and the City but falls flat on its face.
February 25, 2020
Tasha is part of a group of friends, all are searching for Mr. Right or even believe they have already FOUND Mr. Right but sometimes Mr. Right can be right under your nose without even realising it.
Emma is with Richard whom she loves to pieces but he won't even consider the M word and its Emma's dearest wish to become that blushing bride and cement their relationship.
Mel is in a relationship with Daniel but she is none to happy, has no self confidence and Daniel delights in making her feel small and intimidating her but when she meets Martin at a party her whole world changes for the better.
Andy is a cynic but at the same time deep down wishes for love and HER Mr. Right changes every week!
Meanwhile Tasha (Anastasia) is with Simon who ends up totally breaking her heart and who is there to mop up her tears? Her girlfriends AND Simon's best friend Adam who finally confesses his love to her but Tasha believes he is the wrong man for her though she tries her best to love Adam who she has only ever viewed as one of her best mates.
Ultimately she pursues a man called Andrew, handsome, confident, self assured and great in bed but when it comes to the crunch is the passion she feels she has been missing out on with Adam enough?
Is that all there is to a relationship and is too late and Tasha has in her quest for the ultimate relationship spoiled the one that could have been the romance of her life?
A light, frothy read and a great example of the chick lit genre with an engaging storyline that will appeal to the romantic in ladies.
Emma is with Richard whom she loves to pieces but he won't even consider the M word and its Emma's dearest wish to become that blushing bride and cement their relationship.
Mel is in a relationship with Daniel but she is none to happy, has no self confidence and Daniel delights in making her feel small and intimidating her but when she meets Martin at a party her whole world changes for the better.
Andy is a cynic but at the same time deep down wishes for love and HER Mr. Right changes every week!
Meanwhile Tasha (Anastasia) is with Simon who ends up totally breaking her heart and who is there to mop up her tears? Her girlfriends AND Simon's best friend Adam who finally confesses his love to her but Tasha believes he is the wrong man for her though she tries her best to love Adam who she has only ever viewed as one of her best mates.
Ultimately she pursues a man called Andrew, handsome, confident, self assured and great in bed but when it comes to the crunch is the passion she feels she has been missing out on with Adam enough?
Is that all there is to a relationship and is too late and Tasha has in her quest for the ultimate relationship spoiled the one that could have been the romance of her life?
A light, frothy read and a great example of the chick lit genre with an engaging storyline that will appeal to the romantic in ladies.
May 29, 2020
I love Jane Green so its no surprise that I really enjoyed this book. It was just what I needed and met my expectations exactly, hitting the spot. This is the story of Tasha. She is unlucky in love and has just been broken up with by a guy named Simon. She does a lot of dating and its fun to watch and I had a clear favorite from early on. She also has 3 girlfriends and we follow their stories too. This one is definitely a character story about friendship and dating in the 2000's. There's not a ton of huge plot points but I thought it was so fun getting to know this group of friends and the men they interact with. I liked the conversation about passion and love and what makes a good marriage/relationship. Highly recommend for fans of Jane Green.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Tasha- Dates Simon. He breaks up with her. His best friend, Adam, has always been super sweet and flirty with her but she has no attraction to him. I knew from the beginning she'd end up with him but the journey was so fun. I love friends to lovers! She dates one of Adam's friends, Andrew, but he was a jerk that made her work for it and he broke up with her. He comes back on the day that Adam is moving in with her and they kiss, of course Adam sees, but then they finally work it out ON THE LAST PAGE!
Mel- Dates a guy named Daniel who is a big turd then meets a guy named Martin and they live HEA.
Andy- Tomboy that likes to date around and chase passion, but she thinks about settling down with a guy named Mark in the end.
Emma- dates Richard who is anti commitment but he finally proposes in the end.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Tasha- Dates Simon. He breaks up with her. His best friend, Adam, has always been super sweet and flirty with her but she has no attraction to him. I knew from the beginning she'd end up with him but the journey was so fun. I love friends to lovers! She dates one of Adam's friends, Andrew, but he was a jerk that made her work for it and he broke up with her. He comes back on the day that Adam is moving in with her and they kiss, of course Adam sees, but then they finally work it out ON THE LAST PAGE!
Mel- Dates a guy named Daniel who is a big turd then meets a guy named Martin and they live HEA.
Andy- Tomboy that likes to date around and chase passion, but she thinks about settling down with a guy named Mark in the end.
Emma- dates Richard who is anti commitment but he finally proposes in the end.
September 29, 2007
I'm about to give up on this book. I have tried to give Jane Green more chances than I can remember giving any other author. I loved Bookends, thought Jemima J was just ok and a little weird, and I could have gone either way on Mr. Maybe. Now comes Straight Talking.
The back cover description does NOT give a good overview of what to expect with the book. It's not really about her friends. It's mostly just the main character and her utter inability to choose the right guy. She sleeps around with a bunch of jerks who don't care about her and mistakes that for "passion" and "romance." How old is this woman?
Anyway, unlike how the back cover makes it out to be, the friends are just circling in her life and aren't all that relevant to the story. I also found the back and forth in time to be a little confusing and unnecessary. I haven't finished it yet but I'm about it give up on it (even though I only read it at the gym while I'm on the elliptical).
My breaking point came yesterday when I noticed a grammatical error in the book. Green meant to use the word "now" but used "know" instead. Come on! I know this is chick lit but let's have some standards here. I think this might have to be my last Jane Green book.
The back cover description does NOT give a good overview of what to expect with the book. It's not really about her friends. It's mostly just the main character and her utter inability to choose the right guy. She sleeps around with a bunch of jerks who don't care about her and mistakes that for "passion" and "romance." How old is this woman?
Anyway, unlike how the back cover makes it out to be, the friends are just circling in her life and aren't all that relevant to the story. I also found the back and forth in time to be a little confusing and unnecessary. I haven't finished it yet but I'm about it give up on it (even though I only read it at the gym while I'm on the elliptical).
My breaking point came yesterday when I noticed a grammatical error in the book. Green meant to use the word "now" but used "know" instead. Come on! I know this is chick lit but let's have some standards here. I think this might have to be my last Jane Green book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 432 reviews