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Girl in a Spin
Jenny Hannigan might be a good-time party girl but all she secretly craves is a life of domestic bliss and solid respectability - worlds away from her troubled upbringing back home in Ireland. So when she crashes into the arms of Richard Allam - the young, handsome, recently separated politician hotly tipped to lead his party to victory in the upcoming election - she thinks she's found exactly what she is looking for. But Jenny isn't exactly politician's-wife material so Richard recruits the intensely private, charismatic publicist Dev Tennant to 'spin' Jenny to the Party ...and the public. As the election gathers momentum, it turns out that Jenny has more than one skeleton in her closet and Dev is working overtime to try to keep them there. And suddenly Jenny isn't sure what she wants anymore ...
392 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
67 people are currently reading
653 people want to read
About the author
Clodagh Murphy
16 books248 followersClodagh (rhymes with Yoda) is an Irish writer of romantic comedies. She lives in Dublin with a large circle of imaginary friends.
You can find Clodagh on Facebook too:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
October 2, 2014
A funny quote about being the "IT" Party Girl:
Working out is my partying
Protein shakes are my beer
Preworkouts are my shots
The pump is my buzz
And the pain the next morning
Is my
Hangover
Is true that life is damn hard for any rootless, party girl who doesn't give a shit about anything in the world and is it really shameful to aim for nice little domestic life with a sweet-old husband?
Jenny Hannigan is the definition of a true party girl- dinners means no home-cook meals, party means getting terribly hung-over and love means breaking millions of hearts. But after a long time, Jenny is in love and is keeping the identity of her soul mate so close to herself! But what happens if the frenemy gets married before the most happening girl of college? Well Jenny's story starts right in the middle of a marriage where people are sugar-mouthing the newlyweds whereas Jenny is sulking and hating the whole environment sitting in a corner.
Clodagh Murphy, a Dublin born author, has wove a funny, and roller-coaster ride of emotions tale, named, Girl in a Spin which not only makes you go ROFL but also brings a tear at the corner of your eyes! From the quirky name to the remarkable and sparkly protagonist, the book is a real treat for all the women who fancy a quick love affair with their own lives.
I'd like to thank the author, Clodagh Murphy, for sending me over a copy of her book, in return for an honest review.
Abandoned by her mother at a young age, Jenny has grown up in foster care and under different foster families by landing herself into trouble from one family to another. She works as a nanny, is in love with the to-be British PM, who belongs from the Moderate Party, (PS: David Cameron don't take it personally, many girls still dream to be in love with the British PM rather than with Prince Charles!!), and lives in a apartment with two odd guys, and ends her night drowning herself in the myriad of glittery lights and sleeping under the disco light and waking up with a terrible hangover. All the while Jenny was feeling elated about the fact that Richard, the to-be PM, has left his wife for her! But when, Richard's handsome publicist, Dev Tennant, comes and tells her that, Richard's wife kicked Richard out of their home after finding out the affair with Jenny, it makes leaves her distraught and sad and hurt! And when her Christmas night glows up with Dev's warm and kind heart, Jenny's heart splits in to and faces herself facing the dilemma of her love-stricken heart!
Yes, it is chick-lit! But who doesn't day-dream about a high-end affair with a very important personality-maybe someone from the political field? Yes, ladies, it's a perfect getaway for you! And yes, it has got chic dresses, shoes, accessories, warm pink over coat, and lots of booze.
I don't know why Jenny reminds me of Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton is some ways! She is sweet, shy, and has a very quirky and immature demeanor. She's 24, and is yet to experience the world and when she is caught up in Richard's political world, Jenny questions herself. All the while, her mind is love-bitten with Dev and also Dev is making it hard for her to let go of her holding feelings about him! I must say romance and Christmas are the two things that keep our spirits up in the book. The author's style of narrating the whole tale keeps us not only engaged but also on the edge with Jenny's impulsive attitude. Her total misfit into Richard's world is quite alluring and highly humorous at times.
This book is a perfect read for lighting up the gloomy atmosphere around you! Trust me; the world looks bright for a minute!
Working out is my partying
Protein shakes are my beer
Preworkouts are my shots
The pump is my buzz
And the pain the next morning
Is my
Hangover
Is true that life is damn hard for any rootless, party girl who doesn't give a shit about anything in the world and is it really shameful to aim for nice little domestic life with a sweet-old husband?
Jenny Hannigan is the definition of a true party girl- dinners means no home-cook meals, party means getting terribly hung-over and love means breaking millions of hearts. But after a long time, Jenny is in love and is keeping the identity of her soul mate so close to herself! But what happens if the frenemy gets married before the most happening girl of college? Well Jenny's story starts right in the middle of a marriage where people are sugar-mouthing the newlyweds whereas Jenny is sulking and hating the whole environment sitting in a corner.
Clodagh Murphy, a Dublin born author, has wove a funny, and roller-coaster ride of emotions tale, named, Girl in a Spin which not only makes you go ROFL but also brings a tear at the corner of your eyes! From the quirky name to the remarkable and sparkly protagonist, the book is a real treat for all the women who fancy a quick love affair with their own lives.
I'd like to thank the author, Clodagh Murphy, for sending me over a copy of her book, in return for an honest review.
Abandoned by her mother at a young age, Jenny has grown up in foster care and under different foster families by landing herself into trouble from one family to another. She works as a nanny, is in love with the to-be British PM, who belongs from the Moderate Party, (PS: David Cameron don't take it personally, many girls still dream to be in love with the British PM rather than with Prince Charles!!), and lives in a apartment with two odd guys, and ends her night drowning herself in the myriad of glittery lights and sleeping under the disco light and waking up with a terrible hangover. All the while Jenny was feeling elated about the fact that Richard, the to-be PM, has left his wife for her! But when, Richard's handsome publicist, Dev Tennant, comes and tells her that, Richard's wife kicked Richard out of their home after finding out the affair with Jenny, it makes leaves her distraught and sad and hurt! And when her Christmas night glows up with Dev's warm and kind heart, Jenny's heart splits in to and faces herself facing the dilemma of her love-stricken heart!
Yes, it is chick-lit! But who doesn't day-dream about a high-end affair with a very important personality-maybe someone from the political field? Yes, ladies, it's a perfect getaway for you! And yes, it has got chic dresses, shoes, accessories, warm pink over coat, and lots of booze.
I don't know why Jenny reminds me of Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton is some ways! She is sweet, shy, and has a very quirky and immature demeanor. She's 24, and is yet to experience the world and when she is caught up in Richard's political world, Jenny questions herself. All the while, her mind is love-bitten with Dev and also Dev is making it hard for her to let go of her holding feelings about him! I must say romance and Christmas are the two things that keep our spirits up in the book. The author's style of narrating the whole tale keeps us not only engaged but also on the edge with Jenny's impulsive attitude. Her total misfit into Richard's world is quite alluring and highly humorous at times.
This book is a perfect read for lighting up the gloomy atmosphere around you! Trust me; the world looks bright for a minute!
February 2, 2016
This was a tough one to fully sink into and a large part of that is Jenny being involved with someone who isn't the love interest through most of the story. Murphy skips over the amorous bits with Richard, but it's still uncomfortable knowing (by the structure and increasing cues along the way) that he isn't the one and that her attachment is, in the end, doomed.
Mitigating that, somewhat, is that Jenny is such a sweetheart. I liked her immediately and wanted nothing more than for her to be happy. Murphy does an excellent job with Jenny's background and showing how it was tough and how she is strong but without making her cynical or hard or mean. I also liked how Dev became increasingly aware of her stellar qualities and had to fight between wanting to care for/about her and needing to do his job. It was a great conflict and one that required the setup I disliked above.
I had a harder time with Dev, not least because there are moments where he's a bit quick to act and that action tends towards the destructive (emotionally, not physically). He's fundamentally kind and generous, but he can leap to a conclusion before considering source and subject well enough. Fortunately, he's as quick to reconcile appropriately. Still.
So it was three and a half stars mostly, almost entirely on falling for Jenny so completely. Unfortunately, the end squandered a lot of that and left me rounding down rather than up. Not that it ends poorly, precisely, but it does squirrel around a bit and I wanted better wrap-up than we got. Not a bad read, mind, but certainly problematic.
A note about politics: Murphy invents the "Moderate Party" for Richard to belong to (and become Prime Minister from). This is way better than trying to fit him into the existing structure and mostly works very well. Additionally, she keeps the politics general and thus creates an engaging story where the reader can map their own political shibboleths onto events without too much difficulty. Well done.
A note about Steamy: There's almost no steam in the novel. There is enough sporadic detail that I'm going to flag it anyway, but it's very, very light.
Mitigating that, somewhat, is that Jenny is such a sweetheart. I liked her immediately and wanted nothing more than for her to be happy. Murphy does an excellent job with Jenny's background and showing how it was tough and how she is strong but without making her cynical or hard or mean. I also liked how Dev became increasingly aware of her stellar qualities and had to fight between wanting to care for/about her and needing to do his job. It was a great conflict and one that required the setup I disliked above.
I had a harder time with Dev, not least because there are moments where he's a bit quick to act and that action tends towards the destructive (emotionally, not physically). He's fundamentally kind and generous, but he can leap to a conclusion before considering source and subject well enough. Fortunately, he's as quick to reconcile appropriately. Still.
So it was three and a half stars mostly, almost entirely on falling for Jenny so completely. Unfortunately, the end squandered a lot of that and left me rounding down rather than up. Not that it ends poorly, precisely, but it does squirrel around a bit and I wanted better wrap-up than we got. Not a bad read, mind, but certainly problematic.
A note about politics: Murphy invents the "Moderate Party" for Richard to belong to (and become Prime Minister from). This is way better than trying to fit him into the existing structure and mostly works very well. Additionally, she keeps the politics general and thus creates an engaging story where the reader can map their own political shibboleths onto events without too much difficulty. Well done.
A note about Steamy: There's almost no steam in the novel. There is enough sporadic detail that I'm going to flag it anyway, but it's very, very light.
July 18, 2012
Originally Reviewed at Novel Escapes
I loved Girl in a Spin. I was immediately immersed in the plot, laughed out loud frequently and grew so fond of the characters that I desperately wanted to know how this delightful story would end.
I couldn’t help rooting for naïve Jenny. She knows what she wants, and is determined to get it, so much so that she loses sight of what’s in front of her or just plain ignores it. I wanted to shake some sense into her a few times, and couldn’t wait for her to figure things out, but it made her human and I adored her even more for it. I loved that she wasn’t perfect and despite her less than ideal past, she didn’t use it as an excuse, but continued moving forward. I was quite taken with Dev’s character from the start and although I wasn’t a fan of Richard, I didn’t hate him and thought that he fully believed he was doing what he thought he wanted and was right. Each character was well rounded with pasts and dreams and I could see all of their motivations clearly.
Although it seemed easy to decipher what was happening, the ride to get there was amusing and fun. Clodagh Murphy even managed to somehow make reading a story about politics enjoyable. This shocked me as I’m not particularly political minded, especially when they take place in a country far from my own, but it was detailed enough to be interesting, yet light enough that it wasn’t bogged down in too much boring detail. The balance was perfect and I enjoyed the unusual topic that we don’t see very often in chick lit.
There were even things in this novel that should have seemed over the top, but they somehow felt completely natural in this story. The ex boyfriends club was unique and amusing and even though this might sound a bit ridiculous, it didn’t come across as such in the least. Also, the scene where Dev comes to interview Jenny at her flat might have seemed a bit much told in other stories, but instead had me just short of rolling on the floor in a fit of giggles. And don’t even get me started on some of the one liners later from the snooty folks she has to have dinner with!
Clodagh Murphy is a talented new writer that I will definitely look out for. I can’t wait to read more from her and have been eyeing her debut novel, The Disengagement Ring since reading this lovely tale.
I loved Girl in a Spin. I was immediately immersed in the plot, laughed out loud frequently and grew so fond of the characters that I desperately wanted to know how this delightful story would end.
I couldn’t help rooting for naïve Jenny. She knows what she wants, and is determined to get it, so much so that she loses sight of what’s in front of her or just plain ignores it. I wanted to shake some sense into her a few times, and couldn’t wait for her to figure things out, but it made her human and I adored her even more for it. I loved that she wasn’t perfect and despite her less than ideal past, she didn’t use it as an excuse, but continued moving forward. I was quite taken with Dev’s character from the start and although I wasn’t a fan of Richard, I didn’t hate him and thought that he fully believed he was doing what he thought he wanted and was right. Each character was well rounded with pasts and dreams and I could see all of their motivations clearly.
Although it seemed easy to decipher what was happening, the ride to get there was amusing and fun. Clodagh Murphy even managed to somehow make reading a story about politics enjoyable. This shocked me as I’m not particularly political minded, especially when they take place in a country far from my own, but it was detailed enough to be interesting, yet light enough that it wasn’t bogged down in too much boring detail. The balance was perfect and I enjoyed the unusual topic that we don’t see very often in chick lit.
There were even things in this novel that should have seemed over the top, but they somehow felt completely natural in this story. The ex boyfriends club was unique and amusing and even though this might sound a bit ridiculous, it didn’t come across as such in the least. Also, the scene where Dev comes to interview Jenny at her flat might have seemed a bit much told in other stories, but instead had me just short of rolling on the floor in a fit of giggles. And don’t even get me started on some of the one liners later from the snooty folks she has to have dinner with!
Clodagh Murphy is a talented new writer that I will definitely look out for. I can’t wait to read more from her and have been eyeing her debut novel, The Disengagement Ring since reading this lovely tale.
March 2, 2016
I thought for sure I was going to love this after reading Murphy's other book, Some Girls Do. Alas, I disliked every single character and by the end of the book was rooting for everyone to end up alone.
Jenny is such a naïve idiot and we're supposed to accept her cluelessness as being refreshingly honest and compelling, but she's just stupid and clueless. Her paramour Richard is your typical cliche'd middle age man going through a mid-life crisis, except he's trying to become the next Prime Minister of Britain. And Dev? Well, I don't know why Dev falls in love with Jenny or why he is friends with Richard because we don't ever really know anything about Dev except he is still suffering the death of his sister and likes to yell at people.
Such a shame and a waste of time.
Jenny is such a naïve idiot and we're supposed to accept her cluelessness as being refreshingly honest and compelling, but she's just stupid and clueless. Her paramour Richard is your typical cliche'd middle age man going through a mid-life crisis, except he's trying to become the next Prime Minister of Britain. And Dev? Well, I don't know why Dev falls in love with Jenny or why he is friends with Richard because we don't ever really know anything about Dev except he is still suffering the death of his sister and likes to yell at people.
Such a shame and a waste of time.
March 14, 2016
Possibly Clodagh Murphy's best written book- she beautifully captures of of her characters emotions with such depth and detail- you become immersed in their lives and don't want to put them down. The premise of this book- a young mistress being spun into an acceptable partner for a politician is priceless. Should be a major motion picture. Funny, sad and sweet, with a little bit of sexy thrown in for good measure. Can't wait for Clodagh Murphy to write another book!
March 2, 2011
Jenny Hannigan is the type of girl who likes a good party. But what she really craves, after a difficult childhood, is a man and a family to call her own. So when she meets recently separated politician Richard Allam, she falls head over heels for him and he her. However Jenny’s not exactly the model of politician’s girlfriend so Richard hires Dev Tennant, publicist extraordinaire to spin Jenny to the public and make their transition from private to public easier on everyone. However, as Jenny finds herself moulded into the perfect politician’s arm candy, she begins to wonder if this is the life she wants after all and if Richard is as charming as she first believed. But just what does this reformed party girl really want?
I absolutely adored Clodagh Murphy’s debut novel The Disengagement Ring when I read it last year. It was a brilliant novel, fast paced, frantic with a brilliant plot so when I knew Clodagh was bringing out a second book Girl In A Spin I was chuffed. I was even more thrilled when Clodagh herself very kindly sent me a copy. However, once it arrived, it went onto my shelf and I just couldn’t find the time to fit it in particularly since I was worried it wouldn’t be as good or as engaging as The Disengagement Ring. However, not knowing what I wanted to read, I picked it up on a whim, had a little read of the first page and I was up and away!
In Chick Lit books politics is a very rare topic that’s covered. The only novel that immediately springs to mind is This Charming Man by Marian Keyes. Bar that they’re generally few and far between, so I think Clodagh has tapped in well to another plot that features things not normally seen in Chick Lit. Politics isn’t something I’m well versed in, in fact I’m incredibly ignorant when it comes to politics, so I was hoping the politics wasn’t going to be too heavily featured, and thankfully it wasn’t. The politics chat is kept mainly to a minimum, but it is always present, but I found it very easy to follow and keep up with.
The main story does however feature on Jenny, and how she’s a bit of an unconventional partner for someone wanting to become Prime Minister. Richard, Jenny’s boyfriend, even goes as far as to hire a ‘Spin Doctor’, Dev Tennant, to spin Jenny in a better light and at times I felt bad for her. Yes, she’s made mistakes in her life but she deserved to be allowed to be herself. Thankfully Jenny very easily held her own as Dev and Richard wanted to change her to make her more marketable, if you will, as the girlfriend of someone so high up in politics. I must admit, I liked the fact Jenny wasn’t your typical politician wife and I loved that she liked to party and that she wasn’t perfect. Because surely that’s what people would prefer to see, someone a bit more real and it would be refreshing to see a Jenny in real life, she’d be a hoot!
One thing Clodagh Murphy does well is she makes you care about her characters. As I’ve mentioned, Jenny was very real, and had skeletons in her closet, and that endeared her to me more than if she had a prim and proper background. Her childhood was poor, not that she uses that as any kind of excuse or anything (making me love her more!) and I admired how she’d managed to put all that aside and become the girl she was. There are quite a few men in Jenny’s life, her wonderful flatmates Liam and Ollie as well as Richard and Dev. I loved Jenny’s flatmates, they’d forged a family between them and I loved how close they all were. I wasn’t entirely taken with Richard (despite his tanned forearms) because I just couldn’t get over the fact of what he had done to his wife and to some extent, to Jenny. I loved Dev, though, right from the off. I was very taken with him, I must say. We also meet Richard’s wife, Julie, who was surprisingly lovely, for the most part.
Girl In A Spin not only focuses on Jenny, but also Julia. Every so often, we would get a passage or a chapter focused on Julia and it was nice to get an insight into how she was feeling being separated from Richard. The book is quite handily told in third-person, which means we get a better scope on the characters and the plot and it works brilliantly. It was a very fluid read for me and I just couldn’t put it down for the most part and I was desperate (desperate I tell you!) to find out how it was all going to end. I wasn’t disappointed in the book at all, it ended perfectly and I was thoroughly enjoyed every page. I was right there with Jenny for her entire journey, celebrating her highs and commiserating with her during her lows. I was hugely impressed with the book and I enjoyed the fact that Jenny’s ex-boyfriends had formed a club to help each other get over her, it was very amusing. It was the kind of thing that should have been too much, but it wasn’t, it was just a nice addition, and one that made me smile. I’d hugely recommend the book, Clodagh is a hugely talented new writer, and I for one will be picking up any of her future releases.
I absolutely adored Clodagh Murphy’s debut novel The Disengagement Ring when I read it last year. It was a brilliant novel, fast paced, frantic with a brilliant plot so when I knew Clodagh was bringing out a second book Girl In A Spin I was chuffed. I was even more thrilled when Clodagh herself very kindly sent me a copy. However, once it arrived, it went onto my shelf and I just couldn’t find the time to fit it in particularly since I was worried it wouldn’t be as good or as engaging as The Disengagement Ring. However, not knowing what I wanted to read, I picked it up on a whim, had a little read of the first page and I was up and away!
In Chick Lit books politics is a very rare topic that’s covered. The only novel that immediately springs to mind is This Charming Man by Marian Keyes. Bar that they’re generally few and far between, so I think Clodagh has tapped in well to another plot that features things not normally seen in Chick Lit. Politics isn’t something I’m well versed in, in fact I’m incredibly ignorant when it comes to politics, so I was hoping the politics wasn’t going to be too heavily featured, and thankfully it wasn’t. The politics chat is kept mainly to a minimum, but it is always present, but I found it very easy to follow and keep up with.
The main story does however feature on Jenny, and how she’s a bit of an unconventional partner for someone wanting to become Prime Minister. Richard, Jenny’s boyfriend, even goes as far as to hire a ‘Spin Doctor’, Dev Tennant, to spin Jenny in a better light and at times I felt bad for her. Yes, she’s made mistakes in her life but she deserved to be allowed to be herself. Thankfully Jenny very easily held her own as Dev and Richard wanted to change her to make her more marketable, if you will, as the girlfriend of someone so high up in politics. I must admit, I liked the fact Jenny wasn’t your typical politician wife and I loved that she liked to party and that she wasn’t perfect. Because surely that’s what people would prefer to see, someone a bit more real and it would be refreshing to see a Jenny in real life, she’d be a hoot!
One thing Clodagh Murphy does well is she makes you care about her characters. As I’ve mentioned, Jenny was very real, and had skeletons in her closet, and that endeared her to me more than if she had a prim and proper background. Her childhood was poor, not that she uses that as any kind of excuse or anything (making me love her more!) and I admired how she’d managed to put all that aside and become the girl she was. There are quite a few men in Jenny’s life, her wonderful flatmates Liam and Ollie as well as Richard and Dev. I loved Jenny’s flatmates, they’d forged a family between them and I loved how close they all were. I wasn’t entirely taken with Richard (despite his tanned forearms) because I just couldn’t get over the fact of what he had done to his wife and to some extent, to Jenny. I loved Dev, though, right from the off. I was very taken with him, I must say. We also meet Richard’s wife, Julie, who was surprisingly lovely, for the most part.
Girl In A Spin not only focuses on Jenny, but also Julia. Every so often, we would get a passage or a chapter focused on Julia and it was nice to get an insight into how she was feeling being separated from Richard. The book is quite handily told in third-person, which means we get a better scope on the characters and the plot and it works brilliantly. It was a very fluid read for me and I just couldn’t put it down for the most part and I was desperate (desperate I tell you!) to find out how it was all going to end. I wasn’t disappointed in the book at all, it ended perfectly and I was thoroughly enjoyed every page. I was right there with Jenny for her entire journey, celebrating her highs and commiserating with her during her lows. I was hugely impressed with the book and I enjoyed the fact that Jenny’s ex-boyfriends had formed a club to help each other get over her, it was very amusing. It was the kind of thing that should have been too much, but it wasn’t, it was just a nice addition, and one that made me smile. I’d hugely recommend the book, Clodagh is a hugely talented new writer, and I for one will be picking up any of her future releases.
June 1, 2011
Girl in a Spin, the second novel from Irish author Clodagh Murphy is out the park good. This story has romance and betrayal, politics and scandal, and a delightful heroine who will not give up on love. I know some chick lit fans are wondering about the “politics” word I used, which isn’t so common for chick lit novels. Jenny Hannigan, the good-hearted and optimistic main character, falls for Richard Allam, a recently separated politician. Jenny thinks she has found true love with Richard. He is the complete package- charming, successful, wealthy- but Jenny also believes Richard has a kind heart and loves her back. When Richard’s publicist Dev Tennant gets involved for Richard’s upcoming election, his job is to “spin” Jenny into someone the public can support- the perfect politician wife. But while Jenny has a slightly wild past, Dev’s job turns out to be harder than he imagined- but he still can’t stop himself for beginning to fall for his boss’s girlfriend. While Jenny finds herself attracted to Dev, she remains loyal to Richard- until Richard’s real motives for leaving his wife are brought to light.
I think the main reason that I loved Girl in a Spin so much is because of Jenny’s character. She actually reminded me a lot of myself, which was fun to notice, but also because she is so darn loveable. I loved her optimism. Even though she came from a tough background and supported herself most of her life, she never gave up on thinking she could get a happy ending. Even though a lot of the book covered political topics- campaigns, speeches, appearances- I was never confused or bogged down by the political references. And the hilarity in many of the scenes! Jenny has quite an unconventional background, complete with a few stalkers that make for some laugh out loud lines, and Murphy does a spot-on job at mixing humor and more serious topics. I thought the politics and the scandal that goes along with Richard and his divorce is (unfortunately) quite a common occurrence nowadays, and that really kept me invested in the story. I liked how readers are able to get into different characters minds- from Jenny all the way to Richard’s estranged wife, Julie. I was hooked until the very last page, and Girl in a Spin will definitely be making it on my Favorites List!
I think the main reason that I loved Girl in a Spin so much is because of Jenny’s character. She actually reminded me a lot of myself, which was fun to notice, but also because she is so darn loveable. I loved her optimism. Even though she came from a tough background and supported herself most of her life, she never gave up on thinking she could get a happy ending. Even though a lot of the book covered political topics- campaigns, speeches, appearances- I was never confused or bogged down by the political references. And the hilarity in many of the scenes! Jenny has quite an unconventional background, complete with a few stalkers that make for some laugh out loud lines, and Murphy does a spot-on job at mixing humor and more serious topics. I thought the politics and the scandal that goes along with Richard and his divorce is (unfortunately) quite a common occurrence nowadays, and that really kept me invested in the story. I liked how readers are able to get into different characters minds- from Jenny all the way to Richard’s estranged wife, Julie. I was hooked until the very last page, and Girl in a Spin will definitely be making it on my Favorites List!
November 17, 2021
I've read and enjoyed every other Murphy book so this was even more disappointing because of my high expectations.
What an absolute wreck of a MC. The overwhelming naivete was too much to believe. A serial dating nanny whose main pursuits seem to be partying with her friends while trying to find places that give out free food hooks up with a potential (and married) future UK Prime Minister and actually thinks it's going to work out. She's never voted, has no interest or knowledge of politics or what a Prime Minister's wife actually does. And, don't get me started on her lack of recognizing the skeletons in her closet.
I kept waiting for her to step up and say she actually needed to learn about her potential new environment. Especially, after crying that everyone treats her like a child. Instead, she just wants to be on stage next to her fella and actually falls asleep during the one political presentation she attends. And, ignores all practical advice (you're going somewhere really cold, wear a suitable jacket, it's not that hard).
I'm all for being your authentic self but being a "lovely" person who looks good in vintage clothing isn't the person who should be married to the PM. And, don't get me started on what poor excuse for a human the future PM is.
I finished hoping for redemption for the characters but didn't get it.
What an absolute wreck of a MC. The overwhelming naivete was too much to believe. A serial dating nanny whose main pursuits seem to be partying with her friends while trying to find places that give out free food hooks up with a potential (and married) future UK Prime Minister and actually thinks it's going to work out. She's never voted, has no interest or knowledge of politics or what a Prime Minister's wife actually does. And, don't get me started on her lack of recognizing the skeletons in her closet.
I kept waiting for her to step up and say she actually needed to learn about her potential new environment. Especially, after crying that everyone treats her like a child. Instead, she just wants to be on stage next to her fella and actually falls asleep during the one political presentation she attends. And, ignores all practical advice (you're going somewhere really cold, wear a suitable jacket, it's not that hard).
I'm all for being your authentic self but being a "lovely" person who looks good in vintage clothing isn't the person who should be married to the PM. And, don't get me started on what poor excuse for a human the future PM is.
I finished hoping for redemption for the characters but didn't get it.
May 24, 2018
Blah. Not wonderfully written (there was a lot of exasperation and spelling it out, just in case you couldn’t join the obvious dots on your own) and while it was an easy read, it was kind of like a candy floss book read.
It was very plot driven, and the characters kind of let things happen to them, rather than seeking out their ambition, and I feel like it was an obvious outcome, because we only ever saw the first person perspective of Jenny and Dev. I would definitely have loved to see more of Richard, to see the thought process from his POV (without it he was rather two dimensional).
It would have made that pairing more believable, too. If they were so terrible together, how did it even work? How was it R was ready to risk his career on J? Blah. All the interesting stuff (Jenny’s outrageous sense of fashion and ridiculous past) felt more like sprinkles on top, rather than the juicy meat of the story. Even worse some of more risqué things (if you can call Jeremy’s dressing up risqué or the Mr Hughes the plumber) felt like they’d been shoe horned it, designed to be shocking, rather than giving it a respectful nod to those that live those lifestyles.
It was just a bit blah. A no thinking beach read to pass the time, maybe.
It was very plot driven, and the characters kind of let things happen to them, rather than seeking out their ambition, and I feel like it was an obvious outcome, because we only ever saw the first person perspective of Jenny and Dev. I would definitely have loved to see more of Richard, to see the thought process from his POV (without it he was rather two dimensional).
It would have made that pairing more believable, too. If they were so terrible together, how did it even work? How was it R was ready to risk his career on J? Blah. All the interesting stuff (Jenny’s outrageous sense of fashion and ridiculous past) felt more like sprinkles on top, rather than the juicy meat of the story. Even worse some of more risqué things (if you can call Jeremy’s dressing up risqué or the Mr Hughes the plumber) felt like they’d been shoe horned it, designed to be shocking, rather than giving it a respectful nod to those that live those lifestyles.
It was just a bit blah. A no thinking beach read to pass the time, maybe.
July 14, 2018
Although this held my interest, I found the MC flighty and kind of obnoxious. I would have been ok with that if she had owned it better, but she just felt like a constant contradiction. At about 85% in, I read this line after our MC has just slept with a guy who we are supposed to be cheering for, but is is definitely NOT her boyfriend: "She wasn't in the habit of sleeping with people she shouldn't..." Um ok, throughout the book we learn she has had slept with 1. Her best childhood guy friend. 2. Her gay bestie roommate. 3. a long list of fellows that have chosen to stalk her after she has broken up with them and they actually have a support group to talk about her. 4. Her foster father when she was 15...which now at 23 she has NO idea yet that she was manipulated and in a statutory rape relationship with that guy. She treats all of her past relationships like this dumb dumb bimbo. No big deal, nothing to see here...it was lame.
I don't know, I could easily read another book by this author to see if I like any of her other characters any better. Definitely just an ok read.
I don't know, I could easily read another book by this author to see if I like any of her other characters any better. Definitely just an ok read.
January 12, 2020
What a refreshing book! A woman (Jenny) who knows what she wants even when it isn't PC. In fact she seems to take rebuff without letting it break her down! She forces herself to go outside her comfort zone (although some might say she has no "zones" anyway...) She seems to move on from everything that doesn't work out except when it turns out to be the only thing she has ever wanted.
A delicious book with a wide look at people, politics, and love. I stayed up half the night to finish it because I couldn't bare to leave Jenny until I knew she had it sorted out correctly. And by that, I mean how I wanted! (HEA!) Loved the book Clodagh!!!
A delicious book with a wide look at people, politics, and love. I stayed up half the night to finish it because I couldn't bare to leave Jenny until I knew she had it sorted out correctly. And by that, I mean how I wanted! (HEA!) Loved the book Clodagh!!!
June 23, 2016
Loved it but not quite as much pace as The Disengagement Ring. The romance took a little long to come through but overall a very good story exploring some alternative themes than you normally see in this category. For fans of Marian Keyes, Anna Maxted and Bernadette Strachan.
A writer who's at the top of my watch list.
A writer who's at the top of my watch list.
Read
August 17, 2025Started 8/5
Aw I like when she’s flirting with Dev! He seems cute and fun!
And her boyfriend does sound like a tosser haha
“Ollie and Liam never complained about her sequined cushions and mirrored throws, the sari lengths in vibrant shades of purple, red and orange that she draped over poles in lieu of curtains, her coloured glass and scented candles or the fairy-lights she strung along shelves and trailed down walls. Ollie had once described her interior style as Cath Kidston meets Bangkok brothel, which she had taken as a compliment.”
“That you were as gorgeous as ever, breaking hearts all over London.’
‘You know they all thought we were doing it back then.’
‘I know,’ he grinned, pushing away his plate and lighting a cigarette. ‘Why weren’t we?’ He frowned, perplexed.
Jenny shrugged. ‘I don’t know. To spite them, maybe?’
‘I think it was because I liked you too much. I saw the way you chewed boys up and spat them out. I didn’t want to be cannon fodder.”
Jenny’s 24!! How old is Richard?
And how old is Dev? 👀
Oh he’s 26 and Dev is 35 hahaha
Did Sally die? Or just break up? What was her illness tho?
I mean he pays her to clean her bathroom himself??!! Amazing! Hahaha
It makes me want to foster a teenager. Hearing about Marie Young’s experience was eye opening and it’s not just a barrel of laughs. But idk. If I was rich and had money to help support a kid and a partner? I would love fostering a teenager I think. I love that age
**and I wouldn’t just give them stuff haha but I’d try to build a relationship and support them in their interests in general
Her stalkers have a support group!!! This gets wilder and wilder 😂
“Don’t you ever eat at home?”
“Not if we can help it. Have you seen the cost of food lately? It’s outrageous! Especially when they’re giving it away for free all over London.”
^^A stack of invitations and fliers!!!! Amazing!!! My dream!!!!!!
Living in the country vs the city
“There are no Tubes or taxis.’
‘No theatres or cinemas.’
‘No beer gardens.’
‘No hotels or restaurants.’
‘No shelter, basically. You have to be outside all the time.”
“You have to make your own dinner. Every night. From scratch. There’s no pizza delivery.’
‘No gallery openings.’
‘No cool parties to crash.’
‘Okay, okay – so I won’t move to the country.”
!!!!!!!
Is sally his sister who died ? Hmm
Oh noooo
Julia found out and I bet that’s why they finally split up
Oh dear
Aw Jenny, she’s so young and fun! She should be with someone who’s also young and fun and will enjoy room service with her, and not a man who was married and is running for prime minister :(
No no nooo Jenny, it’s not an affair if you’re under age! You were a minor! He is a predator!!!
😭😭😭😭
He invites her to come to Christmas ❤️❤️
“Besides, it wasn’t a good reason to be with someone – because you coveted their family.”
MEEEEEEEEE
Aw Liam & Ollie ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I love them
HE GOT HER A BEAUTIFUL COAT THAT WAS JUST SO HER !!!!!!!!!!!
Their Christmas in New York sounds so fun !!!!!!
Ahh! Give us the details haha
It’s so sad tho, Dev totally falling in love with her and Jenny likes him but she’s so worried about trying to change for Richard- and he wants to dump her!!!! Ugh
“Even though Richard was the one saying goodbye, all she could think about was losing Dev, and the realisation hit her with a force that almost took her breath away. She tried to stem the sobs that racked her body.”
Oh my god oh my goddddd
Jenny drinking vodka and finishing a bottle of sleeping pills ?!
😭😭😭😭😭😭 and he doesn’t even get to see her at the hospital? He lets bloody Richard???
Oh god 😭
WHAT?! DEV?! Why would you say you’re over her!! Why would you say you’re seeing someone else?!! No 😭😭
Oh my goddd that’s the ending?? Totally wild
I love Clodagh Murphy’s writing bc it always has wild interesting details that aren’t in other stories hahaha
Like cross dressing or BDSM or sex writers haha
Yay love
Bog standard
Finished 8/7
Aw I like when she’s flirting with Dev! He seems cute and fun!
And her boyfriend does sound like a tosser haha
“Ollie and Liam never complained about her sequined cushions and mirrored throws, the sari lengths in vibrant shades of purple, red and orange that she draped over poles in lieu of curtains, her coloured glass and scented candles or the fairy-lights she strung along shelves and trailed down walls. Ollie had once described her interior style as Cath Kidston meets Bangkok brothel, which she had taken as a compliment.”
“That you were as gorgeous as ever, breaking hearts all over London.’
‘You know they all thought we were doing it back then.’
‘I know,’ he grinned, pushing away his plate and lighting a cigarette. ‘Why weren’t we?’ He frowned, perplexed.
Jenny shrugged. ‘I don’t know. To spite them, maybe?’
‘I think it was because I liked you too much. I saw the way you chewed boys up and spat them out. I didn’t want to be cannon fodder.”
Jenny’s 24!! How old is Richard?
And how old is Dev? 👀
Oh he’s 26 and Dev is 35 hahaha
Did Sally die? Or just break up? What was her illness tho?
I mean he pays her to clean her bathroom himself??!! Amazing! Hahaha
It makes me want to foster a teenager. Hearing about Marie Young’s experience was eye opening and it’s not just a barrel of laughs. But idk. If I was rich and had money to help support a kid and a partner? I would love fostering a teenager I think. I love that age
**and I wouldn’t just give them stuff haha but I’d try to build a relationship and support them in their interests in general
Her stalkers have a support group!!! This gets wilder and wilder 😂
“Don’t you ever eat at home?”
“Not if we can help it. Have you seen the cost of food lately? It’s outrageous! Especially when they’re giving it away for free all over London.”
^^A stack of invitations and fliers!!!! Amazing!!! My dream!!!!!!
Living in the country vs the city
“There are no Tubes or taxis.’
‘No theatres or cinemas.’
‘No beer gardens.’
‘No hotels or restaurants.’
‘No shelter, basically. You have to be outside all the time.”
“You have to make your own dinner. Every night. From scratch. There’s no pizza delivery.’
‘No gallery openings.’
‘No cool parties to crash.’
‘Okay, okay – so I won’t move to the country.”
!!!!!!!
Is sally his sister who died ? Hmm
Oh noooo
Julia found out and I bet that’s why they finally split up
Oh dear
Aw Jenny, she’s so young and fun! She should be with someone who’s also young and fun and will enjoy room service with her, and not a man who was married and is running for prime minister :(
No no nooo Jenny, it’s not an affair if you’re under age! You were a minor! He is a predator!!!
😭😭😭😭
He invites her to come to Christmas ❤️❤️
“Besides, it wasn’t a good reason to be with someone – because you coveted their family.”
MEEEEEEEEE
Aw Liam & Ollie ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I love them
HE GOT HER A BEAUTIFUL COAT THAT WAS JUST SO HER !!!!!!!!!!!
Their Christmas in New York sounds so fun !!!!!!
Ahh! Give us the details haha
It’s so sad tho, Dev totally falling in love with her and Jenny likes him but she’s so worried about trying to change for Richard- and he wants to dump her!!!! Ugh
“Even though Richard was the one saying goodbye, all she could think about was losing Dev, and the realisation hit her with a force that almost took her breath away. She tried to stem the sobs that racked her body.”
Oh my god oh my goddddd
Jenny drinking vodka and finishing a bottle of sleeping pills ?!
😭😭😭😭😭😭 and he doesn’t even get to see her at the hospital? He lets bloody Richard???
Oh god 😭
WHAT?! DEV?! Why would you say you’re over her!! Why would you say you’re seeing someone else?!! No 😭😭
Oh my goddd that’s the ending?? Totally wild
I love Clodagh Murphy’s writing bc it always has wild interesting details that aren’t in other stories hahaha
Like cross dressing or BDSM or sex writers haha
Yay love
Bog standard
Finished 8/7
February 15, 2017
" With a spin of romance in the air, Girl in a spin warms hearts and souls, leaving a sweet taste with its happily ever after ending."
Could the tittle been more perfect for what the story talks about? I believe not. The story line walks through a variety of situations for the heroen. From the uncomfortable occasions she takes part for her boyfriend sake to the most hilarious moments she spent with the one man she could never have, Girl in a spin was a totally spin of emotions for me, I have to say, when at the same time the heroen herself tried to hide them into her big box of a heart. Well, that's Jenny after all!!
Jenny Hannigan, she's twenty-four, petite and carries a hell of a baggages since she was six. With no parents in her life, she has her two flatmates to support her and a new boyfriend she was in love with. Can't say that her daily life was as common as other people have in her age, but after a while of reading I found it very interesting and entertaining and truly fanny for the free spirit that Jenny is. Her past was tough with her since a very young age. Moving from one foster house to an other, she never felt the unconditional love and care parents give to their children. She always been seperated from the other kids, the biological kids of the family, treating her as an intruder. However, when the years passed, Jenny with the big heart, survived and without much trying, she always brightened the lives of the people who were beside her making them to adore her more....mostly the men!
Her flatmates are men, Liam and Ollie. She met Liam when she was a teenager, never had a relationship with him but Liam was always there to stand of for her or hug her when she was in need. He was the savor of her heart and soul at that time. Ollie, on the other hand, was one of her boyfriends, with the difference that Jenny didn't tryed to love him like everyone else. They both were inseparable and exclusive to each other for an over a blissful year, living into a fog of total passion and lots of parties but when the time came, they split without heart injuries and stay together as friends in the same flat with Liam's company.
Richard Allam came into her life last year. Working as a nanny, she had an awkward moment with Richard's nanny so she had to stay and wait for him to come back home since his wife was away. Yes, his wife! After their first meeting at his then home, Richard asked her for an other one and so on, until one day he left his family and start a secret relationship with her. I say secret because Richard was into politics and he was getting ready for the elections in the following year as the leader of the Moderate Party, which might finally helped him earn the title of Prime Minister. His only problem was how he will introduce Jenny to the public eye. That's where Devlin Tennant came forefront into her life...again.
Devlin Tennant, an old friend of Richard's, was hired as the director of communications for Richard's campaign and was asked to make Jenny's appearance into the public more smooth and accepted when she will be at his friend's side. His acceptance was easy at first but after he saw all the obstacles this relationship had, putting inside his own opinion as well, it was hard not to make both Jenny's and Richard's lives difficult. After all, it looked like a sort term relationship. However, I saw him trying his best through the story, to do his job right and succeeded it but, also, I saw him hide his real feelings which was amazingly sweet to watch.
The story doesn't have twists and turns which am pleasantly content about it, and it gave me the most amazingly sweet feeling of innocent flirting and romance. Being a keen reader of erotica genre, Girl in a spin was the best alternative story I was looking for right now. Displaying an interesting plot about how the inside world of how politics work, the story, alongside that, shows the unknown world of how foster care works, how the public eye can be misleded by the media, how families breaking down lately with single parents trying to do their bests and, to take it more deep, how life can be seperated in two categories, the high class and the low one. Of course, not in a single moment felt my heart tied up because of all the above. They all had their part into the story and helped it to unfold nicely and be clearly undertood in a way, because few things didn't helped me be connected properly with the heroen in the beginning. I suppose, it was because in her age I would expect she will be more mature in a way, but after awhile it was clearly understandable that she already was...in a way.
Reading through the pages, I saw what a vulnerable soul Jenny was, with too many scars in her heart but still with the need to receive the love from the others. She was an easy going person, with a bright smile drawn on her face, always keen to have a good time amd make the others happy, but she never being the keeper in her relationships. Through her story, I unfold a multitude of issues because of her past and her present, issues that made her take wrong decisions when they came from her mind but the right ones when they came from her heart.
Closing, what I honestly liked in Girl in a spin is that the story was written in third person so I had a nice view from all heroes perspectives and inner thoughts, which was good and helped me much so I can understand and see into their characters. The plot is what I liked next. The story was very well narrated, illustrating perfectly what's happening behind closed doors of a pilitician campain and an expected scandal. What I loved most were the hilarious dialogs between Jenny and Dev. Black humor or not, it had me laughing tears each time. Plus, I loved how the story ended. It left me with the sweet taste of a real romance without the need of more. Well, maybe it did!!
Until next time, enjoy reading a good book.
Vivi
Could the tittle been more perfect for what the story talks about? I believe not. The story line walks through a variety of situations for the heroen. From the uncomfortable occasions she takes part for her boyfriend sake to the most hilarious moments she spent with the one man she could never have, Girl in a spin was a totally spin of emotions for me, I have to say, when at the same time the heroen herself tried to hide them into her big box of a heart. Well, that's Jenny after all!!
Jenny Hannigan, she's twenty-four, petite and carries a hell of a baggages since she was six. With no parents in her life, she has her two flatmates to support her and a new boyfriend she was in love with. Can't say that her daily life was as common as other people have in her age, but after a while of reading I found it very interesting and entertaining and truly fanny for the free spirit that Jenny is. Her past was tough with her since a very young age. Moving from one foster house to an other, she never felt the unconditional love and care parents give to their children. She always been seperated from the other kids, the biological kids of the family, treating her as an intruder. However, when the years passed, Jenny with the big heart, survived and without much trying, she always brightened the lives of the people who were beside her making them to adore her more....mostly the men!
Her flatmates are men, Liam and Ollie. She met Liam when she was a teenager, never had a relationship with him but Liam was always there to stand of for her or hug her when she was in need. He was the savor of her heart and soul at that time. Ollie, on the other hand, was one of her boyfriends, with the difference that Jenny didn't tryed to love him like everyone else. They both were inseparable and exclusive to each other for an over a blissful year, living into a fog of total passion and lots of parties but when the time came, they split without heart injuries and stay together as friends in the same flat with Liam's company.
Richard Allam came into her life last year. Working as a nanny, she had an awkward moment with Richard's nanny so she had to stay and wait for him to come back home since his wife was away. Yes, his wife! After their first meeting at his then home, Richard asked her for an other one and so on, until one day he left his family and start a secret relationship with her. I say secret because Richard was into politics and he was getting ready for the elections in the following year as the leader of the Moderate Party, which might finally helped him earn the title of Prime Minister. His only problem was how he will introduce Jenny to the public eye. That's where Devlin Tennant came forefront into her life...again.
Devlin Tennant, an old friend of Richard's, was hired as the director of communications for Richard's campaign and was asked to make Jenny's appearance into the public more smooth and accepted when she will be at his friend's side. His acceptance was easy at first but after he saw all the obstacles this relationship had, putting inside his own opinion as well, it was hard not to make both Jenny's and Richard's lives difficult. After all, it looked like a sort term relationship. However, I saw him trying his best through the story, to do his job right and succeeded it but, also, I saw him hide his real feelings which was amazingly sweet to watch.
The story doesn't have twists and turns which am pleasantly content about it, and it gave me the most amazingly sweet feeling of innocent flirting and romance. Being a keen reader of erotica genre, Girl in a spin was the best alternative story I was looking for right now. Displaying an interesting plot about how the inside world of how politics work, the story, alongside that, shows the unknown world of how foster care works, how the public eye can be misleded by the media, how families breaking down lately with single parents trying to do their bests and, to take it more deep, how life can be seperated in two categories, the high class and the low one. Of course, not in a single moment felt my heart tied up because of all the above. They all had their part into the story and helped it to unfold nicely and be clearly undertood in a way, because few things didn't helped me be connected properly with the heroen in the beginning. I suppose, it was because in her age I would expect she will be more mature in a way, but after awhile it was clearly understandable that she already was...in a way.
Reading through the pages, I saw what a vulnerable soul Jenny was, with too many scars in her heart but still with the need to receive the love from the others. She was an easy going person, with a bright smile drawn on her face, always keen to have a good time amd make the others happy, but she never being the keeper in her relationships. Through her story, I unfold a multitude of issues because of her past and her present, issues that made her take wrong decisions when they came from her mind but the right ones when they came from her heart.
Closing, what I honestly liked in Girl in a spin is that the story was written in third person so I had a nice view from all heroes perspectives and inner thoughts, which was good and helped me much so I can understand and see into their characters. The plot is what I liked next. The story was very well narrated, illustrating perfectly what's happening behind closed doors of a pilitician campain and an expected scandal. What I loved most were the hilarious dialogs between Jenny and Dev. Black humor or not, it had me laughing tears each time. Plus, I loved how the story ended. It left me with the sweet taste of a real romance without the need of more. Well, maybe it did!!
Until next time, enjoy reading a good book.
Vivi
April 5, 2023
Girl in a Spin by Clodagh Murphy is a story of a party girl who is in love with a political leader and needs the help of a spin doctor to become more respectable and presentable. Jenny Hannigan is a girl with a murky past. When she finds herself in the arms of Richard Allam, a political leader, she thinks she finally found love. However, she isn’t actually wife material for a potential Prime Minister. Enter Devlin “Dev” Tennant, the spin doctor, is hired to clean up her image. She follow’s Dev’s advice as she tries to fit into Richard’s world, impressing his stuffy colleagues and his disapproving friends and keeping the media at bay. With the election campaign gaining speed and her life spinning out of control, Jenny wonders if she has been looking for happily ever after in the wrong place.
Girl in a Spin is my first book by Ms. Murphy and right from the start, she offers a witty, quirky love story with lots of laughs. Jenny was a hard character to like at first. She is a wounded soul who hides her pain behind a sarcastic and a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” attitude. I wasn’t sure why she was in a relationship with Richard. I definitely didn’t like Richard. I loved Dev. I enjoyed his initial meeting with Jenny at a wedding they both didn’t want to be at. Their flirtatious banter instantly clicked and was fun to read. I also enjoyed her roommates, Liam and Ollie, and the family-bond they created. Overall, I enjoyed the story. I wanted to see Jenny grow and mature. If you enjoy laugh, quirky chick-lit romance, I recommend Girl in a Spin.
Girl in a Spin is available in paperback and eBook
Girl in a Spin is my first book by Ms. Murphy and right from the start, she offers a witty, quirky love story with lots of laughs. Jenny was a hard character to like at first. She is a wounded soul who hides her pain behind a sarcastic and a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” attitude. I wasn’t sure why she was in a relationship with Richard. I definitely didn’t like Richard. I loved Dev. I enjoyed his initial meeting with Jenny at a wedding they both didn’t want to be at. Their flirtatious banter instantly clicked and was fun to read. I also enjoyed her roommates, Liam and Ollie, and the family-bond they created. Overall, I enjoyed the story. I wanted to see Jenny grow and mature. If you enjoy laugh, quirky chick-lit romance, I recommend Girl in a Spin.
Girl in a Spin is available in paperback and eBook
August 20, 2017
For me this book was good but it could have been great. I liked the writing style and the characters were fairly complex but it didn't quite deliver all it could.
It's hard to invest in a romantic sort of book when the heroine is with the wrong guy for 99% of the book. One of my pet peeves is when a novel resolves the romantic story on the final page and that's what we got here. How about another few chapters or at least an epilogue?
Plus I think the heroine was meant to come across as bubbly and optimistic but she often drifted into silly and stupid territory.
It's hard to invest in a romantic sort of book when the heroine is with the wrong guy for 99% of the book. One of my pet peeves is when a novel resolves the romantic story on the final page and that's what we got here. How about another few chapters or at least an epilogue?
Plus I think the heroine was meant to come across as bubbly and optimistic but she often drifted into silly and stupid territory.
May 12, 2017
This is my 2nd book read by Clodagh ... I would say I prefer this one over the other ... if I am allowed to pick a fave ... love the cover ... quirky, weird, funny, I was laughing hilariously several times. humor gets me every time. I love these characters, I did get it from Instafreebie, such a great read, Must read from this to me unknown author ... I am hooked on her style of writing and I will be reading more from her very very soon. Such a great read. ( ;
June 14, 2021
Enjoyable!
This is really creative light summer romance reading.
And it hits some issues, which is something I enjoy about Murphy's writing -- it's not all fluff. It's also not nearly as predictable as the genre often is.
Delightful characters -- both main and supporting.
A few laugh out loud moments, which just always makes it more fun.
This is really creative light summer romance reading.
And it hits some issues, which is something I enjoy about Murphy's writing -- it's not all fluff. It's also not nearly as predictable as the genre often is.
Delightful characters -- both main and supporting.
A few laugh out loud moments, which just always makes it more fun.
April 5, 2022
Such a fun read!
The heroine is a ditzy almost hippy free spirited girl.
The villain is a politician.
Of course there will be tears and fears.
But..the hero is just that..
And we got a happily ever after.
Fun to read, fun to talk about.
Thank you Clodagh Murphy for allowing me to enjoy this book.
The heroine is a ditzy almost hippy free spirited girl.
The villain is a politician.
Of course there will be tears and fears.
But..the hero is just that..
And we got a happily ever after.
Fun to read, fun to talk about.
Thank you Clodagh Murphy for allowing me to enjoy this book.
February 10, 2023
I really didn't like the heroine in this book - Jenny was very annoying and a bit too much of a shallow, good-time girl. I had no idea why everyone was in love with her all the time. It was just ridiculous. Even more ridiculous was the plot where her boyfriend is the next prime minister-to-be. This just didn't work at any level. Not recommended.
January 12, 2018
Couldn't put it down
This story was a very modern twist on breakfast at tiffanys and the main character was even more engaging than Holly Golightly... Who knew that it would be possible to reinvent the wheel?
This story was a very modern twist on breakfast at tiffanys and the main character was even more engaging than Holly Golightly... Who knew that it would be possible to reinvent the wheel?
August 29, 2018
I loved this book
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and couldn't put it down. The characters were all engaging, even if you could probably guess how it was going to end up. I am now going to stalk Clodagh Murphy's online catalogue :-)
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and couldn't put it down. The characters were all engaging, even if you could probably guess how it was going to end up. I am now going to stalk Clodagh Murphy's online catalogue :-)
June 19, 2021
Pleasantly surprised
It is ages since I read a modern romance and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It was quite clean, funny, heartbreaking and had a good storyline. Well done, I couldn't put it down and read it in a day.
It is ages since I read a modern romance and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It was quite clean, funny, heartbreaking and had a good storyline. Well done, I couldn't put it down and read it in a day.
August 7, 2020
Loved the book and the English language of different words than what Americans used. I loved the book up until the end, sorry but I think it ended to abruptly.
November 13, 2020
Such a fun read . The characters are all likable and kind of reminded me a little of the good wife tv show Mixed in with more humor. I would definitely read more from this author it’s a fun read .
April 24, 2021
Romance with a capital R.
June 21, 2025
Simple read
This book was a bit dragged out. It wasn't as funny as her other books. It has a typical ending which is expected.
This book was a bit dragged out. It wasn't as funny as her other books. It has a typical ending which is expected.
December 30, 2011
Jenny Hannigan is 24 years old. She's a nanny and has been seeing Richard Allam, a 36 year old rising politico for the past year. He's told her he's separated form his wife, Julia, but they've kept this information private. Jenny is sort of a free spirit. She's not had a conventional upbringing and has no family, having been in the foster system since she was a child. To help with Richard's image, Dev Tennant, an old friend, and publicist is brought in to add a positive spin to Jenny's image and make sure she doesn't negatively affect his campaign. Dev is about the same age as Richard, and he can't help but be attracted to Jenny the first time he meets at a wedding, before he finds out she's Richard's new lady love. So he feels let down when they meet again and he discover who she is. Dev can see from the start that Richard and Jenny won't make it in the long haul, but he decides not hurt Jenny and let her learn on her own.
I really enjoyed Girl in a Spin. The premise was something I had not heard before, and having just recently read Clodagh Murphy's previous release, The Disengagement Ring, I was extremely eager and excited to read this book. And boy am I glad I did not wait too long. I really liked Jenny. She was fun, vivacious, and had made some bad choices while having the best of intentions. Her main goal was to find someone to love and care for her. She thought she had found that in Richard, only to be let down when some hard truths came out. Dev was kind, caring, compassionate, and handsome to boot! He really had Jenny's best interests at heart, even when it seemed he was being mean. I liked how Ms.Murphy allowed us to get into the heads of all the characters, not just Jenny and Dev, but Richard and Julia too. Now I will have to eagerly await her next release which we won't see until Spring/Summer of 2012.
I really enjoyed Girl in a Spin. The premise was something I had not heard before, and having just recently read Clodagh Murphy's previous release, The Disengagement Ring, I was extremely eager and excited to read this book. And boy am I glad I did not wait too long. I really liked Jenny. She was fun, vivacious, and had made some bad choices while having the best of intentions. Her main goal was to find someone to love and care for her. She thought she had found that in Richard, only to be let down when some hard truths came out. Dev was kind, caring, compassionate, and handsome to boot! He really had Jenny's best interests at heart, even when it seemed he was being mean. I liked how Ms.Murphy allowed us to get into the heads of all the characters, not just Jenny and Dev, but Richard and Julia too. Now I will have to eagerly await her next release which we won't see until Spring/Summer of 2012.
August 27, 2010
Jenny is in love with Richard, a sexy, charismatic and recently-separated politician who, given the right circumstances, might be able to lead his party to victory in the next election. Party girl Jenny isn't quite the right match for such a man's public profile. Richard's friend and spin doctor, Dev, is called in to take matters into hand, discovering Jenny's secrets which would be better left in the past for the good of the party. As the election nears, and Jenny sees her future with Richard taking shape, Jenny wonders if this is what she actually wants.
This was another fantastically entertaining, funny and touching story from the author of The Disengagement Ring which I also loved. Ms Murphy has a particular talent for creating drop dead sexy male characters; I fancied Dev like mad and Richard's strong, tanned forearms in the folded back sleeves of a dazzling white shirt made me come over all unnecessary. I couldn't help but love Jenny, discovering her background and going along with her for the ride. Fun, funny and endearing, I already want to read this book again. I can't wait for Clodagh Murphy's next book.
This was another fantastically entertaining, funny and touching story from the author of The Disengagement Ring which I also loved. Ms Murphy has a particular talent for creating drop dead sexy male characters; I fancied Dev like mad and Richard's strong, tanned forearms in the folded back sleeves of a dazzling white shirt made me come over all unnecessary. I couldn't help but love Jenny, discovering her background and going along with her for the ride. Fun, funny and endearing, I already want to read this book again. I can't wait for Clodagh Murphy's next book.
December 7, 2015
I read the summary of this book and was blown away by its ambition. Amazingly, Murphy actually pulls it all off. Jenny is exuberant, magnetic, and believably imperfect. She tries so hard to love every boyfriend she has ever had, to no avail. Finally, with Richard, candidate for Prime Minister, she has managed to convince herself that she has found The One. Enter, the biggest most hulking obstacle to believability in Girl On a Spin. Why on earth would Jenny even want to fall in love with Richard? He is unexceptionable a boring twat. But whatever, she is delusional, imperfect, etc. Richard then hires a PR genius, his old friend, who rapidly falls for Jenny. He loves her the way Robert couldn't possibly hope to, and the heart of the story is Jenny's acceptance of her self, and realization that Dev has given her the love she's been looking for s along. It's not the most cohesively articulated message, but the moments of humor and poignancy and the character of Jenny herself make the book well worth reading for all that.
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