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Octavia
As soon as Octavia caught a glimpse of Jeremy in the nightclub, she knew she just had to have him. It didn’t matter that he was engaged to an old school friend of hers, Gussie. An invitation to join them on a cozy weekend is the perfect opportunity. But the the whizz-kid business tycoon Gareth Llewellyn come along too and manages to thwart her plans...
189 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
81 people are currently reading
417 people want to read
About the author
Jilly Cooper
91 books851 followersDame Jilly Cooper, OBE (born February 21, 1937) was an English author. She started her career as a journalist and wrote numerous works of non-fiction before writing several romance novels, the first of which appeared in 1975. She was most famous for writing the six blockbuster novels the Rutshire Chronicles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
February 21, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️ three stars -
“Octavia” is a problematic, dated Jilly Cooper. It’s getting three stars from this reviewer because I like Cooper, and I always thoroughly enjoy the trip back in time with each of her reads. Also, Cooper’s books get to fall into my elusive “if this was written by anyone else” category, because really, with all the misogyny it should really get two stars, but again, this is Cooper, so it gets three stars from me 💁♀️
This story was originally published in 1977 with a plot that includes our heroine, Octavia, as a spoilt, pampered trust fund baby of the 1970s. This popular Cooper tale was originally penned by the author as a weekly serial, and in parts it does read like this, but overall she did a great job sewing it all up and finessing it all together; as only Cooper can do.
I thoroughly enjoyed the points Cooper always excels at: the fantastic world building and scene setting of the upper crust members of society. What I didn’t like are the dated sexist attitudes towards women; and in particular, the Hero’s blatantly sexualized comments, which border on sexual harassment. He continually slings barbed, overly sexual remarks towards our heroine and other side characters, and it was cringe-inducing.
Are unwanted sexual remarks a form of sexual harassment that needs to be viewed as a product of the 1970s? Does this attitude need to be accepted as part of the plot, and a mark of the era? Maybe, but nevertheless, it made me uncomfortable and brought back flashbacks of being catcalled on the streets as a young woman back in the day. Or even moments of everyone’s favorite; being told by random strangers to, “smile, beautiful”. I’m personally glad those days are long gone when men felt so entitled to accost women on the streets as sexual objects. Could it be that I’ve aged, and no longer fall into that category? Maybe lol, but I like to think that times have changed and women don’t have to put up with being made to feel uncomfortable anymore. I’m all for these evolved modern attitudes!
Back to the book…. I enjoyed it, and will most likely read this again, all problematic misogyny aside, it’s still well-written, it’s still Cooper, and the character development for our heroine is top-notch. I don’t quite buy the romance, but I do enjoy the story.
Important to note: if you’ve taken a look at other reviews, you will notice that nearly everyone has issue with the fact that our Hero here spanks the heroine - and not in a good way 🤣 there is nothing sexy about it; he spanks her because he’s angry, and it’s the early 1970s and men didn’t need to control their tempers, and it was somewhat acceptable (in print, anyway) for a man to “take a woman in hand” 🤮
Also of note, the edition I read was the newest Kindle version (published in 2005), and it did not include the line from the Hero about how Welsh men know how to put their women in place by manhandling them.
The text that nearly every poor review here mentions, has been scrubbed clean, and the line from the very last scene has been revamped (I’m going to guess by Cooper herself, since she’s still alive - or at least by the guidance of the punisher since this book is a reputable Penguin Random House UK publication), and now reads as follows:
“I’m going to wear the trousers. You’re going to do what I tell you, and if you start upstaging me, I’ll put you down. The boys in the Valley are like that with our women, but we know how to love them.”
I’m not surprised about the cleaning up of this line; maybe other parts of the book have been whitewashed, too? I don’t know, myself, as this is the first time I’m reading this one. I do know that it makes sense that an attempt would be made to modernize it, as much as it can be anyway, since this is a very popular Cooper. It’s a story that’s gone from a weekly serial (as mentioned above), to a TV movie (released in 2009 on UK television). Maybe it’s been worked up for the movie? That would make sense to me, since modern viewers would most likely have trouble swallowing a lot of the blatant sexism in this tale.
This twentieth century take on “The Taming the Shrew” is a story that many will enjoy, as Octavia is a wonderfully multi-faceted character. I just loved the complete character development of our heroine in this one.
Would I recommend? Yes, but keep in mind that you’re going to get a hefty dose of the bad parts of the 1970s. If you go into it knowing that this is what you need to expect, then you might just enjoy this tale of a poor little rich girl. Overall, and taken at surface level, it’s a wonderful read.
Do recommend when you need a good Cooper fix, and are craving a quick, easy read. This one was emotional to me, and I hope you find that part, too, when you read between the lines of the story.
“Octavia” is a problematic, dated Jilly Cooper. It’s getting three stars from this reviewer because I like Cooper, and I always thoroughly enjoy the trip back in time with each of her reads. Also, Cooper’s books get to fall into my elusive “if this was written by anyone else” category, because really, with all the misogyny it should really get two stars, but again, this is Cooper, so it gets three stars from me 💁♀️
This story was originally published in 1977 with a plot that includes our heroine, Octavia, as a spoilt, pampered trust fund baby of the 1970s. This popular Cooper tale was originally penned by the author as a weekly serial, and in parts it does read like this, but overall she did a great job sewing it all up and finessing it all together; as only Cooper can do.
I thoroughly enjoyed the points Cooper always excels at: the fantastic world building and scene setting of the upper crust members of society. What I didn’t like are the dated sexist attitudes towards women; and in particular, the Hero’s blatantly sexualized comments, which border on sexual harassment. He continually slings barbed, overly sexual remarks towards our heroine and other side characters, and it was cringe-inducing.
Are unwanted sexual remarks a form of sexual harassment that needs to be viewed as a product of the 1970s? Does this attitude need to be accepted as part of the plot, and a mark of the era? Maybe, but nevertheless, it made me uncomfortable and brought back flashbacks of being catcalled on the streets as a young woman back in the day. Or even moments of everyone’s favorite; being told by random strangers to, “smile, beautiful”. I’m personally glad those days are long gone when men felt so entitled to accost women on the streets as sexual objects. Could it be that I’ve aged, and no longer fall into that category? Maybe lol, but I like to think that times have changed and women don’t have to put up with being made to feel uncomfortable anymore. I’m all for these evolved modern attitudes!
Back to the book…. I enjoyed it, and will most likely read this again, all problematic misogyny aside, it’s still well-written, it’s still Cooper, and the character development for our heroine is top-notch. I don’t quite buy the romance, but I do enjoy the story.
Important to note: if you’ve taken a look at other reviews, you will notice that nearly everyone has issue with the fact that our Hero here spanks the heroine - and not in a good way 🤣 there is nothing sexy about it; he spanks her because he’s angry, and it’s the early 1970s and men didn’t need to control their tempers, and it was somewhat acceptable (in print, anyway) for a man to “take a woman in hand” 🤮
Also of note, the edition I read was the newest Kindle version (published in 2005), and it did not include the line from the Hero about how Welsh men know how to put their women in place by manhandling them.
The text that nearly every poor review here mentions, has been scrubbed clean, and the line from the very last scene has been revamped (I’m going to guess by Cooper herself, since she’s still alive - or at least by the guidance of the punisher since this book is a reputable Penguin Random House UK publication), and now reads as follows:
“I’m going to wear the trousers. You’re going to do what I tell you, and if you start upstaging me, I’ll put you down. The boys in the Valley are like that with our women, but we know how to love them.”
I’m not surprised about the cleaning up of this line; maybe other parts of the book have been whitewashed, too? I don’t know, myself, as this is the first time I’m reading this one. I do know that it makes sense that an attempt would be made to modernize it, as much as it can be anyway, since this is a very popular Cooper. It’s a story that’s gone from a weekly serial (as mentioned above), to a TV movie (released in 2009 on UK television). Maybe it’s been worked up for the movie? That would make sense to me, since modern viewers would most likely have trouble swallowing a lot of the blatant sexism in this tale.
This twentieth century take on “The Taming the Shrew” is a story that many will enjoy, as Octavia is a wonderfully multi-faceted character. I just loved the complete character development of our heroine in this one.
Would I recommend? Yes, but keep in mind that you’re going to get a hefty dose of the bad parts of the 1970s. If you go into it knowing that this is what you need to expect, then you might just enjoy this tale of a poor little rich girl. Overall, and taken at surface level, it’s a wonderful read.
Do recommend when you need a good Cooper fix, and are craving a quick, easy read. This one was emotional to me, and I hope you find that part, too, when you read between the lines of the story.
February 1, 2021
Well, that went a really offensive and problematic direction. Even if it was the 70s..good lord
July 11, 2017
I read this book when I was about 12 after finding it in a holiday home we were staying at and was completely scandalised (despite not understanding half of what was going on). I decided to re-read it to see if it was as shocking as I remembered and oh my god it was so much worse. There are multiple occasions where the hero beats the heroine and calls her a bitch and a whore, and for some bizarre reason that seems to be what makes her fall in love with him. Not OK, Jilly! The romantic closer is Gareth telling Octavia "I'm going to wear the trousers. You're going to do what I tell you, and if you start upstaging me, I'll put you down. The boys in the Valley are like that. We keep out women in the background and we beat them if they give us any trouble, but we know how to love them." I mean, what the fuck! Also there is one (1) sex scene and in it Octavia compares sex to a washing machine. Hot.
March 6, 2008
During my teens and early twenties I devoured Jilly Cooper books. Riders, Rivals, Polo, The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous, and then the "name" books, which included Emily, Imogen, Prudence and Octavia. In fact, I included the "name" books in a list of chick lit precursors.
I hadn't read any of Cooper's books for years, but when I heard that Octavia was being made into a TV series, I thought I'd give it a re-read. And am I ever sorry I did. We don't usually do spoilers on Trashionista, but I can't fully explain my feelings about this book without talking about the ending, so if you don't want to know how it turns out, don't visit Trashionista!
I hadn't read any of Cooper's books for years, but when I heard that Octavia was being made into a TV series, I thought I'd give it a re-read. And am I ever sorry I did. We don't usually do spoilers on Trashionista, but I can't fully explain my feelings about this book without talking about the ending, so if you don't want to know how it turns out, don't visit Trashionista!
August 8, 2013
The reasons I love this book and have re-read it time and time again are multiple. First of all, I simply adore Jilly Cooper's style, simple, but so expressive and visual. With only a couple of sentences she can paint a whole landscape or a character's entire biography in the reader's mind. She has an adorable humor and manages to be modern even in the books she wrote almost thirty years ago. That is a huge accomplishment. Her characters haven't got so much dept and aren't exactly tri-dimensional, but we can still see them and understand their motivations. Octavia was my first unconventional heroine and though I didn't like her much at first, I sympathized with her, in the end. As for Gareth, he's every woman's fantasy put into words. I adore this book and all the books in Jilly Cooper's romance series.
October 18, 2010
There's something very satisfying about a story where selfish cow gets her comeuppance and goes on to become a much nicer person (Emily Giffin's Something Blue is another example). I really enjoyed this, it was fluffy chick-lit but Jilly Cooper's style is very fun and readable. I WAS a bit put off by Gareth's unapologetic sexism and treatment of Octavia - giving her 'a beating' (which I assumed from the context meant a smacking, but STILL) to punish her for bad behaviour and calling her names ('bitch' and 'whore') when angry with her. But it made more sense when I realised that this was written in the 1970s, when attitudes were a bit different - I'm not one to judge a book for being a product of its time.
November 14, 2016
Just the book for a morning in bed with flu.
I was reminded of this book because I picked it at random to compare with an unpublished manuscript. On page 100 of Jilly Cooper, the heroine was going to a party. On page 100 of the unpublished book, the heroine had a falling out in the pub and went home alone and there were no messages on her answer machine. Which world would you rather inhabit?
Interestingly non PC here and there - it's a vanished world. But what fun!!!
Re-read 14/11/16. I had to laugh at a hero who went off to the phonebox with 2p coins in his pocket, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
I was reminded of this book because I picked it at random to compare with an unpublished manuscript. On page 100 of Jilly Cooper, the heroine was going to a party. On page 100 of the unpublished book, the heroine had a falling out in the pub and went home alone and there were no messages on her answer machine. Which world would you rather inhabit?
Interestingly non PC here and there - it's a vanished world. But what fun!!!
Re-read 14/11/16. I had to laugh at a hero who went off to the phonebox with 2p coins in his pocket, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
April 2, 2018
Absolutely dreadful! The heroine was repulsive and the 'hero' boasted: 'But I warn you baby, even if we have to fight like cats I'm going to wear the trousers. You're going to do what I tell you and if you start upstaging me I'll put you down. The boys in the valley are like that. We keep our women in the background and we beat them if they give us any trouble. But we know how to love them'.... So that's alright then!
July 15, 2023
Crazy About Love’s review covers it all. It’s problematic, it’s dated, it’s sexist, but most of all, it’s Jilly Cooper. I love this writer and will read anything she wrote. However, I wouldn’t recommend it to somebody who isn’t a Jilly Cooper fan. It’s got a lot of terrible elements to it if you consider it only on its merits.
February 25, 2016
In ‘Octavia’, beautiful Octavia is determined to seduce handsome Jeremy even though he is engaged to her old school friend Gussie. When she is invited to join them on a promising boat trip, she agrees but she didn’t count on the presence of business tycoon Gareth who immediately sees right through her. Consequently, her plans are constantly ruined much to her annoyance.
It was a refreshing change to have someone like Octavia as the main character instead of the typical sweet, shy or insecure type. She was far from likeable though as she was incredibly arrogant, vain and self-centered. She was also mean when it came to Gussie though she didn’t articulate her thoughts and understandably so, since she might have ended up being thrown off the boat! Basically she kept wondering how overweight, unattractive Gussie managed to snag such a gorgeous guy like Jeremy. Throughout the story, she was also quick to judge people based on their looks.
However, I didn’t dislike her as much as I thought I would (since I usually don’t like such characters). I suppose it’s because she was mean and haughty and she knew it. At the same time, it was only natural to hope that she wouldn’t successfully break up Gussie and Jeremy especially since Gussie was genuinely sweet and unsuspecting. She also never treated Octavia badly out of pure jealousy. Jeremy turned out to be quite pathetic and somewhat boring but all he did was gaze longingly at Octavia the whole time so that explained it.
I really didn’t like Gareth because of the way he treated Octavia. No doubt he had a moral compass and he was smart but that didn’t excuse how he behaved as if she belonged to him. Giving her a beating was way too much. It’s not like she had murdered or robbed someone or did anything terrible enough to deserve such a humiliating punishment. He had good intentions but I still consider that abuse. That aside, the romance aspect was just not convincing as Octavia suddenly fell for him. They had an unhealthy relationship. Plus, his traditional views of a relationship made me shudder regardless of this book’s year of publication.
I enjoyed the character growth part as Octavia learned not to take things for granted and in the process, she became more independent and focused on her own well-being rather than looking out for someone to take home. I wished the author had given a proper conclusion to Gussie and Jeremy’s relationship though. Oddly enough, I’d prefer reading about them over Gareth and Octavia. Both were unexpected couples yet the former were definitely more believable.
Overall, ‘Octavia’ was a light, fluffy read during the first half or so but the romance aspect left much to be desired and the dialogues leading up to the ending were unintentionally terrifying.
It was a refreshing change to have someone like Octavia as the main character instead of the typical sweet, shy or insecure type. She was far from likeable though as she was incredibly arrogant, vain and self-centered. She was also mean when it came to Gussie though she didn’t articulate her thoughts and understandably so, since she might have ended up being thrown off the boat! Basically she kept wondering how overweight, unattractive Gussie managed to snag such a gorgeous guy like Jeremy. Throughout the story, she was also quick to judge people based on their looks.
However, I didn’t dislike her as much as I thought I would (since I usually don’t like such characters). I suppose it’s because she was mean and haughty and she knew it. At the same time, it was only natural to hope that she wouldn’t successfully break up Gussie and Jeremy especially since Gussie was genuinely sweet and unsuspecting. She also never treated Octavia badly out of pure jealousy. Jeremy turned out to be quite pathetic and somewhat boring but all he did was gaze longingly at Octavia the whole time so that explained it.
I really didn’t like Gareth because of the way he treated Octavia. No doubt he had a moral compass and he was smart but that didn’t excuse how he behaved as if she belonged to him. Giving her a beating was way too much. It’s not like she had murdered or robbed someone or did anything terrible enough to deserve such a humiliating punishment. He had good intentions but I still consider that abuse. That aside, the romance aspect was just not convincing as Octavia suddenly fell for him. They had an unhealthy relationship. Plus, his traditional views of a relationship made me shudder regardless of this book’s year of publication.
I enjoyed the character growth part as Octavia learned not to take things for granted and in the process, she became more independent and focused on her own well-being rather than looking out for someone to take home. I wished the author had given a proper conclusion to Gussie and Jeremy’s relationship though. Oddly enough, I’d prefer reading about them over Gareth and Octavia. Both were unexpected couples yet the former were definitely more believable.
Overall, ‘Octavia’ was a light, fluffy read during the first half or so but the romance aspect left much to be desired and the dialogues leading up to the ending were unintentionally terrifying.
July 21, 2019
There’s just something so inherently delightful about Jilly Cooper. Even if some of the avenues she explores are one hundred percent Dodge Street, you can tell she sincerely believes there’s a world somewhere in London composed of witty, urbane, glamorous, beautiful, socially dextrous people, who drink champagne at all meals and quote Donne. Maybe she lives there, I don’t know.
‘Octavia’ is ‘of its time’ in a number of ways, from the heroes having mutton chop sideburns and medallions to the fact that both narrator and author honestly believe Octavia is better off for falling for a man who non-consensually spanks her. The thing is, I finished this thinking maybe she’s not totally wrong. I don’t mean that in a sense of walking back metoo. I mean that Cooper knows that in Octavia she’s written a fucked-up character who needs to unfuck herself and who realises it. The method she chooses is a faux-father figure who’ll mind her forever. Is this better that a long period of therapy and working on yourself? Well, no, but I can still see why it’s both faster and attractive. And, I mean, how many people do wait till they’re self-actualised, the best version of themselves, and the best potential partner, before they throw themselves on the white water rapids of love? Very damn few, I’ll warrant.
‘Octavia’ is ‘of its time’ in a number of ways, from the heroes having mutton chop sideburns and medallions to the fact that both narrator and author honestly believe Octavia is better off for falling for a man who non-consensually spanks her. The thing is, I finished this thinking maybe she’s not totally wrong. I don’t mean that in a sense of walking back metoo. I mean that Cooper knows that in Octavia she’s written a fucked-up character who needs to unfuck herself and who realises it. The method she chooses is a faux-father figure who’ll mind her forever. Is this better that a long period of therapy and working on yourself? Well, no, but I can still see why it’s both faster and attractive. And, I mean, how many people do wait till they’re self-actualised, the best version of themselves, and the best potential partner, before they throw themselves on the white water rapids of love? Very damn few, I’ll warrant.
July 5, 2016
Dreadfully silly, terribly fun retro-trash. Some light relief while reading How the World Works
December 22, 2010
read a few of these in my lat teens - don't think I would read them now and can't say I remember much about them!
May 18, 2017
This book romanticizes abuse in the guise of a spoilt brat getting her comeuppance. I read this as a teenager and it confused me. Awful.
August 13, 2023
This is the book that first made me a fan of Jilly Cooper; I still remember how I felt the first time I read it.
What I loved: any woman loves a story of the humbling of a beautiful, but arrogant woman. I loved the stuff on the boat, the scenery is beautifully described and I enjoyed the love triangle and sniping between the main characters.
Cooper's witty dialogue is also at its best here, with many clever jokes and snide comments, it's always fun to read.
What I didn't like: after the stuff on the boat, we never hear from Jeremy and Gussie again, did they get back together?
My main issue though is Gareth; he sounds like a nasty, chauvinistic, abusive man. I totally forgot how aggressive and bullying he was towards Octavia. Even at the end, on the second to last page, he's threatening to beat her if she upstages him or forgets her place. Sod that!
It's a shame she didn't cut her losses with all the men and just start from scratch; the stuff about her new job was really fun to read and she could probably have gone far in her career and met someone nicer once she had gained some self confidence.
Octavia is still a fun read and there are aspects of Gareth's personality that are lovely, but I don't know why anyone would tolerate a man making threats. It's that stuff that makes this book much more dated than the others I've read by Cooper.
What I loved: any woman loves a story of the humbling of a beautiful, but arrogant woman. I loved the stuff on the boat, the scenery is beautifully described and I enjoyed the love triangle and sniping between the main characters.
Cooper's witty dialogue is also at its best here, with many clever jokes and snide comments, it's always fun to read.
What I didn't like: after the stuff on the boat, we never hear from Jeremy and Gussie again, did they get back together?
My main issue though is Gareth; he sounds like a nasty, chauvinistic, abusive man. I totally forgot how aggressive and bullying he was towards Octavia. Even at the end, on the second to last page, he's threatening to beat her if she upstages him or forgets her place. Sod that!
It's a shame she didn't cut her losses with all the men and just start from scratch; the stuff about her new job was really fun to read and she could probably have gone far in her career and met someone nicer once she had gained some self confidence.
Octavia is still a fun read and there are aspects of Gareth's personality that are lovely, but I don't know why anyone would tolerate a man making threats. It's that stuff that makes this book much more dated than the others I've read by Cooper.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2018
3.5 really -
I must admit this is a gripping book, the reading experience is very much like binge watching a soapy TV Show. I went through it so quickly, the plot is fun although unrealistic, you can absolutely picture the entire story & characters and give them life in your head.
BUT MY GOD how immoral it is! It's the only indication that this book was written in the 70s and not today (that and the lack of phones and social networks - imagine Octavia on Instagram!). Clearly this book romanticise domestic and emotional abuse. *spoiler* Gareth falls for Octavia when she becomes this little fragile bird, he clearly bits her and makes clear of his intention to dominate her for their entire life - and she loooooves it! She falls for him the first time he "gives her a lesson". WHAT IS THAT! Might have been written with a YA audience in mind but I wouldn't recommend it to a young women today. We need strong female characters in this world! She is CLEARLY not one of them!
Thank god I'm 27 and know better!
I must admit this is a gripping book, the reading experience is very much like binge watching a soapy TV Show. I went through it so quickly, the plot is fun although unrealistic, you can absolutely picture the entire story & characters and give them life in your head.
BUT MY GOD how immoral it is! It's the only indication that this book was written in the 70s and not today (that and the lack of phones and social networks - imagine Octavia on Instagram!). Clearly this book romanticise domestic and emotional abuse. *spoiler* Gareth falls for Octavia when she becomes this little fragile bird, he clearly bits her and makes clear of his intention to dominate her for their entire life - and she loooooves it! She falls for him the first time he "gives her a lesson". WHAT IS THAT! Might have been written with a YA audience in mind but I wouldn't recommend it to a young women today. We need strong female characters in this world! She is CLEARLY not one of them!
Thank god I'm 27 and know better!
December 14, 2021
Not my idea of romance/ love. No
November 4, 2023
A new genre for book club. A very lighthearted read, and very silly.
August 12, 2024
I adored this read.... i really felt for Octavia at the end.....
April 6, 2019
This offering from JC reflects the attitudes of the time towards women and as a modern reader it just irritated me. None of the characters were likeable at all, and I just didn't care about any of them.
Particularly unpleasant was the abuse and exploitation of the protagonist towards the end; it felt sadistic and voyeuristic.
The final nail in the coffin was how Octavia had to be rescued by a rich man, a man who had beat her previously and this is what made her realise she 'loved' him.
Not impressed Jilly. Not at all.
Particularly unpleasant was the abuse and exploitation of the protagonist towards the end; it felt sadistic and voyeuristic.
The final nail in the coffin was how Octavia had to be rescued by a rich man, a man who had beat her previously and this is what made her realise she 'loved' him.
Not impressed Jilly. Not at all.
February 27, 2014
This book is very good although I find Octavia cruel and insecure and I find the man she ends up with irritatingly smooth. But throughout the book there is a significant change in her personality. The book made me cry several occasions for several reasons. Overall I think it is a great, uplifting book. I recommend this series if you are I'll in bed.
June 4, 2020
This was a quick, fun read. I like Jilly Cooper’s writing style. She’s hilarious. I hated Octavia sooo much at the start but then grew to feel sorry for her in the end. I think to enjoy this book you have to remember that it was written in the 70s. Times have changed.
August 22, 2021
I read this as I was obsessed with this series when I was about 12 and oh what an experience.
It’s just so brilliantly bad.
It’s problematic as hell, the men are awful, the women are clichéd and masturbating is basically sinful.
I loved it.
It’s just so brilliantly bad.
It’s problematic as hell, the men are awful, the women are clichéd and masturbating is basically sinful.
I loved it.
October 23, 2008
I read a lot of Jilly Cooper when I was a young teenager and learned an awful lot from her! I loved it at the time and think its about time I read them all again!
May 6, 2011
The original chicklit from way back when!
July 10, 2015
Jilly Cooper, whilst similar style is shown throughout every book, still manages to individualise the stories. They are often predictable but enjoyable nonetheless.
May 16, 2015
Another great read!
August 1, 2020
Awful! I used to love JC as a teenager and picked this up on a whim. So much fat-shaming and abusive behaviour.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews