Spin Cycle: A Novel

by Sue Margolis

Her husband left her for another man.Her boyfriend may be cheating.Her mother’s got a secret.Is everyone having great sex but Rachel?Lately, stand-up comic Rachel Katz’s life has begun to resemble a not-so-funny comedy routine — the kind where nobody laughs and everybody inches toward the door. It began when her husband cheated ... with another man. Now she’s raising a ten-year-old son who’s fixated on Barbra Streisand and wondering if her dentist boyfriend — who won’t stop flossing long enough to make love to her — is having an affair.Enter Matt Clapton, a wickedly sexy washing machine repairman who likes Rachel’s jokes and makes her feel like a woman for the first time in ages — maybe in her entire life. With her mother busy planning a wedding Rachel isn’t sure she wants, her son dead set on inviting Barbra to the reception, and the groom-to-be in South Africa, working on someone else’s oral hygiene, the question What’s she going to do about it? Especially when fame and fortune beckon in a comedy contest that could put her on the map ... and change her life forever.Spin Cycle tells a wickedly funny, shamelessly erotic story of lovers and liars, exes and children, parents and other strangers. This hip and hilarious new novel by the acclaimed author of Neurotica introduces a heroine who never loses her sense of humor and who discovers, somewhere between the rinse and spin cycles, that love — and laughter — can truly conquer all.

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com, Book Club

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 9, 2001

About the author

Sue Margolis is the author of nine books, which have more than half a million copies in print from Bantam Dell. She lives in England, where she's at work on her next novel.

Sue worked as a reporter for the BBC, before leaving broadcasting to write her first novel. She lives in London with her journalist husband Jonathan. They have three grown up children. Sue’s hobbies include napping, constantly interfering in her children’s lives, not going out, eating - especially the remains of the previous night’s take-out curry straight from the fridge, and watching made for TV true-life movies in her PJs.

She died of lung cancer, aged 62.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

For me it was extremely difficult to get into this book, or even finish it! There was no suspense, the story wasn’t there, and there was no development. In the end I had to skip some pages because it was just too boring. The author tries to include some mysteries to add something to the non-existent story, involving the parents of the protagonist and the designers she works for, but in the end they are not very plausible and somewhat irritating.
This book is predictable and not in a good way, it is not just the end the whole book has a flat line from start to finish.

DO NOT GO FUTHER IF YOU STILL WANT TO READ THE BOOK


An elderly respectable couple doing a sex-help video??? Interior designers that hate modern design and only like traditional (and tacky) décor??? These lame explanations truly annoyed me.
Plus when the main part of a story is a person cheating in a couple it really annoys me when the author makes the other party cheat as well so that everything is solved!! Not realistic… too easy… in this book the end of a two years relationships and engagement takes place in a few pages of respective pleasantries. Boring.
(Also not a “clean” Chick-Lit)

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute read. Entertaining is a great way to describe it and I loved every minute of it. This was my first novel by author Sue Margolis, and I think I started with the right one. SPIN CYCLE cracked me up. It was witty, and cleverly written... and not to mention sexy! That washing machine man really knew how to handle his load (*wink*).

Rachel Katz is a struggling comedienne who has accepted that her ex-husband left her -- for another man, convinced that her fiancé is cheating on her, worried about her son's obsession with Barbra Streisand, and trying to figure out her mother's sexy secret all at the same time. She meets and falls hard for Matt Clapton, the sexy washing machine repairman who understands her and supports her and sweeps her off her feet. All of these situations make for a hugely hilarious and romantic comedy.

This is definitely chick-lit at it's best! Sophie Kinsella had better make some room on my list of top chick lit authors.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally predictable chick lit, and not all that good. The main character is a comedian, so the book is crammed full of bad bad jokes, many of which are supposed to be funny. I probably wouldn't have read the whole thing, had I not been on a plane.

[Colleen]

Got this From Angi.....sexy/funny book.

[Inge (Inge1990) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my kind of humor, I wouldn't have finished it if it wasn't for a readathon

[Stef · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this highly entertaining, and I couldn't stop laughing. This is my first chic lit book, and I think I'll read more. If you have any suggestions I'm ask ears

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good chick lit

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun afternoon read, don't expect depth and you'll be fine.

[Chloe (Always Booked) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is so stupid. It's about a girl named Rachel who is trying to be a stand up comic. Her and her husband are divorced because her husband was gay and she's engaged to a dentist who randomly goes to south africa for a month. She thinks he's cheating on her (even though he's not really in the story at all) so she starts cheating with a washing machine repair man. She falls in love with him, her and the fiance break up, and they all live happily ever after. The characters are very under developed and I just didn't care about this story at all. Im guessing I'll forget what it was about within a couple weeks- it was that unmemorable.

[Diane Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 55%, which was generous. I could have quit at about 20% but wanted this to be better than it ever was. Too many stereotypes in this plot, which mess up the point (I think) of the actual storyline. You have the ex husband who comes out gay, the current fiancé who may or may not be cheating (but she doesn't care enough to find out?) and also is too OCD to really make her happy, so why is she even with him. And then the love interest, who is smoking hot and good in bed, and yet she lies to him from the beginning. On top of all this nonsense, there is the fact that she is trying to make it as a stand up comic, and quit a very lucrative career to do so. Not a big deal if you a young adult with no responsibilities, but she is trying to support a son and pay rent. Bit unbelievable.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I did NOT read this book, but I read my friend Kelly’s book which shares this title so I could praise her prior to print. Spent two hours discussing her book at book club. We were all fortunate to get a copy to read and discuss. Kelly’s a natural born storyteller! Can’t wait to celebrate her when her book is published!!

[Ydnis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started very erotic, the rest of the book was more of a comedy story. I found similar story lines from the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 2017 TV show in Amazon but this book was written many years before 2017, maybe the show got some inspiration from this book.
I’d like it, kind a slow but Good book.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book at a friends of the library book sale. I wasn't expecting the explicit sex scenes. It was just okay as a book. Not awful, but not a favorite.

[Donna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. Boring. No plot.

[Danyell Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of her books are so fun!

[Jackie Lyon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute with some spicy sex scenes!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a bunch of books from this author a while ago and they were both nearly the same, so I needed a break before I picked this one up because I knew it would be the same as well. And it was. Since all the sex scenes in all her books are all the same, I wonder how the guy who is married to the author thinks about it? It's books like this that make you realize how much of the author is really in them and am I ready for that if I ever get around to writing my book? Probably not.

Anyway, Girl is dating/engaged to some dude who is totally straight laced while she has quit her job and is trying to be a stand-up comic. To make money for her and her kid, she also cleans houses. One of the houses she cleans, the washer dies one day and some Dude comes to fix it. Their relationship kind of comes out of nowhere, as the dude she is dating is away a lot, or something. Signals get crossed and chaos ensues and easily enough, while the dude is away, he meets someone else anyway, so the Girl doesn't have to feel bad about having a fling (which of course is now love) with the Dude. How perfect! Other details include the Girls friend and mother, who were oddly entertaining and the Girl's ex-husband who is now gay and she is slightly worried that her son might be too because of the things he says after he has spent time with his dad. That was a little annoying. It's all like, "I love gay people!" "But if my son is one, I'll be sooo disappointed and sad". Such a contradiction, which I hate.

Grade: C

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

British Chick Lit-Incredibly funny, although it should be since the main character is hoping to make comedy her career. Sue's books are all quick and enjoyable reads.

Rachel Katz is devotedly pursuing a second career as a stand-up comic, much to the chagrin of her parents and her fiance, Adam. To support herself and her 10-year-old son, Sam, Rachel works as a cleaning lady for an eccentric couple who claim to be descendants of Karl Marx. Into Rachel's seemingly organized life walks Matt Clapton, a sexy washing machine repairman. With pressure from Adam and her mother, Faye, to set a wedding date, a distraction like Matt is the last thing she needs. But as she begins to see more of Matt, Rachel finds herself in bed, and possibly in love, with him. Meanwhile, Adam has taken off to South Africa for a month and may be having an affair of his own. As Rachel prepares to enter a comedy contest that could bring her the fame and success she's worked so hard for, she finds herself forced to choose between Matt and Adam.

[Amy]

This is a book I rescued from remaining unread somewhere. I just can't remember exactly where. I thought it might make a quick "light read" between my more pithy books, but it just didn't grab me. It wasn't exactly bad, but I guess I wasn't in the mood for the trials and tribulations of a wanna be stand up comic - single mom, and all the cast of characters in her life... the gay ex husband, the pushy mother with a secret, fiance who may be cheating on her, the son who wants to invite Barbara Streisand to the wedding, the icky Pitsy, thus named because of the "tarantulas" that live in her armpits, the weird super-rich folks whose house she cleans and, of course, the ridiculously sexy, understanding, funny, etc washing machine repairman who actually likes her jokes. Can't do it. Sorry. There are just so many other books screaming to be read that I'm going to put it aside. It's just not grabbing my interest that much. The publisher blurb says "wickedly funny, shamelessly erotic" -- maybe I should give it to Bumma? :)

[Celia Kennedy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very quirky book!

Rachel Katz's character oscillates between bad puns, some really funny jokes, and then slapstick. Her boyfriend, Adam, and she couldn't be more incompatible as storyline characters. Which made him disappearing early in the book just fine.

A Stand-Up Comedian at night, Rachel cleans house for a designing duo. They are probably the most funny characters in the book. They speak designer speak, walk the walk, look the look... the author has captured this part of the book wonderfully.

Matt, a washing machine repairman/inventor, is the most charming character. I would have happily read another 100 pages to see this relationship develop. More dialog between Rachel and Matt would have been enjoyable. The sex scenes were more expressively written than many of the conversations.

Overall I would say that the book is undeveloped, but having read other books by Sue Margolis I would recommend her and this book.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's fine chick lit book, nothing exciting but it's ok read when I'm tired.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

So, another book I managed to re-read accidentally. According to my records read in March 2003 and again in February 2009.

And it really didn't improve on a second reading. In fact, I'm surprised I don't remember how much I must've disliked this book on the first read through. The lead character is a stand-up comedian and yet I didn't laugh at any of her jokes. It was Borscht-Belt,men are from Mars, trite material. And there's more than one completely ridiculous subplot. I found myself skimming through all the utterly predictable parts, which at least made it a quick read.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like 1.5 stars. Took a super long time to get to anything actually interesting, infidelity from multiple parties, relationship development was virtually nil, jokes weren't that funny, predictable situations, side cast marginally more interesting than the mains (which isn't saying much since the mains were terribly dull)...

The list goes on. I didn't hate this book, but I do see it as a waste of my time and would not recommend it to others. Make up your own mind, of course, but I'd skip it.

[Lynai · Rating 1 out of 5]

i am not a fan of romance novels but sometimes boredom and lack of satisfactory reading material force me to make do with what is available. which is why i have this rotten, dense and stupid book in my hands. i don't need to finish reading this before i say how predictable the story would be. anyhow, it's still better reading trash novels than bumming around doing nothing. at least i wouldn't be thinking hard when i get to the last page.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pretty silly book, though harmless. My main beef with it is that the main character is supposed to be a stand-up comic, and we're supposed to think that her jokes are funnier than the "bad" jokes the "regular people" around her tell - but they're not. They're really not. They're also not original - ironic, since one crucial plot point revolves around her upset feelings when another comedienne "steals her jokes." Anyway, it was a quick, easy read, good for a plane trip.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

i'm all about a quick chick-lit read, but this book was so annoying at times. i did get sucked into the story line, but seriously, some of the attempted witticisms were just too forced and irritating.....the law firm of "newter and spade"--come on, is that the best you can do?

but, if you want a super fast read (like 2 hours fast) w/minimal entertainment value, this is suitable.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I originally bought this book because of the author’s last name. Well it turned out to be a legitimately funny book about a struggling female comedian in Britain trying to sort out her love life. He relationship with the dentist is going nowhere...until she meets the washing machine repairman. A good read and genuinely witty but still a campy romance book.

[Lorelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had me laughing and I was repeating these jokes to my husband. I love the joke she says while she is on stage and thinks she is doing terribly. She says to the audience that she thinks wearing a diaphragm is a pain in the ass and a lady in audience heckles her by saying, that's cause your putting it in the wrong place! It is a fun, light read.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book about a standup comedian whose husband left her and their son for another man, whose fiance is a dentist who seems to be a germaphobe, and whose attraction to the washing machine repairman makes her think twice. It's good for a laugh or two, with a few erotic scenes and worth it if you want a lighthearted comedy romance. :)

[Jenny T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thought this chick-lit book would be funnier, since the main character is an amateur stand up comic. It was a light read with lots of quirky characters, but still not very funny. Best described as a mediocre sitcom with an annoying laugh track. Also, I did not care for the crass sex scenes.