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pixxyhex's review
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
makenzie's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
The idea behind this book was unique - I loved Milly's journey of self-discovery and move away from grind culture wrapped up with a sweet romance.
I just wish that the book was edited a little better. For example, it felt like Jed and Milly had the exact same conversation about how terrible she was 10+ times. Plus, Milly moving out of Jed's place without really thanking him and then avoiding him is ridiculous after months of living there rent free. I don't care how love sick she was, that was really crappy behaviour.
These, and other little things, really pulled me out of the story.
Overall though, it was an enjoyable read and I would read another book by this author if she released it through a different publisher.
I just wish that the book was edited a little better.
These, and other little things, really pulled me out of the story.
Overall though, it was an enjoyable read and I would read another book by this author if she released it through a different publisher.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
poppy2004's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
georginainvisablestring22's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Car accident, and Classism
jenniedaisy's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
The book follows the story of workaholic Milly who gets hits by a bus (!) just when her career looks like its picking up and it seems she is going to have to start all over again. Then cue her ex boyfriend Jed strolling back into her life. And things are looking all over the place!
For starters, Jed Matthews !!! I seriously think he is the best male main character I've read this year and that's saying something! He is the perfect mixture of everything. Honestly, I'd recommend this book just for Jed.
Millys character growth was really great to see and I loved how it wasn't necessarily linear. She definitely bugged me slightly at the beginning but I'm so glad i stuck with it
I also loved how this book tackled grind culture and how toxic it really can be. I think it could be a really eye opening read for some.
(also slightly superficial I know but I do love when a book set in the uk !!)
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because i feel like it ended abruptly and i would have liked to see the story played out a little longer. Aside from that if anyone is looking for an easy read i would definitely recommend!
The book follows the story of workaholic Milly who gets hits by a bus (!) just when her career looks like its picking up and it seems she is going to have to start all over again. Then cue her ex boyfriend Jed strolling back into her life. And things are looking all over the place!
For starters, Jed Matthews !!! I seriously think he is the best male main character I've read this year and that's saying something! He is the perfect mixture of everything. Honestly, I'd recommend this book just for Jed.
Millys character growth was really great to see and I loved how it wasn't necessarily linear. She definitely bugged me slightly at the beginning but I'm so glad i stuck with it
I also loved how this book tackled grind culture and how toxic it really can be. I think it could be a really eye opening read for some.
(also slightly superficial I know but I do love when a book set in the uk !!)
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because i feel like it ended abruptly and i would have liked to see the story played out a little longer. Aside from that if anyone is looking for an easy read i would definitely recommend!
ajenkinson1995's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bananatricky's review against another edition
3.0
Milly is a freelance fashion writer on her way to the interview of her life with British Vogue when her pre-occupation with her mobile phone leads to her being mown down by a London bus. Fast-forward a week and Milly comes out of a coma with cracked ribs, a broken arm, cuts and bruises. Worse, a week in hospital has meant that Milly has missed numerous deadlines and she has lost all her regular columns and writing work. Then to put a cherry on a really poobah week, her landlady serves her notice on the awful flat they share, because Milly clearly won't be able to pay the rent with no work coming in.
Only through her time in hospital does Milly realise that she has prioritised her career over friends, over family, and over love. But when the chips are down the only people there to support her are her family and her ex-boyfriend Jed.
I can only describe this as a mash-up/retelling of [b:A Little Princess|3008|A Little Princess|Frances Hodgson Burnett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327868556l/3008._SY75_.jpg|1313599], with a smoosh of the film Overboard (which actually is probably a modern, grown-up version of A Little Princess anyway), a whisper of [b:A Christmas Carol|5326|A Christmas Carol|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1406512317l/5326._SY75_.jpg|3097440] and just about every Hallmark movie ever made. Milly was clearly a 'bad person' pre her encounter with the bus, she even missed her nephew's sole speaking line at the school play. She is glued to her phone 24/7 and pays no attention to friends and family. Unfortunately, for me, Milly's road to enlightenment is less of a road and more of a doorstep. Within a day or two of waking up (it seems) bad Milly is no more and now we have caring sharing Milly who wanders around London with her eyes wide open seeing all the parts of London she never had time for before. She talks to random strangers on the bus and in a church (TBH at this point I suspected that there might be some woo-woo higher power at work, but luckily that fear was unfounded), she enters into conversations with the local bookshop owner and the Italian who owns the deli round the corner.
And now Jed, Jed is a self-made millionaire who devotes a lot of time to charity and other good works, he dates a super-model heiress and seems to work from home an awful lot. A self-made millionaire under the age of 30 who only seems to work part-time - He must be a unicorn.
I'm writing this with raging insomnia and so I am being particularly snarky but this novel relies on a series of coincidences to make things work. Is it really likely that one week in a coma would mean that Milly would have missed every single deadline, surely some of her columns would have been monthly? Is it also likely that the entire industry would completely blank her, even after she explained about the coma, and especially when she was always quick to help others out in the past (surely in the Hallmark film this is where all her former clients and mentees would turn up with offers of work, or at least a box of chocolates)? Then because of the aforementioned landlady and having no money and her brother having building work done the only place Milly can stay is in Jed's penthouse apartment? And there's more but I won't spoil things that happen later in the book.
Overall, this was a pleasant enough read, but totally predictable from start to finish, it needed more subtlety, more light and dark. The characters felt too one-dimensional. For example, Milly's brother confiscates her phone, rightly blaming her accident on Milly's obsession with emails and social media. But then later when she doesn't answer four calls from him he isn't the least bit concerned - if I called someone who was glued to their phone and they didn't answer/call me back within a few hours I'd be contacting the police!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Only through her time in hospital does Milly realise that she has prioritised her career over friends, over family, and over love. But when the chips are down the only people there to support her are her family and her ex-boyfriend Jed.
I can only describe this as a mash-up/retelling of [b:A Little Princess|3008|A Little Princess|Frances Hodgson Burnett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327868556l/3008._SY75_.jpg|1313599], with a smoosh of the film Overboard (which actually is probably a modern, grown-up version of A Little Princess anyway), a whisper of [b:A Christmas Carol|5326|A Christmas Carol|Charles Dickens|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1406512317l/5326._SY75_.jpg|3097440] and just about every Hallmark movie ever made. Milly was clearly a 'bad person' pre her encounter with the bus, she even missed her nephew's sole speaking line at the school play. She is glued to her phone 24/7 and pays no attention to friends and family. Unfortunately, for me, Milly's road to enlightenment is less of a road and more of a doorstep. Within a day or two of waking up (it seems) bad Milly is no more and now we have caring sharing Milly who wanders around London with her eyes wide open seeing all the parts of London she never had time for before. She talks to random strangers on the bus and in a church (TBH at this point I suspected that there might be some woo-woo higher power at work, but luckily that fear was unfounded), she enters into conversations with the local bookshop owner and the Italian who owns the deli round the corner.
And now Jed, Jed is a self-made millionaire who devotes a lot of time to charity and other good works, he dates a super-model heiress and seems to work from home an awful lot. A self-made millionaire under the age of 30 who only seems to work part-time - He must be a unicorn.
I'm writing this with raging insomnia and so I am being particularly snarky but this novel relies on a series of coincidences to make things work. Is it really likely that one week in a coma would mean that Milly would have missed every single deadline, surely some of her columns would have been monthly? Is it also likely that the entire industry would completely blank her, even after she explained about the coma, and especially when she was always quick to help others out in the past (surely in the Hallmark film this is where all her former clients and mentees would turn up with offers of work, or at least a box of chocolates)? Then because of the aforementioned landlady and having no money and her brother having building work done the only place Milly can stay is in Jed's penthouse apartment? And there's more but I won't spoil things that happen later in the book.
Overall, this was a pleasant enough read, but totally predictable from start to finish, it needed more subtlety, more light and dark. The characters felt too one-dimensional. For example, Milly's brother confiscates her phone, rightly blaming her accident on Milly's obsession with emails and social media. But then later when she doesn't answer four calls from him he isn't the least bit concerned - if I called someone who was glued to their phone and they didn't answer/call me back within a few hours I'd be contacting the police!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
livchids's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
shelleyann01's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars
This book was so sweet I thought I'd get a toothache, usually I hate that type of thing BUT this book was cute AND funny so it got me...
It also had a message but NOT the hit you over the head kind. It's simply get your face outta the phone and see what's around you kind.
AND.....When Milly went into the book store and this happened... "I glanced around, enveloped in that peaceful sense of calm you only ever get from a bookshop." ...I knew she was a girl after my own heart.
Add in a sexy ex she has to stay with...well let's just say he's...
So lesson learned and life happily goes on. I liked this one, it was an uplifting, easy read that made me smile....And we can all use as many as we can get right now...also the link for the epilogue was a brilliant treat.
Disclosure:
Thank you NetGalley, Maxine Morrey and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.
#ThingsAreLookingUp #NetGalley