mees_grows's review
3.0
This was a very interesting and fun read. I enjoyed it more than I thought that I would. The characters were well developed and the story line was thoughtful and well paced.
mystic_dragon's review
2.0
Yeah it's a 2 star at most lol, might have been a bit too generous with my initial 2.5-3 star rating. It just wasn't really that great, and I felt like I had to force my way through it for a book challenge, and found I didn't really like any of it. The main character seemed cool, but the most interesting thing about her was her relationship with her brother, Nicholas, and I wanted more exploration of that, and less focus on the magic witchy stuff and the romance with Kai, who just felt too one-dimensional to give a damn about him. Usually wouldn't have continued with it but needed a book with 'bubble' in the title, and there's a shortage of that in the publication industry! It's not terrible or anything, it's ok, but it really wasn't for me, and I can't say that I want to read any more about these characters, or from this author in future unless the premise really appeals. Sorry.
sparklebox1's review
5.0
Such a cute story with a mix of anxious moments, magic and love. Really enjoyed this
bananatricky's review
3.0
I think I've read this before but neither reviewed nor rated it!
I have to be honest I think this was a bit of a miss by Jane Lovering, usually I think she can do no wrong but this one didn't do it for me.
Holly Grey is a location scout for TV programmes, she also spends a lot of time caring for her elder brother who tends to talk to walls and get depressed if he is off his meds. Her BFF Megan is one of life's optimists and forces Holly to join a women's group to do magic and make their dreams come true.
Soon there are a leather-clad, long-haired investigative reporters (and their pregnant 20 year old daughters - well just the one daughter), ginger farmers, priapic Scotsmen, slobbering dogs, fke witches and lonely women to deal with.
Kai Rhys has spent his life adrift, not knowing who he really is, feeling abandoned and unworthy, he tends to take out his feelings of worthlessness out on the women he sees, using and abandoning them with impunity until he meets Holly. For some reason this red-haired woman 'sees' him in a way no other woman has ever tried to.
I'll be honest, I thought Kai was a whiner and needed to grow up. He tried to draw comparisons between himself and Holly, but frankly if you had an older brother who demonstrated that he couldn't look after himself, and parents who seemed incapable of recognising his issues, would't you step into the breach? I know I would rather mother my older brother than find out he had been found dead in a ditch after coming off his meds and walking alone on the moors until he froze to death.
In comparison to the other Jane Lovering books I have read this was also short of laugh out loud humour, the 'coven' didn't really go anywhere and I didn't feel invested in any of the characters.
I have to be honest I think this was a bit of a miss by Jane Lovering, usually I think she can do no wrong but this one didn't do it for me.
Holly Grey is a location scout for TV programmes, she also spends a lot of time caring for her elder brother who tends to talk to walls and get depressed if he is off his meds. Her BFF Megan is one of life's optimists and forces Holly to join a women's group to do magic and make their dreams come true.
Soon there are a leather-clad, long-haired investigative reporters (and their pregnant 20 year old daughters - well just the one daughter), ginger farmers, priapic Scotsmen, slobbering dogs, fke witches and lonely women to deal with.
Kai Rhys has spent his life adrift, not knowing who he really is, feeling abandoned and unworthy, he tends to take out his feelings of worthlessness out on the women he sees, using and abandoning them with impunity until he meets Holly. For some reason this red-haired woman 'sees' him in a way no other woman has ever tried to.
I'll be honest, I thought Kai was a whiner and needed to grow up. He tried to draw comparisons between himself and Holly, but frankly if you had an older brother who demonstrated that he couldn't look after himself, and parents who seemed incapable of recognising his issues, would't you step into the breach? I know I would rather mother my older brother than find out he had been found dead in a ditch after coming off his meds and walking alone on the moors until he froze to death.
In comparison to the other Jane Lovering books I have read this was also short of laugh out loud humour, the 'coven' didn't really go anywhere and I didn't feel invested in any of the characters.
adventurepanda's review
2.0
Yeah it's a 2 star at most lol, might have been a bit too generous with my initial 2.5-3 star rating. It just wasn't really that great, and I felt like I had to force my way through it for a book challenge, and found I didn't really like any of it. The main character seemed cool, but the most interesting thing about her was her relationship with her brother, Nicholas, and I wanted more exploration of that, and less focus on the magic witchy stuff and the romance with Kai, who just felt too one-dimensional to give a damn about him. Usually wouldn't have continued with it but needed a book with 'bubble' in the title, and there's a shortage of that in the publication industry! It's not terrible or anything, it's ok, but it really wasn't for me, and I can't say that I want to read any more about these characters, or from this author in future unless the premise really appeals. Sorry.
serendipity_viv's review
4.0
Originally published at www.serendipityreviews.co.uk
I think one of the things I love best about Jane Lovering’s books is her ability to make paranormal sound so contemporary. In this book, we find Holly practically dragged along to join a rather dodgy women’s group that dabbles with the occult. There is something very WI about this group and I found myself pining to join them. Only Jane Lovering could make dabbling with the occult sound like a knitting circle.
Holly is a great protagonist. The kind of person with wit and style every girl dreams of being. Her one liners had me choking with laughter. She is extremely happy with her life and doesn’t want to make any changes…or so she thinks. Along comes dark, mysterious bad boy Kai and her life turns upside down. If I’m truthful, I didn’t like Kai to begin with which I believe is intentional. He comes across as a rather nasty womanizer when you read his letters and I couldn’t see a future for the two characters. But as with all good books, characters change as the story progresses and Kai turns into the man you would like to tie to your bedpost!
The rest of the characters were quirky and interesting. I loved Vivienne! But then I would. I have always wanted to be a white witch and now I can be – within Jane’s novel!
The plot has some very interesting twists, especially at the end. I was really surprised by the events that occurred.
With the magical element in the story, I do feel you are left to your own conclusions as to whether it is real or not. It’s a bit like religion, you either believe in it or you don’t and I think the author has left it open. Things happen in the story but they could always be put down to coincidence.
I’m always intrigued by what Jane Lovering will write next as she has taken the chick lit market and given it her own unique slant, allowing speculative plot strands to weave in and out of a very contemporary story. Jane is definitely an author that stands out on her own. With her wit and sarcasm entwined with an entertaining and original story, you find yourself with a really entertaining read.
I think one of the things I love best about Jane Lovering’s books is her ability to make paranormal sound so contemporary. In this book, we find Holly practically dragged along to join a rather dodgy women’s group that dabbles with the occult. There is something very WI about this group and I found myself pining to join them. Only Jane Lovering could make dabbling with the occult sound like a knitting circle.
Holly is a great protagonist. The kind of person with wit and style every girl dreams of being. Her one liners had me choking with laughter. She is extremely happy with her life and doesn’t want to make any changes…or so she thinks. Along comes dark, mysterious bad boy Kai and her life turns upside down. If I’m truthful, I didn’t like Kai to begin with which I believe is intentional. He comes across as a rather nasty womanizer when you read his letters and I couldn’t see a future for the two characters. But as with all good books, characters change as the story progresses and Kai turns into the man you would like to tie to your bedpost!
The rest of the characters were quirky and interesting. I loved Vivienne! But then I would. I have always wanted to be a white witch and now I can be – within Jane’s novel!
The plot has some very interesting twists, especially at the end. I was really surprised by the events that occurred.
With the magical element in the story, I do feel you are left to your own conclusions as to whether it is real or not. It’s a bit like religion, you either believe in it or you don’t and I think the author has left it open. Things happen in the story but they could always be put down to coincidence.
I’m always intrigued by what Jane Lovering will write next as she has taken the chick lit market and given it her own unique slant, allowing speculative plot strands to weave in and out of a very contemporary story. Jane is definitely an author that stands out on her own. With her wit and sarcasm entwined with an entertaining and original story, you find yourself with a really entertaining read.
tinksreviews's review
4.0
***SPOILER ALERT***
When Holly Grey's best friend books them in for magic lessons, she can't believe her luck and not in a good way. Her bubbly friend Megan says it will be a great idea, but Holly has other opinions of the matter, though despite what she thinks, Holly backs her friend up so she won't be alone.
So when Megan and Holly turn up at the witches house, only to discover that it is an elderly woman gone a bit mad, Holly just can't get over the amount of tripe the old woman says, especially when all the other women believe it.
But when Holly is sent to go and take a look at The Old Lodge down in the woodlands for work, she didn't think she would encounter a tall, handsome but troubled looking man.
Kai Rhys has some problems that he can't get rid of, the fact that his mother left him when he was a baby for no apparent reason, that he's trying to unearth a big secret for his journalism job, but doesn't know where to start. Or perhaps it's the one thing that lets him down the most, a relationship.
Though on the night of making a wish with the witch workshop, bad things start to happen. From men on bikes following and threatening them, to the potion everyone drank and getting seriously ill, all part from Holly.
When both Kai and Holly's paths cross, things start to get a bit complicated and not in the relationship department. There's something there about Kai that Holly can't shake off, she knows what she would like to shake and where, but there's something deep down, something raw and wrong with Kai that she is determined to find out.
Kai knows something about Holly, something that has been eating away at her for years. So when he brother Nicholas comes over, he starts to think that something is wrong between them. He just doesn't know what, but he is determined to get Holly to come to her senses and look further into her relationship with Nick, something deep that she has been covering up for twenty years.
Soon everyone's wishes start to unfold in the strangest of events, and their not all smooth sailing either. Most go with a bump, a shock, some adventure and definitely some excitement. All the wishes soon start to come together and are all apart of each others in someway, they just need an extra bit of digging to get there.
Hubble Bubble by Jane Lovering, is the first novel I have read by this fantastic author! I picked this book up from the Library a couple of weeks ago and I'm so happy that I picked this one up and not the other I was going to get.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this book, it's been a hilarious and fun read. I adored all the characters, I thought they we're thought out and described perfectly with their own little back ground stories. Holly Grey is a definite Heroine in this story and she's not half funny to show for it. Her feeling and character we're an appealing read, she's a though cookie who doesn't stand no messing, but sometimes her barriers have to fall down.
I can honestly say it's not what I expected at all! I thought it would have been a lot darker and a totally different storyline, but I'm glad it wasn't. I will definitely be reading this book again and will also be reading more of Jane Lovering's books.
I also loved that it was based around Yorkshire! ;) I could understand and sympathise with the characters more on the weather.
The only thing about this book and it's a tiny thing but I feel the need to mention it. Is that whilst I loved Kai and Holly's relationship and their characters, I also loved there sexual tension too and their romance to it as it was just plain sexy! BUT! I feel when they talked about their problems, they talked a bit about them too much, too much brooding and "Oh woes me" all the time which was a bit of a let down.
But all in all I loved the book and will be reading it again! I couldn't really put too much into the review otherwise I would of given the book away!
I will give this book 8.5 out of 10
When Holly Grey's best friend books them in for magic lessons, she can't believe her luck and not in a good way. Her bubbly friend Megan says it will be a great idea, but Holly has other opinions of the matter, though despite what she thinks, Holly backs her friend up so she won't be alone.
So when Megan and Holly turn up at the witches house, only to discover that it is an elderly woman gone a bit mad, Holly just can't get over the amount of tripe the old woman says, especially when all the other women believe it.
But when Holly is sent to go and take a look at The Old Lodge down in the woodlands for work, she didn't think she would encounter a tall, handsome but troubled looking man.
Kai Rhys has some problems that he can't get rid of, the fact that his mother left him when he was a baby for no apparent reason, that he's trying to unearth a big secret for his journalism job, but doesn't know where to start. Or perhaps it's the one thing that lets him down the most, a relationship.
Though on the night of making a wish with the witch workshop, bad things start to happen. From men on bikes following and threatening them, to the potion everyone drank and getting seriously ill, all part from Holly.
When both Kai and Holly's paths cross, things start to get a bit complicated and not in the relationship department. There's something there about Kai that Holly can't shake off, she knows what she would like to shake and where, but there's something deep down, something raw and wrong with Kai that she is determined to find out.
Kai knows something about Holly, something that has been eating away at her for years. So when he brother Nicholas comes over, he starts to think that something is wrong between them. He just doesn't know what, but he is determined to get Holly to come to her senses and look further into her relationship with Nick, something deep that she has been covering up for twenty years.
Soon everyone's wishes start to unfold in the strangest of events, and their not all smooth sailing either. Most go with a bump, a shock, some adventure and definitely some excitement. All the wishes soon start to come together and are all apart of each others in someway, they just need an extra bit of digging to get there.
Hubble Bubble by Jane Lovering, is the first novel I have read by this fantastic author! I picked this book up from the Library a couple of weeks ago and I'm so happy that I picked this one up and not the other I was going to get.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this book, it's been a hilarious and fun read. I adored all the characters, I thought they we're thought out and described perfectly with their own little back ground stories. Holly Grey is a definite Heroine in this story and she's not half funny to show for it. Her feeling and character we're an appealing read, she's a though cookie who doesn't stand no messing, but sometimes her barriers have to fall down.
I can honestly say it's not what I expected at all! I thought it would have been a lot darker and a totally different storyline, but I'm glad it wasn't. I will definitely be reading this book again and will also be reading more of Jane Lovering's books.
I also loved that it was based around Yorkshire! ;) I could understand and sympathise with the characters more on the weather.
The only thing about this book and it's a tiny thing but I feel the need to mention it. Is that whilst I loved Kai and Holly's relationship and their characters, I also loved there sexual tension too and their romance to it as it was just plain sexy! BUT! I feel when they talked about their problems, they talked a bit about them too much, too much brooding and "Oh woes me" all the time which was a bit of a let down.
But all in all I loved the book and will be reading it again! I couldn't really put too much into the review otherwise I would of given the book away!
I will give this book 8.5 out of 10
blodeuedd's review
3.0
I liked that you could make up your own mind about what happened in this book. Did they really do magic? Or was it just by chance? I will go with magic cos magic is always cooler.
Holly was a practical woman. She takes care of her brother. She does not do long term relationships. She does not see the big problem in her own life. But I liked that about her, it brings the drama in a good way. She needs to think about what she really is doing and then she can move on.
The love interest then, oh how these two jumped around each other and never got it done right. Kai is a journalist with issues of his owns that he is trying to deal with. 2 emotionally scarred people finding their way, and each other. It was a long way there, but for these it just could not happen fast. That would have made no sense.
Yes yes the witchy stuff. They form a circle, things gets spooky, and there are creepy men in the woods. Things gets scary too. Not all is what it seems. And maybe the circle gets some happy endings of their own too ;)
Magic or no magic? Drama. Love and friendship is what this book brings.
Holly was a practical woman. She takes care of her brother. She does not do long term relationships. She does not see the big problem in her own life. But I liked that about her, it brings the drama in a good way. She needs to think about what she really is doing and then she can move on.
The love interest then, oh how these two jumped around each other and never got it done right. Kai is a journalist with issues of his owns that he is trying to deal with. 2 emotionally scarred people finding their way, and each other. It was a long way there, but for these it just could not happen fast. That would have made no sense.
Yes yes the witchy stuff. They form a circle, things gets spooky, and there are creepy men in the woods. Things gets scary too. Not all is what it seems. And maybe the circle gets some happy endings of their own too ;)
Magic or no magic? Drama. Love and friendship is what this book brings.
leahmichelle_13's review
4.0
I really enjoy Jane Lovering’s novels, ever since her first offering Please Don’t Stop The Music, followed by her second novel Star Struck which was even better than her first, if that was possible! She’s such a fabulous author, capable of coming up with book plots most other authors wouldn’t dream of, and I like that her novels don’t conform to most Chick Lit guidelines, and they’re all the better for it. When I was offered her new novel Hubble Bubble to review I jumped at the chance; I’ll be honest, though, that’s witchcraft only ever appeals to me in the Harry Potter books or similar. But I know how amazing a writer Jane is and I’m pleased to say the magic wasn’t weird, and there was no naked dancing in sight (thankfully!).
What I like most about Jane Lovering’s novels is her characters aren’t your everyday run-of-the-mill Chick Lit characters. They’re real people, they’re not pin-up heroes, though they are gorgeous in their own way, and I liked how refreshingly honest Holly (and Kai, too, I suppose) was about not wanting to date, about not wanting a serious relationship because she just doesn’t want it because all men are jerks. Both Holly and Kai have reasons to not want relationships, reasons a bit more than because men are jerks (for Holly) and women are pieces of meat and that’s all they are (Kai), Lovering’s characters lives always run deep and particularly so for Kai whose backstory is really sad. So, too, was Holly’s life as she takes care of her brother, Nick. I actually really liked Nick, I liked how he was portrayed and how he stood up for himself and how he didn’t let his illness drag him down, I thought that was pretty amazing, actually.
I found the magical element to be a bit of fun during the novel. I liked how the question was there as to whether the girls’ wishes were coming true, and I particularly liked how Holly’s seemed to come true in the strangest of ways, but even more so I adored how her best friend Megan’s came to fruition, Rufus was a VERY welcome addition to the novel. Isobel and Eve were two brilliant characters as well, I was always slightly worried about poor Eve as she seemed so frail! There was a lovely cast of characters in the novel, so many different personalities, although Vivienne scared me a bit as she seemed a lot more witchy than the others!
I really enjoyed Hubble Bubble, it was such a wonderful novel. I loved the romance and the sparks between Holly and Kai, I absolutely adored Kai’s daughter Cerys, she was one of my favourite characters in the novel easily. She was rather deserving of her very own novel, I think. I really love Jane’s novels, if you’ve never read any of her novels you’re missing out as she’s one of the most talented Chick Lit writers around with plots you really aren’t used to but are fabulous nonetheless. Hubble Bubble was awesome, really well written with unforgettable characters, and a brilliant plot! I can’t wait to see what brilliant plot idea Lovering has for her next novel, but I’m sure it’ll be wonderful and I can’t wait to read it!
What I like most about Jane Lovering’s novels is her characters aren’t your everyday run-of-the-mill Chick Lit characters. They’re real people, they’re not pin-up heroes, though they are gorgeous in their own way, and I liked how refreshingly honest Holly (and Kai, too, I suppose) was about not wanting to date, about not wanting a serious relationship because she just doesn’t want it because all men are jerks. Both Holly and Kai have reasons to not want relationships, reasons a bit more than because men are jerks (for Holly) and women are pieces of meat and that’s all they are (Kai), Lovering’s characters lives always run deep and particularly so for Kai whose backstory is really sad. So, too, was Holly’s life as she takes care of her brother, Nick. I actually really liked Nick, I liked how he was portrayed and how he stood up for himself and how he didn’t let his illness drag him down, I thought that was pretty amazing, actually.
I found the magical element to be a bit of fun during the novel. I liked how the question was there as to whether the girls’ wishes were coming true, and I particularly liked how Holly’s seemed to come true in the strangest of ways, but even more so I adored how her best friend Megan’s came to fruition, Rufus was a VERY welcome addition to the novel. Isobel and Eve were two brilliant characters as well, I was always slightly worried about poor Eve as she seemed so frail! There was a lovely cast of characters in the novel, so many different personalities, although Vivienne scared me a bit as she seemed a lot more witchy than the others!
I really enjoyed Hubble Bubble, it was such a wonderful novel. I loved the romance and the sparks between Holly and Kai, I absolutely adored Kai’s daughter Cerys, she was one of my favourite characters in the novel easily. She was rather deserving of her very own novel, I think. I really love Jane’s novels, if you’ve never read any of her novels you’re missing out as she’s one of the most talented Chick Lit writers around with plots you really aren’t used to but are fabulous nonetheless. Hubble Bubble was awesome, really well written with unforgettable characters, and a brilliant plot! I can’t wait to see what brilliant plot idea Lovering has for her next novel, but I’m sure it’ll be wonderful and I can’t wait to read it!
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