rikki_jade's review against another edition
3.0
I don't think books like this are for me. The important and serious issues but wrapped up with the attractive chatacters, dramatic escapades and conveniently serendipitous storylines. I know that there is a certain comfort in reading stories with easy language, a level of predictability and a happy ending but I think I'm too cynical for them. And far out, I appreciate flawed and morally grey characters but there were too many characters in this one that I found SO bratty and selfish.
I did appreciate the clearly Australian setting and references to such, and the diverse ages and believable and relatable lives and occupations of the majority of them. I know people will love this, but for me it was just okay, and a bit irritating too. 2.5 stars.
I did appreciate the clearly Australian setting and references to such, and the diverse ages and believable and relatable lives and occupations of the majority of them. I know people will love this, but for me it was just okay, and a bit irritating too. 2.5 stars.
julielouise234's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It was an enjoyable quick read with a believable ending, which I appreciated.
thelifeoflaura's review against another edition
5.0
Four women, one dress, and a secret that will bind them all.
Paige is getting married, though her joy quickly falls away as her mother, Rebecca, collapses during the speeches of her book launch. From this, Paige comes up with a plan to hunt down and wear her mother’s dress when she walks down the aisle, to show her mother how much she means to her.
Another absolutely brilliant book from Rachael Jones. while it didn’t leave me with the heartbreak that The Greatest Gift did, it left full of all the warm fuzzies. As the story unfolds and the secrets come out, you can help but fall in love with all four women, wanting to know all the stories and hoping they will all end up ok in the end.
Would highly highly highly recommend this if you’re after a lovely, light hearted read that reminds you of the important things in life.
Paige is getting married, though her joy quickly falls away as her mother, Rebecca, collapses during the speeches of her book launch. From this, Paige comes up with a plan to hunt down and wear her mother’s dress when she walks down the aisle, to show her mother how much she means to her.
Another absolutely brilliant book from Rachael Jones. while it didn’t leave me with the heartbreak that The Greatest Gift did, it left full of all the warm fuzzies. As the story unfolds and the secrets come out, you can help but fall in love with all four women, wanting to know all the stories and hoping they will all end up ok in the end.
Would highly highly highly recommend this if you’re after a lovely, light hearted read that reminds you of the important things in life.
sharondblk's review against another edition
1.0
I was given this book as an ARC from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I DNFd this at 67 percent. I really wanted to do the author the courtesy of finishing, but when I found myself highlighting passages to use in this review, just to show how the writing annoyed me, I realised it was time to call it.
There are 4 main characters in this book and 4 main issues with this book:
1) The characters had no interiority. Despite the various viewpoints, the voice of the book is a very surface level third person narration, which more than once, jarringly, judges the protagonists actions. Related to this, all emotions are felt through the body. For example “she grew so anxious she made herself physically ill”. Other symptoms of feelings include headaches, shaking and nausea. I was given no reason to like any of the characters. They are all petulant, selfish and boring. Once reason I could stop 2/3 of the way through was that I didn’t care what happened at all.
2) There is a lot of detail that is completely irrelevant, like what the assistant in the op shop is wearing, what kind of fish was ordered. So much discussion about driving and parking, and descriptions of making tea and coffee. A good editor should have sorted all that out.
3) This book contains weird slightly offensivestatements. One of the pointless asides is about a woman who is knitting “She was not just knitting pointlessly. She was making fiddlemitts”. I’m glad Rachel Johns read a column somewhere about fiddlemitts, but if she’s been knitting baby bootees, or a shawl, or a swatch, would that have been pointless? That’s not nearly as weird as later in the book where she drops this gem “Old people had a lot of wisdom to offer if you bothered to pay attention.”
4) The entire plot is driven by a series of unlikely coincidences. This might have worked in the hands of a more subtle writer, but here it just falls flat. Except for one twist, the mystery is obvious from the beginning, and the not caring overwhelmed any desire to find out if they stop sulking and sort it out of not.
Well, it was honst.. thanks for the ARC, Netgalley.
I DNFd this at 67 percent. I really wanted to do the author the courtesy of finishing, but when I found myself highlighting passages to use in this review, just to show how the writing annoyed me, I realised it was time to call it.
There are 4 main characters in this book and 4 main issues with this book:
1) The characters had no interiority. Despite the various viewpoints, the voice of the book is a very surface level third person narration, which more than once, jarringly, judges the protagonists actions. Related to this, all emotions are felt through the body. For example “she grew so anxious she made herself physically ill”. Other symptoms of feelings include headaches, shaking and nausea. I was given no reason to like any of the characters. They are all petulant, selfish and boring. Once reason I could stop 2/3 of the way through was that I didn’t care what happened at all.
2) There is a lot of detail that is completely irrelevant, like what the assistant in the op shop is wearing, what kind of fish was ordered. So much discussion about driving and parking, and descriptions of making tea and coffee. A good editor should have sorted all that out.
3) This book contains weird slightly offensivestatements. One of the pointless asides is about a woman who is knitting “She was not just knitting pointlessly. She was making fiddlemitts”. I’m glad Rachel Johns read a column somewhere about fiddlemitts, but if she’s been knitting baby bootees, or a shawl, or a swatch, would that have been pointless? That’s not nearly as weird as later in the book where she drops this gem “Old people had a lot of wisdom to offer if you bothered to pay attention.”
4) The entire plot is driven by a series of unlikely coincidences. This might have worked in the hands of a more subtle writer, but here it just falls flat. Except for one twist, the mystery is obvious from the beginning, and the not caring overwhelmed any desire to find out if they stop sulking and sort it out of not.
Well, it was honst.. thanks for the ARC, Netgalley.
ourlovelylittlelibrary's review against another edition
2.0
I'm surprised this book has such a high rating. I thought it was pretty terrible: poorly written and rubbish story! Completely unmemorable.
jessicacoleee's review against another edition
4.0
I was confused in the beginning but by the end I wanted to throw my book at Paige, Clara and Hugh’s faces, even Josie at some points.
That’s all.
That’s all.
margreads's review against another edition
4.0
It's taken me a while to read but once I picked it up again yesterday I kept reading until 1am.
samstillreading's review against another edition
5.0
With Lost Without You, Rachael Johns demonstrates her brilliance as a writer yet again. The story has a tangled, convoluted plot with some less than nice emotions displayed by the characters but she makes it all a pleasure to read. There are moments of anger and heartbreak but overall the book offers hope and love.
The story is primarily about the MacRitchie women, Rebecca and Paige. Rebecca collapses just as Paige’s boyfriend is about to propose but it’s not something simple. It’s a life changing – and potentially limiting – illness. Rebecca has got a lot to face in the coming months and she starts thinking about her deepest secret that not even her husband knows. Meanwhile, Paige said yes and is thinking about how great it would be to get married in her mother’s wedding dress. Unfortunately, her mother donated it to charity but Paige manages to track it to Josie. Josie’s life is in a bit of a mess after turning to drinking and smoking after multiple miscarriages. Paige is just the friend she needs, but it’s a chance meeting with a stranger that leads Josie to Clara. Clara is a volunteer counsellor and nurse and they help each other through the bumps in their lives. Then things become even more complex than any of them thought…
Lost Without You does contain some absolutely amazing coincidences and that’s one of the reasons I read and enjoy fiction. It would be mundane if there weren’t any links between the women and the coincidences were nice and twisty so I didn’t guess most of them! I think the links between the main characters helped to make the story more cohesive and easier for the reader to enjoy. Knowing the links between the women also made their reactions to various events more realistic. Some of the revelations were pretty deep – particularly one involving Paige – and I think her spectacular reaction was great. Not great for Rebecca, who had to deal with the fallout, but great for making her character flawed and vulnerable. Likewise, some characters have difficulty with forgiveness and/or acceptance but that’s life. You can’t forgive everything and expect it all to be sunshine and roses. I respected the characters a lot more for their hissy hits and honest, if unpopular, emotions. These are all strong, independent women and they can make their own choices without having to pander to anyone else. I think Rebecca was a great example of that. Her secret once revealed put her on the outer with many other people, but she stuck to her guns to satisfy what she wanted. She was also pragmatic about everyone not forgiving her straightaway, knowing there was a process to go through.
This novel is also officially a chunkster, but don’t let that put you off. The pages fly by because both the plot and characters are fascinating. Rachael Johns states that she writes life lit, but Lost Without You is not the five-day grind, but the unexpected in book form. This novel allows the reader to learn about several serious issues, but also have some fun. (If you’re an eighties enthusiast, there is plenty here for you!) The dialogue is convincing as it reads how people actually speak and overall, it’s just a winner. Expect Lost Without You to be on many beach towels this summer!
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
The story is primarily about the MacRitchie women, Rebecca and Paige. Rebecca collapses just as Paige’s boyfriend is about to propose but it’s not something simple. It’s a life changing – and potentially limiting – illness. Rebecca has got a lot to face in the coming months and she starts thinking about her deepest secret that not even her husband knows. Meanwhile, Paige said yes and is thinking about how great it would be to get married in her mother’s wedding dress. Unfortunately, her mother donated it to charity but Paige manages to track it to Josie. Josie’s life is in a bit of a mess after turning to drinking and smoking after multiple miscarriages. Paige is just the friend she needs, but it’s a chance meeting with a stranger that leads Josie to Clara. Clara is a volunteer counsellor and nurse and they help each other through the bumps in their lives. Then things become even more complex than any of them thought…
Lost Without You does contain some absolutely amazing coincidences and that’s one of the reasons I read and enjoy fiction. It would be mundane if there weren’t any links between the women and the coincidences were nice and twisty so I didn’t guess most of them! I think the links between the main characters helped to make the story more cohesive and easier for the reader to enjoy. Knowing the links between the women also made their reactions to various events more realistic. Some of the revelations were pretty deep – particularly one involving Paige – and I think her spectacular reaction was great. Not great for Rebecca, who had to deal with the fallout, but great for making her character flawed and vulnerable. Likewise, some characters have difficulty with forgiveness and/or acceptance but that’s life. You can’t forgive everything and expect it all to be sunshine and roses. I respected the characters a lot more for their hissy hits and honest, if unpopular, emotions. These are all strong, independent women and they can make their own choices without having to pander to anyone else. I think Rebecca was a great example of that. Her secret once revealed put her on the outer with many other people, but she stuck to her guns to satisfy what she wanted. She was also pragmatic about everyone not forgiving her straightaway, knowing there was a process to go through.
This novel is also officially a chunkster, but don’t let that put you off. The pages fly by because both the plot and characters are fascinating. Rachael Johns states that she writes life lit, but Lost Without You is not the five-day grind, but the unexpected in book form. This novel allows the reader to learn about several serious issues, but also have some fun. (If you’re an eighties enthusiast, there is plenty here for you!) The dialogue is convincing as it reads how people actually speak and overall, it’s just a winner. Expect Lost Without You to be on many beach towels this summer!
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
bianca89279's review
4.0
4+
Four different women are brought together by life circumstances, and a wedding dress.
When serious illness strikes Paige’s mum, she’s determined to wear her mother’s 80s wedding dress at her upcoming nuptials, so she takes to tracking it down, as her mum had donated it to charity. Rachel, Paige’s mum, has a huge secret that she has kept from her loving husband, Hugh, and Paige.
Another character is Josie, who at thirty-five is feeling depressed about her multiple miscarriages and is worried her marriage to Nick won't survive.
Clara is a nurse and also a counsellor of people who dealt with miscarriages.
The four women’s journeys include illness, miscarriages, divorce, adoption, regrets and starting over, to name just a few of the themes. I liked all the female characters. I did think that some of the men were a little too good to be true.
While it did take me a little bit of time to get my head straight about who was who, once I got better acquainted to the multiple characters, I was flying.
Bestselling author Rachel Johns has written another life lit novel filled with relatable characters whose stories are gripping and quite moving at times.
This novel goes my Aussie Author Challenge on www.bookloverbookreviews.com
Four different women are brought together by life circumstances, and a wedding dress.
When serious illness strikes Paige’s mum, she’s determined to wear her mother’s 80s wedding dress at her upcoming nuptials, so she takes to tracking it down, as her mum had donated it to charity. Rachel, Paige’s mum, has a huge secret that she has kept from her loving husband, Hugh, and Paige.
Another character is Josie, who at thirty-five is feeling depressed about her multiple miscarriages and is worried her marriage to Nick won't survive.
Clara is a nurse and also a counsellor of people who dealt with miscarriages.
The four women’s journeys include illness, miscarriages, divorce, adoption, regrets and starting over, to name just a few of the themes. I liked all the female characters. I did think that some of the men were a little too good to be true.
While it did take me a little bit of time to get my head straight about who was who, once I got better acquainted to the multiple characters, I was flying.
Bestselling author Rachel Johns has written another life lit novel filled with relatable characters whose stories are gripping and quite moving at times.
This novel goes my Aussie Author Challenge on www.bookloverbookreviews.com