Best of November 2021

It's November and here's my best of the new releases out this month.....

On A Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk (11 Nov 2021)

Within days of wishing she could change her life, Fran Cooper is acting assistant to a celebrity, on a yacht in the Mediterranean, and en route to a tiny Italian island and the glittering Crystal Ball, along with the world’s rich and famous. When she - quite literally - bumps into a handsome American called Evan he makes her a promise: no last names, no life stories, just one unforgettable night. Yet Evan belongs at the Crystal Ball and Fran is a gatecrasher. They may be soulmates, but their homes are an ocean apart and their lives a world apart. They’ll never meet again - unless, on a night like this, everything can change forever....

In my opinion: ★★★★★

I LOVED this! I loved the character of Fran - someone who's "more Monica than Rachel without so much of a hint of Phoebe" but who's also so so funny. For example, describing the house she lives in as a "nana museum" or declaring "Oh my god, I'm offal" during a meltdown about her and boyfriend Stew merging into one person where he's the good bits, ie arms and legs, and she's the boring but vital inside bits. And, it's not just Fran that's funny, the writing is brilliantly funny with plenty of smart observations such as dancing being "intrinsically embarrassing for ninety-nine percent of humans." There's also plenty of situational humour too including one of my favourite scenes where she gets drunk onboard a yacht and ends up stealing the captain's hat and screeching "I'm the captain now!" This is a modern day Cinderella type story, with great characters, a peek into the lives of the rich and famous, and plenty of lols! I can not recommend enough!

Just Haven't Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens (11 Nov 2021)

When she picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport, Laura wonders if this could be the start of something that's written in the stars. From piano sheet-music to a battered copy of her favourite book, Laura finds in the bag evidence of everything she could hope for in a partner. Now Laura is determined to track down the owner of the suitcase, and her own happy ending. But what if fate has other ideas?

In my opinion: ★★★★

Sophie Cousens is brilliant at creating creating super cute rom-coms and warm, likeable characters. And, there are lots of funny moments in this from scattering tampons all over the airport to being stuck in a coat cupboard while the lady of the manor gets it on with the local beekeeper. Like main character Laura "Cheer up, love, might never happen" is one of my most hated expressions but thanks to Laura I now have the best retort in: "I am allowed to look grumpy if I want to. It is my face and my prerogative not to smile....It is not my responsibility to make the world a prettier place for you." Alongside the humour, there's also some more poignant moments and emotional depth around life, loss, family, friendship, self-discovery, happiness and fate - it's more than just a romance which I really like. I also enjoyed the premise of this - choosing between two very different love interests - and the idea of fate and what we think we want vs what we actually want. 

The Woman on the Pier by BP Walter (11 Nov 2021)

Two strangers meet on the pier. Only one walks away…

Screenwriter Caroline Byrne is desperate to know why her daughter Jessica died, murdered in Stratford when she was supposed to be at a friend’s in Somerset. When Caroline discovers the messages Jessica had been sending a boy named Michael, she realises it’s because of him. Because he failed to meet her that day. He’s the reason why her daughter is dead. And so she makes a choice. He’s the one who’s going to pay.

In my opinion: ★★★

I’m guilty of going into this one blind which was a big mistake as there are so many triggers (child abuse, sexual abuse, terrorism and addiction to callout just a few). It's also not a suspense thriller but more a domestic thriller about an unhinged mother who needs someone to blame for the death of her daughter. But the main problem for me was that the mother's character was so unlikeable even pre-tragedy that it was hard to muster any sympathy for her. And, the boy's story is a tough read - too tough for me. It's also an overwhelmingly tragic tale from the off, with no happy ending and no closure!