Unexpected Enjoyability! (10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love - Linda Green)

Member Name: Ostinato

Product:	10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love - Linda Green
Date:	14/06/09 (25 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fast paced, romantic chick lit, handles sensitive matter very gracefully.

Disadvantages: It was over too soon!

This book was a bit of an accidental lucky choice for me really...I was at a station for a fairly long train journey and suddenly realised I'd left the book I was currently reading on my bedside cabinet. Frustratedly, I wandered into the little shop looking for something that would be easy for me to read on the train, that I'd hopefully get stuck into enough to enjoy for the time being, but not heavy going because I really wanted to finish off my book at home, which was quite heavy going, and didn't really want to be side tracked!

Anyway, I picked this up, mainly because it had an appealing cover if I'm totally honest. The title suggested something down the chick lit avenue, probably a bit of romance, and the picture of the legs in the dustbin was just amusing and made me think it'd be a good, fun, easy read.

Never did I expect to be so taken in by the characters and the story developing from the page! Ok, so I don't know why I had this idea that I thought it wouldn't be that great...probably just frustration at not being able to finish the book I'd planned to...but it really took me in, and I was so engrossed that I finished it as soon as I booked into my hotel that night!

The characters were believable, had great depth, felt "real", and were also witty, charming, and graceful.
I felt the tough subject matter of both domestic violence and a new mother being left to bring up a one year old on her own, was handled sensitively and carefully, whilst allowing the heartache and trauma to show, the reader is never made to feel uncomfortable reading the situation, and Linda Green allows great empathy and sympathy to be felt for the characters, without it seeming patronising to feel those things.

Aside from everything else, the character of little Alfie was created most beautifully, and with such characteristics and personality. I often feel children in similar novels are somewhat glossed over which is a shame as they are often a smaller character, but an integral link in the story line, and children of even very young ages in reality all have their own, often very amusing traits and habits. But, Linda Green did not disappoint, I could really imagine him so vividly in my head, and he made me smile!

I was definitely glad I picked up this book, by mistake or not, it was an unexpectedly enjoyable read, and I love it when a book takes me by surprise like that!

Summary: A good book which I'm very glad I came accross by chance!