I Heart This Book! (I Heart New York - Lindsey Kelk)

Member Name: dkm1981

Product:	I Heart New York - Lindsey Kelk
Date:	28/07/09 (83 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great 'chick-lit' book

Disadvantages: None

I Heart New York is the debut novel from successful blogger and ghost-writer Lindsey Kelk, who lives in London but, obviously, loves New York.

The story is of a twenty-something girl who lives in London with her fiancé of ten years. We join Angela Clark as she is walking down the aisle as chief bridesmaid to her best friend. Dressed in taffeta and killer Christian Laboutin heels, her thoughts wander to how soon her own wedding might take place and what it would be like.

Later on, at the reception, Angela heads to the car to retrieve her 'comfortable flats', but is stopped dead in her tracks by the sight of her partner of ten years with his legs around another woman. It turns out that he's been having an affair for six months and that everyone (her best friend included) seemed to know. After screaming at her best friend, breaking the groom's hand with her shoes and storming out in dramatic fashion, Angela decides that the only thing that will make her happy is shopping and the best place in the world to do that? New York, of course!

A few short hours later, Angela is in The Big Apple, with no clothes, no friends, nowhere to stay and no boyfriend. It suddenly dawns on her that this is completely out of character and that she probably should go straight back home, but that's when Jenny (her new American best friend) walks into her life, makes her over, takes her on a tour of New York and introduces her to the world of dating, and generally takes over!

The resulting story is one of a damsel in distress who finds her true self in a strange city with the help of not one, but two knights in shining armour! Will she find the man of her dreams? Will she ever be able to face going home? Will New York change her life forever and most importantly . . . will she, Angela Clark, heart New York?

-My Opinion-

This is a great first novel from Lindsey Kelk, it follows the typical chick-lit guidelines of woman gets trampled on, woman finds true self against all the odds, woman falls in love again. But it's told in a funny and friendly style that really makes you warm to the characters and want to be them, despite their hardships.

The story is quite clearly fictional, the stuff of the silver screen in fact - I mean who goes to New York on a whim and within three weeks finds a place to live, a dream job, a NBF (new best friend) and a couple of super-sexy men to boot? Fictional characters, that's who! But you can forgive these massive exaggerations because the characters are so likeable that you really want them to succeed.

The book is a great feel-good, summer read that will have you 'hearting' New York in no time. I certainly wanted to jump on the next available plane when I finished reading! Plus the added benefit is that you don't have to wait too long to find out what happens next as 'I heart Hollywood' and I Heart Paris' are due for release in 2010, which makes me very excited because, as you know, I really do 'heart' Paris!

Summary: I can't wait to heart Hollywood and Paris!