Who's That Girl?

I love this book, it keeps you engaged in reading for hours on end. It seriously needs a sequel, I need to know what happens next between Edie and Elliot.

Ok hands up I admit it.  This is the first book of Mhairi’s that I have read and reviewed.  Safe to say that it certainly won’t be the last as I LOVED this one.  The perfect mix of drama, comedy and romance.It took me a little while to warm to Edie as I didn’t like her attitude and at times I wanted to poke her eyes out with a sharp stick so to speak.  I get that she fancied the pants off Jack, but he should have been strictly off limits as he was engaged to be married to someone else.  However, after the horror that was the wedding, I did start to feel sorry for her.  She becomes the victim of a quite brutal and sustained bullying campaign by the bride and the bride’s friends via social media.  Edie begins to realise who her true friends really are and how fake some people can be.  Edie also becomes the office outcast and so she is sent off to Nottingham, her home city, to complete an assignment.  I thought that this was unfair because the groom knew that Edie liked him and he initiated the kiss but it is Edie who has to pay the price.  Edie has hit rock bottom and it’s as if she has had to hit rock bottom to realise just what is important.  If Jack had been in front of me, I would have been tempted to punch him and kick him in the nuts.  (If you haven’t already guessed I get far too involved in a book and it is almost as if I live the story).  I disliked Edie’s rather snooty attitude toward her father and her sister but as the story continues perceptions start to change and they actually start to talk to each other.  I did like the slightly quirky characters such as Edie’s father, Edie’s sister and the nosy old lady who lives next door.  Each character truly was a one off and certainly had some endearing qualities.  Elliot is a bit of a diva to start with and I would have said that he was so far up his own a**e that he had almost disappeared.  However, as time goes by Elliot and Edie get used to each other and they work well together.  They learn about each other and about each other’s history.  I don’t really want to say any more about what happens between the two of them as I don’t want to spoil the story for anybody.I loved the setting of Nottingham.  I went to university in Nottingham so it was nice to go back and revisit the city.  I recognized the place names and various landmarks etc.   It made such a refreshing change for a book to be set outside of the usual settings of London, Manchester, Birmingham etc.This book is really well written and it’s true to say that this book had everything.  I went through a whole range of emotions, whilst reading ‘Who’s That Girl?’.  At times I wanted to cry, laugh out loud, cheer and to bang heads together.  Despite the comedy moments, I did think that there were serious messages behind the plot of this book and they were the danger of social media and the impact that it can have on an individual.  Edie is subjected to quite a sustained and downright nasty, bullying campaign by the bride and the bride’s friends and there is not a darn lot she can do about it.  It’s as if Edie is under attack from all directions and another message that comes through is that you can’t necessarily rely on those people that you consider to be your closest friends.  It’s often the people you least expect that come to the rescue so to speak.In short then I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED  and ooh LOVED this book.  I would definitely recommend this to others as a light hearted tale of romance with a generous dose of comedy and a splash of drama.  I can’t wait to read more by Mhairi McFarlane and I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that there is a sequel to ‘Who’s That Girl?’.  I award this book 5* out of 5* but I would award it more stars if I could.

I’d been in a bit of a reading slump having read a couple of books prior that I hadn’t really enjoyed so went into this with a bit of trepidation as to what was going to greet me. Well the the mention of The Old Swan hotel in Harrogate grabbed my attention straight away. Having been there over the years for a certain crime writing festival, I could easily visualise the setting for the start of this story, I knew from that moment that this novel was one that I was going to enjoy, and I did.I loved Edie and was infuriated for her after the kissing event at a colleagues wedding has her labelled very wrongly. Having to lay low she moves back home with her dad and sister. Over the course of the story, I really enjoyed getting to know Edie better and the nice people in her life. Whilst there is a fair bit of humour in the book, there is so much more. Along with a budding romance, we see the struggles for Edie being back at home and dealing with something from the past. I loved her friends as well and it really makes you appreciate the true friends in your life.Who’s That Girl? was the perfect pick me up read that took hold of me and had me wrapped up tight into Edie’s world. By the end she felt like a close friend and I was sorry to say goodbye. With how the story ends, I would love for there to be a follow up book but have a feeling it’s very much left to the readers imagine of which I sat for a good half an hour or so after finishing the book, letting my imagination run away with itself in what would happen next. A wonderfully uplifting and endearing read!

When Edie finds herself being kissed by the groom at a wedding which is not her own, all hell breaks loose, as might be expected. She finds herself ostracized by her supposed friends and colleagues, a victim of online abuse, whilst strangely the groom involved seems to get away with things rather scot-free. She is thrown a life-line by her boss, though the prospect of returning to her home-town of Nottingham with her head between her tail to ghost-write an autobiography of a famous local actor doesn’t particularly appeal to her; especially as it means returning to the family home where relations between her and her sister are strained to say the least, and because she and said actor don’t exactly hit it off to a good start. Yet at the exact point where it would seem her life couldn’t get any worse, Edie begins to re-discover who she really is and the people that really matter to her.Another winner from McFarlane, who when it comes to writing chick-lit, really does seem to be in a league of her own. Who’s That Girl may actually just be my new favourite of hers, and that is saying a lot! It contains all her trade-mark sharp witticisms and observations of a modern society; one of the wonderful things about her books is that they always feel so contemporary, the references always so up to date. This book in particular showcases the influence of media in our society, whether our obsession with social media, or the celebrity culture of our era. I thought the way she portrays Edie’s online victimisation was very well done; highlighting just how important the image of ourselves that we project through social media has become in the current day. Given she’s been so busy focusing on the version of herself that she wishes to portray, it’s no wonder Edie has lost sight of who she really is; and its wonderful to watch as she begins to take charge of her life again, living it as she wants to.Some of the issues tackled in the book are actually quite sensitive and moving; and certainly it’s the most poignant of McFarlane’s books to date. I really enjoyed the balance between comedy and romance, and the deeper issues; and thought that the book had a good mixture of sub-plots. As always the cast of supporting characters were colourful; I particularly liked Frazer, and Nick and Hannah were the sort of true friends anyone would want. Perhaps my only gripe was Meg, Edie’s sister, who I did for the most part find quite irritating; though there were some touching moments between the sisters towards the end of the story.I have to say that the first chapter or so didn’t quite sell the book to me, so if anyone feels likewise, I would urge them to persist; as it very quickly takes off after that. I think perhaps the first few chapters felt slightly jarring in the way they presented Edie and the situation she found herself in, which of course was meant to feel wrong.I absolutely loved the central romance in this story, which evolves slowly but is a pure treat. Despite Elliot’s celebrity status, his connection with Edie felt very genuine; and I really enjoyed their heart-to-hearts and confiding in each other. It is easy to see why Elliot is initially rather guarded and the way in which his character could be misconstrued; however, McFarlane slowly reveals the different layers to his personality and it’s fair to say he is completely heart-melting. He’s sensitive and sweet, and has the wittiest lines in the book, not to mention being a complete heart-throb of course; I think I might have a book crush!The last few chapters of the story weren’t quite what I was expecting, but made sense and really were bitter-sweet. McFarlane does leave the book on a completely teasing note though, which is not like her. Whilst I wouldn’t say the book necessarily demands a sequel, I certainly had no problems supplying my own ending; if she does plan a sequel then I’ll certainly be pre-ordering.