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Single in the City (Single in the City #1)

by Michele Gorman (Goodreads Author)

3.27 of 5 stars 3.27 · rating details · 570 ratings · 117 reviews

Take one twenty six year old American, add to a two thousand year old city, add a big dose of culture clash and stir.

To think Hannah ever believed that Americans differed from Brits mainly in pronunciation, sophistication and dentistry. That’s been the understatement of a lifetime. She lands upon England’s gentle shores with no job, no friends and no idea how she’s suppose...more

Mass Market Paperback

Published October 27th 2010 by Penguin Books Ltd (UK) (first published June 4th 2010)

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Oct 09, 2012 Kell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, reviewed-for-author-publisher

I don’t usually read much chick-lit, but occasionally I’ll pick one up and more often than not, I’ll enjoy it at least a little. On this particular occasion, I enjoyed it rather a lot!

Hannah is a quirky and lovable character who doesn’t have a load of money to spare, doesn’t have a high-flying career, and doesn’t have a clue – which makes her all the more accessible and easier to relate to for us mere mortals who don’t live on the pages of your usual, run-of-the-mill light novels aimed at women....more

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Apr 04, 2013 Tonya rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads

Outstanding! If you read one more book this year, let this one be THE ONE!!! You won't be sorry. Hannah is like each one of us. You will love her fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants attitude, which she has from beginning to end. I mean who does that? Who flies to another country, not knowing anyone, just wanting something different??

You tend to think everyone is like us, in the US. But they aren't! Totally different meanings to words -- This book will have you laughing and laughing, and reading parts t...more

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Dec 04, 2011 Alycia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, adult-romance, contemporary

I received this book while completing an internship at Penguin in London. I expect that the american version might have different footnotes than those in the UK version (since obviously Americans understand the Americanisms). I read this book while on vacation in Cyprus and it was the perfect beach read. I often laughed and shared the funny incidents with my friends (one who is American and one who is British) and we compared experiences. If you want to know what living in London is like, you ju...more

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Dec 08, 2011 Cailin Deery rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was at the library and saw this book and thought, nunca en mi vida. Then I noticed Big Ben and the Eye were part of the swirly cartoon drawing on the front, so I picked it up to read the blurb and roughly, "Hannah has left her frens and family in the US behind and is following her dream to live in England. Dream life? Should Hannah just dream on? She wanted a big change but maybe it would have been simpler and cheaper to just get a haircut. Was she mad to move 3,000 miles away from everyone sh...more

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Apr 15, 2013 JC rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, contemporary, humour, london, romance, travel, united-kingdom

I think if you are American, you have a higher chance of liking this book. This decreases significantly if you are British or Australian. The footnotes are intended to be a hilarious commentary on cultural differences, helping the reader through the references that they do not understand, but they felt inconsistent and confusing in terms of their intended audience - not to mention irritating. Getting rid of them might have encouraged another half star out of me.

Sadly, Hannah's ignorance of Briti...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Lydia Laceby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hilarous, contemporary-women-s-fiction, chick-lit

Originally Reviewed at Novel Escapes

Rated 4.5 Star

Single in the City is like Sex in the City told through the eyes of an American Bridget Jones and it was so funny that I laughed out loud throughout this delightful chick lit novel. The first few pages had me giggling and I think my now all time favourite chick lit line was just after Hannah orders her first pint in a pub. When the bartender asks if she wants 'a half', I spit water across the room at her reaction and was hooked even further. And...more Originally Reviewed at Novel Escapes

Rated 4.5 Star

Single in the City is like Sex in the City told through the eyes of an American Bridget Jones and it was so funny that I laughed out loud throughout this delightful chick lit novel. The first few pages had me giggling and I think my now all time favourite chick lit line was just after Hannah orders her first pint in a pub. When the bartender asks if she wants 'a half', I spit water across the room at her reaction and was hooked even further. And this wasn't the only moment I loved and laughed about. There were too many to even count.

I love reading stories about picking up and moving to a new place and Single in the City did not disappoint. Seeing London through her American eyes was always hilarious and her disasters had me snickering and cringing. Hannah's get on with it attitude was fantastic, where I would have just wanted to go running back home or hide under the covers at some of the situations she finds herself in.

Her relationships with her best friend in America, Stacy, was a constant source of amusement as were all the new friends she makes in London. And her dating disasters were priceless. I loved that she wasn't willing to settle, deciding to take on new men instead of falling into old patterns and how she picked herself up and moved on after each disappointment.

As much as I adored this novel, I did find I had hoped for a little more for Hannah, wanting her to have a few more life realizations rather than just the male factor. Although she did come to some conclusions about her love life, I might have been more satisfied if she had figured out more about her career. Maybe I'm just more accustomed to chick lit with more life lessons these days. Or maybe I'm just looking for some lessons myself. Or maybe Gorman is leaving that for the sequel! Regardless though, Single in the City is still terrific and this didn't take away too much from my overall enjoyment of this novel.

If you're looking for a laugh out loud read, pick up Single in the City today. You won't be disappointed. I can't wait for the sequel and look forward to more Michele Gorman novels in the future.(less)

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Mar 23, 2012 Selena Paulsen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Michelle Gorman's Single in the City contains all the requisite elements of British Chick Lit: single, ditzy, fashion-obsessed protagonist, lots of dateable men, a career that just isn't under control, a best friend (or two) to clean up after said ditzy protagonist, and lots of alcohol and urbanity. But, just because the elements are common doesn't mean the novel is dull. Gorman has a great sense of humor, very nice descriptive language, and some really killer observations of life in London from...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Nicola rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-books, cover-appeal, chick-lit, still-reading-series

Single in the City is the debut novel of author Michele Gorman. I was first drawn to this book by its cute cover, and its description definitely made it sound like the fun, light reads I love to devour. Needless to say, I was happy when I saw this sitting on the library shelf and was intrigued enough to check it out.

I'm going to get the negatives out of the way first, as I really can't ignore them. The footnotes! I have never come across anything more annoying in a book than the footnotes this...more Single in the City is the debut novel of author Michele Gorman. I was first drawn to this book by its cute cover, and its description definitely made it sound like the fun, light reads I love to devour. Needless to say, I was happy when I saw this sitting on the library shelf and was intrigued enough to check it out.

I'm going to get the negatives out of the way first, as I really can't ignore them. The footnotes! I have never come across anything more annoying in a book than the footnotes this novel. Scattered throughout this book are footnotes explaining American terms and pop culture references. They are so annoying! I may not be American but I certainly do not live under a rock, and I assume neither do most Europeans. I do not need footnotes explaining mundane things like ''dust bunnies'' (really, who couldn't figure that one out?), ''Oodles of Noodles'' or, obviously, ''Dr Seuss.'' Why the author felt the need to use these footnotes is beyond me. Most people have plenty of exposure to American culture (be it from books, movies, TV, music, magazines, friends, news, the internet) and most of the references were things or people which are famous all over the world. I read books with characters from far more exotic places than the US and get on just fine without footnotes. All these did was interrupt my reading every few pages and make me feel like I was being talked down to. Apparently the author has taken the footnotes out for the US edition but she could have done it for the European edition as well!

Okay, that aside, I actually did quite enjoy this book. It follows the life of a young woman, Hannah, who has decided on a whim to move to England- without having a place to stay or a way to earn money. A bit of a whacky premise but the sort of crazy thing you expect from books of this sort so I didn't mind that at all. Hannah has a lot of trouble fitting into England and messes up quite a bit in the first few weeks. It was amusing to watch her stumble her way through each day, confused by everyone and everything. She does start to slot in quite nicely though, once she starts meeting people (I was certainly impressed by how outgoing and upfront she was!) and making connections.

She gets herself a job and a place to live and starts to thrive in the city. The rest of the book follows her antics with men and friends, clients and parents. I did enjoy reading about all this and I was certainly interested enough to keep reading and see where everything was going to go. Hannah struck me as slightly narrowminded and naive at times and was unreasonable about perfectly reasonable cultural differences but I guess there is no law saying you have to like the protagonist! She was well written and believable, even if she was annoying at times. Sometimes I felt sorry for her and sometimes I wanted to shake her and tell her stop being so silly!

The writing itself is great and I was very impressed. It flows incredibly well and the voices of all the characters were strong and individual. This author certainly has talent and I am interested to see what else she has to offer. This was quite an unpolished novel but could have been made SO much more enjoyable with just a few adjustments (i.e take out the footnotes and stop treating the reader like they're clueless!). There is going to be a sequel to Single in the City and I know for certain I will be checking it out.

Would I recommend this novel? Yes- but go for the US version without the footnotes unless for some bizarre reason you've never even heard of America and really need to be told who Dr. Seuss is.
(less)

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Jul 08, 2012 Kate rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book let me down. I was hoping to like it more...granted it is considered "chick lit" I generally enjoy reading novels like this once in a while for various reasons. Not that I was expecting the next great American novel or anything, but here are a few things which turned me off from this book.
1) There was not much continuity between chapters, and sometimes even between paragraphs/sections within the chapter.
2) I felt like the autor was trying too hard to be witty/clever, and therefore mo...more

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Sep 02, 2010 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chicklit, humour

This review originally appeared on www.readinasinglesitting.com

Michele Gorman’s debut Single in the City (previously released as The Expat Diaries) opens with a scene very familiar to me: the fateful ordering of a salad sandwich in Britain. Used to leafy monstrosities full of vegetably goodness bursting from thick wedges of dark rye, I have to admit to being somewhat disappointed at finding that in Oxford, three pounds (not a trifling amount when you’ve exchanged from Aussie dollars) buys two wi...more This review originally appeared on www.readinasinglesitting.com

Michele Gorman’s debut Single in the City (previously released as The Expat Diaries) opens with a scene very familiar to me: the fateful ordering of a salad sandwich in Britain. Used to leafy monstrosities full of vegetably goodness bursting from thick wedges of dark rye, I have to admit to being somewhat disappointed at finding that in Oxford, three pounds (not a trifling amount when you’ve exchanged from Aussie dollars) buys two wilted pieces of white bread, two dried-out circles of cucumber possibly taken from the missus’s nightly eye mask, and a lank bit of lettuce (and, fortunately, sandwich pickles, the only thing redeeming my tragic meal). No wonder the guy behind the seemed to appraise me for an eating disorder before adding rather doubtfully, “is that all?”

Given the fact that Australia is a fairly recent offshoot of the ol’ Mother Country, that we too speak a non-rhotic variety of English (except those of us who have watched too much American TV), and that we’re exposed to all manner of Britishisms thanks to parents obsessed with quality television programming such as Keeping up Appearances, The Bill, and Heartbeat, I rather thought that I’d slot right in to British life. Unfortunately, it seems that British English and Australian English are not actually dialects of the same language: it turns out that they’re not at all mutually comprehensible. And weirdly, language barriers aside, things were similar enough that the differences seemed all the more noticeable, sort of like being thrust into an alternate dimension where everything is the same except that it rains doughnuts in the mornings. Still, my slight communication issues and general gaucheness were far less of an issue than those of Hannah Cummings, who has clearly not seen an episode of BBC TV in her life (not even Super Ted, it turns out!).

Like many major events in Hannah’s life, her arrival in London is largely attributable to a drunken whim. Having been recently sacked from her middling role as a junior PR exec (it’s cheaper and more effective to outsource such roles to India, we’re told, and, well, given the combination of Hannah’s dubious job skills and her liking of designer clothing, it’s rather hard to debate this), Hannah finds herself lost in the angsty throes of a quarter life crisis, the answer to which, of course, is a fresh start. And her move to London is about as fresh as it can get: she arrives homeless, friendless, and work permit-less. But fortunately, Hannah is no retiring wallflower, and within mere hours she has unnerved all manner of polite Brits by making eye contact on public transport, attempting to pay for small items with large notes, and walking on the wrong side of the footpath (or ‘sidewalk’, in Hannah terminology). That same night, apparently frustrated by how long it seems to be taking her to integrate into English culture, Hannah seeks out something quintessentially British: the local pub. It’s fair to say that she has rather more luck here than she does in situations where sobriety is the preferable state of mind, and it’s not long before she’s raising eyebrows amongst the hotel staff with her rather forward (American?) behaviour.

With one important cultural divide bridged, Hannah decides it’s quite possibly time to engage in other adult (ahem) activities, such as the slightly less eyebrow-raising tasks of getting a job and finding somewhere to live. Needless to say, both of these are rather more fraught than they first seem, and after a while, Hannah resigns herself to living with some unintelligible Australians (also known as Or-STRAY-uns) and to taking up a position working for the very man who, after several pints of strong beer, helped her bring America and Britain that little bit closer together. Unfortunately, the role is not quite what Hannah had mind–and neither is the man. But while she can deal with the work situation, a boyfriendless life is not for Hannah, and this needs to be rectified immediately. Fortunately, wily Hannah’s strong suit is hunting (both men and ducks, as it turns out), and there’s no shortage of hilarious situations that ensue as she doggedly searches for Mr Right, committing perhaps every faux pas in the book as she attempts to understand the subtle nuances of British culture and the not so subtle nuances of men.

Single in the City is a fun and sardonic read, and humorous situations and witty repartee abound within its pages. I must say that I’m glad that Hannah’s humour doesn’t devolve into snark: despite the truly bizarre situations in which she continually finds herself, she instead tends to poke fun at herself and pick herself up and carry on (sometimes quite literally, such as in the case of an unfortunate bicycle incident). However, there are times when the humour does seem a little forced, particularly when it comes to Hannah’s constant misunderstanding of Britishisms, which, while often amusing, does bridle after a while. Some of the dialogue, too, borders on too witty, particularly in the early parts of the book, although this evens out after a while. A slightly less successful attempt at humour is the series of footnotes designed to explain certain American phrases or items that the reader is unlikely to understand. While a few of these are gems, mostly they tend to distract from the narrative and tell the reader things we already know. (I may never have seen Cheez Doodles in person, but given the inescapable ubiquity of American culture, I have a pretty fair idea of what they’re like, and that I’ll certainly avoid them if ever I am to meet them.)

It’s a combination of the rich humour and Hannah’s social largesse that largely carry the novel, as the plot is fairly slight and not especially complex. If you have a love of situational humour, you’ll probably find yourself clutching this book to your chest as you rub your aching stomach muscles. Still, while I’m willing generally to let plot slide (I’ve read enough literary novels in my life to know that plot is something that can be happily done away with), there are some things that didn’t quite work for me here–Hannah’s sudden promulgation of love to her Mr Right is a slightly whiplash-inducing reversal, as while this character is present throughout the book, Hannah has scarcely given him a second (and strictly platonic) glance during any of their earlier meetings. It seems odd that she should suddenly declare him her One and Truly with little in the way to preface this. Moreover, while Hannah’s romantic escapades are entertaining, after watching her chase random men for a few hundred pages, it’s rather difficult not to feel frustrated by her neediness (and, increasingly, her rather painful ditziness–at times she’s about as useful as Bella from Twilight, although admittedly she does have better taste in men). Another plot issue is the fairly abrupt ending that doesn’t quite feel layered on to the rest of the narrative.

However, Gorman brings in a wonderful set of secondary characters to balance any frustrations that might be had with Hannah. While some of them border on caricatures, this isn’t too much of an issue in a book whose success hinges so firmly on its comedic appeal. Gorman draws some delightful characters in Hannah’s Australian flatmates (although as an Aussie, I do take issue with their Crocodile Dundee-esque accents), her frosty boss, and her oversharing friend Stacy, who regales the household nightly with stories of her latest exploits over the answering machine. Moreover, although it’s true that some of the comparisons between British and American culture are hammered home with all of the subtlety of a mallet pounding a steak, there are a good deal of these that are absolutely spot on, and I found myself reading sections aloud to my long-suffering boyfriend, something which is (luckily for him) a rare treat indeed. If you like your chicklit light, fluffy, and self-deprecating, and you can deal with a heroine who is scarcely able to tie her shoes but is not above a bit of crafty blackmail, you’ll find a lot to like here. (less)

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Dec 14, 2011 Janet rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: women-s-fiction-esque, humourous

I'll add new shelves as I go -- I don't read a lot of Chick Lit and this seems more Bridget Jones than women's fiction.

Little quibble -- and it's not that I went over the book with a fine-tooth comb: it's St. Bart's (no "h"), Prince Philip, one l ... just little things but still.

Well, all done. Maybe more 3 1/2* but it kept my interest and I'll be sure to follow Hannah and her bestie and Hannah's maybe-he's-the-one guy Sam -- to Hong Kong!

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Nov 24, 2011 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit

I was fortunate enough to have been gifted a Kindle copy of this book by the author after failing to win a copy in the Goodreads giveaway. I found it to be a promising if uneven novel.

I loved the premise of the plot, and from the opening sentence it's clear that Ms Gorman is a talented writer. I loved how well-researched the aspects of British life were and I felt immersed in the culture. I can't wait to read about Hannah's adventures in Hong Kong!
A few other things I loved- the laugh-out-loud...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Meredith Schorr rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story, about a 26-year-old woman who, as a result of too much alcohol and prodding from her BFF, decides to leaves her home and life in Connecticut to begin a new life in London is hilarious. If you like Sophie Kinsella and the characters she creates, you'll definitely enjoy this novel by Michele Gorman.

The story follows Hannah as she arrives in London, friendless, jobless, manless and completely out of her element. The reader gets a front row seat as she makes new friends, treds the chopp...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Milena rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is fun fast paced read with a lot of quirky characters and a very well developed and relatable main heroine Hannah. Hannah is American who moved to London in order to start a new life. In London she meets a lot of new and interesting people and finds herself in many funny situations that are result of cultural differences. The theme of a foreigner trying to adapt in the new country was my favorite part of the book. There are so many lough out loud moments in the book, for instance orde...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Ulrike rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit-romance

Single in the City was a funny and easy read - just what I want from a good chick lit.
The book is about Hannah who moves from the US to the UK. Anyone who ever lived in a foreign country will know what she's going through. There are some hilarious language misunderstandings and of course Hannah also has to adjust to english fashion and learn the rules of social life and dating on the other side of the ocean.

It first took me a little while to get into the wrting style of this book as it sometime...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Dana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindled, read-in-2011

Hannah is an American who decides on a whim to move to London. From there she experiences a series of comical escapades while trying to adjust to a brand new life in a different culture. It's a fun, light read, and anyone who has ever lived in a different country can relate to some of the adventures Hannah has in the book.

I liked the book, but I expected a little more development from any of the characters. There's not a plot per se, other than Hannah's experiences, so the book has to rely on th...more

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Aug 29, 2010 Jenny / Wondrous Reads rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, debut-author

I don't read a lot of adult chick-lit but, when I do, I like it to be of the lighthearted variety. Single in the City was a fun, humorous read about a subject that interests me: the difference in US and UK culture. Gorman is an expert transitioning from one continent to another, and it definitely showed through in her story.

Single in the City started off a little bit slow for my taste, and I did wonder if I'd like it. It took me a good 50-75 pages to warm to Hannah and her decision to move from...more I don't read a lot of adult chick-lit but, when I do, I like it to be of the lighthearted variety. Single in the City was a fun, humorous read about a subject that interests me: the difference in US and UK culture. Gorman is an expert transitioning from one continent to another, and it definitely showed through in her story.

Single in the City started off a little bit slow for my taste, and I did wonder if I'd like it. It took me a good 50-75 pages to warm to Hannah and her decision to move from Connecticut to London, and it could quite well be because she was older than characters I usually read about. I'm used to high school drama, not 26-year-old life-changing decisions. I quickly got used to reading about (shock horror!) adults and adult problems, and soon enough I was invested in Hannah and her hilarious adventures in England.

Now, as we Brits all know, we're very different to our American friends. We have strange foods (not strange to us, obviously), ridiculously ancient buildings, a habit of saying "sorry" a lot, and a Queen complete with a whole Royal family. An American moving, or even visiting, here for the first time would see many cultural differences, and not all of them for the positive. Gorman did a top job of highlighting the randomness of England, and I did feel sorry for poor Hannah as she tried to navigate her way through it all.

From questionable men to crazy Aussie roommates and a boss that should be removed from the country, Hannah experienced it all. In fact, there was never a dull moment with her, and she had her fair share of embarrassing occurences. I mean, seriously, who flies over the handlebars of a mountain bike because they don't know how to use it?!

Gorman has written a great story about making friends and fitting in, and it should be an inspiration to anyone with a hankering to dramatically change their life and/or move here to sunny England. The characters were realistic, the setting familiar and the plot fascinating. Whether you like to read adult chick-lit or YA, Single in the City is definitely a book worth devoting some of your time to.

3.5/5(less)

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Jan 14, 2012 Tanya rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5/4 stars.

Single in the city is a great book which was humourous throughout (I didn't find it a laugh out loud funny, but found myself smiling a lot and laughing in my head).

It's a light read about a woman who moves to London from America to start a fresh. In hope of a new job, new man, new friends, new life! I enjoyed seeing British life in a POV of an american, as there are simple things that differ such as roundabouts etc that we've used everyday our whole lives, (I'm English) yet are baffl...more

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Nov 28, 2011 Shelby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Single in the City by Michele Gorman was without a doubt the best book ever! I rarely read books that are based in other countries (mostly because not a lot of authors write books that are mainly based in another country). Reading this book just made me want to go to London even more! I've always wanted to go to London to see all of what's there and reading this book kinda gave me a glimpse of what London has to hold.

Single in the City is about a 26 year old American who flies to London on the...more

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Sep 18, 2010 Christie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010

First Line:

"Every other storefront is a sandwich shop without a low-carb advertisement in sight. Are Londoners really willing to embrace the doughy delights of an Atkins-free world? It’s a thrilling prospect for a girl raised in a culture plagued by cellulite bogey-men.”

Favorite Quote:

“It’s not that I don’t appreciate her obvious talent, but I take issue with breast implants the same way I take issue with a mother who does her adult son’s laundry. Both unrealistically raise men’s expectations ab...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Antoinette rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was a very strange and uneven book. I got it hoping for some mindless chick-lit for winter break, to help de-stress from the kids being home from school for almost three weeks. But almost every scene wound up feeling like a letdown. For example, Hannah, newly arrived in Merrye Olde England, is in a pub and observes that all the women are dressed revealingly and being hit on by several men, and the decor is decadent and sensuous. I know! I too was expecting that she had happened upon a broth...more

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Sep 15, 2010 Daisy Chain Books rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

Single in the City was my first foray into chick-lit territory for quite a while, and I have to say, it was quite a lot of fun! Michele Gorman has crafted a humorous tale, full of laughs, love, friendship and dating disasters, all narrated by fashion-loving Hannah, a twenty-something American who has decided to move to London on a whim.

When we first meet Hannah she has just landed in London and is feeling a little out of place to say the least! From ordering a sandwich at the deli to paying her...more Single in the City was my first foray into chick-lit territory for quite a while, and I have to say, it was quite a lot of fun! Michele Gorman has crafted a humorous tale, full of laughs, love, friendship and dating disasters, all narrated by fashion-loving Hannah, a twenty-something American who has decided to move to London on a whim.

When we first meet Hannah she has just landed in London and is feeling a little out of place to say the least! From ordering a sandwich at the deli to paying her bus fare, nothing is the same as it is back home. Her top priorities are finding a job and a place to live. Somehow or other she ends up in a pub instead (a cultural activity?!) and meets the gorgeous Mark, a man whom she promptly falls into bed with. Happy ever after? Oh no, not for Hannah! What follows is a hilarious plot which sees Hannah jump from one dating disaster to another and land a job in which she finds herself dealing with the boss from hell. Throughout this, her friends are her sanctuary. Frequent phone calls from her best friend Stacy back home, along with nights out with London friend Chloe, and long lunches with Irish girl Siobhan are what help her hold it all together through major man troubles and a tumultuous time at work .

Along with these friendships, one of my favourite parts of this book was finding out the differences between US and British cultures. Gorman is insightful and witty as she talks about the numerous differences between America and Britain. For example, do you ever wonder why we constantly apologise in this part of the world? Somebody bumps into us on the street - we say sorry. Why is that? It’s something that has always annoyed me and I frequently stop myself from saying that I’m sorry for something that wasn’t my fault in the first place. There are many more instances like this, often hilarious, as we learn along with Hannah all the little things that make up the many differences between the two cultures.

At times, Hannah’s constant pursuit of men made her seem a little needy and desperate to me, but that’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy reading about her escapades. They say you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you meet your prince, and in Hannah’s case that’s certainly true. Will her time in London lead to a happy ever after for Hannah? You’ll just have to read this book to find out!

Overall, Single in the City is a light, fun read. It’s perfect for holiday reading, or if you just want a little escapism. Hannah is an engaging character, and one you will warm to. The men in this book were a little hit and miss for me (well, there is one guy who takes Hannah to the men’s singles final at Wimbledon, and anyone who knows me also knows that I would marry him on the spot for that!), but it’s the girls and their friendships who are the best characters in this book. I found the ending of the book a little abrupt, but that’s a minor gripe. Maybe I just wanted to keep reading about Hannah and her adventures!(less)

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Nov 22, 2011 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book in two days because it was so good! Easy to read and fun. Kind of like more relatable British chick lit. I like books set in London but it was cool to get the perspective as the main character is American. I am single in the (a) city just like Hannah and reading about her dating exploits was interesting. I just read that there is to be sequel and I would definitely read a sequel because I was sorry when this one ended and want to know what happens to the main character. Even tho...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Katrin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I absolutly loved this book. I can relate easily to so many little things Michele Gorman descirbes her caracter Hannah finding herself in, since I´ve lived abroad for a while myself (not in London -it was Finand - and I´m not American - but Austrian- , still!).

It took some moments to follow described situations every once in a while, because she tends to jump a bit (I sometimes was imagining Hannah still sitting somewhere thinking her thought, when actually I found out a sentence later, that she...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

What an amazing read!
I totally enjoyed Hannah's adventures in London (one of my favorite cities!). This book had me cracking up and while is not the kind of story that has a deep message or with a character that's troubled and needs her prince charming to come rescue her I thought it was really good!
I've never been to London but its my dream to go there and the descriptions of the places, the culture and the people were fascinating and now I want to move over there!
I loved Hannah, she was so...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Susan Linklater rated it 5 of 5 stars

The worst thing about this book is that the author seems to have only written one! I've been looking for another writer to entertain as much as Sophie Kinsella, and I've found her.

I loved the main character, Hannah, who reminded me of a (slightly) less ditzy Beckie Bloomwood from the Shopaholic series. Hannah isn't as shopping-obsessed though and the trials and tribulations of her recent move to London, her attempts at dating and keeping her job had me laughing out loud through the whole book!...more

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May 19, 2012 Ana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, chick-lit-english, ebooks

This American fish-out-of-water story had a lot of potential but a few too many chick lit short cuts were taken. Of course, she was a shopaholic. Of course, she had to be a little clueless. And she took the entirety of the book to figure out what I, as the reader, figured out in the first meeting who was going to be Mr. right.

While I am inclined to read chick lit that is set in London over the books set in (yawn) New York about some spendthrift who works for a publisher or fashion magazine ( dou...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Leah Hess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

Although it's a lesser-known novel, I would rank Single in the City right up there with the well-known Sophie Kinsella/Madeline Wickham, Jane Green, or Jennifer Weiner. The main character, Hannah, is very likeable. I related to her in the personal aspect. Unlike Hannah, I have never spread my wings and moved to another country spontaneously. I've never even visited Great Britain, so I often couldn't relate to the little quirky cultural differences. What I appreciated was that Hannah was like the...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars

A fun read. It was fun to follow Hannah around as she looked for a place to live and adjusted to a job working for a maniacal boss who is sleeping with her married boss who happens to be Hannah's boyfriend. See how complicated life can get?

Watch as Hannah tries to balance relationships with her best friend from America and her new British bestie as well as several gentlemen friends one of who is a transplanted Yank as well.

There is a lot going on in Hannah's new life. And things do not look lik...more

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Oct 19, 2010 Colony rated it 2 of 5 stars

i read this book for a book club. i'm not a big fan of chick lit, but the author was going to be at the meeting so i thought i should read it. the story is ok, pretty typical chick lit.
it was very interesting to hear from the author, who told us about the writing and publishing process. her category of chick lit is ex-pat chick lit. a girl out of her comfort zone in new surroundings, and learning to cope with cultural differences. i found that aspect interesting and relatable and enjoyed that p...more

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About Michele Gorman

Michele Gorman was born and raised in the US, but lost her heart to London nearly 15 years ago and is now a card-carrying Brit. Michele writes both chick lit (Single in the City, Misfortune Cookie, The Twelve Days to Christmas). She also writes upmarket commercial fiction under the pen name Jamie Scott.

Since procrastination is an essential element in writing, Michele spends way too much time on t...more

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Quotes from Single in the City

“I had a friend in college who loved to say: 'If you can dream it, you can do it.' It became my mantra. I assumed it was a pearl of wisdom from some great thinker, a philosopher perhaps, like Descartes. It turned out to be Walt Disney, which in no way diminishes the wisdom of the advice. Anyone who can build a Magic Kingdom deserves to be listened to.” — 5 people liked it

“The only way cheese is dessert is when it's followed by the word cake.” — 3 people liked it

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