The Other Side of the Story

The Other Side of the Story

3.7 of 5 stars 3.70  ·  rating details  ·  17,714 ratings  ·  583 reviews
Jojo Harvey is a dead ringer for Jessica Rabbit and the most ferocious literary agent in town. A former NYPD cop, she now lives in London making million-dollar book deals while trying to make partner at her firm . . . all the while sleeping with the boss man.

Lily Wright is an author who believes in karma, and is waiting for the sky to fall after stealing her former best fr...more
Paperback, 528 pages
Published April 11th 2006 by William Morrow Paperbacks (first published April 27th 2004)
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Community Reviews

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Lindsey
Jul 20, 2007 Lindsey rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone looking for a girly/fun read
Shelves: funreads
The heroine of this book is a fun loving Irish girl who gets stuck in the middle of many misfortunes. Due to a turn of events, she has to stop her current life and help out her family. While the story starts off where you are feeling sorry for the main character, Marian Keyes does a great job of reeling the reader into the storyline and she does a great job of keeping the reader entertained throughout the book, no matter the subject. This book is a page turner and keeps the reader wondering what...more
mellyana
I like Marian Keyes, that's why I bought this book.

I always think that every writer sort of take something from the writer's life into the book. Especially the first book. And, I sometimes think Marian Keyes does the same. Especially if you read Under The Duvet. But, so what, if Marian Keyes decided to write from something happened in her true life? This time, in The Other Side of The Story, it's her life as a writer. I guess.

It's a book of writer, and publisher. With it's glamorous and not so...more
Paula
Nov 30, 2007 Paula rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who are experiencing a rainy day
Shelves: girly-books
I was not expecting this book to be that good. I found instead that i was addicted to the three main characters' stories. This book is a typical girly novel, where the main characters are obsessed with their relationships. Gemma is pining over her ex and is oblivious to the fact that she would be better off with her friend Johnny. Lily is worried about the fact that she stole Gemma's boyfriend and that Gemma will seek revenge and Jojo is the object of a man's affair, and is desperately waiting f...more
Robyn
What a welcome respite from the heaviness I’ve seemed to be reading lately. This is a not-quite-chic-lit book, and the characters, what characters they are! This is my first experience with Marian Keyes, and I have to read more. This particular novel takes place in Ireland and London (as I suppose most of her work does), and I loved reading all the English and Irish slang. She created some wonderful characters, male and female, all ages. My favorite character in this book was the 2-year old Ema,...more
adventurat
I do so enjoy Marian Keyes' books; they're thick and full of real people and a combination of everyday and extraordinary circumstances, and I am always at least curious about how things will come out, if not actively caring.

This one involved three protagonists, and the bookjacket blurb drew a few links between them, and I expected there to be a big encounter between the three of them, but they seemed never to be in the same room at the same time. It read like three books loosely knitted togethe...more
Crystal Allen
Aug 08, 2007 Crystal Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of chick lit, female authors, literary agents or event planners
Marian Keyes is such a doll. I've met her twice. Once when she did an event at the store I managed and another time when she was back through town and I was lucky enough to have lunch with her. She is one of the loveliest women I have ever met. And I loved this book too! I had a lot of fun with it because it was about an author, a literary agent and an event planner (I've worked in the book biz for years and have also worked as an event planner). The book is told from the points of view of all t...more
Ellie
I'm rather enjoying listening to this book as I drive to work and home each day, although I do find myself talking in a strange Irish accent :)
Melissa
This book is about three different women who are connected to each other, but are not necessarily friends. Gemma's father has left her mother and she has to be the one to pick up the pieces. She keeps her friend in Seattle updated via emails that are part venting and part escapism. Her friend sends them to a literary agent because she thinks they are good enough to be a book. Jojo is the literary agent who is tough and dedicated to her career. While working hard to further her career she falls i...more
Faith
Jan 11, 2009 Faith rated it 4 of 5 stars
Shelves: 2005
So, now I have read all the Marian Keyes-books she has written (or has been published) this far. Marian Keyes is always Marian Keyes. U can never really hate it. Whatever u dislike in the book, u can never claim it wasn't entertaining... (in my opinion, but hey this whole thing is about my opinion...)

Well, this time the characters are as follows: Gemma Hogan, event organizer who's dad has left her mum, Lily Wright, Gemma's ex-best friend who has stolen her boyfriend and author who is stuck after...more
Iris Blobel
I kinda thought this book was boring. I had read "Anybody out there" a while back and remember how much I enjoyed it and the tissue box which I had used up .... so I was looking forward to this one.

But really I can't say anything else than boring. We all have a bad day and I suppose what I did like was the description of the publishing side ... the pain we feel with bad reviews, the hope and the let-down - the roller coaster of being in this business. But there's nothing else to say. Gemma's sto...more
Sika
Hombres, pensó con desprecio. Cabrones inútiles con cerebro y pene pero sangre insuficiente para hacer funcionar ambas cosas al mismo tiempo. (Jojo)

La historia es contada por Gemma, Jojo y Lily. Es graciosa y, por momentos, tensa. La trama va bien, de lo normal a la desgracia. Otra cita:

¿Por qué no podemos amar a la persona adecuada? ¿Qué nos pasa que nos precipitamos hacia situaciones para las que somos claramente inapropiados, que nos dañan y dañan a otros? ¿Por qué recibimos emociones que no...more
Rebecca
Another Keyes, another long book. But unlike her other stories, which I can find painfully full of pointless detail, this one at least was spread amongst 3 different people, so if one was annoying, it wouldn't be too long before another one came in. But unfortunately, 2 out of 3 protags were annoying.

Protag #1 is a whiny, revenge-seeking crazy-person whose boyfriend moves to London (from Dublin) and then hooks up with her friend. Please, like you weren't going to break up anyway. Her father leav...more
Josie
Feb 13, 2010 Josie rated it 3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Josie by: Sarah
Shelves: chick-lit
Firstly, I would just like to boast that I read this 600+ page book in ONE DAY. Completely, started it in the morning, finished in the evening. And so if I managed to do that, it must have caught my interest. And, well, yes it did. I was never bored, I just kept reading and reading, sucked into the stories of these three women. BUT it's the kind of book that I probably wouldn't choose to read again, nor will I remember much of it in a month's time. And now comes complaint time, because I found I...more
Ivana
This is a story of three women whose lives get tangled up in a game of love, betrayal, ambitions and books.
Gemma Hogan, a successful events organizer, is lost in her parent’s break up. She tries to keep her work on the top and nurse her lethargic mother. To make things worse, the Love of Her Life, Anton, goes to London, where he meets Gemma’s best friend, Lilly Wright. Lilly and Anton fall in love, and Lilly is driven with guilt for stealing her best friend’s boyfriend, believing that it will br...more
Amanda
Jun 26, 2009 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Amanda by: Nicola Mcfall
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Chiara (Oscuro y Seductor Romance)
Que Marian Keyes es un genio como escritora no es algo que os vaya a descubrir ahora. Cuando estaba en mi epoca universitaria y casi no leía libros, fue mi hermana quien me descubrió a esta autora y desde entonces no ha habido uno solo de sus libros que no me gustara.

Marian Keyes ha pasado por todos los temas habidos y por haber y tratándolos todos ellos con el humor que la caracteriza. Desde problemas de drogas, pasando por enviudar y aguardar al amor de tu vida,hasta luchas en el trabajo y com...more
Maria
After finishing one of Jodi Picoult's books, there's nothing better than reading Marian Keyes. Here are two authors that seem to write a lot of books concerning problems that are everything but easy to talk about and deal with. What do I love the most about Marian Keyes? Her sense of humour. She makes it so easy to connect with her characters... I mean, when everything goes wrong, we all have those moments when we just can't stop laughing at how ridiculous it all seems. Marian Keyes' characters...more
Hannah
Gemma is hilarious and Jojo is fabulous, but Lily is just self-centred and boring. I don't know how but Keyes makes me desperately sorry for Jojo stuck as a mistress and of course you feel for Gemma as life seemingly crumbles. But Lily just annoyed me with her continually dithering about how horrible life is. Of course you won't have many friends when you steal one if their boyfriends (every one knows you never dip your toes in that water!). And really your life isn't do bad - beautiful child, l...more
Lauren Biddell
Marian Keyes manages to win my heart again.
After reading my first of her novels a few months ago, I thought this is an author I need to read more of.
After now reading three books, I can safely say Marian is one of my favourite authors. I don't often read chick lit, but when I do I generally lean towards books set in the UK/Ireland.
This one in particular peaked my interest because it was set around two authors and an publishing agent. Being someone interested in that sort of job (and studying...more
maricar
A bit difficult to continue on reading at some parts. (Somehow, sometimes, the 3 stories of these 3 women acquire the feeling of being saturated that one needs to take a break to digest all that was happening.) Was also a bit predictable at some level—while some events (especially in the lives of Gemma and of Lily) felt like they gave way to the burden of instilling some kind of happy-ending-for-all—that some twists in the middle of their lives were put on to scramble things about for the sake o...more
Artemisa
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Camy
I read 2 - 3 books simultaneously - one by my bedside, one in the living room and then one on my KOBO...hence reviews come in bunches!! I enjoyed this book very much. The element of humour from the very start was very addictive. Even through the angst - there was an opportunity to have a chuckle! Perhaps I enjoyed it from the perspective of an author-wanna-be. Gemma, Lily and Jojo were different yet the same - their goals are the same in life for love, family and friendship...the line "Happiness...more
Claire Simpson
I really, really wanted to like this book more than I did.

I loved the idea, and some of the writing was brilliant, but it was the characters that let it down for me.

Gemma was kind of forgettable and a bit arrogant, although I'll admit that I took her side over the whole Lily thing. But it's a sad state of affairs when a reader is hoping that more bad stuff happens to a character, and this is what I found myself doing with Lily. I enjoyed every single bit of her suffering. There was just somethin...more
Michelle
I'll admit it, I had seen Marian Keyes books before but never really picked them up because I was judging the book by it's cover. Sorry but I was a Graphic Design major, can't help it. But I finally read one of her books; because a friend suggested it and Marian Keyes has a new fan out of me! What a cute, feel good story this book was! I was hooked from the beginning and didn't want to stop. I loved that she told a story through 3 different woman's lives; who were semi-connected through books. I...more
Quintin Merwe
I am still in shock after the ending of this book.
It is still a brilliant book and I'm almost sorry to think I haven't read any of her work before. I am completely bowled over by the magical way that Marian gets the reader to love the characters; finding oneself on the edge on one's seat, rooting for someone. I simply can't put down the damn books!
The start was a bit slow and initially I was worried that this book is not going to be as good as the previous one, but quickly found myself caught...more
Tiffany
2.5

Mildly entertaining, but I HATED the characters.

1. Gemma. GET OVER IT. Yes, your best friend "stole" your boyfriend (not EVEN), but it happened THREE YEARS ago. And don't even get me started on Gemma's mother. What an IDIOT. I can understand being devastated after your husband of thirty-five years leaves you for a younger woman, but to make your idiot daughter take care of you for MONTHS as if you're terminally ill? GIVE ME A DAMN BREAK.

2. Jojo. I actually liked Jojo. I didn't have a proble...more
Denise
Mar 06, 2008 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Chic-Lit Lovers
I always like Marion Keyes books it's a nice break from most of the 'more serious' books I read. I especially like this one because it talks about writers and getting published. In my opinion Marion Keyes is in the top 3 of Chick Lit writers and everyone who likes the genre should ad her books to the list.
Kate
I was looking forward to reading this book as I’ve loved the other Marian Keyes books that I’ve read, I found that it took me a while to really get into the story but once I did I was hooked so it’s definitely worth reading through if you feel the same way.

I loved all three of the main female characters, they all offered me something different. Gemma was really funny and gave me some real laugh out loud moments, especially with her family dramas and hilarious emails. Jojo was fantastic, she was...more
Jayci
Another fun Keyes book. I was smiling throughout the entire story. Three strong woman---Jo-Jo: a no-nonsense book agent working to break that glass cieling while balancing a relationship with the boss. Gemma--Broken hearted after a terrible break up, Gemma finds herself nursing her mothers emotional wounds. Full of bitter from the betrayal of her once best friend Lily, Gemma creates a comedy of errors through emails to a girlfriend. It may just be the next best seller. And Lily: An author on the...more
Bookshop
I used to like Keyes but have not read her books since Watermelon and Sushi for Beginners. Either I've moved away from chicklit or this book is really not good. The characters are flat, whiny, and annoying. They're spineless in the face of their (unimportant) problems. Gemma is perpetually angry with her best friend for stealing her boyfriend (who doesn't even love her). Lily, the thief, is perpetually afraid of retribution for her deeds (when she technically didn't steal the guy). And Jojo, des...more
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The Other Side of the Story (Paperback)
The Other Side Of The Story (Paperback)
The Other Side Of The Story (Paperback)
The Other Side of the Story (Hardcover)
Other Side Of The Story

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Marian Keyes, born September 10, 1963, is a popular Irish writer, considered to be one of the original progenitors of "chick lit". Keyes' first novel, Watermelon, was published in Ireland in 1995. Since then she has published seven further novels and two collections of non-fiction, and has sold 15 million copies of her books in 30 languages.

More about Marian Keyes...
Sushi for Beginners Watermelon (Walsh Family, #1) Rachel's Holiday (Walsh Family, #2) Anybody Out There? (Walsh Family, #4) Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married

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“why can't we love the right people? what is so wrong with us that we rush into situations to which we are manifestly unsuited, which will hurt us and others? why are we given emotions which we cannot control and which move in exact contradiction to what we really want? we are walking conflicts, internal battles on legs.” 164 people liked it
“What doesn't kill us makes us funnier.” 98 people liked it
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