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Love Struck #1
Love Struck
Following an alcohol-induced, relationship-combusting one-night stand, Isabelle Beckett finds herself suddenly single. Caught up in her big city career with an art auction house, her life is an enviable whirl of glamorous gallery openings, avant-garde ironing boards, and once-in-a-lifetime discoveries.That is, until Isabelle faces the fact that being single in Sydney is an experience for which she is quite unprepared. Forced to contend with hostile taxi drivers, fanged spiders in the shower and the humiliation of being discovered by her latest crush in a wetsuit-tutu combo, she struggles to retain her dignity and belief in romantic destiny. And then, just when she seems to be regaining control of life, Isabelle finds herself on the hit list of a Serial Dater.A gloriously funny novel about one girl's blossoming love affair with life.
372 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2003
6 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
June 23, 2013
This is one of those books that has been lurking on my shelf for a while, begging to be read, but kept getting overlooked. I finally picked it up again when wanting to read La'Brooy's other book, Babymoon (being preggers), and discovering Love Struck is the prequel.
Well, I shouldn't have waited so long to read it! Melanie La'Brooy has a truly unique style and the back blurb plug is very apt... 'As street-wise and sassy as Sex and the City while somehow retaining a wholesome Kaz Cooke-ish, girl-next-door quality.' Indeed!
The story follows Isabelle who moves to Sydney from Melbourne with her beau - only for him to wind up leaving her. Thus, she has to navigate the big, lonely city alone. Her new love interest, Dr Jack, is totally endearing and the romantic build-up between them originally done and in no way clichéd or cheesy.
It takes a while to get accustomed to La'Brooy's constant puns, long sentences and left-wing chatter, but once you're in the flow, you'll love it. The story also seems to reflect a little of La'Brooy's life as she's worked at an art auction house too and been transplanted from Melbourne to Sydney.
Go Aussie! I give it four points for originality.
Well, I shouldn't have waited so long to read it! Melanie La'Brooy has a truly unique style and the back blurb plug is very apt... 'As street-wise and sassy as Sex and the City while somehow retaining a wholesome Kaz Cooke-ish, girl-next-door quality.' Indeed!
The story follows Isabelle who moves to Sydney from Melbourne with her beau - only for him to wind up leaving her. Thus, she has to navigate the big, lonely city alone. Her new love interest, Dr Jack, is totally endearing and the romantic build-up between them originally done and in no way clichéd or cheesy.
It takes a while to get accustomed to La'Brooy's constant puns, long sentences and left-wing chatter, but once you're in the flow, you'll love it. The story also seems to reflect a little of La'Brooy's life as she's worked at an art auction house too and been transplanted from Melbourne to Sydney.
Go Aussie! I give it four points for originality.
January 11, 2011
I expected this book to be a lot more fun than it was – parts of it were funny but on the whole I thought Isabelle was pretty neurotic with her thoughts.
Isabelle and her boyfriend Charlie moved to Sydney from Melbourne, but after 12 months in Sydney Charlie applied for and accepted a new position in Adelaide without informing Isabelle. They planned to keep in touch but all we had was Isabelle fantasizing about Charlie and his new girlfriend. She has a one night stand that she regrets afterwards for a long time. I just found Isabelle strange – she could have had a lot more fun than she did and I would have liked her relationship with Jack to have been different.
Isabelle and her boyfriend Charlie moved to Sydney from Melbourne, but after 12 months in Sydney Charlie applied for and accepted a new position in Adelaide without informing Isabelle. They planned to keep in touch but all we had was Isabelle fantasizing about Charlie and his new girlfriend. She has a one night stand that she regrets afterwards for a long time. I just found Isabelle strange – she could have had a lot more fun than she did and I would have liked her relationship with Jack to have been different.
September 6, 2019
Melanie La'Brooy reminds me of Kathy Lette: as an author, she can't decide whether she wants to write a story or be a stand-up comedian. Every page is liberally peppered with one-liners and "funny" observations about life, many of them utterly irrelevant to the narrative. Actually, some of them were very clever - but did there have to be so many? At first, they amused me, but I quickly got to the point where I just wanted her to get on with the story for pity's sake!
I stuck with it for a while but nothing much happened so I stopped.
I stuck with it for a while but nothing much happened so I stopped.
March 2, 2010
Hilarious novel, it made me laugh out loud so many times! The main character is so endearing and does such unintentionally funny things throughout the book. Much much better than run of the mill chick lit, this book is a gem!
August 23, 2017
New to me author. I listened to this as an audio book. The narrative was amazing and brought the book to life. I found the book title deceiving. Most of the book was just verse, waiting for something to happen.
October 2, 2017
I am not one to not finish a book however this book was so slow and by page 150 or so I decided to cave and move on to a more exciting book! Sorry for the poor review but if I can't finish a book it gets 1 star!
January 6, 2019
Such an annoying main character
November 2, 2020
the main character is supposed to be funny, but this is limited to constant judgement of everyone she meets/sees and "being quirky". Comes across as being in the mind of a bitchy/catty person with no sense of reality or social appropriateness when outside of her established friend group, which is overall an unpleasant experience.
Reads more like a middle aged man's idea of what a pre-teen girl would want an adult woman to sound like. Physically rolled my eyes through several parts. Only finished as it was a rec from a friend who obviously saw something more in it than I could.
Reads more like a middle aged man's idea of what a pre-teen girl would want an adult woman to sound like. Physically rolled my eyes through several parts. Only finished as it was a rec from a friend who obviously saw something more in it than I could.
May 15, 2021
This was one of my favourite books when I was a little younger and I can say that I enjoyed it just as much now. Very Australian and some of the pop culture references are a bit dated. However I listened to the audiobook for this and it was very well done. Great re read.
October 28, 2021
Laughed out loud! Funniest book I've read in a long time! Easy read, clever, witty. Just fun.
December 1, 2021
I just can't read anymore
May 10, 2024
Liked that it wasn't a classic love story.
Chapters were too long
Chapters were too long
June 6, 2024
Great as an audio book while busy doing things, I enjoyed it!
I think if I read the book though may have lost some interest
I think if I read the book though may have lost some interest
August 14, 2011
Laugh out loud!
When Isabelle's boyfriend moves to Adelaide, she is confident the two of them, with infinite maturity, will be able to sustain a long-term, long-distance relationship. That is until she broadcasts the details of a disastrous one-night stand and he seeks solace in the arms of a nice Adelaide girl. Isabelle is left to contend with the vagaries of single life in Sydney, capital of the dodgy date. But she has some things to be thankful for: a glam job in an art-auction house and a set of friends whose own eccentricities disqualify them from being in any position to judge Isabelle and her romantic misadventures too harshly. Finally the dust settles: Isabelle 'discovers' an important work of art, which boosts her career prospects, and a fellow named Dr Jack arrives to treat her broken heart.
When Isabelle's boyfriend moves to Adelaide, she is confident the two of them, with infinite maturity, will be able to sustain a long-term, long-distance relationship. That is until she broadcasts the details of a disastrous one-night stand and he seeks solace in the arms of a nice Adelaide girl. Isabelle is left to contend with the vagaries of single life in Sydney, capital of the dodgy date. But she has some things to be thankful for: a glam job in an art-auction house and a set of friends whose own eccentricities disqualify them from being in any position to judge Isabelle and her romantic misadventures too harshly. Finally the dust settles: Isabelle 'discovers' an important work of art, which boosts her career prospects, and a fellow named Dr Jack arrives to treat her broken heart.
August 7, 2019
This was my first pick of Mel's that I randomly picked off the bookshop shelf, and it didn't disappoint. A nice Aussie based, fun romance, chick-lit, easy read. Went on to read others by her as well. Suited for adults and possibly older teens and young adults. The sex not too heavy, and the romance has a happy outcome.
March 8, 2015
I loved this writing style. And I LOVE the cover artwork. So annoying they changed the artwork for her other books and that they have not been reprinted to all match! Come on publishing company.
If you are going through a break up, this is a must read!!
If you are going through a break up, this is a must read!!
September 22, 2008
I loved this book. I identified with isabelle very much maybe a little too easily lol. It was awesome.
Read
October 21, 2008Great book that makes you feel good about life. Also it is a bit bridget jones like but with beter visual wording.
August 13, 2011
I enjoyed the book while reading it, but it's one of those book I can read and easily forget about as there is nothing particularly memorable about it.
December 2, 2011
i really enjoyed it, it was a funny and spirited book!
August 9, 2012
this was an amazing book, it was funny aswell as intriging in some parts. I would've liked Dr Jacks and Issables relationship to be different but all in all its a good book
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July 4, 2013Cheap, prescription writing.
No stars, no depth of character or plot and inconsistent writing style. Indulgent, shallow & disappointing all round. Irritating read!
No stars, no depth of character or plot and inconsistent writing style. Indulgent, shallow & disappointing all round. Irritating read!
October 16, 2013
A good laugh.
December 31, 2014
An enjoyable, fun read, very light but well written and intelligent.
January 21, 2017
Melanie La'Brooy is my favourite author. I literally laugh out loud when reading her books. This one doesn't disappoint.
February 28, 2019
Hilarious
July 7, 2009
I think I enjoyed this a lot more than I would have because of Louise Crawford's reading.
January 16, 2010
The very first novel which set of my love of reading.
January 3, 2011
Hilarious and cute.
March 13, 2013
garbage.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews