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Out with the Ex, In with the New
You know when you sleep through your alarm, trip over running for the bus, and then someone points out that your dress is stuck into your hotdog-print knickers? That’s basically my life right now.
Gemma didn’t expect her life to look like this. She’s still living with her mother, who steals her leggings and tells her off for leaving crumbs in the butter. After twenty failed interviews she thought she’d bagged her dream job as a journalist – except it turns out to be writing articles about cats that look like George Clooney. Luckily she has her wonderful boyfriend, Jack, to help her forget just how rubbish things are.
Then Jack dumps her out of the blue. With nothing but her childhood teddy bear, Stanley, and a whole heap of heartbreak, Gemma resolves to turn things around. She throws herself into her new job and soon she’s hanging out with cheeky, golden-haired hunk Charlie, eating in swanky restaurants and sipping trendy cocktails – and her old life seems like a distant memory.
But it’s not long until her shiny new world starts to lose its sparkle – and Gemma misses the days of wearing battered pink converse and eating peanut butter on toast in bed. Then Jack turns up, backpack in tow, and things starts to go wrong with Charlie. ‘Out with the old, in with the new’, the saying goes. But what happens if neither one is quite right?
This laugh-out-loud romantic comedy is for anyone who’s ever cried their eyes out to love songs after a break-up or accidentally drunk-texted their ex. Fans of Sophie Kinsella and Lindsey Kelk will love this unmissable read which is all about falling in love with the most important person: yourself!
This book was previously published as the Truth About Gemma Grey.
Gemma didn’t expect her life to look like this. She’s still living with her mother, who steals her leggings and tells her off for leaving crumbs in the butter. After twenty failed interviews she thought she’d bagged her dream job as a journalist – except it turns out to be writing articles about cats that look like George Clooney. Luckily she has her wonderful boyfriend, Jack, to help her forget just how rubbish things are.
Then Jack dumps her out of the blue. With nothing but her childhood teddy bear, Stanley, and a whole heap of heartbreak, Gemma resolves to turn things around. She throws herself into her new job and soon she’s hanging out with cheeky, golden-haired hunk Charlie, eating in swanky restaurants and sipping trendy cocktails – and her old life seems like a distant memory.
But it’s not long until her shiny new world starts to lose its sparkle – and Gemma misses the days of wearing battered pink converse and eating peanut butter on toast in bed. Then Jack turns up, backpack in tow, and things starts to go wrong with Charlie. ‘Out with the old, in with the new’, the saying goes. But what happens if neither one is quite right?
This laugh-out-loud romantic comedy is for anyone who’s ever cried their eyes out to love songs after a break-up or accidentally drunk-texted their ex. Fans of Sophie Kinsella and Lindsey Kelk will love this unmissable read which is all about falling in love with the most important person: yourself!
This book was previously published as the Truth About Gemma Grey.
396 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2017
1132 people are currently reading
1565 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Ranald
23 books563 followersSophie Ranald is the youngest of five sisters. She was born in Zimbabwe and lived in South Africa until an acute case of itchy feet brought her to London in her mid-20s.
As an editor for a customer publishing agency, Sophie developed her fiction-writing skills describing holidays to places she’d never visited. In 2011, she decided to disregard all the good advice given to aspiring novelists and attempt to write full-time. After one false start, It Would Be Wrong to Steal My Sister’s Boyfriend (Wouldn’t It?) seemed to write itself.
Sophie also writes for magazines and online about food, fashion and running. She lives in south-east London with her amazing partner Hopi and Purrs, their adorable little cat.
As an editor for a customer publishing agency, Sophie developed her fiction-writing skills describing holidays to places she’d never visited. In 2011, she decided to disregard all the good advice given to aspiring novelists and attempt to write full-time. After one false start, It Would Be Wrong to Steal My Sister’s Boyfriend (Wouldn’t It?) seemed to write itself.
Sophie also writes for magazines and online about food, fashion and running. She lives in south-east London with her amazing partner Hopi and Purrs, their adorable little cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
December 19, 2019
Having recently finished 'No, We Can't be Friends', I really wanted to read another book by Sophie Ranald. This one focused on one of Sloane Cassidy's clients, Gemma Grey, her vlogging career and her search for self-identity and a stable rewarding relationship.
I was surprised how young Gemma sounded compared to Sloane. Sophie Ranald is a master of characterization. It was absolutely clear that this girl is only 24 years old, and is still trying to understand what she would like to do with life. One thing is clear, she is a good, decent person, who cares about other people and is trying to do right by them. Gemma started her make-up advice vlog for fun. As it happens to many vloggers (my cousin is one of them, so I can vouch the author's research is spot-on), she hit a 1000 subscribers milestone, and made some similarly-minded friends in the YouTube community, but..that's it. Then her boyfriend Jack goes travelling with another friend and breaks up with Gemma. Gemma records a video with her 'epic reaction' to the break-up, which goes viral and gets her noticed. Of course, the plot is a bit predictable: Gemma needs to discover the pros and cons of her online career, and she also needs to find a worthwhile cause to care and do something about.
I loved Gemma with her honesty and self-deprecating humour. This book previously had a different title- 'The truth about Gemma Grey'. While the new one is more attention-grabbing, I still prefer the old one, because the focus isn't so much on her romantic relationships, but on Gemma becoming more self-aware and more mature.
Out with the Ex, In with the New is a great example of the chick-lit genre: it is entertaining, touching on some more serious topics (the charity Gemma ends up caring about is very close to my heart) without making the reader feel too depressed, and, of course, there a HFN at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
I was surprised how young Gemma sounded compared to Sloane. Sophie Ranald is a master of characterization. It was absolutely clear that this girl is only 24 years old, and is still trying to understand what she would like to do with life. One thing is clear, she is a good, decent person, who cares about other people and is trying to do right by them. Gemma started her make-up advice vlog for fun. As it happens to many vloggers (my cousin is one of them, so I can vouch the author's research is spot-on), she hit a 1000 subscribers milestone, and made some similarly-minded friends in the YouTube community, but..that's it. Then her boyfriend Jack goes travelling with another friend and breaks up with Gemma. Gemma records a video with her 'epic reaction' to the break-up, which goes viral and gets her noticed. Of course, the plot is a bit predictable: Gemma needs to discover the pros and cons of her online career, and she also needs to find a worthwhile cause to care and do something about.
I loved Gemma with her honesty and self-deprecating humour. This book previously had a different title- 'The truth about Gemma Grey'. While the new one is more attention-grabbing, I still prefer the old one, because the focus isn't so much on her romantic relationships, but on Gemma becoming more self-aware and more mature.
Out with the Ex, In with the New is a great example of the chick-lit genre: it is entertaining, touching on some more serious topics (the charity Gemma ends up caring about is very close to my heart) without making the reader feel too depressed, and, of course, there a HFN at the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
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October 27, 2019Woah, sadly that was a dnf at 56%.
It was like reading about the daily life and struggle of a YouTube star on the rise.
And i thought surely now something exciting will happen... or now... or now... or now...
but no.
It was like reading about the daily life and struggle of a YouTube star on the rise.
And i thought surely now something exciting will happen... or now... or now... or now...
but no.
December 12, 2019
This book was fun, flirty, and filled with whimsy! Gemma is 24 and at a bit of a crossroads in her life. She has finally landed a job after looking forever. Excited to share this news with her boyfriend Jack, who she is certain she will be moving in with soon, Gemma gets a bit of a shock. Jack has decided he’s going to tour the world and not with Gemma but rather his friend Olivia. So now Gemma finds her self finding a new place to live in London alone, and she finds a room in a house with a very interesting couple. Things get off to a bit of a rocky start. Gemma‘s dream writing job turns out to be Gemma writing quirky quips about cats. And then she gets a dear John letter from Jack. Gemma is devastated and takes to her Vlog to vent and gives the most epic break up spiel ever! What follows is a wild and crazy chain of events that will alter Gemma‘s life and perspective forever.
Gemma was a great character, I was cheering for the girl from first page to last! There was a lot in this book about vlogging and the YouTube culture and admittedly I don’t entirely understand it. My kids seem to watch a lot of YouTube and the attraction escapes me, why anyone would want to watch someone else playing video games is beyond me. I know there’s more to it than that, but I am definitely not of the YouTube generation. I did find it interesting, it’s crazy how well known these people are for skateboarding around their house. There was a lot more to this then YouTube parties, make up videos, and shopping. There were some heavier topics and I think they were incorporated into this lighter read very well. Something I truly did appreciate about this book was even though there were some romantic entanglements the story really was about Gemma finding her inner strength. My only tiny niggle with this book is it could’ve been edited down a little I think, but that’s very minor. All in all this was an entertaining book about an engaging character.
This book in emojis. 💅🏻 👛 🐱 🧸 🦋
*** Big thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***
Gemma was a great character, I was cheering for the girl from first page to last! There was a lot in this book about vlogging and the YouTube culture and admittedly I don’t entirely understand it. My kids seem to watch a lot of YouTube and the attraction escapes me, why anyone would want to watch someone else playing video games is beyond me. I know there’s more to it than that, but I am definitely not of the YouTube generation. I did find it interesting, it’s crazy how well known these people are for skateboarding around their house. There was a lot more to this then YouTube parties, make up videos, and shopping. There were some heavier topics and I think they were incorporated into this lighter read very well. Something I truly did appreciate about this book was even though there were some romantic entanglements the story really was about Gemma finding her inner strength. My only tiny niggle with this book is it could’ve been edited down a little I think, but that’s very minor. All in all this was an entertaining book about an engaging character.
This book in emojis. 💅🏻 👛 🐱 🧸 🦋
*** Big thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***
December 3, 2019
Since I loved her previous work 'Sorry not Sorry' I didn't think twice before requesting this novel. Previously published as the Truth about Gemma Grey, this tale of self-discovery opens before us the glittering world of vlogging. With unexpected success which her sudden-impulse video garnered, she gets entry to the world of vlogging celebs along with its false charm.
More than a romance, this novel traces Gemma's path from ruin to instant fame and the prize she will have to pay in order to keep it that way. Sure, we could guess right away who she is going to select at the end but that seems irrelevant in the larger scheme of things. What I loved most is the way Ranald describes the vlogging community and the raw emotions of a vlogger. Anyone who is in the same field can identify with her desire for recognition and the comradeship she feels for the camera. This is a place to reveal your inner goddess and when nothing in life goes according to plan, the likes and comments there is the perfect balm.
So I wouldn't term this novel as a laugh out loud romantic comedy. This is a light read for sure, but what it offers is something more profound. It is the story of a simple girl finally finding her way. . .
More than a romance, this novel traces Gemma's path from ruin to instant fame and the prize she will have to pay in order to keep it that way. Sure, we could guess right away who she is going to select at the end but that seems irrelevant in the larger scheme of things. What I loved most is the way Ranald describes the vlogging community and the raw emotions of a vlogger. Anyone who is in the same field can identify with her desire for recognition and the comradeship she feels for the camera. This is a place to reveal your inner goddess and when nothing in life goes according to plan, the likes and comments there is the perfect balm.
So I wouldn't term this novel as a laugh out loud romantic comedy. This is a light read for sure, but what it offers is something more profound. It is the story of a simple girl finally finding her way. . .
May 28, 2019
So this was a so-so romance/chick lit which changed mid-stream into a more "serious" novel that didn't really work. I don't know if Ranald handled it very well. The book also left a couple of things that I would have been interested in seeing handled into a fade to black type moment. I really wanted Gemma to just stand on her own two feet (which she seemed ready to do) but she seemed to only be focused on a relationship. Some readers may feel a bit out of depth with this book's focus on YouTube and Vlogging. Even though I know about this whole thing I still found it boring to read. I will never understand YouTube stars becoming millionaires because they show you their clothes and make-up. I remember when I used YouTube to learn how to take my sink apart and install a new faucet. The ending was just okay, I don't think I would follow another book about this character.
"The Truth About Gemma Gray" follows 20 something Gemma Gray (obviously). Gemma finally has a job working at a company that I would think is similar to Buzzfeed. Gemma also on the side does YouTube videos showing off makeup and clothing. When Gemma goes out to celebrate with her long-term boyfriend Jack, he tells her that instead of moving in together, he wants to travel the world, and not alone. Jack plans on going with his childhood best friend Olivia. Gemma of course is devastated, but Jack swears that after this trip he will return to Gemma and they can settle down. Of course that's not at all what happens. Gemma starts her new job, realizes it's going to entail her writing about cats for the most part. She looks for a new place to rent that is closer to London. And Jack slowly but surely starts to pull away from her. When Jack breaks up with Gemma via email (asshole) she realizes that he is with Olivia now and Gemma does an epic rant on her vlogger channel about what he has done to her and made her feel. Gemma quickly goes viral which opens up new job opportunities to her and even new romances.
So I did like Gemma. She loves Jack and just wants to move in together and start on the next thing in their lives. Jack though needs to go off and "find himself." I would kicked his ridiculous butt to the curb. Gemma still has hope though until even she is waiting for the shoe to drop. I liked how Ranald had Gemma not being foolish and realizing slowly she was losing Jack. After her speech goes viral though I thought things were a bit off the rails with Gemma. She quickly gains notoriety and then tries to backpedal away from it and then she throws herself at the local barista in the nearby coffee shop she goes to. Then she meets a YouTube star and finds herself attracted to him. I really never got any idea why Gemma got involved in vlogging, what about it attracted her to it, etc. It didn't help that she didn't seem to be into fashion that much either.
The other characters were not given a lot to do in this one. Gemma has new housemates, Hannah and Richard (who own the home) and another lodger, Amy. We are just given little asides here and there that Hannah and Richard are house proud and weird. Eventually things change and Hannah and to a lesser extent Amy are brought to the forefront more, but wish it had been a lot earlier. A few times it felt like I was reading two different versions of this book.
Jack was a non-entity. I wish that Ranald had set it up a bit more to show us how the two worked together as a couple. The one love interest had a lot of development though. The second one, not so much. No spoiling on who is who though.
The writing was good. I think Ranald can spin a tale. I just think her deciding to work in a more serious theme didn't work. She was already focused on YouTube and dangers with Vlogging. Trying to work in [redacted] gave an off feeling to the whole book. I don't mind more serious chick-lit, but this one didn't seem to focus too much on either issue besides bare bones it felt like.
The flow was off though. It took a while for me to realize that time was passing by. It felt like things were just happening one after another. I realized that this book starts in the spring of 2016 and ends that winter.
The book takes place in London, and besides reading about cool clubs here and there, I didn't get a very good sense of the city. Ranald didn't really make this stand out as a British chick lit book.
The ending was a disappointment though. I wish that Ranald had shown Gemma do a few things instead of us hearing about it after the fact. I also wish there had been more closure with her and Jack. Considering what happened before, it was a lame way to end things.
"The Truth About Gemma Gray" follows 20 something Gemma Gray (obviously). Gemma finally has a job working at a company that I would think is similar to Buzzfeed. Gemma also on the side does YouTube videos showing off makeup and clothing. When Gemma goes out to celebrate with her long-term boyfriend Jack, he tells her that instead of moving in together, he wants to travel the world, and not alone. Jack plans on going with his childhood best friend Olivia. Gemma of course is devastated, but Jack swears that after this trip he will return to Gemma and they can settle down. Of course that's not at all what happens. Gemma starts her new job, realizes it's going to entail her writing about cats for the most part. She looks for a new place to rent that is closer to London. And Jack slowly but surely starts to pull away from her. When Jack breaks up with Gemma via email (asshole) she realizes that he is with Olivia now and Gemma does an epic rant on her vlogger channel about what he has done to her and made her feel. Gemma quickly goes viral which opens up new job opportunities to her and even new romances.
So I did like Gemma. She loves Jack and just wants to move in together and start on the next thing in their lives. Jack though needs to go off and "find himself." I would kicked his ridiculous butt to the curb. Gemma still has hope though until even she is waiting for the shoe to drop. I liked how Ranald had Gemma not being foolish and realizing slowly she was losing Jack. After her speech goes viral though I thought things were a bit off the rails with Gemma. She quickly gains notoriety and then tries to backpedal away from it and then she throws herself at the local barista in the nearby coffee shop she goes to. Then she meets a YouTube star and finds herself attracted to him. I really never got any idea why Gemma got involved in vlogging, what about it attracted her to it, etc. It didn't help that she didn't seem to be into fashion that much either.
The other characters were not given a lot to do in this one. Gemma has new housemates, Hannah and Richard (who own the home) and another lodger, Amy. We are just given little asides here and there that Hannah and Richard are house proud and weird. Eventually things change and Hannah and to a lesser extent Amy are brought to the forefront more, but wish it had been a lot earlier. A few times it felt like I was reading two different versions of this book.
Jack was a non-entity. I wish that Ranald had set it up a bit more to show us how the two worked together as a couple. The one love interest had a lot of development though. The second one, not so much. No spoiling on who is who though.
The writing was good. I think Ranald can spin a tale. I just think her deciding to work in a more serious theme didn't work. She was already focused on YouTube and dangers with Vlogging. Trying to work in [redacted] gave an off feeling to the whole book. I don't mind more serious chick-lit, but this one didn't seem to focus too much on either issue besides bare bones it felt like.
The flow was off though. It took a while for me to realize that time was passing by. It felt like things were just happening one after another. I realized that this book starts in the spring of 2016 and ends that winter.
The book takes place in London, and besides reading about cool clubs here and there, I didn't get a very good sense of the city. Ranald didn't really make this stand out as a British chick lit book.
The ending was a disappointment though. I wish that Ranald had shown Gemma do a few things instead of us hearing about it after the fact. I also wish there had been more closure with her and Jack. Considering what happened before, it was a lame way to end things.
October 24, 2019
This novel was okay. I would read it again. This novel discusses the life of Gemma. She was first introduced with having a boyfriend named Jack. They have been together for 4 years. They seem to have a good relationship when Jack tells Gemma that he is going on holiday with Olivia his bestfriend. They discussed doing a long distance when Jack and Olivia the bestfriend get together. He breaks up with Gemma which causes her to go onto her YouTube channel and rant about breaking up. This caused her to go viral. She starts getting more immersed into the world of YouTube
She finds herself promoting products, dating a popular YouTube.
This is where i lost interest in the book because it kept talking about YouTube and the romance around her and her YouTube boyfriend just didnt feel romantic enough.
This book was okay.
She finds herself promoting products, dating a popular YouTube.
This is where i lost interest in the book because it kept talking about YouTube and the romance around her and her YouTube boyfriend just didnt feel romantic enough.
This book was okay.
January 6, 2020
3 stars
//Really long review.
Overall Thoughts:
Out With The Ex, In With The New by Sophie Ranald is a contemporary novel centred on 24 y/o Gemma, a small-time YouTuber who lives in London. With central themes of social media popularity, finding oneself (as people in their twenties are wont to do), and romantic agonising, this novel makes for a quick and fun read.
The story (no spoilers; only things available in the blurb mentioned here, in my own words):
Gemma, after months of looking for a job, finds one as a junior content creator at ClickFrenzy (the novel's equivalent of Buzzfeed), and she's really chuffed to share the news, only to find out that Jack, her boyfriend of 4 years has decided that he needs to travel the world to find out where his head is at — with his best mate Olivia.
Gemma does her best to maintain an LDR while getting her bearings with her new job, when Jacks dumps her via email to be with Olivia (romantically), and this breaks Gemma's heart. She posts a video on her make-up channel about how she feels, and the video unexpectedly goes viral — she's a YouTube star overnight.
She's now got more subscribers and followers than before, and she starts receiving free samples and offers for product placement — she even gets an offer from an agency willing to rep her, and most of all, by becoming the girlfriend of a super popular vlogger (Charlie), she now has the attention of thousands of young teenage girls.
Charlie is one half of the The Berry Boys YouTuber duo (the other half being his twin), and with him, Gemma starts living the life of a celebrity — the hippest pubs in town, the swankiest merch on the market — albeit like a fish out of water. But all this gets stale soon, and when Jack comes back to apologise and get back together with her, Gemma realises that neither Charlie nor Jack is what she needs.
Things I liked:
— Gemma: The main character was highly relatable. Up till she found a job, to save money, she lived with her mom, and shot vlogs occasionally to post them on YouTube. She's down-to-earth, and I love how awkward her overnight fame made her feel. She's a completely lovely narrator in terms of personality, and I enjoyed how even when she hated her day-job at times, the thought of how un-fun unemployment was kept her in check. While the narration is not witty per se, there's a grounding quality to the narration, and I like how she uses her platform to address more serious issues.
— The setting: I’ve only read one other book where the character was a vlogger, but that book didn’t do the YouTube any justice, unlike this one. Right from how a viral video can turn things in terms of subscriber in flow, to product placement offers and monetising the videos; from how SEO works and how keywords need to be targeted in order to get the highest number of organic clicks — this book got all the tech aspects right. Randal has done in-depth research in a field that I work with everyday, and I immensely respect her for that.
—The intention behind the plot: While the book is an easy read, it does touch upon some heavier topics, and though it’s tone didn’t gel as well (since this was only in the last 30% and I felt it needed a lot more space in the book), it was a nice way to bring the book to its conclusion. Gemma uses her online presence for this cause, and I like that the author took it in that direction.
—The supplementary characters: Charlie and Gus of the Berry Boys duo were so reminiscent of Fred and George from Harry Potter that I instantaneously liked them. They play pranks on others, finish each other’s sentences, and have an easy camaraderie. Ranald has done an amazing job not just characterising these two, but also the other characters who come in.
Things I disliked:
— Disclosure of the plot as the blurb: So everything I mentioned in the “The Story” part of my review, which is events from the blurb, make up about 70% of the book. Which means for the first 70%, I knew what was coming. I knew Jack would dump her. I knew that though Charlie seems lovely, Genma’s going to fall out love pretty quick. I knew that since Gemma isn’t going to end up with Jack or Charlie (see blurb), and since there was only other person with whom a spark was foreshadowed, Gemma is 100% going to end up with the third guy.
— Gemma ending up with the third guy: When the narrative was for Gemma to find herself, it bothered me that she sprang out of Charlie’s arms, into this guy’s. I would have liked to see Gemma be single and take on the world on her own (considering she’s always had a boyfriend since she was 20), but that didn’t happen, and it kinda bummed me out.
— Slagging off on vegetarians: What’s with this book-trend of making vegetarians sound like they’re snooty people with tons of money to blow on food? Being a vegetarian cannot be looked at as a personality flaw; it’s just a dietary preference. I’m a vegetarian (was brought up that way, because my religion says we shouldn’t harm any other living being capable of feeling pain) and I honestly felt low-key attacked.
If saying you prefer coffee to tea isn’t a character flaw, then preferring a caprese salad to tandoori chicken can’t be a flaw either.
Also, not every vegetarian dish tastes disgusting or is boring; only the disgusting ones are. Case in point: French fries/chips. Chocolate ice-cream. Pop corn. Strawberry smoothies. Good ol' chocolate.
Sorry about the mini-rant here, it’s just that this kind of corroded into how much I’d enjoyed reading about Gemma’s sedentary adventures into online popularity. Without that, it would have been a 4-star read for me.
But overall, Out With The Ex, In With The New was a fun and quick read, perfect for lazy Sundays, and sunny days in the park. It comes out on Dec 3, 2019, and I’m pretty sure fans of Sophie Kinsella will enjoy this book. I’d certainly like to read more by the author; looks interesting!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Bookouture, for providing me with an ARC. I enjoyed the book. :)
//Really long review.
Overall Thoughts:
Out With The Ex, In With The New by Sophie Ranald is a contemporary novel centred on 24 y/o Gemma, a small-time YouTuber who lives in London. With central themes of social media popularity, finding oneself (as people in their twenties are wont to do), and romantic agonising, this novel makes for a quick and fun read.
The story (no spoilers; only things available in the blurb mentioned here, in my own words):
Gemma, after months of looking for a job, finds one as a junior content creator at ClickFrenzy (the novel's equivalent of Buzzfeed), and she's really chuffed to share the news, only to find out that Jack, her boyfriend of 4 years has decided that he needs to travel the world to find out where his head is at — with his best mate Olivia.
Gemma does her best to maintain an LDR while getting her bearings with her new job, when Jacks dumps her via email to be with Olivia (romantically), and this breaks Gemma's heart. She posts a video on her make-up channel about how she feels, and the video unexpectedly goes viral — she's a YouTube star overnight.
She's now got more subscribers and followers than before, and she starts receiving free samples and offers for product placement — she even gets an offer from an agency willing to rep her, and most of all, by becoming the girlfriend of a super popular vlogger (Charlie), she now has the attention of thousands of young teenage girls.
Charlie is one half of the The Berry Boys YouTuber duo (the other half being his twin), and with him, Gemma starts living the life of a celebrity — the hippest pubs in town, the swankiest merch on the market — albeit like a fish out of water. But all this gets stale soon, and when Jack comes back to apologise and get back together with her, Gemma realises that neither Charlie nor Jack is what she needs.
Things I liked:
— Gemma: The main character was highly relatable. Up till she found a job, to save money, she lived with her mom, and shot vlogs occasionally to post them on YouTube. She's down-to-earth, and I love how awkward her overnight fame made her feel. She's a completely lovely narrator in terms of personality, and I enjoyed how even when she hated her day-job at times, the thought of how un-fun unemployment was kept her in check. While the narration is not witty per se, there's a grounding quality to the narration, and I like how she uses her platform to address more serious issues.
— The setting: I’ve only read one other book where the character was a vlogger, but that book didn’t do the YouTube any justice, unlike this one. Right from how a viral video can turn things in terms of subscriber in flow, to product placement offers and monetising the videos; from how SEO works and how keywords need to be targeted in order to get the highest number of organic clicks — this book got all the tech aspects right. Randal has done in-depth research in a field that I work with everyday, and I immensely respect her for that.
—The intention behind the plot: While the book is an easy read, it does touch upon some heavier topics, and though it’s tone didn’t gel as well (since this was only in the last 30% and I felt it needed a lot more space in the book), it was a nice way to bring the book to its conclusion. Gemma uses her online presence for this cause, and I like that the author took it in that direction.
—The supplementary characters: Charlie and Gus of the Berry Boys duo were so reminiscent of Fred and George from Harry Potter that I instantaneously liked them. They play pranks on others, finish each other’s sentences, and have an easy camaraderie. Ranald has done an amazing job not just characterising these two, but also the other characters who come in.
Things I disliked:
— Disclosure of the plot as the blurb: So everything I mentioned in the “The Story” part of my review, which is events from the blurb, make up about 70% of the book. Which means for the first 70%, I knew what was coming. I knew Jack would dump her. I knew that though Charlie seems lovely, Genma’s going to fall out love pretty quick. I knew that since Gemma isn’t going to end up with Jack or Charlie (see blurb), and since there was only other person with whom a spark was foreshadowed, Gemma is 100% going to end up with the third guy.
— Gemma ending up with the third guy: When the narrative was for Gemma to find herself, it bothered me that she sprang out of Charlie’s arms, into this guy’s. I would have liked to see Gemma be single and take on the world on her own (considering she’s always had a boyfriend since she was 20), but that didn’t happen, and it kinda bummed me out.
— Slagging off on vegetarians: What’s with this book-trend of making vegetarians sound like they’re snooty people with tons of money to blow on food? Being a vegetarian cannot be looked at as a personality flaw; it’s just a dietary preference. I’m a vegetarian (was brought up that way, because my religion says we shouldn’t harm any other living being capable of feeling pain) and I honestly felt low-key attacked.
If saying you prefer coffee to tea isn’t a character flaw, then preferring a caprese salad to tandoori chicken can’t be a flaw either.
Also, not every vegetarian dish tastes disgusting or is boring; only the disgusting ones are. Case in point: French fries/chips. Chocolate ice-cream. Pop corn. Strawberry smoothies. Good ol' chocolate.
Sorry about the mini-rant here, it’s just that this kind of corroded into how much I’d enjoyed reading about Gemma’s sedentary adventures into online popularity. Without that, it would have been a 4-star read for me.
But overall, Out With The Ex, In With The New was a fun and quick read, perfect for lazy Sundays, and sunny days in the park. It comes out on Dec 3, 2019, and I’m pretty sure fans of Sophie Kinsella will enjoy this book. I’d certainly like to read more by the author; looks interesting!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Bookouture, for providing me with an ARC. I enjoyed the book. :)
December 4, 2019
When you read a feel good book, you are certain about one thing : a happy ending. It does not mean that the whole story is captured in a rosy cloud, that violins are playing or that everything is lovey-dovey.
More than once the road to happiness is very bumpy and twisty, but in the end you get where you want to be.
When you are being dumped, you are on a rollercoaster of emotions. You are sad, angry and a lot of scenarios for revenge go through your mind.
Suddenly you realise your heart is on the mend and it’s time to do what’s good for you. That’s when you know you are on the right track.
This story is about turning your life around for more than one of the characters. It’s nice to see them change and grow towards happiness and how they put themselves first instead of living in the shadow of someone else.
Even though this genre includes serious subjects, the whole is always made a little lighter due to the funny situations. 4 stars.
Thank you, Sophie Ranald and Bookouture.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
More than once the road to happiness is very bumpy and twisty, but in the end you get where you want to be.
When you are being dumped, you are on a rollercoaster of emotions. You are sad, angry and a lot of scenarios for revenge go through your mind.
Suddenly you realise your heart is on the mend and it’s time to do what’s good for you. That’s when you know you are on the right track.
This story is about turning your life around for more than one of the characters. It’s nice to see them change and grow towards happiness and how they put themselves first instead of living in the shadow of someone else.
Even though this genre includes serious subjects, the whole is always made a little lighter due to the funny situations. 4 stars.
Thank you, Sophie Ranald and Bookouture.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
December 16, 2019
Gemma Gray is a YouTuber who goes viral unexpectedly when she uploads a very raw reaction to her boyfriend dumping her. With her newfound fame comes a new love interest and lots of new career opportunities - she is thrust into the world of #sponcon, brand ambassador deals and agents.
I found this a bit boring - Gemma is dull, she had no likeability for me at all. I didn't really feel like I ever got to know her personality. Her Mum seemed like a much more interesting character. There was zero chemistry between Gemma and Charlie (I felt that she and Gus got to know each other much more than she and Charlie), or her and Jack, or her and Raffi. I didn't care about what happened to her.
There was very little plot but at the same time there was so much minute detail that really didn't need to be there. She couldn't just answer the door - she had to tell you about who she thought was behind the door and imagine that interaction; she couldn't order a coffee without telling you the other nine types on the menu.
I bought this because it was billed as a hilarious romantic comedy - I would love to know where the comedy is, because I just found it miserable and didn't see any comedic element to it at all. I just found it all quite sad. I found Gemma a bit pathetic and the whole Hannah/Richard situation wasn't something I'd expect to find in something described as a "hilarious laugh-out-loud romantic comedy" so it was incredibly uncomfortable to read.
I think a massive part of me not liking this book could have been because I listened to it on audible - the narrator was okay for Gemma but with such a large cast I think it would really have helped to have someone else to do the male characters. It was also over ten hours long which really points out to me how much unnecessary detail there was.
This one wasn't for me, but clearly others loved it so if you do give it a go, I hope you enjoy it more than I did.
I found this a bit boring - Gemma is dull, she had no likeability for me at all. I didn't really feel like I ever got to know her personality. Her Mum seemed like a much more interesting character. There was zero chemistry between Gemma and Charlie (I felt that she and Gus got to know each other much more than she and Charlie), or her and Jack, or her and Raffi. I didn't care about what happened to her.
There was very little plot but at the same time there was so much minute detail that really didn't need to be there. She couldn't just answer the door - she had to tell you about who she thought was behind the door and imagine that interaction; she couldn't order a coffee without telling you the other nine types on the menu.
I bought this because it was billed as a hilarious romantic comedy - I would love to know where the comedy is, because I just found it miserable and didn't see any comedic element to it at all. I just found it all quite sad. I found Gemma a bit pathetic and the whole Hannah/Richard situation wasn't something I'd expect to find in something described as a "hilarious laugh-out-loud romantic comedy" so it was incredibly uncomfortable to read.
I think a massive part of me not liking this book could have been because I listened to it on audible - the narrator was okay for Gemma but with such a large cast I think it would really have helped to have someone else to do the male characters. It was also over ten hours long which really points out to me how much unnecessary detail there was.
This one wasn't for me, but clearly others loved it so if you do give it a go, I hope you enjoy it more than I did.
December 3, 2019
Three and a half stars.
Gemma thinks getting a job at Clickfrenzy as a junior writer is the start of all her dreams coming true. Finally she'll be able to leave home and get a place in London with her long-term boyfriend Jack. But when she breaks the good news to Jack he tells her that he's resigned and is going to travel the world with his friend Olivia. Suddenly all Gemma's hopes and dreams are left for dust in Jack's wake, made even worse when he dumps her via email and announces that he and Olivia are an item.
Gemma tries to make the best of things, vlogging about hair and make-up to her small group of followers, coming up with imaginative posts about cats for her job, and feeling desperately alone in a house-share in Hackney, until her tearful rant about being dumped by Jack goes viral and opens up a new world as a minor celebrity vlogger. Soon she's dating another vlogger, visiting the latest cocktail bars and endorsing products from carefully selected partner brands. But is the social media lifestyle any more fulfilling than meeting her mates down the pub? And when Jack comes home with his tail between his legs will Gemma choose her old life over the new?
This is a bit of a bildungsroman, Gemma starts out as a naive young woman, her hopes and dreams are all built around her life with Jack and her unrealistic expectations that once she got a job she would be living like a character from Love Actually or Bridget Jones. Then she gets swept into the artificial world of vlogging, whilst doing her day-job, but the quest for posts at the expense of integrity feels false. Is Jack's return a wake-up call? Will Gemma choose celebrity romance with fellow vlogger Charlie or normality with Jack? Or is there a third way?
I enjoyed this novel, I liked the side plots and stories, in fact although there is romance it is definitely subservient to Gemma's voyage of self-discovery, the romance is almost an afterthought.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Gemma thinks getting a job at Clickfrenzy as a junior writer is the start of all her dreams coming true. Finally she'll be able to leave home and get a place in London with her long-term boyfriend Jack. But when she breaks the good news to Jack he tells her that he's resigned and is going to travel the world with his friend Olivia. Suddenly all Gemma's hopes and dreams are left for dust in Jack's wake, made even worse when he dumps her via email and announces that he and Olivia are an item.
Gemma tries to make the best of things, vlogging about hair and make-up to her small group of followers, coming up with imaginative posts about cats for her job, and feeling desperately alone in a house-share in Hackney, until her tearful rant about being dumped by Jack goes viral and opens up a new world as a minor celebrity vlogger. Soon she's dating another vlogger, visiting the latest cocktail bars and endorsing products from carefully selected partner brands. But is the social media lifestyle any more fulfilling than meeting her mates down the pub? And when Jack comes home with his tail between his legs will Gemma choose her old life over the new?
This is a bit of a bildungsroman, Gemma starts out as a naive young woman, her hopes and dreams are all built around her life with Jack and her unrealistic expectations that once she got a job she would be living like a character from Love Actually or Bridget Jones. Then she gets swept into the artificial world of vlogging, whilst doing her day-job, but the quest for posts at the expense of integrity feels false. Is Jack's return a wake-up call? Will Gemma choose celebrity romance with fellow vlogger Charlie or normality with Jack? Or is there a third way?
I enjoyed this novel, I liked the side plots and stories, in fact although there is romance it is definitely subservient to Gemma's voyage of self-discovery, the romance is almost an afterthought.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
November 1, 2019
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *
This book is a rom- com set in London, wherein Gemma's boyfriend Jack leaves her to go travelling because he doesn’t want to settle down. Gemma makes a video about her breakup which goes viral and she turns into a blogger/influencer.
While this was an entertaining enough read, it was veeeery slow, and seemed to be mostly about Gemma just going about her daily life.
Also, there are lot of specific references that make sense if you’re familiar with the UK and London but may be a little confusing otherwise..
This book is a rom- com set in London, wherein Gemma's boyfriend Jack leaves her to go travelling because he doesn’t want to settle down. Gemma makes a video about her breakup which goes viral and she turns into a blogger/influencer.
While this was an entertaining enough read, it was veeeery slow, and seemed to be mostly about Gemma just going about her daily life.
Also, there are lot of specific references that make sense if you’re familiar with the UK and London but may be a little confusing otherwise..
December 3, 2019
Sophie Ranald is known for her heartwarming contemporary fiction that’s laced with some good laughs. Out With the Ex, In With the New is no exception.
Poor Gemma just can’t catch a break. She finally lands her first career position out of university to find out that her long-term boyfriend Jack wants to go galavanting around the world with his best friend Olivia in tow. Of course he promises that they will work things out and that everything will be wonderful…until he decides to send a Dear John letter via email.
Determined to put the past behind her, Gemma focuses on her vlogging, which eventually connects her with Charlie (a vlogging celebrity). As they start dating, Gemma begins to question her life decisions and whether she wants to be a part of the vlogging community anymore or be with Charlie.
This story definitely gives an interesting insight into the vlogging community as Gemma creates her different videos and interacts with the YouTube like community. As someone who is doesn’t take part in that community, I didn’t find it all that relatable, but it was still fascinating nonetheless.
Gemma is a bit of a mess, but that is to be expected for a 24 year old who is just trying to figure out what she wants and needs out of line. Her relationship entanglements are all over the place, but it’s clear that Gemma is finally coming into her own skin rather than simply doing what is expected of her.
Overall, if you’re looking for a heartwarming read with a protagonist you can cheer for, pick this one up.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an eARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Poor Gemma just can’t catch a break. She finally lands her first career position out of university to find out that her long-term boyfriend Jack wants to go galavanting around the world with his best friend Olivia in tow. Of course he promises that they will work things out and that everything will be wonderful…until he decides to send a Dear John letter via email.
Determined to put the past behind her, Gemma focuses on her vlogging, which eventually connects her with Charlie (a vlogging celebrity). As they start dating, Gemma begins to question her life decisions and whether she wants to be a part of the vlogging community anymore or be with Charlie.
This story definitely gives an interesting insight into the vlogging community as Gemma creates her different videos and interacts with the YouTube like community. As someone who is doesn’t take part in that community, I didn’t find it all that relatable, but it was still fascinating nonetheless.
Gemma is a bit of a mess, but that is to be expected for a 24 year old who is just trying to figure out what she wants and needs out of line. Her relationship entanglements are all over the place, but it’s clear that Gemma is finally coming into her own skin rather than simply doing what is expected of her.
Overall, if you’re looking for a heartwarming read with a protagonist you can cheer for, pick this one up.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an eARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
January 5, 2020
I generally don't read chick-lit or any of the lighter books, unless well recommended. This book pulled me in due to its title. That resonated with me... 😂
Gemma was a part of a couple till Jack broke off with her over an email. Her heartbroken story went viral via vlogging and YouTube. An overnight sensation with a good job and product endorsement deals, Gemma had it made. But something was missing wasn't it?
My first book by Sophie Ranald, I liked Gemma. She cane across as honest and endearing. Her life felt more like a whirlpool when she wanted shallow calm waters. Most times I felt she was thrown into the deep end and had to learn to swim. The author had brought out quite a few of the facets of her personality.
The story moved with its own winding ways with relationships, attraction, and friendships. The YouTube culture was well shown, something which so far I have stayed away. The flow of writing and story went off the rails many a time. But I supposed most chick-lit did the same.
The author could show Gemma's struggle in trying to stay afloat well. She was the driving force in the book. Overall, something new for me. Still unsure about the YouTube culture.
Gemma was a part of a couple till Jack broke off with her over an email. Her heartbroken story went viral via vlogging and YouTube. An overnight sensation with a good job and product endorsement deals, Gemma had it made. But something was missing wasn't it?
My first book by Sophie Ranald, I liked Gemma. She cane across as honest and endearing. Her life felt more like a whirlpool when she wanted shallow calm waters. Most times I felt she was thrown into the deep end and had to learn to swim. The author had brought out quite a few of the facets of her personality.
The story moved with its own winding ways with relationships, attraction, and friendships. The YouTube culture was well shown, something which so far I have stayed away. The flow of writing and story went off the rails many a time. But I supposed most chick-lit did the same.
The author could show Gemma's struggle in trying to stay afloat well. She was the driving force in the book. Overall, something new for me. Still unsure about the YouTube culture.
December 4, 2022
Sorry Sophia Ronald but this book was bad
December 7, 2019
A lovely read, very funny but also touches on important issues and handles them so well. It’s a great book, steady pacing, well written and nice characters. A fun read.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
June 20, 2017
The story begins with Gemma Grey very excited about telling her boyfriend about her new job in London. However, he has some news of his own. Plans of his own that don't involve her. Gemma, a vlogger soon uses this medium to tell the world exactly how she feels and soon is launched into a surreal type of fame with her Youtube channel suddenly becoming the hottest thing out there with lots of interest from people who want to make her an internet sensation. This opens up lots of opportunities for Gemma and soon she is living her dream...................or is she? Meeting lots of people, being recongised on the street, having a bit more money are all the things Gemma had dreamed of but her experiences as a 'professional' Youtuber take her to places, and into the arms of people she would never have met otherwise, Gemma soon realises that her dream is in fact turning into a bit of a nightmare. That combined with a house-share that isn't quite all she had hoped it would be soon makes Gemma realise that there's more to life than posting video tutorials on how to contour your makeup!
I really really enjoyed this book. The theme is so current and I felt very sorry for Gemma trying to manage her 'normal' job with trying to remain popular online and gain as many followers as possible. Those of you who are bloggers or vloggers will understand the obsession and the hard work. I have a stepson who is desperate to be a famous Youtuber and therefore I found this book particularly interesting.
The book contained plenty of interesting and complex characters. I thought Gemma's boyfriend Jack to be a complete pig for treating her like he did. Gemma's housemates provided an interesting backstory that would take Gemma down a path she hadn't expected and along with it her vlogging. The Berry boys exhausted me every bit as much as they exhausted Gemma but I loved them! And as for Raffy.............well. Thats another book boyfriend to add to my ever growing list.
A really enjoyable read with lots of messages about loving who you are and not needing the approval of others. Its a story about finding your own way and realising that sometimes dreams need to change and grow. I'm so pleased that within the book Gemma herself grows and matures in character and strength and soon realises that she can use her talents and contacts to help others. I knew this would be a really enjoyable read but I don't think the blurb can truly get across that this book is a little bit more than chicklit. While there's fun, comedy and romance there's also so much more. There's a deeper story going on. Well done Sophie Ranald! A recommended read from me.
I really really enjoyed this book. The theme is so current and I felt very sorry for Gemma trying to manage her 'normal' job with trying to remain popular online and gain as many followers as possible. Those of you who are bloggers or vloggers will understand the obsession and the hard work. I have a stepson who is desperate to be a famous Youtuber and therefore I found this book particularly interesting.
The book contained plenty of interesting and complex characters. I thought Gemma's boyfriend Jack to be a complete pig for treating her like he did. Gemma's housemates provided an interesting backstory that would take Gemma down a path she hadn't expected and along with it her vlogging. The Berry boys exhausted me every bit as much as they exhausted Gemma but I loved them! And as for Raffy.............well. Thats another book boyfriend to add to my ever growing list.
A really enjoyable read with lots of messages about loving who you are and not needing the approval of others. Its a story about finding your own way and realising that sometimes dreams need to change and grow. I'm so pleased that within the book Gemma herself grows and matures in character and strength and soon realises that she can use her talents and contacts to help others. I knew this would be a really enjoyable read but I don't think the blurb can truly get across that this book is a little bit more than chicklit. While there's fun, comedy and romance there's also so much more. There's a deeper story going on. Well done Sophie Ranald! A recommended read from me.
December 9, 2019
3.5 stars
Gemma Grey is a beauty guru YouTuber with a few thousand followers, who’s struggling to find a job in social media. But the day she lands a job at ClickFrenzy, Jack, her boyfriend of four years, breaks up with her to go on a world tour with his best friend Olivia. Heartbroken, drunk, and with no one else to talk to (all her friends being technically Jack and Olivia’s friends first), Gemma ends up venting her soul out to her YouTube followers. The next day, she discovers she has became an overnight YouTube sensation. She finds herself thrown into a new world of vlogging, getting herself an agent and rubbing shoulders with successful YouTubers. Can her personal, professional, and YouTuber lives co-exist together? Or has she started living a life of lies and deceptions?
As you’ve probably guessed from the synopsis, this story revolved at lot around YouTubers, the raise to fame, and what really goes on behind the scenes. It did feel exhausting and dull to read at times, especially in the first half, when the narrative talked on and on about how product placements and the obsession with number of views, likes, comments. In the second half, the story took on a more serious note as it dealt with mature themes. Though it did involve Gemma using her platform to create awareness and ways to help, I felt like Ranald did a fantastic job driving home how strongly this cause resonated with Gemma.
Gemma is a people pleaser, a pushover if you will, who‘s uncomfortable stepping out of her comfort zone. I loved seeing her growth as a character over the course of the novel, seeing her become more vocal about her opinions and thoughts and beliefs. My favourite part was her realizing how she’s evolved after initially denying it like many people often do.
After Jack dumps her for Olivia, Gemma is heartbroken and I found she jumps into another relationship quite quickly. I wished we got to see her being single for a period of time, figuring out who she was, but I saw how the plot demanded it. I didn’t quite feel her chemistry with Charlie, one of the popular YouTubers who was also represented by the same agency. The relationship didn’t feel genuine and their scenes bored me. I felt Gemma had more of a connection to Raffy, the barista at The Daily Grind.
Overall, though this started off slow and a bit dull, it surprised me by turning into an enjoyable and intriguing read. I’d recommend the book, with a warning that it does deals with sensitive topics, but I felt they were handled in a respectful way. I don’t know if I’d ever reread it personally, but I’m open to reading more by Sophie Ranald.
Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Bookouture and Sophie Ranald in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.
Gemma Grey is a beauty guru YouTuber with a few thousand followers, who’s struggling to find a job in social media. But the day she lands a job at ClickFrenzy, Jack, her boyfriend of four years, breaks up with her to go on a world tour with his best friend Olivia. Heartbroken, drunk, and with no one else to talk to (all her friends being technically Jack and Olivia’s friends first), Gemma ends up venting her soul out to her YouTube followers. The next day, she discovers she has became an overnight YouTube sensation. She finds herself thrown into a new world of vlogging, getting herself an agent and rubbing shoulders with successful YouTubers. Can her personal, professional, and YouTuber lives co-exist together? Or has she started living a life of lies and deceptions?
As you’ve probably guessed from the synopsis, this story revolved at lot around YouTubers, the raise to fame, and what really goes on behind the scenes. It did feel exhausting and dull to read at times, especially in the first half, when the narrative talked on and on about how product placements and the obsession with number of views, likes, comments. In the second half, the story took on a more serious note as it dealt with mature themes. Though it did involve Gemma using her platform to create awareness and ways to help, I felt like Ranald did a fantastic job driving home how strongly this cause resonated with Gemma.
Gemma is a people pleaser, a pushover if you will, who‘s uncomfortable stepping out of her comfort zone. I loved seeing her growth as a character over the course of the novel, seeing her become more vocal about her opinions and thoughts and beliefs. My favourite part was her realizing how she’s evolved after initially denying it like many people often do.
After Jack dumps her for Olivia, Gemma is heartbroken and I found she jumps into another relationship quite quickly. I wished we got to see her being single for a period of time, figuring out who she was, but I saw how the plot demanded it. I didn’t quite feel her chemistry with Charlie, one of the popular YouTubers who was also represented by the same agency. The relationship didn’t feel genuine and their scenes bored me. I felt Gemma had more of a connection to Raffy, the barista at The Daily Grind.
Overall, though this started off slow and a bit dull, it surprised me by turning into an enjoyable and intriguing read. I’d recommend the book, with a warning that it does deals with sensitive topics, but I felt they were handled in a respectful way. I don’t know if I’d ever reread it personally, but I’m open to reading more by Sophie Ranald.
Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Bookouture and Sophie Ranald in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.
December 14, 2019
OUT WITH the EX, IN WITH the NEW
BY SOPHIE RANALD
I really loved this book that isn't something that I usually read. I thought at first that it was going to be silly and a farce but it really touched on some serious subjects such as domestic violence. I really loved Gemma's character as she wasn't at all superficial she had some real depth to her. I loved her mother also who stood by Gemma and I loved their closeness despite Gemma striking out to live in a shared house with Hannah, Richard and Amy.
I really loved watching Gemma grow as a person. Jack her long time boyfriend breaks up with her to travel the world with his best friend Olivia. This breaks Gemma's heart as she finds out like anybody in the real world who is ever been broken up with that people who you thought were your friend's pick a side. Sometimes they pick your ex and you find yourself having to rebuild your life. This point was portrayed well in this novel. I was hoping Gemma and Jack got back together but when she and Raffy got together I saw some real inner growth.
Gus was another character who surprised me with his inner growth and maturity by the end of the book. Highlighting Richard's poor and abusive behavior really touched on themes of domestic violence and how insidious and poisonous it can be to be involved in that kind of relationship. Gemma's treatment of the domestic violence with Richard and doing the volunteer work at the safe house women's shelter is where she really shined.
I read this really fast and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It wasn't a fluff book it really is relevant to our times with social media and how much people are influenced by it. I would recommend this book to anybody looking for a feel good book.
Thank you to Net Galley, Sophie Ranald and Bookouture Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
BY SOPHIE RANALD
I really loved this book that isn't something that I usually read. I thought at first that it was going to be silly and a farce but it really touched on some serious subjects such as domestic violence. I really loved Gemma's character as she wasn't at all superficial she had some real depth to her. I loved her mother also who stood by Gemma and I loved their closeness despite Gemma striking out to live in a shared house with Hannah, Richard and Amy.
I really loved watching Gemma grow as a person. Jack her long time boyfriend breaks up with her to travel the world with his best friend Olivia. This breaks Gemma's heart as she finds out like anybody in the real world who is ever been broken up with that people who you thought were your friend's pick a side. Sometimes they pick your ex and you find yourself having to rebuild your life. This point was portrayed well in this novel. I was hoping Gemma and Jack got back together but when she and Raffy got together I saw some real inner growth.
Gus was another character who surprised me with his inner growth and maturity by the end of the book. Highlighting Richard's poor and abusive behavior really touched on themes of domestic violence and how insidious and poisonous it can be to be involved in that kind of relationship. Gemma's treatment of the domestic violence with Richard and doing the volunteer work at the safe house women's shelter is where she really shined.
I read this really fast and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It wasn't a fluff book it really is relevant to our times with social media and how much people are influenced by it. I would recommend this book to anybody looking for a feel good book.
Thank you to Net Galley, Sophie Ranald and Bookouture Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
December 27, 2019
After living with her mother and commuting to her job in London, Gemma has just landed a job as a junior writer at Clickfrenzy. Now, she’s hoping she can move in with her boyfriend, Jack. But when she tells him about her new job, he then tells her that he has quit his job, He has decided to travel the world with his friend, Olivia, with whom he grew up. There goes their relationship even though Jack promises he will return to Gemma.
Since Gemma’s job is in London and two hours away from where she lives with her Mum, Gemma rents a room in a nice house owned by Richard and Hannah.
As Gemma has always done a lot of vlogging and has a large following, her new job is centered around that. After posting a video of her breakup with Jack, she gains instant fame and even more followers. This blossoms and she is soon "rubbing elbows” with wealthy and famous YouTubers. Charlie and Gus are famous twin brothers on YouTube and soon, Gemma and Charlie start a relationship of sorts.
Soon, Gemma gets involved in helping charity organizations, as well as a friend closer to home. But, can she find someone steady to have in her life?
Well, this book seemed so juvenile to me. I would think that a young woman in her mid-20s would have a better handle on a bit of maturity, but Gemma surely does not. Perhaps since the age of vlogging has missed me, that must be why I cannot believe so much time is wasted on it. Rather cutesy at times, but also rather silly. Hope other readers enjoy this story.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Since Gemma’s job is in London and two hours away from where she lives with her Mum, Gemma rents a room in a nice house owned by Richard and Hannah.
As Gemma has always done a lot of vlogging and has a large following, her new job is centered around that. After posting a video of her breakup with Jack, she gains instant fame and even more followers. This blossoms and she is soon "rubbing elbows” with wealthy and famous YouTubers. Charlie and Gus are famous twin brothers on YouTube and soon, Gemma and Charlie start a relationship of sorts.
Soon, Gemma gets involved in helping charity organizations, as well as a friend closer to home. But, can she find someone steady to have in her life?
Well, this book seemed so juvenile to me. I would think that a young woman in her mid-20s would have a better handle on a bit of maturity, but Gemma surely does not. Perhaps since the age of vlogging has missed me, that must be why I cannot believe so much time is wasted on it. Rather cutesy at times, but also rather silly. Hope other readers enjoy this story.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 17, 2020
Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my review!
At first I thought that we had two different books thrown together with the same characters, but quickly realized how it all worked.
We have Gemma (I love that name BTW), recently ditched by her BF for his girl best friend, running her social media account (she’s a vlogger).
She decides she needs to start over and signs up to occupy a room. She meets her roommate Amy and the owners of the home, Hannah and Richard. Gemma’s career of course takes off, she meets another social media star that she is romantically interested in and things take off from there.
Now onto the second half and why I thought the story lines flipped flopped drastically, but can see how it all works now. Gemma is forced into a situation where she chooses to use her voice and platform (Yay Gemma), as we all should, to do good! She gets involved with the fight against domestic violence after a personal encounter.
What was done extremely well was the representation of how complicated and dynamic relationships are. How the fight against domestic violence won’t always have a happy ending, especially when the victim goes against our wishes.
I appreciated the realness of it although I felt like it developed rather quickly towards the end. Overall it was an enjoyable read.
At first I thought that we had two different books thrown together with the same characters, but quickly realized how it all worked.
We have Gemma (I love that name BTW), recently ditched by her BF for his girl best friend, running her social media account (she’s a vlogger).
She decides she needs to start over and signs up to occupy a room. She meets her roommate Amy and the owners of the home, Hannah and Richard. Gemma’s career of course takes off, she meets another social media star that she is romantically interested in and things take off from there.
Now onto the second half and why I thought the story lines flipped flopped drastically, but can see how it all works now. Gemma is forced into a situation where she chooses to use her voice and platform (Yay Gemma), as we all should, to do good! She gets involved with the fight against domestic violence after a personal encounter.
What was done extremely well was the representation of how complicated and dynamic relationships are. How the fight against domestic violence won’t always have a happy ending, especially when the victim goes against our wishes.
I appreciated the realness of it although I felt like it developed rather quickly towards the end. Overall it was an enjoyable read.
September 8, 2019
3.5 rounding up to 4. I really enjoyed this contemporary fiction. It's kind of a romantic comedy but with some depth. It was just right for Saturday night, connecting me to the characters as well as contemporary issues. I wish the main character had had a little more personal growth but still a good read.
Triggers: domestic violence, gaslighting, some coarse language
Triggers: domestic violence, gaslighting, some coarse language
April 4, 2020
Very stupid story with young women whose self esteem has to be validated by those online or a boyfriend. A lot of face palming while reading this one.
May 31, 2022
C’était bien, mais je pense que si tu n’es pas habitué aux livres British dans la catégorie rom-com, tu pourrais être surpris. Le livre était facile à lire, mais je n’ai pas rigolé, je ne l’ai pas trouvé intriguant juste correct.
March 14, 2024
Was a decent read. Definitely needs updating though because JK R is not a feminist she's a massive TERF.
December 12, 2019
3.5 stars
Because I’ve read other books by the author, I wanted to read this one as well.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t like it as much as the first one. It’s interesting and there are many moments that felt like the heroine is one of my real friend but it also has moments that I wanted to quit reading because it seems like dragging a lot for my liking.
Overall it’s a good story and I’m looking forward to read more books by the author.
Because I’ve read other books by the author, I wanted to read this one as well.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t like it as much as the first one. It’s interesting and there are many moments that felt like the heroine is one of my real friend but it also has moments that I wanted to quit reading because it seems like dragging a lot for my liking.
Overall it’s a good story and I’m looking forward to read more books by the author.
Read
December 1, 2019I generally don't read chick-lit or any of the lighter books, unless well recommended. This book pulled me in due to its title. That resonated with me... 😂
Gemma was a part of a couple till Jack broke off with her over an email. Her heartbroken story went viral via vlogging and YouTube. An overnight sensation with a good job and product endorsement deals, Gemma had it made. But something was missing wasn't it?
My first book by Sophie Ranald, I liked Gemma. She cane across as honest and endearing. Her life felt more like a whirlpool when she wanted shallow calm waters. Most times I felt she was thrown into the deep end and had to learn to swim. The author had brought out quite a few of the facets of her personality.
The story moved with its own winding ways with relationships, attraction, and friendships. The YouTube culture was well shown, something which so far I have stayed away. The flow of writing and story went off the rails many a time. But I supposed most chick-lit did the same.
The author could show Gemma's struggle in trying to stay afloat well. She was the driving force in the book. Overall, something new for me. Still unsure about the YouTube culture.
Gemma was a part of a couple till Jack broke off with her over an email. Her heartbroken story went viral via vlogging and YouTube. An overnight sensation with a good job and product endorsement deals, Gemma had it made. But something was missing wasn't it?
My first book by Sophie Ranald, I liked Gemma. She cane across as honest and endearing. Her life felt more like a whirlpool when she wanted shallow calm waters. Most times I felt she was thrown into the deep end and had to learn to swim. The author had brought out quite a few of the facets of her personality.
The story moved with its own winding ways with relationships, attraction, and friendships. The YouTube culture was well shown, something which so far I have stayed away. The flow of writing and story went off the rails many a time. But I supposed most chick-lit did the same.
The author could show Gemma's struggle in trying to stay afloat well. She was the driving force in the book. Overall, something new for me. Still unsure about the YouTube culture.
December 5, 2019
While I was able to relate to Gemma a little bit (mainly due to her job and “The Great British Bake-Off” references) I was not able to get behind her fully. I thought she came across as whiny and I didn’t feel like her journey from beginning to end was natural. An opening scene on her first day of work also left a bad taste, as I am tired of the potshots taken at America for no plot value. This book may appeal to many people and I would recommend giving it a try for the few humorous moments (the kitchen scene after Amy’s party is particularly amusing), but it just didn’t do it for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of this book.
September 23, 2020
This story was all over the place and pointless.
November 24, 2019
Out with the Ex. In with the new Sophie Ranald a four-star read that will surprise you. I nearly gave this three-stars but went with four as overall it was well written, it just lacked in a few places. Gemma is a great character, you will love her, and you will want to shake her, but most of all you will want to hug her and make it all right for her. This was a sweet story, but it does have its moments, one in particular about domestic violence that may upset some, but overall, I liked the theme of the story and Gemma as a character. It was just that there were chunks that could have been removed and the story would have been better as it wouldn’t have dragged so much.
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