This Charming Man by Marian Keyes -- starting February 15th

[Victoria]

Join Irene and I on the 15th of February!

[Irene]

Excited. This has been on my shelves for 3+ years, I believe... :O

[Victoria]

Wow! Yeah, mines been on there a while, but I don't even think I've had a Goodreads that long :P

[Irene]

It's off to a pretty good start, I think :) Only a few pages in :)

[Irene]

Lola, September 3
(view spoiler)[I love how the packed all the fine clothes and nothing practical. Also love the part where she talks about eyes like raisins and prunes, that was hilarious!
(hide spoiler)]

[Victoria]

I haven't had time to start, I didn't realise how long my other buddy reads were going to take. I'll be starting soon, I promise!

[Irene]

No problem :)

[Irene]

34%
(view spoiler)[I'm not entirely sure that Nick beats up Marnie? I mean, it sure looks like it, but we don't know for sure...
(hide spoiler)]

[Irene]

36%
(view spoiler)[Alicia is pretty darn stupid. Like...how can she be that naïv? Journalists will be journalists.
(hide spoiler)]

[Irene]

61%
(view spoiler)[I think Nick made the right choice. He cares so much for his family, yet Marney refuses his help. I like him for what he did, leaving her and all.
(hide spoiler)]

89%
(view spoiler)[He sure beats up a lot of women :O Depressing that he gets away with it, I think.. (hide spoiler)]

[Irene]

There's a lot to be said about this book, I think. I finished it last night.

I felt like (view spoiler)[the book was in two parts; first part was a chicklit novel, second part was more of a realism kind of genre. It got a bit too serious for my taste. I mean.. It was like... I was laughing through the first 50% or so, and then I just put on my serious face.

I don't think Damien should have left Grace. I mean, people like Paddy are manipulating, and Damien knew that, so why did he leave her? Maybe because she didn't tell him about the 'affair'? I don't know, but it didn't feel right!

I liked that Nick left Marnie, I think he made the right choice. He gave her a choice; alchohol or family and she made her decision, so all he did was stick to the 'plan' and do what he told her he would.
-Interesting perspective with Marnie caring about Grace when Grace didn't care anymore. I think there's a lot to be learned from that... (hide spoiler)]

[Victoria]

I'm starting this today, I promise. I've only been at school two weeks, and I've had homework every single day! Plus I've been sick, so haven't been in the mood to read too much. But I'm getting there, honest

[Victoria]

I wouldn't even be surprised if you've given up checking this thread, I've been taking so long... But I've finally been doing some real reading, and I'm up to page 105, Grace
(view spoiler)[ I didn't really like Lola. Her writing was awkward. She started sentences in the middle, and missed words, and it was really frustrating. Plus Paddy doesn't seem worth complaining about. Their first date was just weird in my opinion. It would be okay for later in their relationship, but not a first date!! That's just unclassy. Meeting in a graveyard was a little creepy too, but more understandable (hide spoiler)]

[Victoria]

Up to page 229, I've read Grace and Marnie (view spoiler)[ I love Grace's job. Keyes always writes about people with really great jobs, and they're so fun to read about. I wonder what exactly went on with her and Paddy? Marnie is incredibly depressing. I mean, I understand why, with Nick abusing her like that. And of course she won't get out, neither of them will end it because of the kids. Is she having an affair? Or are they just in love with each other? I wish Grace would work out what's happening with her, because I did when she was with the family. Then Grace can help her! And so can Damien, because I really like him. He's definitely my favourite boyfriend (hide spoiler)]

[Victoria]

I'm up to page 390.
(view spoiler)[ Okay, so I got that totally wrong. I decided that Marnie was the one being abused, but she's an alcoholic! It's really interesting reading about that, because I can never understand how they don't realise what they're doing. But she ended up in hospital, more than once, and still thinks the amount she's drinking is fine. She's possibly going to have my favourite plot line... I want to know what went on between Paddy and Grace. Maybe he cheated on Marnie with her? But that doesn't seem like something Grace would do. I can't work out what it could be. I still want to punch Lola in the face. Her writing is so annoying to read! The secret cross dresser group is sort of interesting though. But why don't they meet at the neighbours and Lola doesn't have to be involved? She'll end up with Osama, no matter how much I love Jake (hide spoiler)]

[Irene]

Victoria wrote: "I'm up to page 390.
[spoilers removed]"

Haha, yeah, I saw that coming with Marney. Or should I say Nick.. I guess it just seemed to obvious to me to believe in. But I agree with you on what you just said.

I think Lola had the best part and the easiest writing haha :)

[Victoria]

Really? Lola's grammar is so bad though! She starts sentences in the middle. "Went to shop. Wait minute. Shop bad." It's so frustrating to read!!

[Victoria]

Finished!! I read that surprisingly quickly considering how long it took me to start... I'm so happy with the ending!
(view spoiler)[ It broke my heart when Damien and Grace broke up. They were by far my favourite couple. I'm so happy he decided to forgive her! I really liked how she finished Marnie's story. She didn't say it was happily ever after, but it was implied. I loved her last line, I felt all satisfied. I adore Lola and Prune Eyes, so yay for that as well! The bit I'm not happy with is Paddy. He got fired, that was great, but he was still abusing Alicia. And he's going to carry on doing that to loads of other woman. He'll just be worse with no job. That's not the happy ending I wanted! I also think Alicia's point of view was a bit pointless. She didn't really talk much. It was good for the political bit at the end, but Grace could have done it just as well (hide spoiler)]