I saw the wonderful Marian Keyes recommend this book on Twitter (it’s already been published in Ireland – where it’s set) and then found it was to be published in the UK in May – and so I could download an advanced review copy from Netgalley – so that I did! Aisling is the type of girl that captures your heart right from the start and I thought she was a true delight. I wouldn’t even know where to look – that’s your mother’s domain,” he says, heading for the kitchen to first check the USA biscuit tin that we were convinced was a sewing kit.

Verfasst wurde der Roman in einem humoristischen Schreibstil, der mich selbst aber leider nicht immer abgeholt hat. Dabei ist sie stets für eine ordentliche Portion Klatsch und Tratsch zu haben und hat natürlich zu allem eine (meist herablassende und besserwisserische) Meinung. Nicht nur, dass sie in eine völlig übertriebene Lebenskrise stürzt, nein, sie weiß einfach überhaupt gar nicht, was sie mit ihrem Leben tun soll. She has a steady job and a loyal boyfriend (though he hasn't put a ring on it even after seven years). She wants out of her parents’ house, although she’d miss Mammy turning on the electric blanket like clockwork and Daddy taking her car ‘out for a spin’ and bringing it back full of petrol.

As her new life comes crashing down, Aisling is forced to move back home to Ballygobbard and her mam. But with glamorous new flatmates, a scandal at work and a weird love square, Aisling has no idea what's about to hit her. The end kind of came up from nowhere and ends were left loose which isn't my thing, but still, a good read. I should warn readers that the book has numerous Irish words and references, but these can be looked up, and certain reviewers explain many of these.

From her fallen arches to her love of carbs and knowledge of points in every morsel, I connected with Aisling in a way that I have never really connected with other characters before.It started when two college friends (from Carlow and Kildare) decided to share their observations about a certain type of Irish country girl with a wider audience.

Bridget Jones habe ich zwar nicht gelesen aber in Grundzügen hat mich dieses Buch dann doch an den Film erinnert. Mit der Protagonistin Aisling möchten die Autorinnen einen Stereotyp schaffen, in dem jeder Leser entweder sich selbst oder jemanden aus seinem Umfeld wiedererkennt. It is a culture shock for the small town girl as she willingly joins their never ending rose wine and champagne drinking, the world of celebrities, new places to go out, their strange sense of fashion and ideas of cool, veganism and avocado diets. And the authors teased that the final book has been ramped up for a big finale, with saucy sections that had their publishers pulses racing.In a cloud of Lynx Africa (John) and Clinique Happy (me), we slip out of the room and leg it to the lift, which – and this is proof that God exists – is apparently waiting for us. It was quite easy imagining myself sitting down somewhere with a cup of coffee and a piece of cake and have Aisling tell me all about her family, flatmates, colleagues and friends. If you're Irish you'll really appreciate the humour, slang, phraseology, and cultural references in this book. Then one disastrous romantic getaway convinces Aisling to leave him behind and head for the bright lights.

Aisling is solid, reliable, kind, and compassionate, and completely human and she is fed up waiting for her boyfriend, John, of seven years to pop the question.

Both my parents were Irish but lived in London for longer than they have ever lived in Ireland, but the Emerald Isle was always referred to as "Home". Maybe it is because I am Irish and therefore could relate to so much of Aisling's life and see similarities EVERYWHERE 😂 but mainly I think it was because Aisling is a little bit of everyone we know as well as a little bit of ourselves and to be honest I wouldn't want it any other way.