I’ve never read Rosie Blake’s debut novel, though as ever it’s in my TBR pile, that doesn’t mean I was any less excited to read the book though, as I’d heard good things about ‘How To Get A (Love) Life’, and of course, being the fickle person I am, I absolutely adored the cover. Beautifully Simple but ultimately festive with Glittery text, lovely!

The start of this book really captured my attention, and it’s a lovely tale that makes you laugh and feel good at the same time. Eve was loveable, but at the same time, she sometimes annoyed me. I can’t quite put my finger on why though. I think it was her clear dependence on Liam to the extent where the only meal she can seem to cook safely is pot noodle. However, her mishaps in the kitchen were funny at how hopeless she was, the book does include recipes that go along with the book, from the aforementioned pot noodle, to Mulled Wine when Greg teaches her how to make it. Most of the time though I liked Eve, so it didn’t make me like the book any less.  

Some chapters were narrated by Greg, and while I enjoyed a lot of these, some felt like they were just re-treading the exact same scene we’d read with Eve as the protagonist, without adding anything much to it. I would have loved this book to be a little longer and to have delved more often into his life outside of his meetings with Grace. Also I think this would have made the book go deeper into the mystery surrounding him which I would have really liked to read more about.  

The other characters were fantastic, including over the top Minnie and other people in the class (or watching in the case of Gerald), marmite the dog and Eve’s friends, her bestie Daisy and vain friend Ro Ro (real name Rachel – the nickname made me weep, but it seems appropriate due to how annoying and snobby she comes across) This book overall was funny, and heart warming. Whether it was the angry geese or Eve’s hapless cooking you were laughing, and then thinking on the next page about what you think Eve should do, or just glowing in some of the touching scenes between Eve and Greg.

This is a good book, I would just like maybe a bit more of an epilogue and maybe some more getting to know the lovely Greg. However definitely worth a read in the festive period.

Published by: Corvus
Gratefully received from the Publisher for review.

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