Book Review - No-One Ever Has Sex On Holiday by Tracy Bloom - Blog Tour

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Amazon UK

Title: No-One Ever Has Sex On Holiday

Author: Tracy Bloom

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 29th July 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Get ready to enjoy your first holiday abroad with small children. Highlights include: being woken at 5 every morning and working a gruelling day in unbearable heat chasing kids around the pool with a bottle of sunscreen. Added features: screaming during mealtimes and toddlers moaning about sand. Absolutely no sex guaranteed or your money back! 

Katy and Ben and their four closest friends are going to Spain for a week with their kids. Sun, sex and sangria? Almost certainly not.

The couples think they are prepared for all the joys and trials a family holiday has to offer but they have a shock coming, and not only from the kids. Into their first day by the pool crashes Ollie, who has just been dumped by his girlfriend, and Cassie, on her hen party holiday but having serious doubts about her impending marriage. A recipe for a relaxing week abroad? Let’s wait and see…

From the no. 1 bestselling author of No-one Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday, this is the perfect book to read on the beach – either with or without small children. Perfect for fans of Nick Spalding, Marian Keyes and Gill Sims.

Completely fabulous, utterly funny and I think something parents everywhere will really be able to relate to. 

Even as a non parent I could recognise so much realism in the characters, as  Katy and Ben, Braindead and Abby, Daniel and Gabriel all go on a joint holiday to Spain.  Oh and between them there are two under ones, a two year old and a 6 year old.   So a family holiday shared amongst friends. 

From the first set of three chapters which catches you up with each of the couples, further on in time than the last book, and sees their preparations the night before this big holiday, and the first time they have taken any of the kids abroad. 

To say that Daniel is out of place on a budget airline, let alone package holiday is an understatement.  Yet I managed to fall even more in love with Gabriel than before, as his fluent Spanish speaking was incredibly helpful.  Abby wanted to spend all her time celebrating with the group of hens they were drinking with on the plane, and seems really not in a great place. 

It says a lot to anyone that knows these characters from the rest of the series, that Ben, Kary and Braindead all seemed relatively normal, although Braindead's legendary ability to speak before thinking resulted in some wonderful lines! 

We also get to know Cassie, the bride for this hen party who seems rather out of place amongst her friends, and Ollie who was dumped before his wedding, and is on his honeymoon by himself and appears to have been befriended by the boys. 

And the children, they are the key to the whole holiday, they were just doing what kids do, but its how the adults are attempting to adjust to parent hood and the fact that a family holiday is possibly more stressful than being at home with the kids that is what makes this book so lifelike and wonderful. 

There are hen party antics that will have you rolling your eyes and or rolling around on the floor in laughter - possibly both.  I  adored getting to see another side to all of these characters.  

As this is the fifth book in the series, I felt as though I was alongside old friends. However I do feel that it could work just as well as a standalone, although you would be missing out on 4 equally hilarious books, to not start at the beginning. 

A surprisingly quick book to read - I mean I knew I would find it a fast read, but besides 10% in the bath the night before I read the rest between two tube journeys and eating in a restaurant and still had a stop to spare before I was home - I was enjoying it that much that honestly I'm shocked I managed to get where I was going on either of those journeys, as I have no recollection of any of the stations! 

Utterly hilarious, completely compelling this is another inspired addition to this already wonderful series. My only question now, is please can we have some more?!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - No-one Ever Has Sex at a Wedding by Tracy Bloom - Blog Tour

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Amazon UK

Title: No-One Ever Has Sex at a Wedding

Author: Tracy Bloom

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 29th March 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

In Katy’s opinion, weddings should follow some basic rules:

1) No-one should ever have sex. Of course. The married couple has the rest of their lives for that, and the guests should be too busy partying.

2) If you are heavily pregnant (as Katy is) you should obviously not be invited to three weddings in the space of one summer. Your husband’s accident-prone best friend, your attention-seeking colleague, your 73-year-old mother’s marriage to her Spanish toy boy – all without even an alcoholic drink to make them bearable.

3) During the speeches, it should not be revealed that you had a secret one-night-stand with one of the other guests.

4) Instead of laying bets on the length of the best man’s speech, guests should not be laying bets on whether a marriage will be in ruins before the end of the meal…

But this summer, Katy is lucky enough to be the special guest at the weddings that break ALL of the rules. What could possibly go wrong? 

Another absolutely fabulous book in this always entertaining series.  I couldn't put this down and read it in about 3 hours flat, while jetlagged, and was completely amused by all of it. 

It was a sheer pleasure to be among the antics of Katy, Ben, Matthew, Alison, Braindead and Daniel, in a book featuring 3 weddings, some fairly memorable speeches and moments.  Some utter hilarity and also some rather touching moments. 

If you have never read a No-One Has Sex Book before, then besides missing out on a fabulous series,  you should be reassured to know most of the key plot points from them are revised briefly during this story, as the first disastrous speech take in an ongoing story from the first book in the series.   I'm too deep into my enjoyment of the series to objectively state if it can be read as a standalone, but why miss out on hours of enjoyment?

There was nothing that I didn't like in this book, it was fabulous.  The story is very easy to follow and flows smoothly. The writing is entertaining, the dialogue witty. I loved the chapters focusing on different characters, all with headers to make it clear who you are with.  It was great to see a bit more into the minds of the men in this series. 

Braindead really is just that at times, and it is he who has some of the best lines of the book, I love this guy, even if his mouth and brain never seem to connect to each other! 

I can't get over how much this book just hit the right spot for me, made me forget that I was feeling iffy, and I was able to get completely into the story. Easily my favourite book from Tracy Bloom so far. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Please take a look at all the other posts on this wonderful books-on-tour. 

Book Review - Dinner Party by Tracy Bloom - Blog Tour

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Amazon UK

Title: Dinner Party

Author: Tracy Bloom

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 26th September 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Never has an unexpected guest caused such chaos!

Three couples take it in turns to host a monthly dinner party.

Beth, Sarah and Marie have been friends forever. Now they are grown up, with busy lives, busy husbands, busy kids… but they still find time to meet up over dinner once a month. A cosy, comfortable gathering of happy couples - or so they thought.

Until one night, someone brings along a last-minute guest whose wife has just left him.

Simon is standing on the doorstep in floods of tears. While the women do their best to console him, their husbands feel the need to mark their territory.

And as Simon becomes more involved with the group, his presence changes everything these three couples thought they knew about each other, leading to a final dinner party that no-one will ever forget.

From Amazon chart bestseller Tracy Bloom, Dinner Party is a funny and moving read that will make you see your marriage and friendships in a whole new light… and make you think twice about inviting your best mates round for dinner. Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, Nick Spalding and Gill Sims.

This is Tracy Bloom at her best - funny, real people, fabulous situations and a hook that kept me intrigued until the end. 

Who would have predicted that introducing one stranger as an act of kindness into an established group of friends, would have such far reaching consequences. 

The three couples  are friends due to the women Beth, Sarah and Marie who have known each other since school. The husbands, Chris, Tony and Duncan tolerate each other for the sake of the women.  When Chris announces last minute that he has invited Simon to one of their regular dinner parties, its sets off a chain reaction of events that had me gripped. 

Each chapter focuses on a different character, but at the end of each chapter there are what appears to be an ongoing interview between a journalist and members of the group - and it was those that had me intrigued first. I had to know why there was a journalist and from the hints in the answers to the questions, just what happened, as its clear something large occurred at one party but that is all I am saying on the matter. 

All six of the main characters are so completely different, and with the exception of Tony, I tended to like or at least sympathise with all the others.   I loved their various quirks from Tony's insistence on perfection and snobbery, to Chriss love of dips - I've never read a book featuring dips so heavily before - nor a group of people who appear to be addicted to them as the perfect opening to a dinner party  

Then there is Marie's health and fitness obsession, Beth who really needs to believe in herself more, Dunan who has a great way of training new staff where he works, and Sarah who seems stuck in a rut.  Each so different but their dinner parties in the past apparently have worked. 

There are many laugh out loud moments and all the characters are just to realistic. The odds are you have met one or two of them yourself.  For this is what Tracy Bloom does best, adds hilarity into situations involving just regular, believable people. 

I loved every second of this fabulous book, its just a shame I had to reach the end.  If you are looking for something fun, light hearted and purely entertaining then read Dinner Party! 

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Last Laugh by Tracy Bloom

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Amazon UK

Title: The Last Laugh

Author: Tracy Bloom

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 23rd February 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Jenny discovers her days are numbered at the same time she discovers her husband is having an affair…

Frankly, she had enough on her plate already. Two tricky teenagers, her mother’s constant complaints, friends who aren’t up to the job and a career which has been spiralling downwards since she won ‘Sunseeker Tour Rep of the Season’ twenty years ago. 

And now this. Enough is enough! Jenny vows to keep both revelations a secret. She takes her life into her own hands and decides to live as she did when she was happiest… in 1996. She plans a spectacular 1990s themed party in place of a wake that she herself will attend. But will she be able to keep her secrets for long enough to have the party of a lifetime? 

The Last Laugh is both hilarious and heartbreaking, a book about how to find happiness and live your life as though every day is your last.

I had been putting off reading this book for a while as I was conflicted, the blurb sounds as though the book could be depressing, and yet I know the author tends to write fabulously funny books, and I just couldn't work out how the two would marry up. 

Having now finished this book I think it was completely fabulous, and although it is dealing with a terminal illness diagnosis, Jenny is determined to live at least some of the rest of her life on her own terms and decides to recreate 1996 the year she was the happiest. 

It is also the year she met her husband and father of her kids,  who she discovers has been cheating on her the same day she gets her diagnosi

Jenny though is a remarkably strong woman, and doesn't crumble under any of this but instead puts on a brave face and just carries on with life - only confiding in an older lady at the care home she works at. 

I loved the opening few chapters where Jenny was a rep in 96 and having the time of her life and it brought back memories of a few nights out while I was a kids rep.  Other moments that made me smile during the book were mentions of The Muppets (I was reading this going to and from watching Muppets take the O2, so anything Muppet was a sign to me of great enjoyment),  the many Spice Girl and Euro 96 references, fabulous scene involving sumo suits and many more besides. 

This could so easily have turned into an overly emotional book, but instead put a different spin on the story, and clearly Jenny really was having the Last Laugh for as long as she could.   This was so unexpected, and so much better than I had perhaps wrongly been anticipating. 

I am so happy I finally had a chance to read it, and it just shows that I really do need to have more faith in the authors that I love reading, even when the blurb  has me unconvinced. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and  voluntarily. 

Book Review - No-one Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day by Tracy Bloom - Blog Tour

Amazon UK

Title: No-one Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day

Author: Tracy Bloom

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 24 October 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

A dream family Christmas or a total nightmare? Katy and Ben are about to find out...

Katy’s been stuck in the office away from her family so she wants it all: snow (fake or real), the Michael Bublé Christmas album, whatever it takes. 

There’s only one thing missing as far as her husband Ben is concerned: another baby to complete their family. But Katy isn’t so sure she's ready yet…

Ben may be playing the role of Master Elf in the pre-school nativity but he is struggling to master his own family life. With romantically-challenged friends, an ex who refuses to go away and Katy's mum's 64-year-old toy boy thrown into the mix, Christmas looks like it could be going off the rails… Never mind family planning, can Katy and Ben even plan to make it to the end of Christmas Day? 

I've had a goofy grin on my face for the whole of this book. I challenge you to not find something to smile or laugh about in almost every single chapter, it is just that funny and feel good. 

This is the third N0-one Ever Has Sex books, and it is the latest installment of Katy and Ben's tale with plenty of other familiar characters too. Although its been ages since I read the last one, I felt back at home with this book very fast, thanks to the small reminders in the narrative. As a result I think that anyone new to the serious should be able to read it as a standalone, although you would be missing out on two excellent books. 

I almost never quote from books in my reviews, but on this occasion the second I saw this line near the beginning I took a photo of my kindle just as a reminder.  It is a great example of some of the humour in this book, as well as being n example of how mad the world could end up in modern times. 

"in this day and age shouldn't Santa be an athletic, transsexual vegan who drives a hybrid and leave you an educational toy along with the address of the nearest charity shop so you know where to donate it once you've finished with it?"

And that is just one of many examples of Tracy Blooms brilliance in this book that really tickled me.  

Ben and Braindead (his best friend)'s antics are slightly juvenile at times, relaying the garden centre trip as an example, but Ben is just like a big excitable child at Christmas, and Braindead is going through a life change of his own, again with not the most simple of results! 

Then there is the tricky situation that Katy's work puts her in the whole while is being hassled by her mother about the new toyboy and their plans for Christmas in a series of texts at the starts of chapters.  So many elements of this book are more probably happening in houses all over the world in the run up to Christmas where they are amusing to the outer world, but horrifically stressful if you are experiencing them! 

There is a great deal of festive feelgood feeling in this story, and although it hasn't made me crave Christmas Day it certainly is a fantastic Christmas book that will have you laughing out loud.  I just can't explain how much I loved this book - so instead Ill just suggest you read it for yourself! 

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Author Bio:

Tracy started writing when her cruel, heartless husband ripped her away from her dream job shopping for rollercoasters for the UK's leading theme parks, to live in America with a brand new baby and no mates. In a cunning plan to avoid domestic duties and people who didn't understand her Derbyshire accent, she wrote her romantic comedy, NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY. This debut novel went on to be successfully published internationally and became a #1 Best Seller.

Back in the UK she has continued her writing career and has just launched her sixth book.

Author Social Media Links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tracybloomwrites

Twitter: www.twitter.com/TracyBBloom

Website: www.tracybloom.com

Book Review - Strictly My Husband by Tracy Bloom

Amazon UK

Title: Strictly My Husband

Author: Tracy Bloom

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 27th July 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Couples who dance together stay together... 

Laura loves it when Tom takes her for a late night tango around the kitchen after their friends have gone home and they’re avoiding the washing up. She can’t dance but who cares when no one is watching? 

All that changes when Tom arrives on the doorstep with Carly, a professional dancer, and announces he’s offered her the spare room to rent while she performs in a show that Tom is directing. 

An outraged Laura doesn’t feel like dancing with Tom anymore but Carly does. It only takes two to tango, and given Tom’s history who knows where it could end? Will Laura be the one left watching from the sidelines whilst Carly waltzes off with her husband’s heart? 

Couples who dance together stay together – or do they? 

Strictly My Husband had me giggling right from the start and kept me thoroughly entertained for the duration of its amusing story. Written from a variety of view points, there are the five friends/relations that get together on a regular basis, and then there is the newcomer to the group. 

Carly is the focal person in the story, and yet all we know about her is from everyone else's points of view. She is a talented dancer who Tom has decided to take pity on and let lodge in his house, while she performs in the Halloween show, Tom is putting on at Wonderland. What Tom neglects to do is mention Carly to his wife before they arrive home together, and as a result Laura, is suspicious from the start about Carly. 

Laura is a market research analyst, and we do get to see some funny market research focus groups occur, who is married to Tom a dancer, and now head of Entertainment at Wonderland. Laura has a very analytical mind, and manages to convince herself that by the end of the run of this month long show, that Tom will have cheated on her. 

Then there is Laura's friend Hannah, who just doesn't seem as interested in her husband Jerry as she used to be. Jerry is a larger than life bloke who has barrels of enthusiasm for everything, but doesn't always follow his ideas through. I loved the scene with the 7 foot inflatable crocodile, as well as his transformation as the book progressed. 

There is a strong dance theme running through the book, with Laura and Tom being big fans of Strictly, in addition to the Halloween show being produced, that is called Malice in Wonderland, and is a zany, spooky, scary take on Alice in Wonderland, with big production numbers, but Tom explains his concept better than I can in the book! 

Amy is Tom's assistant, but she is one of the stand out characters in the book, she is not big on park policy, and makes it clear to everyone her thoughts. She is strong willed, and not afraid to speak her mind, and some of her explanations to people as she "corrects" them, or "informs them" of something had me laughing out loud. 

There is a lot of fun to be had in Tracy Blooms latest book, that feels as though it should be a big hit. It has her typical comedic timing, some down to earth characters that are relatable too, and some memorable scenes.  Occasionally Laura's pontificating was driving me slightly mad, but I could completely understand where she was coming from, and some of her arguments to try and persuade herself she is correct do make a great deal of sense. 

Utterly enjoyable novel that will get you in the mood for the next series of Strictly Come Dancing. 

Thank you to Lawsome Book and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Happy publication day to Tracy Bloom. Strictly My Husband is out now! 

Guest Post - Tracy Bloom's My Top 5 Festive Romantic Moments on the Silver Screen

I think we all love a good romance at Christmas don’t we? Personally I think it stems from our youth when we are trying to find a mate and Christmas offered the potential of mistletoe, Christmas parties, endless playing of Last Christmas by Wham and alcohol…quite frankly if you couldn’t pull with all that in your favour then when would you?

One of my own most memorable festive romantic moments was at an office fancy dress party where I drew the short straw and was dressed as Dopey from the Seven Dwarfs. This didn’t bode well for a romantic conclusion to the evening but somehow I overcame my handicap and enjoyed a last dance to East 17’s Stay Another Day with a very nice man dressed as Grumpy. In my head it was pure romance. In my head we could have been the final scene in a movie.  Now I love a Christmas movie with a great romance so I thought I’d compile for you my top 5 favourite Christmas romantic moments which I hope will get you in the mood for Christmas and maybe even a bit of a kiss under the mistletoe!

Number 1: When Harry Met Sally
Dragging that Christmas tree through the streets of New York together, laughing hysterically, has to be the happiest romance scene ever. Closely followed of course by Harry’s dash to get to Sally for midnight on New Years Eve and tell her he loves her in a way that only the genius of Nora Ephron the scriptwriter, could come up with. 

Number 2: Love Actually
There are so many great moments in this film it’s hard to choose but the one that gets me every time is Colin Firth asking for the hand in marriage of his Portuguese cleaner in front of an entire restaurant, having learnt her language. Swoon.

Number 3: Bridget Jones Diary
Colin clearly has a Christmas thing going on as who can resist that kiss at the end of the film on the snowy streets of London. Pure romance. Who cares if it’s bloody freezing.

Number 4: The Office Christmas Finale
I just have to include the moment when Martin Freeman walks back into the office party and hands over the pack of pens to Dawn the receptionist. No dialogue, their eyes do all the talking.  So emotional it makes me want to cry now.

Number 5: While You Were Sleeping
It’s an oldie but it’s a goodie. Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman sliding around on the ice and having to grab hold of each other is funny and I have never wanted a couple to kiss so much in my life.

You can find more festive romantic (and funny) moments in Tracy Bloom’s I WILL MARRY GEORGE CLOONEY (BY CHRISTMAS). Ebook available now for £1.99 on Amazon UK

There comes a time in every woman’s life when the only answer is to marry George Clooney.

For Michelle, that time is now.

Slogging her guts out in a chicken factory, whilst single-handedly bringing up a teenager who hates her, is far from the life that 36-year-old Michelle had planned. 

But marrying the most amazing man on the planet by Christmas could change all that, couldn’t it?

Sometimes your only option is to dream the impossible - because you never know where it might take you…

About Tracy Bloom

Tracy Bloom is the award winning writer of the no1 bestseller,  NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY.  She took up writing when her cruel, heartless husband took her to live in America for three years with their new baby. Her first novel topped the ebook charts selling over 200,000 copies and she is now back living in the UK and writing full-time. I WILL MARRY GEORGE CLOONEY (BY CHRISTMAS) was published by Penguin Random House eleven days after George married in Venice but she still has her fingers crossed that it was all just a dream and one day she will wake up and find he's still out there and available! 

Follow Tracy Bloom on Twitter

Thank you so much Tracy for sharing these festive moments. Love the moments you chose from Love Actually and When Harry Met Sally, truely classic romantic Christmas scenes. If you like Tracy Bloom's writing, or want to give a whirl, I love her books and her sense of humour, and as she says, I will Marry George Clooney (by Christmas) is at a bargain price for short time. 

Book Review - No-One Ever Has Sex in the Suburbs by Tracy Bloom

Amazon UK

Title: No-One Ever Has Sex in the Suburbs

Author: Tracy Bloon

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lawsome Books

Publication Date: 23rd June 2015

Rating: 5 Stars

Ben and Katy haven't had sex since Ben found out about her one-night stand with her childhood sweetheart, Matthew. 

Not only that but the arrival of a new-born baby has blown their relationship apart like a hand grenade. 

Drastic measures are required, so they swap roles hoping that everyone will be happier... Only it’s not as easy as they thought. When a desperate Ben starts secretly accepting help to solve his childcare disasters – from Matthew’s wife – it could mean the end of everything. Can their relationship survive the lies and suspicions and will they ever have sex again?

I honestly don't know if I have the words to do justice to just how fabulous this book is. I was laughing before I even reached the end of the prologue, I was smiling and giggling during the whole book, as there was never a dull moment, and I had tears of joy towards the end.  This is the ultimate upbeat, entertaining book, and one I was in no doubt deserved 5 stars, or more. 

This continues where No-one Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday leaves off, but don't worry if you haven;t read the first book, this can be read as a standalone, all the relevant back information is included. 

Ben and Katy are now the parents to baby Millie, and are discovering just how hard parenthood really is. Katy isn't really coping with Millie, and is wishing she was back at work, and Ben is upset he doesn't earn enough to not be stressed about finances. 

After a night out with his friends Ben suggests he and Katy switch places, and so he becomes a stay at home dad, with no real clue how to look after Millie. However help surfaces in an unusual source, and the outcomes are incredibly funny. 

Not only do they have a new baby to look after, they also haven't had sex, since it was revealed that Katy had, had a one night stand with a childhood sweetheart. So Katy and Ben's friends start coming up with all sorts of plans so that the pair can reunite in the bedroom!

I loved the scenes including Ben's best friend Braindead, because the things he comes out with, are completely nonsensical, very random but yet have many grains of truth, and pauses for thought in them. He is a weird mix of very insightful and utterly clueless. 

We also get insights into what is happening to Matthew and Alison, and how they are coping with the twins. Alison's approach to parenting it completely different to that of Ben and Katy, so it is great to see two completely different ways to trying to raise a baby.

No-One Ever Has Sex in the Suburbs is an easy to read, hilarious story, that is great for all circumstances, whether you are looking for a great holiday read, or just something to pick your mood up, this book will do it. Such a fantastic story, full of incidents, suspicions, self-doubt and exactly what you would expect from new parents. I can't recommend this enough. 

Thank you so much to Lawsome Books and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion and review. 

No-One Ever Has Sex in the Suburbs is out tomorrow in ebook.