Review: All The Single Ladies by Jane Costello

Samantha Brooks’ boyfriend has made a mistake – one everyone knows he’ll live to regret. Jamie, the love of her life, has announced he’s leaving, out of the blue. Jamie is gorgeous, loving, intelligent and perfect for Sam in every way but one – he’s a free spirit. And after six years in one place, doing a job he hates, he is compelled to do something that will destroy his relationship with Sam: book a one way flight to South America. Only Sam isn’t giving up without a fight. With Jamie clearly still in love with her, she hatches a plan to make him realise what he’s giving up. A plan that involves dirty tricks, plotting and a single aim – to win him back. Only, by the time the tortured Jamie finally wakes up to what he’s lost, a gorgeous new pretender has entered Sam’s life. Which begs the question . . . will she still want him back?

Review: I really really want to read Jane Costello's new novel The Wish list but I knew that I had  couple of her previous novels sitting on my bookshelf unread, so last weekend I decided to have a bit of a Jane Costello Marathon BEFORE purchasing her new book. This is the first of her books that I finished, having only read one of her previous novels-My Single Friend.

As soon as I began this novel I knew it was going to be so much fun! Straight away I could identify with the neurotic nature of main character Sam, and yet knew what she was doing was wrong, just like her friends try to warn her. Her friends in the book are all very likable characters as well and the issues they have to deal with are all incredibly realistic and well written. Most people will be able to recognise the character of Jamie, possibly as someone they have dated themselves, he too is incredibly well written, and I found myself getting angry at points in the book because of the way her was treating Same. Of course this is a love story too, and so Sam does acquire a rather lovely love interest at one point, not before meeting a few dodgy ones that is, and I am sure that most of the girls out there will find this one difficult to resist!

I love the fact that it deals with a break up like this and found the writing to be very true to life, Jane Costello has really hit the nail on the head with this one. Sam is the exact same age as me, and like me, is and independent woman who knows what she is doing with her life and where it wants her to go. The love of her life breaking up with her interrupts this life plan, and she has no control over it, is is any wonder she goes a bit off the wall?

Not only are the characters in this book fabulous, and the storyline true to life, but it is absolutely hilarious, I found myself laughing out loud at so many points, and in public nonetheless! Just like the previous novel that I had read for this author, it really is a total pick me up. I am sure that if I were in Sam's shoes, juts reading this novel would be a start at getting myself together again after such a mammoth break-up. Some of the things that Same attempts to do in order to win her love back are serious desperate but oh so funny, and I am sure that many readers out there will be able to recognise the things she is doing as thing they have done themselves!

All in all this was a seriously fun read and highly recommended to anyone who could do with a good pick me up. There is humour and laughter and love, but at the same time some very real issues of friendship, infidelity and alcoholism are dealt with. The fact that the book does deal with some more serious issues (and very well indeed I might add) does not take away in any shape or form from the enjoyment of this brilliantly written, light-hearted tale. I can't wait to read the next one now!