Hall of Fame Review: What A Girl Wants by Lindsey Kelk (5/5)

Wednesday 16 July 2014
A summer bestseller from the immensely popular Lindsey Kelk

Being arrested in your own bedroom is never a good start to the day. Tess Brookes really needs to sort out her back-stabbing flatmate – and her life.

Should she gamble all on the new photography job she’s landed, or snap up the offer from long-time crush and best friend Charlie to start up on their own – in more ways than one? There’s just one small thing she hasn’t mentioned. Or rather, one tall thing. He’s handsome, infuriating and called Nick…

For the first time, Tess has to choose between the life she always dreamed of and a future she never imagined possible. From London to Milan, with high fashion and low behaviour thrown in, she’s going to have to make up her mind what a girl really wants…

Lindsey Kelk is one of (possibly the best) chick lit authors ever, certainly in my top three so I nearly died from excitement receiving an early review copy of this book. The I Heart series featuring Angela Clarke are some of the best books I have ever read in this genre. So when About A Girl was released there was the usual apprehension of whether a departure from one successful series into a completely new one would be a success or not. Well About A Girl was just fantastic, easily as good as the I Heart series and it introduced us to an amazing new character in Tess Brookes. Tess and Angela can be quite similar characters at times but both are also unique and different too.

Continuing where About A Girl ended, What A Girl Wants can easily be read as a standalone but as I love series I would say read About A Girl first. This book had me howling from its opening, although what else would you expect from Lindsey? Tess is attempting to return home to her flat to retrieve her belongings in the hope that flatmate Vanessa isn't there. If you haven't read About A Girl then let's just say Vanessa isn't too happy after Tess stole her identity and a job in Hawaii despite the fact Vanessa passed herself off as Tess for years using photos of her and had sex with Charlie - Tess's best friend who she just so happens to be in love with and has slept with herself recently. Throw in Nick, a man Tess met in Hawaii and we have ourselves a love triangle.

Lindsey has a very unique and distinctive writing style, you just know when you are reading a book from this author. I've never laughed as much reading as I have reading her books. Her one liners are just incredible and I could easily fill a page listing them but they are best discovered for yourself in the context of the story. Even on Twitter Lindsey's antics have me laughing and she is one of my favourite people to follow. My all time favourite Tweet from her being this beaut.

Tess must decide between the two men, and whether she should open an ad agency with Charlie or jet off to Milan for a photography job. From the cover I think it's safe to say Tess will be spending time in Italy. I love books which take us to foreign climates, especially when I'm not visiting any myself. I absolutely loved the scenes there. Tess is joined by best friend Amy who is just amazing as is Kekipi who was just as fantastic here as in About A Girl. Amy was probably one of my favourite characters throughout the whole book. She wasn't afraid to stand up to Tess and tell her some home truths and give her the kick up the arse she desperately needed! I also liked Al. Quite a wise character who gives Tess some great advice about life and relationships.

Fellow bloggers seem to be either Team Charlie or Team Nick, I didn't know which way I wanted the story to go but my favourite of the two characters was probably Charlie at first. Nick annoyed me for the first part of the book but as it went on and we discovered more about him I began to like him. Some idiot on Twitter made a comment about the ending so I sort of knew which way the story might go but even so never underestimate Lindsey, she does like to surprise her readers and throw them many curveballs so you never quite know what is going to happen.

After finishing the book I'd safely say it might be one of her best yet. As much as I'd love a new I Heart book I think Angela needs a rest from the antics of the past few years. I'd love a new book featuring Tess however, I cannot wait to continue her story, especially after the ending in this book! She is a brilliant character who is rapidly becoming one of my favourites. Long time fans of Lindsey will absolutely love this book and new fans will love discovering one of the best authors in the business. Don't miss it!

You can read an extract from What A Girl Wants and enter the giveaway to win a copy by clicking here. Alternatively you can buy from Amazon!

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