HI, I'm Steph, 20 from Warrington! I also write on the review site DooYoo under the same name :) Th...
HI, I'm Steph, 20 from Warrington! I also write on the review site DooYoo under the same name :) Thanks to everyone who rates me, especially the E's! I am very grateful for all rates! :o)
Member since:30.05.2009
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WITH OR WITHOUT YOU
CAROLE MATHEWS
Carole Matthews is one of my favourite authors. Since reading a couple of her books; A compromising position, and A whiff of scandal, I have really got into her writing. This is the most recent of all her books which I have read and I am looking forward to reading many more. Her books remind me of Belinda Jones work (I love Capri, Diva Las Vegas, The Love Acadamy), whose books I also love.
Plot: When Jake tells Lyssa their 4 year relationship is over, she is devastated. Their relationship has been though and stressful recently with the IVF tretment but what had she doen to deserve this?
Lyssa soon discovers Jakes real reason for the break up in the form of Everest climbing Neeve, his co-worker. Lyssa is determined to get him back but with everyone telling her she is "obsessed" with having a baby and blaming her for the break up,
she cracks, and decides to ditch her normal ways and travel to Nepal for a months trecking through the Himalayas. Putting her life on hold, against what her sister Edie, anmd friend Pip says, off she goes.
But among the couples and experts in her trecking group, is Dean, the leader of the group, ex-American citizen, he moved to Nepal to get away from the hustle and bustle of life in the city, Lyssa finds herself falling for the trecking master, and Nepal itself, with her thoughts of Jake slipping away and her priorities changing.
But what about bacjk home, will she back to Jake, when he crawls backj with his tail between his legs, and will life in London ever live up to her taste of the ultimate rural life.
Opinion
Characters:
Lyssa: Where Lyssa is concerned, we definitely see a large chabge in her character throughout the book. At the beginning of the book we feel sorry for her, her boyfriends' dumped her, she's child-kess and her age is creeping up fast. Everyone else in the book seems to be against hwe, and she's weak in her character. She needs to "look after" other people, and everything she does is for other people, never for herself. But we gradually see her change, no longer does she rely on other people, she becomes much more independant, and realises her whole life is ahead of her. She doesn't need other people to make her happy, of course there are alot of events leading up to this change in Lyssa and it's not an apparent thing to happen, it's slow and sly and happens gradually and is very cleverly done- Lyssa becomes and inspiration.
Dean- I must say in the earlier parts of the story I don't trust Dean, I think he's trouble and I think his Himalayas mountain man is a clever act he uses to entice women into bed. But as the story progresses he does become more genuine, I do start beliving in him a little more, but I don't think he is described enough. Normally I can get a picture of a character in my head, but with Dean I can't. I like to able to see a character. Dean becomes more likeable as he goes on, although he doesn't change like all of the other characters in the book, he stays the same, but he does become more likelable as we understand him more.
The book is really very good, as with all of her other books and Belinda Jones books (who Matthews is very much like), the story really paints a picture of the scene for the reader and in this book, you feel your in Nepal with Lyssa with the wonderful descriptions by the writer, this is possibly as Matthews travelled to Nepal for research before writing this book so everything feels real.
The characters are all very believable whihc is something which I like in a book as it means I can really connect with the book and the characters, rather thsan making me feel like I am reading a fake story. The story is excellent, and you really feel your taking sides by the end of the book, are you team Jake or team Dean...or do you wsnt Lyssa top go it alone for once. I must admit, I was hoping Lyssa would take Jake back, yes he is a prat, and yes he made a big mistake in Neeve, but as with the other characters, he does go through a change.
The book is a typical Chick-Lit book, but in such a heart warming and amazing way, I finished the book in less than two nights, I couldn't put the book down! I definitelty recommend the book to all chick lit fans, the story is of love and changes, and it's a fabulous read. Read if you like Belinda Jones books or any other Carole Matthews books!
Thanks for reading!
Summary: An amazing chick lit book!
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Oct 4th, 2009
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