You Drive Me Crazy - Carole Matthews

...chick lit, romantic novels, and You Drive Me Crazy is the latest addition to her collection. Two of her books have been in the top five of the Sunday Times Bestseller fiction chart.

I have read a couple of Matthews' books, and enjoyed them for what they are, romantic and easy to read. This book was out on general release on Valentines Day, and it really does feel as though it was a 'churner' book to cater for a loved up audience. I ...
...get in the way, leaving you wondering whether boy and girl will get together until nearly the end of the book.

Now to put a bit of detail onto the plot. The book starts with the character Anna Terry (girl) meeting Nick Diamond (boy) in a solicitors office where both are finalising their divorces. Now this was the first point where I wanted to throw the book in the bin. I am fairly sure that most people cannot claim to have been in ... more

Carole Matthews is the bestselling author of nine bestselling chick lit, romantic novels, and You Drive Me Crazy is the latest addition to her collection. Two of her books have been in the top five of the Sunday Times Bestseller fiction chart.

I have read a couple of Matthews' books, and enjoyed them for what they are, romantic and easy to read. This book was out on general release on Valentines Day, and it really does feel as though it was a 'churner' book to cater for a loved up audience. I do not feel that this book is anywhere near the normal standard of her books.

~~ The Plot and My Opinion~~

This book has a well worn plot. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall for each other. Ex partners get in the way, leaving you wondering whether boy and girl will get together until nearly the end of the book.

Now to put a bit of detail onto the plot. The book starts with the character Anna Terry (girl) meeting Nick Diamond (boy) in a solicitors office where both are finalising their divorces. Now this was the first point where I wanted to throw the book in the bin. I am fairly sure that most people cannot claim to have been in the solicitor's offices when cupid shoots his arrow. The fact that Nick answers his mobile to his over empowering Mother and Anna hears snippets of his conversation and still thinks that he is the man for her is also very troubling, as you will see from the quotes below.

If it had not been for Ciao I would have done my normal I can't be bothered to read this, however I thought that it the interests of consumers I would carry on. We find out that Anna's love life has been struck with more than a few disasters. She has two children and has had two marriages. Nick's need for a divorce is bought on by his wife (a vegetarian) going off with a local butcher. Why she needed to be a vegetarian I wasn't sure.

Anna is penniless after her husband walks out on her and needs to find a job. So off she trots to the local job centre, where she is sent for an interview at Nick Diamond's car yard. I hope that at this point you are getting a real feel for the level of this book. Despite the fact that Anna has no skills at all Nick employs her as his secretary and so the rocky road of romance begins.

Anna's children soon love Nick and her best friend thinks he is far better than any of her previous partners. Her best friend is somewhat biased as she is sleeping with Nicks best friend.

The worse part of this story is that Nick is living at home with his Mother, who is over powering and treats him as though he is three (although most three year olds would lynch their parents if they were treated in the same way) and his Father who is completely down trodden. I found myself cringing as I read the parts where Nick was at home, especially when his Mother introduces him to the local line dancing group.

I found this book tiresome and poorly written. The characters had no real depth and were not believable. The plot was thin, as I say it followed a very well trodden path and was horribly predictable. The only reason that I bothered to finish the book was so that I could see if it improved at all. Sadly I do not feel that it did.

~~ Worse lines in the book~~

"Bring her home for dinner darling," his Mother shouted after him. "Tomorrow. Mummy wants to meet her." (Said to Nick, a grown man)

"Do you need a wee-wee before we set off?" Anna said. (Said to Nick, the man she has fallen for and is trying to impress.)

"I'll put a hot water bottle in your bed just in case." (Nicks Mother again, when Nick is off to a nightclub!)

~~ Some Good Points ~~

Trying to be objective, and give a balanced opinion is hard when you have taken a dislike to something, but in the interests of fairness I will attempt it.

This book is only 438 pages long. Now that may sound like a fairly hefty book. However there are a massive One Hundred and Six Chapters and as each chapter starts on a fresh page, there are a fair few pages that only have a couple of lines on them.

The story is not taxing, and the language is remarkably easy to read, so you can get through it in a couple of sittings. The size of the print in the paperback edition also adds to the easy of reading as it is fairly large and well spaced out.

The cover is a very pretty shade of pink!

~~ Other Titles by Carole Matthews ~~

With or Without You
The Sweetest Taboo
A compromising Position
A minor Indiscretion
For Better For Worse
More To Life Than This
A Whiff of a Scandal
Let's Meet On Platform Eight

~~ Other Info ~~

Paperback edition Printed by Headline Review
ISBN 0-7553-0996-0
RRP £6.99
Amazon £3.99, new and used from1p (but then you have to add £2.75 delivery)
WHSmiths £6.99
 

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