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A Hopeless Romantic
From the bestselling author of Going Home , which Sophie Kinsella hailed as “fabulous,” comes a novel sure to touch and delight anyone who believes in love.
Laura Foster is a hopeless romantic. Her friends know it, her parents know it—even Laura acknowledges she lives either with her head in the clouds or buried in a romance novel. It’s proved harmless enough, even if it hasn’t delivered her a real-life dashing hero yet. But when her latest relationship ends in a disaster that costs her friendships, her job, and nearly her sanity, Laura swears off men and hopeless romantic fantasies for good.
With her life in tatters around her, Laura agrees to go on vacation with her parents. After a few days of visiting craft shops and touring the stately homes of England, Laura is ready to tear her hair out. And then, while visiting grand Chartley Hall, she crosses paths with Nick, the sexy, rugged estate manager. She finds she shares more than a sense of humor with him—in fact, she starts to think she could fall for him. But is Nick all he seems? Or has Laura got it wrong again? Will she open her heart only to have it broken again?
Laura Foster is a hopeless romantic. Her friends know it, her parents know it—even Laura acknowledges she lives either with her head in the clouds or buried in a romance novel. It’s proved harmless enough, even if it hasn’t delivered her a real-life dashing hero yet. But when her latest relationship ends in a disaster that costs her friendships, her job, and nearly her sanity, Laura swears off men and hopeless romantic fantasies for good.
With her life in tatters around her, Laura agrees to go on vacation with her parents. After a few days of visiting craft shops and touring the stately homes of England, Laura is ready to tear her hair out. And then, while visiting grand Chartley Hall, she crosses paths with Nick, the sexy, rugged estate manager. She finds she shares more than a sense of humor with him—in fact, she starts to think she could fall for him. But is Nick all he seems? Or has Laura got it wrong again? Will she open her heart only to have it broken again?
531 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2006
About the author
Harriet Evans
101 books1,125 followersI was born in London and grew up there. I was very bookish, and had a huge imagination which used to cause me to get rather anxious at times. Now I know it's a good thing for a writer to have. I loved musicals, and playing imaginative games, and my Barbie perfume making kit. Most of all I loved reading. I read everything, but I also read lots of things over and over, which I think is so important.
At university I read Classical Studies, which is a great way of finding out that the world doesn't change much and people make the same mistakes but it's interesting to look at why. I was at Bristol, and i loved the city, making new friends, being a new person.
After university I came back to London and got a job in publishing. I loved working in publishing so much, and really felt for the first time in my life that when I spoke people understood what I was saying. Book people are good people. I became an editor after a few years, working with many bestselling novelists, and in 2009 I left to write full time.
I've written 13 novels and several short stories and one Quick Read, which is an excellent way of getting people into reading more. I've acquired a partner and two children along the way.
In 2019 we moved to Bath, out of London, and I am very happy there. We live opposite a hedgerow, and I can be boring about gardening, and there's room for my collection of jumpsuits and all our books. We have lots of books. Apart from anything else they keep the house warm. xxx
At university I read Classical Studies, which is a great way of finding out that the world doesn't change much and people make the same mistakes but it's interesting to look at why. I was at Bristol, and i loved the city, making new friends, being a new person.
After university I came back to London and got a job in publishing. I loved working in publishing so much, and really felt for the first time in my life that when I spoke people understood what I was saying. Book people are good people. I became an editor after a few years, working with many bestselling novelists, and in 2009 I left to write full time.
I've written 13 novels and several short stories and one Quick Read, which is an excellent way of getting people into reading more. I've acquired a partner and two children along the way.
In 2019 we moved to Bath, out of London, and I am very happy there. We live opposite a hedgerow, and I can be boring about gardening, and there's room for my collection of jumpsuits and all our books. We have lots of books. Apart from anything else they keep the house warm. xxx
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 488 reviews
May 14, 2014
LOVE the title of the book and the cover. It just made my heart warm. Despite what people think, I am a hopeless romantic so once I heard about this book I wanted to read it because I knew I was able to relate to it. This was a funny book that made you believe there is love out there and not just for Disney princesses.
Also, here is a deep confession... I love British chick-lit books. Everything is so romantic when you add some UK men, language, and London.
Also, here is a deep confession... I love British chick-lit books. Everything is so romantic when you add some UK men, language, and London.
April 7, 2013
Well the book title attracts me though..the first 15 chapters well it felt like HOPELESS really, it's so unsettling and exhausting thinking how stupid Laura was in getting trouble falling in Love to an engage man( really hate those chapters):(, but after she realized that she cannot get what she wanted and renewed her view in life and relationship,
then comes Nick...I set in a pace when he came into view in the next few chapters...though he only comes brief he gives an impact to Laura, I'm hoping there should have been more romance in it but this book did not only set on how desperate love or falling in love is when you read it on the first few pages, it also went into family matters, how life is what it seems complicated..
I loved granny Mary she has all the wisdom and shares it to her granddaughter.. the impact of the consequences..of letting go or keeping the love especially when your looking for "the One"..
I felt a heavy heart when I finish reading this book because it just end like that just like that, maybe I'm just looking for more of what is in their future life would have been with Laura and Nick.. kids or some sort of epilogue maybe, some wedding at Chartley Hall..but it did not happen.
although I will always come back to the time when Laura met Nick, it was funny, sweet and unexpected, who would have thought he's the Lord of the mansion:) their 3day love affair was amazing even though its short leave...then there was the other events:
When they meet again at a business meeting,my heart went nuts...
When an unannounced invitation was given to her thanks to sweet Charles, my heart went on a back-flip...
Their meeting in the gallery where portraits of ancestors where watching them, my heart made a happy thump..
and last when Nick went to her apartment and propose to her that he will never let her go *sigh*...LOVE it is:)
then comes Nick...I set in a pace when he came into view in the next few chapters...though he only comes brief he gives an impact to Laura, I'm hoping there should have been more romance in it but this book did not only set on how desperate love or falling in love is when you read it on the first few pages, it also went into family matters, how life is what it seems complicated..
I loved granny Mary she has all the wisdom and shares it to her granddaughter.. the impact of the consequences..of letting go or keeping the love especially when your looking for "the One"..
I felt a heavy heart when I finish reading this book because it just end like that just like that, maybe I'm just looking for more of what is in their future life would have been with Laura and Nick.. kids or some sort of epilogue maybe, some wedding at Chartley Hall..but it did not happen.
although I will always come back to the time when Laura met Nick, it was funny, sweet and unexpected, who would have thought he's the Lord of the mansion:) their 3day love affair was amazing even though its short leave...then there was the other events:
When they meet again at a business meeting,my heart went nuts...
When an unannounced invitation was given to her thanks to sweet Charles, my heart went on a back-flip...
Their meeting in the gallery where portraits of ancestors where watching them, my heart made a happy thump..
and last when Nick went to her apartment and propose to her that he will never let her go *sigh*...LOVE it is:)
December 1, 2014
While okay in concept and with entertaining secondary characters, this book peters out around the midpoint and never fully recovers. It doesn't help that Evans spends the first hundred pages establishing a baseline for Laura as weak and pretty profoundly delusional. That's a long time for simple background work. And yes, there's a lot of other establishing going on, but going that long before you even meet a viable romantic interest is a risk, and, in this case, a risk that never manages to pay off.
And Laura's fundamental problem with self-deception and withdrawal into comforting stories about her life and the men in it is huge and hugely disturbing. Which might have been a powerful story of overcoming weakness and becoming stronger, but I don't think Evans actually earns that. At all. Yeah, Laura shows some maturation, but we spent a fifth of the book describing how very much she needed to mature and the rest of the book never got even close to the kind of reassurance I needed that she's actually changed fundamentally enough to have a healthy and loving relationship with anyone—let alone the somewhat emotionally stunted Nick.
And yeah, Nick is a bit better off than Laura (many 8 year-olds are better off than Laura), but he's still a net negative on the emotional health barometer (emometer?). Which is how the book peters out at the midpoint. Once they establish their mutual need for emotional growth and their attraction to one another, they go around and around and around the cross-purpose merry-go-round and that got old after the first time. A grand misunderstanding may work the first time around, but by the third and fourth iteration it's not so much grand as it is grating. Which wasn't helped by the author using cheap tactics and cosmic timing to tack on additional go-rounds.
And I just talked myself down a star thinking it over. Some of the secondary plots kept me interested enough to keep reading but even the powerful Grandma Mary storyline fizzles on retrospection. I never really felt like giving up while in the midst of reading, but a lot of the promises never really panned out and I find myself retroactively regretting the time spent...
And Laura's fundamental problem with self-deception and withdrawal into comforting stories about her life and the men in it is huge and hugely disturbing. Which might have been a powerful story of overcoming weakness and becoming stronger, but I don't think Evans actually earns that. At all. Yeah, Laura shows some maturation, but we spent a fifth of the book describing how very much she needed to mature and the rest of the book never got even close to the kind of reassurance I needed that she's actually changed fundamentally enough to have a healthy and loving relationship with anyone—let alone the somewhat emotionally stunted Nick.
And yeah, Nick is a bit better off than Laura (many 8 year-olds are better off than Laura), but he's still a net negative on the emotional health barometer (emometer?). Which is how the book peters out at the midpoint. Once they establish their mutual need for emotional growth and their attraction to one another, they go around and around and around the cross-purpose merry-go-round and that got old after the first time. A grand misunderstanding may work the first time around, but by the third and fourth iteration it's not so much grand as it is grating. Which wasn't helped by the author using cheap tactics and cosmic timing to tack on additional go-rounds.
And I just talked myself down a star thinking it over. Some of the secondary plots kept me interested enough to keep reading but even the powerful Grandma Mary storyline fizzles on retrospection. I never really felt like giving up while in the midst of reading, but a lot of the promises never really panned out and I find myself retroactively regretting the time spent...
August 16, 2007
I thought "A Hopeless Romantic" was brillinat and is the type of book that women (and men) can relate to. I have included a synopsis below for those who might be interested in reading it.
A HOPELESS ROMANTIC
HARRIET EVANS
Laura was a hopelessly hopeful romantic. Cupid’s arrow was always just around the corner and the look of love was forever pasted across her face. But there are only so many disastrous relationships a girl can take; the budding theatre director (gay), the romantic poet (psychopath turned SAS recruit), the passionate Colombian (illegal immigrant) all failed to be her Prince Charming, Mr Right, or even, let’s face it, normal.
After her latest entanglement ends particularly horribly, Laura looks to escape her broken hearted existence by going on holiday. Unfortunately, it ends up being with her parents and grandmother armed with a jam-packed itinerary of visits to National Trust properties and Norfolk craft shops.
Distraction appears in the form of Nick, the prickly but sexy estate manager at Chartley Hall. They have good banter, witty repartee (well, it makes them laugh) and a chemistry which would definitely earn an A grade but do they have any kind of future? Or will Laura be forever cursed with a talent for picking the losers in love?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Harriet Evans was born in London and hasn’t managed to leave. With both her parents in publishing, and her dad a thriller writer it is no surprise she decided to enter the writing world. However she is also a editorial director for a major publisher – but still hasn’t managed to get away with commissioning and paying huge sums for her own novels…
February 10, 2012
A lot of reviews praise this book, but I seem to be in the minority. The problem is that the characterisation is awful - no one comes across as likeable, especially the main character, Laura. She is completely selfish, whiny and self-obsessed that you don't feel sorry for her when she loses her job and things start to go wrong for her. Things pick up slightly after a tedious passage about her holidaying in Norfolk with her family when she meets Nick, and the fairytale romantic storyline seemed like a good idea. However, after the truth was revealed, Laura became annoying and Nick seemed more weedy and frustrating as he tried to explain his past. After that, the book seems to go through the motions and nothing really stands out, and the characters are so unlikeable and stereotypical that I don't really care what happens to them in the end. It's a shame as I read the blurb for this book and it seemed really good, only for me to open the pages and to be greatly disapoointed.
January 7, 2008
This was a somewhat frusterating book. Its challenging for the author to make the readers care about a main character (Laura) who willingly engages in an affair with a guy who has a girlfriend (they are all in the same group of friends)...and many times did not succeed, IMO. Then, when Laura goes on vacation and meets a new guy, you just know that this is the one who she'll get with that will be right, but there was A LOT of back-and-forth until we got there. The book was too long, and not fun enough (which is what I was looking for).
February 21, 2008
I had a false-start with this book a while back, and decided to wait a bit and start over. I'm solidly into it now, but am occasionally having to backtrack to figure out who a character is (which is why I stopped initially. I was 20 pages in and didn't know who any of these people were. the way characters are introduced just doesn't cement them in my head or something). Had I not found my "One" as early as I did, I think I would be the Laura in this book. So though I haven't experienced these situations first had, I totally get what's in her head, and I feel for her. I still mostly at the beginning, so we'll so how this pans out, but I'm really enjoying this so far.
I totally love this book! The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars was because of the ending. I wasn't put off by the length, but enjoyed getting to know all the characters as well as I did. And once it's already that long, I wish the author would have just done the ending up just a bit more. I really felt like it came to a screeching halt, and I was turning the page going "That's IT!?"
I think it is because I am a hopeless romantic myself that I enjoyed this so much. Yes, there were things that were obvious that you just had to watch play out, but that's the fun. When you know it's the right person, so you just keep hoping THIS will be the time everything clicks. It's the anticipation that kept me plowing through this.
I totally love this book! The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars was because of the ending. I wasn't put off by the length, but enjoyed getting to know all the characters as well as I did. And once it's already that long, I wish the author would have just done the ending up just a bit more. I really felt like it came to a screeching halt, and I was turning the page going "That's IT!?"
I think it is because I am a hopeless romantic myself that I enjoyed this so much. Yes, there were things that were obvious that you just had to watch play out, but that's the fun. When you know it's the right person, so you just keep hoping THIS will be the time everything clicks. It's the anticipation that kept me plowing through this.
September 1, 2021
***4 1/2 stars***
I don’t really mind when heroines are unlikable at first. I enjoy a good redemption story. Laura starts out as not seeming very bright, despite having an interesting job which she is good at. Her fatal flaw is her self-deluded history of making every guy she is attracted to into a fairy tale hero and believing him to be the one true love of her life. Again and again. This is partly thanks to her aspiration of modeling her beloved confidant and grandmother Mary’s extremely happy second marriage. When her latest relationship with an engaged man predictably implodes and rains humiliation upon her, she is rightly ashamed of herself. Suspended from her job, she retreats to the bosom of her sweet family and joins them on vacation. She has finally been shocked into gaining insight and clarity into her past romantic foolishness and decides to turn over a new leaf. Step one:
Fate is cruel, however. No sooner does she turn over a new leaf, and is keeping herself fully grounded in reality, she meets a nice handsome estate manager with whom she has an instant rapport and attraction. And horrors! It is soon revealed that he is an incredibly wealthy and powerful nobleman, and, in fact, the third most eligible bachelor in all of England(after Harry and William). In fact, he is the embodiment of every girl’s romantic fantasy and fairy-tale hero. He is even has a damaged past. Will Laura fall into her old ways? Is she destined for heartbreak? Or has she learned her lesson too well, and thrown away the one chance with the man who really is the true love of her life? I found the last part of the book very romantic
In addition to the primary romance, there is a hint of a secondary romance or two, a few heart-tugging scenes, many very endearing and complex secondary characters, Family drama (more funny than serious), and Laura’s not always successful efforts to rehabilitate her relations with her friends, family, and job. These are hampered by her going too far in the other direction and becoming cynical and closed off. It won’t be a spoiler to reveal that she finally achieves balance. She does go back to Heyer’s Regency Buck, but assures her friend that she is also reading Trainspotting. As a Georgette Heyer devotee, I was delighted by the references to her.
I knew this book had a sequel when I started reading it. I am looking forward to spending more time with the delightful and not so delightful characters in this book.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
I don’t really mind when heroines are unlikable at first. I enjoy a good redemption story. Laura starts out as not seeming very bright, despite having an interesting job which she is good at. Her fatal flaw is her self-deluded history of making every guy she is attracted to into a fairy tale hero and believing him to be the one true love of her life. Again and again. This is partly thanks to her aspiration of modeling her beloved confidant and grandmother Mary’s extremely happy second marriage. When her latest relationship with an engaged man predictably implodes and rains humiliation upon her, she is rightly ashamed of herself. Suspended from her job, she retreats to the bosom of her sweet family and joins them on vacation. She has finally been shocked into gaining insight and clarity into her past romantic foolishness and decides to turn over a new leaf. Step one:
She moved over to the bookshelf. Laura gulped. This was harder than she’d expected…Firm. Strong. Away with childish things….into the box went all her Nancy Mitford books. In went all her Mills & Boon romances. She hesitated over her Jane Austen collection. Surely that was proper English literature, she shouldn’t be throwing it away! You never read them for academic enjoyment, Laura Foster,…you read them because they make you swoon and sigh and have striding men wearing breeches in them. In they go. Finally, she reached up the top shelf of her bookcase. With shaking hands, she picked up her Georgette Heyer collection. She knew it had to be done, but, by God, it hurt. Tears came into her eyes. One by one, she dropped each book in the box, watched as they slammed onto each other, the pale colors of the old paperback covers gleaming up out of the box at her. It was torture.
Fate is cruel, however. No sooner does she turn over a new leaf, and is keeping herself fully grounded in reality, she meets a nice handsome estate manager with whom she has an instant rapport and attraction. And horrors! It is soon revealed that he is an incredibly wealthy and powerful nobleman, and, in fact, the third most eligible bachelor in all of England(after Harry and William). In fact, he is the embodiment of every girl’s romantic fantasy and fairy-tale hero. He is even has a damaged past. Will Laura fall into her old ways? Is she destined for heartbreak? Or has she learned her lesson too well, and thrown away the one chance with the man who really is the true love of her life? I found the last part of the book very romantic
In addition to the primary romance, there is a hint of a secondary romance or two, a few heart-tugging scenes, many very endearing and complex secondary characters, Family drama (more funny than serious), and Laura’s not always successful efforts to rehabilitate her relations with her friends, family, and job. These are hampered by her going too far in the other direction and becoming cynical and closed off. It won’t be a spoiler to reveal that she finally achieves balance. She does go back to Heyer’s Regency Buck, but assures her friend that she is also reading Trainspotting. As a Georgette Heyer devotee, I was delighted by the references to her.
She saw herself for once without pretense, not as a girl from some book in a crinoline, dipping low in a curtsey at a ball..or a new person who..brooked no argument, who let no one enter her life, who did not suffer weakness or fools. She was just-----herself.
I knew this book had a sequel when I started reading it. I am looking forward to spending more time with the delightful and not so delightful characters in this book.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
March 14, 2008
"A heart is a package tangled up in knots someone else tied" Joash Ritter sings in his song "Kathleen" and he's right. Our heroine, Laura, is a hopless romantic and she knows it. Her friends know it. Her family knows it. After a particularly bad relationship, the knots that guy tied almost ruins the next relationship she has. It takes some time for her to untie the knots and open back up to love and regain a little bit of her hopeless romantic charm as her willingness to fall in love at the drop of a hat is one of the things that her friends find so endearing about her.
There are some good laughs along the way as well. Overall this was one of the better chic lit books I've read in a long while.
There are some good laughs along the way as well. Overall this was one of the better chic lit books I've read in a long while.
June 13, 2008
so.. i'm a little ashamed to include this to bookshelf, but it was a really enjoyable read which got me through a brief period of loneliness and negative thinking. it's just one of those good cheesy beach reads. enjoy it for what it is; it didn't change my life, but it added a little more sugar to my bleak winter days in boston.
July 7, 2017
Started out a bit slow but ended up being so good! A classic love story. My favorites.
March 22, 2012
Wow! I was in a mood for chick lit for quite some time, but this book certainly exceeded my expectations; the romance was far more angsty than usual in this genre, which was certainly up to my taste. However, the emotional scenes of heartache were nicely interspersed with humorous dialogues, great one liners and not a few funny scenes from the heroine's family and friends, especially her flatmate Paddy (who is one of the best secondary heroes I've read about) making it an easy and light read, perfect for beach reading or a quiet weekend at home.
The book starts with the hopelessly romantic heroine Laura, who has a passion for romantic comedies and Georgette Harriet & Jane Austen books (ring any bells?), falling for yet another unsuitable man, namely Dan. This passionate relationship causes her to forget all her friends and work obligations and tends to drag a bit longer than necessary, giving a slow start to the story. Plus, the heroine ended as a rather unlikable person at this stage. But when Laura and her family leave for Norfolk to celebrate her grandmother's eigthy-fifth birthday in their beach house, everything changes. Laura realizes who she became and is determined to bury the romantic side of her deep inside, as it has caused her nothing but trouble; from now on, only realism will do. And then comes Nick: the estate manager of the lovely Chetley (sp?) house, ownership of the young, rich and handsome marquess of Ranelagh. Nick and Laura kick off right away, well, forgetting the small fact that he got mad at her for almost setting the lawns on fire(!) but Laura's departure date is only a couple of days away and on top of that, as any experienced romance reader has guessed just by reading the book description, Nick is not who he seems. And Laura is very much determined to stick to realism for once; no more dreaming about Prince Charming and 'love conquers all' mottos, some things are just too incompatible in real life to allow for a happy ending. Or are they?
I laughed, got angry and even misty eyed by this sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes vexing and sometimes not very well written book. In short, I had a great time and sleeping only 3 hours before I got to work was totally worth staying up for it:) I loved Nick in all his pride and glory, stuborn Laura, grandmother Mary, Paddy and Charles who were all exciting and interesting on their own right. I do wish the book had an epilogue or a couple more chapters just to see more of Nick and Laura together, but all in all it was a very satisfying read. Up in my keepers shelf!
The book starts with the hopelessly romantic heroine Laura, who has a passion for romantic comedies and Georgette Harriet & Jane Austen books (ring any bells?), falling for yet another unsuitable man, namely Dan. This passionate relationship causes her to forget all her friends and work obligations and tends to drag a bit longer than necessary, giving a slow start to the story. Plus, the heroine ended as a rather unlikable person at this stage. But when Laura and her family leave for Norfolk to celebrate her grandmother's eigthy-fifth birthday in their beach house, everything changes. Laura realizes who she became and is determined to bury the romantic side of her deep inside, as it has caused her nothing but trouble; from now on, only realism will do. And then comes Nick: the estate manager of the lovely Chetley (sp?) house, ownership of the young, rich and handsome marquess of Ranelagh. Nick and Laura kick off right away, well, forgetting the small fact that he got mad at her for almost setting the lawns on fire(!) but Laura's departure date is only a couple of days away and on top of that, as any experienced romance reader has guessed just by reading the book description, Nick is not who he seems. And Laura is very much determined to stick to realism for once; no more dreaming about Prince Charming and 'love conquers all' mottos, some things are just too incompatible in real life to allow for a happy ending. Or are they?
I laughed, got angry and even misty eyed by this sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes vexing and sometimes not very well written book. In short, I had a great time and sleeping only 3 hours before I got to work was totally worth staying up for it:) I loved Nick in all his pride and glory, stuborn Laura, grandmother Mary, Paddy and Charles who were all exciting and interesting on their own right. I do wish the book had an epilogue or a couple more chapters just to see more of Nick and Laura together, but all in all it was a very satisfying read. Up in my keepers shelf!
July 21, 2009
I need to stop reading books by Harriet Evans as I'm 0 for 2. I find her main characters to be intensely unlikeable. I understand the notion of having a "flawed character" but this goes far beyond that. I kept reading hoping to get over my dislike and it just didn't happen. No one this unlikeable should have a happy ending and all her books end that way. Seriously, the main character just made me sick. I also find this book way too long. The story could have been told in about half the length. I found myself skimming and skipping through whole passages that were just dull. Very poor character development all around. And I'm still dwelling on the darn main character **shudder**.
May 23, 2008
I thought that this was a very good book that many 20-30 something singles could relate to. The bad relationships, the day dreaming that the server is your true love... but during the middle of the book is like the author lost the focus of the book. Like she was going in circles and never wanted to make a decision. Also, i think she could developed a lot more the characters. Not a bad book but it could have been better!
June 13, 2011
As a hopeless romantic myself, I could not help but be mesmerized by Ms. Harriet Evans' book covers. In fact, another friend bought her book also because of the pretty. We just had to have it. I eventually managed to tear my eyes from the covers, and with titles and little summaries like these, who can resist what hopes to be a good read, yeah? This is a long post, and spoilers of course, so beware.
January 6, 2013
3.5 Stars
There are a lot of things about this book that aren't my style, yet the author pulled it off for me. There's a lot of detail and background information which isn't my kind of thing. Seriously, the hero is introduced at the 30% mark. But it's told in a gentle rambling style that caught my attention. Secondly, the heroine has all the characteristics that I usually hate. But that's not what brought the rating down for me. It was the lack of romance - yes! - believe it or not in a book titled "A Hopeless Romantic". But, ah well, it was still a nice read.
Laura falls in love impractically and on a regular basis. She has a wild imagination, is generally pathetic and impulsive, and is a complete social disgrace when she's in love. Not exactly my kind of heroine, in fact, I kind of hated her. Even her friends couldn't stand her. But it's a story that drags you down to the lowest of lows in order to have something to triumph over. It worked. I was so depressed reading about Laura's life, I just knew that her comeback would have to be epic to make up for it. When Laura hits rock bottom the only way is up and so she determines to turn her back on romance. Once she's out of her parasite relationship I liked her a lot better and though she never loses that crazy feel about her, I could see her charm. But when she decides to stop being a romantic, she completely overdoes it and becomes negative and cynical. She despises her friends and family for getting emotional.
Nick's a great hero. Relaxed, witty and in love. I would have liked more of him.
There are a lot of things about this book that aren't my style, yet the author pulled it off for me. There's a lot of detail and background information which isn't my kind of thing. Seriously, the hero is introduced at the 30% mark. But it's told in a gentle rambling style that caught my attention. Secondly, the heroine has all the characteristics that I usually hate. But that's not what brought the rating down for me. It was the lack of romance - yes! - believe it or not in a book titled "A Hopeless Romantic". But, ah well, it was still a nice read.
Laura falls in love impractically and on a regular basis. She has a wild imagination, is generally pathetic and impulsive, and is a complete social disgrace when she's in love. Not exactly my kind of heroine, in fact, I kind of hated her. Even her friends couldn't stand her. But it's a story that drags you down to the lowest of lows in order to have something to triumph over. It worked. I was so depressed reading about Laura's life, I just knew that her comeback would have to be epic to make up for it. When Laura hits rock bottom the only way is up and so she determines to turn her back on romance. Once she's out of her parasite relationship I liked her a lot better and though she never loses that crazy feel about her, I could see her charm. But when she decides to stop being a romantic, she completely overdoes it and becomes negative and cynical. She despises her friends and family for getting emotional.
Nick's a great hero. Relaxed, witty and in love. I would have liked more of him.
November 22, 2015
Infinitely boring and annoying to read, hence i wouldn't even finish the book. Laura is a grown woman who is going around acting like a lovesick teenager ruining her life over a guy. Although the preview shows that there's more to the story I can't help but feel that its just going to be a repeat of the same stupid teenager-y love sick behavior till the end, only the last story will have some sappy happy ending.
I would not say that the writing style is bad but maybe I am a bit biased, since I find the story line to be so cliche'd.
I would not say that the writing style is bad but maybe I am a bit biased, since I find the story line to be so cliche'd.
April 30, 2016
Unfortunately I didn't like much about this book. The heroine was so irritating and unlikable. I was hoping she'd grow throughout the story but she didn't. The dialogue was stilted too, lots of ums and ahs masquerading as endearing bumblings between hero and heroine. Wouldn't recommend.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
January 6, 2022This is my second dnf of the year AND IT'S JANUARY 6TH
But seriously, I don't even dnf that often. This was just loooooong and the main character was dumb, selfish and irresponsible, I couldn't stand a single extra page and the story had hardly even started.
But seriously, I don't even dnf that often. This was just loooooong and the main character was dumb, selfish and irresponsible, I couldn't stand a single extra page and the story had hardly even started.
January 16, 2011
The story of A Hopeless Romantic begins with the introduction of the main character of this story, Laura, a hopeless romantic. Laura is shown as the epitome of a hopeless romantic, always finding herself very much in love with whomever she is currently in a relationship in, or whomever she has her sights on. She is a firm believer of there being someone out there for her, to the extent that she over-exerts herself in her relationships, sometimes to a point where she is taken advantage of and forgets reality. Her streak of “the one” men takes a turn for the worse when she finds herself in a secret relationship with her best friend’s husband’s best man, who also happens to be the boyfriend of a classmate of hers from high school. Not only does she throw herself into the secret relationship, but she unwittingly begins to abandon her work, her friends and her family in exchange for time with her pseudo-boyfriend.
And then, it ends. Badly. Laura finds herself lost and confused and sees no hope for the future until she one day decides to throw away her hopeless romantic self (including all her romance novels and movies) to start anew. She goes on a trip with her family and unwittingly finds herself entranced by a man she meets on a huge regency-type estate. When she finds herself falling for him and falling back into her old habit, Laura runs back home and into her new turn-over-a-new-life only to find that this time, love finds her.
The thing I personally found interesting in the book is how much, up to a certain extent, I found myself relating to Laura. Her story, her situations, her experiences, her feelings, these are things that any hopeless romantic would feel at some point in their life. The title does justice to the book. It is a story about a hopeless romantic who finds herself hopelessly in love with the wrong men, and when she stops to face reality, she finds that the right man has found her – like a Prince Charming that finds his princess.
Blunt. That’s what most of the story addresses. The blunt truth. This is not a novel for some teenager to read in the hopes of finding some glimmer of hope for love. The story is a realization that not all stories have happy endings, and not all men (who we think are “the one”) are really meant for us. Before the story gives way to a happy ending, it first shows the hard truth about love. Laura’s failed relationships, her interactions with her friends and family are anything but just nice. They are honest, simple and real.
If anything, this book showcases more of the bad things one can encounter in a relationship, owing to the fact that most of the story concentrates on Laura’s bad relationship with her pseudo-boyfriend and shows us the bad decisions she had made in her relationship.
Definitely not a read for those who are below 16 or 17, I think. Even the language used in the story can be a little rough. The situations are real, a bit exaggerated, but they reveal a side to life that some love stories don’t portray in their books. An interesting read though you have to get through the somewhat tedious and long-winded first couple of chapters before you actually get to the lighter and much more optimistic parts of the story.
And then, it ends. Badly. Laura finds herself lost and confused and sees no hope for the future until she one day decides to throw away her hopeless romantic self (including all her romance novels and movies) to start anew. She goes on a trip with her family and unwittingly finds herself entranced by a man she meets on a huge regency-type estate. When she finds herself falling for him and falling back into her old habit, Laura runs back home and into her new turn-over-a-new-life only to find that this time, love finds her.
The thing I personally found interesting in the book is how much, up to a certain extent, I found myself relating to Laura. Her story, her situations, her experiences, her feelings, these are things that any hopeless romantic would feel at some point in their life. The title does justice to the book. It is a story about a hopeless romantic who finds herself hopelessly in love with the wrong men, and when she stops to face reality, she finds that the right man has found her – like a Prince Charming that finds his princess.
Blunt. That’s what most of the story addresses. The blunt truth. This is not a novel for some teenager to read in the hopes of finding some glimmer of hope for love. The story is a realization that not all stories have happy endings, and not all men (who we think are “the one”) are really meant for us. Before the story gives way to a happy ending, it first shows the hard truth about love. Laura’s failed relationships, her interactions with her friends and family are anything but just nice. They are honest, simple and real.
If anything, this book showcases more of the bad things one can encounter in a relationship, owing to the fact that most of the story concentrates on Laura’s bad relationship with her pseudo-boyfriend and shows us the bad decisions she had made in her relationship.
Definitely not a read for those who are below 16 or 17, I think. Even the language used in the story can be a little rough. The situations are real, a bit exaggerated, but they reveal a side to life that some love stories don’t portray in their books. An interesting read though you have to get through the somewhat tedious and long-winded first couple of chapters before you actually get to the lighter and much more optimistic parts of the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2010
Laura is a desperate, hopeless romantic. She believes in the dream of a white knight on a gallant steed. From Jane Austen to Georgette Heyer, she has spent her life looking for "the one" who will match her romantic ideal. Of course this leads her to nothing but trouble. She has the worst taste when it comes to men, but she always bends the facts of the situation to fit her romantic daydreams. Take Dan. Sure he has a girlfriend, sure it's technically an affair, but that doesn't stop Laura and her daydreams that he will leave Amy and that they will be together on their summer holiday to Florida. When it all comes crashing down she realizes that she has jeopardized her friends, family and job for a man who would never, could never be hers. She decides it's time to leave the clouds and wake up to reality. Eschewing all that she once held dear, gone are the novels and the movies, save one. She keeps behind Rebecca, no longer viewing the sweet new Mrs. de Winter as the reason for reading it, but Mrs. Danvers. Now there's a lady who is no nonsense, stiff backbone and who would never fall for this romantic waffle.
The new Laura throws herself into getting her life sorted out, starting with a family holiday in Yorkshire. While yes, it is extremely boring looking at heritage sites and historic windmills, Chartley Hall has it's allure... and no, not the paintings or the grounds, but Nick, who Laura takes to be the groundskeeper. But now that Laura is new and "improved" will she be able to snap back to the hopeless romantic she was before Dan to see that she has landed herself in her dream story and she might just have found her prince charming?
This book was pretty excruciating to get into. Laura and Dan together were an unbearable time bomb waiting to happen. Hundreds of pages of slow self implosion. I get that we needed this exposition to lead to Laura's hardening and throwing off the rose tinted glasses, I just don't think we needed as much as was there. But once she was in Yorkshire, it literally became a book I did not want to put down. The dull, flat, two dimensional characters were gone and in their place was funny people who I could get along with, after all they watch Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm! Of course there were cliches of the genre, the ending was both expected, sad and then a bit of a Bridget Jones clone in the extreme, which almost knocked it down a star. But it was good escapist and romantic fun. Also, is it just me or did anyone else think the "butler" Charles was really the ideal man? Cause, he's up there with fictional characters who I'd give my number to.
The new Laura throws herself into getting her life sorted out, starting with a family holiday in Yorkshire. While yes, it is extremely boring looking at heritage sites and historic windmills, Chartley Hall has it's allure... and no, not the paintings or the grounds, but Nick, who Laura takes to be the groundskeeper. But now that Laura is new and "improved" will she be able to snap back to the hopeless romantic she was before Dan to see that she has landed herself in her dream story and she might just have found her prince charming?
This book was pretty excruciating to get into. Laura and Dan together were an unbearable time bomb waiting to happen. Hundreds of pages of slow self implosion. I get that we needed this exposition to lead to Laura's hardening and throwing off the rose tinted glasses, I just don't think we needed as much as was there. But once she was in Yorkshire, it literally became a book I did not want to put down. The dull, flat, two dimensional characters were gone and in their place was funny people who I could get along with, after all they watch Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm! Of course there were cliches of the genre, the ending was both expected, sad and then a bit of a Bridget Jones clone in the extreme, which almost knocked it down a star. But it was good escapist and romantic fun. Also, is it just me or did anyone else think the "butler" Charles was really the ideal man? Cause, he's up there with fictional characters who I'd give my number to.
December 27, 2013
This book is a good beach read--it's light, has no plot beyond providing a female character with an impossible romance, and doesn't inspire lingering consideration once the book is finished. Perfect for the beach.
The writing style didn't make an impression either way, but I can't say I liked the main character or the plot. I think the writer was trying to recreate the type of girl from one of the early Kinsella novels (Confessions of a Shopaholic), quirky and fun if very flawed, but it didn't quite work. She spent too much time whining to be likeable, and even if she hadn't, her choices didn't exactly make her endearing. It's hard to root for a girl who brings so many of her problems on herself. She was selfish and self-absorbed, and many of her choices were either ridiculous or questionable. This character was better suited to the annoying little sister than the heroine, I think.
The plot was also a bit much. We're all used to those cheesy romance novels where the common girl falls for a titled or rich man who just needs someone to love, but it's a little more difficult to stomach in a modern tale. I can't quite decide why it didn't work, but in any case, the plot needed more than it had to keep me interested. I could never quite get into it.
That said, I still think a lot of people would really like this one. Those who read romance novels on a regular basis probably wouldn't have any problem at all with the plot, because the whole titled-man-falls-for-poor-girl isn't exactly unusual. It just wasn't for me.
The writing style didn't make an impression either way, but I can't say I liked the main character or the plot. I think the writer was trying to recreate the type of girl from one of the early Kinsella novels (Confessions of a Shopaholic), quirky and fun if very flawed, but it didn't quite work. She spent too much time whining to be likeable, and even if she hadn't, her choices didn't exactly make her endearing. It's hard to root for a girl who brings so many of her problems on herself. She was selfish and self-absorbed, and many of her choices were either ridiculous or questionable. This character was better suited to the annoying little sister than the heroine, I think.
The plot was also a bit much. We're all used to those cheesy romance novels where the common girl falls for a titled or rich man who just needs someone to love, but it's a little more difficult to stomach in a modern tale. I can't quite decide why it didn't work, but in any case, the plot needed more than it had to keep me interested. I could never quite get into it.
That said, I still think a lot of people would really like this one. Those who read romance novels on a regular basis probably wouldn't have any problem at all with the plot, because the whole titled-man-falls-for-poor-girl isn't exactly unusual. It just wasn't for me.
January 19, 2008
I would bet money that this was inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Not only is she mentioned a few times but the book is divided up into three parts and there are other likenesses that I don't realize so I'm not spoiling the book. I could have done without the first part though. It made me not really like the main character though I do like who she becomes in the next two parts. Maybe you're not meant to like her in the beginning.
Read
July 16, 2008Fans of Fielding, Bushnell and Lippman will love this book. It's very much in the Bridget Jones formula: 20something woman continues to make a disaster of her life with bad choices, vows to change, struggles with it and nearly misses true love when it crosses her path (or, in this case, literally mows her down). I would call it a comfort read for chic lit fans.
-Jackie B
-Jackie B
February 4, 2017
QUÉ TERRIBLE DEBE SER CONOCER A ALGUIEN COMO LA PROTAGONISTA EN LA VIDA.
November 10, 2020
Yeesh.
This is one of those books where the writing is actually quite competent, but it just did not work for me. So much time spent setting up Laura's self-delusional tendencies by having her be the other woman for over six months. There's being lied to by a man, and then there's lying to yourself about a man. Not to mention, she somehow loses all ability to do her job properly for those six months, which results in her almost being fired. Like, for real?
Needless to say, after all that, I came away with zero respect for Laura.
Maybe if the first part had been cut down, I would have had more sympathy for her. Take those pages and give her more time with the actual love interest, because as it stands, she had six months with Dan the Cheater, and three days with Nick the Lord. When she rightly comes to conclusion that she is not going to fit into this rich aristocrat's world, it was the only time in the whole book I agreed with a decision she made. Except, somehow, none of those differences are going to matter because you can't control who you fall in love with and you just.... make it work, just like her beloved grandmother did. Except the grandmother's story, when it gets revealed, really has nothing to say about Laura's situation at all? I don't understand how that was relevant in "opening Laura back up to love". Laura had finally made a sensible decision, why oh why are we undoing that good work?
Also, the brother falling in love with the girl from Peru side plot? Was not here for it.
It's obviously a personal taste thing, but I lowkey hated most of the characters (except Charles, who I loved and Laura, who I highkey hated), and I could have done with at least 100 less pages, so... 2 stars, even with the competent writing.
This is one of those books where the writing is actually quite competent, but it just did not work for me. So much time spent setting up Laura's self-delusional tendencies by having her be the other woman for over six months. There's being lied to by a man, and then there's lying to yourself about a man. Not to mention, she somehow loses all ability to do her job properly for those six months, which results in her almost being fired. Like, for real?
Needless to say, after all that, I came away with zero respect for Laura.
Maybe if the first part had been cut down, I would have had more sympathy for her. Take those pages and give her more time with the actual love interest, because as it stands, she had six months with Dan the Cheater, and three days with Nick the Lord. When she rightly comes to conclusion that she is not going to fit into this rich aristocrat's world, it was the only time in the whole book I agreed with a decision she made. Except, somehow, none of those differences are going to matter because you can't control who you fall in love with and you just.... make it work, just like her beloved grandmother did. Except the grandmother's story, when it gets revealed, really has nothing to say about Laura's situation at all? I don't understand how that was relevant in "opening Laura back up to love". Laura had finally made a sensible decision, why oh why are we undoing that good work?
Also, the brother falling in love with the girl from Peru side plot? Was not here for it.
It's obviously a personal taste thing, but I lowkey hated most of the characters (except Charles, who I loved and Laura, who I highkey hated), and I could have done with at least 100 less pages, so... 2 stars, even with the competent writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2024
The best part of this book was the last 30 pages. I wish it was 200 pages shorter!
April 24, 2011
It was the title that drew me to this book. I was once described by a friend as having the "hopeless romantic" trait so I was curious to see what the book was about and how the characters were presented. The novel revolves around hopeless romantic Laura, showing us that living your life in a romantic dreamworld is more trouble than it's worth.
I loved Laura, I did see some of myself in her. Some of her actions I could see myself doing exactly the same if I was in her situation. When she met Dan I was over the moon that she was finally having a romance that she had wanted, however as it continued it seemed that he only wanted her for one thing. Deep down she knew this too and knew she would forever be his backup even though he swore to her she was the only one for him. As things went from bad to worse in her life (mainly because of him) she decides to escape to Norfolk where she meets Nick.
This was another character that I loved. He just seemed sweet and genuine. I also thought that she gave him a rather hard time but because of what had just happened with her and Dan I couldn't blame her. However it did frustrate me slightly as I really thought that she should've cut Nick a bit of slack. She didn't because she was pushed to be someone else by her friends. Speaking of her friends, you only really saw a lot of Paddy. He was another great character to have. He was funny and sensible, he kept the balance. I preferred him to Jo as she didn't seem to be a good friend to Laura, especially when it came out about Dan. The most supportive character of the book was Mary. She always managed to say the right thing and was a delight.
There was something about the story that reminded me of Open House by Jill Mansell which is another amazing book. I loved the setting and how certain characters met. The novel had a couple of twists and turns which only added to the drama of Laura's life which just kept you reading on to see if everything would turn out well for her. This book was simply incredible and it kept me gripped on each page. The writing was brilliant and brought tears to my eyes at the more emotional scenes. Fantastic work by Harriet Evans.
I loved Laura, I did see some of myself in her. Some of her actions I could see myself doing exactly the same if I was in her situation. When she met Dan I was over the moon that she was finally having a romance that she had wanted, however as it continued it seemed that he only wanted her for one thing. Deep down she knew this too and knew she would forever be his backup even though he swore to her she was the only one for him. As things went from bad to worse in her life (mainly because of him) she decides to escape to Norfolk where she meets Nick.
This was another character that I loved. He just seemed sweet and genuine. I also thought that she gave him a rather hard time but because of what had just happened with her and Dan I couldn't blame her. However it did frustrate me slightly as I really thought that she should've cut Nick a bit of slack. She didn't because she was pushed to be someone else by her friends. Speaking of her friends, you only really saw a lot of Paddy. He was another great character to have. He was funny and sensible, he kept the balance. I preferred him to Jo as she didn't seem to be a good friend to Laura, especially when it came out about Dan. The most supportive character of the book was Mary. She always managed to say the right thing and was a delight.
There was something about the story that reminded me of Open House by Jill Mansell which is another amazing book. I loved the setting and how certain characters met. The novel had a couple of twists and turns which only added to the drama of Laura's life which just kept you reading on to see if everything would turn out well for her. This book was simply incredible and it kept me gripped on each page. The writing was brilliant and brought tears to my eyes at the more emotional scenes. Fantastic work by Harriet Evans.
February 4, 2013
When Laura was with Dan, I badly wanted to punch her in the face and then cut Dan's willy. I am not good with love relationships - given that I haven't been in one all my life. So correct me if I am wrong with this. When you are with someone, you should always ask yourself if be brings out the best in you. But with Laura, her life centered with Dan and she neglected the others. She ditched her friends and in work, her mind wanders off. Is she that man-deprived? I wanted to beat some sense into her.
I am about 10% in the book. And I am freaking seething! To lie to your friend because of a guy.
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At Chapter 7, I did so many deep calming breaths that I already lost count. Laura is annoyingly dumb!
After reading 50%, I realized that I could not do it anymore. I do NOT like Laura. That is an established fact. And I could not bring myself to like Nick maybe because Laura spoiled the whole story for me. There were only a handful of books wherein I do not like the main characters. Add the fact that there was a voice inside Laura's head. I surrender! There is only so much that I could take. From that moment on, it was just mindless reading(if that is even possible.) When I finished the book, I could not even remember what happened after Nick gate-crashed to Mary's (Laura's grandma) birthday party. I found this book DREADFUL
I am about 10% in the book. And I am freaking seething! To lie to your friend because of a guy.
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At Chapter 7, I did so many deep calming breaths that I already lost count. Laura is annoyingly dumb!
After reading 50%, I realized that I could not do it anymore. I do NOT like Laura. That is an established fact. And I could not bring myself to like Nick maybe because Laura spoiled the whole story for me. There were only a handful of books wherein I do not like the main characters. Add the fact that there was a voice inside Laura's head. I surrender! There is only so much that I could take. From that moment on, it was just mindless reading(if that is even possible.) When I finished the book, I could not even remember what happened after Nick gate-crashed to Mary's (Laura's grandma) birthday party. I found this book DREADFUL
February 24, 2009
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I'm really picky when it comes to my click-lit. I don't like over the top stuff, and I don't like smut either. This book was very sweet and romantic, even if it does attribute to the unreasonable standards guys feel that they have to reach (when a friend saw me reading this, he made that comment). ;)
It's basically about a girl who's a hopeless romantic (go figure) and also very unlucky in love. She always seems to end up with the wrong sorts of men, and her last relationship is the worst of all. She almost loses her job, friendships and alienates her family because of it. Of course, she ends up meeting a man that's perfect for her, but she doesn't want to be fooled again and constantly tells herself to act how Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca would (was very glad I had read that book as there are many Rebecca references).
In my opinion, the book was very believable: characters acted as someone in real life would, there were common mis-communications, nothing over the top romantic here. My only problem with the novel was a couple of the last chapters. I think some of the characters acted WAY out of character, and I was sitting there thinking "What!?". I also wish the ending would've been a little more dramatic, but that's just the romantic in me talking.
Definitely think it'll be a re-read in a year or two.
It's basically about a girl who's a hopeless romantic (go figure) and also very unlucky in love. She always seems to end up with the wrong sorts of men, and her last relationship is the worst of all. She almost loses her job, friendships and alienates her family because of it. Of course, she ends up meeting a man that's perfect for her, but she doesn't want to be fooled again and constantly tells herself to act how Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca would (was very glad I had read that book as there are many Rebecca references).
In my opinion, the book was very believable: characters acted as someone in real life would, there were common mis-communications, nothing over the top romantic here. My only problem with the novel was a couple of the last chapters. I think some of the characters acted WAY out of character, and I was sitting there thinking "What!?". I also wish the ending would've been a little more dramatic, but that's just the romantic in me talking.
Definitely think it'll be a re-read in a year or two.
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