This would make a good holiday read. Set between Dublin and small town Ireland this is the story of Aisling, funny and sad at times. I liked the chatty, vernacular style and the insight into small town life in Ireland.

This was a nice easy reading novel liked the inter action with the girls and their relationships but think it would appeal to younger reader's more

I did enjoy reading this book, but it took a while to get in to it.

You may have got a hint from the title, this book is very Irish. What I mean by that is it’s jam-packed full of Irish colloquial language (‘Jesus, Maj, you’re some hames’), legendary Irish places (Coppers nightclub), much loved Irish events (The Rose of Tralee), Irish sport (camogie) and native names (10 points to any non-Irish person who can pronounce one of the main characters: Sadbhb. No? It’s 'sive', rhymes with five.)

I’ve never included a little dictionary in a review before, but if you’re not Irish, or have never been to Ireland, you might need this quick guide to the Irish words and references that pop up in the book, to save yourself the bother of Googling as you read:

‘Bressie’ Niall Breslin – Irish celeb – musician, TV personality
Camogie – women’s stick and ball team sport game. Hurling is the male version.
Craythur – a version of creature but used as a term of sympathy / empathy, ‘And was he OK, the poor craythur?’
Faboo – fabulous
Gaeltacht – an Irish-language word to describe a primarily Irish-speaking region.
Gaisce – a personal development award for 15-25 year olds.
Gas – very funny
Gom – an idiot
Hames – to mess up something / be a mess
Hurling – men’s stick and ball team sport game. Camogie is the female version.
Like the clappers – to go really quickly
Lobbed the gob – to kiss
Notions – when people have ideas above their station, ‘Niamh Hatton is the human embodiment of notions.’
Shift – to kiss passionately / drunkenly
West Coast Cooler – a white wine and fruit mix drink.

Now, who exactly is a complete Aisling? Well, the authors, ‘pulled together the many traits, characteristics and quirks of a very particular type of Irish girl.’ Our lead character, Aisling (obviously) is from a small village (Ballygobbard) in the country and drives up to Dublin for her sensible job at a pension company. We get to find out exactly who a complete Aisling is through her, but the generic term is neatly described in the book, ‘My brother has actually just started going out with one of them, a complete Aisling. He met her in Flannery’s – she’s a primary school teacher from Leitrim. Goes home every weekend to play camogie and has a lot of strong opinions about tea.’

Our Aisling has her life planned out, she’ll marry John, her (hurling playing) boyfriend of seven years, they’ll build their own house on a plot of land in the country and pop out a few kids. But when John doesn’t propose, and makes it clear he as no intention of doing so, she takes a brave step (for Aisling): She dumps John and moves in with her cool work colleague, Sadbhb, in a swish Dublin flat. The story then follows her through her new wealth of experiences (dating, Mom jeans, Berlin techno clubs) and there’s a really sweet character development as she thinks about what exactly it is she really wants from life.

Interestingly, the idea for this book started out as a Facebook group that the authors set up to swap anecdotes about the ‘Aislings’ they knew in real life. Soon thousands of people joined in and they realised Aisling was a cultural phenomenon, so she became a book. Written in a purely positive tone, this is a celebration of Aisling, a joyous take on a unique Irish character and not malicious towards this kind of person in any way.

So easy to read, hilarious and unexpectedly emotional, I even found myself tearing up a few times towards the end. I just loved Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling from the opening sentence, with its contemporary Irish characters and voice, it might seem like it has a very specific audience, but most of us have a little Aisling in us somewhere, which is what makes this book so relatable and enjoyable.

Unfortunately I didn’t really enjoy this book so didn’t finish reading it. Thought it would be funny and a good read, but did not appreciate it.- not for me, although I know others will thoroughly enjoy it.

I read this in 24 hours and had lots of lol moments. But in certain areas I found myself skimming because it felt like the author was trying too much to impress with the funnies and the descriptions were often long and drawn out. However, I did really enjoy reading about Dublin and loved the Irish banter.
.A solid 3/5 star

Overall I enjoyed this book with the lighthearted bits working well and some laugh out loud moments, although I must admit I was pleased to be reading on a kindle with built in dictionary for some of the Irish phrases.
However, I felt it was less good on the more serious topics, particularly abortion and office corruption and the character development felt lacking - I still don't feel I know John or Aisling's flatmates.

I realise that I am in the minority but I just did not like this book. I really persevered but no. It is, in my opinion, trying to hard, has too many lame witticisms crammed into each page and it vaguely puerile. I just didn’t get it at all.
I really expected to enjoy this and to have a few laughs along the way but instead I just found myself sighing at it. Definitely not one for me

Oh what a complete Aisling this book was!

I read a review likening it to Marian Keyes (whom I love!), and Yes, it is set in Ireland and has comedy in it but at the same time it's totally different!

Aisling is 28, happily settled in her routine of going to work at PensionsPlus and travelling to her boyfriend John's house on occasion and meeting her friend Majella for drinks. But when will it be Aislings turn for the settled down country life?

I could relate to some of the situations in the book so thoroughly enjoyed it. I found myself laughing out loud on many occasions, but then i was hit by a really upsetting part. ( *shakes fist at authors* !!) which I wasn't expecting and shed a few tears.
All in all though, the characters are brilliant, totally believable and for the most part hilarious (sure, don't we all know a Sabhbh?!)

If you haven't met an Aisling, then you probably are an Aisling (and that's a good thing)

A mixed bag for me and I will start by saying that sadly I did not finish it. That’s not to say someone else shouldn’t and so here are my thoughts.
I like Aisling. She was a good person (a bit naive perhaps, and a little out of control) but not one of those too-cool to warm to heroines typical of this genre, and also not the other extreme of nerdy. That’s a plus. And, as a narrator, she was amusing without being too self-deprecating. Another plus. However, I was lost by all the Irish colloquialisms that meant I was reading too many sentences multiple times to try and keep up which I think is where it lost me. And the plot was a little “find it free in your summer edition of Cosmo” for me, which doesn’t appeal to my snobbery! I like a light read but it has to leave me wanting more. This one, sadly, didn’t but I’m sure there will be those out there who love it.

If you like Marian Keyes you'll love this, I got it from Netgalley and I did. That is once I'd Googled how to pronounce all the Irish names. A sweet, funny and sometimes sad story that you surely can't help but enjoy.

This was a fun read and a complete dive into Irish mannerisms and culture. I think quite a bit may have been lost on me because it was so grounded into 'Irishness' but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the story. Aisling is in her late 20s and feeling the pressures of her countryside upbringing to get married, build a house on a plot of land and have babies. But her boyfriend of 7 years seems in no hurry to go down on one knee... A whirlwind of change is in the air for Aisling.

Whilst the story was good and entertaining, the grammar and writing in this was disappointing and made it difficult to stick with

I thought I knew what this book would be like, to be honest I read it because I wanted a light hearts romp, where nice things happen to nice people. This book has this element but it was much more thought provoking than that.

Aisling is good fun and she has a great heart, surrounded by people from home and spending time there to look after her parents. All seems set, but when her boyfriend does not seem to want the same things as her Aisling makes some drastic changes and learns more about herself and her family and home than she ever thought.

I'm not Irish and so many of the cultural references and some of the language used in this book passed me by. It was overkill - like you needed a dictionary.

Overall this book is okay, but there are some issues:

1. Lack of character development. I don't feel as though Aisling went on a journey, and we barely got to know John at all, which I felt was an oversight.
2. Lack of any real depth of feeling.
3. A weak plot.
4. Not complete - maybe a sequel is due???

On the plus side it's funny at times and it tries to cover some serious issues, but in no way can it be compared to Bridget Jones' Diary.

I saw the wonderful Marian Keyes recommend this book on Twitter (it's already been published in Ireland - where it's set) and then found it was to be published in the UK in May - and so I could download an advanced review copy from Netgalley - so that I did!

Here's the Amazon blurb:

"Emer McLysaght and Sarah Breen, the creators of the much-loved Aisling character and the popular Facebook page 'Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling', bring Aisling to life in their novel about the quintessential country girl in the big smoke.

Aisling is twenty-eight and she’s a complete ... Aisling. She lives at home in Ballygobbard (or Ballygobackwards, as some gas tickets call it) with her parents and commutes to her good job at PensionsPlus in Dublin.

Aisling goes out every Saturday night with her best friend Majella, who is a bit of a hames (she’s lost two phones already this year – Aisling has never lost a phone). They love hoofing into the Coors Light if they’re 'Out', or the vodka and Diet Cokes if they're 'Out Out'.

Ais spends two nights a week at her boyfriend John’s. He’s from down home and was kiss number seventeen at her twenty-first.

But Aisling wants more. She wants the ring on her finger. She wants the hen with the willy straws. She wants out of her parents’ house, although she’d miss Mammy turning on the electric blanket like clockwork and Daddy taking her car 'out for a spin' and bringing it back full of petrol.

When a week in Tenerife with John doesn’t end with the expected engagement, Aisling calls a halt to things and soon she has surprised herself and everyone else by agreeing to move into a three-bed in Portobello with stylish Sadhbh from HR and her friend, the mysterious Elaine.

Newly single and relocated to the big city, life is about to change utterly for this wonderful, strong, surprising and funny girl, who just happens to be a complete Aisling."

First things first, I'm a Brummie with limited Irish connections - and so I think some of the references in this sailed right over my head, and I couldn't even attempt the pronunciation of some of the names  - but lots of it I did get, or could take a good guess at what it meant.  Total target market would be late 20s / early 30s Irish women - but that doesn't mean I didn't, and others wouldn't, enjoy it.  The book goes in heavy on the Irishness at the start - and from reading other Netgalley reviews, I think that's put some people off, as they just didn't get it at all - but I'm not one for giving up - so persevered, and I'm glad I did as the story develops a lot more and you get to know Aisling and her family and friends much better.  I suspect (although have not followed the Facebook group so can't be sure) - that it started off with lots of the jokes off the Facebook page - but then had to be filled out with proper novel! 

I liked Aisling straight away - in her no nonsense way.  I was slightly concerned that I am *quite* Aisling with some things. Actually I think some of my friends should be more worried about the likeness, given Aisling works in pensions administration #mentioningnonames.  In some ways Aisling's naivety reminded me quite a lot of Eleanor Oliphant in one of my favourite books from last year, and there is a definite 'Bridget Jones for 2018' vibe going on too - Aisling knows the Weightwatchers points in EVERYTHING! 

I was surprised that a chunk of the storyline is about a brain tumour - that's not mentioned in any of the blurb I'd read - and, unfortunately, I know quite a lot of people who are involved in their own brain tumour issues at the moment - and this could easily blindside them.  I will definitely be giving people a heads up about that part of the book - although maybe I'm just hyper aware of them and it wouldn't be such an issue for other people.  Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and people under 40, despite receiving less than 1% of the national spend on cancer research. You can donate here if you want to help find a cure for this horrible disease. Anyway - back to the book - which isn't all doom and gloom at all.

You find yourself laughing at and with Aisling, cringing with her, crying with her - and all the time wanting the best for her. Big topics - particularly in Ireland - like gay marriage and abortion - are part of the storyline, but are weaved into it as normal everyday things, you don't feel like a drum is being banged. 

It's generally an easy read book, with real laugh out loud moments, but also a heart.  I'm not sure middle aged English women are target market - but I did still enjoy it. 

This fits into my 2018 Reading Challenge as a book written by two authors.   Thank you Netgalley for my free copy in return for an honest review.

Oh my God. What A Complete Aishling - I could not continue to the end and that is unheard of for me. I found the depiction of Irish characters was crude and even cruel at times and couldn’t laugh at the charicature of Aisling as expected. For me, it was like a very poor and unsympathetic copy of Bridget Jones without the laughter and tears. Why? The events and possible humour were in your face and over explained. I love Irish humour but not being force-fed it by a shovel. I may come back to this on a rainy day because I hate to give up but there are too many exciting stories out there to read and these authors don’t seem to empathise with Aishling -they laugh AT her like schoolyard mean girls not with her. I think it will appeal to a narrow audience but be bought by many because of its hype. I thank Netgalley and the authors for the opportunity to read this book, but it just didn’t work for me.

I quite liked the character of Aisling, who seems to go at life like a bull in a china shop whilst being rather gullible and emotional. I struggled with the Irishness of it all, with some of the Celtic language and obviously 'in' Irish humour. It was a light read and there were some amusing bits. It is obviously a book for the younger reader with much binge drinking going on one wonders how their livers survive.

What a complete privilege to have met Aisling, thoroughly pragmatic country bumpkin leaving her village world to live in Dublin with her glam house mates after a break-up with her old boyfriend. You will roar with laughter with her, you will scream at her (DON’T DO THAT!!!), you will get plastered with her, cry your eyes out and admire her and you will wish for her fabulously loyal bezzies. A proper “fierce” book!