Member Reviews
This novel was enjoyable, sassy and makes you feel like you need to be more open and yourself as well! It has some quite funny moments, some romantic ones and some drama! In my eyes this all adds up to be a perfect novel - and when the blurb says it recommends for fans of Sophie Kinsella, I jumped onto that request button so quickly! Not quite the same as Sophie but it was still a really enjoyable novel and I'm pleased I requested it.
This was a light hearted, amusing read with a great cast of characters. It was really well written and I practically finished it in one sitting. It was a nice change from my usual murder mysteries.
Really loved this book! I could relate in so many ways to the main character.
I liked how it was a story about love and men as well as about the bonds of friendship! Both storylines had me hooked!
I loved how the podcast episodes were intermingled throughout the story - plus the podcast host! I've never read any of Sophie Ranald's work, but now I can't wait to read her next novel!
I liked this book but it didn't make me laugh out loud like I thought it would. It follows the story of Charlotte who has been single for some time and listens to a podcast on how to meet a man.
So, promised a laugh-out-loud story – this really wasn’t that. Don’t get it twisted: there are funny moments, and some truly ‘wince with sympathy’ moments that we’ve all experienced to some degree or another, but the story touches on some truly and surprisingly deep issues, all along the way with Charlotte’s attempts to find some ‘social’ in her life that seems to be on a never-ending treadmill back and forth to work. We start the story with her best friend who is also her housemate (along with her fiancé) moving out to a house in the ‘burbs’ before their wedding, having left Charlotte in an empty house with not one, but two, new housemates set to arrive in the next few days. Exhausted from working all hours as a PA for a hedge fund company, she’s also a bit depressed and feeling as if she’s not had a social life, or prospects of one with her bestie Maddy now 3 trains and a bus away.
That night, reviewing her options and demolishing ice cream in bed (because -how else?) she finds a podcast about channeling your inner bad girl and finding love and sex. And we’re off. Charlotte’s not a solidly ‘good girl’ just not quite bold and brassy, with a series of challenges to make her take some chances with her personal life and start putting herself out there and herself first – she’s spending more time listening and trying than ever before. Sure, work is there and overwhelming with busy tasks that were needed yesterday, and she’s got the two new housemates – a gorgeous girl and a rather ‘hermit-like’ boy, and some ‘new night’ noises to adjust to, but things are going fairly well.
With being Maddy’s chief bridesmaid falling through with work commitments, and the ‘soon to be’ sister in law swooping in off her broom to ‘take it in hand’ Charlotte is feeling more isolated from Maddy than ever before – while her relationship with new housemate Tansy is developing, slowly as the one with Adam is strangely embittered, she’s got more to worry about than just them. There’s still the podcast and the dishy architect organizing their firm’s upwardly mobile move 2 stories higher. Attractive, sexy and interested in her – Charlotte goes all in and is shattered when she learns he’s not all she thought, very much not. Oh it was twisty and turny, and some of the situations are rather cliched, but the twists at the end, the wedding and Charlotte’s realization that what she thought she wanted and what she truly wanted and needed were different, yet one was in front of her all the time kept the story interesting as Charlotte truly is likable, if a bit naïve, and usually fairly positive.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at <a href=”https://wp.me/p3OmRo-ahv/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>
Great cast of characters. You just want to get to know them more as the book progresses. Would recommend to light lit readers. cant wait for more by this author.
What I wanted from this book and what I got were 2 different things. I wanted a literally LOL romantic comedy read something like a Christina Lauren novel, but got a contemporary romance novel with a pretty lackluster main character and no real LOLs. Maybe I shouldn’t hold it against a book that I get my expectations up and the book falls short of them, or perhaps publishing and marketing should stop pushing a book as one thing when it’s not what they claim it is....
OMG THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST ROMANCE BOOK I"VE EVER READ and I'm quite proud that I can read this before it is published. This is so such a nice mix of romance and humor , at a few points I literally laughed out loud because it is just too relatable and too funny. This authors style remind me of Sophie Kinsella really love it, coincidence that they're both named Sophie ahhahaha. CANNOT wait to read more books from this author!! Also the cover is just so pretty how can you resist??
A fun loving read with relatable characters. I read this in one day. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Contemporary, relatable, quirky; Ranald's novel is ideally balanced between humourous fiction and romance.
A lovely, fun, feel-good read. One you absolutely need between heavy books or just to have a laugh and feel good.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers, for the review copy of this book.
I wasn’t sure when I first started if I’d like this book or not. Being American it took awhile to get into the writing style but after a bit, I really started to enjoy the characters and all their troubles. Made me chuckle a few times and I was constantly guessing what was going to happen next (was right about 60%). It had a bit too much detail sometimes and I found myself skimming over some of it, but overall it was a good read. Not sure if it’s the writing style or what-not but it felt like it could be a bit more polished. Otherwise I enjoyed it!
Sorry Not Sorry by Sophie Ranald is another contemporary romance novel that promises readers to be full of laugh out loud moments. Again, though I wonder if my sense of humor is way off of everyone else of not when only getting a chuckle here or there and no real hysterical moments unfortunately.
In this story Charlotte finds herself questioning just where she is in here life when her two longtime roommates and best friends are packing up and moving on to marriage and a life together after falling in love. Charlotte has her job, and netflix if that will count as a companion but not much else to show as the others move on.
Stumbling across a romance podcast called Sorry, Not Sorry Charlotte vows to begin putting herself out there and trying to meet someone. With each challenge that Charlotte masters though it seems things in the rest of her life get a bit more out of control and the dating world is still a scary place.
I do believe my biggest drawback with Sorry Not Sorry seemed to be it just seemed to have one angsty moment after another with each turn of the page. I suppose laughter is the best medicine when times are tough but man Charlotte just couldn’t win and somehow that translated to me a few jokes that worked here or there but more feeling sorry for her the rest. It’s not a bad story just not the hysterical one I had hoped for, to me anyway.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
Sassy little book about Charlotte who leads the most boring life until she begins listening to a podcast about how to liven up her social life.
I laughed out loud at some of the advice but was surprised by the ending. Well done. Looking forward to more from this author. Thank you.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a bit of a challenge for me to review. It had what I would call some quality writing, plotting, and characters. At the same time, I had some issues with the same. So you can see where I'm challenged to write this review.
Sorry Not Sorry does a great job of portraying the modern dating scene, dealing with roommates, the great marriage divide that happens in your late twenties, and dealing with working a bit too hard while trying to make your way up the ladder. So bravo for portraying that so very well.
The book billed itself as a romantic comedy and I would disagree. I think it's a women's fiction book or the not as fashionable chick lit term but romantic comedy? I don't see it.
Some of the pacing in the beginning of the book is a bit slow and Charlotte, our main character, spends quite a bit of introspective time during these first few chapters. This is hard to slog through and personally, I think it was hard to connect with Charlotte as a result.
I'll say this for Ranald. She can write some characters I really, really disliked. Um hello Bianca - quite possibly the world's worst human. But I guess I felt so much disappointment in so many characters and ultimately it hurt my enjoyment of the book. Charlotte's best friend, who we are told by Charlotte, has been her friend for sooo many years and is such a good friend, completely cold shoulders her based on practically nothing and never even asks her once if what she's hearing is true???? Who does that?
Also, Charlotte is, from everything we're told in the book, quite an intelligent woman. So, it beggars the question as to why she didn't see the oh so very, very obvious signs from Myles. It hurts the credibility of the book frankly.
However, the ending is good, if a bit odd. If you're looking for a slightly less peppy version of a Sophie Kinsella, this is a good choice for you. Three stars.
Sorry not Sorry by Sophia Ranald (Dec 2018)
Charlotte is stuck in a rut and would love to put some spark in her dating life. She loves her job, has great friends, but is missing a man. She happens upon a podcast, Sorry not Sorry, and starts to take up the challenges. Charlotte finally finds a man that she can feel excited about, but everything is not as it seems in her world.
Charlotte has to navigate office politics, insecurities when it comes to her new boyfriends, and dealing with some misunderstandings with her friends.
I liked Charlotte, she is an interesting character. The conflict with her friends seems a bit unnecessary. If she and Maddy were really that close, why did they not talk about the issues right from the start? Instead each one didn’t want to upset her friend, and things got a bit out of hand.
Tansy, one of Charlotte’s new housemates, is a great addition to the story. Adam is a bit of a mystery, though we learn more about him towards the end of the book. Miles rubbed me the wrong way right from the start, it was hard to like him.
This story was fun and funny, and I really enjoyed it. It started out a bit slow, but after a few chapters I couldn’t put it down. I would recommend it for a quick, light read.
I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my review.
I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am on the fence about this book. I thought for sure it was going to deliver the laugh out loud romantic comedy it promised; unfortunately it fell a little short for me. Don't get me wrong, this was a really nice romance book. I really enjoyed reading about Charlotte's quest to find something other than "okay" in the romance department. Between her job, her new roommates, and her old roommates/best friend getting married, there was plenty going on for Charlotte to maneuver through, but I just didn't get as much in the comedy part of "romantic comedy" as I wished for. There were a few unexpected events through the story, and some not-so-unexpected events, that I really enjoyed; by the time I came to the end of the book though, I just felt a little let down. Overall, this was a solid, mostly light, romance story that I would definitely recommend as some summer beach reading.
Although i struggled at the beginning, i really enjoyed this story. Charlotte worked hard to figure out her dating life and in the end it didnt turn out as planned. I loved the ending!
Fabulous book. A typical chick book. You certainly will not be disappointed. Fantastic storyline.
Highly recommended
Thank you to both NetGalley and Bookouture for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review
Many thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
Charlotte is a smart woman working as office assistant in a busy finance company in London. Her hectic job gives her little time to date, and she begins to listen to a podcast called Sorry Not Sorry, giving her encourage to try different tactics to meet a man to love. Charlotte's best friend Maddie is getting married, and Charlotte is also very involved with arrangements. She also has two new housemates, Tansy and Adam, to get to know. When she finally meets the man of her dreams, it's an electric relationship. But will it last?
I enjoyed this chicklit book, though it lagged a little in the middle. But well worth reading.