Member Reviews

This took me a little while to get into but I absolutely adored this book. Stella’s search for love really was a journey to hell and back. I loved the little affairs storyline too and want to hear more about Harold and Marjorie working together. This was a slow burner but I raced through the ending and damn my heart melted.

Was this review helpful?

Loved this book and how fun it was along the way, a bit of a laugh out loud but some major emotional moments that will devastate you while reading.

Was this review helpful?

Looking Out For Love
by Sophia Money-Coutts
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘“Okay then”, said Dr Bush, wheeling himself towards the end of the bed on a stool. “If you could raise your knees and open them for me, I’ll be as gentle as I can.”
If only men were half as considerate before they approached you with their penis, Stella thought…’

The book is marketed as a romance, and yes you do get a lovely dose of romance to fill your boots with, but I think what I took the most joy from in this sweet, funny and full of banter little gem of a story, was the development of Stella Shakespeare’s personality and life throughout.

When we are introduced to Stella, she is a spoiled and irritatingly selfish (and I mean SUPER irritatingly) 32 year old, hung up on an ex boyfriend and truly unbothered about everyone and everything beyond herself.

Throughout the book, as she starts to have to deal with emotional challenges, holding down a job, confronting how selfish her behaviour has been and asking for help as well as being helpful, her life starts to become more full and the characters that become part of her story start to feel like family.

Of course we all love to know about the romance though, don’t we? Stella definitely has a good romance to sink your teeth into. She gets swept off of her feet by the very charming Fitz, and it comes with both excitement and challenges. Their relationship will keep you guessing, as will the job she finds herself doing, working with an affair hunting, private detective!

This book has:
✨Funny Banter
✨FMC development
✨Story Twists

Once I got past how annoying early chapters Stella was, I absolutely loved the story! I loved how funny the banter was, I loved that I felt like I was a part of the little family Stella created for herself. You know it’s good when you feel attached to the family they make for themselves as well as the main characters.
It became a little like a hug in a book!

Was this review helpful?

Looking Out For Love is the latest novel by Sophia Money-Coutts and promises a laugh-out-loud and heartwarming read.

We follow Stella, unlucky in love and searching in all the wrong places until she meets mysterious Fitz. Falling head over heels in lust, she has unanswered questions whilst doing her best to support her best friend Billie, who is going through the worst time imaginable.

Is Fitz everything she wants and needs him to be?

For me personally, Stella’s quest for Mr Right was totally relatable but she came across as extremely one dimensional and selfish. So much more could have been down with the story and characters - Billie’s storyline could have proven an opportunity for Stella to grow and develop, but instead she acted with only herself in mind. I loved Jez - he was exactly what you'd expect the boyfriend of your best friend to be - irritating but worthy. He could have provided a lot more comic relief especially in the more sensitive parts of the plot

As an easy read, palette cleanser - this book does the trick.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this. I’ve read most of this authors books now and this one is the best I’ve read so far. The characters were great and it covered lots of quite serious topics in a very rounded and well considered way, while still maintaining its “romantic comedy” genre. It was great. I’d highly recommend it to someone looked for something a bit deeper than the normal run of the mill “chick lit”.

Thanks so much for my free copy in return for this honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Stella has had a string of failed jobs and failed attempts at finding true love since a bad breakup floored her. Until, on the evening before the first day at her new job, she meets a mysterious and dashing man who could make all her dreams come true...

This book made me feel all of the emotions. Stella's character development was so wonderful to see and her friendship with Billie made me so unbelievably happy, it was like a warm hug from a friend. I love a slow burn romance, but I was dying for an epilogue to wrap it all up!!

This book does, however, deal with some heavy themes which can be so difficult to read but are true to real life. Something this book does wonderfully is spread the awareness of the importance of cervical screenings. They are so important and I hope this book gives a nudge to those who haven't booked their in for appointments yet.

Was this review helpful?

This was such a fantastic read!!! So funny in places that I actually laughed out loud!! Pure escapism at its finest

Was this review helpful?

I feel like I should apologise to Sophia Money Coutts, she probably spent ages writing this book and I read it in a day! I really like her writing style and have read all her other work so I was pretty confident this would be my kinda thing and I was right, I couldn’t put it down.
Immensely relatable Stella (well, apart from being a bombshell) makes all the mistakes my friends and I made. Maybe with fewer oysters mixed in, but non the less would recognise a Fritz a mile off now. I adored the relationship she strikes with Harold and can’t lie, may have shed a tear at the end (no spoilers, but happy news).
Along with the hilarity of the job she finds herself in, and the side twists that throws up, a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Loved it.

Was this review helpful?

What a fab read this is! Great spin on the private investigator storylines. Adore the cheeky Shakespeare references thrown in. This deals with some sensitive topics such as infidelity, and chemo/radiotherapy and it's good to see these topics raised in a different way to the norm.
Stella was naive at times, but it made her all the more endearing for me.
A good all-round absorbing read.

Was this review helpful?

This is probably my favourite book so far by this author. I thoroughly enjoyed it…escapism at its best. I would highly recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

I’d describe this book as realistic fiction. The author has done an amazing job of creating imaginary characters and situations that depict the world and society. The characters focus on themes of growing, self-discovery and confronting personal and social problems. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no large gaps between words some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book therefore a star is lost for this.

3.5/5.

Was this review helpful?

This is probably my favorite book to date by this wonderful author! The story is an ironic love tale, which is something that I’ve come to expect from Sophia Money-Coutts. The plot centers on a young woman that has no idea how to get her life in order, neither financially nor romantically, but things have a way of working out when you least expect them…

Was this review helpful?

Another good read by Sophie Money-Coutts!
Stella Shakespeare is in her 30s, but unlike everyone else around her, she hasn't got her life all sorted. No job, no man, no money. At least she has a flat, paid for by her father, though he's cut off her money until she sorts herself out. And she has her best friend Billie.
Through a series of strangely unlinked events that end up coming together, she finds herself a job, a man, another admirer, an unexpected new friend, and a lot of new drama on her plate.
It was an easy read that I finished on a rainy Sunday afternoon. A bit of a giggle and a few moments of 'Come on Stella, can't you see!?!'
But it's not all giggles, as there is the more serious topics of a life-threatening illness and infidelity explored within the story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?