When a book is said to be for fans of Sally Thorne (‘The hating game’) you create an expectation. No, it is not like her book at all, but I enjoyed it on it’s own merits.

I believe this is a debut novel and it kept me well entertained. Tiffanie feels lost when her boyfriend of 10 years breaks up with her. She is further upset by the death of one of her friends, Blackie, who leaves her his boxing gym. But soon she finds that this gives her an opportunity to create her own dreams and to take chances.

This book is more chicklit than romance or romcom. Yes, there is her first boyfriend Mike’s return in her life. He is a famous boxer and there is unfinished business between him and Tiffanie. But his role in the story only comes into play well into the second part of the story. Tiffanie herself is the major leading lady.

I thought the writing was engaging and flowing and it kept me engrossed in the storyline. I can’t wait for more books by this author.

Sweatpants at Tiffanie’s is the aforementioned Tiffanie’s journey of enlightenment and maturing. After being dumped ceremoniously on her anniversary, Tiffanie’s world comes to a crashing halt. From here forward Tiffanie must learn to navigate her life by herself (with the help from her quirky friends alongside).

The first half of the novel read as women’s fiction, and the second half of the story is when the romantic interlude took place, so if you are looking for straight romance or straight women’s fiction, know that this story has both.
While I had many moments of incredulity throughout Tiffanie’s personal embarkment due to her lack of confrontation to people in her life (girl needs to learn to stand up for herself!), I realized that her change happens within a 2-month parameter and change is hard, but more-so when that change is forced upon you.

This is a wordy novel, with some moments that tapered off too long. During my reading, I had flashes of thought that perhaps this is book was part of a series and I didn’t read the prior book. I mainly thought this way because the characters’ dialogue would bring up things from the past that the author never touched upon in the novel before that moment.
It would have helped the reader connect better to Tiffanie and even Mike if the book opened up 10 years ago so that we could have seen Tiffanie’s transformation from strong teenager to meek, dependent woman.

*My own personal issue with author’s in general who write death scenes* In the beginning of the book when Blackie died and Tiffanie was in the small room with him for THREE HOURS and did not check on him at all was completely unrealistic. Not only because he was choke/gasping but because in real death situations, the body releases the bowels as well as other fun situations which occur with the body. I.e it would have smelled horrid in that room, and Tiffanie would have definitely investigated the source. I.e. Completely unrealistic portrayal of a death scene.

If you are interested in a quick read of personal growth, past loves come home to roost, and a pinch of death and drama intermixed, pick up Sweatpants at Tiffanie’s for your daily dose of emotional outpouring.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.