Member Reviews

Suddenly Single, the latest story by Carol Wyer, has laughs and romance. I disliked two things about this story. It ended and the characters aren't real people who I can be friends with! Suddenly Single is a heartwarming story everyone can relate to. I was given an early copy to review.

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I have really enjoyed this book. I have been looking forward exploring the relationship between Alex and Chloe. Would definitely recommend the book to my friends and family

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Being used to reading the mystery/thriller genre from Carol, this was a refreshing twist. Chloe is a newly single 3o something who decides to pack up and move to the mountains to refresh and reset. Within her first few days, she meets a whole host of new friends, from hot neighbor Alex to meddling matchmaker neighbor Eleanor, to the crew working on her house...
Eleanor takes on Chloe, working hard to set her up and get her love life train back on the track! It is a heartwarming read with plenty of laughs but also which explores the subject of life post divorce and the anxiety and emotion involved.
Carol puts just the right amount of spunk and sarcasm in with the heartwarming notes to make it a great read! You will not be disappointed!

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Was enjoyable. The characters were great and the story was good. Would reccomend to others to read as well.

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Carol Wyer's Suddenly Single was not quite what I expected, but in a good way. I was thinking I would be getting Under the Tuscan Sun, and it was, but add in a side of erotica. That level of spicy is generally missing in the rom com world, and it adds an interesting dimension. Leading lady Chloe Piper also deals with social anxiety, which adds a layer of depth to the novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

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Brilliant book. Story moved along well. I would recommend it. I found the characters interesting. I would look out for books by this author again when choosing a book.

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Chloe Piper has bought a new house in the wake of her marriage breaking down. Her new neighbours cause major changes in her life and help her find a new lease of life.

Full of humour and a wide cast of characters. The relationship between Chloe and Alex isn't the focus of this, and I wonder if it could have been a stronger book without it entirely - tricky given this is billed as a romance!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy.

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Chloe Piper is the mysterious author of a racy bestseller novel based on the village gossip her ex-husband used to bring her from the local pub. Now her marriage is suddenly on rocks and Chloe moves to a new house, quite isolated but with stunning views and friendly neighbours. Chloe suffers from a severe social anxiety disorder - even shopping in a crowded supermarket is out of question. One evening, in an alcohol-induced leap of courage, Chloe joins The Singleton Club, owned and managed by her neighbours. Step by step, she faces her fears, gets to know the members of the club, tries out new activities she would have never tried otherwise and makes great friends. There are romantic developments as well, although they do not seem to take much prominence in this book.
I really enjoyed reading about Chloe’s new life and her newly-found belief in herself. The characters are well-developed and with the exception of William are all likeable. The humour is kind and gentle and makes you grow fond of and sympathize with the characters, rather than laugh at their predicaments.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo Digital Publishing for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

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This is a sweet, empowering story! I loved that Chloe is a writer, loved her rep as a person who suffers from social anxiety. I didn't like the writing style so much, it felt a bit dragging and the plot did not capture my attention as much as I would have liked. I found myself less and less curious about the story as it went on... it felt predictable. But it is a cute book and I recommend it for fans of cute, low stakes romance novels.

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This is one of the best books I have read especially when this is a genre that I am not familiar with..

The story was very strong and I just loved the way that the author plots out her story.

The characters were so fun and I was hooked with this book

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Thank you NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC.

I really REALLY enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. I adored Chloe even with her social flaws (mainly because I feel the same way!).
This book was not written to change lives, or impact them, but rather to cheer on the Chloe as she navigates through her newly single life.
Perfect beach read or rainy Sunday afternoon read.

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I loved this book and devoured it within a weekend. Though the writing was a bit repetitive at times, I found the story refreshing and a welcome departure from the cookie cutter characters that I often see. The main character's crippling social anxiety is relatable as we have all felt it at one time or another and I found myself rooting for the main character the entire way. The characters of Sean and Jacqueline were endearing and I enjoyed the push and pull dynamic between Chloe and Alex. I wish it had played a bigger part in the book!

Suddenly Single is an indulgent beach read that makes you believe in reinvention and self-worth. I would love to see the author write a book about Faith now. I would read a whole book about her!

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This is a warm light hearted fun rom com.
The book is about Chloe who suffers with anxiety and has split up with her husband and is moving house to try and build a life for herself and her adorable dog Ronnie.
We meet lots of fun characters who go to lots of fun events and days out and we see them interact and their relationships develop.
The book is easy to read, covers mental health issues, which are talked about in the media lots at the moment, very well.
An easy read which made me smile and I just wanted the best for Chloe.

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While Suddenly Single could have been a decent, lighthearted beach read, it fell flat due to awkward dialogue, bland characters, and a formulaic plot.

Pros: There’s nothing wrong with following certain styles within a genre, some of which I could appreciate. I did enjoy the setting, the parts about the singletons club, and any interactions involving Chloe’s sweet dog Ronnie.

Cons: You’d think a book about a romance/erotica novelist would have a little heat, but Suddenly Single doesn’t at all. There’s no chemistry between Chloe and her love interest, Alex. He’s neither memorable nor charming. I found myself remembering more details about the secondary characters, like Eleanor’s marriage and perseverance, and Sean’s relationship with his daughter.

Plus, poor editing and clunky language was really distracting. There were several run-on sentences, oddly placed commas, and missing punctuation that took me out of the story (when my mind was already wandering.) The dialogue was stiff and unnatural. I began losing interest about a third of the way through. I only finished it to see if the writing or story improved. Unfortunately, it did not.

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Chloe Piper's marriage falls apart just before Christmas. She makes the decision to leave her ex, as his cheating was just too much for her to handle. If that wasn't so bad, the village gossips were a bit much. So, Chloe heads to a new development called Sunny Meadow Barn. Her constant companion is her dog, Ronnie.

All Chloe wants to do is get her life back together by focusing on herself. This proves to be impossible due to the busyness in the development. Chloe needed a change, a slower pace. As an author, she hopes to write without distraction. But she meets a rather lively crew at Sunny Meadow. One of the people Chloe meets is Alex Collins, the project manager, and he shows an interest in her. However, after dealing with her ex, she is reluctant to get involved, and this is despite the fact that she is rather drawn to him.

But, rather than thinking about a new relationship, one that could be fraught with troubles, Chloe would rather focus on her new book. Whatever Chloe deals with at this time, including sensitive issues, the book is balanced with finely tuned humor, which is indicative of the writing talent of the author. If you enjoy books that will make you laugh, while watching things bloom for Chloe, then you will be glad to read Suddenly Single. Carol Wyer does a terrific job in writing different genres, as this book certainly shows.

Many thanks to Canelo for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

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I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book. I found Suddenly Single to be a book more about mental health and self care than a romantic comedy. There were aspects that were romantic, and I liked the interactions between the secondary characters, however there wasn't too much chemistry between the main characters. William was very easy to dislike and I liked that Chloe had loyal friends backing her up whenever they'd get stuck together.
A realistic take on divorce and the self-actualisation that is realised when those memories surface.
3.5 stars

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This is my second non-crime book by this author in a matter of weeks! Don’t you just love it when one of your favourite crime writers then becomes one of your favourite rom-com writers also! This lovely book, with its ‘oh so tempting’ cover is based around romance author, Chloe Piper. Chloe, whose book Spank Me Harder, Vicar became an erotic bestseller, is moving into her new house out in the Staffordshire countryside following the breakdown of her marriage. Together with her dog, Ronnie, Chloe has to try and put her marital problems behind her to find the inspiration needed to write her next book. But when her new neighbour coerces her into joining a Singles Group, Chloe finds it’s not only her marital problems she needs to overcome, but also her social anxiety which has plagued her for years.

I loved the cover for this book when I first saw it! Such eye catching colours and perfect graphics meant I couldn’t wait to jump into this one, and yet again this author bounces her way up to the top of my ‘To Be Read’ list! I liked Chloe and her friend, Faith from the first chapter and really settled into the story. I also loved the location of this story and, in particular, Chloe’s new house! Yes, it was in the middle of nowhere with hardly any shops or conveniences nearby, but surely that’s the beauty of it! It also sounded absolutely beautiful inside and I could just picture what it must have looked like!! What a perfect place to rediscover yourself following your marriage breakup and to also have the complete peace and quiet to work on your next book – it’s just a pity Chloe didn’t get any of those things!! Her new neighbours, Eleanor and Fairfax take her into the fold of their ‘Singles’ group which they run as a business. This isn’t really what Chloe would normally be into, suffering from a social anxiety disorder, and this then becomes the heart-warming story of Chloe trying to overcome her anxieties and rediscover herself.

Chloe was a lovely character and I really warmed to her as the book moves on. You can truly relate to her and surely everyone at some point has gone through some of the anxieties that she experiences. I loved her relationships with all the other characters and the other characters in themselves were all really likeable, although it would drive me crazy living next door to Eleanor and Fairfax, not matter how good their intentions were!! I did see lots of character names that I recognised from amongst the blogging community also, although did have a little foot stamp and pout when I got to the end and realised mine wasn’t in there!!

This was a lovely heart-warming read with plenty of funny moments to counteract the more serious issues. I adored Ronnie the dog, and I laughed my socks off at him eating Alex’s sandwiches right at the beginning of the book!! It was also great to see mental health issues being written about so that they aren’t taboo subjects. This was superb writing as normal from this fabulous writer and she is constantly proving that she can write anything! Wonderful story, thoroughly enjoyable, would highly recommend!!

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I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Canelo publishing. It took a while to become engaged with the story and its characters. Chloe is wheeling from a pending divorce and has moved to a new secluded area, where she bought a home and some acreage. She is the anonymous author of a sassy and racy best seller and she suffers from severe social anxiety so she prefers seclusion. Her new neighbor has coerced her into joining their singles group that they run. It is a business that they are really trying to succeed with. Most of the story deals with the adventures of the singles, groups, and their dynamics. It took a while for the characters to become engaging, which they did succeed by the end. It was an entertaining and somewhat witty tale, but not sure I would recommend it.

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This was a funny and charming read! I loved the fact that the main character wrote erotica - very meta! The entire cast of characters are engaging and there is some 'will they, won't they' within the story to keep it interesting. A hilarious summer read!

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Loved this book. It was heartwarming and due to the social anxiety suffered by the main character, quite inspirational. Mental health is a subject which needs to be talked about and normalised, so it was a huge plus for me that the character had social anxiety and the story portrayed it as having a huge affect on her life rather than being something which was mentioned a few times and then forgotten about. It was well written and left me feeling warm and uplifted.

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