Member Reviews
The title of this book instantly appealed to me being the huge gin lover that I am.
It took me a good while to get into this one. The beginning of it I found very slow and hard going but once things got going it all started to flow and I got into the story. Although I found Liv quite snobby the more the story went on the more I liked her. I loved the ending. I really didn't see it coming and I was pleasantly surprised by it. I enjoyed the humor in the story I did have a little giggle at a few points in the story. I will definitely try more by this author as I enjoyed the book despite the slow start
This is a great little book full of laughs and romance. I really loved reading this and it brought me great joy. I was hooked up to the very last page.
Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. An interesting novel by a new author in my personal reading-sphere! I am sure others would enjoy it too. Good character portrayls, descriptive setting and gripping plot.
I received this book for in exchange for a review. I was never really a fan of romance novels because I wasn't into the cheesy or steamy novels, but then I read this and changed my mind. This was funny, heart warming and sad all at the same time. Give this book a chance and you won't regret it.
Such a funny, refreshing romantic comedy and who doesn't love reading about gin!? Get me a glass asap!
Overall, I give this book 3.5/5 stars. This was a fun romantic comedy that made my mouth water for all the delicious cocktails described. The writing was fun and engaging. I especially loved Liv’s blog posts! I appreciate Liv’s self-discovery journey throughout the book. This books ending was predictable for me and I would have liked more after she discoveries her mysterious man.
Thank you NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for this free copy for my honest review.
I really wanted to love this book, but I feel like it was missing something. The spark never came, even though the story had the potential to be more funny, more sexy, just more--but it doesn't deliver.
I have been focusing on going back and picking up titles I hadn’t gotten to for whatever reason in my to be read pile, so I read The Gin Lover’s Guide to Dating, thinking it would be a fun rom com to sink into.
Maybe it’s because I’m in a rom com book club that chooses a rom com title weekly, but this one wasn’t really rom com? It was definitely a cute romance with a
After Liv looses her job, she gets a part time job bartending at a gin bar - and the story takes us along as she falls on her bestie for support, makes a new friend and finds herself in a bit of a love triangle all while balancing her new job and a blog. A great light hearted read worth picking up, go ahead and grab a bottle of gin to have on hand along with it!
Thank you NetGalley, Orion Publishing and Nina Kaye for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
As a former bartender, I was immediately interested in this book! The service industry is crazy and you can’t always bank on it being entertaining. I’ve been in the mood for a lighter read and a contemporary rom com was perfect. I enjoyed this book and flew through the first 60% with no problem, but the last chunk was dragging a bit. The main character, Liv, is self centered and immature for most of the book which can make it hard to have any sympathy for her. She creates most of the problems in her life herself, something she figures out by the end. Her growth wasn’t shown fully and I would’ve enjoyed the book going on a bit longer just to get a more well-rounded look at her growth as a character! I also would’ve liked to read more about her blog! It’s such a great idea for a business and there was definitely a lot of story that could’ve been added to the book with just that!
The romance aspect of this book was a little wonky for me only because I just didn’t feel the chemistry between Liv and either people. I don’t think her and guy #1 were meant to be, but guy #2 isn’t talked about enough to make a connection with him either!
Truly this is just me being picky. At the end of the day if you’re looking for a lighter, easy read, this is the one for you!
This book was great! It was so easy to lose yourself in the story, and kept you turning pages to see what happened next! Will definitely be recommending!
4☆ A Witty, Light Hearted, Fun Rom Com!
The Gin Lover’s Guide to Dating is a heart warming rom com, that is about new beginnings, second chances, swallowing your pride, fitting in, Embracing a new Career, Romance and Friendship.
Liv had a great job in PR, and was set for a big promotion. What she didn't expect was, to be called in for a meeting, and to be told she no longer fitted in with their new structure and thought it best she took a payout and moved on..... I guess loyalty counts for nothing!
Liv is devastated, angry, confused, embarrassed and determined to find a better job. It's a good job her best friend Dylan is around to help her out!
But it's a dog eat dog world out there and she finds herself becoming more and more despondent as the rejections roll in.
So when an old boss of hers offers her some temporary work in a Hotel and the glam gin bar, she politely turns him down, determined she was not going to change paths.
But with her finances becoming pretty low she might just not have a choice!, but can she swallow her pride and accept help?
I really enjoyed this feel good, rom com.
Liv was grating on me in the beginning but once she got over her hang ups and started embracing her new job I really enjoyed her character and zest.
I liked how she sort of ended up in a love triangle, but working out who she would pick or who I thought she should pick kept me on my toes.
The start of the book, was a slower start for me, and was more about setting the plot. But once the story got going it had a nice flow to it!
If you are looking for a light hearted, witty, fun Rom Com, with some delicious sounding cocktails (although I'm not huge gin fan 🙈 sorry!) then you will thoroughly enjoy The Gin Lover’s Guide to Dating.
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
As delicious and invigorating as a gin and tonic on a hot summer’s day, The Gin Lover’s Guide to Dating is a funny, sparkling and uplifting romantic comedy that will have readers chortling.
Liv’s entire life revolves around her high-flying career. A woman who is dedicated to her job and has made sacrifice upon sacrifice for her career, she is shocked to her very core when everything she has worked so hard for goes belly up and she ends up needing to find a way to pay off her bills – fast! As door after door after door is slammed in her face in the corporate world, Liv finds herself working behind the bar at a glitzy new gin bar in town. However, little does she realise that her new change in career might just end up giving her all the things she has wanted for so long that have eluded her so far – but only if she has the courage and the guts to go after them!
In her previous life, Liv’s life had been all about business with pleasure taking a back seat. However, this time round, she is going to do things a little bit differently. Her dating life will not know what’s hit it as she finds herself getting distracted by a hot colleague who is definitely far more interesting and tempting than spreadsheets and budget projections and a mysterious online follower who has her intrigued as she wonders whether he might just be her soulmate. Add a whole host of delicious cocktails, plenty of flirting and shenanigans and you have a dating life that would make Carrie Bradshaw turn green with envy.
As Liv realises that there is more to life than work, will she find it within herself to grab this second chance at making a go of things and be the one in control? Or will she continue to let other distractions get in the way of becoming the one in charge of her entire life?
A sparkling, breezy and terrific romantic comedy full of verve and style, The Gin Lover’s Guide to Dating is an effervescent and captivating read sure to appeal to fans of Mandy Baggot and Zara Stoneley. With plenty of love and laughter to keep readers entertained, The Gin Lover’s Guide to Dating features a wonderful heroine they will relate to, gorgeous heroes and lots of fun and mischief to lift their spirits.
A fun read that is perfect for curling up with on a miserable weekday afternoon, switch off the phone and get ready to indulge in this flirty and feel-good read.
It took me almost 2 weeks to read this book, through no fault of its own! The writing was well done, the character was interesting and there was a lot of difficulties she had to face and work through. It was purely that I was lucky to find 45minutes each day to read. So it just took me forever!
One of the things I enjoyed about Liv was how real her struggles were. Much of it was out of her control, yet her reactions to them was within her control. The one I understood the most was her struggle to keep her apartment.
Having a background working in debt recovery I had one perspective that wasn’t as dire as the book made out. Especially since she never seemed to talk to the bank. So unless the UK is DRASTICALLY different to Australia. Since I knew someone who worked in this field in the UK for a few years and their process wasn’t too different to Australia’s. Which kept throwing me a bit.
Since most people don’t have this insider knowledge, I highly doubt anyone else will have that issue.
The rest of the book blended gin, emotional growth and development, workplace romance and online dating into a great story. Who Graham is was a little obvious, but the impact he had to Liv and the overall story was great.
I chose to read this book because of the intriguing title, and I had never heard of a gin bar. Throw in the hot colleague and a mysterious online follower, and I had to give it a try.
Liv Hamilton is fired from her dream job and realizes she shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth and accepts a job as a bartender at a gin bar in a swanky hotel. After all, this isn't the first time Aaron, her ex-boss from her university years has "helped her out of a hole" and she is so grateful for his kindness. Aaron is a bit awkward socially, blunt, and sees through her attempts of hiding her predicament, but she owes him a lot. Once she meets her new colleagues at the gin bar, she realizes how unhappy she was in her old job and starts to open up to her new friends about the past she is ashamed of. In fact, she meets the younger and handsome, Josh, who is gentle and caring, but he just doesn't challenge her intellect. On the other hand, she finds stimulating conversation with a mysterious follower named GrahamLeeton of her new blog Gin Fizz created to make ends meet financially. Who will she choose? Unfortunately, circumstances don't give her a choice.
I have to admit I didn't like Liv that much. She's immature, a snob, and for someone who reads other people well enough to write about them in her blog, she has no clue about her own life. I will give her credit for finally getting over her need for money and a great job and just making good friends and finding her niche in writing her blog. Her chemistry with Josh was believable, but with the mysterious follower (can't reveal due to spoilers), I just didn't see it. In fact, I think there should have been more development on that character. The supporting characters were all right, but I needed more information on them as well. Especially Dylan who has played an important part in Liv's life for many years.
Overall, this was a light, coming of age romance about finding one's self and discovering what is important in life. Also, I'm not a gin drinker, but some of the drinks listed in her blog sounded interesting.
Thank you to Ms. Kaye for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Despite the desperate times we find Liv in, it was really a pleasure to get to know her. She had ambition. She had drive. She had everything planned out for her career including how she was going to get there...until the bottom fell out. Setback after setback plagued her every step, but with a little help from her newfound friends, and a reassessment of what's really important in life, and Liv is once again on the up and up, whether the world believes her or not. Think about it though...your perfect life doesn't look like my perfect life and so on, so the phrase LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE is truly unique to the person. I mean, we all have to make ends meet, but sometimes those ends need looking at again because maybe we've pulled them too taunt with unnecessary things. The adjustment to what we're use to is unwelcome generally, but in the end, it's usually worth the move.
Overall, I found this one rather delightful! My suspicions were proven correct as to the identity of the online connection, and despite things consistently going feet over head for our leading lady, she finally gets hers in the end...not revenge, but something better...happiness. Really, isn't that what we're all after in life anyway? Finding our happiness in the things, people, and situations we surround ourselves with? A few parting words for the characters...YOU ROCK Reyes and Amir, KEEP THE CHARM ON Josh, WAY TO TELL IT LIKE IT IS Dylan, and WAY TO GO Liv!
This a really great book to read right now!
It’s romantic and witty but has real, relatable characters and a lot of humour.
Liv thinks she is going to be promoted but find herself being made redundant instead. In the cut-throat job market, finding a new job is not as easy as she thinks it is going to be. She’s also coping with the realisation that people you thought were friends were actually just colleagues – something that I’m sure we can all relate to.
I really empathised with Liv’s efforts to keep up appearances and remain positive in front of her former colleagues.
Liv finds herself working in a fancy hotel gin bar, which sounds amazing and I wanted to go there. Her blog posts are warm and witty and she does exaggerate for effect, she captures the very human element of modern dating dilemmas that she witnesses. And while her blog posts do ultimately get Liv into some bother, I think she learns as much about herself as the people she is observing.
I won’t spoil the romantic ending, which while not a huge surprise was definitely the outcome that wanted as a reader. I’m sure you’ll agree when you read it.
I was on the blog tour for this book and received a free copy in return for an honest review
Favorite Quotes:
By the time she’s done, I’ve only heard, and taken in, a fraction of what she’s said. But I have developed, in my head, a full technicolour adaptation of how, given the chance, I would inflict the slowest and most painful death possible upon her. This beast needs to be slain.
‘She is clever. With Aaron she is like butter that would not spread.’ ‘You mean melt.’ … ‘She is a real jacket and hype.’ ‘You mean Jekyll and Hyde!’
I don’t have time for men in my life… My rule is to enjoy looking, but not to touch. They never turn out to be as good as the fantasy anyway.
‘So, you are older. This is good. You can teach him. You can be his puma… You know.’ Reyes searches for the explanation. ‘The older woman who takes a young hombre.’ ‘The word you’re looking for is cougar,’ I say flatly.
‘You are not over this hill.’ Reyes swipes her hand through the air, causing me to instinctively duck. ‘You are only thirty-one. This world is still your oyster sauce.’ ‘Oyster,’ I correct her. ‘It’s just oyster.’
My Review:
This was a slowly developing character-driven novel of women's fiction with random yet frequent sparkles of amusing levity. I initially struggled with this one as I had difficulty working up much empathy for the main character as Liv came off as snobbish and just far too over-served with her own self-importance. Her goals were serious yet she lived a frivolous and shallow life while contemptuous of anything that appeared beneath her desired standing – Liv was not someone whom I would enjoy sharing my air. But I felt her devastation and inner turmoil and understood her issues once her history was revealed.
The secondary characters were an entertaining and interesting collection of likable personalities and the impetus of most of the humorous content with malaprops from an adorable English as a second language speaker. And the character's surreptitious blog posts were beyond clever with tasty gin pairings that I was eager to replicate and consume. However, I nearly spluttered my Tom Collins at the idea of Liv waking up and discovering her new blog had amassed over twelve thousand subscribers without effort, that and her expectation to make serious coin from said blog. I laughed and laughed…
I stumbled upon a fun addition to my British Isles word list while enjoying this highly fictional account - with stonker, which is something that is large or impressive. I had a stonker of a bill for bar supplies after reading this thirst-inducing missive.
Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for inviting me in the blog tour on this brilliant RomCom by Nina Kaye
When Liv's high-flying career goes off the rails, she finds herself working at a glitzy new gin bar to pay the bills. She's never let romance distract her, but with one very hot colleague, a mysterious online follower who might just be her soulmate, and a lot of cocktails, her dating life is about to be shaken up...
But is Liv looking for a sparkling flirtation, or something a little stronger?
Sometimes you have to face up to your past, seize your future, and mix your own recipe for happy ever after...
This was an absolute perfect mix of light hearted romance and comedy.
So well written it was very easy to read and you can easily drink it all in one sitting!
Only 99p on kindle right now... check it out!
Question is..... what’s your favourite Gin tipple?
I absolutely loved this story. From the very beginning I was invested in the characters, especially Liv and Dylan. Following Liv on her journey was addictive.
The writing is so easy to read, fast paced, funny, honest and relatable. I loved the blog posts,
Comments and the texting formatting in particular to break up the story.
The dialogue, friendships and dynamics were completely natural and believable.
I would recommend this book, 4/5!
As a fellow gin lover who has had my fair share of trouble with dating, I was immediately attracted to this book! The central character, Liv, is also a similar age to me so I was able to relate to some of her concerns. She's a very well developed protagonist and I enjoyed watching her grow as the novel progressed.
But Liv is not the only star of the show. She's surrounded by some brilliant friends (and some not so nice ones) who do a great job of encouraging Liv to see her true worth. Some of the exchanges between Liv and her friends are hilarious and I really enjoyed getting involved in their lives. I'd like to give a special mention to Reyes and her heart of gold and propensity to crack me up!
It is clear from reasonably early in the novel that Liv had a difficult childhood. This allows Kaye to look at issues such as background, self esteem and alcoholism in a subtle but nevertheless significant way.
Although The Gin Lover's Guide To Dating combines many elements of a typical romantic comedy, Kaye does not take the reader down a typical route. I enjoyed reading something slightly different and was left guessing how Liv's life would turn out. There are many twists before we reach the end and I loved each one - even the ones I was able to guess!