Member Reviews
"thank you, next" accompanies astrology-obsessed zoë through the hapless highs and lows of dating in the twenty-first century following the messy aftermath of a breakup with her ex, joe. over the course of the novel, online dating profiles are erected, dick pics are deleted, and cats are scratched. this book exists in a category i like to call domestic dread, which lives opposite the slice-of-life that is domestic bliss. it contains all the trappings of a home environment full of love: warm, homemade food, fuzzy feline creatures, and bird-infested beer gardens. the catch is that most of the narrative is saturated with zoë's ill attempts at finding a date with a man who isn't totally dysfunctional, and as a result, over 50% of the novel follows her on dating mishaps designed to be outrageous and therefore funny. instead, most serve to slow down an already slow narrative, and there are few, if any, genuinely laugh out loud moments.
i found the book's pacing to be something of an anomaly and am still slightly bewildered by the fact that zoë's real love interest only makes an appearance in the late second half of the book—and even then, his involvement in the narrative is relegated to brief, standout moments. he was by far and large the most interesting and three-dimensional of sophie ranald's offerings and i was immediately fascinated with the contrast created by his coldness and zoë's warmth. that chafe was short-lived, however, and so too was my hope for greater romantic development between the pair. too long was spent following zoë on terrible tinder dates, or else navel-gazing with her satirically leftist boyfriend who was clearly freeloading from the get-go.
strangely, the better moments in the book for me were the more minute details of domestic dread. i enjoyed following zoë to the gym during her workouts with dani—even if 99% of their conversations were spent discussing men, or wishing they were lesbians so they didn't have to deal with the dysfunctions of heterosexual dating—or cozying up inside her pub, the ginger cat, while she whipped up warm meals for her patrons. the food writing in this was almost more engaging than the actual romance, and one of the greatest opportunities for exploring meta-narratives was wasted when the dungeons and dragons gameplay was only briefly employed as an entry-point into the main romance and as a way to later establish their relationship at the very end of the book.
for readers who love the 'will they, won't they?' more than the actual getting together, "thank you, next" is a fun, light read with very little at stake and perhaps too much in the way of astrological musings.
Zoe's love life is non existent! Her work colleague uses tinder and is a love em an leave them kind of guy. He suggests she uses a dating app to find love and she comes up with an idea to date based on their horoscope sign.
I found this book really funny. It jumps in with one her dates which, of course, is an hilarious disaster. We then go back 6 months to find out why she using a dating app to find love. It's fresh and modern and is the perfect tonic for these strange days we live in. A perfect escape. I loved this book.
Thank you to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a light-hearted and quick read about the pitfalls of modern dating. Well, I assume that's what it's meant to be, and it was done well as far as that goes. But once you scratch the surface, a lot of questions come up, the primary one being: Why do the women in this book define themselves almost purely by whether they are part of a couple? Yes, I realize this is a classic romcom, but surely someone who says she identifies as a feminist should have a bit more than just that limited view.
I loved the setting - the Ginger Cat pub - and the role it plays in the community. And I thought the friendships between the protagonist and the various people in her life were very well-written - this made the protagonist very likeable. Of course the story included the requisite happy end, which was extremely foreseeable but satisfying none the less.
All in all, 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4
I can't help but sing this title in my head 🙄.
I've never read anything by Sophie Ranald so this was a new, exciting experience for me. And I'm glad to say that I loved the book, I loved the relatable and diverse cjareacters, I loved the easy to follow plot line, I loved thay this was a quick and easy read for me. Can't wait to pick up more by the author now!
Thank you Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This book is a lighthearted story about Zöe, the highs and lows her dating life as well as her friends and cat Frazzle.
This was certainly a relaxing read that had me smiling to myself as I made my way through the book. I wouldn’t say there were any moments where I fully laughed out loud, but overall this book made me happy. I enjoyed the structure of the book, although it was slightly repetitive in parts.
I think the author did a great job of the dialogue especially between Zöe and Dani, and Zöe and Robbie. It felt like a real friendship developed between them, and you could also feel it getting stronger throughout the book which was a nice touch. I found some of the internal dialogue went on for a bit too long sometimes, sometimes found myself skipping over paragraphs here and there but not huge amounts.
I really liked the majority of characters in this book and found that they weren’t too similar, there was a wide variety of different characters and personalities to navigate. I was disappointed with how quickly the author skipped over Fabian and the things he did, considering how serious they actually were - perhaps they should have been toned down a bit of the author did not have the word count to address them.
Overall a fun and easy read, with great characters and a cute story.
This book was adorable! The characters were fun and relatable. I enjoyed reading along to Zoe’s adventures through the dating world. Sophie has a way of describing the characters and the atmosphere that allows me to close my eyes and picture myself as a character in the book.
When I’m in the mood for a rom-com, Sophie is one of my go-to authors! I really love her books.
Online dating but by star sign. Follow the ups and lows of this attempt to find Mr Right by following zodiac advice. The book follows characters from a previous book but it can be read as a stand alone or as a follow up. It's good to follow characters as they develop become more central to the story as well as previous central characters taking more of a supporting role. Enjoy meeting old friends again, getting acquainted with others you only knew sightly and introduced to hopefully new friends.
Sophie does not disappoint.
Thank you to Netgalley, Sophie Ranald, and Bookouture for my arc of Thank You, Next in exchange for an honest review.
How to find love in the age of dating apps? Ask Zoe. This book is LOL funny and so relatable to those who seek romance in a world full of dick pics.
This is my first Sophie Ranald book. I immediately clicked with Zoe and her struggle of getting over her ex-boyfriend Joe. She wakes up one morning and realizes she can breathe. This is also relatable. Sometimes her dates are hilarious. Sometimes they can be a little sad. I think that every single woman out there should read this book and realize that maybe what they are looking for is right in front of them.
This book is 5 funny stars for our heroine Zoe for pulling herself up through the ranks and finding a decent person to love!
Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!
Another fun read from Sophie Ranald! This time we follow Zoe as she tries to navigate the online dating world. Zoe had many memorable comedic experiences when meeting her online dates. I enjoyed how the characters from Ranalad's previous books were intertwined and carried on into this one. Zoe is still curious about Joe and his life. But Zoe moves her focus in studying of astrology and how it can play a part in her dating life.
This is my second time reading Sophie ranald’s books and I do have to say .. for the fun romance part she always gets me
In Thank you Next , we get to go through Zoe’s dating journey which proves once again how exhausting and stressful online dating can be but ofcourse there are moment that will make you laugh out loud
About the book;-
Zoe a 27 year older lady , chronically single doesn’t really want to die alone surrounded by cats , she decides to go through with her friend Robbie’s idea of dating through the zodiac signs until she finds The one
As an Aquarius , she follows her everyday horoscope and start working her way from virgo to gemini.
It’s a very easy and fun book also very predictable but honestly every rom-com is predictable
I give this book 🌟🌟🌟🌟 4 star because I loved the innocent romance between Zoe and Adam and although I’m not a fan of Dungeons and Dragons game myself I still enjoyed every moments in it
Thank you @NetGalley and @bookouture and also the author @sophieranald for giving me the opportunity to read this book ❤️
I wish I could say this was an exaggeration of what dating looks like. It’s not. It was a funny, sweet, and ACCURATE depiction. I was rooting for the characters and didn’t realize until after I finished these the book that the characters are in other books by this author. I’m excited to go and read those books next. This was my first by this author but it’s definitely not my last.
I've become a massive fan of Sophie Ranald's books. I pre-order them the second they become available. This book was funny and full of Sophie's natural wit that comes across in spades in her writing. If you've loved other books by her, you will love this one as well - definitely will make you laugh!
In the previous book (Just saying) we already met a few of the characters that we see again in this next part. Although Zoe played an important role then, the focus really is on her now.
Looking for love seems easy nowadays. We have not only social media, but also a lot of apps that can help you on your way to the happily ever after. A big difference compared to how it all went say about 20 years ago. Some things never change though: there will always be people who are not honest and pretend to be someone they are not. Maybe the ‘old system’ was not that bad? You met your date in person and you did not have to dream about the prince charming you met online who turned out to be a frog…
Anyway the way the author describes the dates Zoe goes through are often simply hilarious and that’s one of the things that turn her books in to great fun. It’s not all about laughter though. She touches your heartstring from time to time too.
Being in love is a great feeling, but always keep in mind that it’s about give and take in equal parts. Never ever change to please someone else because in the end you will end up being hurt.
A great story that had me in stitches. 5 stars.
Thank you, Sophie Ranald and Bookouture
Thankful to have received an ARC of this book! I am a sucker for all things cheesy romance, and whilst this one was just that, it just fell flat somewhere for me. Zoe is a likeable chef protagonist, and her unlucky nature with dating and specifically online dating is relatable in many ways (unfortunately) . There is humour, realness and vulnerability all wrapped up in this book which made it a relatively easy read- but i think it was just all too predictable. The main love interest (who i will leave unnamed) was so painstakingly obvious that it just wasn't a surprise happy ending and there wasn't a sense of wow, or awe, that other books give me. It was easy and funny and I do not regret reading but i don't think it will be one i remember forever.
Thank You, Next by Sophie Ranald was like a breath of fresh air! It was funny, sweet, romantic and just adorable! The book is about Zoë, a chef at a pub called the Ginger Cat (named after her own cat, Frazzle), who has finally gotten over the finals pangs of heartbreak left behind by her ex-boyfriend. Reinvigorated and with renewed energy, she decides to dip her toes back into the dating pool. On the suggestion of her co-worker, Robbie, she decides to widen her search for The One by dating people based on their start signs. Starting with the ones who have the least compatibility and working her way up, Zoë goes through the different zodiac signs with varied results from each. The journey Zoë goes through in this book is relatable and human and just all round amazing!
The book starts off really strong and manages to keep you hooked all the way through. Whether you believe in astrology and the ways of of the stars or not, this book definitely has something for you! Each one of Zoë's dates are interesting and unique. From being publicly serenaded to going on a date with a recent parolee, her adventures run the gamut from cringe-worthy to disastrous. In the midst of all of this, fate meddles with her plans and puts Zoë on paths she never expected to be on.
Zoë is a really great protagonist. She's too nice for her own good and we see instances of her genuine care for everything around her scattered throughout the book. Like a lot of us, Zoë is passionate about a lot of things but doesn't always take the steps to do something about it. We could all probably see a part of ourselves in her and that just makes the journey that much better. By the end of the book, I was rooting for Zoë to find her happy ending!
This book and the author's writing style was compared to Sophie Kinsella's works and I have to say I agree! From the setting to the characters to the plot, this book is a must read for Kinsella's fans. It'll make you laugh out loud and have you swooning in the same breath! It's hilarious and well-written and I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a fun read that is sure to make you smile!
This book chronicles Zoe's foray into online data apps, and an attempt to outwit the universe by analyzing potential dates by their astrological sign. There is some quirky and crude humor in this book that is worth a laugh. The book isn't deep by any means, but is a light read.
This was a fun story, very much chick lit leaning towards womens lit, in my opinion. The entire plot is ultimately trying to find a life partner, but it is really more about the characters finding themselves.
I enjoyed this, but have to say that I wanted a bit more. The supporting characters and the interactions Zoe, the late-20s female lead, had with most of rhem could do with a bit more fleshing out. I loved the D&D scenes! It felt like there was some connections made that I wanted more of.
The way Jude is in this, and the way that relationship is handled had me gritting my teeth. It is certainly a realistic portayal, but I wanted go grab her and shake her from the first unsatisfying moment!
Overall, I would say this was a nice book to disappear into for a bit.
3.5 Stars
I tried really hard to get into this book. The premise was interesting. But there were just too many useless details. It was so wordy and jumped back and forth so much that I couldn't focus. Definitely not a book for me. I appreciate the opportunity to read it.
What a fun read!
This is a story of a girl (chef) looking for love in the online data era with the help of astrology and her lovable, promiscuous friend and coworker. And it’s a hilarious and cozy little escape.
At first I was worried I couldn’t relate since I am way past my dating days and never experienced online dating at all. Turns out that didn’t matter. The funny situations she gets herself into can be relatable to people of all ages.
I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the rom-com genre and to anyone who needs a not-so-serious departure from reality.
Thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley, and Sophie Ranald for allowing me to read and review this book.
I liked this book but would classify it more as women's fiction than romance. Zoe has recently decided to get back into the dating pool. She is a chef who lives alone in a flat above the pub that she works at and has had zero luck with men. Her co-worker and friend recommends she dates her way through the zodiac using an online app. What ensues is a mad series of dates gone seriously wrong. The book is definitely funny and will having you laughing out loud many times. I think had I thought of it as more of women's fiction going in, I may have enjoyed it better. As a romance, it was super slow to build the HEA and her eventual love interest really doesn't make himself known until the last 20 percent of the book. The story is more about Zoe and her BFF finding confidence in themselves as they muddle through the dating world. It is an entertaining and quick read. I would give this one 3.5 stars rounded up to four.