This book was funny! I loved it. Olivia bakes and sells muffins and Margaret is the owner of the bookstore/coffee shop where she sells the muffins. Olivia is sweet and kind and gets walked all over. She decides to get revenge on all of her exes who have treated her badly. Margaret decides to be Olivia's "henchman". since she obviously will need help. I don't want to go into too much detail but while they plan the revenge, Olivia and Margaret become friends.
This book was a pleasure to read. The story was great and the banter between the characters was spot on. The secondary characters were lots of fun too. I cannot recommend this book enough. this is going on my reread list of favorites.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

You know when I first read a book by Ms Lee I thought It was pretty good but with this book I can honestly say, ‘they just keep getting better. Great plot, great cast, main and supporting characters makes this one of my favorites.
The pages keep turning, mainly because I can’t stop until I reach the end. A fun, fast paced read that makes sure to put it on your reading list. Very entertaining read. Very, very nice read.
ARC via NetGalley/YLVA

Olivia Roberts is a nice, good-natured person: a muffin maker and a people pleaser. That's until the theft of her prized possession: a stuffed, pet penguin is stolen. Having been pushed just that little bit too far, Olivia embarks on a campaign of revenge. This enjoyable offering from Lee Winter should delight and entertain all fans of the romantic comedy genre.

Olivia Roberts is a people pleaser which has led to her being taken advantage of. When she hits her limit she decides to take vengeance and puts out an ad for a bench person to help her do it. She ends up hitting the person she least expected, Margaret Blackwood. Margaret owns a bookshop but is more ice queen than social butterfly.
I always enjoy books by Lee Winter and this one was no exception. Olivia is a bit goofy but in an endearing way and Margaret leaves her confounded. The vengeance planning is amusing and I liked that they spend a significant amount of the story together, each learning about the other's past. I liked the Gerrity family and Olivia's sister as well. It did take me some time to finish this one and it didn't really pull me in quite as much as some other Winter books have though part of that may just be that I've too much going on and am more easily distracted than normal. Overall it was a fun read with cutesy characters and a happy ending that included a great epilogue. Definitely would recommend for anyone looking for an easy weekend read.

Very fun read

After her ex steals her beloved stuffed penguin, Olivia decides she's had enough. It's time for her to take revenge on all those awful exes she's had to put through. She decides to put up an ad at her local crime bookstore to find a henchperson to help her in this endeavour. As it turns out, Margaret, the owner of the bookstore who's been nothing but cold and annoying to her, is the perfect person for the job. The two of them are determined to get revenge, but when feelings spark between them, things get a bit more complicated...

This book was definitely very fun to read. It's very unsual but in a good way. It's funny, quirky and unique, and I really enjoyed seeing how imaginative that vengeance planning could get. The two protagonists are very different from one another, but both women are also relatable and intriguing. The author really created amazing characters and seeing them evolve and get to know one another more thoroughly throughout the book was very entertaining. I liked how it was written: from Olivia's point of view but with pages from Margaret's journal so we got a bit insight from her as well. The creativity in this story led to hilarious, improbable situations that made me laugh out loud and ask for more. The tension between the two women was also exquisite to read. It just felt a little slow/long at times, but nothing that prevented me from thorougly enjoying this story.

I really recommend this funny, original romance.

"Screw being just friends. I want all of you."

This is like if Finlay Donovan actually grew a backbone and also was an Aussie lesbian. I liked watching Olivia learn her worth and standing up to the exes that took advantage of her, and I really liked that Winter gave us some of Margaret’s thoughts via journal entry. Unfortunately, I had some similar issues with this as I did with the aforementioned Finlay Donovan. Mainly that I found Olivia rather annoying. She is so bubbly and naive and while I appreciated her journey, I found being in her head for this many pages exhausting. I also never really understood what drew Margaret to her. Like I understand in theory that Margaret is grieving and has had her life on pause so Olivia and her chaos is the “breath of fresh air that brings her back to life”, etc. but the text itself didn’t sell that to me.

That being said, I did like the writing and I think Lee Winter does an excellent job creating a sense of place and developing a cast of characters. I have Requiem for Immortals on my TBR and do look forward to reading that as I think maybe I just need to give up on rom-coms.

Effervescent and joyous? What if we crank it up a notch and describe it as delightfully quirky and outrageously funny? In the realm of distinctive storytelling, it seems only Lee Winter possesses the alchemy to concoct such an extraordinary blend of oddities and humor.

This book is an absolute delight! It’s a bit unexpected too; Winter doesn’t usually write rom-coms, so this is a real treat. Sure, her narratives are always injected with her razor-sharp wit, but Vengeance Planning for Amateurs gets a little slap-stick and zany at points. This, coupled with Winter’s tone and tenor, tells me she had quite a bit of fun writing it.

The main characters are fantastically well developed. Readers delight in their personalities, especially the way they play off from each other. Though Olivia Roberts and Margaret Blackwood are opposites in nearly every way, they seem to have a chemistry that jumps off the page. Olivia is all sunshine and positive attitude, trying to send joy out in the world wherever she goes. Margaret is much like her last name suggests —black wood. She always appears dark and broody. At first, the two can barely tolerate one another, and it’s amusing to watch. However, as time passes, they discover there’s more to the other than meets the eye. When that happens, the walls begin to come down, and an unavoidable attraction begins to unfurl between them….

The secondary characters are real workhorses in this fun tale. They are the comedic spice that every good rom-com needs to be effective and entertaining. To say they pop on the page is an understatement. These colorful and dynamic individuals light up the story with their presence. Each time they enter a scene, readers know things are going to get a bit more interesting. Their uniqueness not only provides support for the plot, but it supplies a special brand of humor, pushing up the entertainment value several notches. The story would definitely feel less without them.

Final remarks…

Winter’s other books might have hinted that she’d be capable of a rollickingly good rom-com, but to actually see it is a thing of beauty. Olivia and Margaret are likable, dynamic characters, and readers cannot help but fall for them as they fall for each other. Their opposites attract/age-gap romance is a good time any way you slice it—or bake it, as the case may be. Anyone looking for a well-written, chuckle-filled read needs to pick Vengeance Planning for Amateurs up.

Strengths…

Well-written, engaging
Likable, charming characters
Humorous
Fun and entertaining

"Vengeance Planning for Amateurs" is a novel by Lee Winter that stands out from standard literary works with its off-beat elements, such as a cast of colorful characters, including a taxidermied penguin and peacock. Its charm is amplified by its setting in Australia. However, despite its witty dialogue and unique world-building, the book struggles to maintain a cohesive narrative. As the book unfolds, its seemingly humorous vengeance plots wear out their welcome, and the multitude of endings comes across as excessive. I love Lee Winter's ice queens but her attempt at romcom is just not my cup of tea.

This was so cute !!!! The whole vengeance plot line was so satisfying to see play out, and I just loved how full the world of this book felt, characters each had little quirks that made them all so individual and endearing. I loved the chemistry between the two leads and their journey, it felt so well paced and I loved the additions from Margaret's pov at the end of each chapter !

2.5 stars, rounded up.

There are the bones of a really good story in here. Unfortunately, it's missing the muscle, fat, organs...

This is the story of a woman who has allowed a cavalcade of mind-bogglingly awful people to date her and ruin her life, who draws the line when the woman she has taken back despite the fact that she stole her (presumably dead) mother's jewelry also steals her beloved stuffed penguin (taxidermy stuffed, not cuddly children's toy stuffed). She enlists the help of a caustic former-academic-turned-bookstore owner and together they plan elaborate revenge on those awful exes. Fun, right?

Right??

Yeah, for a while. Until you realize that the revenge plans all follow the same structure: borderline-illegal, incredibly juvenile plan, which quickly goes awry, which is then fixed by the exes being their own worst enemies and shooting themselves in the foot.

Throughout all this, our intrepid protagonist is supposed to be getting some much-needed character development and learning how to establish firm boundaries, and not allow anyone to treat her like a dishrag anymore. And she does... kind of. Except that when her love interest hurts her, guess who does the grand romantic gesture? Hint: it's not the love interest.

This isn't a bad book, and if the synopsis intrigues you I really recommend checking it out for yourself (the high GR average rating implies that I'm in the minority for not loving it) - there are some really fun ideas in there (the penguin-retrieval heist was a particular highlight), and the cast of supportive characters is pretty fantastic. I also appreciated learning a bit about Australian bushrangers, because I'd never heard of the term, and they seem incredibly cool.

(2.5 stars)
Thank you to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for a copy of Vengeance Planning for Amateurs in exchange for an honest review.

Vengeance Planning for Amateurs is a strange book. Author Lee Winter builds a rich world with a fascinating cast of characters, including a taxidermied penguin and peacock. These characters are quippy and quirky. It was also fun to read a book set in Australia. Not enough books from down under make it “up over,” which needs to change. Aussies have a very specific sense of humor, and I’m here for it.

Unfortunately, the story lost me as it unfolded. As the summary mentions, the vengeance plots are meant to be somewhat asinine. That means that they get a bit tired by the time you get to the third one. Had the book been a bit faster-paced or shorter, this wouldn’t have been a problem. Vengeance Planning for Amateurs also seemed to have about five different endings, which was excessive.

And while I guess it’s not totally necessary for Winter to have dived deeply into the pathology of Olivia’s litany of crappy exes, it would have been nice. What leads a person to a series of thoroughly unhealthy relationships? There’s a way to explore this soundly without getting victim blamey.

All criticisms aside, I did enjoy the book’s central romance. The characters have a nice grumpy/sunshine dynamic, which I appreciate. But even beyond that, there was a sense of profundity behind Margaret Blackwood’s reasons for being a grumpster. It’s also lovely that for all her reasons to be a grumpy person, Olivia is still generally positive.

Overall, I enjoyed Vengeance Planning for Amateurs, but I didn’t devour it. If I love a book, I’ll read it in one sitting. I had to break this one up in chunks due to its, at times, tedious nature.

If you want to check this one out, consider checking it out from the library. Vengeance Planning for Amateurs is out on February 14, 2024.

Deliciously described muffins, a hired henchperson, lightly spicy queer romance, and a stuffed penguin with a compartment for weed…what more could you need in a book?!? This was a zany ride. It took me a minute to get into, but I really appreciated the use of journal entries to get a peek into the mind of the primary love interest. Her wrestling with grief and new love was such a compelling storyline that kept it feeling very rooted in reality despite the sitcom hijinks. A fun and sweet read that left me rooting for the happy ending!

It was a lot of fun, a bit silly and the type of story you are happy to read when you need something funny.
Well plotted and compelling.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this funny book

when olivia roberts loses her penguin, its all out war to get it back and knowing her ex as she does she comes up with a plan

in fact olivia has had enough of all of her exes, they have treated her so badly each and every one of them that she comes up with an idea for a henchman so she can get revenge for their past treatment of her

and so begins her henchmen days with margaret blackwood, the opinionated bookstore owner who comes up with some very unique ideas to help olivia extract her revenge on all of her exes

and as they work through the list the burgeoning friendship grows into could it be attraction....

an enjoyable read that was at time funny and equally hard to read at times.... but on the whole a very good read that pulls you in

I have read a few books from Lee Winter and after the last books the Fixer and its 2nd Part The Chaos Agent onwas super hyped for this book. It definitly jas the same wit, is very well written and just the way i expected from Lee Winter. We meet Bookshop owner Margaret and Muffin baker Olivia. First these two seem to have nothing in common but when Olivia needs Help in vengeance Margarat is there right by her side. While the couple couldnt be more different, alone they way they learn to respect each other.
Personally Margarets character was just so different and the way she was portrayed made this a bit of a slower read for me. Olivia in the other hand was one of my favorite, i somehow felt connected to her and loved how her character debeloped along the Storyline - which is Always a favorite of mine in books and i Always apriciate it in Lee Winter books. While with the latetes books before this one i just couldnt put them away any read around the clock to finish and find out how it continues I here missed a tiny bit more exitment.

But all in all it was a very well written story, an totally new to me storyline, i learned about Australian bushrangers^^ and will definitly follow whats next from Lee Winter.

Lee Winter never fails to deliver a wonderful story and this being a romantic comedy, Winter absolutely nailed it,

Olivia Roberts is a baker who has a van where she sells her muffins across the city. She hasn't had the best luck with her relationships as her exes are a testament to that. When her beloved penguin is stolen, Olivia finally has had enough of being taken advantage of and devises a revenge plan. The last person she expected to apply was Margaret Blackwood.

Margaret Blackwood owns the bookshop where Olivia holds her book club meetings and where Kelly works, who is Olivia's sister. Dr. Blackwood usually keeps to herself and doesn't engage, preferring the solitary of her own company, but she can't resist offering criticism from her office for book club and before she knows it, she applies to be Olivia's henchperson.

This was so good, I couldn't put it down until I finished. I loved the puns, the humor and the plans to reenact vengeance on the exes. It was a perfect blend of comedy and romance and I really hope this isn't Winter's only foray into this genre.

I highly recommend this book. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This was cute and fluffy and silly. It was a good story, but it didn't have the type of depth and engagement that I've come to expect from Lee Winter. I'm sure part of this comes down to this story being a rom-com. It definitely has a different style than Winter's other books, though it perhaps comes closest to The Awkward Truth.

The story is told in alternating POV between Olivia (3rd person) and Margaret (via diary entries). I thought this was a cute way to tell the story, and it's easy to see the progression in Margaret's feelings. I enjoyed watching Olivia and Margaret's personal growth throughout the story, with Olivia standing up for herself more and Margaret moving on from her loss.

I didn't feel as connected to the MCs as I would have liked. There's a cast of quirky characters, Olivia and Margaret included. Perhaps because Olivia and Margaret are so quirky themselves, they didn't feel totally real to me, despite being fleshed out. Their romance also didn't quite click for me; I wish there had been more tension-building and lead-up.

However, since this is a Lee Winter book, you can expect really solid writing and the interesting exploration of serious topics like self-esteem, grief, and Australian bushrangers.

I was so disappointed to wake up this morning with the realization that I had finished this book last night. It was ridiculously funny and I wanted more. Olivia is a sweet, thoughtful person who bakes award winning muffins and supplies them to small businesses throughout Melbourne. One of those spots is the cafe/crime bookstore where her sister works. Liv has reached a watershed moment in which she has decided to confront her abusive ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends. In order to move forward she has to ask or demand what is owed to her. Margaret, the acerbic, elitist academic, who owns the cafe/bookstore, agrees to help.

Olivia is the one we cheer for but Margaret is the character who steals the show. Their banter had me laughing deep into the night and awake longer than I should have been. The story is chock full of hijinks, quirky bookclub members, and a love for food. Too many details to describe but it’s like a surprise funbox where you continuously find small humorous bits.

What I also liked about the book is watching Olivia and Margaret grow as individuals. One of my favorite things about Lee Winter books is that alongside the angst is an adult conversation. We all like that literary bite to the heart but it’s satisfying to see a couple evolve through communication. Highly recommend.

This book was a lot of fun. Olivia is a lovely, kind woman who has been treated poorly by all her exes. She gets bamboozled one more time, and decides to hire a henchperson to assist in vengeance. Enter Dr Margaret Blackwood, intimidating owner of the book store that Olivia's sister works at, and book club heckler when Olivia runs her weekly murder book club. Hijinks ensue, and they become friendly ( and more)
I really enjoyed the arc of Olivia's emotional growth as she went through the vengeance plots, and learned about herself and her exes. Dr Margaret was very closed off, but as we get further into the story, we learn why.
Overall, a very satisfying read. Pace of the action is great, there are some spicy, but not "too" spicy spots, and all the side characters are delightful. I could easily follow Emma's story in her teen years, she will be a spitfire !