I really enjoyed this sweet, realistic, and witty read. The book follows Coralie, a 20 something Australian expat who has recently arrived in London, and her relationship with single dad Adam. All the characters, main and secondary, are well rounded and the dialogue was both realistic and witty.

I went into this expecting something light and fluffy, and was pleasantly surprised that while this was such an enjoyable read, it also had a lot of depth. The author accurately and poignantly depicted the struggles of a changing relationship and transition into motherhood. I think this is a book a lot of women will be able to see themselves in.

The only issue I had was that as an American, a lot of the British political drama was lost on me. I skimmed over parts I didn’t understand and didn’t find this to detract from the pleasure of reading it!

4 big stars!

'Consider Yourself Kissed' gives an intimate look at the inner life of two working parents raising children and dealing with their parents, siblings, exes, home renovations, childcare, and all that everyday life throws at us all against a backdrop of a strife political climate plus a pandemic. Needless to say, all this puts a strain on the relationship of the main characters, Coralie and Adam. Much of the story focuses on how Coralie feels like she’s losing herself while trying to juggle everything. Sound too serious? Not at all. The book is also full of wit and humor - I laughed out loud in many places.

The author, Jessica Stanley, gives us a front-row seat to what a long-term relationship really looks like - the good, the bad, the resentment, the passion, the lack of sleep, unfulfilled dreams, sacrifices, etc. The novel is raw and true - you feel like you’re in the room with the characters. Stanley writes vivid descriptions of the people, places, sights, sounds etc. This makes the story so rich in detail. My only gripe with this book is its major focus on the political climate in Great Britain. After a while, I found myself skimming some of these passages.

The title of the book ‘Consider Yourself Kissed’ or ‘CYK’ shows up throughout the story as Coralie and Adam use this acronym to sign off on all of their texts and emails to each other. It’s a beautiful thread that reminds us of the unwavering bond between them. What a great read!

Big thanks to Penguin Group Riverhead Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

Book about an Australian woman who moves to London and gets involved with a divorced father and his daughter. It touches on the difficulties of having family abroad, the work life balance, divorces, biological clocks, politics (& Brexit) and living in London. The story started well and I really enjoyed the first 40% of it but then it felt a little depressing and I was getting bored with all the politics. The couple's struggles are well described and the book is well written, I just couldn't really connect with any of the characters.

I hate finished this book. I got so annoyed with the main character Coralie and her absolutely useless husband/not husband. The blurb is right that it’s set against some of the weirdest times in recent years and this book just emphasized how truly terrible the recent years have been.

Pleasant romantic stuff, with some delightfully witty dialogue. But beyond that, utterly unconvincing. Our heroine complains a lot for real but unexceptional reasons (unpleasant boss, too much child care, a partner who forgets about her needs in favor of his own). She has a bit of a breakdown after her unpleasant father’s visit, never dreaming she could confront him. After a break in her brother’s convenient spare flat, she makes it up and goes home.
Yeah, as I say, read it for the banter.