Leah
Written on Jul 4, 2010
I’m quite a fan of Alexandra Potter, the way she manages to blend magic with love-able characters makes for a perfect story. It’s true that some of the magical aspects leave me a little bewildered and let down (particularly concerning Who’s That Girl?), but nevertheless I still enjoy her books because they’re always quick and enjoyable reads. I particularly loved the sound of her newest book when I read about it on Amazon a while back so when I received a copy in the post, I couldn’t wait to get stuck in. I had a few books to get through before hand and I knew it wasn’t going to be released until August but I finally managed to find the time to read it – thanks to an electricity cut!
Unlike most chick lit, which seems to start to blend into one another should you read too many in a row, Alexandra Potter’s books are a little bit different due to her magical aspects that have been present in her last four books. The only other chick lit author to insert a bit of magic into her stories is Cecelia Ahern but Alexandra and Cecelia’s writing styles differ wildly so there’s no cross-over or same-ness. The only problem I’ve had thus far with Alexandra’s book is the inability for the magical aspects to fully stick and I’ve found the explanations a bit twee so I was hoping You’re The One That I Don’t Want would fully restore my faith in Alexandra’s magical aspects.
You’re The One That I Don’t Want opens with a prologue set in Venice, when Lucy and Nate first meet, and just before they fulfil the Legend of the Bridge of Sighs. It pulls you right into the story before heading into present day New York where Lucy works for an art gallery. It takes a few pages for Lucy and Nate to be brought back together and they quickly fall back into the relationship they left off 10 years ago. They both soon realise that they’ve changed dramatically since their holiday in Venice and they’re soon fed up with each other and the relationship quickly goes wrong. That’s where the fun starts; as Lucy and Nate try to get away from each other for good, but they keep ending up in the same place, at the same time, driving them both insane. It soon turns into some sort of game as they try to avoid each as best they can and they fail dramatically, with some hilarious consequences.
Lucy, like most of Alexandra’s characters, was a warm and likeable leading lady. She seemed more real than most fictional characters, too, and she’s definitely someone you’d want as a friend. Her clumsiness, instead of being annoying, was endearing and I laughed out loud at the juicer incident. I also quite liked Nate, he and Lucy seemed so sweet together both at the beginning in Venice and when they rekindled their romance at the beginning of the book, but it soon became clear Nate had changed in the 10 year break and he didn’t seem as nice and as his and Lucy’s relationship gets worse, it’s clear to see that both of them were clinging onto a fantasy from 10 years ago. One of my favourite characters, though, was Adam, someone Lucy meets when he crashes her art gallery’s party. He and Lucy seemed so alike and he was a fantastic character. Another favourite character was Robyn, Lucy’s friend and room-mate, she was hilarious and I loved her hippy-ish, bohemian ways. I must also mention Magda, Lucy’s boss, who I loved. Finally we have Lucy’s sister Kate and her husband Jeff. They have their own little sub-plot and although Kate is a bit of an ice-queen when we first meet her, it was nice to see her thaw a little.
You’re The One That I Don’t Want is written in a very easy, chatty style, which works so so well, particularly since the book is told entirely from Lucy’s point of view. It must be such a difficult writing style to pull off but Alexandra appears to do it with apparent ease. The book was a bit slow in some parts, and predictable in others, but it was a fun way to spend my Sunday afternoon. I enjoyed the ways in which Lucy and Nate tried to get away from each other, and I liked how everyone else pitched in to try and help Lucy in her quest. But what really made the book for me was the fact the magical aspect made a lot of sense. I have no idea if the Bridge of Sighs legend actually exists, and I don’t want to Google it for fear of disappointment, but I liked the legend itself, probably because it was such a romantic kind of legend (not that it turned out that way for Lucy). I definitely recommend the book, it’s the perfect way to whittle away a day or so!