Here’s Looking At You

by Mhairi McFarlane

A laugh-out-loud read from the Sunday Times bestselling author of If I Never Met You

Anna Alessi – history expert, possessor of a lot of hair and an occasionally filthy mouth – seeks nice man for intelligent conversation and Mills & Boon moments.

Despite the oddballs that keep turning up on her dates, Anna couldn’t be happier. As a 30-something with a job she loves, life has turned out better than she dared dream. However, things weren’t always this way, and her years spent as the ‘Italian Galleon’ of an East London comprehensive are ones she’d rather forget.

So when James Fraser – the architect of Anna’s final humiliation at school – walks back into her life, her world is turned upside down. But James seems a changed man. Polite. Mature. Funny, even. People can change, right? So why does Anna feel like she’s a fool to trust him?

Hilarious and poignant, Here’s Looking At You will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. The new must-read novel from #1 bestseller Mhairi McFarlane.

• ISBN13: 9780007488063
• Publish Date: 5 December 2013
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: AVON, a division of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 448
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.co.uk

Reviews

[bookperson]

Dnf. Didn't care for any of it

[booksandcats]

I really enjoyed reading this book. For me, it was the first book i read of Mhairi McFarlane and it made me a big Fan of her.

I came across many reviews, who stated that the characters are sterotypical and because of that, not very enjoyable. And i have to admit, it is the typical ugly duckling story of the ugly fat girl who was bullied and turned into a beautiful, smart woman. But i still enjoyed the Characters very much. In my opinion, McFarlane was able to portray Anna as more than just her weight and her history. James liked Anna not because she lost weight, but because he was able to get to know her really. In my opinion, and considering how i understood the story, they would have become friends, even when Anna would't had lost weight.

So in conclusion, i enjoyed reading this book, because i thought it has likable characters and a really entertaining plot. I also quite like how McFarlane didn't put too much into the lovestory. Yes, Anna and James eventually fell in Love, but in the whole book (without considering the last few pages, which i will come to later), the love and sparkles between the two protagonists aren't the main interest. I enjoy how Mhairi McFarlane focuses more on their friendship and that they get to know each other, and get to know their personalities and also all their issues. That makes the whole story a lot more real for me. I really love reading the typical lovestories, where they meet and fall in love immediately, then they face a problem and solve it and live happily ever after. The only thing, that i don't enjoy too much about those books (or that i really like in "here's looking at you") ist the lack of reality. It always seems like it has to bee live at first sight and one of the protagonists knows most of the time that they are meant to be together and there is no other way to be happy. What "Here's Looking at You" did for me, was, that it put a more realistic point to that. James and Anna didn't look at each other and both fell in love (Although Anna always had a crush on James). But they meet at one or two random occasions, get to know and like each other. I always felt like they evolved the real feelings for each other just after they have become really good friends and that is what makes it a (more) realistic love-story for me.

So, all in all, "Here's Looking at You" was a great experience for me. I was also quite surprised, because i didn't know what to expect, but like i said it made me a fan. I would recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a nicely written romance, with a lot of funny moments and some entertaining characters.