Yours Truly

by Kirsty Greenwood

[Leah]

Kirsty Greenwood’s debut novel is the perfect novel for fans of Jane Costello, Paige Toon or Sophie Kinsella. Perfect. Like read it in two days perfect. As a Chick Lit lover herself (and editor of the fab novelicious.com), I firmly believe that the best person to write a Chick Lit book is someone who knows the genre inside out. Who can pinpoint what they like and don’t like and somehow make their book into how they want it to be, while also making it brilliant for those who love Chick Lit. Like me. And I loved it.

Yours Truly is a one of those rare books with a plot you haven’t seen before, as Natalie Butterworth finds herself spilling all of her inner-most truths after being accidentally hypnotised one night. Seeing her life fall apart at her truths, she decides the only thing left to do is to track down the man who hypnotised her, the Amazing Brian. Finding out that he lives in Little Trooley in Yorkshire (see what she did, with the name there?), Natalie and her best friend Meg head up there to get her life back on track. Well, they would. If Brian was there. Instead, he’s firmly AWOL and the girls find themselves stuck in Little Trooley for a while, finding themselves getting firmly ensconced in village life while they’re there.

I really loved the novel. From the beautiful cover, to the easy writing style, to the brilliant characters, the book was a hit. The plot was just so unique, so interesting and Natalie’s story was just so, so addictive. I loved Nat, loved her honesty even if it was unintentional. She’s the type of character you adore and root for and hope it all works out fine and dandy in the end. Her best mate, Meg, is the perfect best friend, and I loved it even more that she was a Geordie girl, like myself. The characters we’re introduced to in Little Trooley make you want to move to Little Trooley, I’m not joking. I wanted to go to the pub, and see the beautiful little houses and the frozen waterfall… It all sounded just so perfect and beautiful, like the most desirable village ever.

Kirsty Greenwood could totally be the next big Chick Lit star. It’s really quite silly that a book of the calibre she’s written has not been snapped up by a publisher. I don’t mean that in any sort of negative way to self-publishing (it appears to be the future, or the now, rather), I’m just genuinely surprised no one bought this and published it. I absolutely can’t wait for Kirsty’s next novel. Considering some of the books I have read recently, and some of the very bad books I’ve read over the past few years, this is one of the very best. Kirsty knows the audience she’s appealing to, she knows what she likes in a book, and she’s put all her Chick Lit reading and reviewing into practice perfectly and written one of my favourite books this year. I really, truly loved it.