If You Don't Know Me By Now

by A. L. Michael

[Leah]

Last year I read and REALLY enjoyed A.L. Michael's novel How To Get A (Love) Life, so I was stoked to read about If You Don't Know Me By Now, and I downloaded it to my Kindle as soon as it appeared on Netgalley and it was a freaking awesome read!

If you don't know, I work in the customer service industry. I work in a supermarket, and it usually drives me to the edge of insanity, because I get asked stupid questions all day long. Do I speak English (yes), do I live here (yes), do I like it (yes). People like to complain at me about the prices in our supermarket, they like to whinge when we don't have something in stock, and only someone else in the same industry can know what it's like to be asked such inane questions all day, and Imogen is that kind of person. She works in a coffee shop, and deals with even worse questions than I do on daily basis; who knew coffee making was so difficult and that there were so many choices? And I can hardly believe that people have the cheek to have a drink REMADE. I MEAN WHAT?!?!?!? That's insane. It's a drink, drink it and shut up, am I right?!?!? I would only ever ask for a drink to be remade if it had a bloody mouse in it.

To read about someone else having all the same issues with the great British public was awesome, and reading Imogen's blog posts were an absolute delight. I wish it was a real blog, with real updates, because I would be subscribing immediately. More people should write snarky posts about the rubbish customers they deal with, it would be SO much fun. Or even just a collective place for everyone to share their stories. Either way, Imogen's were SO entertaining and I found myself nodding in a lot of places (it actually drives me NUTS when people put money down on my till but still expect me to hand it back to them. What, you don't want to hand it to me, but it's FINE to get it back from my still obviously grubby, gross hands? Confusing and rude!!!!!!)

Can you tell I REALLY LOVED the customer service aspect of this book? Haha. Honestly, though, it was so nice to see that not everyone works in fashion or magazines, and even though writing was Imogen's goal, it was nice to see she was hardly snobby about having to be a barista. It was nice to see a character doing an actual, menial job that tons and tons of folks have to do.

I actually loved everything about this book, it was so much fun and I loved Imogen and I loved Declan. There's just something about twinky-eyed Irish guys, am I right? And Declan is up there with the best of them, if not the best (except for his Ella blindness ugh).

If You Don't Know Me By Now was delightful. So, so delightful. A.L. Michael is such a good writer, proving it yet again after How To Get A (Love) Life. I've got to go and read her earlier two books because she's such a good writer, with wit and warmth and fabulous characters and the whole entire fact she set the book in the service industry. A.L, you are my hero!!!!!