Goodbye Ruby Tuesday (The House on Camden Square, #1)

by A. L. Michael

[Leah]

Last year I read and absolutely loved A.L. Michael's novel If You Don't Know Me By Now. It was amazing, so I was absolutely STOKED to be invited to be part of the tour for her new book Goodbye Ruby Tuesday. I started and finished it pretty much in one sitting, only stopping to eat my tea, and even then it was a bit of a wrench to put it down, because I just enjoyed it so, so much. A.L. Michael is an amazing writer and I can't believe I haven't read her other books bar one (although I will now - believe me!).

First off, let me say that A.L Michael has GOT to write Ruby's story. The House on Camden Square is going to be a trilogy, which I assume with comprise of Evie's book (this one), Chelsea's book (the next one) and Mollie's book. But, I'm really sorry, Ruby Tuesday needs her story telling. It'll be hard - she lived quite the life, and died in the same vein that took a lot of those members of the 27 club, but I think it's a story that needs to be told. You can't tease us about Ruby and not give us her story. I want to hear it. I am clamouring for it, and we only see little bits of her, but man, is she a girl with a story that needs to be told.

But onto Goodbye Ruby Tuesday. I loved it. I really did. You know when you just click with a book and know you're going to enjoy it? That's how I felt about this book. I whizzed through it - the characters were so much fun to get to know, and there was no ridiculous, pointless drama near the end that messes everything up, instead the girls were kicking ass and taking names the whole novel, as Evie was determined to make Ruby's final wishes come true, to see the girls finally open up the arts studio they craved to open as teenagers, something they could have done with in their own lives. Yes, it took a bit of creative storytelling to get everyone on board, but I loved Evie's passion. After all, what was waiting for them? Not a lot, I can tell you, so why not give it a shot, ya know? If you don't try, you never know what might happen, and that very much encapsulates this whole story.

There was genuinely nothing wrong with this book, although I never, in a million years, would have allowed there two be three characters with a name beginning in E - Evie, Evelyn and Esme. And when they're all in a scene together, your eyes won't know which E character we're on about! Apart from that, this book was amazing. It had that amazing chemistry between four friends who, while they might not always see each other, have that deep friendship that lasts years, and I loved Evie's passion for getting this project off the ground, it's pretty amazing, actually and very selfless and I loved Chelsea and Mollie, although Esme was my favourite. I do love a precocious ten-year-old and Esme was so astute, so wise for her years.

I can't wait for the next Camden House book! I'm excited to know more about Chelsea, she seemed very different now than she was as a teenager and I'm interested into what made that change come around, and I LOVED Kit, so I hope he's here to stay. (And again, with the name thing - Kit and Killian (I LOVED KILLIAN! Hot man makes furniture, sigh, I wanted one of those cat bed things AND a window seat AND bookshelves), I MEAN COME ON, will Mollie's fella be called Kevin?!?!?!?!) But I want Ruby's book. I will start a petition to make this happen. I loved Goodbye Ruby Tuesday, and I'm kinda sad that Ruby is gone, although her presence is more than felt in this book, let me tell you. I loved Evie, Mollie and Chelsea. And Esme. Oh, Esme was AWESOME. I just loved everything about this book. So go and read it.