Thirty-Two Going On Spinster (Spinster Series Book 1)

Oh my, oh my. I have just finished wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes. This is seriously funny.I know my blog is better known for my reviews, rave and opinions on all things Young Adult/Paranormal, Sci Fi and Dystopian, mainly. I also have a secret passion for funny Chick Lit. One of my favorite authors is Ms Sophie Kinsella, she is a master in this genre. So, because of Ms Kinsella's wit and sharp characters I tend to be a little harsh on other authors who miss the mark. I downloaded this book last June, it was offered free on Amazon and I liked the premise.I, because I wanted a break from plotting what weapons and supplies I'd need if I had to face a post apocalyptic future and picked this up. My one complaint is why I hadn't done it sooner. I admit there are some flaws with it, mainly grammar, I also found out it had been re-edited for that and I possibly had an early edition.Julia was hilarious as our would be spinster. Though she could be a little whiny and mellow dramatic. Jared was delicious as the new HR assistant cum Julia's wake up call. All in all it was great, albeit the very formula that Kinsella follows. Ditzy heroine with no man, a great and close friend, a slightly quirky, dysfunctional family and the man of the hour handsome, smooth and well turned out.Was the story a little predictable? Yes it was. However, a true lover of Chick Lit will tell you the characters have to work, you have to believe in them all, and above all the laughs have to come. I didn't just laugh out loud, I banged my hand on the sofa, repeatedly.There was so many funny moments I could list them all but the 'mustache/herpes' scene was a stand out. Dancing in the elevator and the red stapler were others. Julia was a hoot. There were some more serious moments, when Jared left the Dr Pepper for her in the bakery....tender and sweet. And Julia's angst at the end at what she should do over her heart was a little nice surprise.....non of the usual falling into the man's arms.If you love good Chick Lit and you have a liking for Sophie Kinsella this is a must read.....I laughed till I cried then laughed again. of my reviews at Never Judge a Book by its Movie [...] Read more

Thirty-two year old Julia Dorning is living the definition of a spinster's life: she's unmarried, stuck in a job that she hates, and has been living in the basement of her parent's house with her cat Charlie for the past ten years. She has always seen herself as a plain nobody, a recluse, and a loner who doesn't have a social life. She used to have hopes and dreams, but she has settled for a pathetic life without much to dream about. Her world consists of working, watching television and baking (which has always been her passion). Resistant to change, she doesn't want to live the life of a spinster, but she has a hard time taking the first steps to making changes in her life, that is until a handsome new co-worker named Jared Moody shakes up her world.Thirty-Two Going On Spinster is an entertaining tale about a thirty-two year old woman's journey of self-discovery and transformation. Written in the first person narrative, sassy down-to-earth Julia Dorning takes the reader along for the ride on her journey that is filled with trials and tribulations and awkward predicaments that are endearing and humorous.I really loved Julia's dry and witty personality, it was so much fun to follow her transformation. I found myself either laughing or cringing at her crazy antics, and cheering her on as she came into her own. This fun story has enough family and workplace drama and a subtle romance that keeps the reader engaged and turning the pages. From the gossip sessions with her co-worker Brown, to her romantic crush on Jared, to coming out of her comfort zone with the help of her younger sister Anna, Julia is a person that the reader can relate to in one way or another, there is a little bit of her in everyone of us.Thirty-Two Going On Spinster is a delightful debut novel by author Becky Monson. This entertaining chick lit tale will tickle your funny bone.Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

I've had this book on my Wish List since it came out, but I'm on a budget, so I bought it when it was offered free. I see why I heard so many good things about it.What I loved about this book:1) Julia--She's funny (as much as I love a funny hero, a funny heroine is good, too). I love books where I get to laugh a lot. She has a cat (more about that later). She's a baker (those desserts she made sound heavenly). She gets annoyed with her family, but she cares about them. I'm closer in age to her mom, but I'd love to have her as a friend (or I'd like to be her cool aunt). She's kind of a cross between Lorelai Gilmore and Jaine Austin from Laura Levine's Jaine Austin cozy mysteries.2) Pop culture references--I love the scene when she meets Jared and she's afraid she's "the female George Costanza."3) Cupcakes, cream puffs, etc.4) Julia and her siblings being named after one of the Beatles and Beatles songs.What I didn't like (not much)1) Julia has a cat but he's only mentioned a few times in the book. I'd like to know what he looks like and a little more about him, so he's more like a secondary character. I'm a cat lover--I'm always telling stories about my cat.2) Some of the dialogue was stolen from "Gilmore Girls" and "Seinfeld" like the kiss that was between a make-out session and a pick and the "your butt is totally bigger than mine" argument between Anna and Julia.3) I didn't connect with Jared as much as I did with Julia. I really wanted to get to know him better, but I liked him more when he started showing up at the bakery every day.On the whole, I really liked this book and had to get the next one in the series.

I thought Julia was a lot sharper than she gave herself credit for. I could really see how she'd got stuck in a rut and how easy it was for her to stay in it. The story was predictable but then, it is chicklit, so you know how it's going to end. I also feel that the bakery thing has really got rather "old" now. I do wish these women would look a bit further afield for their businesses sometimes. I also felt that an opportunity to tackle the debt issue sensibly was totally missed and that was a pity. It would have useful if Julia had turned her sharp mind to helping solve this particular problem by pointing out suitable agencies, helplines etc. She really could have done it without taking anything away from the storyline and it would have lifted the book above the light reading category. That said, if you like a good romcom, then this book fills the brief nicely.

I must admit this has been on my owned TBR for nearly 4 years and just getting round to it now makes me sad, as its one of the funniest things I've read this year bringing a breath of fresh joy filled air into a year of confusion and chaos. Perfect break from my normal reads bring life and cakes back into play and cake is always good. This is most definitely a case of the more romantic comedy the better its the perfect hallmark screen play clumsy girl meets cute boy things get complacated then boy chases girl etc.I now need to get the complete series and find out what glorious things awake Julie and Jared brilliant

A mediocre chicklit, extremely predictable, lacked depth and mystery.... however it was a easy read and the main character was likeable. The other characters were just touched upon, which was disappointing especially her sister and Jared. More depth into the other characters lives/situations could have possibly made the book more enjoyable. The light humour is what kept me reading till the very predictable end.

If you've read all Sophie Kinsella's work and need a next book, go for this one.Lead character Julia Dorning manages the difficult task of telling us all about her "spinster" life without being whiny. There's a little mystery (not the dead body type - more like Twenties Girl) to catch your interest, plenty of laughs and "real" characters.

Took me a while to get round to reading this but I'm so glad I did I read it in a day! It's a very easy to read book not to taxing. Whilst the plot is somewhat predictable it is a very enjoyable read and I did buy the second one as soon as I finished this one. Julia is a very likeable character and it is very easy to relate to her. The other characters in the book are really likeable. Would recommend this book.