Publication
Harper, c2016.
Status
Available
Description
When Edie is caught in a compromising position at her colleagues' wedding, all the blame falls on her - turns out that personal popularity in the office is not that different from your schooldays. Shamed online and ostracised by everyone she knows, Edie's forced to take an extended sabbatical - ghostwriting an autobiography for hot new acting talent, Elliot Owen. Easy, right? Wrong. Banished back to her home town of Nottingham, Edie is not only dealing with a man who probably hasn't heard the word 'no' in a decade, but also suffering an excruciating regression to her teenage years as she moves back in with her widowed father and judgy, layabout sister. When the world is asking who you are, it's hard not to question yourself. Who's that girl? Edie is ready to find out.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member BookDivasReads
Edie Thompson thought she was doing the right thing by attending the wedding of two coworkers. Then she's caught off-guard by the newly wedded husband in a kiss that's witnessed by his new bride. Edie quickly becomes the pariah in her office and on social media. Unfortunately, her boss is reluctant
Edie thought she was participating in a harmless flirtation and just being friendly with her male coworker. She thought attending the wedding of her coworkers was supportive. She had no intention of causing any problems for the newlyweds, but problems arise when the groom kisses her and they are caught by his bride. Edie quickly becomes "the other woman" and is targeted by the bride's friends and family. In an effort to "do the right thing", Edie attempts to resign, but her boss thinks it will all blow over. He strongly suggests that Edie take some time away from the office, go to Nottingham (Edie's hometown), and ghostwrite an autobiography for an actor. Edie accepts, thinking things can't possibly get any worse (she's wrong). She's hounded on social media to the point that she closes all of her online accounts. To say that Edie has a tempestuous relationship with her younger sister Meg is a bit of an understatement and the two siblings constantly rub each other the wrong way. After a bit of a rocky start with the ghost writing job, Edie becomes friendly with Elliot and encourages him to use a different slant with this autobiography. Edie befriends an elderly neighbor and even reconnects with old school friends. Just when it seems that things are on an even keel, Edie is caught up in another controversy and this one goes public with the cry of "who's that girl?" in the tabloids.
I found Who's That Girl? to be a rather fast-paced and engaging read, although it did take me awhile to get into the story. I felt sympathy towards Edie as a result of the onslaught of bullying she had to deal with from so-called friends, coworkers, and people she doesn't even know. I found the characters to be fully developed, all-too-flawed and realistic, and the action plausible. This was the first book I've read by Ms. McFarlane and I wasn't quite sure what to expect; but this is a story that provides a little bit of everything: personal drama, family drama, angst, self-awareness, grief, bullying, romance, and humor. This isn't a typical romance or ChickLit read, so I feel safe in saying that if you enjoy a well-written story filled with realism and touches of humor then Who's That Girl? may be just the book for you. This may have been my first Mhairi McFarlane read, but I'm looking forward to reading all of her previous books while waiting for a new release.
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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to allow her to resign and gives her the opportunity ghostwrite an autobiography for actor Elliot Owen. Edie is now forced to deal with the continuing fallout from the kiss at the wedding, an actor that's reluctant to participate in the autobiography, and her family in Who's That Girl? by Mhairi McFarlane.Edie thought she was participating in a harmless flirtation and just being friendly with her male coworker. She thought attending the wedding of her coworkers was supportive. She had no intention of causing any problems for the newlyweds, but problems arise when the groom kisses her and they are caught by his bride. Edie quickly becomes "the other woman" and is targeted by the bride's friends and family. In an effort to "do the right thing", Edie attempts to resign, but her boss thinks it will all blow over. He strongly suggests that Edie take some time away from the office, go to Nottingham (Edie's hometown), and ghostwrite an autobiography for an actor. Edie accepts, thinking things can't possibly get any worse (she's wrong). She's hounded on social media to the point that she closes all of her online accounts. To say that Edie has a tempestuous relationship with her younger sister Meg is a bit of an understatement and the two siblings constantly rub each other the wrong way. After a bit of a rocky start with the ghost writing job, Edie becomes friendly with Elliot and encourages him to use a different slant with this autobiography. Edie befriends an elderly neighbor and even reconnects with old school friends. Just when it seems that things are on an even keel, Edie is caught up in another controversy and this one goes public with the cry of "who's that girl?" in the tabloids.
I found Who's That Girl? to be a rather fast-paced and engaging read, although it did take me awhile to get into the story. I felt sympathy towards Edie as a result of the onslaught of bullying she had to deal with from so-called friends, coworkers, and people she doesn't even know. I found the characters to be fully developed, all-too-flawed and realistic, and the action plausible. This was the first book I've read by Ms. McFarlane and I wasn't quite sure what to expect; but this is a story that provides a little bit of everything: personal drama, family drama, angst, self-awareness, grief, bullying, romance, and humor. This isn't a typical romance or ChickLit read, so I feel safe in saying that if you enjoy a well-written story filled with realism and touches of humor then Who's That Girl? may be just the book for you. This may have been my first Mhairi McFarlane read, but I'm looking forward to reading all of her previous books while waiting for a new release.
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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LibraryThing member justacatandabook
Edie's life is going along just fine, she supposes. Until the fateful day of Jack and Charlotte's wedding, when everything changes. Edie is caught in a particular transgression with the groom, Jack, and immediately everyone blames her, without knowing the full story. Since Jack, Charlotte, and Edie
I admit that I really didn't really know (remember?) the genre of this novel when I picked it up. It's a bit confusing at first, though certainly has its charming moments, especially as a romance.
"Do we ever choose who we fall for? Edie has many a long lonely evening in with only Netflix for company to contemplate that one."
Edie's quest for love is just one of the book's central themes. In many ways, she's on a journey to find herself, and only in doing so, can find love. The novel switches between the present tense (starting with the wedding) and also gives us a little of the past in some places. My biggest beef was how the adults in this book acted like bullying schoolchildren. So, Edie's transgression is really so bad that she's completely ostracized and the subject of intense in-life and cyber shaming and scrutiny? It seems like high school gone really wrong. Her "friend" Louis is just awful; are people really like this?! It's a commentary on social media and cyber bullying, perhaps, but also just terrible and hard to believe at times. These are grown adults! I found myself a little too appalled and couldn't believe grown people would act this way. It's really sad if they do, honestly...
However, once you get further past the wedding day and more into Nottingham, the novel picks up. Edie isn't always the most enjoyable of characters, but I did like her, as I liked Elliot. Parts of the book are just downright funny; I actually found myself laughing out loud. Edie's friends from school are particularly hilarious and a good fit for her. Her boss, too, even if he falls a bit on the dramatic side.
Just when it all seemed normal, it did get a little preposterous again, but hey, that can come with a good romance at times. Overall, while I found some of the characters and plot points frustrating on this one, much of it was balanced out by the charm and humor of the novel. 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!).
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work together, Edie finds life at work unbearable and winds up taking an assignment from her boss in Nottingham, her hometown. There she meets famous actor (think "Game of Thrones" famous) Elliot Owen, for whom Edie must ghost write his autobiography. But things only seem to go from bad to worse, as Elliot seems a pompous, self-absorbed actor and Edie's sister and father don't exactly seem thrilled she's living back home again. Not to mention she can't show her face on social media (or in public) due to Charlotte's revengeful friends, who all hate her... will things ever go right for Edie again? I admit that I really didn't really know (remember?) the genre of this novel when I picked it up. It's a bit confusing at first, though certainly has its charming moments, especially as a romance.
"Do we ever choose who we fall for? Edie has many a long lonely evening in with only Netflix for company to contemplate that one."
Edie's quest for love is just one of the book's central themes. In many ways, she's on a journey to find herself, and only in doing so, can find love. The novel switches between the present tense (starting with the wedding) and also gives us a little of the past in some places. My biggest beef was how the adults in this book acted like bullying schoolchildren. So, Edie's transgression is really so bad that she's completely ostracized and the subject of intense in-life and cyber shaming and scrutiny? It seems like high school gone really wrong. Her "friend" Louis is just awful; are people really like this?! It's a commentary on social media and cyber bullying, perhaps, but also just terrible and hard to believe at times. These are grown adults! I found myself a little too appalled and couldn't believe grown people would act this way. It's really sad if they do, honestly...
However, once you get further past the wedding day and more into Nottingham, the novel picks up. Edie isn't always the most enjoyable of characters, but I did like her, as I liked Elliot. Parts of the book are just downright funny; I actually found myself laughing out loud. Edie's friends from school are particularly hilarious and a good fit for her. Her boss, too, even if he falls a bit on the dramatic side.
Just when it all seemed normal, it did get a little preposterous again, but hey, that can come with a good romance at times. Overall, while I found some of the characters and plot points frustrating on this one, much of it was balanced out by the charm and humor of the novel. 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher and Edelweiss (thank you!).
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LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
An unfortunate moment at the wedding of two co-workers has Edie a pariah on social media and convinced she'll have to quit her job. Instead, her boss sends her to her hometown of Nottingham, a place she couldn't wait to leave, to ghostwrite the memoirs of a minor celebrity. She's back in her
But this is chick-lit, that eternally optimistic genre, and Edie is nothing if not resilient, so she finds two old friends who are living in Nottingham and starts to make a temporary life for herself, even if she's ghostwriting for someone who doesn't particularly want to have his memoirs written for him. But either Birmingham has changed, or she has, and her life in London is looking less attractive than starting over in her old hometown.
Mhairi McFarlane writes with the required light and breezy touch, but her heroines are never that interested in shopping and her novels tend to feature strong secondary characters, emphasizing the importance of close friendships and finding one's own place in the world. This novel isn't of great substance, but it is solidly written, featuring a protagonist who refuses to give up and who decides to confront her family's issues rather than avoid them. it was a fun read, if slight.
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childhood home, back with her sister who resents her and her sad, broken father. But this is chick-lit, that eternally optimistic genre, and Edie is nothing if not resilient, so she finds two old friends who are living in Nottingham and starts to make a temporary life for herself, even if she's ghostwriting for someone who doesn't particularly want to have his memoirs written for him. But either Birmingham has changed, or she has, and her life in London is looking less attractive than starting over in her old hometown.
Mhairi McFarlane writes with the required light and breezy touch, but her heroines are never that interested in shopping and her novels tend to feature strong secondary characters, emphasizing the importance of close friendships and finding one's own place in the world. This novel isn't of great substance, but it is solidly written, featuring a protagonist who refuses to give up and who decides to confront her family's issues rather than avoid them. it was a fun read, if slight.
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LibraryThing member samnreader
I was fully invested in Edie's life. This one wasn't as lol funny, but I did adore her friends again, although the mean girl/bullying not was less than convincing in some ways, right on in others.
Anyway. Love her writing and being in on the heroine's journeys.
Anyway. Love her writing and being in on the heroine's journeys.
LibraryThing member N.W.Moors
Parts of this book reminded me of Alice Clayton's Redhead series (which I reread after this to compare to this book and make sure I still felt the same). Parts of this were funny, but not a lot. Edie wasn't a great character and it took a while for me to warm up to Elliot. I liked that it was set
First, I went to buy the sequel. WTH - no sequel? Then I read an interview with the author that the reader should be able to imagine what happens next. 546 pages and I'm supposed to write the ending? What is that about? It left a bad taste in my mouth which I washed out with the reread of Ms. Clayton's fabulous series.
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in Nottingham. Some of the supporting characters were fine, but that ending...First, I went to buy the sequel. WTH - no sequel? Then I read an interview with the author that the reader should be able to imagine what happens next. 546 pages and I'm supposed to write the ending? What is that about? It left a bad taste in my mouth which I washed out with the reread of Ms. Clayton's fabulous series.
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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
There was so much that I really loved about this book - the timely commentary about social media bullying, the importance of resolving family tensions with honesty, grieving, self respect. But the cursing really got in the way of my enjoyment of the storyline - and the ending was a little too
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ambiguous for what I was hoping. Still lots to like about this novel Show Less
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780007525010
Original publication date
2016-04-07