Book review: Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon

Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon

Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon

I cannot recommend this book enough. This hilarious novel by Jane Fallon, follows the character of Helen, a 30-something personal assistant that has been pursuing a relationship with her boss Matthew, who is 20 years older…and married.

Having turned into a woman she and her friends hate, and not wanting to sneak around any longer, she decides to give Matthew an ultimatum – either leave your wife or it’s over! To Helen’s surprise, Matthew, having spent 4 years side-stepping the situation, leaves his wife, their 2 children and a beautiful surburban house to move into Helen’s one bedroom basement flat with a damp problem.

After a while though, Helen picks up on all of Matthew’s hidden traits and bad habits she wasn’t aware of before and realises domestic bliss is not all it is cracked up to be. So what is she to do? Get rid of him obviously.

Jane Fallon’s novel is full of laugh-out-loud laughs and will definitely relate to quite a few women out there. Give it a read.

Gig Review: McFly at Wembley – April 1st 2011

Danny Jones

Danny Jones playing at Wembley Arena by Nicole Cosens

As someone who has seen McFly twelve times, over seven years, I think we can say I’m a pretty dedicated fan and maybe slightly bias to review them. But if seven years, seven number ones, five albums and the original line up aren’t enough to show you these guys are serious, then I guess you’re a lost cause.

The love between the foursome is plain to see, it’s a four-way bromance. They genuinely care for each other and they care for their fans. Friday’s concert at Wembley Arena was broadcast around the world for all their dedicated fans from South America to Australia.

Their innovative Super City website has provided a mega-site for fans to interact, see exclusive videos and if they join as a pioneer, enjoy priority treatment.

So when Danny Jones, Tom Fletcher, Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd took the stage at Wembley on April 1st to an in-house crowd of over 10,000 as well as a worldwide online audience, they delivered a show that would stick in the minds of them all.

With their biggest setlist to date, they featured songs from all five albums and weren’t afraid to mix it up a bit. They even included a cover of Tinie Temper’s Pass Out, with a rockier edge and Danny’s rapping alter ego, Dino. Highlights of the set were opening number Party Girl, anthemic Lies, album track and fan favourite Corrupted, Dougie’s rare lead vocal in Transylvania and a delightful mash up of crowd pleasers All About You and Obviously.

The audience weren’t disappointed, and erupted into a frenzy when clear walkways were lowered from the celing, so McFly could walk above and over the floor of standing fans, and in line with those in the seats. As they played their debut single and fan favourite Five Colours in Her Hair, fans couldn’t believe their eyes as their idols played just a few feet above them.

Dougie Poynter

Dougie Poynter rocking on the walkway by Nicole Cosens

The frenzy increased as the band members stomped the walkways purposefully with t-shirt guns, shooting a t-shirt each into the crowd. As they began playing again, Dougie threw a plectrum into crowd, and it landed in front of me. It was every woman for herself as I dived on to the floor, just as an Ugg boot laden foot stomped down on top of it.

That wasn’t going to beat me, I spent a good few minutes trying to lift up this mystery foot, batting away other hands, until I had a brainwave and pushed the offending leg. It moved, and the plectrum laid there ready for me to take, I stamped my hand on it and swung around before safely zipping it in my handbag, it was mine and I had won! Then reality hit me, I was almost 21 and had lost my dignity rolling on the floor for a plectrum.

But the euphoria of owning something my long time idol Dougie Poynter had played a few of my favourite band’s songs with was enough to keep me smiling. The 13 year old me of seven years ago would have been proud.

Book review: You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me by Sarra Manning

Sarra_manning_youdonthavetosayyoulovemeThis is Sarra Manning’s second adult novel after a succession of best-selling teen books. Perhaps the most autobiographical of her books, we follow the story of Neve, a bookish twenty-something, who has spent the last three years shedding over ten stone of weight.

Her driving force? The return of her one true love, William, who is currently in California teaching English Literature at a university. They were best friends at Oxford, and they exchange wordy airmail between the time before their reunion, each one making Neve’s heart skip a beat when she sees it waiting on the doormat.

But with her constant swooning over a man over 5,000 miles away, she’s forgotten the fact she’s never actually been in a relationship or had sex, as her sister Celia so helpfully points out. How can she be the perfect girlfriend for William, when she has no experience?

Cue Max, Celia’s editor at Skirt magazine, a charming womaniser who flirts his way into Neve’s life. Maybe he could make good practise?

We follow Neve as she continues to struggle with her body image as she looses weight, but fails to accept herself. Her long boring days at the literary archive with her B.O. immiting boss Mr Freemount and avoiding the wrath of her former bully and now sister-in-law Charlotte, who lives below her.

You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, is a heart-warming and addictive story of Neve’s personal struggles written with witty prose and issues that all women can relate to.

We’ve all looked in the mirror and not liked what’s staring back at us. Most of us have had issues with our weight. Sarra Manning herself, went through a long and arduous journey to lose weight, much like Neve. This story comes from the heart and Neve is an honest and relatable character.

If you like books with passion, honesty and humour, this book, as well as Sarra Manning’s other novels, is a must-read.

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