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lemonadelibrary

Lemonade Library

Setting up over here for now whilst I decide how I want to shelve my books online.
You Had Me At Hello - Mhairi McFarlane I LOVED this book. Simple. Mhairi McFarlane has such a witty, fresh and clever way with words, I didn't want this book to end. In fact, I feel quite bereft now this book is over, and feel as though I've lost something - it's very rare that I feel that way!

Firstly, thank you for setting it in Manchester!! I love the city and always thankful that I only live 20 minutes outside it. I love all the details the author adds that are very familiar to me but any other reader would also understand. I've also got so bored of the typical rom-com settings of London, New York, Devon etc, so overdone now. This detail was genius! There's also no (thank God) storyline about how a character made a boo-boo at work and had to escape to the coast and luckily for her she found the man of her dreams behind the bar of the local pub that he owns, and they start off hating each other but secretly love each other (blah blah blah).

Secondly, Rachel and Ben were the perfect characters. Nothing clichéd. Rachel has no annoying quirks that we're meant to find "adorable", she doesn't constantly do the thing you're screaming at her not to do (in fact, the author makes several references to such scenes and Rachel outwardly states she isn't going to do that), she doesn't lose things or fall flat on her face when she first meets Ben. It's wonderfully real.

Finally, I really liked the supporting characters, especially Rachel's friends - ah Mindy! - and laughed so many times at so many different parts of the book. The author's descriptions are often hilarious, or just seem to pin down exactly how you remember/imagine them. A must-read!