Sadly, not one for me. I will try and be generous and assume that I’m just too old for it now, but I felt that what the publisher claimed was ‘razor-sharp’ was nothing of the sort. There was no plot to speak of and I just didn’t take to either of the main characters.

Late last year I read a book that was billed similarly but by Ellie Pilcher, and that was much better and resolved in a more satisfying way. To be quite honest I would not even recommend this as a holiday read as it was far too bland.

Well, that was a bit disappointing, although it was a quick read and a bit superficial. We all can relate a bit with Emma who is the main character of this books. She's on her thirties and stuck in a mediocre job. I just feel that the author didn't add much of a story in it. Nothing really happens here. Despite of that I had an enjoyable reading, it wasn't a favourite though.

Is this a book or a mirror? Taps into something that so many people feel, and writes about it perfectly

Hooray, finally a novel that accurately represents a typical twenty-something’s life without the need to include children and boyfriends. Just because you’re in your late twenties does not mean you have to have children or have you life completely planned out. I for one think it’s insulting to those that don’t have children and don’t see them in their future. Yes, I know I’m nearly 30 and yes, I’m happily married, but I’m quite comfortable as I am, thanks. Anyway, enough of my ‘issues’, here’s the review!

Although they’ve previously lived separate lives, Emma and Clem are back together – thick as thieves. Emma is working as an assistant at a branding agency and Clem is working in a bar. They’re easy jobs, but both have creative dreams that they want to pursue. Living in London aids in their career path, there’s so much more opportunity and fun to be had. I honestly feel like there’s a slight disadvantage if you don’t live in a big city, especially if you’re after something creative.

I loved how Living the Dream was a humorous tale following the girls as they attempt to achieve their dreams, which by their own admission isn’t easy. Yes, there’s bad language and adult situations, but it’s not crude and that’s something I liked. Clem’s character was my favourite, she was less serious and although she felt ‘old’, she never acted it and often enjoyed herself. Although, being in debt can’t be nice – poor Clem!

Easy to read, funny and likeable characters. I enjoyed this book!

First of all happy publication day to author Lauren Berry with her debut novel, Living The Dream! Secondly, a huge thank you to Grace Vincent and Little, Brown publishers for allowing me to read a copy in exchange for an honest review. To be perfectly honest, I don't normally read books within this genre. However, when Grace contacted me and I read the synopsis I was in the mood for something light-hearted and funny so I was happy to give it a shot and was intrigued to read a story about a group of twenty-somethings living the hectic, London life attempting to balance work, friendship, having fun and falling in love.

Our story focuses on two girls of a similar age and personality, best friends Emma and Clem (the latter of whom just happens to have a fantastic name - Clementine Twist). They both appear to have what the other one desires, Emma has the stable job in advertising with a steady, decent wage that enables her to pay her rent on the flat she shares with a friend, go out occasionally and treat herself from time to time if she wanted. Clem on the other hand has just come back from New York where she was studying film, getting involved and then breaking up with an idiot actor boyfriend and trying her hand at writing her own script, still to be commissioned as she touches back down on Earth (aka London).

Both girls are miserable. Emma is desperately unhappy at her job and wants to jack it all in to pursue her real dream - writing, but is terrified of making that big jump and losing that guaranteed wage that she has become accustomed to. Clem is attempting to set up meetings with directors and people interested in her script with varying degrees of success but is having to live with her mum and stepfather and is completely broke, forced to take up bar work just to get some money coming in. Living The Dream looks at both girls lives as they attempt to navigate the scary adult world of budgeting and chasing your dream whilst realising the grown up experience might not be everything it's cracked up to be.

As I mentioned before, this isn't the genre I would normally go for and, as a result, I didn't fall head over heels in love with this novel. However, it does have some terrific things going for it and in the right pair of hands would be highly enjoyable I'm sure. I did sympathise with the plight of both characters and enjoyed the strong friendship between the two although also appreciated that the author wasn't afraid to take the story to darker places on occasion, something I wasn't expecting. I also liked that this novel didn't harp on about "finding the right man," which was a breath of fresh air in this genre and focused more on the interactions between friends than the dynamics of male-female relationships. I don't really want to criticise the novel as I believe it's purely a personal preference why I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped to and there are no stand out writing flaws or character quirks that I out and out disliked. So even though I may have not been the perfect reader for this story, I can still appreciate the positive aspects of the narrative and am certain there is a strong readership out there who will love it.

Here we have Living the Dream* by Lauren Berry, which I loved immediately just reading that deliciously ironic title. We follow a trio of girlfriends: a blogger and assistant at an advertising agency (Emma), a budding scriptwriter (Clem), and the mysterious third friend (Yas) who doesn't talk about her career but can afford shiny things. Not a lot happens in terms of plot for this book, but I think that's why it works so well. That's sort of what life is like when you're not sure what you're doing: not a lot happens. Their thirties are looming, along with all of the pressures life piles on top of you, from job satisfaction, through student debt, to making PowerPoint presentations as the biggest part of your day job. This book is bloody hilarious and such a speedy read, with praise already coming through from Stylist magazine, Emma Gannon, and Ayisha Malik. If you want a book where every two lines you'll nod aggressively to yourself about balancing a job that pays the bills and your biggest risky dream, pick up Lauren Berry's book.

Best friends Clementine Twist and Emma Derringer share a love for writing and dislike for their day job – Emma is a PA for an advertising company and Clem is a receptionist in a nightclub. Emma writes her own blog and hopes to have some of her stories published while Clem is a screenwriter looking for a producer for her script and hoping to pay her way out of her stepfather’s house.

I liked how Clem and Emma’s friendship stays strong even through difficult times. Throughout one-night stands, ex-boyfriends, weddings and pregnancies, Emma and Clem are always there for each other. The novel is enjoyable and well-paced, and Emma and Clem are likable and relatable as two young women still trying to figure out what they want for their lives. I didn’t get a real feeling about the other characters in the novel but I quite liked Yasmin, Emma and Clem’s friend, who at the beginning seems annoying and snobbish but turns out to be a quite funny and good character, and Paul, Emma’s friend and flatmate, who is always there for her and whose ironic remarks and childish behaviour made me smile. This is a humorous and sharp novel about friendship, growing up, and finding a place in the world.

Two young women in their twenties, two dreams. Emma dreams of working as a writer, she blogs about her life with quite a remarkable success, but actually she is stuck in an advertising company where she has to be creative in the dullest of imaginable ways. Her best friend Clementine Twist has just returned to London from a Year in New York where she attended Columbia film school to become a screenwriter. The feedback to her work is throughout positive, but back home she has to secure her living and moves back in with her parents and accepts a job as a receptionist of a club. Only their friend Yasmin seems to get it all right: she’s got a fancy job that she exerts successfully and the wedding with Mr Right is just around the corner. The more goes right with Yasmin the more seems to go wrong for Emma and Clementine. When does the adult life they always dreamt of finally start?

Lauren Berry really managed to catch the mood of women at the end of their twenties. Emma and Clementine are full of energy and passionate about what they love, but somehow life is in their way and they are stuck between mundane everyday-life problems. Reality and dreams seem to be many miles away from each other. Even though they are good at what they want to do, the chances just do not come to really show the world what they are capable of. The necessities of the world keep them from just indulging in their creativity, bills have to be paid, food has to be bought, so the need to earn some money is overwhelming and paralysing.

What I liked about the novel is the fact that even though the girls could easily give up and despair, they somehow stick to their dream and they have a certain sense of humour not to take themselves and their lives too seriously. Many scenes are quite funny – as long as you just read them and do not have to live them through. Even though it is at times quite close to being chick lit, the author can keep some seriousness in the story and the fact that her protagonists find themselves in the same situation as masses of young women who can surely identify with them, gives the novel an actual relevance.

Emma Derringer is very much not living the dream; she’s stuck in a job she hates, working for a boss she finds ridiculous, and hoping to get a real writing career off the ground without trying too hard, because if you don’t try too hard, you can’t be disappointed, right? Her best friend Clementine is fresh off the plane from New York, where she was briefly considered the next best thing in screenwriting, wondering how she’s supposed to kickstart her career when she’s living in her mum and stepdad’s spare bedroom and working in a bar. This isn’t that dissimilar to the books I used to read about young women living in the city in the early 00s, but the difference here is that the focus is on their work, and not on the men they are sleeping with. This feels completely up to date and fresh in a way that is a breath of fresh air!

Everyone can relate a little bit to Living the Dream's protagonist, Emma - She's almosts thirty, stuck in a marketing career, and the only good thing about her love life is that it provides quality content for her blog. I really enjoy books where they incorporate relevant things such as blogs and Youtube. I would have loved to have seen some of Emma’s writing incorporated into the book. After me other reviews, a common complaint is that nothing really happens in the books, that there’s no story, which is somewhat true; But that doesn’t mean the book is any less entertaining, following Emma day-to-day, laughing and cringing with her.

Berry gets the bits about working in the Creative Department spot on, something I can really relate to. The chapters where Emma is at work is where her narrative becomes very revealing. A lot of women feel similar frustrations to her and it is comforting to see a character struggling with them. Dissatisfaction with jobs is common theme in these young-woman-in-big-city books and you can happily predict that, by the end, they will have the career of their dreams.

The other main character, Clementine, was overshadowed by her best friend’s story. I kept on expecting to find out so much about her and why she is the way she is but in the end, it is up to the reader to make assumptions about her. Considering she is the more ‘fun’ one, I expected far more hijinks from her than Emma. When they meet up with their friend Yas, it is funny to see this caricature of woman, something which adds humour to an otherwise realistic book. Emma’s ‘work friend’, Hillary, turns out to be the best friend of all. After they click on their first meeting, Hillary is the voice of reason in Emma’s hectic life, helping her with sensible advice and junk food.

I thought Berry’s portrayal of abortion was really inspiring - it’s a topic that hasn’t shed its taboo completely yet, so the frankness of the writing was interesting. Emma knew exactly what was right for her and did she wanted to do. The people she need supported her and any criticism of her was ignored. You really feel for her on her journey as it dawns on her that she is pregnant, going to the doctors, and finally having the procedure. The subject is handled well.

One unavoidable criticism is the problematic language towards other women: Emma and Clem seem to have trouble describing other women with kindness or neutrality whether it be their friend Yasmin, or the "PR bimbos' It is so frustrating to read women putting other women down. It’s seems ridiculous in this day and age, that women are pitted against one another, even in writing, and even by another women.

Finally, the ending! Getting here was easy, with Berry's lively writing carrying you through the book, easily stepping from one character to another. I was glad when Emma's life wasn't amazingly perfect at the end, with all of her problems solved on the last page; she doesn't have a boyfriend, or the perfect career, but she has her dad, her mates, and cheap rent - what more could you ask for?

A really funny read that I found myself featuring in, in so many ways. The story is quite standard but keeps you gripped the whole way! The characters are believable, the situation even moreso, and there was good character development throughout.

I would happily read the next book from Lauren Berry and I look forward to seeing where this book goes!


Full review to follow on blog soon!

Fantastic fun and really made me laugh. Like Fleabag in book form but more kind-hearted and likeable. Loved it!