Certainly a different concept for Jenny Colgan's normal café style books ..... purple spandex superheroes! Holly seems like one of her normal style heroines - fairly quiet, hoping for the fairytale ending but she definitely gets more than she bargained for with Ultimate Man and she definitely didn't want her 15 minutes of fame to be showing off her knickers in the press!

A light hearted farcical read, but I must admit to preferring the café sagas

I was first drawn to this novel by the author, I love all Jenny Colgan’s stories but I haven’t read any of her sci-fi romances however, the cover it’s purple so that’s a bonus in my eyes and the synopsis drew me in further.

During a night out with her friend Holly get’s caught up in a traumatic event but is rescued in a rather unladylike way by Ultimate Man. Holly works at the Mayor’s Office in the city in the publicity department and her night out is soon all over the media in full technicolour. Holly starts to build up a rapport with the masked man and her feelings become very confused. Holly inadvertently becomes a target and her life becomes in peril again, the only person who can help is Ultimate Man. Can Ultimate Man reach her in time?

This is unlike any other story I’ve read but I was drawn in by the outstanding wit and humour and the warmth from the characters that Jenny T. Colgan had radiated across the pages. Also, I was starting to have a crush on a certain man in purple! The story was like an updated version of Superman and you get to see all sides of the characters; the damsel in distress (aka Holly), the villain (aka Frederick Cecil) and the hero (aka Ultimate Man). There’s a side to the story that is quite thought-provoking and I could appreciate why certain actions were taken. My heart at one point was very much divided between good and evil in this story’s sense and I wanted to bang both their heads together to knock some sense into both our leading men. I loved the action and the crazy, cool gadgets but amongst all this the author had cleverly interspersed these times with some very tender poignant moments leaving me quite emotional.

A fabulous story that was cool, geeky, fun and a little bit sexy. 5/5*

Well, this was something a little different and so far removed from my usual gritty crime dramas, it was a delight to read something that doesn't take itself too seriously. This was a light romp through the world of a vigilante superhero and his sort of girlfriend Holly.
They meet when Ultimate man saves her from the bad guys, slinging her over his shoulder, she becomes famous for more than this as the photo blasted all over the papers depicts her flashing her knickers. After a second encounter, she then turns the tables and find him in a compromising position - mid change! With his identity blown, they start dating, well, sort of, as dating a superhero turns out to be a bit more trouble than it's worth. What follows next is a delightful romp, funny and quirky and, for me anyway, a bit of fresh air.
Characterisation was, on the whole, good. I loved Holly and the bad guy but, despite trying real hard, I just couldn't connect with Ultimate man, even in his "mild mannered janitor" phase. I found him to be bit wooden to be honest. I did find Cecil more interesting and so I guess I sided a bit with him at times. I also liked the ethos he was trying to instil in people with his antics. A bit of food for thought there methinks!
The story was, at times, a wee bit silly, although as already mentioned, contained a message. That said, it was well suited to the genre. As I have said many times, I do like my lighter reads to have a bit of grit, and this book ticked that box for me too.
So, all in all, a nice little read that made a chance from the norm for me. A palate cleanser if you like, one that ticked most of the boxes I need, leaving me refreshed and ready to go back to the darker side.

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Having read so many of Jenny Colgan's books I was really excited to be given the opportunity to read her new sci fi one and I was not disappointed! I loved it from start to finish. The book is based on many ideas of superheroes and their powers and did not disappoint. The main characters were great, both baddies and goodies.They were likeable and I found myself carried along getting caught up in their dramas. The main character made me chuckle with her insights and thoughts and I look forward to reading more of Jenny's sci find books.

This book has been the biggest surprise so far this year! So funny and such an enjoyable story, i mean who doesn't love a superhero story?!
This is a bit different from the usual stories by Jenny Colgan but I would definitely love to read more like this one. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A great fun read - I really enjoyed the whole concept of the superhero story being told from the perspective of a potential girlfriend.
Interesting characters and a nice story arc - definitely a recommendation.

A different twist on a romance story. Loved Ultimate Man - even his purple spandex!! Loved his real persona even more. Other characters were likeable and I would love to read about more of Holly's and Ultimate Mans adventures!!!

https://www.librarything.com/work/19532159

And now for something completely different – well, not completely, exactly, but there’s certainly some extraordinary qualities to Spandex And The City.
When I opened the email asking if I’d like to read this book I was hesitant because it’s not totally my sort of thing. I then saw it was written by Jenny Colgan, under the pen name Jenny T Colgan - an author I have enjoyed on more than one occasion - so I thought “why not?”.
I’m so pleased I did (and also thinking I should break out of my comfort zone more often).
So, it turns out that a relationship with a superhero – especially one dressed in purple and, let’s be honest, who doesn't have the greatest "good guy" name, is actually even more complicated than the “regular kind” – who knew?
Not that Ultimate Man is really into dating, despite (or perhaps because of) the truly explosive chemistry between him and Holly. It seems the life of a superhero is a lonely one, something else he has in common with Holly, on occasions.
But these two can’t seem to keep apart, especially when Holly catches the attention of the “bad guy” (if you thought Ultimate Man was an unlikely name, wait until you meet him).
It certainly makes for an entertaining, funny and, at times, emotional read. It is also rather thought provoking but in a gentle way (no lectures here).
Jenny, who under her pen name has written the Doctor Who tie-in novel Dark Horizons and several Doctor Who short stories, takes us on a crazy ride where the lines between good and bad, fact and fiction, are certainly blurred.
It has all the elements I love in the books I generally read - romance, comedy, drama and a happy ending – but it turns out adding a touch of science fiction is a turn-on not a turn-off.
I’m definitely going to add her first book with this added extra, Resistance Is Futile, to my TBR pile.

With thanks to the Little, Brown Book Group (via Netgalley) for the ARC in return for my honest opinion.

Holly Phillips does not think much of the costumed vigilante "Ultimate Man" when his supernatural antics leave her hoisted over her shoulder and flashing her knickers in the newspaper the next day. But her 15 minutes of fame make her a target for something villainous. The man in the mask holds a lot more charm than his crime fighting alter-ego.

Holly narrates this story. A chick-lit/rom-com with superheroes. Who could ask for more? I can't even imagine wanting to date a guy who wears spandex and a cape or the fact that they would dash off on a rescue mission. It's maybe just me and my sense of humor but I did not think it was all that funny. It still makes a nice enough read though.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group UK and the author Jenny T. Colgan for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So, this is just a typical, girl meets boy romance, Holly lives with her loved up friend Gertie, works for the mayor, has a bit of a difficult relationship with her Mum, goes out one night, meets a boy in a bar, gets thrown over the bar, held hostage then rescued by an advanced human vigilante who was given superpowers after a scientific accident and wears purple spandex, wait, what??!

No, definitely not your typical romance book at all! It's funny, it's crazy, it's a satirical look at all the things you've ever thought about while watching superhero movies (how do they change so fast?), it's addictive reading and it's actually very cleverly written. Beneath the humourous take on life when the man you've fallen for is Ultimate Man (no really) this book picks apart what it means to live in the future all those 80's comics pictured, and whether it really is all it's cracked up to be; whether we are all a little bit lost, a little bit too reliant on technology, power and emulating others, a little bit powerless to see our true selves.

Hands down this is the zaniest, entertaining book I've read, pure escapism,.... with a purple cape!

I love Jenny Colgan's books and this one certainly does not disappoint!! Funny yet heart rending, Holly meets batman and Moriarty !! A brilliant book - read part of it on a train and the laugh out loud moments were embarrassing to say the least.

A bit different from other books I've read by Jenny... In fact a lot different! A love story with a difference set, I discovered late on, in an imaginary, I think, city in America. It all starts relatively normally, a series of raids and robberies in night clubs are foiled by a super hero in purple spandex, who can literally make the earth move! He comes up against a baddy who I thought was a goody till more than half way through.
I think Jenny must have had fun writing this one. It's a light read, not to be taken seriously but enjoyed with a glass of wine!

This is so much fun! Colgan mashes up chick-lit/rom-com with all those tales of superheroes and supervillains trying to either destroy or save the world, and pulls it off with panache. Holly, our narrator, is a smart, sassy heroine and if it's tough doing modern dating, imagine how much more complicated it is when the object of your desire dresses in purple spandex, a cape and is always flying off to rescue the city...

This isn't quite as wonderful as Colgan's Resistance is Futile but is still a funny, clever, ultimately gloriously romantic homage to caped crusaders!

Thank you so much for pre-approving me for this book! However, I am not within the UK and I see that this is a prerequisite for reviewing this title. I am in the US and would be happy to review any titles you may have in the future that fit this requirement. Thank you again!

Sorry this was auto added straight to my reading list I tried to give it a go but not really my sort of book