A wonderful read with charming characters and an engaging plot!! I look forward to reading more by this author.

I wasn’t really a fan of this one from the start. I thought it was a cute description and concept. Once I started it- not so much. It felt boring from the beginning. Kind of basic writing and plot. Nothing overly complicated or surprising. I finished it, but really only after forcing myself to.

I have to agree with reviews that say that some of the issues with this book are likely because it's a translation - it did feel a little naive, but that could be because I'm not reading it in its original language.

The story goes a little like this:

Gillian wants to own her own hat shop.
She meets a few eccentric individuals who are only too happy to help her out with that dream.
She finds a place that will allow her to use a storefront for free.
There she meets Jared.
They have a connection. But he is also hiding something from her.
Her home life and her new life with Jared collide.
Gillian becomes angry with Jared.
She sees the light and everything ends as it should.

That said. It was fine. I've read better in this genre; but once I got a little invested in the characters, I enjoyed myself fine. The entire story was a little one-dimensional - Gillian's reaction to Jared's
true identity was a little over-the-top (which also re-enforced the naivety of the characters), but for a light, not heavy read it was enjoyable.

2.5 stars - it passes the time, and is especially worth it if it's part of the kindle prime deals (aka free).

Thank you Netgalley and Aria for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

DNF - It wasn’t really for me.. I’m not sure if that was because of the book or me. Perhaps will revisit at another time and give another go. Premise is good.

Amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end.
Well written which kept me captivated throughout.
I will definitely be reading other books by this author

Gillian Bennett's dream is to open a shop selling the hats she makes herself. However, her parents have other ideas about the course they wish their daughter's life to take. The challenge is on and they give her 2 years in which to make her dream come true or face the alternative, a desk job back home.

First, she has to find a shop and when she comes across one rent-free, she can't believe it. Shevhas her work cut out when she has to renovate the place and also when she meets Jared a guy in her building.

What a Girl Wants was a carefully pieced together story about starting out and trying to make your dreams come true no matter what others want for you. The premise is simple and the pace is very slow. I would have liked a quicker pace. It was predictable in parts: I found it hard to believe that a rent-free shop would just be there at the right time because nowhere is rent free. It just seemed too idyllic a concept.

Despite this, I was compelled to read on to see what happened but did not finish the book. The translation was formal and felt odd at times and I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I felt also that the hat shop was a strange idea but the visuals were good. I just felt that neither the writing nor the plot or pace were actuve enough for me to really enjoy it. 3 stars.

Thanks to Angie Coleman and Aria for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review and a place on the blog tour for this title.

Hmm. I’m not sure about this book. Is it trying to be modern?misnit trying to be pride and prejudice? Is it hardening back in time or looking forward?
It’s all a little too “neat”, Gillian wants a shop and, how lucky, she gets a shop. Selling hats. With an adorable landlady, a dad who will bend over backwards for her and a “sexy” love interest. I read it all the way through expecting something to happen, expecting to get to the point........

The Blurb :
Gillian Bennett has always dreamed of opening a luxury hat shop, and when she finds the opportunity of a lifetime in the shape of a rent-free shop she thinks her dreams have come true.
Her parents are less than thrilled and she has two years to prove to them that this isn't just a pipe dream, or she'll be shipped back home and into an office job.
But she wasn't counting on a distraction in the form of sexy but enigmatic Jared, a completely unreadable man that she soon finds herself falling for. Yet, Jared has a secret, and when she finds it out, it shakes Gil to her core.
With everything spiralling out of control around her, will Gil ever realise her dreams?

My Thoughts :
I am quiet surprised that this book has so many negative reviews.
From the off I was pretty invested in the story and couldnt wait to keep reading to see what happened.
We meet Gillian Bennett, who has always dreamed of opening a shop selling her own hats that she has made. When a chance meeting with shop owner Ernest gives her an opportunity to renovate a shop in his appartment building, Gillian jumps at the chance and sets to work on making it the best hat shop ever. Her parents would rather have a job in the city but has given her 2 years to see if this could really work for her if not she has to shut shop and return home to live with her parents and find a real job.
As Gillian starts to clan up the new shop she clashes with Jared, who lives in the building on the second floor. Gillian takes it upon herself to find out why Jared is so angry at life and why he is a recluse who hasnt even unpacked his belongings despite being in the building for 4 months. As Gillian digs deeper into his life and starts to fall in love with him, can she help him or is she just heading for her own heartache!?.
I really enjoyed the flow of the story and instantly took a liking to Gillian and Jared as people. I liked following their story and finding out what secrets Jared held. At times it felt like I was in another era with some descriptions being used and the fact Gillian called her mum and dad, Mother and Father. Some parts just seemed a little old fashioned for me. Overall and easy read from Angie Coleman and I am looking forward to the next release.

Really struggled to get into this and in the end I gave up. I saw the note that it had been translated so that might be why it felt so disjointed and repetitive.

It is a weird mix between older english (think pride and prejudice) and how we currently speak which doesn't quite work, this might get fixed before the final version gets published.

However this book is not for me and i didn't enjoy the bits I read.

Enjoyable read - quite a calm and laid back story.
I couldn't quite work out where it was set, and although the characters had laptops and mobiles it didn't really have the feeling of being set in modern day.
Some great characters, and it would be interesting if there was a sequel set around one of the other people who live in the apartments.

NF after just a few pages (but I did jump around a bit to see if it got better).

I found the writing style really stilted, as if it had either been written by someone who wasn't a native English speaker or had been translated from another language. The first person POV didn't help. Or maybe the author was trying to make themselves sound better by using long words?

It felt like the main character was talking to the reader but not in a natural way. Long and short of it, I couldn't get into the writing so I can't comment on the plot.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this book. The characters were well written and likeable, the story was sweet (and predictable but enjoyable nonetheless). Because the book was translated, the words the translator used threw me off a bit, especially as some parts definitely seemed like they were translated by google. Otherwise, a nice comfortable read. 4.75/5

I'm sorry to say I couldn't bring myself to finish this, in fact, I don't think I made it more than 25 pages in. I'm not sure if I was just looking for something more exciting or what but this was not doing it for me. The dialogue was odd, it wasn't natural at all. I didn't give her a much time to grow on me, but the main character was just blah. I really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't do it.

I really enjoyed this book but I think that'll be my shameful secret. I enjoyed it because it was simple and sweet almost naive, much like the main character. All very stereotypical characters and obvious plot lines but a real good TomTom book to be enjoyed over the summer.... my beach read!

What a Girl Wants by Angie Coleman is an easy and enjoyable read.

When Gil decides she wants to open a hat shop she goes for it and things just seem to fall into her lap. From a perfect shop, to helpful and friendly neighbors to a perfect guy.
Although at the beginning guy was anything but perfect. Surly, grumpy and downright mean she manages to turn him around and magic happens.

While its entertaining to read there is nothing special about this book to distinguish it from others, I found it hard to believe that everything and everyone is so perfect in every way. I sincerely hope that somewhere out there, people like this exists and that they watch over each other and help each other.

Other than everything being just a bit too perfect I had fun reading this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Aria for allowing me to read this book In exchange for an honest review. This book was just so so for me. I found the writing style to be a little strange and kind of hard for me to follow. The story just seemed a little immature for me.

3.5 Stars
Review by Lisa
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog

What a Girl Wants by Angie Coleman is about a girl who has her own hat store, where she designs and sells her hats.

Gillian has had some luck and things are in motion for her dream to begin. With her parents giving her a time limit to make things happen and a certain gentleman that has peeked her interest, can things go the way she wants?

I enjoyed reading this story. It moved/flowed nicely along. Not to much "heavy" stuff happening. A girl just trying to spread her wings and make a life for herself her way.

Having said that, I did feel like there was a disconnect on the "time" of the story. I felt like I should be reading something from now but at times I felt like the story belonged back in the day of hoop skirts, where men walked around with a cane and wore a top hat. As for the "luck" of people being just generally nice and giving people a chance. I hope they are out there. I loved that about this book. Bartering too, I do this with a few things and I think its a great idea of trading services to help each other out.

**ARC provided for an honest review**

My review has been posted to my blog & Goodreads.

Review has also been tweeted as usual.

Thank you! :c)

This book was a lighthearted read, but it wasn't for me. I didn't connect with any of the characters and I didn't really enjoy it. Thank you for providing me with a copy of the book to read

Gillian Bennett isn't sure what the future holds but she wants to live her dreams. She hopes her parents will jump on board. She knows her sister, Lillian will.

Jared Dalloway is an interesting enigma full of frustration and moodiness and Gillian can't stop thinking of ways to cheer him up. When she finds out why he is suffering so much and so uneasy most days this will break her happy goal of helping him get his happiness back.

Jared doesn't know how he ended up facing such a conflicting trial as the one is now facing. The longer he waits to reveal his secrets, the worse it may be.

This novel was very rewarding and well written. I gave an honest review in exchange for an ARC of this book. Can't wait to hear Lillian and Zach's story. This novel gets 5 stars!