I struggled with this book. As it is being republished, it would be worth taking the time to remove some of the clangers that the book contains. The fat shaming is prominent and does not need to be there. The monologues don't feel genuine - they feel false and bounced me out of the story. Is the mention of Trump left in there for effect? It dates the book, if you are not purposefully setting the book in the recent past.

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book when I first started it. I thought I might be a little too old for the audience the author was targeting based on the characters. But, I'm really glad I stuck with it and kept reading because this book has a lot of depth and brings to light the very serious issue of domestic abuse. This doesn't happen until closer to the mid-way/end of the book, although the author does a great job of showing just how subtle the queues to domestic abuse start.

I liked Gemma a lot and her story is relatable, even if the YouTube/vlogging stardom isn't. It shows her journey of self-growth and it is very heartwarming. I also liked the secondary characters; Raffy, Jack, Charlie, and even Gus... and Stanley the stuffed bear!

It was a rom-com with a twist and I will be looking to read more by this author.

I think this book is mediocre reading for me. I’m again Switzerland not for satisfying my financial sources and amazing chocolates  I’m in the middle: I didn’t hate it but I didn’t enjoy it, too. Maybe I was so ready to read an entertaining rom-com instead of a self-discovery book.

So this is about Gemma’s life choices centered by the guys she’s dating with. When she dated Jack for 4 years, she had a simple but happy life, still making youtube videos about make-up products, hair styles which help her to earn a small group of followers. But her douchebag awards winner boyfriend decides to take a vacation with his bestie Olivia. Gemma is still too naïve to save her relationship even it will turn into a long distance one. But as soon as douchebag leaves, he makes his dirty move and dumbs her via email. He also cheats on with Olivia.

Gemma makes a breakup video about her heartbreak and BAMMM! She turns into a popular V-logger. She gets her more than 15 minutes fame and now she starts endorsing some selected brands’ products, turns into a famous Youtuber and dating with another famous V-logger Charlie! Now she hangs out fancy, trendy cocktail bars and starts to get used her new style life.

Then Jack comes back to apologize tails between his legs. But will Gemma accept his apology or will she resume her virtual and artificial life style with Charlie? Or finally will she find out what she truly desires to do with her life?

The book’s pacing is a little slow and some parts seemed like repeating itself and made me bored to death. Ending was good but I think I was expecting more rom-com than a women fiction book.

This weekend I had rom-com binge reading but unfortunately this was the weakest book I read. Maybe those are so much emotional and gave me the magical romance I’ve dreamt of so I was a little harsh to compare this book with them. But unfortunately this is not my cup of black coffee or Chardonnay!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for sharing this ARC COPY with me in exchange my honest review.

<I>*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *</i>

This book is a rom- com set in London, wherein Gemma's boyfriend Jack leaves her to go travelling because he doesn’t want to settle down. Gemma makes a video about her breakup which goes viral and she turns into a blogger/influencer.

While this was an entertaining enough read, it was veeeery slow, and seemed to be mostly about Gemma just going about her daily life.

Also, there are lot of specific references that make sense if you’re familiar with the UK and London but may be a little confusing otherwise..

This book was funny, relatable and just totally fabulous. I didn’t want to put it down once I started and wanted to know more and more about the characters and their situations. Gem was my favourite character and I’d love to read another book with her in. Perfect for romance lovers. Great feel - good Sunday afternoon book

Woah, sadly that was a dnf at 56%.
It was like reading about the daily life and struggle of a YouTube star on the rise.
And i thought surely now something exciting will happen... or now... or now... or now...
but no.

Three and a half stars.

Gemma thinks getting a job at Clickfrenzy as a junior writer is the start of all her dreams coming true. Finally she'll be able to leave home and get a place in London with her long-term boyfriend Jack. BUt when she breaks the good news to Jack he tells her that he's resigned his job and is going to travel the world with his friend Olivia. Suddenly all Gemma's hopes and dreams are left for dust in Jack's wake, made even worse when he dumps her via email and announces that he and Olivia are an item.

Gemma tries to make the best of things, vlogging about hair and make-up to her small group of followers, coming up with imaginative posts about cats for work, and feeling desperately alone in a house-share in Hackney, until her tearful rant about being dumped by Jack goes viral and opens up a new world as a minor celebrity vlogger. Soon she's dating another vlogger, visiting the latest cocktail bars and endorsing products from carefully selected partner brands. But is the social media butterfly lifestyle any more fulfilling than meeting her mates down the pub? And when Jack comes home with his tail between his legs will Gemma choose her old life over the new?

This is a bit of a bildungsroman, Gemma starts out as a naive young woman, her hopes and dreams are all built around her life with Jack and her unrealistic expectations that once she got a job she would be living like a character from Love Actually or Bridget Jones. Then she gets swept into the artificial world of vlogging, whilst doing her day-job, but the quest for posts at the expense of integrity feels false. Is Jack's return a wake-up call? Will Gemma choose celebrity romance with fellow vlogger Charlie or normality with Jack? Or is there a third way?

I enjoyed this novel, I liked the side plots and stories, in fact although there is romance it is definitely subservient to Gemma's voyage of self-discovery, the romance is almost an afterthought.

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

I did enjoy this book, even though I thought I wouldn't! Once the story got underway and I realised that it was ultimately centred about social media and vlogging, I was unsure whether it would be for me. I'm really glad I read it though. As a middle aged woman, I was worried that I would get confused or bombarded with social media terminology but, in fact, I throughly enjoyed it and actually learnt things.

I loved the characters and found the whole read very easy and engaging. The book had quite a mixture, at it was funny, romantic and it also gave an insight and awareness of domestic abuse. Very powerful message.

I would recommend this book to all ages as its a young story but easy reading for us oldies!

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley.

Description
Gemma didn’t expect her life to look like this. She’s still living with her mother, who steals her leggings and tells her off for leaving crumbs in the butter. After twenty failed interviews she thought she’d bagged her dream job as a journalist – except it turns out to be writing articles about cats that look like George Clooney. Luckily she has her wonderful boyfriend, Jack, to help her forget just how rubbish things are.

Then Jack dumps her out of the blue. With nothing but her childhood teddy bear, Stanley, and a whole heap of heartbreak, Gemma resolves to turn things around. She throws herself into her new job and soon she’s hanging out with cheeky, golden-haired hunk Charlie, eating in swanky restaurants and sipping trendy cocktails – and her old life seems like a distant memory.

But it’s not long until her shiny new world starts to lose its sparkle – and Gemma misses the days of wearing battered pink converse and eating peanut butter on toast in bed. Then Jack turns up, backpack in tow, and things starts to go wrong with Charlie. ‘Out with the old, in with the new’, the saying goes. But what happens if neither one is quite right?

It was good. Not great. I just found it too much of "humor" that tried to hard. Not many LOL moments.

In this book we follow the life of Gemma, a young graduate from university who is trying to find her place in work and life.
Gemma is a youtuber who has a few followers but that changes after she post a video, showing how her boyfriend of four years suddenly broke up with her and broke her heart. Her video goes viral and her life is fast changing after that.

The book gives a good insight to the youtubers world.

I thought the story was a bit slow at some points. Gemma's character is trying to be strong but her actions don't reflect that. She often does things that she doesn't want to because others pressure her. Her romantic life is a big part of the book but not the main focus of it.

It was a good book to spend an afternoon on.

* I received an arc from the publisher through Netgalley.

Out with the Ex, In with the New is the first book I’ve read from Sophie Ranald and I am already a fan! I was really in the mood for a lighter read (and it totally delivered), but I also loved how much depth was packing into this novel! I know I’ve said it a million times, but I adore novel that make me literally laugh out loud and I lost count of how many times I lol’ed! If your looking for a book to make you forget all of the drama of the holiday season than Out with the Ex, In with the New is the book for you! This is the first time I’ve read Sophie Ranald, but I will absolutely be reading more from her in the future!

I really loved this book, though as a fan of Sophie Ranald - I knew I would! If you have read the books 'Filter This' by Sophie White and 'Living my Best Life' by Claire Frost and enjoyed them, you should definitely pick up this book as it has a similar vibe to them and set in the world of social media and influencers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for sharing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After going through many interviews, Gemma has finally landed a job in London. She can finally move out of her mum's house and possibly in with long-time boyfriend, Jack. Her boyfriend is happy for her but he has news of his own: he's going travelling with his best friend, Olivia, and it's going to happen very soon. Meanwhile, Gemma carries on doing her vlogs on YouTube and has a nice little following going on. She takes comfort in the fact that hasn't changed. She starts her new job in new media journalism and finds herself doing the trials of cat stories daily. She rents a room in a nice house and things seem to be looking up when Jack emails her to dump her. She lets it all out on her vlog and suddenly goes from a small following to much larger when the video goes viral. Life starts to change with her new-found fame and being a well-known vlogger has its ups and downs.

It didn't quite get me at the beginning but this story did grow on me as I read and I enjoyed reading it. I guess part of me isn't that up on the media describe her although I know it exists...so it's a bit hard to relate in some ways. Still it's an interesting take on life in the limelight and on figuring out what she really wants from her vlog.

Overall I'd give this abotu 3.5 stars.

Review will be posted publicly a week ahead of publication.

If you are looking for something to devour over a few days check this one out!! It was a cute little story that I read over a few days. I will be checking out more of her titles in the future. It was full of humor and lightness and I could not stop reading.

Laugh out-loud goodness!

Although the premise for this story is typical for the usual chick-lit book, 'Out With the Ex, In With the New' is anything but typical. In the span of five months, Gemma gets a new job, a new home in London, a new career path, and most of all, a new sense of self. After Jack and Olivia's betrayal, Gemma finds herself alone and depressed, trying to get her professional and personal life back on track. However, as her vlogging career becomes more successful, along with her new relationship with Charlie, Gemma soon discovers some home truths about the pitfalls of stardom, young love, and denying your true identity. Yay, Stanley!

Wrapped up in an at-times quirky, lighthearted prose, 'Out With the Ex, In With the New' is a smart and poignant coming of age story not to be overlooked. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Sophie Ranald for an ARC of 'Out With the Ex, In With the New' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

Loved it!! All about finding your voice in a big world and the good that can come of it. Such a fun, interesting read! Definitely one to add to your must read list.

Gemma is trying to rebuild her life after breaking up with her boyfriend Jack, taking on a new job as a successful Vlogger and all that comes with that unexpected fame. Gemma is a sweet character who’s head is turned by her new lifestyle, will she be able to find her way back to herself? A lighthearted and comedic read, while it won’t tax your brain much it’s an easy way to spend a few hours!