You Are Loved

This is so funny! I’m always in awe of authors who can put words down on paper which make the reader giggle with the mental image it conjures up, and Jo Platt has it nailed!

Grace Waterhouse, one-time successful author seems to have lost the magic following her divorce and – understandably, ask any woman who has been cheated on – tends to favour bitter characters dreaming of recriminations. So a break from writing is a must. How to fill her time? That’s soon sorted thanks to Rose, her cleaner. She has some great clients and, along with Grace’s friends, the author has created some absolutely fabulous characters for this rom-com. The details are so well-defined that there is no problem in imagining them clearly. We follow Grace through a catalogue of disasters and misunderstandings, each funnier than the last with embarrassing moments abounding.

I adored this one from start to finish. It’s my first novel by this author, but it won’t be the last – I just couldn’t read enough, it was such a mood-lifter. This is the kind of book which leaves you grinning like an idiot when you recall the hilarious moments – and there are many. If you enjoy a good, funny read with an entertaining story line and easy, polished writing then I would most definitely recommend this one to you.

I received an arc via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this review copy. Also thank you to Ellie at Canelo for the opportunity to be part of the blog tour for this great book!

Grace is an author. Her ex-husband has had a baby with his new partner and her agent, Neil has told her that her latest draft for her new novel just isn’t good enough. Life couldn’t be better for her! Neil advises her to take some time out from writing and do something else. Her cleaner, Rose is going away for a while and asks Grace if she would take over her cleaning role for some of her other clients. What better way to do something different….so Grace agrees! She begins her new cleaning job at the house of lawyer, James Brooke. Things don’t start off well as she manages to set the burglar alarm off and get caught almost rifling through his box files. To top it all, she first meets him while wearing a shoe cover as a hairnet. He seems the most miserable man ever with a noticeable inability to blink, but he’s also very handsome! During her time as a cleaner Grace gets friendly with the neighbour, Percy – a wonderfully eccentric OAP with terrible baking skills, attends an unexpected funeral and “reconnects” with her ex-husband.

I wasn’t sure about this book at first. The cover didn’t jump out at me and the title didn’t give an awful lot away. It was also the first book I’ve read by this author. But…..I’m so glad I gave it a try because what a fantastic book!! I got into Grace’s story right from the beginning. Author come cleaner sounds like it wouldn’t work, but it so did!! (I wonder whether the actual author has experience of this!) I loved the way nothing seemed to go right for Grace, and no matter what she did to make things better, things seemed to get worse. This book is funny, light-hearted and romantic! It’s such an easy read, perfect for lazy days! You just know these kinds of stories always end up as a happy ending, but it was just such fun getting there! I chuckled my way through it, and just loved the characters of Neil and Gavin…oh and Simone….oh and, hang on, I loved all the characters (with the possible exception of Aiden, who just needed one big boot up the backside!)

I would definitely recommend this one! I’m also off to find some more by this author, because if her other books are as good as this one, then we’re onto a winner! Five Stars!

Grace Waterhouse is a successful author whose husband's left her for another woman, and they've just had a baby together. When she presents her latest novel to her literary agent and friend Neil, he dismisses it and says that she needs to go away and think about life.
When her cleaner Rose goes away on holiday for four months, Grace decides to step into the breach and use the cleaning jobs as a distraction, and hopefully, a source of inspiratation.
I must admit, when I first started reading this book, I didn't think I was going to like it...I wasn't sure where the story was going to go, and to be honest, who wants to read a book about a cleaner, but I will be the first to admit that I was wrong! I quickly fell in love with all the characters especially Neil and Gavin (who I would love to befriend and share a couple of bottles of wine with!) and Percy...don't get me started on Percy!! The whole world needs a friend like Percy!
The story is funny and there are lots of moments when I laughed out loud, and I will never look at a Dyson Small Ball again without giggling!!!
I have never read a book by Jo Platt before, but she has certainly gone to the top of my favourite authors list, her characters are completely believable, and people you actually want to befriend, and she is extremely funny!
This book has been hailed as the "must read rom-com of 2017" and I couldn't agree more!!!

*I received a free copy of this book from the publishers and Net galley in return for an honest review.

Review: Well what can I say about You are Loved? Jo will be loved by millions on publication day which is the 14th, the same day the blog tour stops off at Chellsandbooks. I love this book. It has been a book that I am currently still reading and that is because I don't want it to be over but on the other hand I need to find out what happens. I have now brought Jo's other books so I can get my fix once I have finished this one. I am only a few pages away.

This book is so well written. Each chapter ends on a mini cliff hanger which means you just have to keep on reading. Such a clever skill to have as a writer. The plot is great. I thought I knew how the plot would go but I was proved wrong the further I read. I am now really excited to read the last few chapters.

I can completely relate to Grace who is our heroine but my favourite character would have to be Percy. She could have a whole novel written for her.

This is the first book of Jo's I have read and I was not disappointed this is by far the best book I have read in a while and I know this is going to be a great success for Jo.

Below is a link to the book so you can see for yourself what all the fuss is about. See also my other posts, the book spotlight on this book and author and also an extract from the book.

Actual rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

“This particular betrayal had been a rejection underlined in bold.”

Grace Waterhouse, an author by profession, was gotten cheated and divorced by her husband. With a broken trust and a broken heart, her latest novel was a bitter pill to take. A pure cynicism. She thought that writing a story which was nearly based on one version of real life— her life — was being honest to her readers. But she knew her friend and literary agent, Neil was right. She lost her magic of creating a beautiful story. And so she decided to take a break from writing.

When her cleaner, Rose gone for a holiday to visit her sister, Grace got the perfect way of having herself occupied. With a beeping alarm, a shoe cover mob hat and an awkward meet cute up with her stone-faced, cold-hearted boss, will she ever felt loved and important again?

I love Grace's character. She may have a confusing feelings with her ex-husband at first but I understand that anyone who had gone with the same experience of infidelity won't be able to move on that quickly. On the other hand, Aiden's remorse was painfully visible. His regret of hurting Grace was vividly descriptive through the dialogue exchanges proven with his incapacity to stay away from her even he knew, he have a baby with her current partner, Summer.

I may have a fleck of emotional phase at times but I more than had a gripping of laughter and a fair share of an ear to ear grin on my face. From Gavin and Neil, Emily and Percy to Simone and Guy, I cant recount how many times I caught myself from laughing out loud between one-liners and drunken gibberish-ness.

Jo Platt has a way with her words to be able to put the quirky chemistry be possible on the two main, James' unsmiling and unblinking psychopathic stare — totally expressionless, between Grace's entertaining speeches which was all highly ramblings and musings. Turning all playful awkwardness in to something light and enjoyable, I totally agree that this is a feel good romantic comedy that everyone would love to dig in and would finish in one to two sittings.

You Are Loved is an equally knockout funny and heart jerking story about love, acceptance, forgiveness and friendship. Finding that in everything you do or everyone you meet, you are surely important. Because you are loved!

***Thank you NetGalley, Canelo and Jo Platt for providing me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

I loved this story and didn't want it to end; in fact I re-read the ending. This is the first book I've read by Jo Platt, and I'll be looking out for more, as I like her writing style. This is a love story, but with layers. I loved Grace, the main character - so funny. In fact, that's something the author does very well, injecting humour to the story. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion. I liked all of the characters; Neil and Gavin stood out, as did Percy, and as for James, Grace's love interest, he was as lovely as Grace thought him to be. I also enjoyed the subplots around Grace's writing, and her relationship with her ex-husband. Like I said, there was more depth to this love story, and it's a pleasure to (highly) recommend it.

As soon as I heard about this book, I was honoured to be on the Canelo tour. I really fancied reading this story, especially with it being about a female writer. I wasn't disappointed either. I love books with numerous characters who are so much more than one dimensional, and these are plentiful here. I don't like spoilers in reviews, but get ready to hate the ex! I wanted to scream at Grace - 'Tell him to bugger off! He's a love rat!" Life isn't like that though, and their relationship was very interesting to follow through the book. He left quite a ripple affect in her life. Ultimately, this story was about Grace getting her mojo back, finding out what she wanted from life, and moving on. I haven't read Jo's books before, but she comes highly recommended from me. Excellent characters from all works of life are not easy to create, but this book is full of life.

This is a romance with some real bite- lots of humour which comes effortlessly out of Jo's characters' mouths. I enjoyed her easy, fluent writing style where nothing jarred and nobody seemed to act out of place. The subsidiary characters are a joy, especially Percy who added some real humour to the story. It is quite ironic that Grace, a writer, cannot read the signals and interpret just what is going on with her friends and acquaintances. All her conversations with James have a sassy edge to them which means that the story is never saccharin or overly sentimental- far from it- but it is a touching celebration of friendship and rising above what life throws at you.

I also enjoyed the fact that Jo's identity as a writer is hidden from some of the people she meets. This seems to give her a certain depth of character as there are several aspects to her personality, both from her past and present life which play on her thoughts and affect how she behaves. In Grace, Jo has created a thoroughly likeable character, with some very human flaws and insecurities. I'd quite like to meet her again...

In short: an entertaining read with a whole cast of characters to meet.

Thanks to publishers, Canelo, for a copy of the book.

You Are Loved by Jo Platt is a very well written story about Grace, an author whose life is getting on top of her. On a whim, she offers to take on her own cleaner's job when she goes off on holiday. Grace is feeling dejected as she's just split from her boyfriend and her life seems to be a bit of a mess. Throw into the mix her less-than-great latest novel and you realise there's a lot against her. Then, she meets an eccentric businessman and a whole host of other people which opens up her social circle. The one thing she still hasn't got is love......

You Are Loved made me laugh, smile and like Grace as a character. It is a sweet chick lit read for anyone who feels they want to read something different. Jo Platt set the scene and introduced the characters well and it was a joy reading about what they got up to. Percy, Rose , Emily, Neil Gavin and even James won me over as characters.

This is the first book I have read by Jo Platt, and I'd like to thank her and Canelo for a copy of the book via NetGalley. I'm very honoured to be participating in the blog tour for this ARC.

So, You Are Loved is tipped to be a must-read rom-com of the year so it stands to reason that I will give it a whirl. After reading several tense crime books recently I was in the mood for something light-hearted and this fits the bill perfectly.

Grace is in the doldrums, hubby has scarpered and now has a new partner and baby, the fantastic novel that Grace is due to produce is a huge flop so something needs to change drastically. How does Grace achieve this .. well, cleaning houses seems to do the trick! Her friend has a cleaning business and Grace plunges into the routine meeting some comical folk along the way.

It’s really a journey of self discovery, once Grace begins to understand her inner feelings she can then express herself and move on. There are funny moments, the writing is incredibly descriptive and easy to read. All the characters have their own peculiarities so it’s a real melting pot of quirks that just works.

Ideal reading material for lifting the mood and relaxing, at times I felt so sorry for Grace but she is the type who will get there in the end even if she takes a rather circuitous route!

My thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Have you ever taken one look at your life and thought 'screw you'?

Have you ever been stuck in mud so thick, that all you wanted to do is put on your comfy bra and hideous pjs (which hadn't seen Persil since circa 1990) and camp out in your living room watching re-runs of 'Men Behaving Badly'?

Have you ever wanted to re-write your life and start again?
(If only, eh!)

If you've said yes to all of the above and laughed at question number two, there is a high chance that 'You Are Loved' MIGHT just be the book for you. Sorry to disappoint you but there are no 'Men Behaving Badly' re-runs featured in this book. I know, I know - I'm devastated too. However, a bit of cringeworthy assumptions by our main character, Grace, is more than enough to make you forget about wanting to watch Gary and Tony's antics over, and over, and over again. Trust me.

Grace Waterhouse has had her heart-broken, stomped on, and spat on by the man who she believed that she would be with until the end of time. I'm sure I don't need to spell it out as for why, BUT, I weirdly admire Grace's calmness later on down the line. Would I be like that? Hell no! Blunt scissors thankyouplease! Ironically, Grace puts the pen to paper about the very subject she is now a teensy bit bitter about. Look, I know some females are renowned at faking particular things, but let me tell you, emotions certainly isn't one of them. Luckily for Grace, her best friend seems to know her better than she knows herself, and tells her to take a time out. And by golly, what a time out it is!

When books have tagline at the end of the blurb, I usually see them as a challenge. However, with Jo Platt's 'You Are Loved' and her 'unputdownable' tag, I didn't see it as a challenge at all. No. I saw it as a fact. Why? Because I couldn't put it down that's why! From the moment I opened my kindle to the first page, until the moment I closed my kindle on the last page, my eyes were fixated on one thing and one thing only; this book. Neil and Gavin (Grace's best friends) had me in absolute hysterics - Gavin especially! Without giving too much away, Neil and Gavin weren't the only hilarious and memorable characters from the book, and I loved them all!! Well, except one. But I believe I made my opinion on that particular situation pretty clear above? Oh, I didn't? Grace's ex-husband, Aiden, is an absolute cactus. Funnily enough, him being a cactus works well with the name of his new lady! Bet you're absolutely gagging to find out what her name is now, aren't you?

Whilst I snlaughed multiple times throughout the duration of 'You Are Loved', I did find that the whole Aiden situation dragged on a little bit. I really wanted Grace to kick him to the curb, instead of grabbing the carrot every time he dangled it. No! I don't mean like that! Filth.

That aside, I enjoyed the whole 'reinventing yourself' part of the storyline, especially as the author managed to get such an important message across in amongst the hilarity and awkwardness. Sometimes we do need to take a step back from mundane situations, with it often being someone else who tells you that you're sinking. Sometimes we need to do something out of the ordinary, regardless of what people might think and, to be honest, Grace did such a brilliant job. 

All in all, 'You Are Loved' filled me with a lot of joy, a lot of giggles, and made my heart exceptionally fuzzy. Sometimes you just need a book like 'You Are Loved' to remind you of what is important and what isn't. I really did enjoy this gem of a book (Aiden aside), and I am so looking forward to read what author, Jo Platt, releases next.

Thank you Canelo.