At last. 'Chick-lit' matures.
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When Cari Carringron's husband leaves her she knows she has to make something of her life or more importantly make some money. So when a friend says 'trust me,' she does - with, as they say, hilarious consuquences. Well, not so hilarious actually, although the writer's sharp wit and accurate social observations will have you laughing, as Cari descends into a world of drug squats, baying bank managers and drunken nights in Brighton hotels. For Cari, life is a steep learning curve. Coping with an interfering mother, a phantomly pregnant friend, a crazy sister and how to climb very steep ladders, she learns many things - that not all builders have bum cleavages and big mouths, that the mentally ill are more frightened than frightening and that good can come out of bad. More than a hilarious romp, but not in the least depressing, 'Raising the Roof' is a witty and wry look at women at the beginning of the twentieth century. And what would we do without Cadbury's chocolate fingers?
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Laugh Out Loud Funny
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...and from the very first page. Raising he Roof is a captivating blend of pin-prick sharp, intelligent humour, hilarious calamities, and a diet that even a derr brain like me could stick to, if it wasn't for my empathy with Cari's main lifestyle philosophy of going to bed and drinking wine - by the bucket, if possible - once the going gets tough. And quite right too - when you've got a irritating mother, a barking mad sister and a dubious character like Nigel in your life. What's really special about this book however, is that it's different. Not a trendy London wine bar or Manolo in sight. Instead we're taken down the highways and byways of property renovation, ably guided by a cast of non-stereotpical chrcters, from Ben, the opera loving builder to hapless Henry, manager of the gloriously named Broadrange foods. But it isn't just high jinks on the scaffolding; Jane Wenham-Jones' handling of mental illness is both sensitive and thought provoking. A delight. Can't wait fo her next.
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Everyone has their problems. Cari's are far worse than most!
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Cari is jobless, manless and soon to be homeless. Who will help save her from her spiralling debts, provide her with a shoulder to lean on and keep a roof over her head?
The men she meets along the way to self-fulfilment sway between the manically obsessive and the gorgeously incompetent.
A very funny book, best taken with a glass of good wine.
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Living in the fast lane and every halt's a screechy one!
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Cari Carrington's a woman with a mission. To be precise, she's found out the man in her life is a two-timing wotsit who's left her, taking her credit limit and self-esteem. But Cari's made of stern stuff and will not be crushed. Even in the darkest moments the author slides in a killer line which has you either rolling around on the floor in hysterics or nodding in empathy.
While I found it difficult to keep up with all the men who kept dropping in on Cari - most purely for business reasons - I couldn't resist falling for many of their charms.
Like Lynne Barrett-Lee's Julia Gets A Life, Raising The Roof bounces along with wit and insight into the lives of 21st Century Woman. We suffer with Cari as she struggles to lose weight, keep the bank manager out of her hair and fails to say no to the temptation of getting-rich-quick. She's dippy and delightful, beautiful and self-deprecating.
Will she ever rid herself of the tenants from hell, find the love of her life and persuade her indomitable mother to stop leaving messages on the answering machine?
Read and enjoy!
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This bloke thought it was great.
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Chick Lit? One for the girls? Don't you believe it! This is a funny, intelligent and very moving novel. The dialogue crackles and the characters live. And while turning the pages, because you must, you also learn about buying-to-rent and doing up old property. The most enjoyable lesson I ever took. Give it a go, guys, you won't regret it.
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