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Thank you @tandemcollectiveuk for my free copy of So Lucky by Dawn O’Porter! A little outside of my usual comfort zone, but I’m finding more and more that books that push me out of that zone are a lot of fun! This book certainly serves up a tonne of cheeky fun, but there are more serious themes tackled here too.
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The story is told via the alternating perspectives of Ruby and Beth (and occasional Instagram posts from social media celebrity Lauren). Ruby is struggling to manage a health condition which severely affects her self esteem, as well as struggling to bond with her three and a half year old daughter as a single mum. Beth is a wedding planner, planning the celebrity wedding of the year with her assistant Risky while her husband (who refuses to touch her) looks after their newborn son at home.
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I read half of of So Lucky on the train and honestly I was snorting with laughter, praying the person behind me couldn’t read it! I liked how O’Porter embraced female sexuality, and Risky was hilarious if a little over the top at times. The characters are far from perfect people, but she makes them likeable all the same in the end. She also made a great point about how often, even today, dads performing at the bare minimum are lauded are super dads when actually they are just BEING A PARENT and the mother would be expected to do all that and more with not a glimmer of recognition.
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Social media also plays a large role in the book, as the third character, Lauren, is initially portrayed as having the perfect life on Instagram, reminding us that while it might seem like everyone’s having a grand old time on the Internet, you never know what’s going on in their lives or their inner struggles - I’m not sure whether this would have been more effective a few years ago, OR whether the bookstagram corner of the internet is just more open with their struggles, but I feel like people are more aware now of the pitfalls of social media. Still, it’s good to be reminded and some people might still not realise this!
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A saucy, funny, quick read!
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The story is told via the alternating perspectives of Ruby and Beth (and occasional Instagram posts from social media celebrity Lauren). Ruby is struggling to manage a health condition which severely affects her self esteem, as well as struggling to bond with her three and a half year old daughter as a single mum. Beth is a wedding planner, planning the celebrity wedding of the year with her assistant Risky while her husband (who refuses to touch her) looks after their newborn son at home.
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I read half of of So Lucky on the train and honestly I was snorting with laughter, praying the person behind me couldn’t read it! I liked how O’Porter embraced female sexuality, and Risky was hilarious if a little over the top at times. The characters are far from perfect people, but she makes them likeable all the same in the end. She also made a great point about how often, even today, dads performing at the bare minimum are lauded are super dads when actually they are just BEING A PARENT and the mother would be expected to do all that and more with not a glimmer of recognition.
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Social media also plays a large role in the book, as the third character, Lauren, is initially portrayed as having the perfect life on Instagram, reminding us that while it might seem like everyone’s having a grand old time on the Internet, you never know what’s going on in their lives or their inner struggles - I’m not sure whether this would have been more effective a few years ago, OR whether the bookstagram corner of the internet is just more open with their struggles, but I feel like people are more aware now of the pitfalls of social media. Still, it’s good to be reminded and some people might still not realise this!
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A saucy, funny, quick read!