I thought Bridget Jones's Diary, and The Edge of Reason were both vg, so I was expecting this book to rock. Instead...what's the opposite of rock? Pebble? It's chick lit meets spy, only falls far short of Charlie's Angels.

On Wikipedia it says, "In the UK edition, there are comic-strip type pictures of Olivia that relate to her espionage activities." That might actually help. ( )

Not even entertaining. ( )

Light, laugh out loud reading. A bumbling female action hero. The scene referencing Osama bin Ladin had me in stiches for 5 minutes. ( )

Olivia Joules is a reporter that believes she is destined for more exciting things than covering the latest fashion show or beauty event. Unfortunately she reads more into situations than is called for and ends up as something of a joke. Then one day her imagination runs away with her and saves her life, only to lead her into a far more dangerous series of events.

She travels ostensibly for a beauty story to Miami, LA, the Caribbean and Egypt, following the story but also following someone she believes is a terrorist. Dealing with guns, sharks, people trying to kill her and of course people not believing a word she says. The imaginative way she deals with bugging devices brings a smile to my lips every time I think of it.

I can't compare this story to Bridget Jones having never read the book or watched the film, but the humour appealed to me so much. The snappy dialogue and the flights of fancy all screamed aloud that Helen Fielding somehow "knew me", and so with that connection came probably the easiest read I've had in years.

It's never going to shake the world, it won't change long held opinions, but it made me laugh a lot, hopefully if you decide to read this story it will brighten your day too. ( )

Olivia Joules, when we are first introduced to her, appears to be an airhead in a Chick Lit novel about a thirty something dying for a boy friend. She is a fashion and beauty reporter for a fashion magazine and the style section of the Sunday Times. So far, so girly.

However, beneath this deceptive guise is a woman of shrewd intelligence, who proves herself to be perceptive, witty and kind. She is said to have an overactive imagination and has delusions that she has stumbled on the whereabouts of an international terrorist. She believes that he is merely posing as a film producer and his wealth and sophistication, are of course, seductive charms to this modern heroine. She follows him from Miami to La, to Honduras and finally to Arabia all in the pursuit of a good story for her magazine and paper.

Olivia Joules is a delightful character in this extremely enjoyable comedy thriller. She is attractive, smart, sexy, courageous and thoroughly likeable. If you are woman, you would want her as your best friend. If you are a man, you would just want her!

My Recommendation:

Cons:

Contemporary attitudes to relationships, swearing and blasphemy.

Pros:

A thoroughly likeable heroine, a fast-paced thriller and a satisfying plot. ( )