Do You Remember the First Time?

An interesting book that has the story of what happens to a woman when she wishes she was 16 again and she is, for a month. Finding out about her own life and what it means to be herself and where love really is. A very funny read, particularly when she's interacting with her parents and in school. This is a better than average entry to the chick-lit genre.

There is no excuse for me reading this, other than that it came free with my flatmate's copy of Cosmopolitan, so at least I didn't have to pay for it. On the other hand, feel free to berate me that I read a book which came free with a copy of Cosmopolitan.

Chick lit like this is like McDonald's - you know you shouldn't go near it; you do anyway, even though you feel horribly guilty; and afterwards, you have a horribly bloated, queasy feeling that reminds you of just how much junk you've consumed.

Jenny Colgan, Jenny Colgan, Jenny Colgan. I think I need to stop reading her deep backlist because I think there's a definite change in the trends.

This was such a gimmick. This probably would have worked better as YA, really. I am no longer a teenager, but I felt like Colgan poked a lot of fun at teenagers that, while funny, was a bit too over the top at point and if I were a teenager I'd probably be offended.

I also realised in reading this that I do not support the idea of re-falling in love with someone you were in love with sixteen years ago. I do not. I myself love to romanticise the could-have-been relationships of my past, but I just don't think that's healthy, and it's very instalove because let's be real: a 16-year-old, as show more evidenced, is a different human being at 32. There's got to be more there. We can do better.

But hey, this was 2005, I suppose. show less

Interesting surmise, but let down by the manufactured ending.

Flora is early 30s and is heading to her best friend, Tashy's wedding. The event they've been planning since they were teenagers, and it puts Flora in reflective mood. what happened to the aspirations of 16? Did they really have to end up in a dull job, with a nice, but not terribly exciting boyfriend called Olly, who seems about to propose. Is this what she wanted? The reflection is further enhamced by the unexpected appreance of her first love, the one who left her at 16, breaking her heart. As events come to a head, the cake is cut & she wishes she were 16 again.

And the next morning, she wakes up to find that she is 16 again, but with the knowledge of being 32. Her parents show more are also younger, still together ahead of their breakup shortly after Flora's 16th birthday. But everything else is different, she hasn't gone back 16 years, just is 16 years younger and 1 month ago. It all gets very confusing but she tries to do the right thing to keep her parents together, and to turn up at Tashy's wedding and wish herself back to 32 - presuming she wants to return, of course.

What actually happens is a bit of a fix. It is almost too neat and the ending just tips over into fairy tale territory. show less

I adore Jenny Colgan. This is the fifth book I've read by her, and she never fails to entertain me. I've learned not to take her books with me the train, because they always make me laugh out loud, and having people stare at you is rather uncomfortable.

Do You Remember The First Time? is not as hysterically funny as Amanda's Wedding or Talking to Addison, but incredibly amusing in a more clever way, like Working Wonders. It's a lovely take on an often used plot device, and Jenny Colgan actually makes it feel rather believable.

I love Jenny Colgan's heroines, and Flora is no exception. She's a bit over-emotional of course, but she turns into a teenager? What can be a better excuse?

The ending is predictable, but perfect!

If you're looking show more for something light and funny to read, I can definitely recommend Do You Remember The First Time? show less

This is the first book by Jenny Colgan that I have ever read. When I read the synopsis I thought that it's it would be an easy, funny book but I must say that I'm a little bit disappointed. I think that the central premise just falls apart. At one point, Flora speculates that she has gone back to 1987, which would have made more sense and been more fun. This is probably something the author considered and abandoned, in the belief that she was being more original.The problem is, the new "original" premise doesn't stand scrutiny. Why should only Flora's friends still know her? How can her parents just be the same characters when they have been transposed from 1980s fortysomethings into 21st-century fortysomethings?At the end, when the show more realities re-align and we are presented with another, third version of the time-frame, even more holes appear. (Justin exists? So where is Stanzi? And who's her best friend in this reality??) show less

A 32-yr-old woman wishes to be 16 again, giving her a chance to do things differently, Weird, in that she doesn't go any further back in time than a month, yet she (and her parents) are 16 years younger. I found the interactions with side characters (especially an early encounter with police 'bobbies,' which was hilarious) funnier than the main characters.

This one kept my interest and I read it quite quickly.

Recommended for a light read, with a twist on the body-switching plot.

**(2nd summary)
Flora Scurrison wishes to be 16 again at her best friend’s wedding and gets her wish. However, while she and her parents have ‘lost’ 16 years, it is only a month earlier than when the wish was made. While her friend struggles with pre-wedding show more cold feet, Flora must fight her way through high school in 2004, while trying to keep her parents from making the same divorce-causing mistakes and doing her best to avoid falling for her first love’s younger brother… Amusing, though I found some of the marginal characters more fun than main (a scene towards the beginning with a couple of cops is hilarious!!!). show less