5-Star Review
One week! One week is all it took me to devour this delicious story. I was hooked to the point of holding onto my copy of the book while stirring dinner on the stove. I then continued reading while I balanced the book on my lap while I ate. The confessions of a true book addict right there, I know I’m not the only one who has tomato splatters on the pages of a book. It wasn’t only my cooking skills that suffered, but my ability to sleep as well. I had to enact the ‘one more chapter’ rule to avoid sleep deprivation as I became increasingly engrossed within the world of Bee, her offsiders and their entwined lives.
I felt a deep connection toward all the characters, not just those in the lead. Bee endured plenty of crappy moments, brightened by happy times, and through it all I genuinely felt her work family right there alongside her. Not all characters brought sunshine and lollipops to Bee’s world, but without these characters and their balance of sad times, the relatability to the real world would have been diluted. Let’s be honest, none of us have bright, bubbly worlds ALL the time, that’s why we read. I adored Bee, but I absolutely craved the one-liners from Fred – she was my LOL character and added a little something extra for me. What sealed this story as a solid 5 stars for me was the unpredictability. I will admit there were two solid story lines that I did not see coming – AND I loved it all the more for it!
Underneath the story lines, I enjoyed the theme of ‘not judging a book by it’s cover’. Although not explicitly highlighted, I found this concept appeared on a few occasions and strengthened character developments. I know I have been guilty of this once or twice before, so a gentle reminder was well received.
Now let’s talk about the title, ‘The Other Bridget’. I’m sure we are all aware of its underlying reference, and if you don’t, it’s a sure sign that you need to get yourself a copy and read, pronto. Such a creative way to breathe new life into a character’s name. Kudos Rachael! The book cover, in the words of my 12-year-old – “mint”.
Not only am I reading Johns’ latest books as they are released, but I am also working my way through her backlist and was excited to stumble across a copy of Talk of the Town last weekend and have had How to mend a broken heart recommended by a friend.
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