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rianm's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
deemw's review
4.0
Definitely not my usual style but I enjoyed it. Want to see the movie more than before now
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
Warmly entertaining period piece, shades of 'Ladies Delight'.
An enjoyable listen, set in a large Australian department store in the women's clothing section. It follows a group of disparate women, from a teenager struggling to find her feet away from her parents to the older married women with issues of their own.
Two of the four main characters stood out for me more than the others, their storylines were more of interest to me. I enjoyed the time period and all the social issues associated with it, but also the Australian setting occasionally reminded me of the differences in place and attitude.
Some funny scenes and characters, the narrator brought the accent(s) out well, differentiating the different men and women with ease.
I have enjoyed shop-set stories in the past, Zola's 'Ladies Delight' and the Woodhead 'Mr Selfridge' book and this felt very much authentically of the genre. It's a light-feeling pleasure, and I've now discovered it's also a film which I will try to watch. It should work nicely on a screen.
This is an easy listen to keep up with despite the multiple storylines/narrators, the speaker does manage to make each sound different but the book itself separates them easily so you instantly know which character you are following.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
An enjoyable listen, set in a large Australian department store in the women's clothing section. It follows a group of disparate women, from a teenager struggling to find her feet away from her parents to the older married women with issues of their own.
Two of the four main characters stood out for me more than the others, their storylines were more of interest to me. I enjoyed the time period and all the social issues associated with it, but also the Australian setting occasionally reminded me of the differences in place and attitude.
Some funny scenes and characters, the narrator brought the accent(s) out well, differentiating the different men and women with ease.
I have enjoyed shop-set stories in the past, Zola's 'Ladies Delight' and the Woodhead 'Mr Selfridge' book and this felt very much authentically of the genre. It's a light-feeling pleasure, and I've now discovered it's also a film which I will try to watch. It should work nicely on a screen.
This is an easy listen to keep up with despite the multiple storylines/narrators, the speaker does manage to make each sound different but the book itself separates them easily so you instantly know which character you are following.
With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.
alinaprotti's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
kobby34's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
moshalala's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
sryoung's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
lorianasoma's review
2.0
Not my cup of tea. I generally prefer books set in current times and this type of comedy didn't appeal to my sense of humor. Glad it was a quick read so I could finish before book club!
hennyb's review against another edition
The narrator doesn't know how to do Hungarian accent - instead it's uses an offensive and stereotypical Bad Russian Accent. Just no.
jennifermreads's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It took me a few chapters to get into the groove of the writing style. I wasn’t overly thrilled with the rhythm and structure though I did get more used to it with each turn of the page. However, I became so invested in the characters’ lives that I knew I would not DNF this story. And, yes, I was so enchanted with young Lisa and her coworkers Fay and Patty that I just had to see how the book would end. For those who like them, this is a HEA—so read with assurance that all is resolved by the final page!
For the life of me, I could not recall why I had requested this novel from the public library—until I got to the “Enhance Your Book Club” suggestions at the end. Voilà! In 2018, the book was made into a film starring Julia Ormond. With a bit of Googling, I discovered it was made into a six-episode TV series starring Debi Mazar and is reportedly debuting on ABC sometime in 2024. These characters were so charming, I’ll be watching the movie soon—and I will keep an eye open for the debut of the TV adaptation too.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol and Sexual content
Sex is off-page/behind door.