Reviews

The Perfect Fit by Mary Jayne Baker

liz_not_bennet's review

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funny lighthearted relaxing

3.25

First of all, I loved Becky! It's always nice to have a likable female MC.
The overall vibe was so cozy, this falls definitely under "feel-good".
Plot-wise this could've been such a cliché but instead the author managed to give each character depth and motivation.
I wasn't a fan of the final conflict, especially since there were actually two that played out almost identical but I can overlook that.

mpr2000's review against another edition

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4.0

I am not sure if you’ve ever been to a Christmas pantomime, but after reading this lovely story, I can’t wait to go to one!
Becky Finn has returned to her little village at the Yorkshire Dales, while she is waiting for her fiancé to find a job near her and move from London, she needs to keep her social life a little busy. So, she decides to help the community centre to gain some money and keep the local open. What could be more funny to win money than doing a Christmas pantomime based on the people living on Egglethwaite? Be prepared for a humorous story; witty dialogue, special characters and love, the perfect mix!
I finished this book in a snap; the characters were so funny and the story so addictive that I couldn’t put it down. Because Becky is a charming and lovely woman that without knowing it, will have to decide if the perfect man exists. Because, even if she already has the “perfect” man, she is starting to have questions about their relationship… is he the best for her? Or the co-star Marcus will be a better fit for her?
I liked how the story is not only based on Becky’s relation with her fiancé/co-star, the other characters of the pantimome have an important part on the book; with their eccentricities and needs, all together makes this the perfect fit.
This is the second book of the “A Love in the Dales’ Story” series but you can read it as standalone, but I am sure that you’ll feel so involved on the story of the village that you’ll want to read both of them!
If you are searching for a book to disconnect, enjoy and have a few laughs, this is for you, is The Perfect Fit!

fmfire's review against another edition

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4.0

I laughed through a good part of this book and that's not the best part. A fun romp through everything that goes on backstage at a Panto along with all the knob jokes anyone could want. This is the story to remind you that sometimes it's not the price that you want it's the boot boy..

british2197's review against another edition

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5.0

"Why is a panto called a panto? Because it arrr!"

Are you looking to run a pantomime? Need some advice how? Pick up this book. Also, if you need a good laugh... pick up this book!
Donald Duck laughing

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. Even better than the prequel. With a new character being the protagonist (Becky) I was expected to be disappointed (because I loved Lana), but was I proven wrong. This novel has the same great cast and characters from the novel but 100 times the humour. This novel is uplifting and so hilarious I was laughing my way through the pages. That first dress rehearsal scene and Deano who is pretty much at the end of his tether during the whole directing process come to mind. The relationship between Becky and Marcus I saw coming from their first few interactions, what with how different Cole and Becky are. There are so many British puns and slang it could go over some people's heads.

In no way would you feel at a disadvantage if you haven't read the first book. Even though this book is a sequel it would make a great standalone as the references to the prequel's plot are minimal and main characters are quickly and efficiently described as a refresher. I enjoyed the realism in this book: Cameron and Tom's relationship together and with their lovely adopted daughter Pip was beautiful, in contrast with Stewart and Lana who are going through the adoption process.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book if you want to be swept away with a tightly-knit community of colourful characters and never-ending laughter.

lexywrites1's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I thought that this book was good 

tia_nellie's review

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funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

lisastein's review

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4.0

Solid 4 1/2 stars. I liked the story, and the writing, and there's just something about books set in England that really appeals to me. The quips, the different words than I'm used to, it stretches the brain and makes me chuckle. I could use a good chuckle.

Sweet story, perfect for a flight last night. Would recommend easily.

shelleyann01's review against another edition

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4.0

The Perfect Fit is the second installment of the Love in the Dales series. I have not read the first one but it isn't necessary, The Perfect Fit is wonderful as a stand alone. Every single chapter made me smile at least once, if not chuckle or down right giggle out loud. This is a sweet and funny romantic comedy. It is about a town putting on a pantomime and the book itself becomes a pantomime of its own.

The Perfect Fit is a romantic comedy in the truest sense. It's a heartwarming story and such a fantastic read, I absolutely adored this book. Just like Cinderella it is enchanting, gripping and just an overall lovely novel. All of the characters were lovely to read about and I so enjoyed getting to know them all. The location of this novel was just beautiful and I yearned to be there. I have every intention of reading the first book, A Bicycle Made for Two. That should tell you how much I enjoyed this romp!

Thank you NetGalley, Mirror Books and Mary Jayne Baker for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

#ThePerfectFit #NetGalley

All my reviews can be found on my blog: https://shelleyann01.blogspot.com/

briarsreviews's review against another edition

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5.0

Mary Jayne Baker's hit The Perfect Fit is an amazingly British story that brightened up my day!

Mary Jayne is one of my newest, most favourite authors around. Her stories are full of romance and comedy, as well as so much British slang and jokes that I can't help but be addicted to them! My childhood was full of family members from England, so I absolutely dig all of the British-ness packed tight into this story. Let alone, the fact that this story has an awesome plot and continues the story started in A Bicycle Made for Two.

This time around, Becky Finn is putting on a pantomime for charity! She came up with the idea after taking a special little girl to a special little production of Peter Pan ("Why are pirates called pirates? Because they arrrrrrre." Seriously, this book is a gem, people!). Becky is engaged to a wonderful man but is feeling left out. She wants kids but he wants to get married first and he is always away. In walks Marcus - a friend who she may have some feelings for. Who will she end up with?! Will the pantomime be successful? Will there be more cheesey jokes? You will have to read to find out.

Although, I promise there are LOTS of cheesey jokes. Lots of innuendos too! My gosh, the innuendos were amazing...

This book definitely far exceeded my expectations. I find that most sequels are hit and miss, but this book did the impossible! It grew the story and made me love it just as much as the first one! I definitely want to continue picking up books by Ms. Baker (Mrs. Baker? Dr. Baker? Whatever). I feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside after reading books like this.

You definitely don't need to read the first book to understand this one. Yes, there are some characters present from the other book in this series, but it doesn't affect the story. As a reader, you are given all of the information you need to understand and read your little heart out! That being said, I would highly recommend reading the first book because it's funny and romantic like this one!

But... you may be thinking... this review is way too positive! There must be some negatives! And there absolutely are. While I think this book is definitely amazing and worth reading, it falls flat with some of the character development. It felt very stereotypical, but that doesn't bother me too much. I didn't come for an Oscar-winning movie-esque book. I came for funny jokes, a splash of romance and lots of British slang. If you're looking for the next Notebook, you've come to the wrong place. This book is all about fun! I was smirking most of my way through it because it was such a treat.

On a side note: I did enjoy that there was a lot of realism in this book despite all of the comedy. This book features a gay couple who adopts a beautiful, little girl named Pip and it felt very fitting. It wasn't used as a joke or a gag, it just fit right in. Throw in the parenting struggles about adopting to begin with (since a straight couple is also trying to adopt) and having life pass adults by. All of those struggles are super real but addressed very well in this book. I applaud Mary Jayne for adding these. It felt really good to see them.

Overall, this book gets five inflatable boobs out of five inflatable boobs.

If you don't understand the reference, read the book to find out!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

bookedandlit's review against another edition

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4.0

::I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to read your work!::
This week I read The Perfect Fit by Mary Jayne Baker . This book is set in a small town in England and for my fellow Americans I suggest reading everything with a Hugh Grant-type pacing. I know it's silly, but it helped! Our leading lady in this story is Becky Finn, she is returning to her hometown with her artist fiancé Cole. This story is really sweet and unfolds at a nice pace. Becky decides to help put on a play for her community and ends up meeting someone new. A male someone new..a lovingly supportive and hilariously charming someone new. I really like that this story doesn't pit the two men against each other in an aggressive way. It's basically about Becky deciding what kind of life she wants and pursing it. Honestly it was refreshing for a romance novel. Baker also takes great care in developing really lovable side characters to help fill the story out. By the end, you kinda want to stay with this cast of characters. Oh..and if you decide to give this a try, just know that this is book 2 in a series, but it totally works as a stand alone story.