I hadn't read Ellie O'Neill before, and the cover of this one jumped out at me! The story-line was different from what I expected, but it was still a good read.
Title: The Right Girl
Author: Ellie O'Neill
Genre: Contemporary
What do you do when your perfect life . . . isn’t?
Freya has the best life – she’s officially in love and her floristry business, Blooming Brilliant, is going from strength to strength.
Two years ago, it was a different story. She was barely employed as the worst waitress in the world, with no hope of a boyfriend, and no bank balance. But then she got BBest, a lifestyle app that knows you better than you know yourself. It changed everything. It streamlined her life, taking her likes and dislikes and skills and foibles, and gave her the best options so she doesn’t make mistakes anymore. Freya has never looked back – and neither has anyone else. Everyone loves BBest, it’s a game changer.
But if she’s so in love, why doesn’t it feel exactly right? And who is that mysterious man in her beloved grandfather’s bookshop with soulful eyes that leave her unstitched? All of a sudden Freya has so many questions – and no one seems to be able to answer them. She begins to wonder what she really agreed to when she let BBest into her life. Then her grandfather is arrested, and Freya is thrust into a world she could never have imagined in her shiny, successful existence.
When you have the perfect life, should you listen to your head or your heart?
Freya has the best life – she’s officially in love and her floristry business, Blooming Brilliant, is going from strength to strength.
Two years ago, it was a different story. She was barely employed as the worst waitress in the world, with no hope of a boyfriend, and no bank balance. But then she got BBest, a lifestyle app that knows you better than you know yourself. It changed everything. It streamlined her life, taking her likes and dislikes and skills and foibles, and gave her the best options so she doesn’t make mistakes anymore. Freya has never looked back – and neither has anyone else. Everyone loves BBest, it’s a game changer.
But if she’s so in love, why doesn’t it feel exactly right? And who is that mysterious man in her beloved grandfather’s bookshop with soulful eyes that leave her unstitched? All of a sudden Freya has so many questions – and no one seems to be able to answer them. She begins to wonder what she really agreed to when she let BBest into her life. Then her grandfather is arrested, and Freya is thrust into a world she could never have imagined in her shiny, successful existence.
When you have the perfect life, should you listen to your head or your heart?
I was wondering the shops the other day, and the cover to The Right Girl popped out at me. I picked it up and read the back and thought it sounded pretty interesting so I grabbed it! It turned out to be a good read, but it wasn't what I expected it to be at all.
The Right Girl was set five years into the future, in a world where we rely on our mobile phones a little too much. The BBest app was created so you can ask it simple everyday questions that you would usually decide for yourself. As the story unfolds, we become aware of how deep this app goes, controlling your life and who is really behind it all.
I enjoyed meeting Freya, she was close to her mother and brother, and also had a great relationship with her Grandfather. She was engaged to a guy that was a great match for her, but she could feel that something was missing. She had some good room mates, who had her back when she needed them. However, after spending time in her grandfather's shop, and meeting a guy that made her heart race, she began to question a lot of things in her life.
It was good to see the change in Freya as she realised the control the BBest app had over peoples lives. She met some people that opened her eyes further, and at times I was on edge as she used her job to get information.
This was the first time I've read Ellie O'Neill, and it was quite a pleasant read. I did hope for a little more romance though, as Freya turned her life around. Although it didn't blow me away, I will definitely try her again in the future.
Here's a snippet to show you the kind of fun writing that was entwined throughout this story. I enjoyed this flirty banter!
‘Whoa,’ he cried as though he was taming a horse.
I turned around, recognising his voice and embarrassed by the vigour and power of my dig.
‘It's my workout for the day,’ I apologised.
‘It looks amazing. Well done,’ he said with enthusiasm.
I shook my head modestly. He handed me a bottle of water and a chocolate bar, which I ripped open and started to eat. I didn't even stop to read the wrapper. I mumbled with my mouth full, ‘Thanks, this is hungry work.’
‘Sorry, I didn't catch that, what with all the chocolate . . .’ He blew air into his cheeks, mocking me.
I swallowed. ‘You're not funny. This is hungry work.’
‘Good thing I've got more chocolate then.’
‘Well, don't be giving it away to everyone, they've done nothing all morning.’ I waved at my teammates, who were hunched over their shovels and forks, working away. ‘Bone lazy.’
His eyes smiled back at me mischievously. ‘Good thing I've appointed you chief chocolate officer then, you can organise who gets what.’
‘I'll have to sample the produce.’
We were flirting, and I was loving it. I was also loving the dimple on his cheek that seemed to appear and disappear, and how his flat cap had fallen slightly off his head and was now sitting at an angle, and how, even though I was five foot nine, I nearly had a pain in my neck from looking up at him, And unless I was crazy, which I could be, I felt like he was really looking at me, the whole me, and he liked me. But then again, I was probably crazy.
Paperback Pages 224-225
Hosted by Anna @ Herding Cats & Burning Soup
Ellie O’Neill is the best selling author of Reluctantly Charmed. Her second novel The Enchanted Island was released in Australia and New Zealand late last year and is doing very well, thank you. Her third novel, words she never thought she'd write, The Right Girl, will be released by the lovely people of Simon and Schuster in February 1st '18.Writing wasn't Ellie's first career, she sold spider catchers in Sydney, flipped burgers in Dublin and worked in advertising in Dublin, London and Melbourne. All the while, she had that niggling feeling, that she had stories to tell. So, at thirty-something, she made the brave leap and moved back in with her parents to get the job done. Swopping the dizzy disco lights of London for their suburban Dublin house, she scribbled away hoping and praying that there was an ending to the story that had been hatching in her head for a number of years. Her first novel Reluctantly Charmed was born.
Then most unexpectedly Ellie fell madly in love. The only catch, he lived in Australia. True to form she couldn’t ignore the magic and followed her heart to Oz for what was supposed to be a long holiday. It turned into a six year hiatus during which time Ellie published two books with Simon and Schuster and had two Australian baby boys with Joe. All projects were labors of love, frustrated tears, sleepless nights and chocolate. As if there wasn’t enough going on, Ellie and Joe decided to move their little family across the world back to Ireland to cash in on free babysitters. A few months ago they settled in a very pretty rural retreat in the south east of Ireland and are delighted to spend time again with family and friends and a little bit surprised at how their three year old can curse perfectly in an Irish accent.
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