In Review

22 November 2008 00:39 BST

A Good Girl Comes Undone by Polly Williams

Published by Sphere, out now, hardback, 342 pages, £14.99.

In a nutshell...

An intricately woven chick-lit delight.

What's it all about?

This is the tale of Annie, a deputy editor at a glossy magazine who has just bought her first home with her boyfriend. Life all seems to be falling into place, so why does it feel like the wrong fit? Blend in a younger sister, Georgia, who is about to marry her gloriously rich fiance, and parents who live in their idyllic Cotswolds childhood home and the story unfolds.

Annie's life becomes entangled when a series of events threaten her core existence; boyfriend Nick quits his job and kindly leaves Annie paying the bills, while a shake-up in the dynamics at work and a new strangely alluring executive provide further uncertainties. These circumstances lead Annie to question her life and whether she has in fact chosen the correct path after all.

Who's it by?

Polly Williams has received high praise for her previous novels A Bad Bride's Tale and The Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy, firmly establishing herself as a reader's favourite in this field. Williams' attributes stem from a career that began as an editor of her own magazine and followed as a journalist for publications such as You magazine, In Style, Dazed and Confused, the Sunday Times and the Independent.

As an example...

"Am I out of character? Have I become someone else? The odd thing is that I feel more like myself than ever."

Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster

This book is destined for hearty approval on both sides of the Atlantic.

What the others say

"Like Sex and the City, but set in London, with a believable, flesh-and-blood heroine." - Red magazine.

"This is the sort of book you'll devour in a handful of sittings." - Glamour magazine.

So is it any good?

This is a delicious read that is sparklingly relevant to its audience. The story of Annie and her world draws readers into a high-paced yarn of an ambitious, career-driven woman unsure of what exactly she craves. As the story gathers pace and she is faced with numerous obstacles, this draws you in further with harsh dilemmas of love and life aplenty.

A highly enticing book whose words are spun in a way that feed the hungry imagination of readers famished of gossip and glitz, savouring it to the last page.

8/10

Helena Wilson