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Summary: Insightful Conversation
Review: While Come Together does not break new ground, and ultimately ends up being rather predictable, I still found it a very worthwhile read. I found a lot of the dialogue to be quite insightful without being pretentious and this book was a lot of fun to read. Some of the conversations are gems and there were some very frank and realistic discussions. Come Together reminded me a great deal of Fried Calamari which is a wonderfully frank all-dialogue novel between a man and a woman.
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Summary: Brilliant read!
Review: This book reminded me of The Bridget Jones' Diary except it was told by both the man and the woman. The accuracy (and irony) made it a real page turner and a pleasure to read. Welcome to the real world of dating and mating!
Rating:
Summary: A Hilarious Page-Turner!!
Review: *Come Together* is a hilarious, engaging page-turner. This boy-meets-girl story is cleverly told by both the male and female perspectives, in alternating chapters, entitled, appropriately, "Jack" and "Amy." The two characters' perspectives are written by a writer of the corresponding sex: Josie Lloyd wrote the Amy parts, and Emlyn Rees (who became Lloyd's real-life love during the writing of the novel) wrote the Jack portions.Although there are two different authors with two very different perspectives on the occurences in the novel, the authors' tones match exactly, and the story never feels like its been interrupted with the change of narrator. On the contrary, the differing viewpoints inject more drama and humour to the events in the book, and will make you even more curious to see what the other character was thinking when a certain event happened to both of them, and how the other character will respond to the latest interaction. We meet Jack first. We find out that he is a handsome, 27 year- old painter living in his friend Matt's flat in London. We also soon find out that he is a seasoned Lothario who has had one serious relationship, and not much luck with women since (outside the bedroom, anyway. Inside the bedroom, he's doing very well, thank you. But lately, that hasn't felt like enough. Although his previous relationship ended badly, and his heart still bears some bruises, he can't help but sometimes wonder what it would be like to be in a good, solid relationship again.). Jack lives with his equally handsome 'best mate,' Matt, a successful City lawyer. Lucky for Jack, Matt has a great apartment, complete with an art studio, which he doesn't mind letting Jack stay in for a reasonable rent, a closet-full of nice clothes which he lets Jack borrow whenever he wants/needs to, and a fabulous vintage car, which Jack can drive at will. Jack pays the rent by working part-time in an art gallery 3 days a week, but there isn't much left over after buying art supplies and beer at the local pub. He is embarrassed about this, and sometimes gives off the impression that all of said stuff is his, and that he has been able to afford said lifestyle from successfully selling his paintings. If Jack were asked: "Girl sitting at the end of the Bar," or "Girlfriend," chances are he would choose the former. But this is before he meets Amy. After he meets her, all bets are off. Well, maybe anyway.... he doesn't quite know *what* to do with himself when he meets her. But he knows he likes what he sees. When we meet Amy, we find that she is a pretty 25-year-old who is just sort of coasting through temping jobs, although she has dreams of being in fashion design... someday. She hasn't had sex in six months, as she has decided that unless the 'Bloke' is worth something in the long haul, it's just not worth her time to get involved. She has a thing for Matt (Jack's roommate), and she wonders if he might be The One. That is, until she meets Jack, and ends up chatting the night away with him in drunken comfort at Matt's birthday party. The night ends platonically, but both Jack and Amy feel something, and start wondering about the other, and revel at how comfortable and enjoyable their conversation and time together was. There are many other complications, however, which need to be dealt with before they can embark on a relationship. For example, Jack has a thing for enjoying painting scantily clad (ok, naked) women in his studio that he hopes to sleep with someday. And Amy needs to know that she has met a man she can trust. This is only the tip of the iceberg, as more and more obstacles, both potential and real, come along to possibly tear them asunder and present any further commitment. It is a fun ride, and it will keep you turning the pages way past your bedtime to see what happens next. (Well, it did me anyway :)). This book is a breezy, light, entertaining read, with an interesting format and a page-turning pace. The insights are totally right on the mark, and the book has a way of telling each situation how it really feels for the person in it, without all the pretense of projection and the self-conscious filtering our emotions go through before they meet even the closest of our friends. It is distilled, Real, Natural humour, and British at that (the book is set in London). If you are looking for a clever, fun, Laugh Out Loud romantic comedy, I highly recommend this book. Speaking of romantic comedies, this book would make a great movie, along the lines of, say, Bridget Jones' Diary.
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Summary: Laugh Outloud Funny
Review: This book has soared to the number 1 spot on my list of favorites! Amy and Jack's rocky relationship is so easy to relate to. There are some parts of the book that I found so funny, I was actually laughing out loud, and making my friends read certain passages. I highly recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book!
Review: This is the first book I've ever read that actually goes into the minds of the characters themselves and tells you the story from their own perspectives. It's funny, it's entertaining and real. Anyone who's ever been in a relationship can definitely relate to this one.
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Summary: See what it's like on the other side...
Review: I picked this book up, and I couldn't put it down. The chapters go from bounce between the points of view of Jack and Amy. For once, it is nice to see what the guy is thinking (or not thinking) as the girl analyzes every second of their last conversation. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a great read to pass the time.
Rating: 
Summary: Well done!
Review: Bought this book at the airport during a layover, and was enchanted. The fellow in the seat next to me asked me once what made me snicker so. The she said/he said point of view was fantastic. I liked the book so much that once at my destination, I went looking for "Come Again" the follow up novel.
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Summary: He said/She said
Review: There are few books that are written with both the male and female point of view. Well, at least not a book as honest as this one. It was interesting to read about a man like Jack. Is he a typical male? He certainly seemed to be. And I could definitely relate to poor Amy. Were there mixed signals in their relationship? There certainly were. There were so many realistic views on dating in a big city that I felt as though the book was written about my life. Single life isn't easy, is it? A lot of people would agree with me on this one. Men and women should definitely read this entertaining and touching novel!
Rating:
Summary: Delightfully funny and entertaining
Review: This book proved another delightful surprise, witty, engaging and even honest. It felt quite original, despite another exploration of the singles scene in London, given its dual narrators, both of whom are very likable characters. And you really get inside both their heads, seeing things from both perspectives and getting to really know - not to mention like - both of them. Amy and Jack are two single people living in London, working to get their various careers on track and trying to figure, well, life out, I guess. When they meet, Amy's sick of being lonely and Jack's in the midst of a bout of one-night-stands, so they're not exactly on the same wave length. But the book details how they get there, with obstacles along the way. And even though it's pretty clear how things will end up, the trip is still very nice. All of the characters are richly drawn, with a few minor exceptions, which helps keep the book interesting. More than anything, however, it's lighthearted fun, a sure cure for the blues - I'm very glad I picked up this book when a little cranky, as I read it all in one sitting and emerged slightly more cheery. I definitely think this is an enjoyable, worthwhile read that's different from a lot of others and is certainly time - and money - well spent.
Rating:
Summary: Worth Your Time
Review: This book was a very fun and flirty story told in an interesting way. The authors used a "he said-she said" style to narrate, alternating each chapter. It was this twist that helped me through the book at a couple of thinner points in the tale. While I didn't really laugh out loud, the book is still humorous and entertaining and I recommend it for nice light reading.
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