BOOK REVIEW: BreakupBabe by Rebecca Agiewich

At last, a review of one of NaNovember authors' books!  Rebecca Agiewich's BreakupBabe started out as a blog, which Rebecca then fictionalised both to add a plot and - I'm conjecturing here - to avoid getting sued.  Because I am so incredibly nosey, books like this drive me mad.  I want to know which parts are true and which are made up, dammit!

Rebecca Rachel works for a software company as a technical editor.  She's just had a horrendous break-up with a guy she works with.  She's not handling it well and she starts a blog to try and process her feelings.  And the blog, as blogs are wont to do, starts to really help.  But then it's discovered by her colleagues and things fall apart.  Plus Rachel starts writing a book based on her blog.  This book, in fact.  You can see how this is confusing.   

Along with the story of Rachel's break-up (or "The Great Unpleasantness", as Rachel calls it) and her problems at work, we also hear all about Rachel's dating escapades.  These aren't the kind of so-bad-they're-funny dating stories you sometimes get; they're more real and hopeful and painful.  With each new man I was rooting for Rachel and hated seeing her disappointed over and over again. 

(If anyone has read Jennifer Crusie's Anyone But You, the BreakupBabe story reminds me a lot of the book Nina's friend is writing about her dating experiences.  Remember the publisher suggests she fictionalise it to include a more hopeful ending?)

Although I think Rebecca Agiewich is a really talented writer, I sometimes found her style a bit affected.  I also could have done with less about the medications Rachel was on, but that's probably personal preference. 

As for which parts are true, it doesn't matter, of course.  BreakupBabe feels true, and that's the most important thing. 

Rating 4 out of 5

Like this? Try I'm Celibate, Get Me Out of Here by Jo Elliott

Did you know? Rebecca is still writing the Breakup Babe blog

Don't forget! It's not too late to enter our competition to win a copy of BreakupBabe

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