Review: HELLO, HEARTBREAK by Amy Huberman *****

You'd think 27 years would be enough time to wise up to the rules of love and loss, especially Rule Number 1: Do not, at any time, let him see how much he has hurt you. But no, Izzy Keegan was probably off doing sambuca shots when that lesson was taught. So, starting with public humiliation (that infamous blow-up with her Ex and his new woman...huge mistake), and taking in temporary insanity, rebound sex, and a night in a police cell along the way, Izzy has to make up her own rules for coping with heartbreak.
Luckily she has friends who are there for her through thick and thin (even if 'doing an Izzy' is their new shorthand for completely losing it). And she's got her foot in the door of the film business (though dogsbody wasn't exactly the job she dreamt of doing). Now, all she has to do is put the dirty cheating love-rat behind her. You'd think 27 years would be enough time to wise up to the rules of love and loss. Make that 27 and a bit...

Oh my goodness, this book was SO GOOD!
I still chuckle and grin and giggle just thinking about this brilliant little thing, but I have to be honest with you, I wasn't expecting that much to begin with. I'm not into books about girls coping with breaking up and waaah, plus I read that Ms Huberman is an actress so I sort of figured she's just another girl who got a publishing deal just because she's famous. But boy oh boy was I *wrong*, this girl was BORN to write chick lit!

The story itself is quite simple - our occassionally ditzy yet absolutely adorable heroine Izzy has been dumped by the love of her life and now she has to cope with all the humiliation she's gotten herself into trying to win him back. She tries to get over him with the help of her amazing friends and housemates and some yummy boys, and gets herself into about a million hilarious situations along the way. Please excuse me for simplying the story to the max, there is SO much more to it, but it's not the plot itself that takes the cake - it's the writing and the humour that make this book absolutely GOLDEN, just like the cover!

The author is Irish and as I've said before, Irish chick lit is simply the best! I love Irish humour and this book just made me laugh SO hard, I was honestly laughing my arse off and I couldn't read normally because I was crying from laughing so much (no joke!). I read one scene or sentence, burst out laughing, then tried to read more and cracked up again. I was reading it at the hotel lobby while waiting to be picked up by the agency (the holiday was over, boo) and people must've thought I was completely manic because I was literally laughing like crazy, LOL. Maybe I was just in a good mood or relaxed, but seriously, this book made me laugh so much it literally hurt and I'm not even joking! :D

Yes yes, this book is 100 % fluff and occassionally a bit silly and super light and blah blah, but SO WHAT? Its only purpuse is to entertain and I personally have to say it excels at it! I loved everything about it - Izzy, her friends Susie and Keelin, their rabbit Dermont, all the hilarious scenes involving Cian and 'Edna McClodmutton', Aidan and his gang, Izzy's workmates (espesh Eve & Geraldine) and thieir project Snog Me Now, You Dublin Whore and Gavin and ooh and aah! I loved it all! The only tiny complaint I might have is the cover, which is not really my favourite and I think it could be much better, but I suppose it's not that bad ... However, in this case what's inside really does count! ;)

The blurbs on the back cover describe this book as 'Jane Austen on ecstay' or 'Bridget Jones on viagra' and I have to say I agree, I don't know what the author was smoking or popping while working on this book, but it totally worked and reading the book really is like inhaling laughing gas or something! Other blurbs say the novel is 'fun, bubbly, gutsy and lively' as well as 'sharp and sassy' - all true!
In more awesome news, this cute little brain candy is also nominated in several categories at this year's Irish Book Awards and I'm totally keeping my fingers crossed that it wins Best Irish Newcomer of the Year and Irish Popular Book of the Year - I've already voted!

Right, well, this review was a bit hyper, but I blame it all on this book - I've read it more than a month ago and it still has this crazy happy effect on me. I want to re-read it and I just might do that the next time I'm feeling down - this awesome piece of Wit Lit is bound to do the trick!

In conclusion, all I can say is that this book was downright hilarious and brilliant and a must-read for everyone who doesn't mind a light read with lots of comedy. It's one of the best books I've read this year and I sure hope there's more where this came from, but I can't find anything on Amazon ... Nonetheless, if Ms Huberman writes any more books in the future, you best believe I'll be the first in line to read them!

overall rating:
plot: 5/5 | writing: 5/5 | characters: 5/5 | cover: 4/5