Build A Man [Kindle Edition]

Talli Roland (Author)

Book Description

The perfect man is out there . . . he just needs a little work. 

A Top 15 Pick of 2011 by Chick Lit News and Reviews
Voted a Top Ten Book of 2011 by Trashionista

PRAISE FOR BUILD A MAN:

This is a hugely entertaining book, light-hearted yet with hidden messages of self belief, hope and about following dreams. --Kim the Bookworm 

Build A Man had characters I really, really cared for, it had an inspired plot (Talli is a plot genius!), it had warmth and humour . . . I can't recommend it enough.  --Chick Lit News and Reviews

A light and charming read, I found the main character, Serenity Holland, to be reminiscent of the loveable awkwardness of Bridget Jones. --Novel Escapes

DESCRIPTION:

Slave to the rich and the rude, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. When she meets Jeremy Ritchie -- the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between -- Serenity knows she's got a story no editor could resist.

With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and she's ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, Serenity must decide how far she really will go for her dream job.

The next book in the series, Construct A Couple, is now available.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I am happy to put Build A Man on my Favorites List and give it a whopping five stars! Roland has everything right in this story--a sweet but confused heroine, a gripping plot, and lots of laughs along the way. I was invested from the beginning, and had to see how Serenity and Jeremy's story played out." --Chick Lit Plus

"Build A Man is fast-paced, well-written chick lit that I can't recommend highly enough." --The Book Chick

From the Author

Thank you for looking at Build A Man!

This novel holds a special place in my heart, since the main character, Serenity, experiences many of the same feelings I did when I first moved to England from Canada. Everything seemed so different and strange, yet exciting -- a whole new world of potential opening up. Like Serenity, I also worked as a receptionist in a place where London's wealthy women flocked for Botox, and I couldn't help being shocked at the amount of money they shelled out each visit. 

Although Serenity's journey in the novel is much more extreme than my own (thank goodness!), I can definitely relate to struggling to find your place in a foreign environment . . . and to desperately trying to figure out what you want from life.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 471 KB
• Print Length: 308 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1475081960
• Publisher: Notting Hill Press (November 5, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00642BCX2
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,178 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars fresh and original! December 26, 2011

By Meredith G. Schorr

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'd like to give this book 4.5 stars.

In the beginning of Build a Man, the main character Serenity's dream is to write for a tabloid paper. The opportunity presents itself and she thinks her life is finally turning around until she finds herself trapped in a web of lies and has to decide if her dream is worth sacrificing her soul.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I loved being part of Serenity's journey as she tried to reconcile the life she thought she always wanted with her conscience, her own sense of right and wrong and her heart. I found myself laughing out loud several times. Serenity was a great character and from the beginning to the end, there was strong character development as she stopped wanting what was good on paper in favor of what made her truly happy.

The two things that kept me from giving this book 5 stars were a) I thought the ending was a little abrubt and b) throughout most of the book, I kept waiting for Serenity to stand up to a very cold and emotionally abusive person in her life and she never did.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this Book! December 6, 2011

By Samantha J

Format:Kindle Edition

Talli Roland is rapidly running up my ladder of favorite authors. I couldn't wait to read the latest from her, Build a Man, and am grateful she keeps sending copies my way! This story follows Serenity Holland, an American living across the Pond and working as receptionist at her boyfriend's cosmetic surgery clinic. She really has dreams of being a tabloid reporter, and she is trying desperately to get noticed from a magazine. It is at the clinic that she meets Jeremy Ritchie, a man determined to have a complete transformation. Jeremy wants plastic surgery from head to toe to make over who he has become, and Serenity's boyfriend Peter is just the man for the job. Serenity catches of the eye of a tabloid with her story about Jeremy--a man so obsessed with plastic surgery--and finally lands a chance to become a real writer! But will going undercover work in Serenity's favor, or will she watch everything fall apart?

I am happy to put Build a Man on my Favorites List and give it a whopping five stars! Roland has everything right in this story--a sweet but confused heroine, a gripping plot, and lots of laugh along the way. I was invested from the beginning, and had to see how Serenity and Jeremy's story played out. The only gripe I was about to have was that it ended too quickly--I felt that Serenity and Jeremy were only just beginning when the story came to an end, but then I saw there is a sequel--hurray! If you haven't read anything yet from Roland, get her on your list!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Build A Man is AMAZING! December 1, 2011

By Tonyak

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I absolutely loved Build A Man! I've read all of Talli's books and this has to be by far the one with the most heart. Her voice really shines through in her writing and her passion for her characters are proven in the way she develops her characters. With out giving too much away, I really fought for Serenity to dig deep in her moral soul and do what was ethically right for her life. Serenity shows that you can do a job you love and not compromise your moral compass. I also fell in love with her secondary characters and Serenity's best friend, Kristy. I love how Talli hit on the emotions of thinking the grass is greener. This is definitely a FVIE star plus novel!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Build a better novel October 21, 2012

By pensive pen

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Think twice before purchasing "Build a Man." Heroines are supposed to be flawed but lovable, and you'll want to ring this girl's neck for being so vain and stupid. I love novels set in England, but this British setting is one of the few things this book has going for it. Who would ever fall for a guy who not only contemplates major plastic surgery but actually goes through with it? And what kind of woman would let the man she loves got through with the surgery for her own selfish reasons? A last-second intervention on Serenity's part would have been a bit overly dramatic, but that's one of the reasons we intelligent women read chit lit in the first place . . . we want an escape--but we don't want to shake our heads and roll our eyes until a major migraine sets in. Talli Roland needs to take a year or two off and brush up on her Austen.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A little disapointing June 8, 2012

By Faithann

Format:Kindle Edition

Serenity moves to London, England after her dream job...writing for a British tabloid. In the meantime, she gets a job as a receptionist at a cosmetic clinic, where she ends up dating her boss. When Jeremy walks in and explains that he would like to be completely made over, she thinks her prayers have been answered. Imediately pitching the story of a man who wants to go under the cosmetic knife, she is offered a temporary, undercover postion at Londons biggest tabloid. If she can handle this asignment, she will get the job she has been dreaming of. However, when there are complications during Jeremy's first operation, Serenity life is turned upside down. What if everything she ever wanted, isn't what she wanted it to be?

I had a hard time getting into this book in the begining, almost to the point of not finishing the book. I did not like the main character, she was very self centered and weak. However, I did keep reading because I like Jeremy, and found myself having a hard time putting it down once I got just past the half way point because I wanted to know what happened to him. I am interested in reading the sequel "Constuct a Couple", but only if I can get my hands on a free copy from Amazon, or the library.

More About the Author

Talli Roland writes fun, romantic fiction. Born and raised in Canada, Talli now lives in London, where she savours the great cultural life (coffee and wine).

Despite training as a journalist, Talli soon found she preferred making up her own stories--complete with happy endings. Talli's debut novel The Hating Game was short-listed for Best Romantic Read at the UK's Festival of Romance, while her second, Watching Willow Watts, was selected as an Amazon Customer Favourite. Her novels have also been chosen as top books of the year by industry review websites and have been bestsellers in Britain and the United States. Build A Man is her latest release.

To learn more about Talli, go to www.talliroland.com or follow Talli on Twitter: @talliroland. Talli blogs at talliroland.blogspot.com.