Ralph's Party [Paperback]

Lisa Jewell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 6, 1999

Meet the residents of 31 Almanac Road Ralph and Smith are flatmates and best mates until, that is, the gorgeous Jemima moves in. And suddenly they're bickering about a lot more than who drank the last beer. Of course, Jem knows that one of them is the man for her but is it Ralph or Smith? Upstairs, Karl and Siobhan have been happily unmarried for fifteen years until, that is, Cheri moves into the flat above theirs. Cheri's got her eye on Karl and doesn't see why she should let a little thing like his girlfriend stand in her way Sooner or later its all got to come to a head and what better place for tears and laughter, break ups and make ups than Ralph's party?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Comparisons to Bridget Jones's Diary are sure to greet British author Jewell's American debut, but her tale of love among neighbors bears more resemblance to TV's Melrose Place. Intertwining the lives of six youngish, soul-searching and fun-loving characters who live in a trendy London brownstone, the author (who allegedly penned this book on a dare) sets her romantic comedy at 31 Almanac Road. A love triangle involves Ralph, a promising artist whose career is currently stagnant; his best friend and flat-mate, Smith, a self-centered, well-to-do PR man; and Jem, their vibrant new flat-mate, who falls for Smith even as Ralph is hopelessly smitten with her. Jewell takes a potshot at self-absorbed Gen-Xers with Cheri, a outrageously gorgeous, self-centered single woman and voracious man-eater. Karl and Siobhan have been together for 15 years, but their complacency is ruptured when Siobhan, fat and feeling unloved, goes for another guy and Karl is unfaithful with Cheri. Jewell satirizes tell-all media programs when Karl is propelled into stardom by detailing his personal woes on a radio show. Spicing up the fast-paced plot is Smith's long-running, long-distance obsession over Cheri and Jem's inexplicable attraction to Ralph, though she remains devoted to Smith. Enjoyable scenes include a hot chile-eating contest and Jem and Ralph's first visit to a sex-toy store, where they're initially nervous, but are soon examining the merchandise with gusto. An amusing denouement brings all six tenants together and wittily, neatly ties up their lives in a novel that won Jewell acclaim and a TV movie option in England, where this light delight was first published.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

A shameless flirt of a first novel that traces the roller-coaster lives of six people sharing the same London brownstone. Jem finds the place of her dreams literally when she peers into the basement flat where a room is being let and remembers a recurring dream shes had since her teens of a mans head viewed through a window. Smith, who owns the flat, and his best friend Ralph (a penniless artist) are renting the spare room in an attempt to break their after-work routine of TV, beer, and a joint before bed. Jem, convinced that one of the inhabitants must be Mr. Right, moves in, and the plot immediately thickens. A scant week passes before the usually sensible young woman beds Smith because he brought her favorite flowers home and helped a bit in the kitchen. The casual sex is fine with Smith; it might make Cheri (who lives above them) jealous and bring his five-year obsession with the willowy blond to fruition. But Cheri is occupied with breaking upjust for the challenge of itKarl and Siobhan, a happy couple who occupy the ground-floor space. Inextricably, though unknowingly interconnected, the six protagonists somersault through a series of misadventures. Ralph, having read Jem's diaries on the sly, is convinced hes her destiny and falls head over heels. Despite the scatterbrained plotting, the author casts a perceptive eye on the difficulty of relationships: her tone is sweet and tragic when delineating Karl and Siobhan, dreamily romantic with Ralph and Jem, and just plain neurotic with regard to the very modern Smith and Cheri. When Ralph is adamantly brushed off by Jem (Smith must be the one!), he spends the next two months painting portraits of her. For the night of his gallery opening, he invites all involved to the party, hoping hell will break loose and the righteous will have their day. Slight, yes, but enjoyable. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books (May 6, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014027927X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140279276
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (89 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,317,492 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A party I would LOVE to go to..., March 19, 2001

By 

Dianna Johnston "Compulsive Reader" (Joplin, MO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ralph's Party: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

I will admit. I was hoping for a goofy, Bridget-Jones-type British novel. Ralph's Party did not live up, although it was a funny soap opera-ish tale in it's own right. And for a first novel, it really was quite good.

Ralph and Smith are flatmates in search of a third person to share the load. Their new find comes in the form of young Jem, a sweet-looking twenty-something who winds up with both her new roomies competing for her. Of course, the story couldn't be as black-and-white as that...

Throw a couple of love triangles in the mix: Even though Smith seems to be the winner of Jem's affection, he secretly harbors a five year passion for upstairs neighbor, Cheri. Meanwhile, Cheri has been having an affair with the downstairs neighbor, Karl. And of course Karl has his live-in love, Siobhan, who he's been with for the past 15 years. And what about Siobhan? Well, there are all sorts of changes waiting in the wings for her. The lives of these six people that intermingle throughout the novel finally culminates with a bombshell of a party that you DON'T want to miss!

For readers who are in search of Bridget Jones humor, this novel is not for you. But if you crave a breezy tale of mixed-up Londoners with some interesting insight into the male mind (plus a few paragraphs of disgusting male behavior), then Ralph's Party will surely suffice.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars So much fun!, June 1, 2000

By 

Michelle Bilski (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ralph's Party: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

I have grown a little tired of the "Bridget Jones" type books and was really expecting "Ralph's Party" to be similar. It is not-it is truly exceptional! It follows the lives of several different characters and although at first it was a little hard to keep up with/care about all of the characters, by the end of the novel I cared about each one. The character development was fantastic and Jewell does an excellent job of establishing a storyline and developing characters. I was actually sad when the book ended!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny and Sweet -- Perfect Beach Reading, August 15, 2000

By 

Elizabeth Hendry (New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ralph's Party: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

Ralph's party is a well-written, amusing, enjoyable story about a group of 20ish/30ish people who live near, or are somehow connected to, an apartment complex in London. Their stories are quite entertaining and told with a gentle wit. The main characters are Smith and Ralph, two roommates who add a third, Jem, a kooky and attractive young woman who believes that she is destined to marry one of them. This novel being a romantic comedy, she of course winds up with the wrong one at first, but ultimately sees the romantic truth (as do the other characters in the novel) at, you guessed it, Ralph's party. This book is a quick, non-taxing read, but I really enjoyed it. I kept thinking it would make a great movie, just as long as Hugh Grant somehow gets a part. If you are looking for a light, entertaining novel, Ralph's party is for you. Have fun.