Customer Reviews

Thirtynothing

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

After thoroughly enjoying "Ralph's Party," Lisa Jewell's first novel, I devoured "Thirty nothing" in less than a day. The plot of Jewell's second novel is "When Harry Met Sally" by way of "Bridget Jones": Thirty-year-olds Dig and Nadine are best friends who vow to get their lives together by finding the perfect mates. Will they ever come to realize what all their friends already know: that they were meant for each other? The book has a lot of charm and style, some very funny scenes (the first few pages, where Dig wakes up after his 30th birthday with a hangover, a 17-yr-old girl and no memory of last night's festivities, is priceless), and believable, likeable characters. Jewell writes with warmth and empathy about those late-twenties-early-thirties days when singletons invariably wonder about the path their life has taken and why they seem to be the only ones in the world who haven't hooked up. If you enjoy sassy British fiction, romantic comedy, or are just looking for some fun and enjoyable reading to while away the afternoon, "Thirty nothing" is worth a whirl.

I was pretty confident very early on in Thirty Nothing that I new what was going to happen in 'the end.' But what I found so interesting and fun about this book was that it didn't matter, it didn't at all detract from my enjoyment of the novel. And the main reason for that is the two central characters, Dig and Nadine, two Londoners who are fleshed-out, realistic, funny, exciting, fascinating, amusing 'people.' The characters with whom they interact are well-developed but simply aren't as dynamic as these two. The 'love interests' who distract Dig and Nadine are pretty repulsive to the readers, but you can still understand - and perhaps be annoyed at - why these two would get drawn in as they do. There's a lot of the universal 'turning 30-what the hell am I doing with my life-do I have to grow up-do I want to grow up' and so forth stuff that is easy to relate to - even though it's set in England - and is portrayed pretty honestly and true to life.

But more than anything, Thirty Nothing is entertaining, funny and enjoyable. I found it a perfect distraction on the crowded subway as I made my way to and from work - helped me completely escape the misery. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who wants a well-written, smart, amusing read - it's simply marvelous.

I got this in the mail the other day ~~ by a secret donor (well, I think I know who it is!) and I'm hoping that she doesn't want it back because I really, really enjoyed this book! I am 31 and can relate to Nadine and Dig's problems with commitment and with trying to recapture the feelings of the flush of first love. This book is well-written, fun, saucy and so romantic! I was late to work today because I just had to finish off the last two chapters ~~ there was no way I was going to stew about for the next 12 hours waiting to see what happens. If a book can capture my interest like that, then by golly, I am going to finish it!

It is also a quick read ~~ but I can guarantee you that this is one book that you will want to re-read over and over. You will relate to Nadine ~~ who is a strong, independent woman with electic taste in clothes and designing flair. You will fall in love with Dig ~~ everyone's best friend and the one your mother always want you to marry. You will laugh over some of their adventures from being just best friends to realizing that they're in love with each other.

Grab it ~~ you won't regret it! I am now anxiously awaiting for Lisa's next book. I hope it's soon because I don't know how long I can last while waiting for it! =) In the meantime, I'm passing this book onto my book club friends and urge them to read it! It's just one of those sweet unforgettable books that makes for a perfect day of reading!

This being my first novel by Lisa Jewell I was uncertain as to what to expect. I had heard mixed reviews on some of her other books, but I was willing to give her a try. And I can't tell you how glad I am that I did.

Thirtynothing was a delight-- well-written, great characters, wonderful plot development, a true gift of a book, particularly when I expected much less. I was expecting to pick up yet another chick lit book to flip through quickly, but this had much more.

A truly different take on the Brit Chick lit novel, Lisa brings in the male perspective-- and not just for a brief line or two, about 1/2 of the novel is written from the perspective of Dig, a sweet but clueless bloke.

The storyline in this book is excellent--- the plot twists and turns and keeps you guessing. The writing is fantastic, and at times I was surprised by how good the writing was.

If you haven't already read anything by Lisa Jewell I would recommend getting started. If you have and you are looking for another treat, pick this one up, you won't be disappointed.

2 Oct 02

I'm totally smitten with this new novel by author Lisa Jewell. Her previous book "Ralph's Party" was good....but, this new one is GREAT. I love the chemistry, charm and all around good humor in this book. As a young (well...fairly), single, working girl....I find these types of books (By way of the British Invasion) great fun. I love to escape into a world that never involves my paying off credit cards, the over abundance of dirty dishes under the bed or the fact that there is no one taking out my trash (but myself) This book is full of wonderful characters, great story, and great charm. I loved it! And, I think you will too.

Lisa Jewell's second novel, Thirtynothing, surprised me. I was expecting nothing more than a lighthearted romp of a story, something akin to the typical chick lit I've read countless times over. But I was wrong. Thirtynothing, while having many of the chick lit qualities, was more than your average looking-for-love saga for me.

Dig Ryan and Nadine Kite's friendship has stood the test of time. And after 15 years together, Dig and Nadine make a decision -- to finally find their soulmate. For Dig, turning 30 and discovering a 17-year-old in his bed was a wake-up call. Same for Nadine, who finds fault with every guy she goes out with and never makes it past the 1- or 2-month anniversary. The pact is made, the bet is shook upon, whoever finds their soulmate first wins $100. Sounds fair, right? Well, it did until moments later Dig runs into his first and only love, Delilah Lillie -- the woman who had threatened Nadine's friendship with Dig and proved to be a constant source of anguish and frustration for her. So, Nadine does what anyone else would do in her situation -- she rings up her first love, Phil, with determination not to let Dig win the bet or for Delilah to get the best of her...again.

It's war between the sexes, but mostly it's all about crossed wires. And the troubled pasts that Delilah and Phil bring into the picture adds another complicated layer to the cake. I wasn't surprised at the ending, but I enjoyed how the story unraveled to get there. Lisa Jewell has written a page-turner, a soul-searching journey for Dig and Nadine, and a romantic adventure that will have readers everywhere sighing with happiness.

It is so easy to mess up on love. The question of whether or not to get involved is often (if not always) the undercurrent of many opposite sex friendships, as anyone who's been there knows. Often pride and fear (as well as common sense) interfere in the decision making. This book is a great example of how much our lives are influenced by circumstances and decisions we make down the line. This is the first book I've read by Lisa Jewell and it inspired me to read more of her work.

Great book! I couldn't keep it down. I loved the situation that Nadine and Dig got themselves into. Dig turned thirty. He wasn't pleased. He was especially unhappy with the fact that the women he seemed to attract were teenagers. Nadine was a successful photographer who had a hard time committing to a nice man. Her free-spirited personality got in the way. Dig and Nadine made a pact: to find a substantial relationship and -- this is the tricky part -- hold on to it. So Dig rekindles his relationship with his high school girlfriend and Nadine runs into her college boyfriend. The novel got better and better. I thoroughly enjoyed Ralph's Party, Jewell's first novel. Thirty Nothing, however, is much better. Even though Lisa Jewell isn't quite as gifted as Marian Keyes and Helen Fielding, she is still able to write fun stories. I highly recommend it.

Nadine and Digby have been best friends since primary school. Both are now 30 and realize that they may just have a few commitment issues.

I loved the narration of this book. Quick paced and hilarious, you could easily identify with both characters. Interesting to see the 30 year old males point of view. Of course, I had a few problems with Digby's constance search for a perfect, slim, 21 year old - but that's MY issue.

You laugh through both Nadine's and Digby's misfortunes and silly games and find yourself rooting for them.

I have to say that savoring the trip to the ending was much better than the actual ending itself - which was somewhat predictable.

All in all a great read!

I loved this book. The characters are superb, with the inner monologues being right on target -- I was impressed by Ms. Jewell's ability to write so well from the male perspective. I can only guess that the female lead character was also very well written from a woman's point of view. It's a great story with some nice twists, and the locales and expressions of urban London seem to be drawn very well. I love the humor of the book, though it's British, there's little that the average American reader will not understand (though there are a few items of geography which would no doubt make for some even more enjoyable punch lines). A great book, and it's not just for the age group described in the title, though I come in in the low thirtysomethings, rather than a thirtynothing.