Customer Reviews

When in Rome...

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I love Rome and like this genre, so I was prepared to be enchanted by When In Rome... Instead I was disappointed by the main character, whose immaturity and lack of perspective ruined the book for me. The ex-boyfriend's character was extremely one-dimensional, making it impossible to understand why the heroine would want him back. Yet the current boyfriend's character is portrayed as near perfect, making the heroine's actions baffling to the reader. If the characters had been multi-faceted, the ensuing course of events might have been involving. Instead this attempted mad-cap adventure stubles before it gets of the ground.

I really, really enjoyed this book! My opinion of most chick lit books lately has been that there is too much "crap" published out there. Its not always good.

This one is funny, witty and good. Our main character hooks up with her ex, while still with her current boyfriend. This, of course, leads her to all kinds of escapades, including a weird and totally impossible trip to Rome.

I laughed out loud at times (which I rarely do when reading) and thought the writing wonderful.

HOWEVER, the lead character was portrayed as so innocent and naive at times that It made me want to throw the book up against the wall. Come on, can we really be expected to believe that she never has a clue?

I am so glad that I didn't put this book down and not finish it. After reading the first 100 pages I could not believe what a self-centered, selfish, and idiotic girl Georgie was. I was appalled by her character or actually, the lack of it. And there were some things she was COMPLETELY oblivious too because she was so self centered. Totally obvious things. However, I checked on Amazon to see what other readers might have thought, whether anyone actually finished and liked this book. AND SO MANY OF THE READERS LIKED IT!!! I was shocked and decided to give the book a second chance. I took it on my plane trip from MSP to SEA and did not put it down once! I loved it! Georgie truly goes through some much needed transformations and gets to know herself and those she loves and thinks she loves deeper and more meaningfully. And really, this book isn't so much about a trip to Rome as it is about having the curtains lifted on your life. Letting some light shine through, being able to see yourself clearly. Seeing your family, friends, and loved ones clearly and really coming to know and appreciate their strengths and weaknesses.

So if you start reading this book and are totally put off by how shallow and stupid Georgie is, don't stop. Read it to the finish-you will be satisfied by your decision. And you will feel happy and refreshed like any good book makes you feel after its reading.

Oh and I read on the editorial review that Ms. Townley is Sophie Kinsella's sister! I have all four of Ms. Kinsella's novels & love them all! What a talented family!

I first suspected this might be just another mushy, romantic type novel. I was grateful to find out that it is really much better than that. Gemma manages to squeeze quite a bit of stuff in there.....crime, mystery, international travel, spying, and ultimately, one woman's choice between two men. While the reader will likely be able to develop a good idea of what is really going on, Gemma manages to keep the reader turning the pages to find out if they are correct in their assumptions. Overall, a fun and engaging read. I look forward to her next one!

Just finished the book and it was pretty good. I dont have that much time for casual reading, but when I picked up this book I couldn't put it down! Highly recommend this book for fantastic weekend reading =o)

I bought this book because the blurbs made it sound like it would make you fall in love with Rome. However, only about 60 pages of the action is in Rome, and the main character sees practically nothing of it. It certainly didn't make me feel like I was in Rome with the character. Also, as some other reviewers have pointed out, the main character, Georgie, is selfish and obtuse. The writing is very obvious. You know who is good and who is bad. You know when Georgie is making a mistake. You can figure out why her friend Candy is upset that Georgie might be getting back together with her ex, Mike. The only person who doesn't know all this is Georgie.

After the characters get back from Rome, the book does get a little better. Georgie gets herself entangled in a bit more intrigue than I anticipated, and I found myself rooting for her a bit. However, I think my friends who read chick lit will find Georgie annoying and unsympathetic for so much of the book that I don't think I'll recommend it to them.

I really enjoyed this novel. It's fun, easy to get into, and was great to read on the subway. Georgie is a little crazy, but her adventures in London and Rome kept me entertained. Perfect for fans of Clare Naylor, Sophie Kinsella, or Bridget Jones.

This novel was such a fun reading experience. At first, I thought it was going to be one of those love triangle stories in which the heroine is torn between two men. Well, that is the novel's basic premise, but there is so much more! Georgie's ultimate fantasy has come true: Mike has come back into her life with his tail between his legs. Now she can let him how happy she is with David and show him what he's missed out on. Except that she still has feelings for him. And let's not forget the fact that he now owns a record company. He seems far more exciting than her homebody accountant boyfriend. And then Mike makes her ultimate dream come true by inviting her on a weekend holiday to Rome. But Mike's intentions are far more sinister than she'd thought. To make matters worse, David isn't as dull as she once thought he was. There are various interesting twists throughout the novel.

I love this fast-paced, fun little gem. The descriptions and references to the film Roman Holiday made me want to purchase a ticket to Rome. It's one of the European cities I haven't visited and this book has reminded me that I should get away this summer. And I love the fact that this novel has a compelling, entertaining plot that isn't the usual "who am I going to choose?" drivel that's out there. My only complaint is that the heroine's naivete annoyed me at times. Sometimes I wish I could have entered the pages and point out the blatant situations. Other than that, When in Rome... is as wonderful as a delicious cup of cappuccino. Gemma Townley is a great new author. Awesome chick lit! Highly recommended...

If you like the chick lit genre and books like Bridget Jones and the Shopaholic series, you will probably like this book. When in Rome opens with twenty-something Londoner Georgie, running into to her ex-boyfriend Mike one rainy day and follows her as she leaves London (and her lovely boyfriend) for a trip to Rome with Mike. While I sometimes shook my head at Georgie's choices, the book kept me so entertained that I read it in one sitting on a long train trip.

Gemma Townley has written a witty, fast paced first novel and I will definitely pick up her next book.

I started reading this in the book store and just couldn't stop - this is such a funny book, and very warm. I don't usually read chick lit but I just kept turning the pages... the plot did get a little silly from time to time, but the style is so engaging you don't mind.