Book Review – Don’t Stop Me Now by Colleen Coleman

Title: Don’t Stop Me Now

Author: Colleen Coleman

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 22nd March 2017

Format: ARC e-Book

Note: This book was received from the publisher in return for an honest review

About the book:

A hilarious feel good read about finding your feet when life pulls the rug out from under you.

Poppy Bloom has a Life Plan: PhD in psychology, research job at her university, and a life of domestic bliss with handsome boyfriend Gregory.

But then she finishes her PhD with no job offer, no relationship, and nowhere to live. Being unemployed and living back at her mum’s house in her vampire-themed childhood bedroom was definitely not the plan.

Poppy is back to square one and miserable, so when she runs into childhood friend Leanne she jumps at the opportunity to catch up. The chance to run into Leanne’s gorgeous brother Tom is just a bonus…

Soon Poppy’s scored an internship at a radio station, a boyfriend, and a whole netball team of friends: things are on the up.

But life has a way of tripping you up when you least expect it, and Poppy soon has to decide where her priorities lie… With new friends, a new career and a new romance, can Poppy keep everyone happy, or is everything about to tumble down around her?

What I Thought:

I will willingly admit to being quite unsure of this at first. Despite the fact Poppy aces her PhD, and scores the highest mark ever recorded at the university, it is her boyfriend, and best friend that are offered the fellowship she was desperate for, then her boyfriend dumps her and sleeps with her best friend. Seemingly there’s no reason why she was passed over for the fellowship, other than the Dean of Psychology at her university doesn’t much like her. For me it felt a little contrived, I understand why it happened, for the plot Poppy needed to have her planned life ripped away from her but it just didn’t feel very realistic to me.

That said once I got over that I ended up really enjoying the book, what followed the opening was a positive story that shows whatever life throws at you it is possible to pick yourself up and carry on to better things, don’t get me wrong Poppy’s journey through life post university isn’t all a bed of roses, and there were points in the book I wanted to scream at her, but I think during the book you get to see her mature and grow from someone who, despite all her intelligence and understanding of people through her psychology studies, is incredibly immature and unable to fully function out in the real world, to someone who comes to accept that a fellowship and life at university isn’t the be all and end all. I really liked the fact while Poppy does find love, and her relationship is part of the plot, the book also explores the importance of friendships, I absolutely loved the whole of the South London Assassins netball team, and the way that they all look out for each other, despite playing netball to get away from the madness of their own lives.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, it’s a fun book, it truly is a feel good read and is just right for curling up on a Sunday afternoon to read.