Have you ever given up on love?

When her boyfriend lets her down for the last time, Brooklyn bookshop owner Bea James makes a decision – no more. No more men, no more heartbreak, and no more pain.

Psychiatrist Jake Steinmann is making a new start too, leaving his broken marriage behind in San Francisco. From now on there’ll just be one love in his life: New York.

At a party where they seem to be the only two singletons, Bea and Jake meet, and decide there’s just one thing for it. They will make a pact: no more relationships.

But the city has other plans . . .

I’ll Take New York

Who is Miranda Dickinson?

Miranda Dickinson is a six-time Sunday Times bestselling author, with 11 books under her belt (a twelfth on its way) and over a million sales! Her debut novel, Fairytale of New York, was first published in 2009 becoming her first Sunday Times bestseller. I’ll Take New York (2014) is Miranda’s sixth book with some of the character already established in previous novels, although the main characters are new.

The Book

This is the first book I’ve read by Miranda and her style of writing is very easy to follow. Right from the start the characters are appealing with strong personalities. I like the honesty that the budding friendship portrays and I could relate to each situation. I felt the scenarios were realistic and it wasn’t as farfetched as some chick lit or romcoms can be. Yes, it’s a predictable story with the usual ending, but that’s why we love and read chick lit.

Miranda has an excellent way of describing scenes and places so you can imagine being there, watching the same things the characters are. Even down to the type of lighting in the street, or smell of flowers in the flower shop.

It didn’t jump around too much from past to present, the story was being told in a chronological order with a few snippets of reminiscing to get some background perspective. This made the book easy to read, I didn’t get lost and have to re-read paragraphs/chapters (yes, I’ve had to do this with books in the past)!

What I loved most was the journey Bea and Jake took; the growth they showed, and the way the friendship built throughout the story. I loved the detail in the book store; I want to visit it, especially when Bea re-imagines it for a special birthday party.

Would I change anything?

I don’t think I would. I felt all the parts worked well together and the amount of time spent on each chapter was about right. I didn’t feel the book dragged, or lacked anything.

If you like chick lit, then this is a good read. And Miranda will be featuring more on my reading list (I’ve already got Our Story waiting on my bedside table).  

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars.

Have you read any other Miranda Dickinson books? What do you recommend?

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.”

George R.R. Martin