- TITLE: Desperate Measures by Elle Casey
- PUBLISHED: 14th September 2015
- GENRE: Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Humour
- FORMAT: E-Book (Kindle)
- ISBN-13: 9780985607173
- RATING: 4.5/5
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers the romantic chick lit novel, DESPERATE MEASURES.
[Formerly titled Desperate Measures Trilogy: Book 1, Full Measure, published under Elle Casey’s alter ego, Kat Lee.]
Drawn together over a love of books, three women strike up an unlikely friendship, and end up forming bonds that move well beyond what any of them ever imagined possible. Desperate Measures serves up laughter, romance, cookies, tea – and a whole lot of love.
Aimee: A housewife left in the dust by her philandering husband, with an outdated high school education but a serious talent when it comes to confections…
Elizabeth: An accountant tired of crunching numbers for hundreds of clients with more money than they know what to do with…
Kiki: An exotic dancer who wants nothing more than to get out of the game…
Content warning: Due to sexy situations and content, this book is definitely not appropriate for younger readers.
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A message from Elle about this book: Being a huge bookworm myself, the idea of writing a story about friends finding one another through books was really appealing to me. One thing I’ve learned about people who love books is that they come in all shapes and sizes and from all backgrounds and places, but the common ground of literature somehow makes everything work. When I was younger, I was the only bookworm I knew. Now that I’m an adult, I’ve found the joy of seeking others out and spending time with them. It’s like a whole new world has opened up to me, and so of course I wanted to write about it! Not that I have a former stripper in my book club or anything…
REVIEW:Desperate Measures is one of those books that really gets its teeth in you without even trying. It’s is funny, morose and empowering all at the same time. In this book we follow three women all with different personalities, stories and walks of life.
First there’s Aimee a bubbly, effervescent individual who’s being extinguished by her ex-husband’s controlling ways and disturbingly short temper. We first meet Aimee the main protagonist of this book struggling to find money for food and fuel, and she is broke in more ways than one. Next comes perfectly coiffed, statuesque beauty Kiki an exotic dancer seeking a way out of her emotionless life come rain or come shine. Finally we have Elizabeth, a prim and proper woman stuck in a dead-beat job with no silver linings.
Each of these women is unique yet identifiable in that we all know someone like them; the stunning beauty who’s looks are more of curse than a dream, a frumpy housewife who’s self-esteem is so far down the gutter that even the rats seem promising and a brilliant accountant who’s numerical talents are overlooked and undervalued.
Cue a twist of fate – a small understated book club that thanks to a little ad on Craigslist went from a party of two to something so much more.
This novel is everything women’s fiction should be, strong, feisty, sexy and honest. These women are the epitome of female friendship, empowerment and sticking it to the man. When I first read the blurb for this novel I was intrigued by what the story would hold and how it would flow, and I was not disappointed. That is until the end of the novel. I hated the neat way that each protagonist received their own individual Prince Charming and a happily ever after because I wanted to see Aimee’s delusional ex get put in his place by her lawyer and to see just what defences he’d come up with as an excuse for his behaviour and the reactions of tall, dark and handsome attorney Brett on discovering just where he’d first seen his “mystery woman”.
I did like the fact that Aimee got clarity and closure on a chapter of her life that was beyond compare and the chance to do the one thing she loved to do – bake!
I would love to see this story get turned into a more developed series with even more character development and depth, or even highlighting on the quirky, sassy Betty and her feud with her long-term rival Madge and her stomach churning nut-filled jello moulds.
Overall, a great easy read full of tears, laughter and ultimate girl power. Here’s to Elle Casey and her amazing ‘Desperate Measures’ – may we meet again soon.
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