Love, loss, reconciliation 

I do find reading about brow beaten females very frustrating! And Elissa is one of those...

Elissa is with a guy who doesn’t give a damn, works for a start up dating app company on an internship without being paid and considers expenses a good deal.  And lets the most inscrutable borderline-psychotic boss humiliate her on a regular basis.

When she finally realises that Tom is going to dump her she ends up single, broke and homeless. With little manoeuvrability at work.

What can she do? She contacts The ElderCare Companionship Scheme to explore the opportunity of being a live-in companion. What a great idea.... and she is very fortunate to be paired with Annie, in her 80s, a character who I loved... 

Annie had skeletons in the cupboard that come to light later in the relationship.  The friendship that developed between them both was heart warming.  Delightful considering the age difference.

It’s a little crass in parts, more at the beginning, light-hearted and over all not a bad read. I didn’t find it as hilarious as some reviewers did, not my kind of sense of humour, however I did laugh out loud at a couple of Elissa’s predicaments...

One of my favourites being when she was out running and met quite a dishy guy who comes into his own at a later part in the book:

‘’Have you got any water with you?’ he asks, looking me up and down. Despite my brain fog, I hover my hands over my crotch so he doesn’t notice the offensive camel toe I’ve somehow developed between my bedroom and here. There’s Lycra so far up my bum I’ll need tweezers to pull it down again.’

If you want a quick, light and feel good read, ignoring the few crass parts then give this a go. It is light-hearted and has a great feel-good factor.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.

Abigail Mann’s debut novel, which was runner-up in the Comedy Women in Print Prize 2019: The Lonely Fajita is a story about how finding yourself with nowhere else to go just might lead you to the very place you need to be.

When we first meet Elissa, she’s not exactly living the dream in London; her accommodation arrangements are precarious, her boyfriend isn’t being very attentive, and her job doesn’t seem to be heading anywhere close to a living wage, let alone any kind of job security.

I wasn’t sure about Elissa at first but to be fair, she’s nowhere near her best and is drifting towards becoming The Lonely Fajita of the title. But I liked her voice from the outset and there were glimmers of hope in the character’s use of humour, which hinted at someone with more spirit and fight in them, and friends Maggie and Suki, who are there for her when she needs them, pushing her out of her comfort zone every time it looks as if she’s retreating into her duvet cocoon.

It’s when the crunch point comes and Elissa is forced into making a move she initially views as an admission of failure that the pace really starts to pick up, the humour comes into its own and the story changes tack from where I thought it was headed. And I love when a book and its characters surprise me in this way with a shift in direction, bringing with it a whole new energy.

One of The Lonely Fajita‘s strengths comes from the brilliant community of characters which Abigail Mann creates around her main character Elissa. They carry you through the book until Elissa starts to find her way. And here they come in the form of antagonistic housemates and a motley crew of work colleagues to real families and neighbours separated by misunderstandings, as well as emotional and geographical distance. My personal favourites were Maggie and Suki, as mentioned above, together with Annie, George and Rodney. And I did take a perverse pleasure every time cringeworthy Craig crept onto the scene.

The Lonely Fajita highlights how beneficial intergenerational socialising and living can be for everyone involved: what we can learn from each other; that we don’t know all the answers but how both young and old can help each other to find the strength and courage to work through whatever life throws at us; and how it’s never too late or a sign of failure to start over.

The humour often comes from Elissa’s wry observations of the people and situations, even those spiralling out of control, from misunderstandings between two people and by misreading a person’s motivation, meaning or character. The Lonely Fajita is a surprising novel, in a good way; I loved the voice at the heart of Abigail Mann’s debut, and how she decides to embrace the ‘loser lit’ side of things, yet transforms this until it becomes something altogether more uplifting and reassuring, witty, generous and full of heart.

Unfortunately I was physically unable to read this due to the formatting of the e-arc. It was a shame as I was looking forward to reading this one. This has no reflection on the content of the book, but I wanted to feed this back.

Elissa is a protagonist who is going to keep you smiling throughout this novel, whether it's from those embarrassing mishaps to the friends that she keeps. Think Bridget Jones meets The Marigold Hotel, and you have yourself a wonderful, funny and uplifting read that incorporates some workplace backstabbing, Sex in the City vibes and unpredictable friendships. Usually I make notes as I go when reading books for review but I just didn't have the time, I was so absorbed in the highs, lows and drama bubbling to the surface of Elissa's life.

Let's start with the boyfriend who practically split up with Elissa on her birthday! We've all been there, blinkered by what is actually going on and then BAM single, not quite in the cringey way Elissa finds herself single but you can't help but feel sorry for the lass (and you really want to slap her ex-boyfriend in the face). The storyline that then unravels is brilliant, one that not only sees Elissa tumble through her newly single life style but also we see how she changes life paths, while beginning to have faith in herself. It's heart-warming how you see our protagonist learning about herself, her independency while also taking leaps of faith whereas before she'd not even dream about it. With truly laugh out loud mishaps, I think we can all find a piece of ourselves in Elissa and The Lonely Fajita.

Abigail has created a captivating, smile - inducing and fantastic comedy read that has lived up to her being one of the CWIP runner ups!

3.5 stars.
This was a light, easy read, with a character that I could instantly relate to (unpaid internships, loneliness and boy troubles that many a millennial will understand as well) but I don't think that Elissa or the story would alienate older readers either.
The story of unlikely friendship and the relationship between the women in this was refreshing to see.
It didn't quite live up to the synopsis for me but was enjoyable all the same.
And I would easily recommend this to fans of Beth O'Leary and Ali Pantony, having read both of their books last year.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Elissa works for a new London start-up company that is making a dating app, though the pay is rubbish. She spends more time watching videos than actually working. She lives or should I say lived with her boyfriend Tom, rent-free, in a house share. That was until Tom came back from a stag do in Vegas and declared he was moving to Asia and that Elissa wasn’t part of his long-term plans.

Desperate for somewhere to live, as she can’t afford the rent on the house share, she stumbles across an agency leaflet about older people looking for a live-in companion to keep them company and help them around the house all for freeboard.

With no other options, Elissa joins the agency and is matched up with feisty Annie, in her 80s, who the company has struggled to get a companion for due to her outgoing and no holds barred attitude and pickiness.

Elissa might have thought that she had no option to become a live-in companion but it may just be the making of her and friendship do comes in all shapes and sizes.

The Lonely Fajita is a humorous look at life through the eyes of Elissa. She may have a job she doesn’t particularly like, working for a man that doesn’t seem to understand equal rights or how not to be condescending or judgemental but she does have a few fun friends there. She may also have been dating a man that didn’t seem to be into the relationship as much as she was, but with no-one else and no-where else to go she stayed until she had to leave.

Elissa comes across as someone who wants the easy path in life, not challenging people or situations she believes are wrong and putting up with others bad behaviour instead of standing up for herself. Annie is the complete opposite. She has no trouble telling others exactly what she thinks of them and won’t do anything she doesn’t want to do. She is well-educated and won’t be made a fool of.

The two characters work well together and between them, they keep the book full of moments to make you laugh or cause you to smile. There are plenty of secondary characters too who provide some funny moments or make you want to reach into the book and give them a shake – Craig!!

The first 30% of the book felt much slower than the next 70%, this was mainly down to getting to know Elissa and chapters understanding her life, living situation, job, and friends. Once she moves in with Annie the pace picks up and so does the fun.

It was a joy to read, relatable, and is certainly a book I will remember. Elissa is just your average woman trying to find her path in life, just like so many.

This book came at just the right time, I was starting to feel a little down and wanted to read something light. Along came Elissa and Annie!

There was just something so welcoming and real about Elissa that I think everyone could see a bit of themselves in her. Booking a smear test on your birthday, a boyfriend who seems less than interested, a job you put your heart and soul in but receive nothing in return.

Annie was just brilliant too, with her quick wit and friendly nature. I just wanted to curl up in the corner of her kitchen whilst she and Elissa chatted.

The pace was great, the characters had depth, we're loveable and had a realness to them, and I want to embed myself in their lives and hear more about them and their unconventional living arrangements.

I was smiling from beginning to end.

If you're looking for something fun, light-hearted and contemporary, I fully recommend The Lonely Fajita.

This is fantastic, from the first line to the last I was riveted. I was also in stitches most of the book( warning it’s also very emotional at times) , but this is just hilarious, exactly what I need at the moment. It’s heartwarming, sweet and uplifting, I loved Elissa and Annie so much, I would love them in my life right now. This is a hug in book form and I would recommend highly to everyone at the moment.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This book took a long time to settle in. The first third of the book takes its time painting our narrator Elissa as listless and I was getting bored. Then she meets Annie and this book becomes fantastic. Annie is an 83-year old spitfire who kicks Elissa's life into overdrive with her patient understanding and zest for life. Elissa moves in with her and starts going on adventures that are fun and funny. We start uncovering the secrets Annie has been hiding. We watch Elissa coming into her own. The ending is an event I won't spoil by talking about but gloriously shines a light on all Elissa's relationships - old and new. 

It worth slogging through the setup.

The Lonely Fajita is an enjoyable, easy to read fun novel that I finished within a day. It’s well-written with some great characters and I found I could easily immerse myself in it. Thank you to NetGalley, One More Chapter and the author for the chance to review.

Elissa is down on her luck.  Her boyfriend passively broke up with her, she has until the end of the month to find a new place to live, and she is struggling to stay afloat at a job she is barely getting paid anything for.  But thanks to an ad, she takes a risk for a free place to live and ends up changing her life for the better in the process.

This was a good read.  The beginning was slow but once you got past it really picked up. The story is relatable in a sense that we all get stuck in our lives.  Some are forced to make changes and we got to go with Elissa as she had some major upheavals while trying to date again.  This is not a book I would reread over and over but it definitely was a good read. 

This book was given to me an an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

2.5 - An average story with a main protagonist that I will soon forget. I probably shouldn't have expected a book to grip me emotionally with a title such as this. An okay Summer read.

This is very much a beach read, the type of holiday we can't take in lockdown, like waiting for a bus that never comes. The main character was clueless, self absorbed and very unlikeable. Why leave it so long before Annie comes in to save the day? At least the second half went much quicker for me!
It is a well trodden story, that should always be written better than the one before it. Sorry, but I found this book a very odd way to rehash it.

After seeing some great reviews on this book, I was over the moon to receive it via Netgalley and Harper Collins UK. 

It's the story of Elissa, recently kinda single, kinda homeless and kinda employed. Elissa finds herself lonely in London, and embarks upon living with Annie, a woman in her 80's with her own problems.

What could have been a great, if not slightly recycled story of a lonely and lost young woman coming into her own, fell a little flat for me.

Annie gets introduced around halfway through the book and I wish it had been much earlier. She was definently a breath of fresh air in what I felt was becoming a bit of a muddled story. 

I do feel a little like the black sheep when it comes to this book, after reading some fantastic reviews, this book just didnt hit the spot or have me laughing along with it.

At times I felt there may be too many plots trying to come into it but none of them really became one that I became engrossed with.

Overall, it's not a bad read, I think I just expected a little more.

I really liked this book and the story it presented. Elissa was an interesting character to follow, she wasn't too quirky or out there but was fun and realistic enough that she could be someone you know. There was a variety of characters in this and they all had a clear voice. My main complaint with this is that it should have introduced the living with the older woman sooner as it was over 50% of the way through before she was introduced properly. I think if this had been re-edited so this happened a bit quicker than I would have enjoyed it a bit more but this was a fun romance novel.

Sadly I couldn't get excited for this book. The plot is recycled: countless other books out there following a women's journey from clueless to magically sorting out their life with the help of someone(friends, a neighbor, a total stranger). Elissa is rather annoying and not very likable. Annie on the other hand is a breath of fresh air, even if she's not new to literature either. Cliché, predictable and rather boring at times....
Thank you for the opportunity.

Book Review: The Lonely Fajita by Abigail Mann

2.5 stars

The Lonely Fajita is about Elissa, a 26 year old living in London and interning as a social media officer at a new dating app business. The story takes us through many problems that Elissa has to overcome including the break up of her relationship, her awful work life and lack of money. Because she cannot afford rent, Elissa moves in with Annie, an elderly woman that she looks after in return for free housing. 

I was really excited about this book but sadly for me it really did not hit the mark. 
Firstly Elissa as a character I found quite problematic. She seemed to just accept some really awful situations and people and not fight for what she believed in. Her boyfriend was awful and an absolute time waster yet she stays with him until he disappears to the other side of the world. It was a really odd scenario. Her work place was horrific, she was paid basically nothing and yet was expected to do as much as a normal job and more. Her boss was a chauvinistic pig which I understand was the idea but I found the whole idea to be really outdated. No one would get away with what he did and said nowadays. I felt Elissa was quite naive for her age and just wanted to give her a shake. I sadly didn't feel a connection with her which I generally need to enjoy a book. The shining light in this book was Annie, the older lady that Elissa moves in with. She was feisty, no nonsense and an absolute breath of fresh air.

The general storyline felt confused and cluttered with too much going on but nothing that really made me excited or hooked. It was also pretty slow paced. I found the ending to be rather silly and ridiculous as well. 

There is so many amazing contemporary books out at the moment that sadly I would not recommend this.

This book is out May 14th. 

I was #gifted this ebook from #netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to HarperCollins and One More Chapter for an ARC of The Lonely Fajita. 

This is Mann's first piece of fiction and my goodness did she nail it. The Lonely Fajita was an absolute pleasure to read and provided me with a few hours of distraction from all that is going on in the world at the moment. 

The Lonely Fajita follows Elissa as she learns to navigate single life when she finds herself as an elderly companion and living with Annie. Annie and Elissa's relationship builds swiftly but felt authentic throughout, Annie is an absolute spitfire and I liked her all the more for it. 

A perfect Spring read for curling up on the sofa with a warm beverage. I look forward to seeing what Mann writes next.

I requested this book from Netgalley because I loved the title.
This is a fun, light hearted read and is genuinely funny. Elissa is in an intern position that's losing her money, she has a terrible boyfriend and is about to be made homeless. She signs up to be a companion for the an elderly lady called Annie. The story is about loneliness - both Elissa and Annie, with their different lifestyles, are lonely. They find in each other the impetus to move out of their respective ruts.
I was expecting a rom com and kept waiting for the romantic storyline to kick off, which impaired my enjoyment a little. There is only a mere hint of a romance subplot in it. There is plenty of comedy though and all the other good stuff with the interesting friends. If you're looking for a coming of age type story of a twenty something Londoner, you'll enjoy this book.
I got a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in one sitting. This is a light-hearted read full of loveable characters that you can relate with. I found the book was a bit slow at times but overall, it was a brilliant read and I highly recommend. 

*Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*