Truly, Madly, Like Me is the first of Jo Watson’s novels I’ve read and it certainly won’t be the last. It was a fabulous rom-com, with so much heart and a stark look at the realities of being insta famous.

Truly, Madly, Like Me includes some of my favourite things to read about. It has body positivity, self love and an acceptance of who you are. Jo Watson tackles these issues perfectly. I loved that Frankie wasn’t the ‘perfect’ Instagram version of herself and I loved how Mark allowed her to see that. Feeling inadequate to the people we see online is such a modern day issue, but life is so much more than that. It was great to see how Frankie allowed herself to just live and forget about the likes.

There are some fab characters in this book and the romance between Frankie and Mark was adorable. I’m also a sucker for a dog character and I warmed to one-eyed Harun immediately. Some of the scenes involving him were hilarious!

I started this book when it first came out and got 30% into it before putting it down with the intention to one day get back to it, especially because I loved the other two books in the series, despite me reading them out of order. I eventually did pick this back up but something about this book just did not excite me or keep me as entertained as the other two books in this series.
I really like Jo Watson's writing and find it so easy to read but this book simply did not keep me as entertained and hooked as the other books I have read from this author. I would still pick up other books by Jo Watson as there have been so many of her books that I have enjoyed.

Jo Watson is incredible for her quirky and humorous plot lines and this was no exception. A heart-warming romance that will have you smiling and laughing from start to finish.

I thought I might be slightly obsessed with social media at times, or with my phone, but wow Frankie take it to a whole other level. To say she is addicted would probably be an understatement, so when things start go wrong and she is losing followers by the thousand, she flees.

And of all the places to flee to its a small town that is completely offline, internet is actually banned due to the waves affecting the local space station, and allows her to hide out.

Well it would if she didn't keep reaching for a phone that doesn't work, and had any idea what to do with her time, as she literally seems to have lost the ability to live in the real world. (If I ever get that bad, please do tell me to read this again, it would probably bring me back to reality!).

There is without a doubt a message about the absurdity of life as influencer in here, as Frankie is essentially detoxing, and starting to get to know people in this small town.

There is Mark who you feel is clearly hiding something, but just what I hadn't completely guessed, and there is my absolutely favourite character Harun.

Harun enters Frankie's life with a purpose, and is determined to make things happen for her. However it takes a while for Frankie to realise her feelings for Harun, but it really is a love that grows fast once she gives in to it.

It's a really social town, and everyone really knows everyone, and there are always community events going on, if it wasn't for the lack of wifi, and the fact its in the middle of the desert then I'd be tempted to move to such a friendly place myself - but I fear the heat would be a problem!

I loved seeing how Frankie starts to know herself a whole lot better than when she was with her controlling ex Kyle, and I loved how much depth and character development was present.

This book is technically connected to You, Me, Forever and Just The Way I Am, as they each feature one of the three ladies that was in a faulty elevator, but it is completely a standalone and you don't particularly hear of the other ladies, so if you want their stories, you had better read their books which I also was hooked on.

Yet another truly fabulous story from Jo Watson, an author who I seem to like more and more if that is even possible with ever book she writes.

Thank you to Headline Eternal and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Another must read story from an author that I read and loved before.
It’s a quirky, funny and heartwarming romance story that will make you smile while fulfilling your craving for romance and great characters and banter.

I adore Jo Watson's writing style, and this book certainly did not disappoint.
As always, the characters share a romance filled with banter and some absolutely swoon-worthy moments that had me hooked right to the very end.

I adored everything about this book, from the wonderful plot, to the brilliantly unique characters. This is a book i would highly recommend to anyone who loves a good rom-com!

There’s hardly been a book that I didn’t like by Jo Watson. I don’t know what it is but she just knows how to write a funny, rom-com that you’re bound to enjoy.

Truly, Madly, Like Me absolutely didn’t not disappoint. It had the classic Jo Watson touch to it with the banter and the swoony romance that created the perfect Rom-Com!

I enjoyed seeing how much social media has impact our lives and how essential it has become to our day to day life.

I am looking forwards to whatever she comes out with next

I love Jo Watson, she's a classic when it comes to Romantic Comedies and i always look forward to her books.

Once again she managed to hit me right in the feels with this brilliant book. I really enjoyed each aspect. I loved that it touched on a lot of issues around self-confidence, like learning to love yourself and not rely on social media to control how you feel about yourself.

Likeable characters and easy to follow story.

This was a new author for me, but I liked the description and it felt very apt for me as I’ve been considering reducing my social media for some time!

The book follows Frankie, a well known instagrammer who following a fall from grace on the social media giant, decides to take a digital detox by visiting a remote town where there is absolutely zero mobile signal or internet. A series of events, mainly driven by the canine equivalent of Nanny McPhee mean that Frankie is forced to stay in the town to confront her inner demons, make friends and find love on the way.

At first I wasn’t sure about this one, as the opening chapters felt a little rushed as we raced through the scenario to lead her into town. However it soon picked up and I found myself falling in live with Frankie, Satan’s little helper / Cujo / Harun, Mark and a whole host of supplementary characters.

It was a perfect escapist read, with a funny, surreal storyline and a little hint of magic, I would definitely recommend it.

* Thanks to Netgalley and Headline Eternal for the advanced reader copy in exchange for this review

In the world of 2020 hashtags, an internet connection and the term 'selfie' are everyday norms. Truly Madly, Like Me follows social media influencer Frankie who's social media career goes downhill after posting a rant about her ex-boyfriend, you could say she has #regrets. As a result, she heads off to a no Wi-Fi zone town in the middle of the desert, where the population have no clue who or what is trending, what an Instagram filter is or how many followers you have.
On her journey of self-discovery, she befriends a one eyed dog, the town suddenly all know her name (and it's nothing to do with her social media status, it really is just <i>that </i> small) and there's a spark with a man who seems a little familiar - but she has no way of googling him or cyber-stalking to find out why.

This is an interesting story of a modern day woman who's been caught up in the likes and shares, and constantly being plugged into her phone that she misses out on life. It's interesting to see her shift from having a fake virtual life where she only takes pictures of her breakfast - but never eats it - to living a real one complete with pancakes and without a (Instagram) filter.

The reason I rated this with just 2 stars is because I found the content about her weight gain and past self to be triggering. As someone with an ED history I felt as though there should be a clear trigger warning and the topic should have been handled more sensitively / in a delicate manner.

Really enjoyed reading this book, and my first time with this author.

It was really fun to read and a wonderful storyline to match.

Frankie is a Instagram worthy girl with followers to match, but when her life takes an unexpected turn, she needs somewhere to hide away from the internet.

She comes across a town that doesn't have Wi-fi, and her life changes beyond recognition.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for ARC

I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Going into this book, my expectations were fairly high just from the outstanding description and gorgeous cover (I know they tell you never to judge a book by its cover, but it really does look beautiful on my bookshelf 😍) and it is safe to say I was not disappointed!

As a fan of Jo Watson’s previous novel ‘Love To Hate You’, simply seeing her name had me immediately interested in this book. I find Jo Watson’s style of writing enthralling and, well, just down right relatable.

Once again, Jo demonstrates her skill of engaging with her audience and brings a delectable and addicting humour to her writing. I think it can be difficult to find an author who can genuinely make you laugh out loud, but Jo never misses a beat. No one makes you laugh the way Jo’s characters do!

Frankie is a vivacious and enchanting character that you can instantly connect to and her journey of self discovery outside of social media and having an ‘insta-worthy’ life is one that you can immediately relate to. Social media is a hot topic in this day and age and Jo manages the subject tastefully with her famous dash of humour. Truly, Madly, Like Me brings a taste of reality to the reader that can, at times, make you cringe at your own social media habits!

Jo’s talent to weave together such a fun and current tale doesn’t just stop there. When I tell you I sobbed at a *certain* scene towards the end of the book, I am not lying! It’s not often an author can have me laughing out loud one moment and then crying the next – which is a testament to Jo’s writing skills really!

I’m a sucker for self growth stories and this just filled me warmth throughout. I devoured this book over the course of 2 evenings, I was completely enamoured and found the book was – as I like to say – ‘unputdownable’. And let us not forget the romance aspect – because I may have fallen a little in love with Mark. I felt like I was watching a hallmark movie at times *swoon*

Truly, Madly, Like Me is full of relatable characters that it is a pleasure getting to know and a charming and has a laugh-out-loud story line that sees you rooting for all of the characters involved.

Once again I have been left with a delightful taste in my mouth for Jo Watson and would highly recommend her work to anybody who has a soft spot for belly laughter and romance. It definitely hits the spot and leaves you grinning from ear to ear.

I have never read a Jo Watson book before and...I LOVED it! This is an ultimate feel good modern story which in a lot of aspects is relatable to so many people today.

The main character Frankie loves social media. Her life revolves around posting photographs of her meals on instagram and checking how many "likes" she gets, until a moment leads her to wanting to escape to a place where social media does not exist. The question is...can Frankie survive?!

I really enjoyed reading this book. I'm definitely going to read more books by this author. The characters are great, the story was fast paced, relatable and made me laugh out loud. Plus...who doesnt love a feel good romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a preview copy of this book.

This was another great fun read from Jo Watson.

The story in about instagram influencer Frankie who's life is turn upside down after posting a certain video on her feed. Frankie ops to give something new a go and take off to a no wi-fi zone where she embarks on discovering herself and also developing friendships beyond those online !!

I really enjoyed the book, it is every quick paced and I loved the humour throughout too. It definitely gets you thinking about actual human interaction and the amount we used social media. It's a lighthearted story and it definitely feels like you are on the journey with Frankie and I also loved the ending. A perfect read for fans of rom coms read.

Thank you to Headline publishers via Netgalley for the opportunity to read this.

This was a cute romance but i think my one issue with it was it had this message that was basically "all social media is bad". The characters were fun and they were well rounded enough without being too comical or too unbelievable. At times the story took a turn into silly territory but this was remedied quickly and it meant i didn't get frustrated by those moments for long. Overall this was a fun romance.

This book is a truly fascinating exploration of the highs and lows that a life on social media (and in the public eye) can bring. I found Frankie to be one of the most real characters I have ever read, she was quirky and unpredictable and had emotional breakdowns, she struggled to make new friends and learn to live a life that wasn’t strictly controlled by a ridiculous number of apps tracking every single she did.

For me, no story is complete without a bit of romance, and once again Jo Watson does not disappoint. Frankie and Mark are any rom-com lover’s dream pairing from the ‘will they/ wont they’ throughout the beginning of the book, to a ‘big reveal’ at the end (which was genuinely the first big reveal from a book in a long time that I haven’t seen coming from a mile off).

Then there's this dog (Harun), which comes into Frankies life, very much to her disgust and against her own will, but helps teach her how to open up again, be vulnerable, and learn to love things and people because of their imperfections, rather than despite them. The relationship between Frankie and Harun had me genuinely laughing one minute, and then sobbing the next, and I would honestly recommend this book based on just that one element alone.

Truly, Madly, Like Me is a 5 star read for me.

This book starts out by seeing the sadness that led Frankie to turn to food for comfort when her little sister was born. Her quality time with her mum as replaced with seeing what was in the cupboard.

Some fifteen years later Frankie is an Instagram influencer and appears to have it all. She is one half of a #powercouple, a weight loss icon, and fashionista.

After a traumatic afternoon which leads her to do an IGTV slating her ex-boyfriend and friend she loses most of her followers, her collaborations because she is no longer inspirational.

She heads off on a journey by herself to the desert. She is anxious to be by herself. She is followed by a black dog (which I think plays a more significant role). The place she heads is technologically disconnected from everything and she must find out who she is. Its definstely somewhere I would love to go.

This is such a feel good book. It is absolutely hilarious. The first quarter dragged slightly for me but made up for it for the rest of the book. I have added more of the author's books to my wishlist.

The premise of the book is really good but I didn’t like the main protagonist Frankie for 80% of the time. Frankie is a famous social media influencer whose life takes a different turn due to a day in an elevator. Frankie then loses over half of her followers instantly and for a fresh mind she goes to a place with no internet connection at all. During her stay she realises so much about herself that she wasn’t aware of. She also meets Mark and other real friends she ever makes in her life. I liked the concept as it’s very relatable right now with all digital content and social media platforms and how everything we see or be online is not really the truth or reality. However, I found Frankie to be quite irritable at times and also the book could have shortened the length by removing some chapters as I found some of them quite boring.

This was great. The modern romantic novel that is relatively close to being able to identify with. So enjoyable.

Truly Madly Like Me
Jo Watson
Pub Date 18 aug 2020
Contains Spoiler Allert

Frankie is the queen Instagram queen she had it all the followers the sponsor ship deal the apartment the car the hottest boyfriend Kyle and every morning she takes Instagram photos of breakfast even though she doesn't eat breakfast she loves taking the perfect balance photo of breakfast smoothie bowls for her followers they take allot of time two create. Even wear Frankie and Kyle went they had two take photos of each other the perfect pose the restaurant where they eat and what they eat the drinks they bought. Frankie had a lovely life she had the perfect car the perfect new apple phone different brands would sponsor her life was good every thing was involved around Instagram her life and Kyle. Intill she had two go two her solitors two get something from her father her late father died years ago and she was here two collect something from the will and it was a envelope she didn't want two open yet so she stuffed it in her handbag infill later on. Kyle phoned asking were she was she said on my way the were having important photo taking for a new brand they weeding only she manage two get stuck in the elevator for some time and when she got out Kyle was with Paige they were having the photos taking and he said Paige was better looking than her and had more followers and she was dumped like that because she was stuck in a lift and couldn't help it she was was was happening she cried and went back two the hotel things were getting worse because her followers were dropping down unfollowing her all the time she cried all night. Next day was even worse she had two take her car back they were outside she was screaming and begging them not two take the car and someone it went viral and her Instagram started loosing more followers she cried all day brands were dropping out she loved that car. Frankie had two away she knew she couldn't stay in tis town no more so she found spring drop town no phones no internet she loved that idea just what she needed she had two hire a car the only car she had was a blue fast machine she had two take it was the only oe left she had no choice. So she took the car she dint like the sales guy and headed two spring drop town she need the toilet and had no choice she had two stop in the road for one and then there it was the dog or wolf huge dog follower her losing nasty. He went away has she got two the hotel check in got her bags the dog was there he followed her two her room every wear she went she infill he swallowed her car keys and she took him two the vets and she said there nothing she could do only wait three days till the keys come out I give you a collar and some food and a sieve two sieve the keys out she had no choice two take him back two the hotel. She then bathed him fed him walked him she smelt so goo after the bath. He seemed relaxed her with her. She went two the film store two get some movies two watch two pass the time away she met mark a lovely looking guy who she seemed she fought she knew him he gave her some movies and a DVD player for the hotel she told him about the break-up and didn't want any sloppy romance movies He only gave her a horror movie instead she was scared two hell. She took satan for a walk two the desert it was hot they walked for miles then there came a snake huge snake Satan ran all the way two the snake and sorted it out for her saved her from the delay snake he saved her life. they went bak two the hotel they were both tired and she went back two the video store mark wasn't there so she got some treats fro the dog and went wo movie out she ordered a strawberry milkshake and satan had a bag of treats for him he decided he needed the toile inform of the picture in front of everyone she ran after him everyone was booing her throwing popcorn at her she had two sieve the poo out no key she felt weird. Next thing she Sean mark she grab her hand from the movies night it was a horror anyway they went back two the hotel and watch movies instead, They only manage two fall asleep on the end in the hotel room nothing happened but they were shocked indeed. She went back two the vets still no sign of keys She gave mediation a go like the vet lady said but didn't like it made her cry and walked out she fought of all the bad things her dad Kyle and her life now with nothing two do her in this hotel.There was something wrong with satan he was sick the vet had two operate on him said it take an hour she call mark the vet did and he came straight away he was amazed how he came straight away for her they had tea and she told him all about Instagram her life before now and things went great the dog pulled though she smelled she kept him in over night. Mark took her for a ride two the Milky Way were the stars and how dark it was lovely. Frankie collected the dog they stayed with mark for a fe days he had a lovely room he collected perfumes from around the world and made gin two the hotel and clubs and he was a local band he took her out that night two his local band and his music was amazing he was great the gin was amazing. He should her the flowers field and she collect all the followers two make the ginit was lovely day they kissed and everything was perfect then he said they should've have kissed and she felt regret once again she had her keys now she fought it wa best two leave she went two the vets and thank her for everything and said why she was leaving the vet gave her a story about her past and how she ended up up and how her boyfriend died and how she felt love now. She left and when she had singled on her phone Kyle phoned her straight away worrying where she was how sorry she he was her followers were back.so she decided two go back two the silence she stayed with the vet lady she offered her a job has vet assistant she needed a house two rent while she was there and then later on coco the dog that she renamed it ran all away two mark house with her phone in his month she found mark naked on the porch sleeping it was so hot out there with smelling candles everywhere . Mark said she could have the cottage while she was working they needed up together they split together and then she discovered he was mark from step mj she couldn't believe it mark from step she found his records in the cottage ehe confessed and begged her not two tell anyone she didn't. It was a festival in the town and mark was playing his music was great and next things Kyle showed up he hired a private investigator and her sister jess came she kept saying sorry and showed he loved her they had million of followers the tv crew were there he set up a search two find her like a game he even proposed two her as well shed loved mark now she didn't want the fame like before she loved mark she said no it was a great day. After the festival she was talking two jess showed her round the town and mark and made a note two her followers that she be no more online now she had a good life her and was happy. She got married two mark and the dog left one morning ran away they followers the dog into the horizon and he barked three times and left they knew his work was done her very year she looked out for the dog he never came back though she was happy now with mark.
This book was great I love it I really wanted two know what was in the enveloped and why the dog left though.
I gave it five stars.