Gillian Harvey’s debut novel (published in 2020) was absolutely hilarious and important all at the same time. The fantastic news is that she’s done it again AND has bettered her first publication (which was a five star read already).

You will nod, you will cringe, you will laugh… you will RELATE and that is what is so amazing about Gillian’s books. She writes them in her voice – if you’ve ever heard her talk about her books and her writing then you’ll recognise her authenticity and how that conveys into her publications. She’s honest, raw, uplifting and hilarious – and there’s always an important underlying message in all of that too but put across in the best way possible.

It's time to shake things up a little...

Clare Bailey's life is perfect. Successful career, loving husband, two kids and a gorgeous townhouse. At least, that's how it looks from the outside.

In fact, she's never felt more invisible. Her boss barely remembers her name, her husband is distracted by his new TV job and her daughter has never found her more embarrassing!

But when she's given a chance to turn her life upside-down she wonders whether she should risk everything she loves for a life that's more than just 'perfect on paper'...?

Thanks to Orion and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book and could relate to the main character Clare feeling ignored (as I'm sure most middle-aged Mums could!) Having said that some of the book was unrealistic - a man not recognising his wife when she was right in front of him?!

An enjoyable read but not one that lives long in the memory.

I did not expect this book to go in the direction it did. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I was getting Honey G vibes (anyone remember her from the X Factor? 🤣)

The story of Clare made me laugh out loud and I was actually emotional at the end. It was uplifting and empowering and I recommend this to anyone who feels they may be losing themselves whilst taking care of everyone else.

What a fabulous light, heart warming novel. This book was just the tonic I needed!

Claire is a wife, mom, successful lawyer and seems to have it all but she feels just a bit "meh" and invisible to the people most important in her life. A total rash decision one morning sends her on a completely different course and creates opportunity and hilarity.

This storyline resonated with me a lot, as although I don't feel as unseen as Claire, being a mom and wife getting closer to 40 I can relate to a lot of her thoughts. Life is for living and it is too easy to get caught in the tedium and hum drum of every day life. Looking after everyone else and forgetting yourself in the process.

I thought Claires story highlighted these issues well and really encouraged female empowerment with some comedy along the way. A great read, I highly recommend

This book is loosely based on Britain's Got Talent with the main character accidentally entering a reality TV talent show. And, much like reality TV it was good fun, ridiculously unrealistic, laugh-out-loud funny, light-hearted entertainment and pure escapism. Whilst I couldn't relate to Clare - a middle- aged woman whose family take her for granted - I could totally relate to some bits of her life such as being given a cupboard for an office. This everyday situational humour was both funny and also a nice balance with the fantastical reality show element. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed her contemporary, fun writing style. Enjoy this for it is and I'm sure like me you'll love it.

This was an amusing book and the talent show scenario was very recognisable and current which is often enjoyable to see in a book.
I’m sure the character, Clare, is easily identifiable to many women and that feeling of “meh” and being invisible to many around them.
The raps/poems were clever, though I felt the ending was quite drawn out/predictable. An enjoyable read overall.

This is a lighthearted story, and was easy to read. I personally struggled to relate to the characters, but I think that was more personal than anything to say about Gillian's writing. There were moments when I found myself laughing out loud, which is always a sign of a good book. I would recommend this as a light, holiday read.

Thanks to Orion and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

At first it would appear that Claire Bailey's life is perfect but does anyone really notice her? Has she become invisible?

Bit of a slow start to the book but it soon clicked in and I really enjoyed it. An enjoyable and hugely relatable tale!

I like the story of Clare. How she changed her situation.

What I did find the book a bit slow for my taste and unbelievable in some situations like how your husband of many years did not recognise you in an interview with your alter ego.

And another thing that I always criticize in writers is please when you made siblings dialogues, I can assure no one refers to their sibling like "sis" or "bro" that annoys me so much.

Overall is a story to disconnect that you can read in a day as I did.

A fun read with a great storyline of whether the grass is always greener in the life we wish we had. My first of Gillian Harvey's books but it for sure won't be my last.

A slow start but it picked up well and I was soon hooked on Claire's life and how it all changed from one bus journey.

I found this book to be laugh out loud funny. Clare gets herself into some really entertaining situations in this heart-warming story.
As the synopsis explains, Clare is feeling invisible, and that is the trigger for a snap decision that has some life-altering effects. All if takes is a strangely dressed man, a missed bus and a talent show. The knock-on effects are equal amounts brilliant and painfully embarrassing.
Of course, Clare isn’t ready to let the world know about her new side gig; and juggling two different sides of her life becomes increasingly complicated, impacting on her daily life.
Perfect on Paper takes a humorous look at the lives that people see and the truth behind the illusions we create. From being taken for granted at home and work, to stepping outside of our comfort zones, I found this book to be a warm observation of how easy it is to slip into the background.
Highlights, for me were seeing Clare help Hatty find her way back and take the plunge into branching out on her own. I once worked in a company that introduced positive mantras and mind exercises; I also found it completely ridiculous! Coincidentally, it also failed.
I highly recommend this book as it gave me a few hours of laugh out loud moments and warm fuzzies.

What a journey Clare is on in this book, she goes from feeling like she is completely invisible to well let's just say things change massively.

Clare is in fact an inspirational character, braver than she thinks and is an all around rather impressive lady.

Well once she had hit breaking point with her work and family that is, of never being noticed, never being listened too, even being overlooked for sprinkles in a coffee shop. And just for those feelings alone Clare comes across as being relatable to probably a large number of readers of this book.

Not to mention there is a new whizz kid at work and I have to say his ideas on "corporate sexiness" make me very glad I don't work with him, and the various exercises they want the staff to take part in are hilarious.

What is also rather amusing is the situations Clare gets into just from skiving off work from one day, which set in motion a whole other side to her, and its from there the the book gets really really good.... but I can't tell you why, you need to find out for yourself.

This was a book that grew on me more and more as I was reading it, and even after I went to sleep at night, if I woke up in during the night I thought I'd read just one more chapter before turning over and going back to sleep, and then I finished it before doing anything else the next morning, It had got under my skin to that extent,

This is the first book I've read by Gillian Harvey and I'm certainly keen to read more on the back of it. I enjoyed the writing style, there is great humour and above all the characters felt very real, and it had me smiling a lot!

Thank you to Orion and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,

Read’ review

‘Read’: Perfect on Paper

Author: Gillian Harvey

Rating: 4 star

In three words: humour, uplifting, easy-to-read
I have been desperate to read this book having read the author’s first novel, Everything is Fine, last summer and thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is so easy to read as Gillian has a light, fun style that just allows you to whizz through the pages. As the character of Clare grew, I giggled along with the ordinary situations she found herself in that are just so relatable.

This novel is uplifting and relevant while at the same time being great escapism. It reminds us that some people seemingly have a perfect life on the surface but then you dig just a little deeper you discover that things may not be all they seem: never judge a book by its cover. A key message for current times.

I really warmed to the main character and it was easy to empathise with her feeling of invisibility and being taken for granted. This is something I’m sure many people can relate to. I love the fact that Clare takes a step out of her comfort zone that changes her life. This uplifting twist, makes you think we can achieve what we dream if we just set our minds to it and take opportunities.

I love this book and would definitely recommend it. It is a light, fun, escapist read that should be on everyone’s list 😊 Thank you Gillian for another fab novel!

I wasn't sure about this one initially; in the first few chapters, I didn't know where it was going and it didn't grab me right from the start. But once I got into it, I found myself wanting to return to it every time I'd had to put it down. Claire is a fun and likeable protagonist (even if she is a bit wet to start with) and some of the situations she finds herself in are humorous. I think we've all felt a bit #MehToo at times so it was very relatable. I also liked the message that I came away with.

Huge fan of this author and this is another absolutely superb read. I have nothing negative I can say about this book. It has been a great read filled with interesting characters and a unique plot.

What an enjoyable, relatable and easy read this book is.
This is the first book I’ve read of Gillian’s and I really enjoyed her writing style.
I instantly took a liking to the main character Clare and could easily identify with how she was feeling invisible and not quite good enough which made the whole of the storyline very easy to follow.
This book has a lovely light feel and it also made me laugh quite a bit throughout as I imagined the scene’s of what was going on.
Very enjoyable read.

Claire Bailey feels invisible. Her boss can’t remember her name, her kids take her for granted and she hasn’t had a proper conversation with her husband for months! She’s had enough and decides it time for a massive change!

A real feel good story about family, love, support and following your dreams. At the beginning I wanted to shout at Claire as she let people take her for granted and walk all over her. I was nodding along with her description of teenagers! I really enjoyed the character of Claire’s sister Steph and the bond they shared.

A fab, feel good weekend/holiday read. A light hearted, laugh out loud book with very likeable characters. Perfect for cheering you up during lockdown!

Who knows what’s around the corner? We all have the power to change our own destiny! Will Claire?

Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

You can have everything that others think make you happy – but Clare Bailey feels like she doesn’t exist. True, she has a loving husband (whose career is just that little bit more important than anyone else’s), two children (who don’t believe in helping tidy up when they’re not finding their mother an embarrassment) and a career (where one of her colleagues cannot remember her name) but this perfect life is far from ideal. So Clare does something so out of character that she’ll surprise and shock those closest to her. But when it comes down to it, is her ‘acting out’ really more reflective of the person she truly is but hasn’t shown in years? There’s a sweetness to this funny novel throughout; you feel endeared to Clare and are rooting for her. This is an ideal read for anyone who may have the perfect life on paper but in reality, it’s anything but.

A lovely and funny tale of a woman who seemingly has everything in order, but is actually craving something else.

When I first started this book, I thought I wouldn’t get through it. I found the character of Clare incredibly annoying, she behaved like a doormat to her ‘up-himself, vain, self-centred husband’ and her ‘disrespectful, lazy, spoilt kids’ and it really frustrated me. In all honesty, I’m sure Gillian Harvey, the author, did it on purpose but in my view it was too much and was making my blood boil - to the point where I almost gave up! (And I rarely give up on a book!).
Then....................the twist came, the detail that made this book totally different and captivating and I was hooked! What a surprising, interesting and unique turn of events it turned out to be when Clare made the decision to bunk off work and step on the audition bus!
From that point on..........I couldn’t put the book down! It was joyous with it’s great message for all of us.......to just notice one another and listen to each other a bit more!
So, my advice..........get through the first bit of the book and you will love and relish the rest! I’ve given it four stars although the majority of the book deserves five but because I came so close to giving up........four stars it is!