The Ex Factor

Would you ever date a friend's ex? Personally I always thought of it as a no-go area, but in The Ex Factor, the new novel by Eva Woods (author of The Thirty List), a group of friends does exactly that.

Marnie, Rosa, Ani and Helen are all unlucky in love. When Marnie returns to London after living abroad, the group reunite for drinks and a catch-up. Rosa has recently split from her husband due to his inability to stay faithful. Successful lawyer Ani steers clear of dating seeing as her day job, dealing with messy divorces, proves just how love can go wrong. Freelancer Helen hasn't dated in a long time. Her somewhat secret job - working on a website for married people looking for affairs - doesn't exactly provide a promising outlook. Plus, she still hasn't completely got over her ex. And when Marnie arrives, she might be in a bit of trouble...

Shocked at their lack of love, and fed up with the annoyances of online dating, Marnie comes up with a plan - to each date a friend's ex. After all - the potential date would be 'pre-screened' by a good friend, thus not coming with the chance of dating a potential oddball from an exaggerated dating profile. It's the perfect plan...or is it? Especially when journalist Rosa is asked to write about her latest project in 'freecycling' exes.

I don't want to go on and risk spoiling the book, but when the four pals begin their dates, things begin to get fun. But what about when it gets serious? As Rosa embarks on her latest article, the group start to realise that along with some rather interesting dates, there can be a risk in actually falling for the ex of one of your best friends.

The Ex Factor was an enjoyable, romantic read that I finished quite quickly. Granted, in my many years of reading chick-lit I have read numerous novels focusing on dating, however this one does come with a very interesting premise! I liked each of the characters, especially Helen, and of course, reporter Rosa with her article, as she worked alongside her cheating ex. If you're looking for a warm, lighthearted read then definitely pick up The Ex Factor. (I'm now going to check out The Thirty List!)

Fast rising women’s fiction star Eva Woods has done it again! After her sensational debut published last year, The Thirty List, Eva is back with a sassy, hilarious and addictive novel you will not be able to resist – The Ex Factor!

The dating scene is a jungle full of liars, weirdos and oddballs who still have a penchant for superheroes and live with their mother – and nobody knows this better than Marnie, Helen, Rosa and Ani. The four friends have had their fair share of entangled attachments, romantic disappointments and devastating rejection, but they are no longer prepared to put up with that. The time has come to put an end to disastrous dates and heart-shattering break-ups as Marnie has come up with a foolproof plan that will put a stop to all of that once and for all; all the girls have to do is simply date each other’s exes. What could possibly go wrong?

Marnie’s plan is initially met with reluctance by the other three girls. Despite Marnie’s assertion that one girl’s Mr Wrong might be another’s Mr. Right, Helen, Rosa and Ani are not especially convinced, but their friend is so enthusiastic about the idea that they don’t have the heart to say no to her. After all, it’s not as if the three girls’ dating resumes are anything to write home about: Helen barely leaves her house and hasn’t had a date in ages, Rosa has just been dumped by her husband for a twenty year old intern and has to suffer the indignity of seeing them in the office every single day and Ani is a divorce lawyer who is so jaded by her job that she believes that she will never find the right guy for her.

This whole plan seems doomed to fail, but as the four girls begin dating each other’s exes, they soon realise that there are advantages to dating men who have already been screened by the people they trust most in this world – but none of them are prepared for the dangers of falling for your best friend’s ex!

Funny, light-hearted and as refreshing as a glass of champagne on a warm summer’s afternoon, The Ex Factor is a delicious and delightful zesty-paced romp that will have you laughing out loud on many an occasion. Eva Woods is a terrific writer of women’s fiction who writes with plenty of humour, sensitivity and empathy and she brings her characters to such vivid life that I am sure every woman reading this book will sympathize and relate to the many dating trials and tribulations of Marnie, Helen, Rosa and Ani.

A fantastic tale that I couldn’t put down, The Ex Factor is another stellar read from the fabulous Eva Woods!