New year, new me? Nope. In typical Louise fashion, I spent new year’s day sick on the sofa instead of at my brother in law’s new years party. The only consolation? This delightful book which completely transported me away from my living room and into Georgina’s world.

Georgina doesn’t seem to be having the best luck – she’s just lost her job through no fault of her own, she’s just walked in on her boyfriend in bed with another woman, and to top it all, her family are about as supportive as a ten year old bra.

But when she gets set up with a gig tending bar at a wake, she figures it’s at least good money. What she doesn’t bargain on is that the owner of the bar would be none other than Lucas, her teenage love.

But he doesn’t seem to recognise her, and she’s tormented by it. As a teenager, their love was secret but deep. Broken only when Lucas saw her leave the prom with another boy on what was supposed to be their special night (she has reasons, he just didn’t stick around to hear them). So why doesn’t he recognise her? And why does he seem so grumpy towards her?

It doesn’t sound like it would be the most uplifting book, but Georgina was such a funny character – able to find the fun in what were absurdly terrible situations. And her cast of friends were perfect. We even start to see glimpses of loveliness in her otherwise stand-offish family.

Mixed in with the absolute comedy were also moments of true vulnerability and raw emotion, which brought me close to tears. And the ending (although not how I expected it) was superb.

The thing that I loved the most was that Georgina wasn’t a hopeless, brainless, desperate character. In fact, quite the opposite. Headstrong and wise, and not one to take crap from her slimy ex boyfriend.

The perfect book to start a year of renewed reading passion, I’m so glad this caught my eye in Waterstones. Whoever said “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” clearly never went book shopping between Christmas and New Year and needed to escape from the hordes as soon as possible – but it seems to have worked out pretty well on this occasion!