With her blue hair and black baggy clothes, Philomena, or Fil to her friends is not your typical heroine.
Living with her best mate Jim, Fil's life is simple and just how she wants it. She has three great friends and her dream job working as an illustrator for the comic 'Girl From Mars'.
Then one night the sanctity of their foursome and the latest X-Files marathon is rocked. One of her friends had the audacity to go and fall in love. Completely taking the group by surprise the revelation shakes up Fil and the remaining two friends. Will their group ever be the same?
An amusing night and a few too many drinks later the remaining two friends: Fil, Digger and Jim take a vow to never date or fall in love. Thus keeping the group and their lives the same forever.
Then enter a new writer to Fil's most beloved 'Girl From Mars' who decides that it's time the comic had a shake up too and Fil is aghast. The Girl From Mars cannot fall in love too can she? You see, her job is more than a vocation for Fil, as far as she's concerned in many respects she is the Girl from Mars.
I had a debate when I began to write this review about what genre to classify this book as. Officially it's classed as Romance, but at times it very much reminded me much more of a chick lit novel. It clearly has a strong romance story running throughout, but Fil's relationship with her friends and the sub plots surrounding them are equally important as the main love story.
Fil is a really funny character and I loved her rag tag group of X-Files, and Dungeons and Dragons loving friends. Enjoying the fact that this book deliberately avoided a lot of the clichés it could easily have fallen into.
Another important thing to note about this book is don't be fooled by the cool Sci-Fi looking cover. Other than the fact that Fil is an illustrator for a Sci-Fi comic, there is nothing science fiction related about the plot at all. Which I found a bit disappointing.
The book looks at the role of your friends as you grow up and those pivotal moments that change your friendships forever. Everyone can remember your first friend to get a boyfriend, the first to get married and the first to have a child. And while those changes to the group dynamic are irrevocable, true friendships adapt and grow stronger.
This is a really fun book, it's a tongue in cheek romp that good naturedly delights in the somewhat geeky antics of Fil and her friends.
However, while it became evident two thirds of the way through the book I wasn't going to get my wish, I couldn't help but think that Fil had ended up with the wrong guy. And would of loved to see how the book would of concluded if she had chosen her other suitor.
Verdict:
This book is an entertaining romantic comedy that comic book lovers will enjoy.
This book has its bases covered, from the will they, won't they story line, to the romantic love triangle and the much coveted happy ending.
Personally, I was just hoping for a different one.
