Working it Out [Kindle Edition]

A decent read in the chick-lit genre.

It did tug on my heartstrings a few times and I did shout at Ruby. But then, if she go the right man to start with, it wouldn't be a long book.

I liked the characters, but did find them a bit cliched and one-dimensional, in that they had their part and didn't deviate from it.

I have to confess and say that I don't usually read self-published novels, as they really can be a bit hit and miss and I have enough trouble squeezing the ones from publishers into my reading schedule! However, Nicola May's new book Working It Out has received some really great reviews from both authors and other bloggers, and it really left me intrigued about this book. Luckily, Nicola was lovely and wanted to send me a review copy so I decided to give it a go, after all, all these reviewers couldn't be wrong could they?! I do have to say that the cover is pretty good for a self-published book, one of the better ones I've seen actually, and the quality of the book itself is fantastic, there is nothing there that would put you off reading it as a self-published novel at all!

The story is led by our character Ruby Matthews, and the book is told in the first person so we really get to know her well as the story progresses. I do tend to like books written this way as I just feel more involved in them, and I think May made a really good choice here. I did like Ruby right from the start, she didn't wallow around once she lost her job and started to go straight out there and get another one, something I really liked. Although I liked Ruby, there was one aspect of her that I didn't like and that was her way with men. She is rather, shall we say, promiscuous in this book, and I wasn't too keen on that to be honest, she doesn't seem to put much thought into jumping into bed with a variety of men, whether it's safely or not and I'm not sure that's the right sort of thing to be promoting in fiction, and this is really the only aspect of Ruby I really didn't like. Other than that, she's great and really gives all her jobs a go, and her friendship with her elderly neighbour is lovely....

Her idea of 12 jobs in 12 months is a really great one, and certainly made for interesting reading. Due to the fact that the book isn't overly long, and 12 jobs in a year is a lot to get through, some jobs get more page time than others, which is a bit of a shame as I'd have loved a bit more detail about those and less about Ruby's escapades with the various males in the book if I'm honest! My favourite job of Ruby's was at the care home, and I thought these were the best scenes of the book, and Ruby's friendship with the residents, especially Lucas, was really touching, and certainly showed that sometimes these older people have more to them than meets the eye. The other jobs include a sexual health clinic (hilarious), an old café (charming), and a party planner's assistant (fun) amongst others, although none stand out as much as the old people's home for me. This job kept coming back to haunt (in a good way) Ruby throughout the book and I liked how it had knock-on effects on her. I do quickly want to mention another of my favourite characters here, Ruby's brother Sam. He's blind, and is the first blind character I've come across in chick lit, he was so well-written and lovely, and I really loved Ruby's relationship with him too.

Overall I thought this was a very enjoyable book, and I think Nicola May is going to be a chick lit author to look out for. It's a strong novel, well written and enjoyable to read with good characters, and a great plot, and I can see why so many people have enjoyed it. If you don't normally read self-published novels, much like me, put your prejudices aside and give this a go. Yes, there are a few bits that could do with some tighter editing and I found some of May's writing to be a bit too crude (I HATE the c-word in chick lit and it was totally unnecessary in this book, and really annoyed me that Nicola May had chosen to include it actually) but other than that, it's an enjoyable read that I can definitely recommend. Like I said, ignore the fact that it's self-published and just allow yourself to sit down and enjoy a really good story. Read more ›

Nicola May has written a really fun book, Working It Out had me entertained from start to finish. As someone who has tried many different jobs, I could completely identify with Ruby's desire to find her dream occupation. So Ruby's plan is to try a different job every month for 12 months. I loved reading on to find out what she would be doing next and it was certainly varied; from undertaker to sexual health clinic receptionist. She enters each job with enthusiasm and an open mind and the results are often surprising.
Whilst Ruby has a clear plan for her career, she doesn't seem so organised when it comes to her love life. There's gorgeous George, her neighbour who she could spend all day flirting with and Bentley the millionaire who is fun but not for the long term and several more men that she meets along the way. What's a girl to do when presented with so many decisions?
I really enjoyed Nicola May's writing style and I think the idea behind the book is very clever as there is so much that can be written about with each new job which makes the book really entertaining. I think the biggest strength of Working It Out is the characters created by the author; each one brings something different to the book and they were not perfect, especially Ruby which always makes them more believable.
I think a lot of readers will identify with this book and enjoy reading about Ruby's quest to find that perfect job. Nicola May's writing is fun and entertaining and I look forward to seeing what she does next.

"Work is love made visible" is a line from a quotation by Kahlil Gibran. And it is through Ruby Ann Matthews' search for one that she happens upon the other.

Ruby sets herself a target of a new career a month for a year. A twelve-month exercise in hopping between jobs in an attempt to decide her perfect vocation.

Nicola May's Working It Out sets itself an intriguing challenge: can it engage the reader with what appears to be a minuscule cast? Not one man and his dog, but one woman - Ruby - and her cat - Patrick. The clever beauty of the book is that its cast expands as Ruby moves from one occupation to another. Ruby's small, inner circle of friends and family grows each month. Her colleagues, staff and customers (not to mention patients, punters and party people) from each successive monthly job trial increase, intermingle and crop up over and over again. And it is Ruby's relationships with this cast which drives "Working It Out".

I will admit, I didn't think I would care about any of the characters. I was wrong. Because each new career brought a fresh bunch of charming, caring, ugly, nasty, spiteful, hilarious, intelligent, selfish and interesting characters. And I felt myself willing Ruby, Fi, George, Margaret and the others on to what seemed to be a perfect conclusion.

I love this book!

I wasn't sure before I started to read this book if it was my kind of read. I was very much surprised and found myself drawn in to the book really enjoying the characters. Really believable and true to life. I'll definately be on the look out for the nexrt Nicola May book.