Sweatpants at Tiffanie's by Pernille Hughes

Sweatpants at Tiffanie's

Pernille Hughes

This novel is hilarious! I laughed so hard that I cried. It reminded me of a Sofia Kinella or Marian Keyes novel. Anything that can go wrong did. Tiffanie Trent is having a rough week--her boyfriend of ten years dumps on their anniversary at the same restaurant that they had their first date and since they lived together at his place--she's now homeless. Tiff has more bad news--her longtime friend and father figure, Frank Blackie dies. Frank was her first bookkeeping client and was a prominent figure throughout her life. To add the icing to her crap-tastic cake--her childhood boyfriend and first love Mike "The Assassin" Fellner returned for Blackie's funeral looking more gorgeous than ever while Tiff has gained a few pounds and feels worse about herself than ever. 

At the will reading, Tiff finds out that Blackie has left his most precious gift to her--his boxing gym. Blackie's assistant coach, Ron makes numerous sexist remarks that Tiff isn't cut out to run the gym since she's a woman--and making a remark about her weight. Her ex-boyfriend Gavin tries to talk her into selling it because he think she doesn't have the motivation or business sense to run a business with employees. Tiff is determined to prove them both wrong. With the help of her best friend, Shelby and Natalie, a Blackie customer's wife--the three are determined to upgrade the gym into a full service experience for all genders. Tiff runs into some trouble beginning with the fact that she is secretly living in one of the gym's storage rooms. She is also receiving haunting crack calls, mail with dog poo, and the gym is vandalized. Oh and Blackie's ex-wife and step-son feel that they should have been given the gym. The more Tiff works on the gym the more she comes in contact with Mikey. Mikey keeps coming back to the gym for nostalga or so he says. All of her old feelings for Mikey are starting to resurface especially after the spend the night together. But Mikey is offered a job in LA--a once in a lifetime opportunity. Tiff doesn't want to get in his way. Gavin has returned when he sees that Tiff is turning things around with the gym. What will Tiff do? Will Mike take the offer or move back home? 

The Story After Us Fiona Perrin

The Story After Us

Fiona Perrin

Ami Fitch is wife, mother, and small business owner of Brand New, advertising company. Lately, all she does is argue with her husband, Lars. Lars files for divorce. Ami beggs him to stay but he doesn't. Lar changes his mind when their youngest son is nearly sufficated by their daughter Tessa. Tessa is going through a funeral phase when she re-enacts funerals. Tessa "buried" her brother--nearly sufficating him in cusions and blankets while the au pair left them to shag the footballer two doors down. Lars makes numerous changes to his lifestyle for his family, yet he only does these things for his children not for Ami. 

Numerous aspects of this story was conflicting for me. At various points, it felt that Ami wanted Lars back then she didn't. She wanted Lars to do certain things and he finally does it but now she doesn't want him back. Ami was a very wishy-washy character to me. I get that the author wrote her to show how a woman doesn't need any man as Ami's advertising pitch very blantly showcased. But yet Ami has issues making up her mind of what she truly wants. I felt that Lars character could have been more developed. The title made it a bit confusing for me. The title implied that there is a story after "us"meaning after Ami and Lars. But it only implied that Ami was moving on with someone else. I was yearning for more from Lars since the story kept flashing back to Ami and Lars past which implied to me that perhaps they may re-create or re-find aspects of their love.