Book Review: The Dating Detox

I know chick lit isn't for everyone, the same way vampires and werewolves aren't for everyone. But, like any other kind of novel, there's a definite art to writing chick lit, and Gemma Burgess has got it.

Awhile back, I posted the wonderful trailer for the book. It was such a great teaser that I started reading the book that afternoon!

Here's the blurb, courtesy of Amazon:

If you can't date anyone nice, don't date anyone at all...Dating is a dangerous sport. So after her sixth successive failed relationship, romantically-challenged 20-something Sass decides she's had enough. The Dating Detox is born. No men, no break-ups, no problem. The result? Her life -- usually joyfully/traumatically occupied with dates, clothes and vodka -- is finally easy. Chastity rocks. No wonder nuns are always singing. Everything falls at her feet. Especially men. Will Sass break the rules? Why does fate keep throwing her in the path of the irritatingly amusing -- and gorgeous -- Jake? Will she ever roll the dice and play again? Or is a love-free life too good to risk losing? For the post-Carrie Bradshaw, post-Bridget Jones, post-credit crunch generation of singles, life isn't beautiful, a bitch, or a beach. It's a party.

I'm a big fan of writing in the first person, but it's something I've sometimes found difficult to both read and write. But Gemma balances the main character's internal dialogue with external events so well I never felt trapped within her POV. Indeed, Sass is so lovable that I actually developed a girl crush on her half-way through the novel and I felt rather bereft when I closed the book on the lovely Sass at the end. Every woman can likely relate to Sass' dating disasters, and her wonderful combination of intelligence and determination to change her life made this such a readable book. If you do like chick lit, I recommend it!

Gemma Burgess tweets as GKateB on Twitter and blogs here. The Dating Detox is available on Amazon UK or The Book Depository.