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scearceka's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Cathy is a stay-at-home mom, but that's starting to be an issue for her husband. He thinks all she does is sit at home all day, now that both kids are in school most of the day. He harps on her about joining the workforce again, but she has her own issues and reasons for not wanting to go along with it. Then, random postcards start arriving in the post from a person called "La La," talking about Cathy's husband. Is he having an affair? Is THAT why he wants her otherwise occupied with a job, so she's not home as often? Or is it just someone messing with him, with her? As Cathy and her trusted friends try to figure out the identity of the poison penner, their "perfect" suburban lives start to go through downward spirals. With all this other chaos going on, how will Cathy even find the time to figure out who La La is, much less be able to nab a job?
This is such a fun little mystery, and it has all those juicy tidbits that also pull you along for the ride; you know, the ones we all watch reality shows and soap operas for. Cathy and her friends are such interesting characters, and I honestly can't tell you how many times I flipped back and forth on La La's identity, as well as how I felt about certain people in her life. All of this, while still trying to be a wife and mother; it's craziness, I tell you! I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next one in the series, and will actually be starting it upon publishing this review. Loved it!
4 1/2 stars
Cathy is a stay-at-home mom, but that's starting to be an issue for her husband. He thinks all she does is sit at home all day, now that both kids are in school most of the day. He harps on her about joining the workforce again, but she has her own issues and reasons for not wanting to go along with it. Then, random postcards start arriving in the post from a person called "La La," talking about Cathy's husband. Is he having an affair? Is THAT why he wants her otherwise occupied with a job, so she's not home as often? Or is it just someone messing with him, with her? As Cathy and her trusted friends try to figure out the identity of the poison penner, their "perfect" suburban lives start to go through downward spirals. With all this other chaos going on, how will Cathy even find the time to figure out who La La is, much less be able to nab a job?
This is such a fun little mystery, and it has all those juicy tidbits that also pull you along for the ride; you know, the ones we all watch reality shows and soap operas for. Cathy and her friends are such interesting characters, and I honestly can't tell you how many times I flipped back and forth on La La's identity, as well as how I felt about certain people in her life. All of this, while still trying to be a wife and mother; it's craziness, I tell you! I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next one in the series, and will actually be starting it upon publishing this review. Loved it!
4 1/2 stars
iheartfictionalpeople's review against another edition
4.0
As a stay-at-home mom of her two children, Cathy doesn't exactly have the most exciting life. However, that is all about to change. In Looking for La La by Ellie Campbell, postcards signed by a mysterious La La begin arriving for Cathy's husband, Declan. What does any sane woman do in this situation? Of course, Cathy starts to freak out a little and is determined to find out who this La La person is and if, in fact, Declan is really having an affair. As Cathy continues her hunt for this person, she begins to see that her husband may not be the only one with a secret.
In the beginning, it was hard to keep track of all of Cathy's friends. And I will admit that Cathy is not my favorite main character. She was obsessive and a little dramatic, but I can't honestly say that I wouldn't behave the same way if I were in her shoes. Even though I didn't like her all that much, I was so curious as to who La La was and what more could happen to Cathy and her friends. The more and more I read this book, the more and more I enjoyed it. I reached a point where I just couldn't put it down. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments, and there were even some really sweet moments that made me go "aww!" Unlike most chick-lit books, I did not predict the ending, which I loved by the way. With such an entertaining and unpredictable plot and very different but lovable-in-their-own-way characters, Looking for La La is a must-read. I was hooked, and I will definitely be reading Ellie Campbell's other books.
Reviewed by ME for Readers' Favorite
In the beginning, it was hard to keep track of all of Cathy's friends. And I will admit that Cathy is not my favorite main character. She was obsessive and a little dramatic, but I can't honestly say that I wouldn't behave the same way if I were in her shoes. Even though I didn't like her all that much, I was so curious as to who La La was and what more could happen to Cathy and her friends. The more and more I read this book, the more and more I enjoyed it. I reached a point where I just couldn't put it down. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments, and there were even some really sweet moments that made me go "aww!" Unlike most chick-lit books, I did not predict the ending, which I loved by the way. With such an entertaining and unpredictable plot and very different but lovable-in-their-own-way characters, Looking for La La is a must-read. I was hooked, and I will definitely be reading Ellie Campbell's other books.
Reviewed by ME for Readers' Favorite
itslacour's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
wilovebooks's review
5.0
A fun read with some serious parts. When Cathy's husband gets a postcard that is signed with love from La La Cathy is excited at the prospect of figuring out the mystery. The story definitely kept me guessing. Everyone is keeping secrets and when I thought I had things figured out, I realized I didn't. I was definitely surprised by how things turned out. Cathy is funny. As a stay at home mom, I could relate to many of her issues. She tends to jump to conclusions and makes up stories at the drop of a hat. Her mouth gets her into a bit of trouble. She also has an interesting group of friends that she likes to varying degrees. This was just an entertaining read that I didn't want to put down.
laurapatriciarose's review against another edition
4.0
Ellie Campbell is actually a pseudonym for two writers- sisters Pam and Lorraine. The story was inspired by Pam's husband who started to receive anonymous love postcards.
When Cathy discovers a letter written to her husband signed off from someone called La La, Cathy decides to start investigating with her best friend Raz. It is a hot topic of conversation with Cathy's Mothers Restaurant Research Group and at first Cathy is more happy that it might bring some excitement into her life rather than worrying about whether her husband is having an affair or not.
Cathy's husband Declan claims that he has no idea who La La is, but Cathy is understandably very suspicious. And what starts out as something fairly light hearted turns darker as Cathy discovers more and events begin to unfold.
Throughout the story I found myself thinking about what I would do in this situation. Although an extremely unusual circumstance that Cathy finds herself in, it was completely believable and I was with Cathy all the way. She was a very likeable character and you just want things to work out alright.
So much happens in this book that you just have to keep reading. It's a great chick-lit book full of mystery and drama that it held my attention the whole time! It is also really funny and the characters come out with some really funny quotes. And there is a twist that you definitely won't see coming!!!
When Cathy discovers a letter written to her husband signed off from someone called La La, Cathy decides to start investigating with her best friend Raz. It is a hot topic of conversation with Cathy's Mothers Restaurant Research Group and at first Cathy is more happy that it might bring some excitement into her life rather than worrying about whether her husband is having an affair or not.
Cathy's husband Declan claims that he has no idea who La La is, but Cathy is understandably very suspicious. And what starts out as something fairly light hearted turns darker as Cathy discovers more and events begin to unfold.
Throughout the story I found myself thinking about what I would do in this situation. Although an extremely unusual circumstance that Cathy finds herself in, it was completely believable and I was with Cathy all the way. She was a very likeable character and you just want things to work out alright.
So much happens in this book that you just have to keep reading. It's a great chick-lit book full of mystery and drama that it held my attention the whole time! It is also really funny and the characters come out with some really funny quotes. And there is a twist that you definitely won't see coming!!!
tinamoo's review against another edition
4.0
This book was part of a boxset of 7 books called "What's so funny about murder?" This was definitely some light, humorous British chicklit. I was expecting it to be more of a murder mystery book with a bit of humour thrown in. The plot centres around a stay at home mum called Cathy. Cathy is married to Declan who is a successful businessman and they have two children. The mystery begins when Declan starts receiving postcards signed from somebody calling herself La La. The postcard is trying to imply that Declan is having an affair with La La. Cathy does not necessarily believe that Declan is having an affair with La La but makes it her mission to try and find out who La La is and why she/he is trying to cause trouble.
I really liked the character of Cathy and being a stay at home mum myself could definitely relate to Cathy and some of the emotions that she was feeling. There was lots of laugh out loud moments in this book. It was a nice, light, humorous read. I knocked a star off because I did get a little confused who some of the characters were. Cathy has a lot of friends and I found myself having to stop and try to remember which character was which. My other reasoning for knocking a star off is because I felt that the book went on for a bit longer than it needed to. I didn't guess who La La was but I did guess how the book would end. I would highly recommend this book.
I really liked the character of Cathy and being a stay at home mum myself could definitely relate to Cathy and some of the emotions that she was feeling. There was lots of laugh out loud moments in this book. It was a nice, light, humorous read. I knocked a star off because I did get a little confused who some of the characters were. Cathy has a lot of friends and I found myself having to stop and try to remember which character was which. My other reasoning for knocking a star off is because I felt that the book went on for a bit longer than it needed to. I didn't guess who La La was but I did guess how the book would end. I would highly recommend this book.
beckmank's review against another edition
4.0
Looking for La La is British chick-lit, with a little mystery thrown in and a lot of humor.
The more we get to know Cathy, the more unhappy we realize she is. Her best friend is never around. Her husband is inattentive at home, works long hours, and really just wants Cathy to find a job. She doesn’t seem to be very good at housekeeping, so it’s a good thing she has a cleaner that comes once a week. All her friends are moving on and she feels stuck. It’s no wonder she’s so busy looking for La La.
Looking for La La had a lot going on, and the plot kept twisting one way, and then turning another. Cathy tends to jump to conclusions, and act on her instincts. The more Cathy looks for La La, the more secrets she seems to uncover. And the more trouble she seems to get into.
I was sure I had the mystery solved at one point. And I did. And then it turned out I didn’t.
Cathy and her crew were a fun bunch to spend an afternoon with. This book is the first in a series, and I plan on reading more.
For my full review, please visit Hidden Staircase.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The more we get to know Cathy, the more unhappy we realize she is. Her best friend is never around. Her husband is inattentive at home, works long hours, and really just wants Cathy to find a job. She doesn’t seem to be very good at housekeeping, so it’s a good thing she has a cleaner that comes once a week. All her friends are moving on and she feels stuck. It’s no wonder she’s so busy looking for La La.
Looking for La La had a lot going on, and the plot kept twisting one way, and then turning another. Cathy tends to jump to conclusions, and act on her instincts. The more Cathy looks for La La, the more secrets she seems to uncover. And the more trouble she seems to get into.
I was sure I had the mystery solved at one point. And I did. And then it turned out I didn’t.
Cathy and her crew were a fun bunch to spend an afternoon with. This book is the first in a series, and I plan on reading more.
For my full review, please visit Hidden Staircase.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
leahmichelle_13's review
2.0
When Ellie Campbell, or rather, Pam and Lorraine as Ellie is their pen name, got in touch with me to tell me about their new novel Looking For La La, I was really looking forward to reading it. I really enjoyed their novel When Good Friends Go Bad, and I thought the premise of Looking For La La was really interesting. When Lorraine told me that the novel was actually based on something that happened to her – her husband receiving love postcards in the post, I was even more interested to read it, because it’s a bit bizarre to receive love postcards from someone you don’t even know! I’m pleased to say Lorraine and her husband are still together, and I love that she used it as the inspiration for her and Pam’s new novel.
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about Looking For La La. I did have some issues with it. I found it to be quite long, and I did at points find my interest waning a bit. I think that’s probably due to that fact that Cathy has so many different friends (and enemies) that I truly couldn’t keep up. Raz, Belinda, Zena, Alec, Patience, Jessica-Ellen and I’m sure I’m missing a couple more, but there were too many for me to get to know any of them, if that makes sense. They all have so many secrets as well that I truly couldn’t keep up, it was somewhat mind boggling. I’d have cut a couple of characters because then it would have been a lot easier to follow. There was just a bit too much going on for my liking and I will admit my concentration has been lacking lately, which probably didn’t help.
Cathy is very much your down-trodden housewife. She doesn’t like being a housewife (she even has a cleaner, but as she actually doesn’t work which is a bone of contention with her husband Declan, I found it weird, ‘cos surely she should have cleaned?), but she doesn’t want to work either, until she finds her ‘perfect’ job, so the letters from La La are very much a distraction for her. Perhaps a bit too much, to be fair as she does jump to conclusions rather quickly. I expected a long drawn-out search for La La, a proper detective-type novel with Cathy tailing people and spying on them in bushes (and considering Cathy’s personality it wouldn’t have surprised me), but there’s not that much in the way of detective work, apart from Cathy throwing a BBQ and writing down suspicious notes. The idea for the novel was spot on, I think it just needed a bit more execution, a bit better finesse. I wanted Cathy and Raz to team up and be like a female version of McGarrett and Danno from Hawaii 5-0 but they don’t. In fact, after Raz’s initial excitement about it all, she sort of disappears and becomes a bit weird and secretive. Everyone ends up being weird and secretive, during the novel. Even I was becoming suspicious.
I don’t really know what genre this novel falls into. I’d have said Chick Lit, but the whole stalking/murder thing was just a bit too odd and dark to fall into the Chick Lit genre. It seemed a bit confused, I think. I wanted a light-hearted read, especially as some of the darker, weirder aspects were a bit beyond the realms of possibility. One thing I definitely know is that everyone who lives in Cathy’s part of London is quite clearly mad and secretive, and I’d never want to live there in a million years. I wanted to like the book so much – I’m on such a good run of books lately, and you never want that to end, but Looking For La La was just a bit too over the top for me. There’ll be those that really enjoy it, and it’s just my personal opinion that I found it a bit hard to follow with a few too many characters for me. I’ll still look out for new Ellie Campbell books, and the idea was excellent, it just needed better execution, with a few less secrets, and a few less nutters.
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about Looking For La La. I did have some issues with it. I found it to be quite long, and I did at points find my interest waning a bit. I think that’s probably due to that fact that Cathy has so many different friends (and enemies) that I truly couldn’t keep up. Raz, Belinda, Zena, Alec, Patience, Jessica-Ellen and I’m sure I’m missing a couple more, but there were too many for me to get to know any of them, if that makes sense. They all have so many secrets as well that I truly couldn’t keep up, it was somewhat mind boggling. I’d have cut a couple of characters because then it would have been a lot easier to follow. There was just a bit too much going on for my liking and I will admit my concentration has been lacking lately, which probably didn’t help.
Cathy is very much your down-trodden housewife. She doesn’t like being a housewife (she even has a cleaner, but as she actually doesn’t work which is a bone of contention with her husband Declan, I found it weird, ‘cos surely she should have cleaned?), but she doesn’t want to work either, until she finds her ‘perfect’ job, so the letters from La La are very much a distraction for her. Perhaps a bit too much, to be fair as she does jump to conclusions rather quickly. I expected a long drawn-out search for La La, a proper detective-type novel with Cathy tailing people and spying on them in bushes (and considering Cathy’s personality it wouldn’t have surprised me), but there’s not that much in the way of detective work, apart from Cathy throwing a BBQ and writing down suspicious notes. The idea for the novel was spot on, I think it just needed a bit more execution, a bit better finesse. I wanted Cathy and Raz to team up and be like a female version of McGarrett and Danno from Hawaii 5-0 but they don’t. In fact, after Raz’s initial excitement about it all, she sort of disappears and becomes a bit weird and secretive. Everyone ends up being weird and secretive, during the novel. Even I was becoming suspicious.
I don’t really know what genre this novel falls into. I’d have said Chick Lit, but the whole stalking/murder thing was just a bit too odd and dark to fall into the Chick Lit genre. It seemed a bit confused, I think. I wanted a light-hearted read, especially as some of the darker, weirder aspects were a bit beyond the realms of possibility. One thing I definitely know is that everyone who lives in Cathy’s part of London is quite clearly mad and secretive, and I’d never want to live there in a million years. I wanted to like the book so much – I’m on such a good run of books lately, and you never want that to end, but Looking For La La was just a bit too over the top for me. There’ll be those that really enjoy it, and it’s just my personal opinion that I found it a bit hard to follow with a few too many characters for me. I’ll still look out for new Ellie Campbell books, and the idea was excellent, it just needed better execution, with a few less secrets, and a few less nutters.
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