Whilst this is a story of three women trying to get revenge on a man who’s been playing them all, it’s also so much deeper than that. I thought it was also such a gorgeous look at loneliness and making friends as an adult, which can feel so daunting. As much as I loved watching them make Ant squirm, I REALLY loved the moments where the women were all together and just having the best time as friends - and I definitely had some warm fuzzies going on by the end! A reality TV show is a possibility, and what could be better than contrasting Kate and A.J? Sprinkled throughout are thoughts on God, losing your faith and finding it again. What I did like about this book was the focus on friendship. I loved the bond that Joni, Saffy and Mary made. A real mismatch of women and personalities, but the perfect blend for a fantastic friendship. The author portrayed loneliness well and explored the feelings that come with being lonely. I’m glad that the three women found each other, despite it being for such rubbish reasons!! Whilst I did love their friendship, I found the last 10-15% of the book unnecessary and dragged out. I think it could have ended a lot sooner than it did. I loved Lucas and I liked the development of his friendship with Joni. He was really funny!

Overall thoughts: I really enjoyed it, it was a great book and I'd read it again. It shows that with hard decisions and hard times, prayer and getting closer to God is all we need. It's a great book for any tween or teen girl that likes a hint of romance and real life, along with God of course. Just a warning if anyone is particular about certain things: there was a few mentions at the end about one of the characters drinking and being drunk, but it's not a lot. Overall: 5/5 stars, I would suggest this to anyone! Witty, funny, beautifully written and dotted with life's truths like sprinkles on a birthday cake CATHY KELLY Joni had nooit gedacht dat online daten iets voor haar zou zijn, maar haar dochter haalt haar over het te proberen. Dus ze maakt een profiel aan, maar gebruikt daarin de foto’s van haar zus. Als Ant haar mee uitvraagt, durft ze hem niet te bekennen wat ze gedaan heeft, dus doet ze alsof ze hem laat zitten om hem vervolgens ‘als zichzelf’ te ontmoeten. Ze krijgen een relatie en het leven lijkt haar toe te lachten – tot ze via haar account ontdekt dat Ant nog steeds heel actief is op de app.Ingenious. Her eye for detail, compressed emotion and the absurdity that lurks beneath what people say to each other, is unerring. One of our very finest comic novelists * Tortoise Media * I've read - and loved - ALL of Jane Fallon's books, but Just Got Real is her best yet! The plotting is as ingenious and entertaining as ever but this book has a lot of WARMTH and HEART. It's especially gorgeous on female friendship MARIAN KEYES Katie is the daughter of a big-time businessman and a successful boutique owning mother. She’s polished, academically accomplished, and heavily involved in school. She’s had what most people would describe as an easy life, though she puts a lot of stress on herself. Contrasting that, we have AJ. Originally from Louisiana, AJ has grown up covered in car grease from her late father’s mechanics shop and being one of the guys being raised alongside two older brothers. Witty, funny, beautifully written and dotted with life’s truths like sprinkles on a birthday cake’ CATHY KELLY

Just Got Real is described as a ‘revenge rom com’, and that truly is an apt description. It has more revenge than romance but plenty of humour throughout. There are two main themes that Fallon explores which are middle aged dating, which for some reason, at my ripe 28 years, I’ve always loved reading about, and she also explores friendship through the dynamics of Joni, Saffy and Mary. I'm a huge fan of this author's gripping, sharp and brilliantly twisty books, and I'm delighted to report that this latest is just as deliciously readable as the rest . . . A rollercoaster of revenge. I loved it * Daily Mail * Another Fallonesque treat. Full of heart, humour and humanity. She's so good at tapping into the best and the worst in us. Fabulous RUTH JONES After her father’s death, AJ, her mother, and brothers move to Tennessee. This is where she meets Katie. At this same time, Katie’s father is sealing a deal with a company to film a reality show in her high school.But when they meet in real life, they fall for each other. Soon they are a happy, steady item. Until Joni discovers Ant is still on the app, still dating other women . . . Jane just keeps getting better and better. Her books are so smart, funny and warm. I really love her relatable characters, who appear fragile until they become warriors we cheer for." - Adele Parks Overall, I was entertained, but not fully invested. However, I would definitely read more books by Jane Fallon. Witty, funny, beautifully written and dotted with life's truths like sprinkles on a birthday cake." - Cathy Kelly

Just going to put it out there straight away that I didn't really like this book much. I have read a previous novel from this author and quite enjoyed it, but I wasn't a fan of this one. I found it a bit hard to swallow that Joni was on her high horse about Ant lying when she herself had used pictures of her sister on her online profile, then followed (stalked...) Ant to force a meeting in person, at which point she used a fake name and had to change her phone number so Ant didn't put two and two together. I mean... really? Ant was 100% not a good person, but Joni wasn't exactly honest herself. I kept reading because I was mildly interested to see how it would all turn out, but I can't honestly say I enjoyed it. There were some parts I appreciated, like when Joni forms a connection with the other women that Ant is seeing. The three main characters are so different but equally likeable, and I think lots of readers will relate to them in many ways. I finally finished this BELTER of a read from Jane Fallon...It is FABULOUS - with such warmth and humour, and the usual dose of the dish that is best served cold. Just Got Real is the perfect summer read.' * CLAIRE ALLAN * While reading this book, I felt as if I was reading a bit of story of Sadie's life in reading about A.J. A.J is girl from Louisiana who just moved to Tennessee with her mother and brother for a new start as her father recently passed a couple of years ago. A.J will be starting her Junior year of high school at a prep school. This is where she meets the other main character Kate Kelly, Kate is a nice girl, but she is a material girl. She is Junior class president, a girl who is in charge of everything, but at the same time, she lives in a world where she kind of thinks your only as good as your money.Characters: I loved them all. At first I thought Kate was a little snobby, but she's actually really nice in the end and just needed some REAL friends. AJ was my favorite, she always had a positive attitude and was so kind, you could tell she had the love of God shining through her. Kaden was sweet and the love between him and AJ was so unexpected but so sweet! Your writing makes the world a brighter place, [Jane Fallon]. Just Got Real is an absolute joy JOANNA CANNON Another Fallonesque treat. Full of heart, humour and humanity. She's so good at tapping into the best and the worst in us. Fabulous * RUTH JONES * Jane just keeps getting better and better. Her books are so smart, funny and warm. I really love her relatable characters, who appear fragile until they become warriors we cheer for * ADELE PARKS *

This is the great dating app novel, red in tooth and claw, full of secret lives and lies, the story of what we will do to find love - and how far we will go when that longing is cruelly betrayed. Witty, funny, beautifully written and dotted with life's truths like sprinkles on a birthday cake * CATHY KELLY *

Christmas Cards & Gift Wrap

At first glance especially with the gorgeous pink front cover i said to myself this is a typical romance story. However i finished the book with a totally different opinion as it covered some heavy topics such as online dating, deception,grief and loss, romance related fraud as well as loneliness. I absolutely loved Just Got Real. It's modern, it's relevant, it's funny, and I was completely hooked from start to finish. Whilst the dating story is the primary storyline, it's very much Joni who is the main focus of the story, as she moves on with her life after a divorce, the loss of a friend and her daughter leaving home. She takes comfort in her routine but there's no real joy there. I won't go into what happens along the way but by the end I was full of hope for her in the future. Life Just Got Real focuses on two teen girls who are very different from one another. While the wealthy and cultured Katie is used to public scrutiny, AJ is new to any attention outside of her family. When both girls are approached to be the stars of a new reality series, however, neither is too thrilled with the idea. Your writing makes the world a brighter place, [Jane Fallon]. Just Got Real is an absolute joy * JOANNA CANNON * year old A.J. Smith loves fixing cars with her father and older brothers. Katy Kelly on the other hand lives in Nashville with wealthy parents and always has the newest high end fashion. A.J moves from a small town in Tennessee to the busy city of Nashville, Tennessee where Kate Kelly lives. When Kate and A.J. meet they already don’t like each other. However, Kates brother begins to like A.J. and Kate does not like this. Kate is asked to be the star of a new reality television show that is called Real Life. The Real Life reality television show producers decide they want A.J. to be on the show as well because it will make their show more exciting. The producers stir up drama and Kates dream prom begins to spin out of control. It is now up to A.J. to be there for her. This is the beginning of a new friendship that no one saw coming.