...in books

Review

Spin the Bottle

by Monica McInerney

First sentences:

“Stop the music please!” Lainey Byrne shouted, waving her arms as though she was fighting off a swarm of bees.

Summary:

Lainey Byrne is a master at controlled chaos, juggling her hectic, demanding job, her chef boyfriend with his crazy hours, and her roiling family with all its daily dramas. But her life truly threatens to spin out of control when her aunt May, who owns a B&B in Ireland, passes away. In order for the Byrnes to collect their inheritance, someone from the family must take over Aunt May's business for a year. And apparently that someone is Lainey.
Between running a run-down, virtually guest-free B&B (without the slightest ability to cook or clean), worrying about her family from afar, adjusting to country life, and dealing with the complications of long-distance love, Lainey is in way over her head. But when a reunion with a (gorgeous) childhood friend sparks unexpected complications, Lainey realizes that fate may have another path for her-a direction she never imagined.

source: Goodreads

My opinion:

I love Monica’s books so much! When I am in a reading slump or do not know which book to read next I will always gravitate towards one of hers because on the one hand they always make me feel good about myself and on the other they force me to think about them after I finished them. Spin the Bottle was her 3^rd book.

Okay, I’ll try my best not to write a complete fan-girly review of this book but it would deserve one.

Lainey, a born Irish girl who grew up in Melbourne, Australia, is forced by her late aunt’s will to come back to her hometown to run the family’s B&B for a year before it can be sold. Having a father who previously had an accident that changed him completely, a boyfriend whom she rarely sees, three brothers who won’t be able to go to Ireland, Lainey has to deal with running a B&B, sorting out her aunt’s will and handling a pretty bad consciousness too.

Lainey is a wonderful character. She is organized, deals with everything from family drama to weird costumer wishes, signals her boyfriend if she’s awake by a pot plant by her front door and she’s bossy. Yes, that doesn’t always make her a lovely person but a real one. She tries so hard to keep everything up and running but even she fails sometimes. When imposed to go to Ireland by her aunt’s will, she is also forced to slow down, face her fears and has to come up with a new concept for an old B&B.

Eva, Lainey’s best friend, who lives in Dublin (not far away from her), is the best friend a girl could wish for. She’s always there for Lainey, lends a helping hand and tries, with a great deal of tact, to bring Lainey back on the right tracks.

The last character I must mention is Hugh, Lainey’s youngest brother and absolutely adorable. He’s such a sweetheart and tries to support Lainey in every decision she has to make and every difficulty she has to face during her time in Ireland. After Lainey herself Hugh was my favourite character.

The story itself is a wonderful fix of travel-/building your life up from scratch-kind of story with the occasional dust of love and a lot of friendship added into the mixture.

If you are looking for a feel-good novel with lovely characters, a wonderful story with depth that leaves you thinking, than try Spin the Bottle. It’s really good!

For more information about Monica McInerney read the interview I did with her, visit her Homepage and her Facebook or Twitter page.