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The Girl in Seat 2A
Funny how one lie can spiral…
One thing about me: I HATE flying. It’s my worst nightmare.
That’s why I book seat 2A every time I fly. Since my big win, I've been booking seats 2B and 2C as well. They’re my comfort seats, they cushion the claustrophobia, and at last I can afford them.
I am now determined to live the life of luxury. I deserve it, after all.
How to Live Like a Millionaire is the book I’m reading on this flight. When it lands on the floor, a handsome guy hands it back to me. I know he clocks the title, because he’s totally charming and talks to me as if I’m one of the Marbella Millionaire set.
When I land in sunny Spain, I’ll be acting like a millionairess, that’s for sure – even if it’s stretching the truth, just a bit. We all know that money talks, and I intend to talk my way into a better life.
Who knows… maybe this guy, the one who had the cheek to sit down in seat 2C, might be someone special. He has an air of danger, but who cares?
9 hrs. 57 min.
One thing about me: I HATE flying. It’s my worst nightmare.
That’s why I book seat 2A every time I fly. Since my big win, I've been booking seats 2B and 2C as well. They’re my comfort seats, they cushion the claustrophobia, and at last I can afford them.
I am now determined to live the life of luxury. I deserve it, after all.
How to Live Like a Millionaire is the book I’m reading on this flight. When it lands on the floor, a handsome guy hands it back to me. I know he clocks the title, because he’s totally charming and talks to me as if I’m one of the Marbella Millionaire set.
When I land in sunny Spain, I’ll be acting like a millionairess, that’s for sure – even if it’s stretching the truth, just a bit. We all know that money talks, and I intend to talk my way into a better life.
Who knows… maybe this guy, the one who had the cheek to sit down in seat 2C, might be someone special. He has an air of danger, but who cares?
9 hrs. 57 min.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published March 5, 2024
About the author
Diana Wilkinson
12 books214 followersDiana Wilkinson graduated from Durham University with a degree in geography, then after a short spell in teaching, spent most of her working life in the business of tennis development.
A former Irish international player, Diana finally stepped off the tennis court to become a full-time writer.
The inspiration for much of her work has come from the ladies she coached over the years and from confidences share over coffee.
4 Riverside Close is Diana's first crime novel, published by Bloodhound Books on 30th March 2020.
You Are Mine, her second thriller, is due for release on 1st June 202.
Born and bred in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the height of the civil unrest, she now lives in Hertfordshire, England, with her husband son.
A former Irish international player, Diana finally stepped off the tennis court to become a full-time writer.
The inspiration for much of her work has come from the ladies she coached over the years and from confidences share over coffee.
4 Riverside Close is Diana's first crime novel, published by Bloodhound Books on 30th March 2020.
You Are Mine, her second thriller, is due for release on 1st June 202.
Born and bred in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the height of the civil unrest, she now lives in Hertfordshire, England, with her husband son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,006 reviews
May 31, 2024
This book wasn't for me, I did like the sound of the blurb, but the more it progressed (first third was the dullest from the point of view of Jade, a young girl who is trying to live like a millionaire after a lotto scratch card win), the worse it became.
So shallow. She got herself into trouble but dare I say, this was bound to happen. She was awful!
Next we heard from Martha, the maid. This perspective very interesting in comparison to Jade. She was a meatier character, her substance and strength of character more real, which redeemed things a little. Conversely, Martha's husband wasn't a gem like she was, he let down anything good his wife was achieving from my perspective.
Greed and gluttony were the main players here, and those unfortunate enough to be involved were never going to fare well.
Isaac was a great character to loathe; he was written well, his motivations and evil palpable, I feel this was probably the biggest strength. I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy a shallow offering with much usage of omg, wtf as part of the text. I'm glad this was relatively short.
2.5⭐️
I listened to this on the Hoopla platform (this should have told me something, titles on this platform are rarely mainstream) and my public library. The narration, especially by Ginita Jimenez in the voice of Martha. She nailed it.
So shallow. She got herself into trouble but dare I say, this was bound to happen. She was awful!
Next we heard from Martha, the maid. This perspective very interesting in comparison to Jade. She was a meatier character, her substance and strength of character more real, which redeemed things a little. Conversely, Martha's husband wasn't a gem like she was, he let down anything good his wife was achieving from my perspective.
Greed and gluttony were the main players here, and those unfortunate enough to be involved were never going to fare well.
Isaac was a great character to loathe; he was written well, his motivations and evil palpable, I feel this was probably the biggest strength. I just couldn't bring myself to enjoy a shallow offering with much usage of omg, wtf as part of the text. I'm glad this was relatively short.
2.5⭐️
I listened to this on the Hoopla platform (this should have told me something, titles on this platform are rarely mainstream) and my public library. The narration, especially by Ginita Jimenez in the voice of Martha. She nailed it.
January 11, 2024
“Who’d have thought one scratch card could have found me Mr. Perfect?”
New-to-me author, Diana Wilkinson, invited me to indulge in the fantasy of what it would be like to win BIG money and I relished the opportunity to explore my potential future as a lottery winner from the comfort of my armchair.
Prior to boarding Flight 2904 to Malaga and getting comfortable in seat 2A, Jade Wiltshire had become a ⅓ winner of the main Lotto jackpot of £60M, relished in her win, unlocked her visionary potential within, and adopted the Marbella Millionaire mindset. Comfort seats 2B and 2C were a necessary luxury.
And then she met Isaac Marston.
When she stepped on the tarmac and into the Spanish sunshine, these precursors are what drove her unquenchable thirst for the millionaire lifestyle to dominate every calculated move.
Suddenly Los Molinos, the five-star beachfront hotel she’d booked for the week seemed drab compared to Isaac’s luxury compound, Casa De Astrid. Jade’s choice to move on up in the world takes her luxury vacation to new levels…in more than one way!
Appearances can be deceiving.
And the Marbella Millionaires are definitely hiding something.
Maybe they’re not the only ones.
What worked extremely well for this masterfully crafted psychological suspense is the author’s choice of multiple POVs. By introducing it later in the narrative, readers are forced to revalue what they’ve read and the story takes off like a racehorse again.
Wilkinson also offers some extremely enticing options. By tapping into readers’ desires to explore potential futures and imagine a world paved with cash, Wilkinson hooks us and takes us for the ride of our life as she examines the phenomenon dubbed the ‘lottery curse.’ Even as I read about Jade making poor choices with her money, I enjoyed my smug speculation about what better use I’d find with that kind of money.
The teacher within loved the use of foreshadowing and atmosphere; both executed extremely well. The reference to the ‘monster bed’ that kept going ‘round and round’ was fantastic as was the change in atmosphere once she entered the estate.
The tension was perfectly plotted, the twists were superb and I loved having a chance to exercise my evil witch cackle!
This was a luxurious read that every suspense lover needs to experience.
I was gifted this copy by Boldwood Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
New-to-me author, Diana Wilkinson, invited me to indulge in the fantasy of what it would be like to win BIG money and I relished the opportunity to explore my potential future as a lottery winner from the comfort of my armchair.
Prior to boarding Flight 2904 to Malaga and getting comfortable in seat 2A, Jade Wiltshire had become a ⅓ winner of the main Lotto jackpot of £60M, relished in her win, unlocked her visionary potential within, and adopted the Marbella Millionaire mindset. Comfort seats 2B and 2C were a necessary luxury.
And then she met Isaac Marston.
When she stepped on the tarmac and into the Spanish sunshine, these precursors are what drove her unquenchable thirst for the millionaire lifestyle to dominate every calculated move.
Suddenly Los Molinos, the five-star beachfront hotel she’d booked for the week seemed drab compared to Isaac’s luxury compound, Casa De Astrid. Jade’s choice to move on up in the world takes her luxury vacation to new levels…in more than one way!
Appearances can be deceiving.
And the Marbella Millionaires are definitely hiding something.
Maybe they’re not the only ones.
What worked extremely well for this masterfully crafted psychological suspense is the author’s choice of multiple POVs. By introducing it later in the narrative, readers are forced to revalue what they’ve read and the story takes off like a racehorse again.
Wilkinson also offers some extremely enticing options. By tapping into readers’ desires to explore potential futures and imagine a world paved with cash, Wilkinson hooks us and takes us for the ride of our life as she examines the phenomenon dubbed the ‘lottery curse.’ Even as I read about Jade making poor choices with her money, I enjoyed my smug speculation about what better use I’d find with that kind of money.
The teacher within loved the use of foreshadowing and atmosphere; both executed extremely well. The reference to the ‘monster bed’ that kept going ‘round and round’ was fantastic as was the change in atmosphere once she entered the estate.
The tension was perfectly plotted, the twists were superb and I loved having a chance to exercise my evil witch cackle!
This was a luxurious read that every suspense lover needs to experience.
I was gifted this copy by Boldwood Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
April 7, 2024
2.5
Well, if Jade insists on playing with sharks it’s inevitable she’ll get bitten. At least she got some lovely Spanish food out of it
Ploddy style, plot is vin ordinaire, towards the end it enters bonkers territory and not in a good way.
Cheerio from outlier island.
Well, if Jade insists on playing with sharks it’s inevitable she’ll get bitten. At least she got some lovely Spanish food out of it
Ploddy style, plot is vin ordinaire, towards the end it enters bonkers territory and not in a good way.
Cheerio from outlier island.
February 15, 2024
This book was just ridiculous. She lets Issac treat her horribly and basically keep her prisoner and instead of calling for help or the police or even a taxi, she goes swimming ? I didn’t read another page. Don’t waste your time.
February 9, 2024
I gave up at end of chapter 14. What a stupid character the girl is. She deserves everything that's going to happen to her and I dont care. Sorry but there are hundreds of books on my tbr list and I'm not wasting time on this.
June 22, 2024
Here, I shall share the evolution of my thoughts as I read this book.
The beginning: I am intrigued. I, too, hate flying. I can relate. Ooooh, she meets a cute guy on the plane and he takes care of her after she passes out. Fun! Okay, his house is gorgeous and he's obviously rich. Lucky Jade. Who's this Marta and why is she such a wench?
Logan. Why does he exist? Why is Jade so shallow? Oh, we're getting a dribble o' backstory: sad life. Bad bf. She won a lottery but not the big one, yet for some reason she's allowing others to think she's won bigly. Why is she doing this? (It's never clear.) On that subject: 50,000 EUR isn't a lot of money these days yet she is flying first class to Marbella twice and staying in a 5-star hotel, twice? That's what she's doing with her meagre winnings? Silly silly Jade.
Isaac is an OCD asshole and yet she lingers!! How many times do we need to hear Jade question her gut instinct telling her this man is an evil wacko? Four? Ten? Sixty?
More than once was enough for me to DNF, but still, like a weary soldier, I continued...that is, until I came to a GLARING mistake that I had to re-read twice just to be certain I was correct: Jade comes back from the beach and showers in HER bathroom (she says she doesn't want to shower in Isaac's ensuite because it would be presumptuous). A few scenes later the lovers finish dinner and head to HIS bedroom. He goes into HIS bathroom and comes out shrieking like a harridan about the mess Jade has apparently left in HIS bathroom. She didn't use his bathroom, yet she says nothing regarding this fact.
Sigh.
I shut the kindle. DNF. But no! The next morning I take a gander at GR and see a multitude of reviewers who say the story takes a turn for the better once it switches to Marta's POV. Okay, okay. Cool. I'm open to it: I'll fire up my kindle again tonight and see if this is a truism.
I begin. Alas. Marta's voice is even more desultory than Jade's. It has no spring in its step. I begin to tap the screen in rapid succession. I just want to get to the end at this point.
Jade escapes! Marta is in cahoots with poor dead Astrid! It's ALL EXPLAINED because Astrid sits next to Jade on the plane and spills THE STORY all over Jade like an owl regurgitating food for its young! How convenient! How easy! (I am now feeling even more regretful over the brain cells and battery life I have wasted.)
Two questions:
1. why on earth would Isaac give Jade 150,000 Euros? What motivated him?
2. why this title?
The end.
The beginning: I am intrigued. I, too, hate flying. I can relate. Ooooh, she meets a cute guy on the plane and he takes care of her after she passes out. Fun! Okay, his house is gorgeous and he's obviously rich. Lucky Jade. Who's this Marta and why is she such a wench?
Logan. Why does he exist? Why is Jade so shallow? Oh, we're getting a dribble o' backstory: sad life. Bad bf. She won a lottery but not the big one, yet for some reason she's allowing others to think she's won bigly. Why is she doing this? (It's never clear.) On that subject: 50,000 EUR isn't a lot of money these days yet she is flying first class to Marbella twice and staying in a 5-star hotel, twice? That's what she's doing with her meagre winnings? Silly silly Jade.
Isaac is an OCD asshole and yet she lingers!! How many times do we need to hear Jade question her gut instinct telling her this man is an evil wacko? Four? Ten? Sixty?
More than once was enough for me to DNF, but still, like a weary soldier, I continued...that is, until I came to a GLARING mistake that I had to re-read twice just to be certain I was correct: Jade comes back from the beach and showers in HER bathroom (she says she doesn't want to shower in Isaac's ensuite because it would be presumptuous). A few scenes later the lovers finish dinner and head to HIS bedroom. He goes into HIS bathroom and comes out shrieking like a harridan about the mess Jade has apparently left in HIS bathroom. She didn't use his bathroom, yet she says nothing regarding this fact.
Sigh.
I shut the kindle. DNF. But no! The next morning I take a gander at GR and see a multitude of reviewers who say the story takes a turn for the better once it switches to Marta's POV. Okay, okay. Cool. I'm open to it: I'll fire up my kindle again tonight and see if this is a truism.
I begin. Alas. Marta's voice is even more desultory than Jade's. It has no spring in its step. I begin to tap the screen in rapid succession. I just want to get to the end at this point.
Jade escapes! Marta is in cahoots with poor dead Astrid! It's ALL EXPLAINED because Astrid sits next to Jade on the plane and spills THE STORY all over Jade like an owl regurgitating food for its young! How convenient! How easy! (I am now feeling even more regretful over the brain cells and battery life I have wasted.)
Two questions:
1. why on earth would Isaac give Jade 150,000 Euros? What motivated him?
2. why this title?
The end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2024
This was FINE but it made me roll my eyes a lot. I've read so many great thrillers, including ones that are unserious like this, that by comparison it feels lower. I was between 2 and 3 but I'm knocking it down because I would have been fine ditching this one part way through and I don't think I would have missed out. I did like the final scene, though!
January 7, 2024
One thing about me: I hate flying. It's my worst nightmare. That's why I book seat 2A every time I fly. Since my big win, I've been booking seats 2B and 2C as well. They're my comfort seats, they cushion the claustrophobia, and at least I can afford them. I am now determined to live the life of luxury. I deserve it, after all. How to Live Like a Millionaire is the book I'm reading on this flight. When it lands on the floor, a handsome guy hands it back to me. I know he clocks the title, because he's totally charming and talks to me as if I'm one of the Marbella Millionaire set. When I land in sunny Spain, I'll be acting like a millionairess, that's for sure - even if it's stretching the truth just a bit.
Jade hates flying, but since winning the lottery, she can afford to purchase three seats - 2A, 2B, and 2C. But there's turbulence, and she drops the book she's reading. But a handsome gentleman gives her it back. By the time the plane lands, Jade is totally disorientated, Isaac is aware of the situation and offers to take her to his villa. Jade enjoys the attention she receives. Things start going wrong, and Jade doesn't know who she can trust. This story is told from Jade, and Martha - a maid at the hotel's - perspectives. This is a descriptively written story.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #DianaWilkinson for my ARC of #TheGirlInSeat2A in exchange for an honest review.
Jade hates flying, but since winning the lottery, she can afford to purchase three seats - 2A, 2B, and 2C. But there's turbulence, and she drops the book she's reading. But a handsome gentleman gives her it back. By the time the plane lands, Jade is totally disorientated, Isaac is aware of the situation and offers to take her to his villa. Jade enjoys the attention she receives. Things start going wrong, and Jade doesn't know who she can trust. This story is told from Jade, and Martha - a maid at the hotel's - perspectives. This is a descriptively written story.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #DianaWilkinson for my ARC of #TheGirlInSeat2A in exchange for an honest review.
Shelved as 'dnf'
January 13, 2024DNF at 47%. I tried, man. I don’t know what I’m missing here since the reviews are stellar but I just can’t go any further.
The characters are awful, I don’t understand why any woman with a brain would be doing what the MC is doing in this, and there’s not enough back story to make me care about any of it.
Sorry. I tried.
Thank you anyway to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and the author for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The characters are awful, I don’t understand why any woman with a brain would be doing what the MC is doing in this, and there’s not enough back story to make me care about any of it.
Sorry. I tried.
Thank you anyway to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and the author for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 25, 2024
Jade is a young woman recently the winner of a scratch off lottery prize. She is taking a trip to Spain, and because she hates to fly she always books seat 2A and also 2B and 2C, I guess so she has the space and privacy to freak out at will. This sounded a bit ridiculous to me but she says she can afford it now. She likes to pretend the lottery winnings made her a millionaire, but not even close. This gets her into trouble time and again, and I again thought that Jade is not too bright. Actually not bright at all. She moves into a guy's house after knowing him less than a week and he turns out to be exactly what everyone told her he was. Did she take the hint? Did she figure out who her friends were in the whole mix of things? Well, I think every reader will figure it out long before she does, which makes for a tedious, frustrating, plodding plot.
The audiobook narrator had a much thicker British accent than I'm used to. That wasn't too bad, however, Jade liked to begin her sentences with the term "I assume...." --must have been used 10-15 times throughout the book. Each and every time, it was pronounced "ash-ume," which after awhile felt like nails on a chalkboard to me. Maybe it won't be as noticeable to others as it was to me.
The audiobook narrator had a much thicker British accent than I'm used to. That wasn't too bad, however, Jade liked to begin her sentences with the term "I assume...." --must have been used 10-15 times throughout the book. Each and every time, it was pronounced "ash-ume," which after awhile felt like nails on a chalkboard to me. Maybe it won't be as noticeable to others as it was to me.
January 25, 2024
An easy and thrilling read.
A little money can go a long way, a lot of money can be dangerous. Jade wants an adventure..... excitement, style, luxury, respect that only money can buy and hopefully romance and a totally new way of life. Now is her chance, all she needs is the confidence she clearly possesses....and a little bit of luck.
Oh what a twisty tale Diana Wilkinson has created. It flowed easily. I felt the story slowed in pace towards the end of part one then POW! along came part two with shocks and revelations. Cunning and beautifully crafted characters, a well plotted storyline and full of unexpected turns. Don't be fooled by any of the characters, there are two sides to a card and the face value is never the same.
A compelling and entertaining read with a dramatic ending.
A little money can go a long way, a lot of money can be dangerous. Jade wants an adventure..... excitement, style, luxury, respect that only money can buy and hopefully romance and a totally new way of life. Now is her chance, all she needs is the confidence she clearly possesses....and a little bit of luck.
Oh what a twisty tale Diana Wilkinson has created. It flowed easily. I felt the story slowed in pace towards the end of part one then POW! along came part two with shocks and revelations. Cunning and beautifully crafted characters, a well plotted storyline and full of unexpected turns. Don't be fooled by any of the characters, there are two sides to a card and the face value is never the same.
A compelling and entertaining read with a dramatic ending.
March 22, 2024
I found the first third of the book so ridiculous that I thought ‘surely this improves’ and continued reading till the end. Improve, it did not.
Jade’s need to always sit in Seat 2A is highlighted in the book’s title and blurb, but it didn’t seem to have any significance to the plot. That was confusing.
The decisions that Astrid, Emmeline and Jade made in relation to Isaac seemed unbelievable which left me scratching my head.
The characters weren’t presented with enough substance to keep me invested in them. What were supposed to be twists and turns towards the end of the book weren’t remarkable and overall left me underwhelmed.
Jade’s need to always sit in Seat 2A is highlighted in the book’s title and blurb, but it didn’t seem to have any significance to the plot. That was confusing.
The decisions that Astrid, Emmeline and Jade made in relation to Isaac seemed unbelievable which left me scratching my head.
The characters weren’t presented with enough substance to keep me invested in them. What were supposed to be twists and turns towards the end of the book weren’t remarkable and overall left me underwhelmed.
April 7, 2024
4 ⭐️
An easy & thrilling read! I enjoyed the plot and the different POV’s throughout the story. I felt the pacing was set out perfectly and I was constantly trying to guess what would happen next. Don’t be fooled by any of the characters you meet!
Lots of discussion points for our book club meet later this month. I was throughly entertained throughout this & love a good dramatic ending!
An easy & thrilling read! I enjoyed the plot and the different POV’s throughout the story. I felt the pacing was set out perfectly and I was constantly trying to guess what would happen next. Don’t be fooled by any of the characters you meet!
Lots of discussion points for our book club meet later this month. I was throughly entertained throughout this & love a good dramatic ending!
April 5, 2024
Oh my goodness, what an absolute banger! A triumph Diana, I was absolutely gripped
January 11, 2024
Finished reading: January 11th 2024
"Funny how one lie can balloon into a whole life story."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
March 18, 2024
Got to 20% and there was still no plot, nothing happening, and the main character was so annoying. Maybe it gets better later on but I had to dnf
July 14, 2024
This is an interesting thriller that makes you realize that telling someone a lie will always have repercussions.
The main female character, Jade wins a jackpot on a scratch lottery card and decides to pretend that she has really hit it big instead.
She meets a millionaire herself that she has her marriage sights on. However, she notices very quickly that there are traits in him that are deal breakers. Even after she knows in her mind what he is, she has to give him a test to see if he’s only after her factitious money. He fails the test but, it may be too late. Too late except there’s a friend that is there to help her. A friend she thinks is an enemy. The housemaid always knows the truth. The maid helps Jade get away by killing the monstrous non- millionaire. He was only out to steal Jades fake money.
Once Jade is on the plane making her escape, she finds out how lucky she actually is.
The main female character, Jade wins a jackpot on a scratch lottery card and decides to pretend that she has really hit it big instead.
She meets a millionaire herself that she has her marriage sights on. However, she notices very quickly that there are traits in him that are deal breakers. Even after she knows in her mind what he is, she has to give him a test to see if he’s only after her factitious money. He fails the test but, it may be too late. Too late except there’s a friend that is there to help her. A friend she thinks is an enemy. The housemaid always knows the truth. The maid helps Jade get away by killing the monstrous non- millionaire. He was only out to steal Jades fake money.
Once Jade is on the plane making her escape, she finds out how lucky she actually is.
May 26, 2024
The Girl in Seat 2A by Diana Wilkinson is exactly the kind of short and punchy thriller that is my favorite to read, and this would make an excellent beach read! It looks like a lot of readers couldn't get past the unlikability of our FMC Jade, but I reveled in it. Sure, she is shallow and does dumb things, but it makes for one heck of a time. I loved the short chapters and how the book is broken into parts, as well as how everything ended up tying together. Thinking about it now, there is a loose end that I believe never got fully covered but I could have missed it as well. Either way, it doesn't take away from my experience and I'm fine not knowing.
I randomly came across this book on Hoopla when I was browsing audiobooks and even though I also bought the book off Amazon, I would still recommend the audio. Emma Noakes & Ginita Jimenez had their characters down pat and might have been part of the reason why I loved the book so much. The Girl in Seat 2A is my first time reading Wilkinson and it definitely won't be my last. I think you need to be a certain type of reader to enjoy this type of book and I am here for it. I loved that the second POV wasn't introduced until later in the book and it makes you question everything even though I did have some suspicions. All in all, this was a quick breezy read with some nice twists and a great atmosphere - And I loved the ending!
I randomly came across this book on Hoopla when I was browsing audiobooks and even though I also bought the book off Amazon, I would still recommend the audio. Emma Noakes & Ginita Jimenez had their characters down pat and might have been part of the reason why I loved the book so much. The Girl in Seat 2A is my first time reading Wilkinson and it definitely won't be my last. I think you need to be a certain type of reader to enjoy this type of book and I am here for it. I loved that the second POV wasn't introduced until later in the book and it makes you question everything even though I did have some suspicions. All in all, this was a quick breezy read with some nice twists and a great atmosphere - And I loved the ending!
April 9, 2024
1.75 stars for this book. i probably should have DNF'd but I was intrigued, and you know what? the ending was satisfying. it was tense and mysterious, and overall, I was interested enough to keep going. i liked marta's point of view - she was a much more interesting character than jade. but unfortunately, most of the book was told from jade's pov.
i saw someone say that jade deserved everything that came her way and tbh, I agree. this girl was fat-phobic, stupid, and ultimately, a liar. she had no initiative in her life whatsoever, and let herself be conned and trapped by silly lil Isaac (who btw had nothing charming about him, how did all these woman fall for his crap?) marta, on the other hand, had a better relationship with him and it made sense why she became his maid. she was smart enough to catch on to what was happening.
overall, the pace was slow, especially the first half. the second half was much quicker and easier to get through. the writing of the book was so amateur. the author literally says "OMG. WTF." when something crazy happens. not to mention all the fatphobic writing??!! like what?
wouldn't recommend this book. not even for a quick trashy read on the beach.
i saw someone say that jade deserved everything that came her way and tbh, I agree. this girl was fat-phobic, stupid, and ultimately, a liar. she had no initiative in her life whatsoever, and let herself be conned and trapped by silly lil Isaac (who btw had nothing charming about him, how did all these woman fall for his crap?) marta, on the other hand, had a better relationship with him and it made sense why she became his maid. she was smart enough to catch on to what was happening.
overall, the pace was slow, especially the first half. the second half was much quicker and easier to get through. the writing of the book was so amateur. the author literally says "OMG. WTF." when something crazy happens. not to mention all the fatphobic writing??!! like what?
wouldn't recommend this book. not even for a quick trashy read on the beach.
April 2, 2024
Picked this up as an easy read, but it was so disappointing.
First, I felt the protagonist sitting in Seat 2A would be of some significance but this seemed to never get addressed again. Second, the characters were so undeveloped that I didn’t really care what happened. I also can’t stand the use of ‘OMG’ and ‘WTF’ in a sentence! Overall, underwhelming and confusing.
First, I felt the protagonist sitting in Seat 2A would be of some significance but this seemed to never get addressed again. Second, the characters were so undeveloped that I didn’t really care what happened. I also can’t stand the use of ‘OMG’ and ‘WTF’ in a sentence! Overall, underwhelming and confusing.
May 27, 2024
Much like the characters in this book, I remind myself of a horror movie character. All the evidence was there, I had plenty of time to run, and yet I stayed and finished the book. Don’t do it
November 4, 2024
It was a huge debate between 2 and 3 stars gosh.
We watch a FMC win lottery and enjoy a luxurious holiday and meets a rich cute guy and has her own secrets to unravel later in the plot. I definitely found the beginning interesting cause the FMC made questionable VERY QUESTIONABLE choices that led her into I told you so kinda situations. It’s a multiple POV book and I definitely favoured another POV more than our FMC which she shed more light and depth for this story. Very easy to read but meh.
We watch a FMC win lottery and enjoy a luxurious holiday and meets a rich cute guy and has her own secrets to unravel later in the plot. I definitely found the beginning interesting cause the FMC made questionable VERY QUESTIONABLE choices that led her into I told you so kinda situations. It’s a multiple POV book and I definitely favoured another POV more than our FMC which she shed more light and depth for this story. Very easy to read but meh.
May 11, 2024
Another housemaid type book, would rate them both the same.
March 18, 2024
The main character was so annoyingly stupid that I no longer wanted to care about what happened to her and there were even moments where I thought about tossing the book aside because of her.
But then the story began to go my way so I kept reading and was very pleased with the ending. I also enjoyed the twists and turns so I give it 5 stars.
But then the story began to go my way so I kept reading and was very pleased with the ending. I also enjoyed the twists and turns so I give it 5 stars.
June 10, 2024
Jade heads off to Marbella after a lottery win, wishing desperately to live like a millionaire.
After a chance meeting on the plane with the handsome and charming Isaac, could her wish soon be a reality?
This is a chick-lit meets thriller kind of book. From the cover, I was expected a bit more of a serious tone, so I was a bit thrown at the start, but I did enjoy the light hearted style.
Jade was a bit of a naive protagonist and the other characters weren’t particularly well developed. I would have liked to have heard Isaac or Pablo’s story as well as Jade and Marta’s.
It was a little predictable in places, but its fast pace kept me turning the pages.
A quick and easy read, it would make a good vacation book. Fans of The Housemaid would enjoy this as it has a similar feel.
After a chance meeting on the plane with the handsome and charming Isaac, could her wish soon be a reality?
This is a chick-lit meets thriller kind of book. From the cover, I was expected a bit more of a serious tone, so I was a bit thrown at the start, but I did enjoy the light hearted style.
Jade was a bit of a naive protagonist and the other characters weren’t particularly well developed. I would have liked to have heard Isaac or Pablo’s story as well as Jade and Marta’s.
It was a little predictable in places, but its fast pace kept me turning the pages.
A quick and easy read, it would make a good vacation book. Fans of The Housemaid would enjoy this as it has a similar feel.
January 12, 2024
There are differing opinions about whether you need to read 3, 5, or 25 books to become an expert on a subject, but Jade is sure that reading How to Live Like a Millionaire will do the trick for her. Because she’s just won the lottery and is flying to Marbella for a vacation. Okay, she still can’t break the habit of hoarding the courtesy samples from her bathroom or pocketing fruit from the breakfast bar, but hey, she’s a big tipper!
She does meet a millionaire. Isaac invites her back to his mansion, where the red flags just keep coming. The man has a clean fetish, the doors lock and she doesn’t have the code, and Marta, the housemaid, is shooting daggers at her. It took far longer than I would have liked for Jade to figure out the score, but then we read Marta’s point of view and the story really takes off.
This was the first Wilkinson book I’ve read but it won’t be my last. Thank you to NetGalley and Bolwood Books for introducing me to another author to love!
She does meet a millionaire. Isaac invites her back to his mansion, where the red flags just keep coming. The man has a clean fetish, the doors lock and she doesn’t have the code, and Marta, the housemaid, is shooting daggers at her. It took far longer than I would have liked for Jade to figure out the score, but then we read Marta’s point of view and the story really takes off.
This was the first Wilkinson book I’ve read but it won’t be my last. Thank you to NetGalley and Bolwood Books for introducing me to another author to love!
June 13, 2024
3.75 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Uno de los puntos fuertes de está novela es que está ambientada en verano y en España, y no es muy común encontrar un thriller extranjero ambientado en España.
La trama se desarrolla en Marbella. La protagonista Jade viaja a Marbella, después de ganar un pequeño premio con un rasca y gana, aunque todo su entorno piensa que es una nueva rica. Y con su disfraz de nueva rica, conoce a Isaac un millonario que parece ser "don perfecto" y hacer realidad su sueño de ser rica.
Evidentemente Isaac no es lo que parece y cuando Jade se vaya a pasar unos días en su casa empezará a sospechar que algo raro pasa.
Por supuesto me encanta esa referencia a que Isaac es un Stephord Husband ( la referencia masculina de mujeres perfectas de Ira Levin).
Nos encontramos con un thriller estilo "cazafortunas".
Si quieres otro libro de este estilo te recomiendo The wife upstairs de Rachel Hawkins.
Uno de los puntos fuertes de está novela es que está ambientada en verano y en España, y no es muy común encontrar un thriller extranjero ambientado en España.
La trama se desarrolla en Marbella. La protagonista Jade viaja a Marbella, después de ganar un pequeño premio con un rasca y gana, aunque todo su entorno piensa que es una nueva rica. Y con su disfraz de nueva rica, conoce a Isaac un millonario que parece ser "don perfecto" y hacer realidad su sueño de ser rica.
Evidentemente Isaac no es lo que parece y cuando Jade se vaya a pasar unos días en su casa empezará a sospechar que algo raro pasa.
Por supuesto me encanta esa referencia a que Isaac es un Stephord Husband ( la referencia masculina de mujeres perfectas de Ira Levin).
Nos encontramos con un thriller estilo "cazafortunas".
Si quieres otro libro de este estilo te recomiendo The wife upstairs de Rachel Hawkins.
December 28, 2023
After Jade wins a 20,000 pound scratch off she lives life as best as she can without giving up her economy sized bedsit.She is on her second trip to Spain. She has decided to live lavishly as if she was a millionaire and not just a thousandair. When there is turbulence on her flight a handsome guy name Isaac Hance her back her book “how to live like a millionaire.“ before Jade knows it she is tipsy on wine she finds out his name is Isaac and when one thing leads to another she decides he is going to be her vacation date or maybe Isaac manipulated it to be like that. For a day or two she stays at a ritzy hotel known to cater to the rich but bee for she knows it she is staying with Isaac in his island Villa he’s even taking her on a cruise and what she believes to be his yacht. On her first day there she notices the housekeeper Marta isn’t that nice but the show for her husband Pablo is quite the opposite because while Isaac is supposed to be at work he takes Jade down to the village to do some shopping and wants to go with her something Jade refuses. This whole thing with Isaac is becoming a bit much she’s learning he is very particular about keeping things clean and has even seen him bring Marta to tears over something that has made Isaac unhappy. While she is in the village she stops in on a realtor who also believed her to be a millionaire just to see how it feels but when a little champagne causes her to make a bad decision it starts the beginning of the end. I also forgot to mention while they were out at dinner at a nice restaurant a woman comes up to them and warns Jade off of Isaac and says he ruined her life and she will not be the only one to tell Jay this unfortunately she has missed our opportunity to run and may now be in danger but from who Isaac or Martha? This was a great hilarious book and like most reviews there are so much I left out if you love great humorous thrillers then you will definitely enjoy the book it is not campy or cartoonish at all but a really good read and one I highly recommend. I have never read a book by this author but I’m definitely going to check out any books she has or comes out wet I am totally sold on this authors wit and talent. I could’ve sworn I read books by Diana Wilkinson before but haven’t found any yet and if I did then make this one my absolute favorite it really is a great great read! I want to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
January 2, 2024
I really enjoyed this one. I felt connected to both jade and Marta. The turn at the middle was very unexpected and this kept me guessing all the way through. Isaac was creepy and scary which was described so well. Great first book of 2023!
December 2, 2023
Money makes the world go round! Certainly in sunny Marbella, the millionaire’s playground, where Jade is heading to live the lifestyle she deserves. When she meets a handsome man on the plane who takes her to his stunning villa, Jade chooses to ignore the red flags and enjoy the ride. I was really enjoying the book, feeling the sunshine in my face and smelling the warm sea air, but then it slowed a bit and just as I was wondering where it was going to go…. Part 2! Marta, the housekeeper’s POV turns the whole thing upside down and it gets really tense!
Brilliant characters who will all do anything for money, even the nice ones…
4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Diana Wilkinson and Boldwood for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Brilliant characters who will all do anything for money, even the nice ones…
4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Diana Wilkinson and Boldwood for an ARC in return for an honest review.
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