Book Review: Yesterday's News

Author: Kajsa Ingemarsson
Title: Yesterday's News
Publisher: Stockholm Text Publishing AB
Publish Date: May 15,2012
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: Agnes has most things in life: a family who is always there for her, a good job at a fancy restaurant, a boyfriend who loves her, and a best friend whom she knows inside out. Or does she?

All of a sudden things begin to crumble, one by one, and soon nothing is as it was. Her boyfriend Tobias leaves her for a big busted singer, and she is fired by Gérard, the sexist and abusive owner of the restaurant where she works.

She gambles everything she has on the success of a newly opened restaurant, but the road to the glowing review which will open the door to fame and fortune has, to say the least, unexpected twists and turns.

In Yesterday’s News Kajsa Ingemarsson’s comic talent comes into its own. Juicy and satisfying, Yesterday’s News is a story about daring and winning and about faith in yourself, a feelgood novel sure to please any romance lover looking for the perfect summer read.

Review: I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed this book. Not because it was a great romance or because I identified with Agnes, but because she was real, and because her life was such a train wreck.

I couldn't grasp two things about her, why she didn't report the boss that sexually harassed her and then fired her and why she clung to Tobias. However, fear makes even the smartest women do stupid things, so I could try to see why she behaved the way she did.

The secondary characters were what made the book so enjoyable. The problem for me reading it was trying to figure out some of the Swedish names, but once I got over that, it was smooth sailing.

Another thing I loved about this book was the glimpse inside the creation of a restaurant, and how hard it is to stay afloat. That time in the book is a bit of downer, plus Agnes lost her mother then too. That was probably the most emotional part of the book.

I really felt Kajsa did a great job writing about Maud's death, especially as she had been such an upbeat character.

Some things in the book were a little predictable. If you don't guess who the restaurant critic is long before it is revealed, you aren't paying enough attention.

It is a short summer read. Perfect for a day in the sun or by a hotel pool Relax and enjoy a good story.

Rating 4 flowers