Author : Carole Matthews
Release date : October 2011 (Paperback)
Publisher : Sphere
Source : Bought
Rating : 4.5/5
Thirty-something hairdresser Janie Johnson’s single status is a constant source of gossip for her friends and clients. So after too many nights in with her cat, a blind date disaster and news that her ex is getting married, Janie realises it’s time to do something dramatic with her life. Leaving winter behind, Janie takes the plunge and books an exotic trip to Africa. Her friends think she’s mad and Janie thinks they may very well be right… but then she falls head over heels for her tour guide – and fully fledged Maasai Warrior – Dominic. But can Janie now face spending a snowy Christmas back home without him?
When I saw this book in the Times, I was actually torn, I wanted to buy it, but my main goal was to buy Unlike A Virgin, so I had second thoughts. I left Times and for the rest of the night, I kept thinking about Wrapped Up In You. Silly, isn’t it? I dreamt about it too. A few times. I was enchanted by its gorgeous Chritmassy cover. I loved it. It’s sparkly, glittery and the title stands out in red. So I had to wait and wait until I stumble upon it in Popular about three weeks later. Without further hesitation, I bought it with a generous 20% discount by Popular. The story captured my attention, as why would someone go to Africa? Why not Australia where it’s sunny or my country, Malaysia which is super hot and humid year-long.
Wrapped Up In You is about Janie, who is unlucky in love and couldn’t land herself a ring at the age of 35. Readers will read Wrapped Up In You as Janie herself, which was quite fun as it is perfectly how I love my books; read from the heroine’s point of view. Before reading it, I never knew Nashley, the village where Janie lives, exists. I Googled “Nashley” myself and the houses look really cosy and warm during freezing cold days. Carole described Nashley rather intricately, as the houses were cosy and warm and small, just for Janie. Readers are introduced to other characters in the novel as the story goes, as its setting is only in Nashley and later in the book, on the plains of the Maasai Mara, I’ve grown to enjoy reading about them. Carole really had the initiative to travel to the Maasai Mara herself to illustrate such a beautiful picture of the breathtaking sights of Africa. Kudos to Carole for that!
I’ve grown to like Janie throughout the book as I feel for her, being alone and unloved, with Archie the Aggressive as her company. Man, I loved Archie, he’s such an adorable addition to the casts of the book. Janie was a really good heroine in the book, as she figures out her problems and the thing that bothered me most is her timidness. She didn’t dare hurt her best friend, Nina even though Nina was being a massive cow. She speaks her own mind but seldom expresses them. I really wanted Janie to end up with her lovely neighbour, Mike who is a real sweetheart. I’d rather have Janie to love someone who has loved her for a long time. Then there’s Dominic Nemasolai Ole Nangon, if I’m not mistaken. Man alive, he’s one hell of a man! A fully pledged Maasai warrior who loves Janie as she is and would stand in the way of danger for her. He’s really good-looking, as how Carole described him. I have to say, this was a really unique reading experience for me, I never knew the customs and traditions of the Maasai villagers until I read about them in the book, for that, thank you, Carole. It was a very fun and pleasurable experience.
The pace of the story was really quick and flows very well. I had to have a few stops as I read it throughout my examinations, but I will tell you this; it was very worthwhile. It’s the perfect Christmas read, to curl up in your favourite chair or spot on the sofa with a delicious cup of hot cocoa and get wrapped up in this beautiful novel. It is not a lie when they say Carole Matthews write “fabulously funny romantic fiction”! I loved it, I felt many different emotions reading this and it’s just such a lovely romantic book which I can’t recommend highly enough. Carole is a very warm and down-to-earth person, feel free to find her on Facebook or tweet her on Twitter at @carolematthews.
Carole will be releasing her next novel, Summer Daydreams in hardback in March 2012 and in paperback in May 2012. Another book I’m looking forward to reading.
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