Book Description:
How can a woman so capable at work be so useless at getting a man?
Kennington, London, 1998
The Countess of Kennington awakes one morning after a heavy night and realises it all has to stop.
She has to stop drinking her problems away. She has to stop acting irresponsibly. And she has to stop obsessing over the MSL: the Man She Loves.
But things are often easier said than done, and when she discovers the MSL is attending a conference where she is presenting, she cannot hold back her burgeoning hopes.
In a Sex In the City meets Toy Story scenario, the Countess lives in an unusual household where her chief confidantes, known as the accessories, are a collection of beloved handbags, a beautiful sheepskin coat and her teddy bear who provide her with support and advice.
As the conference gets underway, the Countess tries hard to focus on work, but encouraged by the accessories, she cannot resist the draw of the MSL.
The bags might talk but this is no kids book…
Tales of the Countess is a highly original chicklit novel by British author Cali Bird, about the need to find happiness in yourself before you get your man.
Buy it now for the perfect piece of romantic escapism.
My Thoughts:
This is a novel unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I was a bit dubious when I started it. I mean come on! Talking handbags, but do you know what, if you give it a chance, it actually works.
The Countess, I had written her off as some sort of dizzy airhead. More money than sense. I’m glad I took the time to get to know her better though as she is anything but. She may well like to party and have her head in the clouds where the man of her dreams is concerned but other than that she is a strong business woman and a good one at that.
There arn’t a great deal of characters in this book with American Ted and the handbags taking near centre stage at times but I enjoyed the working relationship/friendship that the Countess has with Aiden, her work colleague. He turned out to be different from what I was expecting also. If anything, this novel is a hidden gem of surprises.
Tales of the Countess is a very different romance novel. I can guarantee it will be nothing like any other romance book you have read. It’s a little tongue in cheek in places but it was a fun and light hearted story. The author will have you rooting for the Countess and I have to say I was quite fond of her, even her handbags, by the end. Give it a go, you may well be pleasantly surprised like I was.
My thanks to the author for a readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Cali is in her mid-fifties and lives in Bedfordshire. She was single until she was nearly forty and used to be the archetypal career girl, living in Central London and working in investment banking. One day, she had an epiphany, realised that she needed to honour her creative side and started writing. Since then, she had various side projects including running a life-coaching business, giving self-development talks and blogging about creativity at www.gentlecreative.com. She has practised Buddhism for over thirty years and is a self-confessed tree-hugger.
Cali has known her husband, Graham, since they were at school together. Although they once had a smooch when they were nineteen, they didn’t get back in contact for many years. Within a month of their first date, they realised they had found someone special in each other, but it was another few years before they were married at the tender age of forty-six. It’s never too late to find love!
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B088WBTRKK
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088WBTRKK
Apple UK https://books.apple.com/gb/book/id1516176786
Apple US https://books.apple.com/book/id1516176786
Barnes & Noble/Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tales-of-the-countess-cali-bird/1137082685?ean=2940164319793
Waterstones https://www.waterstones.com/book/tales-of-the-countess/cali-bird/9781916360808
Scribd https://www.scribd.com/book/463657008/Tales-of-the-Countess
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/tales-of-the-countess-a-chick-lit
bytheletterbookreviews 
Thanks Sarah. I’m glad the Countess won you over in the end.
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