Gripping, sharp and brilliantly twisty. Deliciously readable. A rollercoaster of revenge' DAILY MAIL Refreshing, authentic and viciously fun, it’s a hooking narrative as you watch the story and cast evolve over time while laughing along the way.

Full of charm, excitement and the humour splashed throughout adds this certain charisma that makes it so relatable. Soon they are a happy, steady item. Until Joni discovers Ant is still on the app, still dating other women . . . I didn’t love this book, which I’m actually gutted about because I was really looking forward to reading it and had high hopes - maybe that was the problem. The husband left her, she is bored at work and is now renting out her spare room because she’s broke.The three main characters are so different but equally likeable, and I think lots of readers will relate to them in many ways. Fallon is infallible in her handling of revenge. On the surface, a mummy influencer gets her just desserts when a woman whose husband she stole, Iris, decides to troll her online. Isn't that the normal spin, that successful influencers are leading a life of lies? Not in Fallon's hands. Her believable characters, and deftly revealed twists along the way make us re-evaluate our perceptions. Het idee van dit verhaal is natuurlijk superleuk, maar voor mij kwam er eigenlijk geen enkele verrassing. Normaal gesproken komt Jane altijd met een heel sterk plot, maar dat ontbrak deze keer voor mijn gevoel. Ook de laatste hoofdstukken vond ik een beetje overbodig.

I really, really enjoyed this novel. Jane Fallon pretty much specialises in fiction about toxic friendships and, I'll be honest, no author does it better than she does. I've read close to all of her books (bar the odd one or two that I still have on my shelf to read) although it has been a while since I've read one of her novels. De schrijfstijl blijft wel echt fantastisch, dus als Jane weer een nieuw boek uitbrengt, ga ik die gewoon weer enthousiast lezen! This is a great twist and the headache becomes real when Georgia’s husband is accused and leaves their home. A twist is then revealed and now Lydia is in the spotlight. Jane is known as the revenge queen, but I really think the dialogue queen is more fitting, because the dialogue is truly masterful in this book. Jane's skillful use of razor sharp dialogue really brings every character to life, and makes the scenes so vivid. The story is perfectly paced, and you are guided effortlessly through the chapters.

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I also loved how different our three female leads were - in age, appearance and personality, each bringing something wonderful to the dynamic though. Joni is the real central character, and very easy to warm to (and relate to in many ways, apart from the gym 🤣), but I also fell for sweet widow Mary, and gobby Saffy with a heart of gold. Fallon definitely knows how to write women!

Witty, funny, beautifully written and dotted with life's truths like sprinkles on a birthday cake' CATHY KELLY

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Even at its best (i.e. passable), the prose in the book is never more than workmanlike. The dialogue is best left unsaid. But it’s when it comes to explication of character that the book really falls flat. I felt that the author didn't know where to go with the story at the end. I was expecting some bombshell.... some fabulous ending that made me go WOW, I didn't see that coming, I'm so glad I finished it... but it fizzled out like a damp firework. Ik word altijd blij als er een nieuwe roman van Jane Fallon verschijnt, want haar verhalen zijn altijd zo sterk, maar ik zal dan maar meteen eerlijk zeggen dat ik dat bij dit verhaal niet had. I love the plot, the characters even the villainous ones, the setting, the writing and the sweet punishment for the wrong doings. Joni had nooit gedacht dat online daten iets voor haar zou zijn, maar haar dochter haalt haar over het te proberen. Dus ze maakt een profiel aan, maar gebruikt daarin de foto’s van haar zus. Als Ant haar mee uitvraagt, durft ze hem niet te bekennen wat ze gedaan heeft, dus doet ze alsof ze hem laat zitten om hem vervolgens ‘als zichzelf’ te ontmoeten. Ze krijgen een relatie en het leven lijkt haar toe te lachten – tot ze via haar account ontdekt dat Ant nog steeds heel actief is op de app.

Overall, I was entertained, but not fully invested. However, I would definitely read more books by Jane Fallon. I usually absolutely love Jane Fallon books but this one fell a little bit short for me. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it was but it really just felt like something was missing. Jane Fallon has always been on my reading radar and as always, given fans a fabulous engaging and totally hooking read.Jealously, betrayal, envy and revenge are the ideal elements to escalate this funny, clever and thoroughly addictive tale. I also thought that this story could have benefited from being more fast paced. And having more Lucas in it. I loved the way the friendship blossomed between him and Joni but I understood the focus was on the friendship between the three wronged women. Iris, in her early 40s, grieves for the life she should have had with husband Tom and a few kids. Instead she is childless, divorced, and having to share her house with an irritating flatmate. Her elder sister is a flake, forever going to wellness retreats funded by their mother. And Iris is worried about how her mother is increasingly lonely in a village with no amenities. Just Got Real is possibly my favourite Jane Fallon offering to date. If you love a feel-good story with female friendship at the heart, with a hint of revenge and a plot that gets you completely invested; Just Got Real is definitely one for you.