Here’s the delightful new novel from Clare Naylor, whose sleeper hit Dog Handling was one of Cosmopolitan’s Best Beach Reads for 2002. Fresh and fun, The Goddess Rules is an outrageous, wry, and razor-sharp portrait of a girl who thinks her life is just fine–until she meets a woman who swears by the belief that life is meant to be fabulous. When obsessed pet owners have pooches or kitties they want immortalized on canvas, Kate Disney is the artist of choice. From her shed (which doubles as a studio and apartment) in London’s Primrose Hill, Kate caters to the whims of the rich and famous while herself living a decidedly bohemian existence. The problem is, she has a tendency to cater to her on-again, way-off-again boyfriend as well. Jake is so erratic, that most of her friends don’t understand why she even bothers. But it’s hard to fall out of love with a man who writes her songs and calls her “Angel”–even if he disappears for weeks at a time. Luckily for Kate, Mirabelle Moncur isn’t buying any of that claptrap. Mirri was an actress, a legend in her time. Now, at age sixty, she’s given up on fame and men and lives in Africa, where she raises lion cubs. But her reclusive nature has done nothing to dull her beauty, mar her incredible figure, or dampen her outrageous joie de vivre. After sweeping into London to have Kate paint a portrait of her favorite cub, Mirri seizes hold of Kate’s life–from the baggy wardrobe to the hopeless taste in men. Under Mirri’s tutelage, Kate learns to dance on tables with abandon, drink like a dockworker, and flirt like a goddess. And when her old friend Louis reenters the picture, she begins to see things in a whole new light. But Mirri has secrets that hint at a less than divine future. Now it’s Kate’s turn to teach Mirri a thing or two about life, love, and being fabulous.
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"The characters seemed more interesting and developed than in most chick-lit books. The ending was predictable as is standard in this genre but the story line kept my interest nonetheless. I like how the main character wasn't the standard low self esteem type."
— Nancestress (4 out of 5 stars)
“Laugh-out-loud scenes and authentically touching asides on aging and lifelong yearnings combine in a perfectly balanced, irresistible confection.”
— Booklist (starred review)" A quick, amusing read, with some good supporting characters. The protagonist is frustrating, though. You sometimes want to yell at her not to be an idiot! Her relationship with the older woman on the scene, however, is great fun. "
— Js, 1/6/2014" I've probably said it before, but I am a huge chick lit fan. Not romance novels, but good humored chick lit. I only gave it three stars because, well, it really doesn't make you think about anything. I did enjoy the story and the characters. Not very realistic, but it was a fun easy read. "
— Audra, 1/3/2014" Read by Rosalyn Landor, which is why I chose to listen to this (see my review for Kinsella's Undomesticated Goddess for why), despite its ridiculously pink cover. "
— Meredith, 12/6/2013" This would be the equivalent of watching a sitcom for an hour- it was silly but it kept me from thinking too hard for a while. I had a friend that would call this sort of book "mental masturbation". I think I agree. "
— Kate, 12/3/2013" Picked it up off of the New Books shelf, and now I shall have to read more. A little anticlimactic, but really very fantastic tale of how confidence (and sex appeal via that confidence) might actually work. "
— Stacey, 12/2/2013" A fun book to listen to! A former famous actress an a girl living in a shed that paints animals for a living meet and help each other out with life and love. "
— Kim, 11/30/2013" It was an interesting read. "
— Michelle, 11/26/2013" Definitely not what I expected especially with a title like "Goddess rules". This was a fun read, I really liked the characters and it was somewhat inspirational and relatable. If you're in the mood for a chick lit book, this will be a light, amusing read. "
— Gacia, 11/24/2013" Quick Read~Amusing Read "
— Tracy, 10/30/2013" It was a fun story but A LOT of swearing and sex. I listened to this on CD and couldn't listen with anyone else in earshot. Beware! "
— Kathi, 8/21/2013" Good, old fashioned chic lit. Meaningless, empty and so enjoyable!!! "
— Ellen, 4/23/2013" Another book Listened to The Goddess Rules by Clare Naylor. This book was ok I got lost in the first 3 chapters, al in all the romance was good and the story was fun. I give it a 6. I think my favorite part was when the main character make friends with an actress and he lion cub. "
— Monkeyface, 1/18/2013" One of my favorites from Clare Naylor. "
— Chelsea, 11/15/2012" It was okay. The girl was way too dumb. There was a point in the story when I actually said "oh-no" out loud cause she was just too dumb. "
— Mulva?, 8/15/2012" Very chick-lit. I liked some of the story, but had a hard time with Kate going back to Jake after so many red flags. "
— Georgia, 7/7/2012" Not bad, not bad. Not the best ever, but I really liked the way it ended. "
— Mary, 3/13/2012" This book started a little slow, but half way thru it picked up and I really enjoyed it. "
— Vicki, 1/27/2012" Couldn't get into this book "
— Sharal, 10/21/2011" That's right: I read a "Cosmopolitan's Best Beach Read." And I'm not sorry. I have discovered the antidote to Stephen King. And it is a light, fluffy as a pink bunny, English novel. It was like a rated-PG Sex in the City. "
— Alicia, 10/19/2011" it's cute, it's clever, there's lots of sharp ripostes and one-liners, and it definitely pulled me in. overall, a good book for a quick, light, fun read. "
— Damona, 9/15/2011" This was just a fun chick book. Quick read with a predictable ending. "
— Alilam1, 6/11/2011" Read by Rosalyn Landor, which is why I chose to listen to this (see my review for Kinsella's Undomesticated Goddess for why), despite its ridiculously pink cover. "
— Meredith, 4/26/2011" This would be the equivalent of watching a sitcom for an hour- it was silly but it kept me from thinking too hard for a while. I had a friend that would call this sort of book "mental masturbation". I think I agree. "
— Kate, 12/5/2010" Not bad, not bad. Not the best ever, but I really liked the way it ended. "
— Ophelia, 11/9/2010" A fun book to listen to! A former famous actress an a girl living in a shed that paints animals for a living meet and help each other out with life and love. "
— Kim, 5/31/2010" This book started a little slow, but half way thru it picked up and I really enjoyed it. <br/> "
— Vicki, 9/9/2009" It was okay. The girl was way too dumb. There was a point in the story when I actually said "oh-no" out loud cause she was just too dumb. "
— Mulva?, 5/30/2009" A quick, amusing read, with some good supporting characters. The protagonist is frustrating, though. You sometimes want to yell at her not to be an idiot! Her relationship with the older woman on the scene, however, is great fun. "
— Js, 5/5/2009" Very chick-lit. I liked some of the story, but had a hard time with Kate going back to Jake after so many red flags. "
— Georgia, 4/9/2009" One of my favorites from Clare Naylor. "
— Chelsea, 10/15/2008" That's right: I read a "Cosmopolitan's Best Beach Read." And I'm not sorry. I have discovered the antidote to Stephen King. And it is a light, fluffy as a pink bunny, English novel. It was like a rated-PG Sex in the City. "
— Alicia, 5/27/2008" I've probably said it before, but I am a huge chick lit fan. Not romance novels, but good humored chick lit. I only gave it three stars because, well, it really doesn't make you think about anything. I did enjoy the story and the characters. Not very realistic, but it was a fun easy read. "
— Audra, 5/3/2008" It was a fun story but A LOT of swearing and sex. I listened to this on CD and couldn't listen with anyone else in earshot. Beware! "
— Kathi, 3/4/2008Clare Naylor is the author of three previous novels, including Love: A User’s Guide and Catching Alice.
Rosalyn Landor is an English-born television, theater, and multiple-award-winning audiobook narrator. Her television credits include Love in a Cold Climate, Rumpole of the Bailey, Sherlock Holmes, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. She has won numerous Audie awards and AudioFile magazine Earphones awards.