Book Review

Basic Details:

Book Title: Cupid F*cks Up

Subtitle: (Ruth Roth #2)

Author: Paula Houseman

Genre: Romance

Part of a series? Yes

Order in series: 2

Best read after earlier books in series? Possibly

Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41061209-cupid-f-cks-up

Overall score:

I scored this book 5/5

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Short Summary of the book:

This book tells the story of Ruth. She has divorced her husband and lives with her two children. Her cousin Ralph is also her best friend and supports her where he can. Ralph is not a real cousin, having been adopted by her aunt and uncle. Although both are in love with each other, Ruth has difficulty in accepting this. A judgmental mother and neighbour don’t make life any easier either. A book full of heartache and humour.

What I liked about the book:

The continuous underlying humour made the book a pleasure to read while still touching on some highly emotional and controversial subjects.

What I didn’t like about the book:

I liked the book in its entirety.

My favourite bits in the book:

Where Ruth and Ralph finally seem to get things together.

My least favourite bits in the book:

Where Ruth allows her mum’s voice to interfere in her life.

Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?

This book is the second in the series. I have not read the others but was easily able to follow the story despite having missed the first one.

What books could this be compared to and why?

I’m not sure what book to compare this one to.

Recommendation:

In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

Children No

Young Adult Possibly

Adult Yes

If you like a love story with humour and controversy this book may be the book for you.

I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Book Description by Author:

Ruth Roth is a straight shooter. Pity Cupid’s not.

Smart-mouth Ruth is an inspirational humour columnist for a popular women’s magazine. Recently divorced, she has found the love of her life. Without any help, mind you, from the little fat love god. Ruth has decided she herself is her one and only.

And she’s in a comfy place. Why wouldn’t she be? No need to yell ‘Put the bloody toilet seat down!’ No need to hoover toe-nail clippings off the carpet.

But then a silver-tongued Prince Charming fronts up in his shiny Merc and tickles her discarded, little-girl fantasies. He tells her their love is written in the stars.

It must be a misprint.

A romance with this particular PC is not so PC! Still …

Ruth’s life plays out more like ancient myth than fairytale. And what hot-blooded woman can resist forbidden fruit?

There's a problem, though. Ruth does not have a hot-blooded mum. Ruth has a pain-in-the-arse mum whose squawking disapproval cranks the taboo up a notch.

All the more reason to take up with the stud! But it means taking on the harpy.

Tensions mount, and even Ruth’s man can’t protect her from the trash-talking voices in her head. It looks like he can’t muzzle his own either. When an earth-shattering revelation causes him to give her grief, it makes her feel like she’s dating her mother.

Taking the kind of advice she doles out to her readers is not so easy, and Ruth wonders if this love can survive. More to the point, is it worth the trouble?

About the Author:

I thought my life was, well ... meh. Until I started fiction writing. Memories flooded back and I realised my existence had not been mundane at all; it had been bloody ridiculous!

And little wonder. I’m controlled by the butt-ugly, potty-mouthed goddess of obscenity. Nothing I say is my fault. NOTHING. She has always had the whip hand in my psyche and used to get me into a lot of shit when I was a kid. I rediscovered her while I was researching my university Honours thesis—fossicking around in ancient mythology, home to the archetypes of our modern-day reality.

I might have shut her out for a long time, but by God I love her! She, who embodies a holy kind of dirty, shows me the absurdity of the human condition, reminds me about the value of laughter, and is responsible for the bawdiness in my books: Amazon #1 bestseller (British satire and humour category) and Readers' Favorite Award winner, coming-of-age chick lit, 'Odyssey in a Teacup', and Books 2 & 3 in the Ruth Roth Series, romantic comedies, 2019 New Apple eBook Awards 'Humor' Official Selection, Cupid F*cks Up' (formerly known as 'Apoca[hot]lips'), and 'My Troyboy is a Twat'.