Product Description

Up to her eyes with her friends' dramas, Harriet Grey has no time for her own. Let alone getting entangled with John Mackenzie. He might be the most gorgeous man she's met for ages. But he's involved with someone else. Nina. Glamorous Nina wasn't exactly Harriet's best friend at school, but Harriet has principles. Still, surely one innocent little drink to repay a favour wouldn't hurt? Her friends aren't so convinced. Harriet tries to be strict, but John Mackenzie won't stay out of her life. When she finds herself alone at Christmas, she'd have to be a saint to walk away. And halos never did suit Harriet...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #554781 in Books
• Published on: 2001-01-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Review
This is the story of Harriet Grey and her non-existent love life - that is, until John MacKenzie turns up. He gallantly pays for her cab fare one Christmas, and Harriet feels obliged to thank him. He turns out to be her ideal man but unfortunately, he already belongs to someone else - Nina, Harriet's worst enemy from high school. This is an amusing if predictable book. Light and frothy, it requires minimal thinking on the part of the reader. However, the quality of its observation sets it above similar novels - most notable are the monologues that run inside Harriet's head, which are hilarious and believable, and the small details like her imaginary sister turning up to become her conscience and devil at the same time. Harriet's housemates are a good distraction from the main story, especially Sally, a single mother whose main joy in life is her baby son and who has no social life and hates all men. Her sarcastic remarks on Harriet's situation seem to speak for the reader. Jacko, Harriet's best friend, is the comic relief and the most memorable character. He seems to fancy any woman that moves with amusing results but underneath he has a heart of gold. Overall this is a happy, satisfying romantic comedy. (Kirkus UK)

Mirror
'...a lively Lisa Jewell-esque debut novel with a bit more bite than you might imagine’

From the Publisher
An outstanding new talent in feel-good women’s fiction

Customer Reviews

Wonderful!
Fair Game is a brilliant read. I loved every word. I immediately empathised with Harriet, thought John was gorgeous, and the storytelling is sublime. I'm a Liz Young fan, and loved this even more than Asking for Trouble (which I thought would be impossible!). It's a warm, well written, cleverly crafted, extremely funny book - a feelgood love story for the Twenty First Century. Can't recommend it highly enough - buy it and find out why!

Chicklit at its best!
Like Elizabeth Young's brilliant first novel, Asking for Trouble, Fair Game is one of the very best contemporary romantic comedies I've come across. The characters are so believable and appealing, the dialogue both LOL funny and true-to-life, the action so well-paced and absorbing, that most other chick lit just can't hold a candle to it. Ms. Young not only creates a wonderful couple in Harriet and John, but she surrounds them with such well-drawn, believable families and friends (and enemies!) that I felt I really KNEW all these people! Can't wait for Ms. Young's third novel!

Suprising and Funny - she keeps getting better!
What a wonderful surprise this book is! I enjoyed Elizabeth Young's first, Asking for Trouble, but Fair Game truly surpasses it. Oh, the ending is fairly predictable - but the storytelling is superb! The main protagonist, Harriet, if one of the most likeable characters I've come across lately. She's not the drop-dead-georgeous, but she's OK looking (like most of us) and has a healthy attitude about her height and figure flaws. Interestingly enough, the object of her desire John, apparently isn't totally perfect either - it's fun to see a man frequently described as gorgeous only to find through little clues that he's not total physical perfection. But the entire premise of this book is that things aren't always what they seem. Harriet and John (and the entire cast of supporting characters) are almost starring in a Lombard and Gable movie - misunderstandings and zingy dialog abound. Young writes Harriet as a smart woman who can get herself through most situations with her own self-deprecating charm and intelligence. Like many otherwise normal people, there are people and things from her past that do push emotional buttons and cause her to act in emotionally defensive ways - but not in extreme (as the characters in so many books do.) But for me, the wit and humor that Young employs makes this book such a joy. I normally roll my eyes when I read a review from someone who says that they laughed out loud at a book, but I have to admit - this one had me laughing. And kudos to Young for showing in a few passages that she has real talent for "word pictures" - the snowball fight is one instance. And, without giving away too much, there is a scene near the end that is just beautiful - snow and the city at night. You feel like you're there. Behind all of this looms (figuratively) the character of Nina - Harriet's old schoolmate and possibly John's girlfriend (Is she? Isn't she?) She's a bit of an enigma throughout the book, but Young does a fabulous job of bringing home the impact of Nina near the end in one chapter. Through much of the book, I felt as if Harriet was over-reacting to Nina - but that one chapter took care of that. Finally - what is with the cover art on Young's books? I received several amused glances from my husband - not quite as bad as the artwork on bodice-rippers, but all the girly bows and flowers don't do justice to the solid writing that lies within. Worth the money to ship to the USA - pick it up.