Book Review: Holly’s Inbox

Thursday, Apr 30, 2009

Book Review: Holly’s Inbox

Author: “Holly Denham”

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

ISBN: 978-1-4022-1903-0

Website: www.hollysinbox.com

Type: Fiction:Women’s/ChickLit

Pages: 665 Trade Paperback

Purchase: $10.19 @ Amazon.com (HERE)

The Story

This isn’t your typical ChickLit story, it is a completely new spin on it as it is not a novel like you’d typically expect. Rather, it is a publication of fictional emails belonging to a character named Holly Denham at her job as a receptionist at an international bank in England. The pages contain nothing but emails in the inbox & outbox of Holly (…and a few of her friends). And, what friends she has!

Holly’s “email friends” include a gay hotel manager and her girlfriend Aisha who works for him as a receptionist. Holly quickly makes friends with the senior receptionist, Trish, who is the kind of gal we’d all love to work with. At the bank, Holly also works with an old friend from school, Jennie. The sorted cast of characters who also email Holly are her mother, grandmother, sister, brother, and friend “Pregnant Pam.” Each of these characters have a host of interesting stories from their lives that the reader discovers through their emails.

Holly finds romance at the bank with the gorgeous James, however is unhappily faced with the fact that her high-school boyfriend, Toby, has joined the firm and has set his sights on her.

The Review

He Doesn't Look Like A Holly to Me!

First, I want to communicate that I really enjoyed this book. It’s format is a great spin on “ChickLit.” The website, www.HollysInbox.com is an on-going site with regular entries in the story of Holly. The “backstory” to this creative project is that the true author of this project is Bill Surie. He is the owner of an employment agency in London who specializes in receptionists and secretaries. Surie started the website in 2007 and received over 90,000 visitors. Eventually these website emails made their way into a book.

Although the book is a tad thick at 665 pages, because of the “email format” of those pages, it really reads rather quickly. I became quickly entangled into this book and its host of characters. Holly is an extremely likeable character, one that I’d liken to Bridget Jones. What the reader gets from Holly’s Inbox is humor, romance, and views of true friendship between its characters.

On Sher’s “Out of Ten Scale:”

This isn’t your typical ChickLit book, but if you’re a fan of the genre (as I am!), you will love this book. This book has it all from romance to friendship… to ties with crazy family members… to the frustration of dealing with unbearable bosses and gossipy co-workers. Every tid bit of the book is JUICY and fun! It’s very different in format, but brings everything you need in a story alive one email at a time. For the genre Fiction:Women’s/ChickLit, I am going to rate this book an 8 OUT OF 10.

15 Comments

| Posted in Books Books Books

15 Responses

J. Kaye

April 30th, 2009 at 3:58 am

I can’t say I am a fan, but I do like some of the books I’ve read. Sounds like a lot of fun!
Kathy

April 30th, 2009 at 5:27 am

That does sound like fun. I’ve read books that are written in the form of letters, but never emails. Sounds interesting.

Kathy´s last blog post..Review: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
she

April 30th, 2009 at 6:34 am

off topic, i’m hosting a community virtual book sale & giveaway on my site may 4 – 15! i’d love for you to join in!

we both participated in the bookroom reviews giveaway!

Here’s the info. Please pass it on to other book lovers!

http://www.shebecameabutterfly.net/?p=3123
Lenore

April 30th, 2009 at 9:08 am

I did read a book that was all e-mails…forgot the title. But this sounds fun!

Lenore´s last blog post..Book Review/Discussion: Genesis by Bernard Beckett
Bill

May 1st, 2009 at 10:33 am

Hi
THank you so much for my review!!! I’m glad you liked it, I am so excited about it being out in the USA – on Monday I am starting to launch the website again, so if your readers wondered why it was just sitting there doing nothing, from monday emails will begin to appear in real -time. (Some readers last time thought they had actually stumbled across someone’s live inbox on the web…)
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN.
Holly/Bill
PS love your site – the background reminds me of our other site for receptionist – we have very similar swirls (frontofhousemagazine.co.uk)
Carrie K.

May 1st, 2009 at 8:13 pm

This looks like one I’d like – I’m adding it to my wish list.

Carrie K.´s last blog post..Favorite historical fiction
Ladytink_534

May 1st, 2009 at 9:25 pm

Books written in emails, letters, or journal form are generally pretty good

Ladytink_534´s last blog post..Based On a True Story
Mishel

May 2nd, 2009 at 10:06 am

The format of this sounds really fun and I just adore the cute cover. Great review!!

Mishel´s last blog post..Day 146 – Hunted
Darlene

May 4th, 2009 at 7:25 am

Oooooh, I had wanted to read this one but I was too late. It sounds like fun. I really enjoy diary entries-is it kind of like Bridget Jone’s Diary?

Darlene´s last blog post..Book Review: ShapeShifter: The Demo Tapes – Year 1 by Susan Helene Gottfried
Bill/Holly

May 7th, 2009 at 1:57 pm

I think someone called it the Bridget Jones of the Digital Age – so Darlene I hope you like it – different main character and I guess a selection of more off the wall characters – but similar.
xx
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING SO POSITIVE – IT’S SO APPRECIATED
Holly/Bill
Bill/Holly

June 20th, 2009 at 9:33 am

P.s
Thank you for your comment re photo –
Now your picture actually is fabulous –
x
Anna

June 30th, 2009 at 5:57 am

I’m glad to hear you liked this one, too. It was a unique take on chick lit and a very fast, enjoyable read. I’ll be posting my review next week.
.-= Anna´s last blog ..Mailbox Monday — June 29 =-.
Melissa @ Melissa's Bookshelf

July 16th, 2009 at 7:10 pm

Great review! Thanks for leaving your link, I’ve added it to my post And thanks for the recommendation, as well, I will look into it, because I have to say I really enjoyed my first Chick Lit read Cheers!

BTW, like your new look!
.-= Melissa @ Melissa’s Bookshelf´s last blog ..Review: City of Ashes =-.
Darlene

July 21st, 2009 at 5:21 pm

Oh man, she does have one wacky family doesn’t she. I laughed so hard at her granny. I’ve linked your review-hope that’s ok.
.-= Darlene´s last blog ..Book Review: Holly’s Inbox by Holly Denham (Bill Surie) =-.
Book Review: Holly’s Inbox by Holly Denham | BOOKS AND MOVIES

September 9th, 2009 at 3:26 pm

[...] after reading so many positive reviews – Julie’s, Kathy’s, Belle’s, and Sheri’s – and was so pleased when I received a review copy. This book is huge – 665 pages [...]