Definitely NOT Monica


Fiction - Chick Lit
351 Pages
Reviewed on 05/07/2018
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Based in Cambridge, New Zealand, I'm the mother of twin girls, a giant dog and a tiny cat, and the wife of an Irishman (a happy coincidence given my love of Irish humour).

Writing is, and has always been, one of my greatest passions - but between mothering, working, wife-ing and netflix-ing, the writing process has to be delicately squeezed into the precious few minutes I have spare... no small feat.

If you take the time to read one of my novels, I would love for you to connect with me or post a review - any feedback or contact is very much welcomed!

My first novel, Emma: Desperately Seeking Baby, is loosely based on my own experience of fertility treatment. Emma is funny, flawed and kind of brutal - she feels what she feels, and she tells it like it is (perhaps a just a tad more like me than I initially intended...)

My second novel, Definitely NOT Monica, is very much a nod to all those poor souls I know (myself included) with ‘quirky’ cleaning obsessions... Living with OCD, germaphobia and a desperate fear of shouting the word titties in public, Jenny Sullivan has spent years shut away from the world, in her wonderfully bacteria-free, meticulously organised apartment. But Jenny's life is about to change!

My third novel is currently underway, this time dealing with the prickly beast that is P.M.S... I can't wait for you to meet Bethany Rose!

    Book Review

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

Definitely NOT Monica by Joanna Butler is an amusing yet somewhat lifelike tale. Jenny Sullivan has always felt different from everyone else. She has learned to live with so much – germaphobia, OCD, even having a fear of publicly shouting “titties”! She lives alone, unable to make and keep friendships, and sex is out of the question – all those germs! She’s happy with the way she lives – isn’t she? Then something happens. An incident. A court case. A conviction. Jenny’s life is about to change forever because now she has been branded an addict and that means a support group and that means a room full of germy strangers. Complete hell. But something changes as these strangers begin to teach Jenny a few things about life, about friendship and, all of a sudden, she starts to see life differently. Was her solitary life really all there was or is there something more, something that really is all Jenny ever wanted?

Definitely NOT Monica by Joanne Butler is a laugh out loud tale that also has a serious side. This is more than just light-hearted chick lit. Lots of people suffer from all sorts of phobias, like OCD and serious germaphobia, and this is a story of coping, a story of overcoming and of learning to live again. The story line was great, with a real plot line that actually led to a proper conclusion – too many stories have no real direction, no beginning, middle or end, but this had everything. All the characters were well defined, and the main protagonist was exceptionally well developed, her life, hopes, and fears laid bare for all to see. If you are looking for a story to while away a few hours, this is for you. I enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to reading more of Ms. Butler’s work.