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Just Got Real

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THE HILARIOUS AND RAZOR-SHARP NEW NOVEL FROM THE MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING QUEEN OF REVENGE COMEDY

'Gripping, sharp and brilliantly twisty. A rollercoaster of revenge' DAILY MAIL
'Her best yet! Ingenious and entertaining' MARIAN KEYES
'Razor sharp, sassy, witty and entertaining' 5***** READER REVIEW
'Fabulous characters and a story that just will not let you go!' RUTH JONES
'Funny, fresh and clever' CLARE MACKINTOSH
_________

He's not who he says he is. Then again, neither is she . . .

When Joni finds Ant via a dating app, neither is entirely honest about who they are.

But when they meet in real life, they fall for each other.

Soon they are a happy, steady item. Until Joni discovers Ant is still on the app, still dating other women . . .

Having secret rivals devastates Joni. So she decides to take revenge. But not on them.

Can she turn these rivals into allies to get back at the real enemy . . . Ant?
_________

NO ONE CAN GET ENOUGH OF JUST GOT REAL . . .

'This escapist gem is loud-snort funny' HEAT
'Witty, smart, topical and full of heart' TAMMY COHEN
'Wry observation and razor-sharp wit' SUNDAY EXPRESS
'Jane just keeps getting better and better. So smart, funny and warm' ADELE PARKS
'Her best yet! Especially gorgeous on female friendship' MARIAN KEYES
'We drop everything for a Jane Fallon novel and this is one of her best' CLOSER
'A brilliantly spiky read. Loved it' SAM BAKER
'Another brilliant tale from best-selling author Jane Fallon' HELLO!
'Seems to slip down like a glass of nicely chilled white wine' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
'Witty, funny, beautifully written' CATHY KELLY
'I loved it. The killer twist of the year. Totally brilliant' TONY PARSONS
'Sharply observed, wickedly funny, with real depths of emotion' MILLY JOHNSON
'Just Got Real is an absolute joy' JOANNA CANNON
'A real page turner . . . Such a treat to read' ALICE FEENEY
'Smart and funny' SUN

400 pages, Hardcover

First published June 23, 2022

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About the author

Jane Fallon

21 books1,406 followers
Jane Fallon is an English producer and novelist, most famous for her work on popular series Teachers, 20 Things To Do Before You're 30, Eastenders and This Life. She is author of ten novels on the Sunday Times Bestseller List — Getting Rid of Matthew, Got You Back, Foursome, The Ugly Sister, Skeletons, Strictly Between Us, My Sweet Revenge, Faking Friends, Tell Me A Secret, and Queen Bee. In 2011, Foursome was nominated for the Melissa Nathan Award for Romantic Comedy Fiction, and in 2018, Faking Friends was nominated in the popular fiction category of the National Book Awards and in 2019 was long listed for the Comedy Women In Print prize.

Fallon has been in a relationship with popular comedian Ricky Gervais since 1982, after they met while studying together at the University College London. The couple has lived together since 1984 and are based in North London.

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5 stars
2,245 (24%)
4 stars
3,839 (41%)
3 stars
2,584 (27%)
2 stars
544 (5%)
1 star
121 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 720 reviews
Profile Image for Jayne.
767 reviews461 followers
August 1, 2022
Just. Got. Disappointed.

"Just.Got.Real" lacked the wit and sizzle that one can expect from Jane Fallon's rom-coms.

Yes, this book was Just.Not.Jane.

I listened to the audiobook and perhaps it was the "blah" narrator who put me to sleep.

The book's premise was compelling:
Three middle-aged women try online dating and are conned by a guy who is dating all of them at the same time. The women unite and seek revenge.

Not quite sure how a Jane Fallon "revenge rom-com" could be B-O-R-I-N-G ....but that is what happened here.

No laughs, chuckles, or smiles.

This was a DNF for me and this rarely happens when Jane Fallon is the author.

I haven't given up on Jane Fallon and look forward to listening to her future titles.
May 23, 2023
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr

Just Got Real by Jane Fallon. (2022).

When happily divorced Joni is reluctantly talked into joining a dating app, she is surprised to quickly hit it off with Ant. They plan to meet up which is a problem, as Joni's photos are not of herself. She can't confess her lie, but comes up with a plan to 'meet' Ant in real life without revealing their online connection. Once they are an item, however, it's soon clear that Ant also hasn't been honest. He's still online dating and intimately texting other women. So Joni contacts them and once they start comparing notes, thoughts turn to revenge...

Just going to put it out there straight away that I didn't really like this book much. I have read a previous novel from this author and quite enjoyed it, but I wasn't a fan of this one. I found it a bit hard to swallow that Joni was on her high horse about Ant lying when she herself had used pictures of her sister on her online profile, then followed (stalked...) Ant to force a meeting in person, at which point she used a fake name and had to change her phone number so Ant didn't put two and two together. I mean... really? Ant was 100% not a good person, but Joni wasn't exactly honest herself. I kept reading because I was mildly interested to see how it would all turn out, but I can't honestly say I enjoyed it. There were some parts I appreciated, like when Joni forms a connection with the other women that Ant is seeing.
Overall: not one for me, nor would I personally recommend it, but it's got fairly good reviews so worth a go if you like the sound of the synopsis.
Profile Image for J. Taylor.
Author 2 books58 followers
March 21, 2022
The plot is fresh, fun and timely with so many people turning to online dating apps and watching programmes like The Tinder Swindler on Netflix.

Jane is known as the revenge queen, but I really think the dialogue queen is more fitting, because the dialogue is truly masterful in this book. Jane's skillful use of razor sharp dialogue really brings every character to life, and makes the scenes so vivid. The story is perfectly paced, and you are guided effortlessly through the chapters.
 
Just Got Real tackles loneliness, trust, and grief; but really it's the ultimate girl power plot. Strong women pulling together in a bad situation and having each others back.

The three main characters are so different but equally likeable, and I think lots of readers will relate to them in many ways. 

Just Got Real is possibly my favourite Jane Fallon offering to date. If you love a feel-good story with female friendship at the heart, with a hint of revenge and a plot that gets you completely invested; Just Got Real is definitely one for you. 

Five Massive stars from me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks for much to Gaby at Penguin Random House for the copy. All views my own.
Profile Image for Craig and Phil.
1,775 reviews96 followers
June 23, 2022
Thank you Penguin for sending us a copy to read and review.
The Queen of the revenge dramedy is back with a hilarious, fun and wicked romance that will tickle the funny bone and satisfy the soul.
Joni has entered the world of online dating…….. cautiously!
She quickly gets the attention of Ant, chatting, texts and phone calls soon follow.
Then a meet is proposed.
But Joni gets cold feet as her profile picture is of someone else.
She then concocts a plan, to accidentally meet Ant in real life without revealing who she really is.
Soon they become a couple.
As time passes it becomes clear that he’s dating other women online.
Joni investigates, contacts them and compare notes and what better way to teach him a lesson than a bit of sweet revenge towards the liar.
Jane’s books are always a joy to read.
Full of charm, excitement and the humour splashed throughout adds this certain charisma that makes it so relatable.
I love the plot, the characters even the villainous ones, the setting, the writing and the sweet punishment for the wrong doings.
I’ve read all of the British author’s novels and love her or hate her she certainly makes an impact in the book world with her clever, contemporary, disloyalty fiction and I simply love them.
Another page turner that will have you glued to your seat.
Just Got Real is a refreshing read with a razor sharp edge.
Profile Image for Tilly Fitzgerald.
1,244 reviews113 followers
August 8, 2022
Someone explain to me how I missed out on Jane Fallon for all these years please?! I didn’t even know revenge comedy was a thing, but damn I bloody love it! And this latest one is as much of a compulsive page turner as the last 🥳

Whilst this is a story of three women trying to get revenge on a man who’s been playing them all, it’s also so much deeper than that. I thought it was also such a gorgeous look at loneliness and making friends as an adult, which can feel so daunting. As much as I loved watching them make Ant squirm, I REALLY loved the moments where the women were all together and just having the best time as friends - and I definitely had some warm fuzzies going on by the end!

I also loved how different our three female leads were - in age, appearance and personality, each bringing something wonderful to the dynamic though. Joni is the real central character, and very easy to warm to (and relate to in many ways, apart from the gym 🤣), but I also fell for sweet widow Mary, and gobby Saffy with a heart of gold. Fallon definitely knows how to write women!

And mind the pricks was certainly right when it came to Ant - what a great villain character he is, and I loved his slow unravelling as the women uncovered the truth about him. Whilst you might guess some of it, it’s still just such a fun, whipsmart read and I really didn’t want to put it down for a minute!
Profile Image for Safee-Naaz Siddiqi.
218 reviews9 followers
October 4, 2022
The Tinder Swindler but with middle-aged, FU-rich British ladies who all suck. They have no proper lives but they have lots of money and this book shows us how, through the power of (first) marrying up and (then) friendship, you can actually have it all.

No, really. All three central characters married up and got rich that way. No clever, ambitious women here. Just a bunch of bored housewives who got dumped or widowed and who didn’t have any kind of personality other than their men and their men’s money because none of them had lives until their swindler.

And it goes on. And on. Every time I thought it was over, it kept going. Wow.

Fun cover though. It didn’t look like it was a book for bored boomers. Never judge, I guess.
Profile Image for kittykat.
144 reviews2 followers
July 1, 2022
I wanted to love this book….it’s Jane Fallon….one of my favourite authors. Unfortunately I struggled thru the entire story, probably bored more than anything else. The storyline is based around 3 middle aged women dating the same man who as they find out, is a con man. They unite together to bring him down and become best friends (obvs). Very well written and characters are flawlessly put together. I hate to say it but….NEXT!!!!!!!
Profile Image for Lisa Whittaker.
310 reviews6 followers
August 23, 2022
I’ve only read Faking Friends by this author which I loved. Kept seeing this on Instagram so when I was at the library, I borrowed it.

What a fab read! I literally couldn’t put it down and I would have finished it earlier if I hadn’t had a migraine. The whole “just one more chapter” certainly applies to this book.

The author has a very clever way of writing about how we all behave and what makes people tick. At one point I actually said out loud “oh my God!” Love the friendship that the three women made who were being duped by a con artist on the dating site. That was probably my favourite thing from the book.

I definitely need to read more from this author. If you haven’t read this book, you should!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.
Profile Image for bookishcharli .
686 reviews135 followers
May 13, 2022
I snorted out loud SO MANY TIMES while reading this one, it’s absolutely hilarious. Joni decides to try online dating after her being divorced, losing her best friend, and her daughter moving to Manchester. She wants to get back out there on the dating scene and is really hitting it off with Ant, but Ant is also hitting it off with other women while seeing Joni (who he knows as Lucy). Joni contacts the other women after going through Ant’s phone while he’s asleep and from there on in it gets even more hilarious to read. Saffy’s first instinct is to have a drink and talk through it all and suggest getting even with him, but Mary’s first contact with Joni has her hanging up on her chalking it up to a mis-identity.

Now while I didn’t like Ant and his player ways, I also didn’t like the fact that Joni seem to gloss over the fact that she was cat fishing him… first with a fake picture (her sister) then with a fake name (her sisters) and a fake life. Not to mention she went through his phone while he was asleep and went through his messages in the dating app…. Talk about a violation of someone’s privacy!

This is a wonderful read, hilarious, witty and emotional all in one bundle of online dating and finding new friends. If you’re a fan of Jane Fallon’s you’ll love this, heck, you’ll love this regardless because it’s a fantastic read!

Thank you to Penguin Michael Joseph for sending me a proof in exchange for my review.
43 reviews
March 21, 2023
I throughly enjoyed this book, a total easy read which I would look forward to ‘tucking into’ before bed every night. What I loved most was the strong focus on female leads. The embedded message about women finding happiness through friendships, no men involved, spoke volumes to me. However, slightly disappointed as I would have liked the ‘villain’ to experience a lot more hardship, but revenge definitely wasn’t what this book wanted to focus on. Instead, it zoomed into what positives we can find at the crappest of times. Highly recommend to all!
Profile Image for Melanie O'Neill.
415 reviews7 followers
January 28, 2023
Just got… a bit bored..
I didn’t feel that it was the best one I have read by this author and I always eagerly anticipate the latest one. There weren’t that many surprises or twists and it just sort of fizzled out towards the end. However it was an easy read and I feel those who enjoy chick-lit would thoroughly enjoy it 🙂
Profile Image for liz ⁀➷.
201 reviews46 followers
January 18, 2023
first book of the year done!

been great to focus on audiobooks and this was read so well it felt like watching a film. Loved the character development of each person and their unique backstories. Such a beautiful tale of friendship and dating from an older angle rather than our contemporary focus on gen z. An overall lovely read with great characters, a kick ass girl power message and loads of laughs.

Is always so weird when a book mentions the places you live/lived
Profile Image for Catherine.
304 reviews1 follower
June 18, 2023
No. Just no. Bad. Also - why did it take 400 pages when the plot was transparent. That shit was straight glass.
Profile Image for Kerryrosalia.
388 reviews
August 27, 2023
What’s not to love about a plot where three women form a friendship as they plot their revenge on a conman who tries to scam them out of thousands of pounds! Really enjoyed the storyline but found the last part of the book dragged on for far too long after the scam had been addressed
Profile Image for Kayl_may.
299 reviews2 followers
June 6, 2023
Loved this… another cracking friends, romance and revenge read from Jane Fallon. Always a welcome break from my usual psychological thrillers! Loved the characters and the story, an easy read.
Profile Image for Beth.
81 reviews
February 4, 2023
An interesting and at times funny story. It was great to read a story about romance and friendship in women who were not in their 20s for a change. I think the main characters were well written and I enjoyed their stories. The story was just too long I felt that it could have been quite a bit shorter without any of the story being lost.
Profile Image for Anne Weaver.
499 reviews1 follower
July 25, 2022
Great messages, plus entertaining Heard it as audiobook - took over my life listening for 3 days.
Profile Image for Kayleigh | Welsh Book Fairy.
851 reviews106 followers
July 14, 2023
— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Just Got Real
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Jane Fallon
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Contemporary/Humour
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: Audiobook
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 23rd June 2022
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 14th July 2023
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.25/5

I am genuinely really struggling to rate this one. I had good feelings about it. I had bad feelings. I enjoyed it overall but downright disliked it at first. I found myself pleasantly surprised by the last half of the book which was entertaining. To me, this read like a crossover between Desperate Housewives and The Tinder Swindler.

Just Got Real is described as a ‘revenge rom com’, and that truly is an apt description. It has more revenge than romance but plenty of humour throughout. There are two main themes that Fallon explores which are middle aged dating, which for some reason, at my ripe 28 years, I’ve always loved reading about, and she also explores friendship through the dynamics of Joni, Saffy and Mary.

I hated Joni at first. Firstly because of the need to catfish, and then when the catfish becomes the conned, the need to keep sleeping with him to mine for more information. I couldn’t help but wonder if the genders were reversed, how sleazy a read it would be.

I also thought that this story could have benefited from being more fast paced. And having more Lucas in it. I loved the way the friendship blossomed between him and Joni but I understood the focus was on the friendship between the three wronged women.

Overall, I was entertained, but not fully invested. However, I would definitely read more books by Jane Fallon.

—Kayleigh🤍
@ Welsh Book Fairy🧚‍♀️✨

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April 23, 2024
Dit boek viel mij wel wat tegen. Ik heb op een punt gestaan van ga ik hem een DNF geven maar er toch voor gekozen om toch maar verder te gaan lezen. Tot de helft van het boek ben ik met het luisterboek gaan meelezen in mijn e-boek. Daarna heb ik de beslissing genomen om hem alleen als luisterboek uit te luisteren. Dit kwam vooral omdat ik de vaat in het boek miste, en de spanning om door te lezen.

Als ik de flaptekst moest geloven moest er wel wat spanning bij komen dat heb ik wel echt gemist in dit boek. De personages die zijn neergezet vond ik leuk. De schrijfstijl was prettig maar er had meer spanning in het verhaal gemogen en bepaalde dingen minder langdradig.

De stemauteur had een erg prettige voorlees stem.

Flaptekst:
Joni had nooit gedacht dat online daten iets voor haar zou zijn, maar haar dochter haalt haar over het te proberen. Dus ze maakt een profiel aan, maar gebruikt daarin de foto’s van haar zus. Als Ant haar mee uitvraagt, durft ze hem niet te bekennen wat ze gedaan heeft, dus doet ze alsof ze hem laat zitten om hem vervolgens ‘als zichzelf’ te ontmoeten.

Ze krijgen een relatie en het leven lijkt haar toe te lachten – tot ze via haar account ontdekt dat Ant nog steeds heel actief is op de app. Als ze contact legt met de andere vrouwen met wie hij afspreekt, Saff en Mary, besluiten de drie het er niet bij te laten zitten en beramen een plan. Maar dan blijkt dat Ant écht niet is wie ze denken dat hij is, en opeens loopt alles wel heel erg fout…

Algemene beoordeling: 3 sterren
Profile Image for Nouhaila Laouina.
92 reviews18 followers
May 29, 2024
This was another thrift find and It turned out to be SO entertaining. The characters are so well polished and distinguished and you call tell the amount of effort put into this book. Every character with their background story that you can’t help but sympathise and relate to them. I’ll definitely dedicate more time to books that aren’t popular on booktok because mainstream isn’t always good and I’ve grown to realise.
Profile Image for Evelyn.
91 reviews2 followers
October 7, 2023
Great read. Joni is a divorcee who decides to try a dating app and finds a really nice guy. However, she discovers he is still using the app and dating other women. A fabulous tale ensues when Joni meets up with two other ‘victims’. Great characters, plausible plot and a page turner. I read it in two sittings! 😊
6 reviews
March 12, 2024
A slightly predictable but fun read! A story of family, friendship and the importance of surrounding yourself with good people
44 reviews
July 26, 2024
Ja dit is heerlijk. Lekker geschreven, iets te veel feel good, maar toch wel leuke verhaallijnen.
16 reviews
August 25, 2022
Loved this book! Just really enjoyed the characters and the friendship that grew between them. I liked the feel good nature of the book but that it also had a sense of suspense
Displaying 1 - 30 of 720 reviews

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