Iām not usually a fan of self-help books. The feel that if Iām reading one then I must need help, but thereās something about the way Zoe Foster Blake can seemingly fix your darkest hours of loneliness that had me hooked all the way to the end of Break-up Boss. It reached a stage where I was edging toward wishing I had been subject to a break-up just to try and test her sage advice! But only for a minute.
In saying that though, the premise of the book is simple: Foster Blake is walking some sorry girl through each likely stage of a bad breakup with the assumption that she is the craziest of crazy and likely to commit illegal acts in her fits of rage and grief. That can actually make this book hard to relate to if youāre not like that.
Which Iām not.
I think.
I enjoyed the book more for its witty one-liners than the advice given, which isnāt researched but comes from an apparently lived experience. Itās not a science-backed method to breaking up, but sometimes thatās not what you want to read.
One thing Foster Blake excels at is her literary imagination. Her stories are fantastical and, even at their darkest, they are humorous. These are paired with gorgeous illustrations by Mari Andrew, creating a book that is magical to look at even if you arenāt reading the words. With extremely quotable quotes and a highly Instagramable skin, it is the perfect companion for the woman who needs to show the world she is better than her ex. The book cover is eye-wateringly pink and it practically glows on the bookshelf.
Recommended for those going through a hard break-up or just looking for a good, light-hearted laugh. Definitely worth checking out if youāre a fan of Foster Blakeās previous work (The Wrong Girl, Textbook Romance). Leave it behind if youāre in need of serious guidance and proper help.
Reviewed by Zoe Butler
Twitter: @Zoe_Rambles
Rating out of 10: Ā 6
Distributed by: Penguin Random House Australia
Released: April 2018
RRP: $19.99
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