REVIEW: The Setup, Lizzy Dent - 3/5

What do you do when fate comes knocking? Do you follow what the stars tell you, or do you trust yourself and focus on what's in front of you? That is the choice Mara must make.

Mara is a 30-something recluse who has never really lived. That is, until she heads to Budapest on a trip, alone, after her best friend Charlie had to cancel. There, a fortune-teller tells her that she will find the one - immediately.

Within the next 10 minutes, he walks in. Mara is head over heels, and decides to set up her own destiny; but will this mystery man be her forever, or is there someone else that could fit the bill?

I never used to like romance books so much, but after reading a couple, and checking out the plot for The Setup, I knew I had to read more.

The Setup is a book for those who enjoy whimsical stories, a roller-coaster of 'will they won't they', and a main character who is something of a hot mess.

Upon starting this book, I was quickly invested in seeing how it would end. Mara is conflicted between the man the fortune-teller said she would meet, and her new flatmate, Ash, who enjoys movie nights almost as much as she does.

Lizzy Dent (also the author of The Summer Job) really knows how to write a character. Mara was a great focus for the book; she looks to constellations for help when no one else can assist her, and has trouble trusting who she really is.

The way this book is written is so fun, humorous, and made me laugh more than once. Reading about Mara coming slowly out of her shell was wonderful, even if it was in aid of some guy she met once, and then became obsessed with...

Despite the narrative focusing on things such as Mara aiming to better herself and her work life taking an exciting yet worrying turn, I did think that her obsession with this mystery man (by the name of Josef) was a little much.

As much as I enjoyed The Setup, it felt at times like Mara was a little childish in the sense that she revolved her whole life around Jose, even falling out with people because of it. I understand that she wanted to see if he was the one, but it was a little over the top at times.

Having said this, I definitely did love Mara's journey. She made herself over, made new friends, and pushed herself out of her comfort zone (aka her bedroom or the sofa), and Dent really showed how adult life can be so stressful.

Mara and her best friend Charlie floated apart a little, which sadly does happen, but she also learned that she can trust herself, and that she is capable of anything.

While I do think that Mara's character was a tad overwhelming at times, in the sense that she put so much effort into Josef, who she has met once and knows next to nothing about, she was still a lovely character.

I definitely enjoyed The Setup, and characters such as Ash, Ryan and Samira definitely made a great selection of personalities to tie the book together.

There were a couple events in the book which I think could have lasted longer, however, but I cannot divulge due to spoilers. However, what I did read about these events I loved.

Overall, The Setup was a fun read; I was always eager to find out what Mara would do about her meeting with Josef and her complex feelings for Ash, and I adored the ending, which was clear, satisfying and joyful.

The Setup is available now!