A feel-good romantic comedy by Australia’s bestselling romance writer, ideal for fans of Emily Henry and Marian Keyes.
Named after a famous fictional character, librarian Bridget Jones was raised on a remote cattle station, with only her mother’s romance novels for company. Now living alone in Fremantle, Bridget is a hopeless romantic. She also believes that anyone who doesn’t like reading just hasn’t met the right book yet, and that connecting books to their readers is her superpower. If only her love life was that easy.
When handsome Italian barista Fabio progresses from flirting with love hearts on her coffee foam to joining the book club she runs at her library, Bridget prays her romance ‘curse’ won’t ruin things. But it’s the attention of her cranky neighbour Sully that seems to be the major obstacle in her life. Why is he going to so much effort to get under her skin?
With the help of her close friends and the colourful characters who frequent her library, Bridget decides to put both men to the test by finding just the right books to capture their very different hearts. She soon discovers that not all romances start with a meet-cute, but they might just end in happily ever after…
Written by Australia’s most beloved romance writer, The Other Bridget is a delightfully uplifting book about books, and a gorgeous celebration of the power and pleasure of romance novels throughout the ages.
Buy a copy of The Other Bridget here.
Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
Best book EVER written! Rachael Johns is a genius and has raised the bar for authors around the world with this highly addictive, very cleverly executed, read-in-one-sitting story that covers most emotions and genres. There’s romance, action, crime, mystery, self-help, humour. You’ll laugh out loud (and probably cry a bit too) as you are submersed into Bridget’s world of friendship, love, lust and loss. A story that brings generations together and expertly includes some challenging societal issues. A must-read for all book lovers and non-book lovers alike. If this book doesn’t get you reading, nothing will! Librarians of the world, we salute you! Sue, NSW, 5 Stars
Rachael Johns’ charming new novel, The Other Bridget, is a delightful, hilarious, heartwarming and chuckle-worthy joy to read. It has the full array of emotions with a cast of quirky characters and adventures galore. Loved every page and highly recommend! I, VIC, 5 Stars
Entertaining and educational. Young women especially are sure to find The Other Bridget lovable, laughable, inspiring and relatable. Eleanor, WA, 5 Stars
If you loved Bridget Jones you will adore The Other Bridget – a feel-good Australian romantic comedy. She has the same name and is looking for the love of her life, but that’s where the similiarities end. ‘Bee’ is a librarian and lover of garden gnomes with a neighbour who just may be a serial killer. I genuinely enjoyed Bee as well as her supporting cast of friends. Not only did I stay up way too late reading, I ended up with a future reading list based on Bee’s own recommendations. Tess, TAS, 5 Stars
What a very refreshing book. Sad and funny all at the same time. The writer Rachael Johns should be very proud of the book. I recommend this book to all generations as one minute laughing to the next minute crying. Without giving anything away the characters are a delight. Loraine, QLD, 5 Stars
To summarise this book in two words – absolutely delightful! Full of delicious characters and a medley of storylines that turn the pages (and there are plenty of them) all by themselves, I challenge you to put this book down – you won’t be able to. Full of every emotion on the spectrum, this book will tug at your heartstrings in so many different ways, right through to the last beautiful chapter. Sorry, no spoilers here, you’ll just have to read it yourself, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Thank you to Rachael Johns for such a beautiful book, it’s definitely top of my list to recommend to others to read. I feel privileged to have received an advance copy to read. Jane, NSW, 5 Stars
I had very high hopes for this book. The moment I heard the premise I wanted to get my hands on it, and Rachael completely nailed it. The story of a young woman named Bridget Jones – after THE Bridget Jones – who, after a number of relationship disasters, has two men fall into her life. Fabio, the sexy, smooth-talking Italian barista and Sully, the handsome, grumpy, annoying next-door neighbour. A book about books that will have you both laughing and crying and definitely swooning. You will fall in love with the secondary characters and turn the final page with a tear in your eye. It has everything you want from a rom-com and more. Thank you Better Reading for my early copy to review. Loved it! Emma, VIC, 5 Stars
I work in a library, I love books and get so excited to match people with one. T.O.B has everything. Book talk, romance for young and old, women’s friendships, young girls looking up to older women for holistic mentoring, even the writing process and tropes. Mental health and other more serious themes. Bridget is the other Bridget Jones. Named after the one and only, of course everyone assumes she’s named after ‘the one in the movie’. She’s given up correcting them. Quirky, sensitive and strong, outspoken and reserved depending on what’s going on at the time. She will talk to anyone; unafraid to get to know her library patrons. She’s empathetic, a great listener and is always gunning for a great romance, real-life or literary. I suppose I’d like to say I’m a Bridget too, love to help those who cross my path in the library – although I think my book-matching skills aren’t so stellar! Rachael has mentioned old classics, The Baby Sitters Club, and so many great books; it was such a joy. Booklovers will be obsessed by all the mentions. I’m not an avid romance reader but I was captured. We hear about the country, the city, the farm, the beach. There’s chemistry and raunch, some mystery and intrigue. This is feel-good writing, such an easy read that honestly has something for everyone. The author’s sunny side shows effortlessly, and I had tears, which is not a frequent thing. Reading TO.B made me love those around me a little more. How good is that? Suzanne, NSW, 5 Stars
Rachael is so intelligent and this book makes that clear. I loved all the links to other books, especially Boy Swallow’s Universe considering how timely that is at the moment. Highly recommend reading this to anyone who loves books. Brea, NSW, 5 Stars
Thanks @betterreadingau for my #BRPreview copy of The Other Bridget by Rachael Johns. This was a fun read with the tales of Bridget and her love life. It’s not only a romance novel, but digs into the struggles of the older generation, trials and tribulations in the workplace, and death. My favourite character had to be #TeamMichael – the brooding and mysterious gnome thief. Also, got to love an author who spells her first name the same as me! Bonus was also being able to vote for my favourite book cover via Penguin Books Australia and can say, the cover is the one I voted for! Rachael, NSW, 5 Stars
A book about books, I can’t think of anything better! Bridget reels you in as an avid and relatable book-lover and librarian, and the bad-boy-next-door come ultimate lover – it’s just what the reader wants. Captivating, a real page-turner, romantic from the first page to the last. Kylie, SA, 5 Stars
If you enjoyed Work Wives, you’ll love The Other Bridget! Rachael Johns has done it again with a great rom-com that is perfect for summertime reading with all the feels. Like her namesake, Bridget Jones is unlucky in love and after another failed romance gives up on dating apps and tries the old-fashioned way of meeting someone by getting involved in kickboxing and other activities with the help of her friends and colleagues from the library where she works and flirting with the local barista. Bridget loves reading and believes she has the perfect book for everybody including her new, very annoying neighbour, Sully, who is quite a challenge. After mistaking his house for her own in a drunken state, they didn’t get off to a good start and a battle ensues with each tormenting the other until a truce can be called. The library where she works is a community centre attracting old and young alike. With her colleagues, they hold various events until a new boss puts an end to things with a dictatorial rather than collaborative approach. There are twists and turns, great characters and a few villains too. This book is a delight. Sarah, NSW, 5 Stars
Oh my goodness, Rachael is back with a huge bang! I couldn’t have loved this book more. The characters, the book references, the romance. I devoured this in a couple of days. Absolutely 5 stars! Poppy, QLD, 5 Stars
I absolutely loved this book and its characters. I loved how so many other books were mentioned and recommended, and their importance in people’s lives highlighted. I really hope I can find a reading list somewhere!! It was a super speedy read and it hooked me in from the get-go. There were twists and turns for many of the characters’ stories which just gave them extra dimension, and I laughed and cried throughout. Bridget’s character resonated on so many levels. It was also very Australian, and having lived here for a couple of years now I felt that it really brought that to life. Utterly loved it. Laura, NSW, 5 Stars
This book is just perfection. The perfect combination of real-life dealings mixed with the perfect plays on romance. So many fantastic book and Aussie references, this book is sure to tug on all of your different emotions. Highly recommend. Janelle, QLD, 5 Stars
Imagine being christened Bridget Jones after the well-known literary and movie character. Is our Bridget under the spell of the ‘Bridget Curse’ of never finding true love? Is she to be forever known as the ‘Queen of Doomed Relationships’? Bridget is a librarian and books play a huge part in her life and being able to match a book to a person is her special power. It never fails! Or does it? Has she met her match? Even the Seniors Bookstars reading group, which she is asked to take over and lead, go all out to find her the perfect man. Could it be Kieran, the married man; or Fabio, the gorgeous, Italian barista at the local cafe? Maybe even Sully, the sullen, vengeful neighbour? This delightful and fun romance novel from the fabulous Rachael Johns is a must-read for all her fans as well as lovers who search for that ‘happily ever after’ ending. Loved it! Debra, NSW, 5 Stars
The Other Bridget by Rachael Johns introduces us to a different Bridget Jones. When we first meet this librarian, she has just found out she has been cheated on. As if that’s not bad enough, she accidently makes a bad impression on her new neighbour, and a feud begins between them. When a gorgeous barista takes an interest in her, it seems things are looking up. Bridget’s relationships with her friends and library patrons are extremely realistic. Their conversations and situations are ones I can imagine myself in. I felt like I was catching up with people who are important in my world. This book made me laugh, brought tears to my eyes and made me think about issues in society today. A nice touch was Brigid’s recommendations of authors to read. I highly recommend this book to people looking for a heartwarming and entertaining read. From the start, this book engages the reader and makes you want to curl up and see where the developments in Brigid’s life will take her. Theresa, NSW, 5 Stars
This book has almost everything. As well as being a light-hearted, funny but serious look at the romances of Bridget, it also comments on scammers, bullying in the workplace, cancer, loss of friends and other issues we all may have to deal with in life. It is a real page-turner; at the end of each chapter, I wanted to get to the other part of the story. I found it hard to put down for any length of time. Congratulations to the author!! A book that will encourage all of us to keep reading and encourage non-readers to take up the hobby. Thank you so much for writing this book. Cheryl, VIC, 5 Stars
This book was great! The perfect summer holiday read and something for everyone – birth, death, romance, crime, sex, hospital drama, and oh yes, most of the characters are librarians! Really good dialogue, relatable but quirky characters and set in Fremantle with a touch of the Kimberley. There is a fun twist on the Bridget Jones’s story, and Bee’s superpower will resonate with library staff everywhere. Highly recommended! Victoria, NSW, 5 Stars
So, you think you know the story of Bridget Jones. Try Bridget Jones, a librarian who lives in Fremantle but like her namesake also has a tumultuous time finding love. All she wants is to find the ONE! Her misadventures with dating apps have let her down on many occasions. A great read that on the surface appears a bit fluffy but is a warm and endearing story that explores friendship, love and trust. Lisa, SA, 4 Stars
I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I’m not a big romance fan, and find some of them to be cringey. The Other Bridget totally won me over. I ended up loving all the characters and cared about their lives! I also work in a library, so I thoroughly enjoyed the setting! Alicia, QLD, 4 Stars
The Other Bridget is a sweet romance much in line with the actual Bridget Jones stories that it references. The main character is a librarian and recent book titles feature heavily throughout. The story is set in Fremantle Australia and follows her through a period of about 3-6 months and all the things that go on in her life over that period. There are quite a few side characters and side stories, several of which are not resolved, which is my pet peeve with the book. The book is a behemoth at 480+ pages but the chapters are short and so it feels pretty easy to read. Overall, I really liked the book, I just would have liked a few more of the loose ends to be tied up. Gemma, ACT, 4 Stars
I hadn’t read anything in 6 months. This has brought me back to books. I did enjoy Bridget and her friends a lot. I enjoyed being introduced to other books and authors. It also included genre, which is helpful. Overall the storyline is probably a predictable romance piece, but I am all for fun, easy-read romances. Thoroughly enjoyable and a great summer holiday read for sure. Mandy, TAS, 4 Stars
As a former bookseller, I could really relate to Bridget’s character, she loves books and recommending them! There are many book recommendation references in the story. I enjoyed the Bookstars book group and all their characters and the local community friendships. The book has multiple love interests and all the emotions. A great feel-good story that was very enjoyable. Well done Rachael Johns, I’m sure it will fly off the shelves at on publication at the end of January. Sue, TAS, 4 Stars
A great read. Anyone who has fallen out of love of reading needs this book now. Lots of smiles and tears but mostly smiles. Thoroughly enjoyed the great characters and this is a great promotion to love your local library and thank your librarians for the amazing jobs they do. Can’t wait to read some Bridget’s (the main character) book recommendations. Michelle, NSW, 4 Stars
The Other Bridget was a feel-good romance bringing all the emotions! Between laughter, swooning, cringing and crying, Rachel Johns has entwined a novel full of love – love of friends, family and books. I love the way real authors and books are referenced throughout the story, and guarantee I’ll be delving into those that I haven’t read yet! A great novel for fans of Marian Keyes and Sophie Kinsella. Alex, TAS, 4 Stars
This was a fun book to read, a good one for just before Christmas, an enjoyable and laugh-out-loud ride. Jessica, NSW, 4 Stars
The tagline for The Other Bridget by Rachel Johns reads: “The best love story of all is about to be read…” which unfortunately is an oversell. With a “colourful cast of secondary characters” it is more about life and love for one’s friends, family, job, community, books, dog, garden gnomes… There are some heart-warming, and heart-breaking, moments and some humour, but the constant references to other novels becomes tedious, too often disrupting the narrative and drawing attention to the fact it is a story. MaryAnne, QLD, 3 Stars
Leave a Reply