Book 1 of the Queenie Series
25-year-old Queenie Jenkins is a journalist who lives in London. Her boyfriend has decided they need a break, and asked her to move out. She moves in with her grandparents when she loses her job as well. Queenie spends quite a bit of time as a social butterfly after her break with her boyfriend. As she visits a sexual health clinic three times in a short period of time, they refer her to a therapist.
Queenie’s Jamaican grandma is very upset about the referral to the therapist – she doesn’t believe in mental health breaks. She thinks Queenie can just deal with these things by herself – just like previous generations of women in her family have done. Queenie’s grandpa eventually chimes in saying that Queenie should go.
Queenie starts working on herself – in the beginning she’s a party girl who likes to have a good time and sleeps around a little (as a post breakup reaction) and in the end she’s a changed woman.
This book is so incredibly funny, even if it deals with very serious topics like: mental health, sexual promiscuity and Black lives matter. Queenie’s boyfriend is white and a plonker. He gives her hope of a reconciliation, while he moves on, and Queenie clings onto the idea of them getting back together.
Queenie’s grandmother is such a wonderful character. Even if she’s against Queenie going to therapy, she’s very concerned about her granddaughter.
Queenie herself reminds me of Bridget Jones, but more realistic. Don’t get me wrong, I love Bridget Jones, but Queenie just feels more real to me.
This time I read the audiobook – and I have previously read it as an e-Book. The performance on the audiobook is fabulous, and I also loved the e-Book. An excellent read, I highly recommend this book.
Read for the Read Between the Lines Reading Challenge 2026
Prompt 2: Main Character’s Name is in the Book Title
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
