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Saturday 25 February 2012

***Review*** Love Virtually by Daniel Glattauer


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Released: February 1st 2011
Publisher: Maclehose
Series:  Yes #1 in the series
Format: Hardcover
Source:  Bought
Goodreads Synopsis:
"Write to me, Emmi. Writing is like kissing, but without lips. Writing is kissing with the mind."

It begins by chance: Leo receives emails in error from an unknown woman called Emmi. Being polite he replies, and Emmi writes back. A few brief exchanges are all it takes to spark a mutual interest in each other, and soon Emmi and Leo are sharing their innermost secrets and longings. The erotic tension simmers, and it seems only a matter of time before they will meet in person. But they keep putting off the moment - the prospect both excites and unsettles them. And after all, Emmi is happily married.

Will their feelings for each other survive the test of a real-life encounter? And if so, what then?

Love Virtually is a funny, fast-paced and utterly absorbing novel, with plenty of twists and turns, about a love affair conducted entirely by email.

My Review:

This book was recommended to me by a good friend, who said I had to read it as she gave it top marks. She even bought me a copy so that I could see what she was raving about. Thank you!!

This book is written as a series of email exchanges between the two main characters of Emmi and Leo. The story starts with an email mistakenly being sent to Leo from Emmi. After numerous and sometimes witty exchanges the pair strike up a close and unique friendship. Over time you can see this friendship start to develop into something more. Throughout the book you can really feel both characters needs, uncertainties, and a whole host of other emotions just from the way they write the emails and also from the words they use. They vulnerabilities and fears really do come through. You only ever get to know about the two characters from what they write about themselves to each other.

This book really takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions, at times I felt quite emotionally drained. But this just shows the writers ability to be able to manipulate the reader’s emotions. I think it is a very clever but simple concept; the author has really managed to capture a lot of feeling just from simple email exchanges between the two main characters.

This book was really easy to pick up and put down. There are no long chapters and sometimes the email exchanges are very short. I managed to fly through this book and I think it could even be devoured in one sitting.

I felt that the ending was brilliant; I actually sat there for a few minutes afterwards digesting it. There is another book following on from this story, it’s not yet been released (I have checked) and I can’t wait to get my hands on it so I can carry on with the story of Emmi & Leo.

Story Rating: 4/5 – A clever concept for a story that will leave you emotionally exhausted :D

Cover Rating: 3/5 – I can’t say it is one that jumps out at me, but there is a relevance to cupid and the name of the book is certainly fitting to the story.

14 comments:

Miri said...

So you'd recommend it but as a light read? Nothing too serious? I'm just wondering, because it sounds like a great book, but I'm really not sure what to think about the fact that it's only written in this email format and doesn't reveal anything about the characters' feelings that he or she doesn't want to be discovered...

Julie73 said...

Woohoo!! Glad you loved it Jen xx Don't forget I'll be letting you have the next book after me!! xxx Cliffhanger or what???

roro said...

it sounds so fun
tnx 4 reviewing

Chocolate Chunky Munkie said...

Yes it is entirely in email format. But you can certainly gain some insight into the characters from what they write in the emails. For example sometimes they write after a glass or two of wine and all their thoughts and emotions come flooding through. I would say it is light reading, yes.

Chocolate Chunky Munkie said...

Julie, it's all thanks to you for recommending this book. I can't wait for the next one now!!! xx

Linda Henderson said...

This doesn't sound like my kind of book. I think the format would bother me and I'm not a bit interested in a married woman getting herself in this situation. Thanks for the review, I'll be passing on this one.

Wolfswan1 said...

I read Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros and it sounds like a very similar read. Although I loved the one by Teresa Medeiros I am not quite convinced that I would like this one which means that I might just buy it to see if I would love it or hate it...

Raine said...

This sort of reminds me Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern. There were series of e-mail exchanges and chat room messages that I found was unique in incorporating to the telling of the story. I thought the book would suffer from it but it didn't and I enjoyed the fresh take. This seems to be along the vein and I'm curious about Emmi's emails going to Leo's inbox most of the time. Cupid's hand? :D

Maya Floria Yasmin said...

maybe this book wasn't for me

Nicola said...

I hadn't heard of this one before! Thanks for the great review!

e commerce web development said...

LOve virtually is awesome book.Once i started could'nt take a break just went on till completed.
special thanks to Daniel Glattauer

Christina Kit. said...

This sounds like an awesome read!

And I love that the format is different and the romance is different as well.

Thanks for this great review:)

IdentitySeeker said...

This is the first I've heard of this book but it sounds like something I would enjoy reading. Thank you for this lovely review:)

Sarah Bibi Setar

Karin said...

Oh my Gosh, so cool. Daniel Glattauer is an Austrian writer and I am an Austrian blogger. I never thought that I would ever find one of his books reviewed outside the German speaking world. Glad you liked it!

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