Bridge Burning by Kitty Flanagan

"I went because I thought, or hoped, that university would offer me a social life, something which had been largely absent in my life thus far, unless you counted playing tennis on Saturday afternoons and then going to the local bowling club afterwards for a glass of lemon squash with the team."

Oh Kitty Flanagan, I've always had a massive girl crush on you and now, having finished your book, it has only intensified! In fact, I'm going to write this review to you. Firstly I'd like to apologise for not actually paying for your book. In  fairness, my delightful friend Kate had brought a copy with her on our holiday and we're doing a bit of book swapping to lighten the luggage load. I am the world's worst packer for holidays (I'm not going to lie, the books always put me over weight).

Alrighty, back to your fab memoir and I have to say I laughed out loud repeatedly and somewhat like a madwoman at the cool beach club where I sat under the umbrella, ignoring the gorgeous scenery to be transported back to Sydney and a lifetime of bad dates. Oh lady, I can relate to so many of your hilarious anecdotes. I loved the way you ended relationships by moving away, and the gravedigger who loved your central heating - as a woman of a certain age, I sometimes wonder if any date that lasts more than a month or two in summer is more about my air conditioning too.

This is an engaging and thoroughly entertaining read, that was just what the doctor ordered. A welcome respite from some of the more harrowing reads I've been engaged in of late. We all know the world is going to hell in a hand basket , but sometimes its refreshing to focus on the minutiae of life and the things that make us smile. Kitty your sage advice is spot on, but should I really be banned from internet dating?? Hmm.... yeah, perhaps you are right on that front too.

If there's one take away that I think you've helped the world of women out there with particularly, it is about bidets. They are an amazing invention and I only wish more houses in Australia had them. I used to think about it often when I lived with a man whose underpants I had to wash, thankfully that is a distant memory that has pretty much skidded away.

5 out of 5 - Kitty we could compare notes over a thousand wines - err now I just sound like a crazy stalker - strike that - just thanks for a fab read and keep on doing what you're doing!