The Goddess Rules

A Novel

By: Clare Naylor

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

Here’s the delightful new novel from Clare Naylor, whose sleeper hit Dog Handling was one of Cosmopolitan’s Best Beach Reads for 2002. Fresh and fun, The Goddess Rules is an outrageous, wry, and razor-sharp portrait of a girl who thinks her life is just fine - until she meets a woman who swears by the belief that life is meant to be fabulous.

When obsessed pet owners have pooches or kitties they want immortalized on canvas, Kate Disney is the artist of choice. From her shed (which doubles as a studio and apartment) in London’s Primrose Hill, Kate caters to the whims of the rich and famous while herself living a decidedly bohemian existence. The problem is, she has a tendency to cater to her on-again, way-off-again boyfriend as well. Jake is so erratic, that most of her friends don’t understand why she even bothers. But it’s hard to fall out of love with a man who writes her songs and calls her “Angel” - even if he disappears for weeks at a time.

Luckily for Kate, Mirabelle Moncur isn’t buying any of that claptrap. Mirri was an actress, a legend in her time. Now, at age 60, she’s given up on fame and men and lives in Africa, where she raises lion cubs. But her reclusive nature has done nothing to dull her beauty, mar her incredible figure, or dampen her outrageous joie de vivre.

After sweeping into London to have Kate paint a portrait of her favorite cub, Mirri seizes hold of Kate’s life - from the baggy wardrobe to the hopeless taste in men. Under Mirri’s tutelage, Kate learns to dance on tables with abandon, drink like a dockworker, and flirt like a goddess. And when her old friend Louis reenters the picture, she begins to see things in a whole new light. But Mirri has secrets that hint at a less than divine future. Now it’s Kate’s turn to teach Mirri a thing or two about life, love, and being fabulous.

©2005 Clare Naylor (P)2005 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Laugh-out-loud scenes and authentically touching asides on aging and lifelong yearnings combine in a perfectly balanced, irresistible confection." (Booklist)

“[A] red-hot read sure to turn up the heat.” (Cosmopolitan)

“Readers will stay on Naylor’s scent as she devises surprising ways to break up and re-pair brightly drawn characters...Yip, yip hooray!” (People)

Great Story

I really enjoyed this book. Although it was a great story it also gave me a new outlook on life.

Kate and Mirri

colourful characters - predictable story yet still very entertaining

Great book, so-so narration

This book was sooo funny in spots, but you had to wade through the monotone fog of the narrator’s voice to get to it. Because of the narrators drab dead-pan reading of the characters voices (with the one exception of Mirabelle Moncur- she nailed that one) the book did not grab me at first. However, after a good hour or so I was able to get into it. I became captured by the story and was able to listen past the narrator’s voice and really enjoyed the book.

A good

This is the first of Clare Naylor's works I've come across - and I'll be looking for more. Keeps you rapt, not too complicated for an audiobook, and the reader does an incredibly good job!

A fun listen.

I thought the narrator did an excellent job. She brought the whole book to life for me. I would not have enjoyed the book half as much had it not been an audio book. Had I been reading the book, I would never have done the French accent in my head. I found the characters to be enjoyable and entertaining. I will probably re-listen to the entire book again someday.

Very Fun!

Narrator- Was great! Look for her in the other books
The story was fun about a single woman trying to find her way through bad choices, good choices and finally accepting a sage mentor's advice. Couldn't stop listening to find out what happens next.

Young artist struggling to find love

Really enjoyed the relationship that developed between the young artist and the older actress - athough they are at different points in their journeys, their life lessons corresponded perfectly and made for a good read. Was inspiring and uplifting without being too forced or simply achived.

My first with the author, and I LOVE IT!!!

The novel gave me very intriguing ideas about how women should be. And I laughed out loud a lot while reading it, especially when the two heroines interact with each other, because they think they know better than the other. But eventually they learn from each other. This makes the novel different and better from other chicklit and of course worth the credit. And the narrator performance makes the novel more enjoyable.

A very entertaining and insightful read

I really enjoyed this book and grew to love many of the deeply flawed, deeply human characters. The main character in the book is throughly drawn and on more than one occasion I found myself identifying with her feelings and gaining insight on inner motivation. The characters are colorful but largely believable and the story while certainly examines love relationships is really about what deep and sincere friendships between women can mean for their lives.

Easy and Fun Listen!

I enjoyed this book...the reader is great and the story is enjoyable