Bat out of Hell


Romance - Comedy
280 Pages
Reviewed on 05/14/2020
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Bat Out Of Hell is a work of fiction in the romantic comedy genre. It is aimed at mature teen and adult readers alike and was penned by author Bernadette Franklin. The book follows the adventures of Shirley Manchester as she attempts to survive a wild Halloween, with a secret admirer in hot pursuit and a vengeful fashion designer with a bone to pick. Shirley attempts to navigate Halloween whilst unable to shrug off the thought that maybe she’s been cursed for real. As she manages to escape the party from hell (possibly literally) she discovers that the tricks and treats of Halloween are far from over. What results is a splendid and highly enjoyable rom-com with a spooky twist.

One of the most charming elements of this entertaining novel by Bernadette Franklin is the all-out commitment of the author to the time period of the story and the spooky hijinks that work their way out of Halloween and into Shirley’s life as the novel progresses. As a big fan of this particular holiday, I loved the atmosphere which it lent to the tale's curious twists and turns. The writing itself is highly enjoyable, with narration that allows us close insight to our heroine and the many issues she has to deal with as the plot careers around on a truly wild ride. The dialogue too was stellar, giving us instant characterization of many new faces and plenty of witty repartee between the central figures. Overall, I would certainly recommend Bat Out Of Hell to romantic comedy readers everywhere.

Samantha Gregory

Bat Out of Hell by Bernadette Franklin is the story of Shirley Manchester, a young woman who is having the worst Halloween of her life. After her best friend Clarissa invites her to a party, things go from bad to worse, starting with her insane idea to shred her Prada dress to make a witch outfit. She feels out of place at the party and weird things keep happening to her. Is she cursed? Or is something else going on? This story was well written and I loved the dynamic between Shirley and Clarissa. They come across as best friends, which they are.

The story moves at a good pace and as I understand it, this is part of a series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. I am not a huge fashion fan, but even I understand Shirley's despair over losing her Prada dress. She is a strong character, though, who knows how to handle herself. Bernadette Franklin has written an entertaining book in Bat Out of Hell. Shirley is a good character and I loved the sarcasm and wit between her and her friend. From picking her up dressed as a T Rex, you know Clarissa is the kind of friend that you want in your corner. I think this book would do well with readers who enjoy chick lit and romantic comedy. I picked it for the Halloween angle, but it can be read all year round. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a laugh.

Cheryl Schopen

In Bat Out of Hell by Bernadette Franklin, Shirley, or Lee as she likes to be called, has just taken her perfect Prada that she saved up for and ripped it up to create a Halloween costume, thereby attracting the attention of prominent fashion designer Juliette Carter. Lee not only now has Juliette out for revenge, but she also has a secret admirer leaving lavish gifts and unwanted pets as roommates. She clearly is dealing with a lot. All Lee wants is to enjoy her musical instruments and admire works of art, but Juliette has something much more extravagant planned for her, but maybe it won’t be so bad after all.

Bat Out of Hell is a laugh-out-loud comedy that does not take itself too seriously. The situations and characters are not exactly realistic, but that’s what makes this such a fun read! Even though Lee is the main character, Juliette stole the show for me. She is by far the most ridiculously over-the-top, tantrum-throwing, narcissist with a heart of gold star that this book needs. I just loved her. And I would read books upon books surrounding her and her life. Bernadette Franklin’s writing style is definitely one of a kind. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I would love to read more from her. Bat Out of Hell is a fun, light read that will make you question why we are all sane when life could be so much more fun if we were all just quite the opposite.