Book review: The Other Bridget by Rachael Johns

I hadn’t sought out The Other Bridget by Rachael Johns when it was first published because I assumed it would be too ‘romancy’ for me. I’m not a fan of romance novels though I certainly churned through Sweet Dreams books at high school, my grandmothers’ Mills & Boons in my late teens / early twenties. And… I LOVED Bridget Jones’s Diary (the book) when I first read it over 24 years ago. I remember it vividly as I was living overseas and borrowed it from a colleague, reading it cover to cover late at night, cackling all of the way through.

I went to hear (and see) Rachael speak when she visited my hometown recently with a friend (who told me how much they adored The Other Bridget). I hadn’t known too much about it but hearing Rachael talk about THIS Bridget Jones – a librarian – and her references to a love of reading and books of all genres I decided to get a copy. And yes, I did so despite its length as I tend to whinge about any book that’s over 400 pages and this is almost 500 pages-long. But surprisingly it didn’t drag at all. I practically inhaled it in two evening (bathtime) sittings – both extended as I didn’t want to put it down.

Named after a famous fictional character, librarian Bridget Jones was raised on a remote cattle station, with only her mother's romance novels for company. Now living alone in Fremantle, Bridget is a hopeless romantic. She also believes that anyone who doesn't like reading just hasn't met the right book yet, and that connecting books to their readers is her superpower. If only her love life was that easy.

When handsome Italian barista Fabio progresses from flirting with love hearts on her coffee foam to joining the book club she runs at her library, Bridget prays her romance 'curse' won't ruin things. But it's the attention of her cranky neighbour Sully that seems to be the major obstacle in her life. Why is he going to so much effort to get under her skin?

With the help of her close friends and the colourful characters who frequent her library, Bridget decides to put both men to the test by finding just the right books to capture their very different hearts. She soon discovers that not all romances start with a meet-cute, but they might just end in happily ever after...

Of course this is loosely based on the original Bridget Jones’s Diary (which was loosely based on Pride & Prejudice – which I certainly loved!). And it has to be said, this Bridget is delightful. Johns brings her to us fully-formed with a loving family and history of disordered eating (to which I could relate as I was anorexic when I was finishing school and first at University). She’s quirky but not overly so. I loved her friends from the library and she just felt very real. Unlucky in love, she’s off the dating apps here and trying new things in an attempt to meet ‘the one’. And of course we’re offered a couple of options here in Fabio the sexy Italian barista who sweeps Bridget off her feet; and Sully – her neighbour with whom she gets off to a rocky start and I chuckled at the very childish petty war they wage early on.

Of course there’s an element of predictability here – as expected. And as Bridget tells her seniors’ bookclub, romance novels ALWAYS have a happy ending. Which of course you only get by throwing the lead character some curveballs first.

As she often does in her women’s fiction, Johns tackles some other weightier issues here, around trauma and PTSD, the aforementioned disordered eating issues and we also spend time with a teenager with Leukemia who finds solace in books.

I very much enjoyed this and it had that ‘coming home to something familiar’ vibe. Akin to a comfort read. Not to mention that it’s perfect for book lovers as I’m sure Johns told us it references over 80 books. And though I was a tad bereft when I finished this I know there’s more to look forward to as Rachael’s 2025 release will feature Bridget’s delightful bestie – Fred – who the youngsters would say, certainly gives off main character (MC) energy here!