Thursday 20 February 2014
Perfect Match
I was excited to get the 20th Katie Fforde title to review. I really enjoy her books and this one was as good as the rest.
Bella is seemingly happily settled, sharing a house with her godmother Alice, she loves her job as an estate agent and is settled with her boyfriends Neville. Then in a bolt from the blue the past comes back to haunt her in the shape of Dominic, the man she had a crush on three years previously. Fforde also has a parallel love story with Alice and Michael a man she meets in a train. Bella has to deal with shifty characters, unearth a scam, find the perfect house for picky clients all the while juggling her feelings for both Neville and Dominic. Both women take stock of their lives and have to decide if they are just settling for what they have at the moment because it is easy and comfortable - what would happen if they decide they don't want to settle?
I have to admit I wish all estate agents were as nice and caring as Bella - finding your perfect home would be much easier!
This is a great read for the holidays and would be the perfect Mother's Day gift. Katie Fforde has done it again with a two likeable heroines, a story that feels like a glorious summer and even made estate agents (largely) likeable.
This book was given free by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Saturday 8 February 2014
Fun, Films & Froth
Book Review: What Nora Knew by Linda Yellin
Molly, a writer still getting over her divorce 5 years later, is set a challenge by her editor to write a piece on love in the style of Nora Ephron. A self-confessed romantic film fan, especially of Nora Ephron's films, she takes up the challenge only to realise that though she may not be afraid to jump out of aeroplanes, she is afraid to stick her toe back in the dating pool and more importantly fall in love. The author uses Nora Ephron's famous films: When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You've got Mail! and many more as a basis for her novel. The novel combines all those characteristics of the classic rom-com which adds up to a fun-filled quick read. I was in New York in the summer and felt this book really captured the flavour of the city. I really enjoyed it as I had not read anything by this writer before.
A copy of this book was provided free by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Molly, a writer still getting over her divorce 5 years later, is set a challenge by her editor to write a piece on love in the style of Nora Ephron. A self-confessed romantic film fan, especially of Nora Ephron's films, she takes up the challenge only to realise that though she may not be afraid to jump out of aeroplanes, she is afraid to stick her toe back in the dating pool and more importantly fall in love. The author uses Nora Ephron's famous films: When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You've got Mail! and many more as a basis for her novel. The novel combines all those characteristics of the classic rom-com which adds up to a fun-filled quick read. I was in New York in the summer and felt this book really captured the flavour of the city. I really enjoyed it as I had not read anything by this writer before.
A copy of this book was provided free by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Winter Garden by Jane Thynne
Clara Vine is an English actress living in pre-war Nazi Germany and working in Goebbels film industry. But there is more to her than meets than eye, she uses the contacts she has made amongst the wives of the prominent Nazis to report back to the British on the in-fighting and struggles amongst Hitler's elite.
This is the second story about Clara, I hadn't read the first Black Roses but this can title can be read as a standalone.
Clara gets caught up in a murder that takes places in one of the Bride Schools, where brides wanting to marry an SS officer were trained in the arts that made a good German wife. The murder has potential far-reaching consequences for the Nazi elite.
Clara is walking a tightrope trying to appear as a sympathiser to the Nazi regime whilst at the same time working to undermine it. Her life becomes entangled with 3 men: Ralph Sommers an Englishman who also appears to be in sympathy with the Nazis, Ernst, Udet, her co-star in her next film and a WW1 flying ace and Arno Strauss a friend of Udet and also a flying ace.
The story is set during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to Germany and the Mitford sisters, Diana and Unity, also make an appearance. The leading Nazis, Goebbels, Goering and their wives all make appearances in this book and their lives are in direct contrast to the ordinary Germans trying to make ends meet. The threat of war is constantly on the horizon.
This is a well-plotted, engaging crime story which gives a fascinating insight into life in Berlin under the Nazis. So if you like your crime stories with a good sense of time and place this could be the one for you!
This book was provided free by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second story about Clara, I hadn't read the first Black Roses but this can title can be read as a standalone.
Clara gets caught up in a murder that takes places in one of the Bride Schools, where brides wanting to marry an SS officer were trained in the arts that made a good German wife. The murder has potential far-reaching consequences for the Nazi elite.
Clara is walking a tightrope trying to appear as a sympathiser to the Nazi regime whilst at the same time working to undermine it. Her life becomes entangled with 3 men: Ralph Sommers an Englishman who also appears to be in sympathy with the Nazis, Ernst, Udet, her co-star in her next film and a WW1 flying ace and Arno Strauss a friend of Udet and also a flying ace.
The story is set during the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to Germany and the Mitford sisters, Diana and Unity, also make an appearance. The leading Nazis, Goebbels, Goering and their wives all make appearances in this book and their lives are in direct contrast to the ordinary Germans trying to make ends meet. The threat of war is constantly on the horizon.
This is a well-plotted, engaging crime story which gives a fascinating insight into life in Berlin under the Nazis. So if you like your crime stories with a good sense of time and place this could be the one for you!
This book was provided free by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Flying, war and great humour
I was really excited to get the latest Fannie Flagg title The All-Girls Filling Station Last Reunion. I have read all her books and laughed and cried through them. Her books have a wonderful view of life and you get swept away.
Flagg has used a little known aspect of recent American history as a framework for her story.
Sookie has just seen her last daughter get married and is looking forward to a quiter life .... or as quite as her eccentric mother Lenore will allow. You wait with bated breath to see what Lenore will do next and laugh out loud at her antics. She us a great comic creation but maybe not so great a mother.
Sookie's life is turned upside down when she receives a letter which unearths long buried secrets. Sookie begins a journey which takes her back to WW2, an all-girl filling station and the little known story of the female pilots who ferried planes around the USA for the military.
There are some great characters in this story, a real mix of comedy and pathos, I would recommend this story to fans of Fannie Flagg and those reading her for rhe first time. This is a book which puts a smile on your face and makes you laugh out loud. Read, enjoy, smile!
This book was given free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Flagg has used a little known aspect of recent American history as a framework for her story.
Sookie has just seen her last daughter get married and is looking forward to a quiter life .... or as quite as her eccentric mother Lenore will allow. You wait with bated breath to see what Lenore will do next and laugh out loud at her antics. She us a great comic creation but maybe not so great a mother.
Sookie's life is turned upside down when she receives a letter which unearths long buried secrets. Sookie begins a journey which takes her back to WW2, an all-girl filling station and the little known story of the female pilots who ferried planes around the USA for the military.
There are some great characters in this story, a real mix of comedy and pathos, I would recommend this story to fans of Fannie Flagg and those reading her for rhe first time. This is a book which puts a smile on your face and makes you laugh out loud. Read, enjoy, smile!
This book was given free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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