Friday 2 October 2015

Book Review - One Wish in Manhattan by Mandy Baggot

Amazon UK
Title: One Wish in Manhattan
Author: Mandy Baggot
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Bookoutre
Publication Date: 2nd October 2015
Rating: 5 Stars


The temperature is dropping, snow is on its way and Hayley Walker is heading for New York with one wish… to start over. 

With her daughter Angel, Hayley is ready for adventure. But there’s more to New York than twinkly lights and breathtaking skyscrapers. Angel has her own Christmas wish – to find her real dad. 

While Hayley tries to fulfil her daughter’s wish, she crosses paths with billionaire Oliver Drummond. Restless and bored with fast living, there’s something intriguing about him that has Hayley hooked. 

Can Hayley dare to think her own dreams might turn come true – could A New York Christmas turn into a New York Forever? 

Travel to the Big Apple this Christmas and join Hayley and Oliver as they realise life isn’t just about filling the minutes… it’s about making every moment count. 

I am still in shock that before this year that I have never read a Mandy Baggot book. And now as the year comes to a close she has taken me to Corfu, France and now to Manhattan at Christmas time. As anyone who has ever seen a Christmas film set in New York will know, that it is a magical city at Christmas, and in One Wish in Manhattan it was no exception. 

Angel is the product of a one night stand 10 years ago, in Manhattan, between Hayley and a man called Michel. Angel has never known her dad, and when Hayley overhears that her Christmas wish is to meet her father, Hayley knows its time to return to New York, to search for Michel. 

What Hayley doesn't count on is meeting billionaire Oliver Drummond, and having feeling for him. Oliver's story is also told, and he is not the biggest fan of the season, with good reason, and as the story progresses you see how his character grows, until he a wonderful man. 

The story alternates between the various viewpoints of Hayley, Oliver and occasionally Angel, and each section is headlined with the location the characters are currently in, which helps set the scene a lot. 

The descriptions of snowy New York are stunning and you really get the feeling you are there alongside the characters. Hayley and Angel are having the holiday of a lifetime, full of sight seeing, adventure and some really touching moments. 

Angel is the absolute shining star of this book, at 9 and a half years old, she is incredibly smart, absorbs facts about everything and has greater emotional awareness than you would expect of someone her age. A scene is always brighter with Angel in it, with her special dictionary, and amazing insights into everything. 

Oliver to start with comes across like a stereotypical playboy billionaire but there is so much more to him than that. And along with Hayley is is fantastic discovering more about him, 

Other notable characters include Dean (Hayley's brother who lives in an amazing apartment in New York, and works for Oliver), his partner Vern, and also Oliver's mother Cynthia.

There is so much I could say to wax lyrical about this fabulous book, but I really don't want to talk about the memorable first meeting between Oliver and Hayley, or Angel naming a lobster in a Chinese restaurant, or the details of the search for Angel's father, or the inevitable romance storyline, as I feel that you need to discover all of this and more, when you read it for yourself. 

I feel that this book would make a wonderful festive film, sort of a mix between elements of Annie and of a few other films, with the overall result being a heart warming and feel good book, and a great way to get you in the festive mood. 

Who doesn't love a book with romance, comedy, deeper storylines and families. This was the perfect book for me to get my Christmas reading off to a start with this year and was truly enjoyable.

Thank you so much to Bookoutre and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Happy Publication Day to Mandy Baggot. One Wish in Manhattan is out today in ebook

2 comments:

  1. I must admit I have never read this author either but this sounds like a book I would enjoy and I am looking out for Christmas themed reads so thank you.

    Lainy http://www.alwaysreading.net

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  2. I think Mandy's done it again, Rachel. Fab review! Thanks for sharing, lovely! :) xx

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