Saturday 24 September 2016

Book Review - Single All The Way by Elaine Spires - Back Catalogue Books


Back Catalogue Books is my new regular Saturday feature, focusing on books that are not the latest releases. There is going to be a mix of Q&As and also reviews, depending on what I have the space for. 

If you are an author wanting to take part in Back Catalogue Books then please do email on gilbster at gmail dot com and I'll whizz the questions over to you. 


I hope everyone enjoys this weekly look back at some of the slightly older books that are about but still great, and that I eventually make a dent in my TBRs as a result of it! 

So today I have a review of Single All The Way, the 3rd book in the wonderful Singles Trilogy.

Amazon UK
Title: Single All The Way
Author: Elaine Spires
Format reviewed: Paperback
Source: Author supplied review copy
Publisher: Self Published
Publication Date: 9th October 2014
Rating: 5 Stars


Travel Together Tour Manager Eve Mitchell is planning a quiet Christmas at home to rest and relax before a special New Year. But she soon, very unexpectedly, finds herself in the depths of the Essex countryside looking after a singles' group which contains some old, familiar faces and some pleasant - and not so pleasant - new ones. With its country walks, quizzes, disco and black-tie ball, the Christmas and Twixmas Break passes quickly, but just as they think it's all over the plot takes a twist and we learn some dark secrets...

Although it has been a few months since I read the previous books in the Singles Trilogy, within the first two  chapters it felt as though I had never left. That being said it can easily be read as a standalone, its just some of the characters recur, as well as Eve who is the main character for the whole trilogy. 

This time instead of an exotic location, its a short Christmas break with Travel Together, which Eve is called to on Christmas Day after some both with the previous guide. The break is the other side of Essex to her, so not exactly a glamorous location, but that is good, as it gave the whole book quite a different feel to it. 

In fact Single All The Way is quite cosy, in its small hotel setting, and on paper it looks like Eve is supposed to have a reasonably easy few days, make sure people turn up for a couple of organised walks, host a pre-prepared quiz or two, and then the black-tie ball to round off the trip. But when do things ever run smoothly, in fact when Eve says "How much trouble can three days be?" I just had to laugh out loud, as when anything ever gone to plan in fiction, after a statement like that! 

There was a good variety of guests, some which Eve already knew from previous trips, and those are ones that readers of the whole trilogy will recognise and be pleased to see again. There is also a group of friends called The Three Sues, a group of four rugby club friends, a rather obnoxious woman, an older gentleman who is struggling with Christmas and that is just some of the group. When you also take into account a certain young waiter with an eye for the ladies, and you know there will be sorts of antics to occur. 

However the book although the bulk of it is this holiday in Essex, it really is building continually to a big occasion in Eve's life, which I won't mention as it could spoil enjoyment of previous books in the series. As a fan though of the series, it was wonderful to see, and I loved the overall conclusion to the trilogy. 

I'm not quite sure how but I managed to read the whole book pretty much in one sitting over the course of an evening, admittedly finishing it in the early hours of the next day! I found myself so caught up in the stories of all the guests. There are so many different things simmering just under the surface, and as they are uncovered, there was a mix of all sorts of emotions and even some gasp worthy moments, in addition to lots of laughs. 

Single All The Way is a wonderful way to end what has been a superb trilogy, I have heard there may be another book in progress, which if that is true, then I will be looking forward to reading that too, as I  am a huge fan of Eve, and of the Travel Together holidays. 

Thank you so much to Elaine Spires for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

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