Amazon UK
Title: The Mercury Travel Club
Author: Helen Bridgett
Format reviewed: Paperback
Source: Publisher supplied review copy
Publisher: RedDoor Publishing
Publication Date: 16th March 2017
Rating: 4 Stars
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| Amazon UK |
He took her to dinner that was annoying
He slept with her that was hurtful
He bought new underwear to impress her quite frankly astounding
He left me to bloody wash his FILTHY WHORING PANTS INFURIATING!
After twenty-four years and eleven months of marriage, Angie Shepherd is divorced, dejected and facing a future of cardigans and cats. Best friend Patty is having none of it, and launches Angie into a variety of crazy schemes in search of her lost mojo.
But it s just not enough; what she really dreams of is beating her ex and becoming Entrepreneur of the Year. Channelling her inner Richard Branson, Angie invests her divorce settlement into The Mercury Travel Club, a travel agency with a twist. But as the club gets going, things don t go according to plan, and in this digital age, a little chaos brings the recognition Angie s been looking for.
Witty, entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny, this feel-good novel shows that it s never too late for a second chance.
He slept with her that was hurtful
He bought new underwear to impress her quite frankly astounding
He left me to bloody wash his FILTHY WHORING PANTS INFURIATING!
After twenty-four years and eleven months of marriage, Angie Shepherd is divorced, dejected and facing a future of cardigans and cats. Best friend Patty is having none of it, and launches Angie into a variety of crazy schemes in search of her lost mojo.
But it s just not enough; what she really dreams of is beating her ex and becoming Entrepreneur of the Year. Channelling her inner Richard Branson, Angie invests her divorce settlement into The Mercury Travel Club, a travel agency with a twist. But as the club gets going, things don t go according to plan, and in this digital age, a little chaos brings the recognition Angie s been looking for.
Witty, entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny, this feel-good novel shows that it s never too late for a second chance.
One of my favourite things about reading and reviewing the quantity of books that I seem to, is that every now and then you will come across a brand new author, and a debut novel that catches the eye instantly. The second I saw the cover reveal for The Mercury Travel Club I had a great feeling about it, I love travel, I love reading about travel, and there is a cruise ship on the cover, and I love cruising.
And then I read, and re-read the blurb and have that sudden feeling I may be making a mistake, I knew it was set to an 80s soundtrack, but that was the decade of my early years, and I really wasn't sure if there would be any travel.
Thankfully it didn't take too long into the first few chapters to realise my initial instincts were correct, this was a book I was going to get on well with and enjoy thoroughly. There is a fair bit of travel in the second half of the book, so I'm not going to risk spoiling things for you by giving any details, but let's just say there are incredibly memorable bits from the trips that are taken.
The Mercury Travel Club is well paced and set over a year, with chapters that are literally only a handful of pages each. Each one has a clever title that gives some inkling as to what lies within it. Hence people who have that one more chapter syndrome will always end up quite a lot further than they intended before stopping, as the pages are so readable.
The story takes place over a calendar year, and follows the story of Angie, who is newly divorced. She is determined to turn her life around, and agrees to take part in all sorts of groups and activities purely to keep busy and to please her friends and family.
However what she really wants is to be become known as a successful business woman, and when she hits on an idea to make The Mercury Travel Agent potentially have more income and bookings, her dreams of one day meeting Sir Richard Branson even bigger.
I loved everything to do with the travel agency and the trips that were being planned. Her colleagues Charlie and Josie are brilliant, and Charlie especially has great drive, and seems to take everything in his stride.
There are many amusing parts of the book which really made me smile. My favourite of which was the whole character of Patty, the best friend. She like Angie, is in her fifties, but Pattie is a lot more outgoing, she is finally recovering from the death of her husband, and is determined to embrace life to its fullest. She is over the top, and a born entertainer, while also being a great source of support for Angie.
Actually Angie's mun is another fabulous character, with her love of all things cake and freebie! She appears to be an expert blagger and has a bit of the gift of the gab about her.
I would describe this as mature chick lit, as the characters are slightly older than the average in romantic comedies, but doesn't make them any less outrageous, likeable or fun. They still have flaws and are prone to the odd daft moment, and seem to have a habit of ending up on youtube!
There is of course the dealing of the aftermath of divorce, how Zoe, Angie's grown up daughter is doing, and a whole host of new relationships being formed.
The Mercury Travel Club is an uplifting and enjoyable debut novel, from an author that I would be more than happy to read more by, with characters that are easy to engage with, an easy to read style and just a really fun feel to the book.
Thank you so much to Anna Burtt at RedDoor Publishing for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Please do take a look and follow along with the rest of this blog tour.
And then I read, and re-read the blurb and have that sudden feeling I may be making a mistake, I knew it was set to an 80s soundtrack, but that was the decade of my early years, and I really wasn't sure if there would be any travel.
Thankfully it didn't take too long into the first few chapters to realise my initial instincts were correct, this was a book I was going to get on well with and enjoy thoroughly. There is a fair bit of travel in the second half of the book, so I'm not going to risk spoiling things for you by giving any details, but let's just say there are incredibly memorable bits from the trips that are taken.
The Mercury Travel Club is well paced and set over a year, with chapters that are literally only a handful of pages each. Each one has a clever title that gives some inkling as to what lies within it. Hence people who have that one more chapter syndrome will always end up quite a lot further than they intended before stopping, as the pages are so readable.
The story takes place over a calendar year, and follows the story of Angie, who is newly divorced. She is determined to turn her life around, and agrees to take part in all sorts of groups and activities purely to keep busy and to please her friends and family.
However what she really wants is to be become known as a successful business woman, and when she hits on an idea to make The Mercury Travel Agent potentially have more income and bookings, her dreams of one day meeting Sir Richard Branson even bigger.
I loved everything to do with the travel agency and the trips that were being planned. Her colleagues Charlie and Josie are brilliant, and Charlie especially has great drive, and seems to take everything in his stride.
There are many amusing parts of the book which really made me smile. My favourite of which was the whole character of Patty, the best friend. She like Angie, is in her fifties, but Pattie is a lot more outgoing, she is finally recovering from the death of her husband, and is determined to embrace life to its fullest. She is over the top, and a born entertainer, while also being a great source of support for Angie.
Actually Angie's mun is another fabulous character, with her love of all things cake and freebie! She appears to be an expert blagger and has a bit of the gift of the gab about her.
I would describe this as mature chick lit, as the characters are slightly older than the average in romantic comedies, but doesn't make them any less outrageous, likeable or fun. They still have flaws and are prone to the odd daft moment, and seem to have a habit of ending up on youtube!
There is of course the dealing of the aftermath of divorce, how Zoe, Angie's grown up daughter is doing, and a whole host of new relationships being formed.
The Mercury Travel Club is an uplifting and enjoyable debut novel, from an author that I would be more than happy to read more by, with characters that are easy to engage with, an easy to read style and just a really fun feel to the book.
Thank you so much to Anna Burtt at RedDoor Publishing for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Please do take a look and follow along with the rest of this blog tour.
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