Book Review - You, Me and the Movies by Fiona Collins

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Amazon UK

Title: You, Me and the Movies

Author: Fiona Collins

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Corgi

Publication Date: 4th April 2019 

Rating: 3 Stars

Two people. Ten classic films. A love story you’ll never forget.
Arden has just started university when she meets Mac – and quickly falls head over heels for the handsome, charismatic film lecturer. Their love affair is dramatic, exciting and all-consuming; the sort of thing you only see in the movies.

It couldn’t last. But thirty years later, leading a very different life, Arden is visiting a friend in hospital when she suddenly comes across the man she never forgot. Badly injured in an accident, Mac can only make brief references to the classic films they once watched together: Casablanca, A Star is Born, Pretty Woman among others… and they make Arden remember everything.

The bittersweet memories of their relationship help Arden re-connect with the world in a way she no longer thought was possible. But will a movie-worthy love ever be hers again?

A romantic, moving and inspiring love story that readers of Jill Mansell, Hilary Boyd and Maeve Haran will adore.

Well this felt completely different to previous books from Fiona Collins - it was less humorous and more real life in feel. 

If you are a big classic movie buff you will probably love this story, however I hadn't seen most of the films discussed in depth, and found I was skimming the sections where Arden and Mac were analysing the films. I just like watching films for the story and without looking for hidden messages. 

Speaking of which I'm fairly sure there is a message within this book, it felt like that sort of story, but for the life of me I couldn't quite put my fingers on it. 

Alternating between present day life for Arden, and her great love affair with Mac, thirty years earlier, we see just how life has changed her, and Mac. I enjoyed seeing how the two timelines progressed, while at the Same time just felt slightly disconnected from the book and its characters. 

I had such high hopes for this book, given how much I have previously enjoyed the author, but it just fel short for me. In places it was enjoyable, and I was getting lost in the pages and at other times, I  just wasn't as convinced. 

Thank you to Corgi and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.  

Book Review - The Sister Swap by Fiona Collins

Amazon UK

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Title: The Sister Swap

Author: Fiona Collins

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ Digital

Publication Date: 1st June 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

Two sisters. Two very different lives…
Meg simply doesn’t have time for men in her life. Instead, she has a strictly one-date rule, survives on caffeine and runs one of the biggest model agencies from her smart office in London. That is, until she collapses one day at work and the doctor orders her to take some R&R in the country…

Sarah is used to being stuck behind tractors and the slow pace of her cosy village life. But now her children are all grown-up (and her ex-husband long forgotten) she’s ready to change things up a bit – starting with taking back her old job in the city!

After a devastating falling out, the sisters haven’t spoken in years. Swapping houses, cars, everything is the only option – surely they’ll be able to avoid bumping into each other?

I do love a book that leaves me smiling, and The Sister Swap certainly did that.  

When Meg was 16, and Sarah 26, their parents died, and Sarah returned from London to look after her younger sister.  When Meg was 18 she ran off to London and the sisters haven't spoken for 20 years. 

Then circumstances change and Meg is ordered by the doctor to leave London for two months to get her blood pressure down, and I can see why as her job running a model agency seems frantic, and encourages her to go to the country to rest and recuperate. 

At the same time Sarah, who now has grown up children, has been accepted back at her old job in London, the first time she has returned to work since having the children.   Both sisters only know of one person who may be able to help them out with accommodation, and yet they haven't been in touch for so long. 

Since they aren't on the best of terms, they do a complete house swap for the two months and over the course of that they get to see each other through the others eyes. 

There are plenty of laugh out loud moments in this, and its another lovely book from Fiona Collins.  I really enjoyed my time spent with Meg who is trying to re-adjust to country life and Sarah and her new colleagues, one of which really needs to be watched closely, and the couple of men who grow close to the sisters. 

I also enjoyed discovering if the 20 years silence would fall away and whether or not they would ever meet face to face again.  But I'm not going to say more as it would spoil it. 

Easy to follow with chapter headings so you know which sister you are following now, this is an uplifting story that was incredibly entertaining. 

Many thanks to HQ Digital and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Book Review - Four Bridesmaids and a White Wedding by Fiona Collins - #AroundTheUKIn144Books #Wiltshire

Amazon UK

Title: Four Bridesmaids and a White Wedding

Author: Fiona Collins

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ Digital

Publication Date: 5 Stars

Rating: 28th April 2017

Don’t tell the bride!
Rose, Sal and JoJo have been looking forward to their best friend Wendy’s hen party for ages. A relaxing spa break is the perfect way to escape their crazy careers, grumpy husbands and stroppy children – even if the groom’s straight-laced sister, Tamsin, is coming too.

Until they realise that there’s been a mistake in the booking and instead of sipping prosecco in fluffy white dressing gowns they’re off to bridesmaid bootcamp!

Squeezing themselves reluctantly into tiny shorts and sliding through the mud, it’s only a matter of time before secrets emerge that could change everything…

Forget about saving the date, these four bridesmaids need to save the day – otherwise will there even be a white wedding at all?

Light hearted and a lot of fun,  a story that is guaranteed to leave you smiling. All this from an author that really is becoming a fast favourite of mine, when I'm in the mood for some good natured entertainment, with a lovely cast of characters and so many moments to make you giggle. 

This is the story of a small hen party, the bride (Wendy), her three best friends (JoJo, Sal and Rose) and her soon to be sister-in-law (Tamsin) who she has never met before. Wendy hadn't wanted a hen party but when JoJo booked a sumptuous weekend away of pampering in a luxury retreat in Wiltshire, she couldn't resist. 

However once the arrive at the retreat, it soon becomes apparent that workaholic and mega organized JoJo accidently checked the wrong box so instead of a weekend of pampering, they are now on a health and fitness retreat that includes no alcohol, assault causes, hot yoga, mind gymnastics, rafting and more. 

Yet would you believe, the wrong package isn't what has the biggest potential to mess up their weekend? For nothing is ever simple, and there really is a big surprise for Wendy not long into the hen party. 

Each chapter focuses on either Sal, Rose and JoJo, so we really get to know a lot more about the three main bridesmaids. They have been friends for years but they are all hiding things that will come out over the course of the party. They also have the new challenge too of allowing Tamsin into their group, as she is from a rather different background to the other girls. 

Four Bridesmaids and a White Wedding is pure unadulterated fun, there is pretty much no other way I can describe it. It such an easy to read story, and I loved getting to know the very different circumstances of our bridesmaids, and see how over the course of a weekend, their opinions, and attitudes to love can change. I also thoroughly enjoyed seeing how the girls coped with the assault course and other elements of this retreat, as it is far outside most of their comfort zones.  Overall is a very enjoyable book, and a joy to read. 

Thank you so much to Netgalley and HQ Digital  for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Guest Post - Writing Cloudy by Fiona Collins

Amazon UK

It’s interesting writing a second book whilst you have a first out and doing quite well (‘interesting’ may be a euphemism here...!). My first book, A Year of Being Single has been more successful than I ever imagined. It was my third attempt at being published, after a lot of rejection, and I never expected it to do so well. It has reached the giddy heights of both number 7 in the Amazon kindle charts and number 1 in iBooks (although maybe it’s me who’s the giddy one...) I’ve really enjoyed seeing the Amazon ‘Bestseller’ orange flag, I may have screenshotted it’s chart position on more than one occasion, and I have pinched myself so many times I have bruises. 

I’m mindful of Tricky Second Book Syndrome, the close personal friend of Difficult Second Album Syndrome - you know, when a band have a successful debut album and then have to follow it, somehow. Us authors (I can call myself that now, right?) concentrate all our efforts on making sure our first book is as brilliant as can be, then we realise we have to keep on going, which is scary! The second book has to be as good as, if not better than the first. 

Publishing a book is like putting a message in a bottle and chucking it in the sea… you don’t know where it’s going to end up, you don’t know how it’s going to be received, but you hope for the best. You hope that a lovely person will decide to open it, read it, enjoy it and maybe even laugh out loud a couple of times. I’m about to throw my second book – Cloudy with a Chance of Love - out there and run up the beach, squealing my head off.  

Cloudy with a Chance of Love is a book I just got on with writing. I don’t get writers’ block, particularly; I just plough on, even if it’s complete gibberish until at least the third draft. I’ve felt a certain amount of pressure in the last few weeks, while editing it, but I’ve tried to ignore that pressure; you have to let former books go and concentrate on the one in hand. You also have to wave goodbye to all the characters you’ve known and loved and re-acquaint yourself with a whole new gang. Luckily, I love my new gang, and my new story. 

Cloudy with a Chance of Love is about a recently divorced, forty-something weather presenter who’s told, via a love forecast app on her friend’s phone, that she has a 99% chance of falling in love by this Friday. She’s not sure she wants love at all, but she is up for fun and dating, and encouraged by her friend, Sam, she embarks on a week of men and mayhem… There are men galore, laughs and dilemmas for Daryl as the week progresses. I hope readers can connect to Daryl, like they did to Imogen, Frankie and Grace in A Year of Being Single. I have everything crossed. 

So, as release date approaches, I’m about to enthusiastically wave goodbye to my second set of characters and send Cloudy with a Chance of Love on its way. Actually, I’m not going to run squealing up the beach. I’m going to stand still and watch my message in a bottle bob off on the waves. Then I’m going to head into a beach hut with a laptop, a flask of orange squash and some sweaty sandwiches, as I’ve got a third book to write and I do believe I can spy some bridesmaids on the horizon… 

Thank you Fiona for that great post about writing your latest book. Don't forget to check out my 5 Star review of Cloudy with a Chance of Love

About Fiona Collins

Fiona Collins lives in the Essex countryside with her husband and three children, but also finds time for a loving relationship with a Kindle. She likes to write feisty, funny novels about slightly (ahem) more mature heroines. Fiona studied Film & Literature at Warwick University and has had many former careers including TV presenting in Hong Kong; talking about roadworks on the M25 on the radio; and being a film and television extra. She has kissed Gerard Butler and once had her hand delightfully close to George Clooney’s bum. When not writing, Fiona enjoys watching old movies and embarrassing her children. You can follow Fiona on Twitter @FionaJaneBooks


www.facebook.com/fionacollinsauthor

Book Review - Cloudy with a Chance of Love by Fiona Collins

Amazon UK

Title: Cloudy with a Chance of Love

Author: Fiona Collins

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Carina

Publication Date:  21st July 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Every cloud has a silver lining when it comes to love…

Daryl Williams never minded the fact that she had a big bottom. It’s always been behind her. In fact, it was one of the things that her husband loved about her. Until he ran off with her best friend, Gabby.

Daryl knows that she needs to get back in the dating game, she just doesn’t know how. So when her friend suggests taking a fortune forecast, she reluctantly agrees. And it looks like Daryl’s luck is in, by Friday she has a 99% chance of falling in love!

Only, even when it’s written in the stars, finding the one after the one is never easy…

My first thoughts when I came across this book besides being very glad there was a new Fiona Collins, was that the title keeps reminding me of the animated film Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs. Well there is only one word difference, but what a difference it makes, however yet there are some similarities too, both a pretty funny, and both also feature a weather girl! 

In fact I was laughing from the opening pages, where Daryl was waxing lyrical about how pleased she is with her rather large behind, and how on trend it is now to be well endowed in that region. We then move onto her throwing her wedding ring into a fountain at Trafalgar Square and best friend Sam using a fortune telling app. 

The app states categorically that Daryl has a 99% of falling in love by Friday...it was Sunday when the book starts. So what proceeds is Sam getting Darryl to do speed dating amongst other things to try and get a date a day to increase her chances of falling in love. 

Darryl who is only just divorced, goes along with it, and the speed dating event they go to is one of the best I have read about in chick lit. It's hilarious, full of people who have dressed up, and an MC who is big on the cringe factor, and has sorted out 3 different rounds for the speed dating! 

Sam also persuades Darryl to a singles cooking event, where the quality of men they meet was arguably better, and again was a fun event to read about. 

I pretty much loved all the character descriptions in this book, I had a real feel for their personalities, even if I didn't like the character, the writing was done well. 

What I am quickly discovering is that Fiona Collins is a fresh new voice in romantic comedy writing, I really enjoyed her previous book and this one is even better. I found myself smiling my way through this book, and this is the first book I've read during the Olympics, where the sport hasn't been a bigger draw than the book! Anything that can keep my attention while I'm trying to multi task with top level sport, definitely is a winner in my eyes! 

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

Book Review - A Year of Being Single by Fiona Collins

Amazon UK

Title:  A Year of Being Single

Author: Fiona Collins

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Carina

Publication Date: 21st April 2016

Rating: 4 Stars

Best friends Imogen, Frankie and Grace decide to test whether the grass really is greener on the single side of the fence…

Imogen is supposed to be on the most romantic weekend of her life and instead she’s quickly realised that her current boyfriend definitely isn’t ‘The One’ and actually One Big Mistake.

Frankie is fed up. Fed up of her good-for-nothing husband and her four, unappreciative children. Well, they hardly notice her anyway, maybe it’s time to shake it up a little…

Grace thought she had the perfect life. Gorgeous little boy and perfect, hardworking husband. Or rather, she did, until she realised her husband was shagging his ‘work’.

It’s time for a change – and to ditch the men who are dragging them down! It’s time for a year of being single. Swearing off men, these single ladies don’t need to put a ring on it…right?

Three best friends all living in the same street, all on the same day let out silent screams and realise they need to change their current circumstances. Imogen realises that she needs to get rid of the current man she is dating as he is repulsive. Frankie is mum to four kids, plus her husband who by the sounds of it is more of  a child than the others. She realises the only way she will ever get appreciated or some alone time is to kick Rob out. And then there is Grace, who has just discovered her husband James is cheating on her. 

When the three friends get together the next day they decide between them to all be single for a year, and swear off all contact with any men completely. Of course things never go exactly according to plan and you end up with a fabulous mix of the friends lying to each other, as they realise its harder than it seems to stay single for a year! 

A Year of Being Single is a fabulously entertaining story, alternating between the three friends points of view. All three of the friends stories are very different, and it was a pleasure getting to know the ladies. Imogen's colleague sounded a bit nuts, Grace had a different way of dealing with a plus one invite now that she was single and Frankie took up a new hobby and found herself realising that she needs to be careful what she wises for. 

This is an enjoyable debut novel from Fiona Collins, and one that I found to be light hearted piece of chick lit, perfect of cheering up a drab weekend. It was easy to read, and I feel that it would be quite easy to dip in and out of,. The writing is amusing and there are some fairly memorable scenes.  

I did feel slightly let down by the conclusion, and felt that various conversations towards the end should have been bigger and more impactful. There are though some gorgeous men and a few good romantic gestures in the story to make up for it!  

As someone who is chronically single, I still feel happy being single after reading this, but appreciate its not a condition that most ladies can deal with for a whole year! 

Thanks to Netgalley and Carina for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.