Saturday 6 August 2016

Book Review - Too Much Trouble in Paradise by Michelle Betham - Booklympics - Back Catalogue Books




Title: Too Much Trouble in Paradise
Author: Michelle Betham
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Purchased
Publisher: Self Published
Publication Date: 19th December 2013
Rating: 5 Stars

Amazon UK

Molly Parker is a DWAG – a darts wife and girlfriend. Or rather, she’s an ex-DWAG after divorcing Paul “Bad Lad” Parker, a professional darts player and the self-pronounced Geordie pantomime villain of the sport, after catching him aiming more than his arrows in the direction of more than a few very willing glamour models. 

So, leaving her life – and her ex-husband - behind in their native North East of England, she moves to the Canarian island of Tenerife with her best friend Fran, putting the past behind her, determined to start a whole new life abroad. 

Within months of arriving on the island she finds herself engaged to her Spanish boyfriend Antonio – a handsome Canarian bar owner - and with their whirlwind wedding just weeks away she’s the happiest she’s been in a long time with a great job at a Timeshare complex, fantastic friends, and a lovely little home in a country she’s fallen completely in love with. 

But what Molly didn’t bank on was her ex-husband turning up out of the blue declaring his undying love for her and begging her to come back to him - and not just because his darts were suffering! His unannounced arrival turns Molly’s new and seemingly perfect life upside down as she suddenly has to face up to feelings she’d thought were long gone, and make decisions she never thought she’d have to make as her whole world is thrown into total confusion. Does she stay in Tenerife and marry her wonderful, romantic, drop-dead-gorgeous Spanish fiancĂ©? Or does she give the man she’d once loved but who’d treated her so badly another chance? Days in the sun or darts – it’s the choice she has to make. 

Throw in a Bolton-born lounge singer and a Take That tribute act, a famous TV actor with a reputation as a shameless flirt, and a major darts tournament that throws up more than it’s fair share of surprises, and all of a sudden Molly Parker’s life really is ‘Too Much Trouble in Paradise’ – a romantic comedy; a story of new beginnings, second chances, sun, sea - and darts! 

This is a book that could have been made just for me, I have a sister living in Tenerife, her boyfriend works in time shares, she also used to play Darts, and I love Take That. Which is convenient because in the book Molly Parker is a DWAG - WAG for Darts playing husbands, but has moved to Tenerife after they divorce due to him being caught with his pants down, she is now working in a Timeshare complex, one of her best friends is going out with a former Robbie Williams tribute band performer, and is due to marry her too good to be true Spanish boyfriend Antonio. 

Then Molly's ex husband shows up begging for a second chance, and the book becomes a whirlwind of sexual chemistry, Christmas back in Yorkshire, a lot of second guessing herself and I really couldn't predict which of the men Molly would finish with. 

Paul Parker is one of an unusual kind being he is a good looking darts player, and the few scenes that involved the professional darts scene felt very realistic and I could really picture it all in my mind. The sections in Tenerife, I could feel the heat of the Canarian sun as I was reading and it was so accurate as to the sorts of bars, entertainment etc... that you get over there, down to the pouring of alcohol not being in measures (one of my favourite things about any tourist resort in Spain!).

Antonio was a reasonably key character but I didn't really get a feel for him. He did though come across as a sexy Spanish bar owner who really did care for Molly, but whether it was true love I'm not so sure. 

I loved the contrasts between Tenerife and Yorkshire which are so marked especially in quality of life, and Molly is lucky that her in-laws were a fabulous family of people, even if her ex-husband isn't the best person! 

I loved every second of Too Much Trouble in Paradise and its a fabulous book for a lazy summer's afternoon. It was very refreshing having Darts be the sport of choice written about, and I even learned a few new term for when I next watch on TV! 

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