Cox by Kate Lace

"She'd thought Rollo was a sensational-looking man but then Dan appeared on the scene. And while Rollo was a blonde Adonis, Dan was Heathcliff on steroids:dark, brooding, intense, tall, hunky..."

This is Kate Lace's most recent novel and after reading the blurb of this novel I decided that it was a perfect book for me to read because I LOVED the London 2012 Olympics. I think that I watched nearly every hour of the TV coverage from rowing to judo to cycling and so the opportunity to read a book which is based on Olympic rowing really appealed to me.

The plot revolves around a rowing cox called Amy who meets two very different men at a rowing regatta - one is called Rollo and the other is called Dan. She is training to be a physiotherapist whilst coxing in her spare time and manages to land the perfect job as a temporary physio at the boat club where Dan and Rollo train. Rollo is the rich, gregarious blonde who sweeps women off their feet while Dan is quiet and intense but both have strong feelings towards Amy which causes problems with them working in such close proximity.

As can be expected with a contemporary novel revolving around sport, the Olympics feature quite heavily in the storyline with that being the ultimate goal for all of the rowers. Things get pretty heated on the journey there but the climax of the novel certainly has to be race day in London which was so exciting to read.

I really enjoyed this novel and I felt that Kate Lace perfectly matched the element of sport with that of romance to produce a captivating book. My favourite character was Dan who was somewhat of a modern-day Mr Darcy and had me wishing for a Dan of my own! Aside from my love of Dan, I would definitely  not hesitate in recommending this to a friend and would reassure everyone that no knowledge of rowing is needed to grasp the plot or get caught up in the tension - don't let the rowing aspect put you off!

If you have read this please let me know in the comments below what you thought of it and whether you are as in love with Dan as I am!

...x

The Perfect Hero by Victoria Connelly

"Kay smiled. She'd just bought a house - a six-bedroom hours and a business venture on the seafront in Lyme Regis."

This looked like the perfect summer holiday book encapsulating romance, Jane Austen and Lyme Regis and so I was really looking forward to reading it. 

The plot follows Kay Ashton who, after the death of her mother and friend, decides to use her inheritance in order to buy a B&B on the seafront in Lyme Regis. She has barely started renovations when the unexpected happens and a film crew moves in, desperately needing lodgings.

The film crew happens to be the cast of an adaptation of the Jane Austen novel, Persuasion. This happens to be one of Kay's favourite novels which excites her immensely but more importantly than that, her ultimate crush, Oli Wade Owen is playing the lead character and staying in her house! ****Kay bends over backwards to ensure that Oli notices her and thinks that things may finally be going her way when he invites her out for lunch; however, it is clear to everyone else that he really is not good enough for her.

The other main male character within the novel is Adam Craig, the screenwriter who is in love with Kay. He is thrilled at the prospect of dinner with Kay but things do not go as he had hoped though when she tries to matchmake him with one of the actresses. Adam does not give in and still harbours a hope that she will realise how unsuited she is to Oli (a man who has never read any Austen) and how perfect she would be with him instead.

Victoria Connelly - the author

Bizarrely, my favourite character within the whole novel was not a main character but a relation of Adam called Nana Craig. She is a lively old woman who loves colour which reflects her colourful personality and I think that it is this which made me warm to her so much. She obviously cares for her grandson but at the same time takes a no-nonsense approach when it comes to giving advice - honestly, I believe that everyone should have a Nana Craig in their lives!

Despite being a big fan of Nana Craig, I'm sorry to say that I didn't really enjoy this book, finding it dull, predictable and a little tedious. The plot was fairly clear from the start and seemed very cliché and even the mentions of the gorgeous Lyme Regis coastline and Jane Austen could not salvage the lack-lustre plot and character development. As a result of this, I think that it is pretty clear to see that I would not recommend this to a friend unless they were a particular fan of this type of cliché romance.

Let me know in the comments below what you thought of this book and whether it is just me that found it such a chore to read!

...x

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday

"I have noticed in this country that although there is violence and aggression - your football hooligans, for instance - there is one group for whom patience and tolerance are the only virtues. I speak of salmon fishermen."

After having seen the recent film staring Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt I was keen to read the actual 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen' book. Despite knowing the storyline I thought that it would still be a good read however it was inevitable that I would compare it to the film throughout.

The format of the novel was different from anything that I had read previously in that it comprised solely of documents, interviews, emails and diary entries. As a general rule, I am not a huge fan of novels which are not written in a conventional form but this was easy to follow and the emails in particular helped to gauge the relationship between Fred and Mary. Therefore, although I am not completely converted to this style of novel, I understand why the author chose to write in such a way.

Moreover, due to the nature of the novel there were not a vast number of characters which was something that I found particularly interesting because it allows the reader to engage with the personality of each character. The three main characters within the story are:

*Fred Jones - The fisheries expert who becomes engrossed in meticulously planning the logistics of salmon fishing within the Yemen.

*Harriet Chatwode-Talbot - The financial expert who becomes as invested in the project as Fred and the Sheik.

*Sheik Muhammed - The 'visionary' who wants to take the pastime of salmon fishing to the Yemen in order to bring peace to the otherwise troubled country.

Paul Torday - the author

Although the main plot is driven by introducing salmon into the Yemen there are many other issues raised which were of paramount importance to the overall effect of the novel. I think that for me, these issues were of more significance than the actual fishing part because they were expansive issues which will always be relevant.

Relationships are something which the novel serves to highlight both through Fred and his wife, Mary, and Harriet and her fiancé, Robert. Mary is highly career driven and decides to move to Geneva leaving Fred and her marriage behind whilst Robert goes missing in action in Afghanistan. Both of these relationships provide a basis for thought and through their contrasting nature, in my opinion, they are somehow more poignant. 

Another major issue within the novel is that of faith and belief: the Sheik has complete belief in the project and eventually so to do Fred and Harriet. This shows how narrow minded we are when it comes to faith in our modern societies, we automatically think of conventional religions when we hear the words faith of belief when in fact they need not necessarily be related to religion at all.It also led me to think of how cynical we are in the Western world; we tend not to believe things until they are proved to us or are tangible but really isn't childlike optimism and belief better?

The poster for the film adaptation

I know that many people who had read the book before watching the film did not like the adaptation, not least because the endings are different. This led to a surprise for me at the end of the novel and I am still undecided as to which I prefer - the fairytale ending or the more realistic one.

Overall, despite enjoying the book I think that I preferred the film but maybe this is merely because it was how the story was first presented to me. Furthermore, although I very much like the premise of the story and the issues it raises, nevertheless I don't think that I would recommend this novel to everyone because it requires a certain amount of persistence in reading some of the documents which detail the technicalities of salmon.

Please let me know in the comments whether you have read the book or seen the film and what your views were. What did you think of the ending?

...x 

Killer Heels by Rebecca Chance

"She was a perfect size zero. After all this effort, all the extreme dieting and the exercise and the ironclad self-denial, here she was, standing in her perfect designer apartment, in her perfect designer dress, the perfect designer size. This was it. Coco Raeburn was finally perfect."

I was slightly reticent to read this novel and I'm not entirely sure why, it was entirely as advertised - a cross between The Devil Wears Prada and 50 Shades of Grey. The storyline follows an aspiring fashion editor, Coco, in her job at Style magazine working under the enviable Victoria Glossop and cleverly changes between then and now seamlessly allowing the reader to fully engage in the plot.

Coco Raeburn originally enters the fashion world as a UK size 14 girl called Jodie but upon being hired for the magazine is told to change her name (choosing Coco in hommage to Coco Chanel) and become a US size 0. The story follows her rise in the fashion world and decline in weight which ultimately gives her power but not necessarily happiness. I truly liked the character because she had an honest, well grounded sense about her which, despite the ludicrous name, gave her an air of normality in an exclusive world.

Victoria Glossop is another fundamental character within the novel and is renowned as the cut-throat editor of Style UK who wants to head Style USA. She is Coco's boss and has particularly high standards which makes her more than a little difficult to work for, but somehow Coco manages. Apart from merely being depicted as a she-dragon, however, we are able to see a human side to Victoria through her marriage to Jeremy and the subsequent lesbian affair with a model named Lyyke that ensues. This was an unexpected twist in the novel which rather that just being there for the shock-factor, appeared to showcase a real dilemma in Victoria's life which she was powerless to control.

Rebecca Chance - the author

The final character whom I wish to discuss is Jacob Dupleix, a very wealthy businessman and owner of Style. It is no secret that Jacob likes sleeping with younger girls and therefore it is not a surprise that he takes special interest in Coco, leading her eventually into his S&M lifestyle which is so popular in the wake of 50 Shades of Grey. I immediately took a dislike to Jacob, finding him a little creepy and not good enough for Coco, especially when he encourages her to keep losing weight in  order to make her 'beautiful'.

Unlike so many of these types of novels, I found that the ending of Killer Heels was particularly satisfying giving both an unexpected twist and a 'some time later' section.

There were several reasons why I would recommend this novel to a friend but it is primarily because I liked the interaction between characters, genuinely investing in how their storyline developed. Also, I thought that the whole novel was very cleverly structured, effortlessly moving between past and present and clearly showing the differences between London and Manhattan. So, if you are looking for a quick novel to read this summer which is reminiscent of The Devil Wears Prada and 50 Shades of Grey then I suggest that you look no further.

If you have read this, or any other, Rebecca Chance novel please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

...x

The Beach Café by Lucy Diamond

"You might not ever read this letter - maybe life will take some unexpected twists and turns for us both, and my words will become meaningless. But I'd like to state, here and now, that in the event of my untimely death, I am leaving you the café in my will". 

This looked like the perfect holiday read to me and so when the sun came out, I duly read it. 

The story follows Evie who has followed her heart but is yet to really make anything of her life and is now trapped with sensible Matthew as a boyfriend as well as a job which she hates. Everything changes for her though when her Aunt Jo dies suddenly, leaving her favourite niece, Evie, the beach café in her will. The café was Jo's pride and joy, situated in a little village in Cornwall, directly on the seafront and now it is up to Evie to keep the café going.

Having the café puts a strain on Evie's relationship with Matthew who feels that running and owning a café is not a steady enough job. He urges her to sell it and to return to Oxford in order to begin a teaching degree but all Evie really wants is to run the café and continue its success. I immediately took a dislike to Matthew with his rules because he appeared to be stifling Evie's free soul and stopping her from really living her life.

Lucy Diamond - the author

All is not plain sailing for Evie though in Cornwall and as can be expected she encounters some problems along the way. She hires a mysterious chef called Ed and takes on Phoebe who has run away from home as well as trying to establish herself and the café as the heart of the community.

Lucy Diamond, the author, is no stranger to writing popular women's novels and has recently released a new novel, 'Me and Mr Jones'. After thoroughly enjoying this Diamond novel, I may look for some of her other novels to read in my free time.

This was a really good read with a feel-good factor which had me smiling and in a summery mood until the last page. If you are a fan of romantic novels and are looking for something light to read then I would definitely recommend 'The Beach Café'!

Please leave your comments below and let me know if there are any other good summer novels which you recommend.

...x

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

"For over a year, Edward had been mesmerised by the prospect that on the evening of a given date in July the most sensitive portion of himself would reside, however briefly, within a naturally formed cavity inside this cheerful, pretty, formidably intelligent woman."

The premise of this novel is fairly simple - it follows two people in 1962 on their wedding night which is being spent on Chesil Beach. Although this does not sound particularly riveting, things do not go completely smoothly for the characters which causes intrigue into their motivations.

Florence is a concert violinist and part of an affluent Oxford family whilst Edward is a history enthusiast and from a middle class family. Whilst Florence is somewhat detached from her family, we see Edward as being closer to his family with his father being a headteacher and his mother being brain-damaged.

Ian McEwan - the author

Like other McEwan novels we are able to understand more about the characters through flashbacks, allowing us to see their motivations. This means that much more emphasis is placed on their characters than the actual wedding night with us being able to see their lives before marriage. For Florence this means her career as principal violinist in a quartet with aspirations to play at Wigmore Hall and for Edward this means his family life and enthusiasm for history.

For me the most interesting theme within the novel was that of convention versus individuality. This is seen through the revulsion of Florence to perform her marital duty despite knowing that this is what is expected of her. She is repulsed by the notion of sex but does not tell Edward this because she believes that these feelings undermine her as a woman; however her withholding of information ultimately does more harm than good. This plot only works due to the fact that the story is set in 1962 because at this time people were less likely to engage in sex before marriage and even less likely to discuss sex; therefore Florence feels isolated and the pressure of societal conventions as being upon her.

Until researching McEwan's motivation for the novel I was unaware of the controversy which surrounded it. Apparently McEwan took some stones from Chesil Beach in order to use them as inspiration; however this incurred the wrath of the local people who threatened a £2,000 fine if they were not returned due to the protected nature of the area.

I was not too enamoured with this novel and probably would not recommend it to a friend, despite being able to see its technical merits. I think that the reason for this is because I am not a huge fan of short stories, often finding them too short to have a fully rounded story which captures my imagination. However, what drew me initially to the novel was not its premise but its location because I live close to Chesil Beach and for that reason alone it was of some interest to me.

Please let me know in the comments what you think of this McEwan novel and whether it is just me who isn't a great fan of the 'short story'.

...x

The Fault in our Stars by John Green

"Ours was an epic love story, and I won't be able to get more than a sentence into it without disappearing into a puddle of tears". 

I am a massive fan of the Youtuber Tyler Oakley and in one of his videos he mentioned this new John Green novel. He said that it had made him laugh and cry as well as opening his eyes to life; after hearing his recommendation I just had to read it and I am so glad that I did because it was a complete breath of fresh air. 

The plot follows Hazel, a cancer patient, who falls in love with Augustus Waters and their mutual friend, Isaac who loses both his eyes due to cancer. Hazel suffers from cancer of the thyroid which has has spread to her lungs leading her to need oxygen apparatus at all times whilst Augustus has only one leg. They meet through a cancer support group and quickly bond, the only thing stopping them from moving quicker is that Hazel feels that she will soon die and leave Augustus alone.

Hazel and Augustus find a common interest in her favourite book, An Imperial Affliction; however, they are both plagued by the same questions that its unresolved ending brings. An Imperial Affliction finishes halfway through a sentence which implies that the girl writing it has died but the lack of resolution leads Augustus to use his wish from the Genies to go and visit the author, Peter Van Houten, in order to find some answers to the great unanswered issues. The Genies (a fictional equivalent of the 'Make a Wish' foundation) fund Hazel and Augustus' trip to Amsterdam where they are able to meet  Van Houten as well as appreciate the romantic aspects of the city with its blossom everywhere.

The majority of the novel is written from a positive point of view which is refreshing for a novel of this genre. A prime example of this is when Isaac loses his eyes, we are able to see his obvious resentment and despair  but this is cleverly contrasted with the jokes which Augustus and Hazel make of it in order to make him feel better. All is not well though and as can be expected from a novel featuring cancer, one of the characters dies which was heartbreaking. I don't know why but I found reading this much more upsetting than watching 'My Sister's Keeper' and cried like a baby until the end. As a whole, the novel felt like an emotional roller-coaster with moment of pure joy being contrasted with despair, but I guess that this mirrors life with cancer.

John Green - the author

As with any good book, this raised so many questions in my mind and not only about life and death but about the legacy that we leave when we die. One of the characters states that for every living person there are fourteen dead ones and so  if we all remembered fourteen people then everyone would be remembered - unfortunately we are never going to be able to remember everyone who has died but I do hope that I am able to leave a legacy.

It is no surprise to me that 'The Fault in our Stars' rapidly became a bestseller and I would not hesitate in recommending it to those who have not read it. I now plan to look for more John Green novels in the hope that they will be as good as this one. Since reading it, I have researched into the novel and much to my delight I discovered that a film script is currently being written; although I never feel that films truly do books justice, I am still looking forward to its release in the (hopefully) near future.

Please comment and let me know whether you enjoyed this novel as much as I did!

...x

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

"He wanted to tell her again how much he loved her. Instead, he'd watched her go, knowing in his heart that this was the last time he'd see her."

Nicholas Sparks is well known for his love stories such as 'The Notebook', 'The Last Song' and 'Dear John' which have all become best-sellers and popular films. So when I saw 'The Best of Me' I had high expectations for a gripping romantic novel, however, disappointingly this did not transpire.

The plot focuses upon two main characters, Dawson Cole and Amanda Collier who were once in love but were torn apart at a young age and separated to live their own lives. They are reunited after the death of  Tuck Hostetler who was a mentor to both Dawson and Amanda during their high school years and this rekindles the flame which they once had. Dawson and Amanda are no strangers to adversity, facing challenges in their youth because they both came from completely different backgrounds but now the obstacles are even greater with Amanda having married.

Nicholas Sparks - the author

Although the premise of the novel is promising, I found the plot to be predictable and slow which meant that I did not particularly enjoy it. In my opinion, the segments written focusing on Dawson's family were much better than those following the main plot and surprisingly, my favourite part of the book was the last 20 or so pages because it was then that I really enjoyed the plot.

After having read so many Sparks novels which were brilliantly written I will continue to read his books but I don't think that I'll be rushing to read 'The Best of Me' again!

Please let me know your comments below - I'd love to know whether I am the only one to think that this is Nicholas Sparks' most disappointing novel.

...x