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Thursday 6 June 2013

On the Bookshelf: Billy and Me - Giovanna Fletcher

This week I have decided to introduce a book review feature onto my blog which I will call ‘On the Bookshelf’. Everytime I finish a book or piece of writing that I think is worth sharing with you guys (whether it be for good or bad reasons) I will create a review type post and title it under the header ‘On the Bookshelf.’ I would love to share with you things I have been reading as I spend so much of my time doing it! The book I have chosen to kick this off with is Giovanna Fletcher’s debut novel entitled ‘Billy and Me’.
 



Set in the idyllic village of Rosefont Hill in Kent, England, ‘Billy and Me’ is focused around ‘normal-girl’ Sophie May and the cute tea shop she works at with her best friend and mentor Molly. That is until one day Billy Buskin, an up-and-coming movie heartthrob walks in and sweeps Sophie off her feet turning her world upside down. Will she be able to cope with the pressure of being thrown into the limelight? Or will the strain of being in such a public relationship prove too much for her?
I personally really enjoyed this story. Not only does it contain a wonderful romance, but as readers we are also transported into Sophie’s past and the heartache that she has faced. When I first started reading, I did not expect to be reduced to tears at any point but sure enough I found myself blubbering away into my cuppa as the plot progressed. Giovanna has created such a delightfully charming setting in Rosefont Hill which she contrasts directly with the fast-paced life of central London. Sophie and Billy’s love is pushed to the limit – is it really possible to stick together when it seems everyone and everything is waiting for them to crumble?
Giovanna has created a more realistic view of the burden dating a celebrity brings - no doubt taking inspiration from her own experiences of being married to McFly’s Tom Fletcher. I feel that we are too often only shown the perks to being a ‘WAG’ and while designer clothes and expensive food may be all well and good; it was interesting to view a more accurate representation. Sophie soon finds that this lifestyle isn’t all the media makes it out to be. Behind the smiles, glitz and glamour lies an intricate web of hurt, lies and deceit that is all too easy to become tangled up in. She has to decide whether this is really the life she wants, or whether she has made a terrible mistake.
 I had high hopes for this book from the moment I found out it had been written and I have not been disappointed. It’s a perfect summer read; charming, surprising and romantic. It’s not pricey either – Amazon is selling for only £5.24! I definitely recommend bagging yourself a copy. I only wish I had a perfect hideaway like ‘Tea-on-the-Hill’ nearby. A place full of mismatching floral fabrics, endless tea, cake, gossip, and reading? Yes, please!
Have you read this already? What did you think? Do you have any suggestions for further reading? Please let me know!

A
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