Thursday 16 April 2015

Books Read & Giveaway: Kirsty Greenwood - The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance

Jessica Beam is a girl who knows how to party. Only lately she's been forgetting to turn up for work on time. Or in clean clothes. Down on her luck, out of a job and homeless, Jess seeks the help of her long-lost grandmother. 

Things aren't going well for Matilda Beam, either. Her 1950s Good Woman guide books are out of print, her mortgage repayments are staggering and her granddaughter wears neon Wonderbras. 

When a lifeline from a London publisher arrives, the pair have an opportunity to secure the roof over their heads - by invigorating the Good Woman guides and transforming modern, rebellious Jess into a demure vintage lady. 

The true test of their make-over will be to capture the heart of notorious London playboy Leo Frost and prove that Matilda's guides still work. It's going to take commitment, nerves of steel and one seriously pointy bra to pull this off...

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

I knew I was in for a cracking good read when I was chuckling from the very first page and the laughs continued throughout the whole of The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance at the exploits of the heroine Jessica Beam as she tried to transform herself from Ladette to Lady.  

When blogger Jess finds herself down on her luck after a falling out with her friend Summer, who's also her flatmate and boss, over a failed book deal she decides to head off to London to search for her estranged Grandmother Matilda.  But things are not quite what they seem with Matilda who is in dire straits herself and is in desperate need to republish her 1950's dating etiquette book as a means to keep a roof over her own head and before long Jess finds herself agreeing to help write a modern version of the book.  

What follows is the hilarious tale of Jess as 'Lucille' using the dating rules as per Matilda Beam's Guide to Love and Romance to win the heart of eligible bachelor Leo Frost, the fact that she took an instant dislike to him when she previously met him is beside the point.  This is definitely not going to be an easy task for someone who speaks her mind, swears like a trooper and whose dress sense could not be described as classy... 

Kirsty Greenwood has gone to the top of my list as the queen of comedic writing as I couldn't get enough of the cringeworthy situations and OMG moments that Jess finds herself in... let's just say that one involving her, a young doctor called Jamie and her grandmother had me cackling like a loon at my desk during my lunch break that I'm sure my colleagues thought I was ready for the funny farm. 

This was just the perfect pick me up I needed, I just couldn't get enough of it and was reading it every spare minute I had.  I'm already missing Jess and her exploits so was pleased to hear that there's more to come from Jess in the future... no pressure Kirsty but hurry up and finish writing already as I want more NOW! 

If The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance sounds right up your street then you're in luck as thanks to the lovely Lucie at Pan Macmillan 2 lucky followers (sorry UK only) can win a copy to read for themselves.  Enter via the Rafflecopter form below, winners will be selected at random next week and contacted for their addresses to pass onto Lucie to send your book to you. Good luck x

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

20 comments:

  1. This book sounds like a good fun read. Thanks for a fab review.

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  2. Looks like my kind of book!! Great review! :)

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  3. This is on my wish list, sounds fab. Great review x

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  4. Excellent review, I love the cover of this book too. It sounds like a book that will go so well with tea and cake :) xxx

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  5. I've heard nothing but brilliant comments about this book. Sounds right up my street. Anything that gives you a good laugh can only be a winner in my eyes. Great review! :)

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  6. I have only read good reviews about this. I would love to read it.

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  7. Great review, I would love to read this book

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  8. I'm having a bit of a tough time health wise at the moment so the fact this should make me laugh is all I need to know :) .. thanks for a great giveaway x

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  9. Such a great review, I already have the book, but wanted to leave a comment :).

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  10. Sounds a great book and thanks for running the giveaway Sarah x

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  11. Would love to read this - sounds very entertaining.

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  12. This book sounds brilliant.. would love to win it!

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  13. This sounds like a really fun read - need a bit of that at the moment!
    Sheila Reeves @CakeReev

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  14. This looks & sounds like I book I'd love to read

    Kelly Ellen Hirst

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  15. Thanks for the comp! Looks good!

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  16. Sounds like a good holiday read :-)

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