Relief Reads 16 - From Notting Hill with Love... Actually

From Notting Hill with love... Actually by Ali McNamara

Charity Shop: Cancer Research UK, Hexham

Charity: See earlier posts

Price: £1.75

Book Blurb: Scarlett loves the movies. But does she love sensible fiance David just as much? With a big white wedding on the horizon, Scarlett really should have decided by now... // When she has the chance to house-sit in Notting Hill - the setting of one of her favourite movies - Scarlett jumps at the chance. But living life like a movie is trickier than it seems, especially when her new neighbour Sean is so irritating. And so irritatingly handsome, too. // Scarlett soon finds herself starring in a romantic comedy of her very own: but who will end up as the leading man?

Expectation: A ridiculous rom-com

Reality: See my comments below. It was passable but was just a trashy romcom.

Overall Rating

It was a struggle           2        3        4        5        6        7        8       9      Gripping page  

to make it                                                                                                        turner

It was passable. This girl is trying to prove to the world that life can be like the movies, which it isn't, but then the book makes out that it is. The storyline is so unbelievable which would be fine in a romcom but because it's a romcom about romcoms it grated on me. All in all though it was a light-hearted story and I did enjoy it except the ending. There was a nice underlying storyline about finding her mother which did move it a bit beyond the sickeningly superficial veneer.

Twist Scale:

Knew the beginning,                                                                                 As twisty as the 

middle and end         2       3        4         5       6        7        8        9      bendy wendy road

from the first line 

It was ridiculous, so the twists weren't much of a surprise.

Tear-jerker Scale:

 As dry as a house       2        3       4         5         6         7       8        9     Cried an ocean

 throughout

As I said, light hearted.

Main Character(s): Scarlett, soon to be engaged who works at her Dad's popcorn machine company. Taking a break from the real world to 'find herself' by housesitting in Notting Hill. She's self absorbed and doesn't have much of a clue about consequences. She just floats along through life letting things happen to her and will continue to do so by the looks of thing

Moral of the Story: I hope it wasn't supposed to have a moral!

***

Coming up: The Shipping News by Annie Proulx (I thought it was called the shipping forecast... But then got confused because it's set in Newfoundland not the North Sea, but then it's the shipping News which makes a lot more sense)