kath61's review against another edition
3.0
This was a relaxing book to read because it was so predictable. No nasty surprises or troubling philosophical issues! It was just watching like an afternoon TV drama when you have not got the energy for anything else.
lillyalaine36's review against another edition
4.0
I have to be honest in saying I was a little cautious before reading this debut novel by television celebrity Richard Madeley. Most recently known for his Book Clubs which he hosts with his wife Judy Finnegan, they have helped launch several hugely popular novels into the fiction charts and reinvigorating reading lists the UK over. This connection with all thing literary did not mean that Richard too could become a successful author and like many people I found it a concern that this book would sell mainly because of who had written it as opposed to any literary merit it may contain.
I loved the cover art for the book immediately and the blurb promised an intriguing tale of Diana, who during the Second World War meets and falls in love with an RAF pilot James Blackwell. He is shot down and killed on their wedding day and Diana is left to pick up the pieces. Then ten years later she is in Nice and hears a voice which leads her to question whether her husband may still be alive.
This is such an easy book to become immersed in, Madeley is actually very good at creating the time period of WWII and I very quickly became carried away with the build up to the war through the eyes of Diana and her family. I'd start reading and before I knew it, and much to the protests of my four children, I'd be several chapters further in and absolutely captivated by the story.
I've read lots of criticism of the book, people claiming character names kept changing and proof reading wasn't sufficient, if that was the case I truly didn't notice. Either that or did they just miss the bit at the start of the book about the family using different names as a tradition? If any errors were made they were minimal and it did not detract from the story andy enjoyment of the story. I'd also read criticism that it was too predictable with characters succumbing to the curse of falling pregnant first time they slept with someone. Again I didn't find this an issue, frankly it just wasn't the case and where it was relevant it happened once and was central to the story so I didn't have an issue with it.
Instead I found this an enjoyable read, all the settings were beautifully described and atmospheric descriptions of the Mediterranean Nice in the 50's made me long to be there. The story was really clever, it wasn't a soppy love story and nor was it a crime story but a wonderful blend of war time tragedy and dark scheming by a warped mind.
I'm thrilled to see Richard has revisited the characters of this book in the sequel released last week 'The Way You Look Tonight' and I'm really looking forward to reading this also. I'm impressed to say that Richard Madeley has proven his right to comment on the writing of others by production of a good solid first novel of his own and I'm happy to say I respect that he has done so and will be reading future releases by him.
I loved the cover art for the book immediately and the blurb promised an intriguing tale of Diana, who during the Second World War meets and falls in love with an RAF pilot James Blackwell. He is shot down and killed on their wedding day and Diana is left to pick up the pieces. Then ten years later she is in Nice and hears a voice which leads her to question whether her husband may still be alive.
This is such an easy book to become immersed in, Madeley is actually very good at creating the time period of WWII and I very quickly became carried away with the build up to the war through the eyes of Diana and her family. I'd start reading and before I knew it, and much to the protests of my four children, I'd be several chapters further in and absolutely captivated by the story.
I've read lots of criticism of the book, people claiming character names kept changing and proof reading wasn't sufficient, if that was the case I truly didn't notice. Either that or did they just miss the bit at the start of the book about the family using different names as a tradition? If any errors were made they were minimal and it did not detract from the story andy enjoyment of the story. I'd also read criticism that it was too predictable with characters succumbing to the curse of falling pregnant first time they slept with someone. Again I didn't find this an issue, frankly it just wasn't the case and where it was relevant it happened once and was central to the story so I didn't have an issue with it.
Instead I found this an enjoyable read, all the settings were beautifully described and atmospheric descriptions of the Mediterranean Nice in the 50's made me long to be there. The story was really clever, it wasn't a soppy love story and nor was it a crime story but a wonderful blend of war time tragedy and dark scheming by a warped mind.
I'm thrilled to see Richard has revisited the characters of this book in the sequel released last week 'The Way You Look Tonight' and I'm really looking forward to reading this also. I'm impressed to say that Richard Madeley has proven his right to comment on the writing of others by production of a good solid first novel of his own and I'm happy to say I respect that he has done so and will be reading future releases by him.
bookmadjo's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a slow burner for me. I wasn't convinced by the language he used for the era and the class of people. It did pick up and I quite enjoyed the way the novel began to flow. I was glad I persevered, although I have to say I preferred his wife's novel 'Eloise', as her writing style is more suited to novels.
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