LoveReading Says
June 2014 Book of the Month.
Three school friends from the age of nine, two boys, Ben and Robert, one girl, Maddy, are each other’s ‘best friends’ through thick and thin and so they grow up. The book opens with Maddy walking down the aisle to marry Robert but admitting that if the best man, Ben, were to raise his head and say ‘marry me instead’ she probably would. The rest of the book takes us through those years from 9 to 26 from all three points of view, but mostly from Maddy and Ben trying to come to terms with their love. Robert’s input appears to be a diary-like entry. All the way through you wonder if Maddy will say ‘I do’ to Robert.
Reviewed by Sarah BroadhurstSarah Broadhurst spent her early working life in the book trade in both retail and wholesale until the arrival of children forced her to look for freelance work she could do from…
More reviews by Sarah Broadhurst About You're the One That I Want
A story about love and the unbreakable bonds of friendship, from the bestselling author of Billy and Me and Some Kind of WonderfulMaddy, dressed in white, stands at the back of the church. At the end of the aisle is Rob - the man she's about to marry. Next to Rob is Ben - best man and the best friend any two people ever had.And that's the problem.Because if it wasn't Rob waiting for her at the altar, there's a strong chance it would be Ben. Loyal and sensitive Ben has always kept his feelings to himself, but if he turned round and told Maddy she was making a mistake, would she listen? And would he be right?Best friends since childhood, Maddy, Ben and Rob thought their bond was unbreakable. But love changes everything. Maddy has a choice to make but will she choose wisely? Her heart, and the hearts of the two best men she knows, depend on it . . .Praise for Giovanna Fletcher:'Gorgeous, gloriously romantic with buckets of charm' Jill Mansell'Heartbreakingly beautiful' Paige Toon 'Engaging, witty and heartbreaking' Independent'A must-read. Funny, heartwarming' Closer'Sweet and sparkling' Carole Matthews
Read the full description
Find This Book In
Giovanna Fletcher Press Reviews
'A gorgeous, gloriously romantic read with buckets of charm - I absolutely loved it! -- Jill Mansell A sweet and sparkling debut from a lovely lady. Sure to be a hit' -- Carole Matthews
'This sweet debut reminded me of Last Night at Chateau Marmont' -- Louise Candlish
'Wonderfully warm & cosy. The perfect comfort read to curl-up with and enjoy' -- Ali McNamara
'Warm and romantic, this charming read will certainly brighten up your day' Closer
'Tons of charm and genuine warmth' Star Magazine
'This is one juicy read Now Must read' Sunday Mirror
'A heartbreakingly beautiful story about friendship and unrequited love. I was totally and utterly captivated' Paige Toon
About Giovanna Fletcher
Actress and freelance journalist, Giovanna Fletcher is married to Tom Fletcher from McFly. She grew up in Essex with her Italian dad Mario, mum Kim, big sister Giorgina and little brother Mario, and spent most of her childhood talking to herself or reading books. Her debut novel, Billy and Me, is also published by Penguin. To see what makes Giovanna smile, view her blog at www.giovannasworld.com or her Twitter page @mrsgifletcher.
Below is a Q&A with this author.
1) If I had to describe my mood in one word, it would be: Chipper
2) You might not know this about me, but I: …always clean up before the cleaner comes over. I don’t want her to think I’m a slob!
3) When I’m feeling down, I find that I’m always cheered up by: A good walk. I whack on my walking boots and go rambling through the woods.
4) Three things on my desk right now are: A Fairy Dust candle (that’s its scent, I’ve not gone mad), a glass of water and my ginger cat Marvin.
5) My favourite children’s book was: My Naughty Little Sister by Dorothy Edwards. I was always a good child, so I loved reading about what naughty things the little girl got up to.
6) If I could live in a book, that book would be: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I just think everything about it is so romantic.
7) My most-watched movie would have to be: I am Sam, starring Sean Penn, Dakota Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer. It’s about a mentally disabled single father who faces losing custody of his 7year-old daughter. If you’ve not seen it then I highly recommend it. It’s a beautifully heartbreaking story filled with love.
8) If my house was on fire, the one thing I’d rescue would be: My laptop –everything is on there, although, perhaps I should say one of my cats, or my husband?
9) My cooking speciality is: My Christmas dinner, but more specifically my roast potatoes – crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle.
10) I attribute my success so far most to: Positive thinking and having the determination to plough on regardless of setbacks.
11) I know it’s a little weird, but I think: That magpies are highly significant to achieving goals… at the start of my driving test I looked in my rearview mirror and saw two of them. In that moment I knew I’d pass, and I did. Ten years on and I’m still cheered along whenever I see two sat together, or, rather sadly, I’m desperately seeking out a solo flyer’s mate…
12) The person whose opinion matters most to me is: My husband’s. If he’s on my side then it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.
13) If an unpublished writer asked me for advice, I’d tell them: That I was new to the whole thing myself and felt unqualified to offer advice…
14) The one thing I wish I’d known 10 years ago is: The correct spelling of the word ‘definitely’. I spelt it ‘definately’ until I was about 23. Yes, shocking I know. I cringe when I think back to the amount of people I’d written to using that appalling spelling.
15) The best advice I ever got was: From Dorothy Koomson, who unknowingly prompted me to start writing Billy and Me. She mentioned the amount of people who expressed to her their ambition to write novels – she told me her advice to them was to sit down and actually start writing. Nothing can ever happen until that begins. I took that onboard and started writing that same day.
More About Giovanna Fletcher
