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cara_larm's review
5.0
I loved this book, although I feel like I'm too emotionally invested in Sophie & Billy's relationship to give a semi-decent review without gushing over everything. I think that's partly due to the fact I relate to Sophie a lot & I see myself in her & who doesn't want to be whisked away by a very attractive movie star?! Anyway, if you loved "Billy & Me", and were left wanting more at the end of the book, this is just what you're after.
whatvictoriaread's review
3.0
I found the writing a bit uneven and the plot rather predictable but I enjoyed the characters and the warmth; it’s like a hug in a book.
amysreading_nook's review
1.0
I debated with myself whether I should read this one because I really didn't like the first one but I do like Giovanna so I thought i'd give it a go to see if it got better. I will say that the writing has improved and there are less ! but that's about it.
If anything this book made me dislike Sophie even more. She acts like Billy's parent rather than his girlfriend and honestly seems to expect him to just bend to her will all the time. He spends half of the book apologising - even when she's kissed someone else he ends up apologising! Do we all remember the scene from the first book of him sobbing and pounding the floor with his fists when another woman had stuck her hand on his crotch... and Sophie proceeded to leave him and go home and ignore him for weeks when he'd done nothing wrong. And now Sophie is swanning around with another guy - who clearly likes her and she clearly feels something for - he kisses her - she doesn't tell Billy about it and instead starts an argument with him and then when she does finally tell him he has no reaction apart from to apologise really for the fact that he's fallen back in love with acting! How does Sophie get away with acting like a spoilt five year old all the time. Honestly if this was the other way around I imagine people would be a lot more concerned about this relationship.
If anything this book made me dislike Sophie even more. She acts like Billy's parent rather than his girlfriend and honestly seems to expect him to just bend to her will all the time. He spends half of the book apologising - even when she's kissed someone else he ends up apologising! Do we all remember the scene from the first book of him sobbing and pounding the floor with his fists when another woman had stuck her hand on his crotch... and Sophie proceeded to leave him and go home and ignore him for weeks when he'd done nothing wrong. And now Sophie is swanning around with another guy - who clearly likes her and she clearly feels something for - he kisses her - she doesn't tell Billy about it and instead starts an argument with him and then when she does finally tell him he has no reaction apart from to apologise really for the fact that he's fallen back in love with acting! How does Sophie get away with acting like a spoilt five year old all the time. Honestly if this was the other way around I imagine people would be a lot more concerned about this relationship.
mschofield's review
4.0
“Forever only lasts for as long as it’s allowed to, until something else steps in and stops it from existing.”
demihomewood's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
whatkateeread's review
3.0
Really enjoyed but felt at times like sentences are stream of cliche thought which could be a bit predictable
lostwithinthelines's review
5.0
This book was everything I wanted, Gi has done it again! It made me laugh and cry and fall even more in love with rosefont hill and it's people... I really hope there is a third book as I need more billy and sophie in my life!
acupfullofbooks's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
thebookchatter's review
4.0
So, to start off, I really enjoyed this book. It was nothing spectacular, mind boggling or eye opening, well maybe a little, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good book. Because it was.
This is the sequel to Gi’s debut novel, Billy and Me, which I also enjoyed rather much and I think I enjoyed the first better than the sequel… I’m writing ‘enjoyed’ too much, aren’t I?
Anywho.
I won’t spill the beans on Always with Love, so instead I’ll leave a quick synopsis of Billy and Me.
Sophie is your average and rather plain, young woman, living in the rural English town of Rosefont Hill where she’d been all her life. She lives with her mother and works at a small tea shop. One day, a film crew comes to town – apparently a big movie is being made and without her realising, Sophie insults the star of the movie when he comes into her shop – Hollywood Heartthrob Billy Buskin (the name is odd in the beginning, but you’ll come to like it). He immediately takes a liking to Sophie (shocker) and the two embark on a funny and cute romance that’ll have you giggling as you flip the pages. But when the movie wraps, Billy asks Sophie to come with him to London.
But can a small-town girl make her way in the big city with a famous actor who everyone wants?
Now, back to Always with Love. It had its ups and downs, but as a Chicklit it checked all the boxes.
It is not flawless though – hint, why I only gave it a 3.5 rating. Some of the language and choice of words annoyed me (mind you, this is British and contains British words and phrases that may have us foreigners looking flummoxed).
But wording aside, I enjoyed the characters; Sophie is a person we can all relate to in some way (and by we, I mean girls) Billy is that Hollywood movie star we all wish we could meet and fall in love with because he’s just an ordinary person, who doesn’t really want all the attention that comes with starring in those blockbuster movies.
So, should you give this book a go? Yes, but I suggest you start with Billy and Me (wink) first.
This is the sequel to Gi’s debut novel, Billy and Me, which I also enjoyed rather much and I think I enjoyed the first better than the sequel… I’m writing ‘enjoyed’ too much, aren’t I?
Anywho.
I won’t spill the beans on Always with Love, so instead I’ll leave a quick synopsis of Billy and Me.
Sophie is your average and rather plain, young woman, living in the rural English town of Rosefont Hill where she’d been all her life. She lives with her mother and works at a small tea shop. One day, a film crew comes to town – apparently a big movie is being made and without her realising, Sophie insults the star of the movie when he comes into her shop – Hollywood Heartthrob Billy Buskin (the name is odd in the beginning, but you’ll come to like it). He immediately takes a liking to Sophie (shocker) and the two embark on a funny and cute romance that’ll have you giggling as you flip the pages. But when the movie wraps, Billy asks Sophie to come with him to London.
But can a small-town girl make her way in the big city with a famous actor who everyone wants?
Now, back to Always with Love. It had its ups and downs, but as a Chicklit it checked all the boxes.
It is not flawless though – hint, why I only gave it a 3.5 rating. Some of the language and choice of words annoyed me (mind you, this is British and contains British words and phrases that may have us foreigners looking flummoxed).
But wording aside, I enjoyed the characters; Sophie is a person we can all relate to in some way (and by we, I mean girls) Billy is that Hollywood movie star we all wish we could meet and fall in love with because he’s just an ordinary person, who doesn’t really want all the attention that comes with starring in those blockbuster movies.
So, should you give this book a go? Yes, but I suggest you start with Billy and Me (wink) first.