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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
Having given up work a few years ago, Prue looks after her blind father. But all they do is sit in their flat and the furthest they venture out is the doctors surgery or the local charity shop. Both stuck in a rut, Prue is happy to stay away from the world and live their routine.
Then one day something happens, and it is suggested that Prue takes her Dad out and about. What follows is trips around London, where Prue and her Dad rekindle their father-daughter relationship and realise what they’ve been missing. And for Prue, after she receives the attention of the mysterious Salvi – has to rethink her own confidence; and put herself out there. But will she find love? And is Salvi the right man for her?
This was such a heartwarming, yet at times, heartbreaking story. Prue is nearing 50 and it’s so sad that she’s missed so much of life because of her own insecurities from the things she has experienced throughout her life. The way she has been treated at time is awful, and it was horrible to learn about them, but at the same time really helped me to get to know her, and why she is the way she is. At times she can be cold, but that’s usually through self-preservation. The fact that she has dedicated so many years to being there for her Dad says it all. Her Dad is wonderful – at first a sad, grumpy old man but he really comes out of himself and it’s lovely to see. Again, you get to learn his backstory and come to understand why he is as he is in the beginning. Salvi and Kemp…..well I’ll let you decide for yourself! However what I will say, is I wanted to give Prue a little kick at times!
I loved the little day trips into London! Some of the places I’ve never been to or heard of, and the way they have been described by Collins, helps you to bring the setting to life. I felt like I was on the trips with them – there by their side!
I really enjoyed the plot and watching the characters change and grow. At times, I wanted things to speed up a little but only because I wanted to see what was going to happen in the end! The narrative is easy and enjoyable to read.
So overall, an enjoyable, heartwarming tale of family, insecurities, friendships and love that will take you on a wonderful journey. Recommended by me.
Then one day something happens, and it is suggested that Prue takes her Dad out and about. What follows is trips around London, where Prue and her Dad rekindle their father-daughter relationship and realise what they’ve been missing. And for Prue, after she receives the attention of the mysterious Salvi – has to rethink her own confidence; and put herself out there. But will she find love? And is Salvi the right man for her?
This was such a heartwarming, yet at times, heartbreaking story. Prue is nearing 50 and it’s so sad that she’s missed so much of life because of her own insecurities from the things she has experienced throughout her life. The way she has been treated at time is awful, and it was horrible to learn about them, but at the same time really helped me to get to know her, and why she is the way she is. At times she can be cold, but that’s usually through self-preservation. The fact that she has dedicated so many years to being there for her Dad says it all. Her Dad is wonderful – at first a sad, grumpy old man but he really comes out of himself and it’s lovely to see. Again, you get to learn his backstory and come to understand why he is as he is in the beginning. Salvi and Kemp…..well I’ll let you decide for yourself! However what I will say, is I wanted to give Prue a little kick at times!
I loved the little day trips into London! Some of the places I’ve never been to or heard of, and the way they have been described by Collins, helps you to bring the setting to life. I felt like I was on the trips with them – there by their side!
I really enjoyed the plot and watching the characters change and grow. At times, I wanted things to speed up a little but only because I wanted to see what was going to happen in the end! The narrative is easy and enjoyable to read.
So overall, an enjoyable, heartwarming tale of family, insecurities, friendships and love that will take you on a wonderful journey. Recommended by me.
Prue likes to fade into the background, although her attempts to be invisible are somewhat hindered by the prominent strawberry birthmark on her left cheek, that unfortunately brings more than a little unwanted attention. She and her blind father Vince, both seem to do little else but keep themselves to themselves these days - battered by the past, they have taken to sitting in silence in their flat, ignoring the bustling world outside their splendid Edwardian widows, and reflecting on their own private thoughts.
Until the day Prue is forced out of her rut by the suicide of a young woman waiting on the same crowded Tube platform as her. Although Prue didn't actually see the young woman fall, she is compelled to find out why someone with her her life ahead of her would take her own life, and she takes up the offer of a free counselling session to help those traumatised by the tragic event - a session that makes her think about the way she has allowed her own and her father's lives to shrink as they have.
Spurred on by an idea from the counsellor, Prue and Vince decide to venture outside on day trips around London. With Prue acting as Vince's eyes, they both begin to realise that they have been missing, and in doing so learn to open up to not only the world around them, with the chances it offers, but also to each other.
Summer in the City is the most wonderful of books about love, family, friendship, how the weight of secrets can divide people, and how facing your fears can transform your life. The relationship between Prue and Vince is so beautifully written by Fiona Collins, and I both laughed and cried so many times as they learned how to open up to each other over the course of this book, sharing their observations, their fears, their secrets, and their hopes and dreams.
However, this is not just a heart warming emotional journey, although Collins does this so well, because at the centre of this tale there are a wealth of dark themes that she begs us to examine too. An obvious one is the way Prue has had to deal with discrimination because of her appearance and how this has shaped her view on life, and what she feels she deserves from it. But we are also treated to the heart breaking gut punches dished out by threads dealing with abandonment, loss in it's many forms, toxic relationships, misplaced guilt and shame, which skilfully tie everything together and give substance to the piece.
It is a rare and lovely thing to come across a book that mixes light and shade as well as Collins does in this story, all the while drawing the reader towards a perfect, uplifting ending of forgiveness, reconciliation and hope for the future, which left me sobbing (in a good way) - an ending which shows both Prue and Vince have been affected by blindness in different ways, but that their love for each other can teach them how to see the light. I adored the whole book from start to finish, and will be thinking about these characters for a very long time to come.
Until the day Prue is forced out of her rut by the suicide of a young woman waiting on the same crowded Tube platform as her. Although Prue didn't actually see the young woman fall, she is compelled to find out why someone with her her life ahead of her would take her own life, and she takes up the offer of a free counselling session to help those traumatised by the tragic event - a session that makes her think about the way she has allowed her own and her father's lives to shrink as they have.
Spurred on by an idea from the counsellor, Prue and Vince decide to venture outside on day trips around London. With Prue acting as Vince's eyes, they both begin to realise that they have been missing, and in doing so learn to open up to not only the world around them, with the chances it offers, but also to each other.
Summer in the City is the most wonderful of books about love, family, friendship, how the weight of secrets can divide people, and how facing your fears can transform your life. The relationship between Prue and Vince is so beautifully written by Fiona Collins, and I both laughed and cried so many times as they learned how to open up to each other over the course of this book, sharing their observations, their fears, their secrets, and their hopes and dreams.
However, this is not just a heart warming emotional journey, although Collins does this so well, because at the centre of this tale there are a wealth of dark themes that she begs us to examine too. An obvious one is the way Prue has had to deal with discrimination because of her appearance and how this has shaped her view on life, and what she feels she deserves from it. But we are also treated to the heart breaking gut punches dished out by threads dealing with abandonment, loss in it's many forms, toxic relationships, misplaced guilt and shame, which skilfully tie everything together and give substance to the piece.
It is a rare and lovely thing to come across a book that mixes light and shade as well as Collins does in this story, all the while drawing the reader towards a perfect, uplifting ending of forgiveness, reconciliation and hope for the future, which left me sobbing (in a good way) - an ending which shows both Prue and Vince have been affected by blindness in different ways, but that their love for each other can teach them how to see the light. I adored the whole book from start to finish, and will be thinking about these characters for a very long time to come.
This book was completely unexpected, picking it up and reading the blurb I anticipated a light hearted read which explored family relationships and summer love. What I read was a complex story about deep and sometimes dark subject matter, a sad tale of Prue our main character who at the age of 48 had lived an extremely sheltered and hidden existence, mainly of her own doing, and had a lot of demons that were consuming her. We are instantly dropped into her world, and as the story progresses we realise that Prue has a lot of issues stemming from many traumatic experiences from the past. The book touches on a lot of themes which can be very triggering, sexual abuse, abandonment, drug addiction, loneliness, mental health and suicide to name a few.
Fiona Collins does a great job describing the city of London, her language and description put such vivid pictures in my mind of where they were. Some places I knew, others were completely new to me and I felt like I was being let into a secret world of Londons magical hidden spots. I would love to go and visit some of these places myself! The Palladium flat sounds beautiful!
I certainly enjoyed a lot about the book. The London detail, the architecture facts, the history of London in the 80s, Prue's father and Prue's outfit choices as she became more confident! (I would love to visit the shop owned by Maya!) All of these attributes made it a story I could become immersed in and helped to give colour and a rich feel to the story. It had a great journey of self discovery and the characters grew and clutched onto the glimmer of hope that arose from one strange day on the London Underground.
Fiona Collins does a great job describing the city of London, her language and description put such vivid pictures in my mind of where they were. Some places I knew, others were completely new to me and I felt like I was being let into a secret world of Londons magical hidden spots. I would love to go and visit some of these places myself! The Palladium flat sounds beautiful!
I certainly enjoyed a lot about the book. The London detail, the architecture facts, the history of London in the 80s, Prue's father and Prue's outfit choices as she became more confident! (I would love to visit the shop owned by Maya!) All of these attributes made it a story I could become immersed in and helped to give colour and a rich feel to the story. It had a great journey of self discovery and the characters grew and clutched onto the glimmer of hope that arose from one strange day on the London Underground.
inspiring
slow-paced
I have found my booky doppelgänger, like me Prue turned 48 last week but not only that, we also share the same acerbic wit and have lives that many would consider dull. I instantly fell in love with her outlook on life and what really struck a chord with me was the sentence, after taking her blind dad for a check up at the eye clinic, “Yes Mr Alberta, you’re still blind”. As I have had check ups pretty similar to that!
I was a little surprised to discover that this wasn’t the light hearted joyful read I had expected from both the cover and the blurb. It covers some pretty dark topics in places, including a suicide fairly early on. Prue is also a glass half empty kind of girl who thinks everyone else’s glasses are overflowing. Far from being disappointed I thought these brought a reality to her story, after all roses need manure to bloom their best and I so wanted her to bloom in a fabulous dress from “Loved Before” and finally feel beautiful.
When Prue and her dad Vince finally embark on leaving their sanctuary at The Palladian the book opens up along with their world. The glorious descriptions of London make you feel as if you are walking alongside them and experiencing the city for the first time.
The romantic aspect of the book was nice with Prue going from loneliness to two possible suitors but for me the best relationship was the father daughter one which was utterly charming and wonderful.
For someone who believes the stories she has to tell wouldn’t inspire or delight a soul. I can categorically state that’s where Prue is very wrong as she captivated and delighted me with every word.
I was a little surprised to discover that this wasn’t the light hearted joyful read I had expected from both the cover and the blurb. It covers some pretty dark topics in places, including a suicide fairly early on. Prue is also a glass half empty kind of girl who thinks everyone else’s glasses are overflowing. Far from being disappointed I thought these brought a reality to her story, after all roses need manure to bloom their best and I so wanted her to bloom in a fabulous dress from “Loved Before” and finally feel beautiful.
When Prue and her dad Vince finally embark on leaving their sanctuary at The Palladian the book opens up along with their world. The glorious descriptions of London make you feel as if you are walking alongside them and experiencing the city for the first time.
The romantic aspect of the book was nice with Prue going from loneliness to two possible suitors but for me the best relationship was the father daughter one which was utterly charming and wonderful.
For someone who believes the stories she has to tell wouldn’t inspire or delight a soul. I can categorically state that’s where Prue is very wrong as she captivated and delighted me with every word.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Even if I liked the setting and the style of writing I couldn't care for the main character and the story fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
This was just not for me. I couldn't get into it and, were it not provided by NetGalley, I would have DNF'd it. It's over-written, feels very mechanical, and lacks life. It felt like every page had some version of "I get into bed. I lay down. I hear my Dad doing something". It's so repetitive and was just exhausting to read.
Prue and her father Vince live at the Palladian, which is above Chalk Farm tube station. Prue is her dad’s primary carer after an accident at work left him blind and cut short his architecture career. Both Prue and Vince very rarely leave the house. For Vince his independence disappeared when his asthma got worse because of his pet allergy which meant he could no longer have a guide dog. For Prue she has closed herself off from the world not only because of her dad but because of the large birthmark on her face which she always covers with makeup.
One day when they are going through a photo album Vince unexpectedly says they should go out for the day much to Prue’s surprise and they both re-enter the world. Along the way Prue comes across Kemp, an old school friend who she liked more than a friend and Salvi a new potential love interest.
This was an interesting read for me and I would say that the synopsis no way reflects the journey that the reader will take when opening the book and meeting the characters. It was interesting to learn more about Prue’s mother and how her leaving affected them. Learning about Prue’s past was a complete eye opener. As a character she has been through an immense amount including traumatic events which have inevitable shaped the person she is. The speech at the end by Kemp had me in tears and the story did take quite a sinister turn towards the end which I was not expecting.
Essentially this is a book about Vince and Prue’s journey back into the world. Vince had his confidence knocked and his whole way of life changed when he became blind. For Prue her birthmark plays a big part on how she sees herself and also has a big impact on her confidence. Prue has shut herself away because she looks different to others and doesn’t feel she is worthy enough to pursue love or a relationship, both of which she wants more than anything in her life. On a personal level I can see why Prue feels the way she does about her birthmark, the effect it’s had on her and why she wanted to close herself away from everyone did strike a very familiar nerve with me. In some ways it’s easy to see why she resents her sister Angela because Angela escaped to Canada and got her happily ever after. For both characters they quickly learn that the world is full of possibilities if you’re just willing to take that first step.
This is a book about taking chances, pushing boundaries and exploring the world and stepping beyond your comfort zone.
I received a gifted copy for an honest review
One day when they are going through a photo album Vince unexpectedly says they should go out for the day much to Prue’s surprise and they both re-enter the world. Along the way Prue comes across Kemp, an old school friend who she liked more than a friend and Salvi a new potential love interest.
This was an interesting read for me and I would say that the synopsis no way reflects the journey that the reader will take when opening the book and meeting the characters. It was interesting to learn more about Prue’s mother and how her leaving affected them. Learning about Prue’s past was a complete eye opener. As a character she has been through an immense amount including traumatic events which have inevitable shaped the person she is. The speech at the end by Kemp had me in tears and the story did take quite a sinister turn towards the end which I was not expecting.
Essentially this is a book about Vince and Prue’s journey back into the world. Vince had his confidence knocked and his whole way of life changed when he became blind. For Prue her birthmark plays a big part on how she sees herself and also has a big impact on her confidence. Prue has shut herself away because she looks different to others and doesn’t feel she is worthy enough to pursue love or a relationship, both of which she wants more than anything in her life. On a personal level I can see why Prue feels the way she does about her birthmark, the effect it’s had on her and why she wanted to close herself away from everyone did strike a very familiar nerve with me. In some ways it’s easy to see why she resents her sister Angela because Angela escaped to Canada and got her happily ever after. For both characters they quickly learn that the world is full of possibilities if you’re just willing to take that first step.
This is a book about taking chances, pushing boundaries and exploring the world and stepping beyond your comfort zone.
I received a gifted copy for an honest review