Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Slightly Foxed by Jane Lovering

Paperback: 282 pages
Genre: Romantic Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd 2010
Source: Gift from the author in return for an unbiased review.
First Sentence: ' I fell in love, in the bath, with a man who had been dead for a century.'
Favourite Quote: Alys You're like - like a kind of book, where the pages are just open enough to read some of the words, but you can't get the whole story.
My Opinion: A laugh out loud read.


This is the second title by Jane Lovering that I have read and reviewed here and that is because Jane found me, rather than me discovering her writing for myself. I am so pleased she did as otherwise I may never have read one of her books. The first one was Reversing Over Liberace which I reviewed here last October,  I am pleased to say that I enjoyed Slightly Foxed as much if not slightly more, as it was realistic, the last one I found somewhat farcical.  I also like the title of this one very much it seems relevant to the book store setting.


I was drawn into the story straight away as the author's witty way of writing about believable characters that lead ordinary lives had me feeling happy, also sad at times though as Alys the protagonist gets herself in a romantic tangle. A single parent, with a teenage daughter, working in a bookshop in York, who feels that vital something is missing from her life. That vital something is of course, a significant other to love, a romantic disaster Alyce is searching for love and happiness. The cast of characters that cross her path in her day to day life are exactly the sort of people you may recognise from your own life. Her daughter Florence, Piers, who is Florence's father's stepson, her work colleagues Jacinata and Simon and Leo who comes into her life because of a poetry book!  Does Alyce gets herself romantically involved with someone or as she fears does her chance of happiness slip away from her?  What is love, has she ever been in love and will she recognise love for what it is?


I think this novel will appeal to those of you who are fans of romantic contemporary fiction because it will make you laugh and provide you with a few hours of relaxing entertainment.


I am grateful to Jane Lovering for encouraging me to read and review her work by kindly sending me three of her published titles. I am certainly looking forward to reading the next one,
Please Don't Stop The Music - 2011 the third one she sent me soon.  Star Struck - 2011.  A new title that is due out in August.  Vampire State of Mind - 2012  I am undecided about reading  this one, as it is a fantasy vampire novel which is not normally the sort of read I am attracted to.  


On My TBR shelves

On My Wishlist
Undecided.
                                                                           


Author Profile:




Text From Jane Lovering Author Profile at Amazon

Jane was, presumably, born, although everyone concerned denies all knowledge. However there is evidence that her early years were spent in Devon (she can still talk like a pirate under the right conditions) and of her subsequent removal to Yorkshire under a sack and sedation.
She now lives in North Yorkshire, where she writes romantic comedies and labours under the tragic misapprehension that Johnny Depp is coming for her any day now. She is prevented from running away to join either Johnny or a circus by her five children, four cats and two dogs, and her husband.
Jane's likes include marshmallows, the smell of cucumbers, words beginning with B, the smell of the understairs cupboard, and Doctor Who. She writes with her laptop balanced on her knees whilst lying on her bed, and her children have been brought up to believe that real food has a high carbon content. And a kind of amorphous shape.
Not unlike Jane herself, come to think of it.

You can find out more about Jane ( should you wish to, of course) from her blog and website at http://www.janelovering.co.uk

The following link will take you to her Blogger Profile also amusing reading.
Information and photo used in this post are with thanks to the following websites.





9 comments:

  1. Really liked the review :)
    The box addition was attractive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So glad you liked the ones you've read so far! And don't be put off the vampires - it's not all blood and gore, it's more about personalities than their peculiarities.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for letting me know Jane, maybe I should push aside my doubts.

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  3. Hi Linda,

    I don't usually tend to go for contemporary romance, especially if the dreaded 'H' (humour) word is mentioned. I have however, found myself reading more of this particular genre by default, as a result of various author requests and I have to say, that the standard of writing and storyline, is quite a lot better than I thought it would be.

    Jane Lovering, is not an author that I know of and I have to admit that on reading your review of 'Reversing Over Liberace', I might well think twice about reading her. The storyline didn't seem all that good, the title didn't do much for me either and the cover was not great to look at.

    'Slightly Foxed' sounds much more appealing and you obviously thought so as well. Great title and cover and a much stronger storyline, make this one I might well consider reading.

    I am constantly caught saying that paranormal/vampire books are not really my thing, but the honest truth is, that I have never actually tried one. It seems as though all the authors are jumping on the bandwagon following a trend, which extends far beyond books and into television, cinema and theatre, which is a real shame.

    I would definitely read 'Slightly Foxed' to gauge the authors style of writing, before I would venture to read 'Vampire State Of Mind'

    A nice, fair review , thanks.

    Yvonne

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    Replies
    1. I definitely enjoyed this much more than the previous novel and am looking forward to reading the award winning 'Please Don't Stop The Music' but I still have reservations about her latest one despite Jane's comments above. Like you I am not keen on what appears to be a current trend.

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  4. Hi Linda,

    Ooops!! Perhaps not everyone agrees with my sentiments, I may need to re-think after discovering this morning that Jane has won the 'Romantic Novel Of The Year' award, for her novel 'Please Don't Stop The Music', so many congratulations to her ....

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18104922

    Yvonne

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    Replies
    1. I have yet to read the novel that Jane has won this award for but am looking forward to doing so. My impression of her writing so far is that I have liked each novel more than the previous one, so high hopes for 'Please Don't Stop The Music'

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  5. I love a book that draws me in right away. I'm reading one now because of recommendations, and I'm sure it will get good eventually, but it's slow to draw me in so I'm not getting very far in it.

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