Guest Review: Nice Work (If You Can Get It) by Celia Imrie

The second novel from the well-loved actress and Sunday Times bestselling author of Not Quite Nice, Celia Imrie. 

Somewhere on the French Riviera, tucked between glitzy Monte Carlo and Cannes’ redcarpets, lies the town of Bellevue-Sur-Mer, home to an energetic band of expat retirees who have resolved to show it’s never too late to start afresh, and open a restaurant.

But as the razzmatazz of Cannes film festival penetrates Bellevue-Sur-Mer, its inhabitants become entangled in a complex pattern of love triangles and conflicting business interests, and something starts to feel distinctly oeuf… 

Review: This is the follow up to Celia Imrie’s last novel, Not Quite Nice, which told the story of a group of British ex-pats living in the small coastal village of Bellevue-sur-Mer, just outside Nice on the French Riviera. I really enjoyed Not Quite Nice, and so was delighted to find the audio version of this second book available to me.

In Nice Work (If You Can Get It), we find the same group of people, but after a little time has elapsed. They are looking for something to occupy their time and bring in some income, and hit on the idea of opening a restaurant. Not all of the group decide to join in the scheme though, one of them being drawn back into the glitzy world of acting and film production from whence she came.

What follows is a sometimes hilarious account of the trials and tribulations encountered by all of the protagonists as they try to succeed in their ventures. There are some glorious twists and turns to the story, and I found a surprise around every corner. It certainly kept my attention. I thought there was a great mix of characters. In addition to the ones we had met in Celia’s previous novel, several new people crept in to this tale, from film stars to gangsters. There was also a bit of love interest.

As with Celia’s last book, I really enjoyed this story, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of light reading. It is mostly highly amusing, with interesting characters, although there are some seriously scary parts for some of them. Once again, the descriptions of the village were so vivid that I could imagine myself sitting there on the sea wall watching the boats bobbing in the harbour.