Guest Review: The Beach Holiday by Isabelle Broom

A somebody. A nobody.

A love story waiting to be written . . .

All aspiring novelist Honor has ever wanted is to be successful. It's the only way she can impress the father who abandoned her, the boyfriend who gave up on her, and the nagging voice in her head that tells her she's not good enough.

Still, wanting to tell a story is not the same as having a story to tell, and Honor knows she needs to find a new source of inspiration.

When she's invited to spend a summer abroad in The Hamptons, Honor realises it could be the dream setting for a book, especially when a chance encounter provides her with the perfect leading man.

But blurring fact and fiction is a dangerous game, and Honor soon discovers that writing her way to success might come at the expense of her own happy ever after . . .

Review: I have seen many announcements about this book and, having also looked at the synopsis, was keen to read it as soon as I could. Although I have read and thoroughly enjoyed many of Isabelle Broom’s previous books, it is a while since I have caught up with her collection. I chose the audiobook this time and was completely immersed in the story from the first minute, finishing it quickly the same day, so compelling was the narrative. 

The story follows aspiring writer Honor who is travelling to New York to join her father, himself a successful author, for a summer break. She has been in awe of her father since an early age, and is desperate to be successful and impress him. When she arrives at her father’s home, Honor finds that he and his assistant are about to set off to spend summer in The Hamptons, and they invite her along. She hopes to find inspiration for her writing in this lovely place. On her very first day there, she literally bumps into a strikingly handsome man who unbeknown to her is a famous British film star. They are instantly drawn to each other and spend a lot of time together. However, their budding relationship is unfortunately threatened by the machinations of unscrupulous individuals.

I can’t express how much I enjoyed this book. I think it says it all that I absolutely devoured the whole thing in the space of just a few hours. It is pure escapism. Isabelle’s words transported me to gorgeous beaches and small towns in an area I have never been lucky enough to visit, but now feel I have experienced, at least to a certain extent. I felt for Honor having so little regard for her own importance, hiding behind her own brand of humour. How fortunate that she met a man who was not only drop dead gorgeous but also sensitive and prepared to spend time trying to build her confidence. I loved watching as their relationship developed, even in the face of so many difficulties. This is definitely one that I can recommend - a perfect summer read. 

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