Alison's friends really know how to live. There's Ben the Band Leader, Lillian the Foot Juggler, Beryl of Beryl's Budgerigars. They've been rebelling all their lives to follow the bright lights of showbusiness. Now, they face their final curtain. Alison is still waiting in the wings. She is a shy care assistant at Maytime, a home for retired theatricals. Cushioned by the warmth and affection she finds there, she is unprepared for a chain of events - including a confrontation with the biggest cowbag in Variety - which forces her to rediscover her past and her most secret desires. With the help of Custard and a couple of ex-strippers called Plum and Blossom, Alison takes her first steps into the spotlight.
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
'Great fun, well written...makes us laugh and cry' (Northern Echo )
'This debut novel is packed with pace and sympathetic characters that reach out and pull you into the story . . . enjoyable read' (Irish Tatler on Wired to the Moon )
'Genuinely a good thing - a fine, human-sized story that grows deliciously in the reader's mind, luring them onto a well-crafted, but not too neat conclusion . . . A good story well told' (Birmingham Post on Wired to the Moon )
'Brilliant ... I loved this book - read it' (John Hurt on Wired to the Moon )
'This debut novel is packed with pace and sympathetic characters that reach out and pull you into the story . . . enjoyable read' (Irish Tatler on Wired to the Moon )
'Genuinely a good thing - a fine, human-sized story that grows deliciously in the reader's mind, luring them onto a well-crafted, but not too neat conclusion . . . A good story well told' (Birmingham Post on Wired to the Moon )
'Brilliant ... I loved this book - read it' (John Hurt on Wired to the Moon )
About the Author
Sarah Kavanagh comes from a theatrical family. She grew up in England and spent her holidays with her father's family in western Ireland. She worked in theatre and television before quitting her job to concentrate on her writing.
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Perhaps unfairly lumped within the genre of 'chick-lit' because the central character is a single 20-something woman living in London, this book is refreshing in its refusal to follow the usual frothy neuroses of a PR/Media/Publishing babe whose preferred drugs of choice are white wine and chocolate and is searching for Mr Right (or Mr Right Now).
Yes, the heroine of this tale is single, in her 20s, and residing in London, but here she works in the nursing profession as a carer at an old folks home. Alison spends her nights (and most of her free time during her days) at Maytime, a home for retired performers, whose careers range from bonafide homegrown former divas to Beryl of Beryl's Budgerigars!
Alison's "Fear of Custard" isn't a phobia of school dinners though, Custard is the bright yellow Triumph which belonged to her deceased Dad. And just as Alison can't bring herself to get rid of Custard, who stagnates undriven (but not unloved) in a garage in Croydon, she is also paralysed with fear of living, something her flatmate Mel has no problem with as an ardent clubber, aspiring DJ, and all-round man magnet.
Instead Alison prefers the security blanket of Maytime. However some of the residents aren't quite as enamoured of the chance to grow old (or gracefully) in peace, and it's through the exploits of Plum and Blossom, two former strippers, that Alison truly discovers the joys of being young, alive, and out of control.
I would recommend this book for anyone who has ever experienced a lack of confidence in themselves. This tale will warm your heart, restore your joie de vivre, and is a nice reminder that you are only as old as the man you are feeling (up)!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
An immensely likeable book. The characters are well drawn and Sarah Kavanagh manages to make them both genuinely funny and also to give them depth. Some scenes will make you cringe (the seduction scene at the old folks' home, for example) while some will have you shouting out loud with laughter. There's even some sex, so something for everyone. Grab your sunglasses and head off to the beach for a book that will stay with you after your tan has faded.
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
