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Summer Holiday [Paperback]

Penny Smith
3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Book Description

9 Jun 2011

The riotously funny new novel from Penny Smith.

Miranda Blake is divorced. At 45, things are starting to head south. She’s toying with the idea of Botox. Toying with the idea of facial surgery. And toying with getting a job or possibly a toy boy. The only block to all those things is her stiff, uppity daughter, 23-year-old Lucy. Pompous, is what Miranda calls her. (Sane, is how Lucy sees it.)

Her friends are trying to set her up with a collection of bankers and company directors… Similar types to her ex-husband, Nigel (Nigel – just saying his name makes her wince) and every new date ends in disaster. So, one summer's day, Miranda decides to go and help clean out a local canal. She falls for Alex, a dreadlocked eco-warrior. But Lucy does not approve, and sets about sabotaging the relationship. She succeeds…

Miranda, heartbroken, goes on holiday to Spain. But there, things only go from bad to worse – she falls in with a bad crowd, and is soon way out of her depth. What is it they know about Alex and his family? How is the wealthy recluse, and island owner, David Miller involved in their dodgy business activities?

Aboard a glamorous yacht, hosting an award ceremony with former breakfast TV star Katie Fisher, Miranda might be in more trouble than she ever could have imagined. Will Alex get there in time to save her?


Frequently Bought Together

Summer Holiday + After the Break + Coming Up Next
Price For All Three: £15.47

Buy the selected items together
  • After the Break £5.24
  • Coming Up Next £5.24


Product details

  • Paperback: 300 pages
  • Publisher: Fourth Estate (9 Jun 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0007360738
  • ISBN-13: 978-0007360734
  • Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 19.9 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 170,197 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Product Description

Review

Praise for Coming Up Next:

'A brilliant darkly comic novel about the fall and rise of a TV presenter. A lot of fun.' Bella

'A brilliantly funny read.' S Magazine, Sunday Express

'Such wry, sassy fun she might want to give up her day job.' Daily Record

About the Author

Penny Smith has worked as a journalist and TV presenter. She has presented the GMTV News Hour since 1993, and has also worked for Sky News and Classic FM. She also has a regular newspaper column. She is the author of the bestselling novels ‘Coming Up Next’ and ‘After the Break’.


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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Summer read for empty heads 4 July 2011
By Blue
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book was a disappointment. An ok read but nothing compared to Penny Smith's previous books "After the break" and "Coming up next". Read them when travelling and they both filled the task: keeping your mind occupied when waiting the flight at the airport or sitting cramped in coach. This one could not keep me interested, probably because the main character Miranda is a bore and does not do or think anything interesting. Her mind is occupied with what to wear next and whether to have her hair up or down, and since she is supposed to be a 43 year old mother of two I was expecting more. Only reason I kept on reading was the clever language Penny Smith has.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars ok if you want to give your brain a rest 28 Aug 2011
Format:Paperback
Definately suited to the beach where nothing more than the ability to read is needed. Very light and fluffy featuring very cliche characters.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars A Struggle 5 Aug 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have to say that after reading the write up about this book and the trailer, I was excited about reading this book. I have to say that it was a struggle to keep going. It got really good in the middle for about one chapter then it went downhill again.

I wasnt that impressed with Penny Smith pervious books but this summertime read was the worst of all. I'm glad that I did read it to the end but wish that I hadent bothered.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Dire 30 Sep 2011
Format:Paperback
Another apalling book by this author. No plot, poor characterisation. What are the publishers thinking of? Found a copy in the house I was renting in Spain - glad I didn't spend money on it!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Please people, don't buy this 16 April 2012
Format:Paperback
If you buy this book you're contributing to declining standards of literature. I don't have anything against the genre. If you like chick-lit that's fine, but as reviewers of other celebrity "novels" have pointed out there are professional authors writing it. Authors who can produce quality material at much fairer prices. Would you buy stained, threadbare clothes for upwards of fifty quid if they had Penny Smith's or Martine McCutcheon's name on them? I hope not. Publishers encourage television personalities to churn out shoddy products to be sold at extortionate prices, and genuine writers suffer.
Imagine if Penny Smith decided she was a comedienne and started writing sketch shows and sitcoms. Then as a result professional comics like French and Saunders or Dara O'Briain were given less airtime. There'd be uproar by fans angry that someone who knows nothing about comedy is pushing out genuine talent. It's the same for books. When bookshops promote Penny Smith and Katie Price with big shiny placards, while Ruth Rendell and Stephen King sit in a corner behind, something's wrong.
To anyone who enjoyed Summer Holiday, I won't judge you, but please try other books. Make the effort to find authors who haven't been published on the back of television success. You'll soon discover the world is full of creative storytellers who craft elegant prose, and Penny Smith is just a rich person with too much time on her hands.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars Will it Never End? 12 Aug 2011
Format:Paperback
Who is it that keeps on buying this woman's books?

They are terrible - you have been warned - many times.

Please, stop the celebrity publishing bandwagon and buy books from people who can actually write. This one is worse than the other two, and that's saying something.
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Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Author recommended by a friend so pleased that I have found an author who writes light hearted books. I would suggest that you read Summer Holiday I will be purchasing further Penny Smith books.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Good service 13 April 2013
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great service came very quickly and well packaged . great product would use them again and recommend them to friends and family
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as the first book
A bit of a ramble, storyline took a while to get going. She should stick to what she knows best
Published 3 months ago by JC
4.0 out of 5 stars Summer Holiday
One of my first books on Kindle. Forgot it was Penny Smith's work until the re-emergence of a character from her 1st book. Very Imaginative.
Published 4 months ago by John Stewart
5.0 out of 5 stars good read
Having read and enjoyed Penny Smiths previous 2 books i was not going to pass this one up. It is a nice story, easy going and i thoroughly enjoyed it. Read more
Published 8 months ago by C. A. EDGSON
5.0 out of 5 stars Enthralling
Absolutely loved this book.Having read Penny Smith's other novels this one is the best so far.I was engrossed from start to finish.Can't wait for the next.
Published 10 months ago by trubs
5.0 out of 5 stars great girlie book
Having read the reviews on this book I was in 2 minds whether to get it. I am so glad I made up my own mind and did. It had me giggling from start to finish. Read more
Published 10 months ago by gillystocks
3.0 out of 5 stars Average read
This is the first book by Penny Smith that I have read, and sadly its not one that I'd really recommend. Read more
Published 10 months ago by LB
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Penny Smith
Again another winner. Penny is lighthearted but knows what we are all thinking and how serious it is not to have moisturiser and a razor nearby. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down
As per previous reviews stated this book wasn't as good as Penny Smith's others, I have to disagree on this occasion but then again I haven't read the other stories "yet". Read more
Published 20 months ago by Ma Boswell
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