Chicklit Club
 

NEW RELEASE

 
 

The Doris Day Vintage Film Club - Fiona Harper (2015)

 

Claire Bixby’s love life is far from enviable and since the break-up of her marriage she’s steered well clear of the opposite sex, instead finding solace and companionship as president of the Doris Day Film Club. Her assessment of men seems justified when her downstairs neighbour, Dominic Arden, takes up residence again and shows a complete disregard for Claire; blasting out his music into the early hours, leaving his bike for Claire to fall over and ‘borrowing’ her milk. But whilst Claire enters into a war of words with the elusive Dominic, she may have just met a man who will make her rethink her whole approach to dating. But Nick seems a bit too good to be true. Going into the novel I had no familiarity with Doris Day so I hasten to say that some of the references/context may have been lost on me but this didn’t spoil my enjoyment at all. Nor is this really a novel about the club and its members per se, rather that takes more of a backdrop, and I liked this approach. The central relationship is great, and the author does a fantastic job with the male protagonist especially, getting inside his head and showing his struggle to understand women and romance. The plot becomes a bit circular and repetitive, and despite the grand gesture at the end there was a sense in which Claire’s about-face was a bit sudden. However, on the whole this is pure, unadulterated chick lit, with a bit of vintage Hollywood thrown in. (JC)

 

The Doris Day Vintage Film Club, by Fiona Harper, is about a Doris Day fan whose life starts to resemble one of her films. The summary says: "Claire Bixby grew up watching Doris Day films at her grandmother's house and yearned to live in a world like the one on the screen - sunny, colourful and where happy endings with chiselled leading men were guaranteed. But recently Claire's opportunities for a little 'pillow talk' have been thin on the ground. Until she meets mysterious Dominic. Nic is full of secrets but their connection is instant. Could he help Claire find the Hollywood ending she's been searching for? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps..." The Doris Day Vintage Film Club is out in April 2015.

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