I am ashamed to say as a woman in her (very) late 50's I love the old chick-lit, fluffy book, and I also love books by Belinda Jones.
I was given this book several years ago by my eldest daughter, after she had sung its praises and had a mad desire to board a plane and set off for Capri ... Read review
Advantages: A charming and a must read book - a love story with a difference Disadvantages: Leaves you with a strong desire to visit Capri - one that is very hard to quell!!
I am ashamed to say as a woman in her (very) late 50's I love the old chick-lit, fluffy book, and I also love books by Belinda Jones.
I was given this book several years ago by my eldest daughter, after she had sung its praises and had a mad desire to board a plane and set off for Capri straight away !!
As any chick-lit reader will know the cover of a book ( well sometimes you can judge a book by its cover !!) can ... ...the wonderful island of Capri, I decided to re-read this little jem, hence my review on it now.
However my review comes with a wealth warning --- reading this book will send you running to the travel agents to book the next flight to Italy and a trip to Capri!!
~*~The Story~ *~
The story is about Kim an interpreter and translater and now couch potato- who lives with her reassuringly cuddly, food loving ... more
I am ashamed to say as a woman in her (very) late 50's I love the old chick-lit, fluffy book, and I also love books by Belinda Jones.
I was given this book several years ago by my eldest daughter, after she had sung its praises and had a mad desire to board a plane and set off for Capri straight away !!
As any chick-lit reader will know the cover of a book ( well sometimes you can judge a book by its cover !!) can be the thing that draws you to the book, and so it is with this book - a real 'girlie', glitzy cover that says 'read me' on the front!!
After a recent visit to the Bay of Naples and the wonderful island of Capri, I decided to re-read this little jem, hence my review on it now.
However my review comes with a wealth warning --- reading this book will send you running to the travel agents to book the next flight to Italy and a trip to Capri!!
~*~The Story~ *~ The story is about Kim an interpreter and translater and now couch potato- who lives with her reassuringly cuddly, food loving friend Cleo ( I get SO tired of all the female characters in these books being stick thin fashion icons!!).Kim, suffering with a broken heart, is a virtual recluse, only leaving her basement flat in Cardiff to go to the shops , she spends her time translating German computer games or watching the TV programs that she and Cleo are so addicted to. When the Italian grandfather who she's never met dies, Kim inherits £5,000. Kim intends to spend her windfall on liposuction for her and Cleo. But her mother - Gina - has other plans. Born on the Isle of Capri, Gina , decides to move back to Capri to run the boutique that her father had owned there. .Due to a complicated family life involving infidelity, Ginas mother had banned the use of Italian in the house. So Gina, her Italian rather rusty, persuades her translator daughter - Kim - to accompany her. Reluctantly Kim leaves for Capri, she doesn't have a paticularly good relationship with her mother, so she finds the prospect of spending so much time with her rather daunting. Kim though is amazed to find finds that she finds her life life in Capri better than she could have imagined. Despite being surrounded by topof the market designer goods and clothes and the millionaire lifestyle Kim is not in the least intimidated. She begins to form a better relationship with Gina, finds herself with oodles of male attention, and she completely falls in love with the incredible Isle of Capri and the people who live there , she is very surprised to see just how much she is changing changing. When she meets a man who's personifies the perfect Italian lover, the ultimate chick-lit hero, she finds herself falling in love, but problems in the form of a wife and son lurk around the corner. Just how far is Kim - who was determined never to let another man ruin her life, prepared to go to win Luca? ~*~The Characters~ *~ The characters in the book were fairly few and were very likeable. I clicked with Kim straight away, she is a regular woman - a Bridget Jones- type woman with the hang ups that go with it - weight and men!! At first I found her mother - Gina - a bit too pushy and bossy but I did get to like the character as the story went on. Then there was Luca - the drop dead gorgeous Italian who wins Kim's heart -and the readers!!
All the characters are described so well that you can actually imagine them and you feel as if you know them really well as you get sucked into their lives.
~*~The Island~ *~
Belinda Jones's writing in this book contains vivid descriptions of the beautiful island. From these descriptions it is obvious that she has visited Capri and knows it well. She captures the pure beauty of thie lovely island, I prticularly enjoyed reading it again after my visit - it makes you feel like you are actually there;and sitting in the garden in the English sunshine I can still soak in the feel and lifestyle of Capri. Ms Jones captures the simplistic charm and beauty , the steep mountains and pathways and the incredible view of the sea and harbour from the giddy heights. Most of all shec aptures the pure wonder of the Blue Grotto and the neon blue water. So if you don't fall in love with the sexy Italian men - like Ringo and Luca - you will most definatly fall in love with the intoxicating Isle of Capri.
~*~My Opinion~ *~ The book takes a while to get strated, although humerous the decisions on how Kim will spend her inheritance does go on a little. But it doesn't take long before you are completelt hooked - a real page-turner of a book, one you find very difficult to put down, There are several twists in the story which to an extent you can forsee but there are also some surprises that you just don't work out. I loved the telephone calls between Kim and Cleo, I thought that they were very believable and I also loved the way the mother daughter relattionship between Gina and Kim was worked into the storyline.
I don't want to give anything away to spoil future readers pleasure, but the ending took me by surprise, it is not what I was expecting to happen. But I do think that that it was completely the right ending for this delightful book, an ending entirely in keeping with the characters you've read about and began to know and love so well.
~*~The Boring Stuff~ *~
Paperback: 480 pages Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd (4 Jul 2002) ISBN-10: 0099414937 ISBN-13: 978-0099414933 Available now on Amazon for as little as 1p !! Bargain
Summary: Don't leave home without it ! A fantastic holiday read
Advantages: Amazing book!!!! Great Storyline, believable characters. Disadvantages: You'll spend your life savings going to capri!!!
...of my favourite books ever! I read the book while at lake como in Italy, and it made me want to go to Capri so so much. The book not only has a wonderful storyline, but also sets such a romantic setting. Everytime you open the pages you get a sense of romance. Believe me when you read this book, you'll want to jump on a plane straight to capri! This really is a book that you won't want to put down!!! I recommend it to anyone who has read and enjoyed ... ...stay in Capri or will she go back to her home, her friends and her old life?
Women everywhere will love the book (and some men too!), plus if you like this, I suggest "The Love Academy" and also "On the road to Mr Right" also by Belinda Jones. ...
stephbond89 30.05.2009
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Advantages: An OK read Disadvantages: Dissappointing!!
DIVAS LAS VEGAS
BELINDAJONESI have always lovedBelindaJones books, and I have read near enough all of her books: ILoveCapri, On The road to Mr Right, The Paradise Room, Out of the Blue, The Love Acadamy, Cafe Tropicana and now Divas Las Vega. The only book of hers I have left to read is The California Club (and the new book which she has coming out soon).
I'm not quite sure where Divas Las Vegas comes in the line of her books, it could very possibly be one of, if not, her first book.
Iloved all of Jones' previous books, they have all been amazing, and have really captured my imagination, this book was very different and I must say, it isn't the best of her work.
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Advantages: Amazing story, paints a great picture, believable characters! Disadvantages: None!!!!!!
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Carole Matthews is one of my favourite authors. Since reading a couple of her books; A compromising position, and A whiff of scandal, I have really got into her writing. This is the most recent of all her books which I have read and I am looking forward to reading many more. Her books remind me of BelindaJones work (IloveCapri, Diva Las Vegas, The Love Acadamy), whose books I also love.
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When Jake tells Lyssa their 4 year relationship is over, she is devastated. Their relationship has been though and stressful recently with the IVF tretment but what had she doen to deserve this?
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Advantages: Fabulous Storyline, simple to read, great characters! Great for all ages! Disadvantages: Was a little hard to get into at first, and took me a few tries!
About Carole Matthews
I have read a few of Carole Matthews books now, but this was the first one I ever read.
For me her writing style is very much like BelindaJones? writing, if you have ever read any of her books (ILoveCapri, Divas Las Vegas, The Love Academy). Who is one of my favourite authors, so when I realised Iloved Carole Matthews? books just as much, I started buying lots of her books!
Matthews was born in St Helen?s Merseyside (North West, UK, just up the road from where I live now in fact!), and worked in London before training to be a beauty therapist. She then started working as a television presenter and wrote a few magazine articles, and even ran her own aromatherapy practice, which actually features heavily in this book! Matthews now lives in Leighton Buzzard with her husband and cat!
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Product Information for "I Love Capri - Belinda Jones" »
Product details
EAN
9780099414933
Type
Fiction
Genre
Modern Fiction
Publisher
Arrow Books Ltd
Title
I Love Capri
Author
Belinda Jones
ISBN
0099414937
Manufacturer's product description
Kim Rees became a translator for the glamorous jet-set lifestyle. So five years later she's not quite sure how she ended up in a basement flat in Cardiff translating German computer games in her dressing gown. Fortunately her mother has a plan to extract her from her marshmallowy rut: a trip to the magical isle of Capri. At first Kim refuses to wake up and smell the bougainvillea but as she starts to succumb to the irresistible delights of cocktails on the terrace and millionaire suitors she's surprised to realise she's changing. And when she meets a man who's tiramisu personified she finds herself falling in love. But how far is she prepared to go to win her Romeo?
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