Review: Billy and Me

Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher
Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: 23/05/13
Pages: 416
Genre: Chick-lit, Romance

Synopsis
Sophie May has a secret. 

One that she’s successfully kept for years. It’s meant that she’s had to give up her dreams of going to university and travelling the world to stay in her little village, living with her mum and working in the local teashop.

But then she meets the gorgeous Billy – an actor with ambitions to make it to the top. And when they fall in love, Sophie is whisked away from the comfort of her life into Billy’s glamorous – but ruthless – world. Their relationship throws Sophie right into the spotlight after years of shying away from attention. Can she handle the constant scrutiny that comes with being with Billy? And most of all, is she ready for her secret heartbreak to be discovered and shared with the nation?

Review
Well what can I say?! I loved this book from start to finish! Giovanna Fletcher created a world that I was drawn into immediately and I was devastated when I had to put the book down.

We are introduced to Sophie May, a sweet, kind-hearted girl who lives in the village of Rosefont Hill. She is perfectly comfortable living with her mum and working in the local teashop 'Tea on the Hill'  which is owned by Molly, a wonderful old woman who becomes Sophie's best friend and confidant. Sophie is happy spending her life shying away from attention, working with Molly and spending time with her Mum. That is until Billy comes along! When Hollywood heartthrob Billy Buskin turns up in Rosefont Hill to film 'Pride and Prejudice', Sophie falls head over heels for Billy, casting her into the spotlight, something she has always avoided but has to confront if she wants to make her relationship with Billy work.

I absolutely adored Sophie from the beginning. Sophie has a lovely personality, she is so easy to get along with. She genuinely cares about everyone, making sure every customer in the teashop feels welcome. We get glimpses into Sophie's past which reveals why she is the way she is, it allowed me to empathise with her more and more. The friendship between Sophie and Molly is beautiful. Molly is kind and gentle, a positive force in Sophie's life. She has really helped Sophie to come out of her shell.

Billy was a welcome surprise in this book! I was expecting him to have an arrogant streak due to him being a famous actor. However I was so glad when I was proven wrong! Billy is surprisingly down-to-earth and I fell in love with him just as Sophie did. Billy is charming and charismatic and I could tell he really did just want to take care of Sophie. What was interesting was I didn't side with Sophie all the time, there were moments were I was Team Billy! I think this made their relationship more credible, both parties were sometimes in the wrong.

I think Giovanna captured village life perfectly. Having lived in a village for all of my childhood I understand what a close-knit community a village can be, especially regarding how gossip can spread through the village like wildfire! What made this book different from other romance novels was that Sophie and Billy got together very early in the story, it was particularly interesting to watch their relationship evolve rather than focusing on 'the chase'. There are not many books that focus on the early part of a relationship and I really enjoyed reading about how Billy and Sophie made it work. Overall this book was a joy to read, it made me laugh, it made me cry and I will be eagerly awaiting Giovanna's next book!

5/5 Stars

My Song Choice: All About You by McFly
This was an easy choice for me, I know this song was written for Gi by her husband: McFly's Tom Fletcher and I can see how this song can also be related to Billy and Sophie!