You, Me and the Movies
Author: Fiona Collins
Publisher: Transworld Digital
Published: April 4, 2019
Genres: romance, contemporary
Date read: July 27, 2019
Number of times read: 1
Format: E-book
Source: Netgalley
Summary
He only speaks in movie references but they make her remember everything...
After a marriage which threatened her entire sense of self, Arden Hall is divorced, doing a lacklustre job and living a quiet, rather unexciting life. But one day, visiting a friend in a London hospital, she suddenly re-encounters her former lover from thirty years ago, charismatic Film Studies lecturer, Mac Bartley-Thomas, who is lying in a bed on the same ward.
Suffering from a brain injury and unable to converse, all Mac can utter is short references to the famous films he and Arden once watched together, back when she was a student and they conducted their affair: Casablanca, Bonnie and Clyde, Some Like It Hot and more...
These movies spark both bittersweet memories of their passionate relationship and the potential for a more reflective Arden to finally fulfil the promise of her younger self. And in the course of her visits to Mac, she starts to reconnect with the world in a way that she didn’t think was possible... -- via Goodreads
Review
For anyone who knows me, they would know that films and movies are one of my big loves. Whereas my reading genres are more or less fixed, my film viewing is a little more eclectic, although I steer clear of horror in any format.
This book really appealed to me as not only was it romance-driven, it also brought several great movies to life.
The timeline jumps back and forth, starting with present-day Arden, who is just drifting along in life, not overly happy in her job and has escaped from a mentally abusive husband and is not looking to find another love. A chance meeting with an old friend leads to her visiting another old friend in hospital and by chance, discovering her one true love and lecturer Mac. This leads to flashbacks to her student days when she and Mac were involved in a passionate affair, based on movies as this was Mac’s vocation.
Present-day Mac is unable to speak, save for a few words which are movie references to ‘The List’, a list of films he was working on for his students, which Arden watched with him during their affair, giving her own insights and opinions.
As their affair continues, you already know it’s doomed to end, given that they haven’t seen each other for thirty years but it’s how the affair ends and it’s the effect on Arden that makes you keep reading. As she visits Mac, gets to know his neighbour James who is also visiting and also searches for Mac’s estranged son Lloyd, Arden starts to blossom and come out of her shell. We also learn about Arden’s family, her parents, who had a huge impact on her life both as a student and an adult.
The ending was inevitable yet satisfying, it was the only sensible conclusion to this wonderful story of love, loss and rebirth that made me both happy and sad at the same time.
These movies spark both bittersweet memories of their passionate relationship and the potential for a more reflective Arden to finally fulfil the promise of her younger self. And in the course of her visits to Mac, she starts to reconnect with the world in a way that she didn’t think was possible... -- via Goodreads
Review
For anyone who knows me, they would know that films and movies are one of my big loves. Whereas my reading genres are more or less fixed, my film viewing is a little more eclectic, although I steer clear of horror in any format.
This book really appealed to me as not only was it romance-driven, it also brought several great movies to life.
The timeline jumps back and forth, starting with present-day Arden, who is just drifting along in life, not overly happy in her job and has escaped from a mentally abusive husband and is not looking to find another love. A chance meeting with an old friend leads to her visiting another old friend in hospital and by chance, discovering her one true love and lecturer Mac. This leads to flashbacks to her student days when she and Mac were involved in a passionate affair, based on movies as this was Mac’s vocation.
Present-day Mac is unable to speak, save for a few words which are movie references to ‘The List’, a list of films he was working on for his students, which Arden watched with him during their affair, giving her own insights and opinions.
As their affair continues, you already know it’s doomed to end, given that they haven’t seen each other for thirty years but it’s how the affair ends and it’s the effect on Arden that makes you keep reading. As she visits Mac, gets to know his neighbour James who is also visiting and also searches for Mac’s estranged son Lloyd, Arden starts to blossom and come out of her shell. We also learn about Arden’s family, her parents, who had a huge impact on her life both as a student and an adult.
The ending was inevitable yet satisfying, it was the only sensible conclusion to this wonderful story of love, loss and rebirth that made me both happy and sad at the same time.
For romance lovers and movie lovers, this will capture your heart and soul
Overall Rating
4 out of 5
Copy received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ooops I had thought I'd commented on this already but I must've done that over instant messenger. Your review makes the book sound really interesting, I might not have ever considered picking this up on my own but hearing your thoughts about it I might now.
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