Billy and Me

by Giovanna Fletcher

[Leah]

Don't judge me too harshly, but I have had Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher sitting on my TBR pile since it was released in 2013 (although that is not AT ALL the oldest book sitting on my TBR pile - THAT you can judge me on). It was just one of those books I never got around to, but after having a look at what books were hiding behind other books, I brought it out from it's hiding place and just NEEDED to read it. Helped by the fact the sequel Always With Love is out next month (wahoo!). Clearly I was waiting to read it because I knew I'd be waiting three years for a sequel...

Billy and Me was absolutely fantastic. Jill Mansell is absolutely right with her cover quote - this is a glorious book, with buckets of charm and I'm kicking myself (not literally) that it took me so long to read it. I LOVED it. For a while I thought I was going off the genre I've loved for such a long time, but books like Billy and Me remind me that this genre still has some hidden gems I've yet to read - including the rest of Giovanna Fletcher's books!!! It just made me feel so genuinely happy and I absolutely love books where a normal girl goes out with a famous person, and Giovanna has first-hand experience being married to Tom Fletcher.

Sophie is the loveliest character I've ever met. She's so sweet - and to learn about her history just made me want to squish her into the biggest hug ever. I loved that she stayed in her home town, and worked with Molly in Tea-on-the-Hill, because it seemed lovely, and exactly right for her, so who is anyone to judge just because she didn't go to Uni or on a gap year (neither of which I've done, or could ever afford to do). In the real world, you have to just get a job and get on with it, and Sophie did that, although her job with Molly sounded amazing, like the dream job. And their banter and interactions in the cafe were delightful. Then Billy came into the picture and it all got even better, because Billy was amazing too. I loved their chemistry right from the outset, and I spent most of the book smiling like an idiot, it made me so happy.

Billy and Me also made me cry, thank you for that Giovanna, it was ever so kind of you. Basically this book just had all of the emotions. Laughter, tears, happiness, sadness, characters you absolute adore, it was the whole package and I will not get over the fact it took me so long to read it. This was everything I wanted in a book and more and I can't wait for the sequel, because I need more of Sophie and Billy in my life.