I read this book for the first time a couple of years ago, and really, really liked it. I didn't particularly want to get it at first, but it was cheaper to get three books than two in the charity shop. I read it in the bath one Sunday, and I really think that's the best place to read it (either that, or in bed when it's all rainy and cold outside!)

Acquired this copy to continue chich's bookring.

Book received today, thanks so much for sending it my way lucy-lemon:o)

This ray has already been stalled twice so I hope your copy of the book brings us luck!

Restarting my stalled BookRay, PM me if you want to join!

Shipping order:
1) Ingootje, The Netherlands, EU shipping.
2) RubyBlueLady, UK, Euro shipping.
3) Nell-Lu, Scotland, can ship anywhere.
4) pammykn, US (FL), can ship anywhere.
5) ariesgirl29, US (TN), can ship anywhere.
6) rebeccaljames, US (OH), US shipping.
7) blackadder75, US (PA), US or Canada shipping.
8) cisco, US (CA), US shipping.
9) booknhand, US (CA), US shipping. No longer active
10) Queniene, US (CO), US shipping. --> original ray stalled here?
11) FeralReader, US (CA), can ship anywhere.
12) solskinn, Austria, can ship anywhere. --> Asked to be skipped.
13) lakelady2282, Australia, Australia shipping.
14) Pixette, Australia, Australia shipping.
15) ukcanaus, Australia, can ship anywhere.
16) scrapaholic, Australia, can ship anywhere.
17) Carole888, Australia, can ship anywhere.
18) QueenSissi, Portugal, Euro shipping. --> no longer active.
19) kihli, Greece, Euro shipping.¤¤ current location ¤¤
20) GingerWhinger, Austria, Euro shipping. --> asked to be skipped



...you?



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BookRay Recommendations:
• make a journal entry when you receive the book so everyone knows it has safely arrived
• try to read it within a month
• ask the next on the list for his/her address
• make a journal entry when finished, telling us what you thought - did you like it? Did you think it was well-written?
• wrap it up well and pass it on to the next participant

Please PM me in case of any problems/unforseen delay. If you are experiencing an RBC (Reading Backlog Crisis) or no longer wish to read the book, let me know and I will move/remove you down/off the list.

Hint: Ask for the address of the next on the list before you have finished reading; sometimes it takes a while before you get a reply. Some people don't get PM's. You may want to look for an e-mail address on their profile, or leave an ISO message on the forum. If the person doesn't respond within 7-10 days (use your judgement), please PM the next person, and then me, so I can update the bookring list.

**Cheapest postage rate is fine**

Happy reading everyone!

Here we go again!

Book sent to FeralReader today, enjoy!

Arrived safe and sound, and I have contacted the next reader for her address.

Having a pleasant read, already. Thank you, chich (and lucy-lemon)!

Just finished! I enjoyed this book. Good writing, well-paced and entertaining. I liked each character more and more as the story developed. I would probably not have picked up this book on my own had it not come with another BookCrosser's endorsement, and so it was a nice surprise.

I asked my husband if Johnnie Ray was an actual person or a fictitious character and he laughed and told me a couple of family stories. As it turned out, Ray was a student of my husband's uncle when he was growing up in Oregon, and Ray sang in the church choir that this uncle directed. Small world.

Lakelady2282 has provided her address, so the book will be on its way to her in Australia in a day or two. Thanks again, chich, for your efforts to share it with us!

Note added: Mailed on Monday, 13 July. Bon Voyage!

Arrived safely today. May have been a bit earlier as I have only just got back to the Lake from Sydney. Thank you Chich and FeralReader for posting it out. Looking forward to reading it!

What a delight! I've always felt that the 1950s is a neglected decade as far as fiction goes and in Eva Rice's hands the decade (or at least the years 1954/55) are tellingly drawn. I love the descriptions and the feel of the house Magna, the parties at Dorset House and the Ritz and the afternoons at Aunt Clare's.
This is an intelligent and atmospheric book which is very well written. It is a pity because of these things that there were a few discrepancies. For one I couldn't get Penelope's age right no matter how I worked it - the mother three months pregnant when she was married in 1937 does not add up to a daughter who is 18 in November 1954 and just a few other odd things that should have been picked up by even the most cursory of edits. There was a confusion between a meeting with Harry, once written up as Wednesday afternoon, and a paragraph below as Thursday afternoon and then a chapter which suggested the passing of time and the coming of spring when all that the reader was dealing with seemed to be the passing of two days.
Perhaps I've got myself confused over these issues so would love other reader's comments.
Despite these quibbles and I'm pointing the finger at the publisher not Eva Rice - this is a must read and in my opinion is not Chick Lit, although some editions of the book look like its being marketed as such.
Will pm Pixette. Thank you everybody! Will definitely be watching out for her next book.
Nearly forgot to mention that for those who really enjoy this book they will probably also enjoy Love on a Branch Line by John Hadfield.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

off to Pixette

I meant to journal this early this week, sorry for the delay.

Has arrived safely and will get onto reading it shortly.

Thanks

This book didn't work for me I'm afraid.

The plot and the characters are quirky enough - somewhat reminiscent of Noel Coward or PG Wodehouse transposed to a different decade. But these guys' writings were very very funny and I found Eva Rice just wasn't witty enough to stand up.

I decided to put it down and will send it on to the next recipient. Other's have obviously enjoyed it so I'm sure it will be well received on it's journey. Thanks for sharing your book.

Arrived safely today; I'm really looking forward to reading this! Thanks for posting it to me, Pixette, and also to chich and lucy-lemon for sharing.

I loved reading this book. Despite the predictable story, I was caught up in Penelope's adventures.

Like some previous readers, there were some inconsistencies that I noticed too. A minor one, for example: there was a statement that Inigo had left for (boarding) school (p272), however, by page 275, on the same day, he was speaking to Penelope while buttering some bread at afternoon tea, with no other indication that he had returned home. Then again maybe he used one of Harry's magic tricks...?

Still, I enjoyed the book and it did make me laugh on several occasions. The book is now on its way to scrapaholic (sorry for the delay!). Thanks again to chich and lucy-lemon for sharing.

Has arrived safely in Darwin today ..... will be next in line TBR

I found it slow to start with but caught up in the story trying to figure what the secret could be.

I will send onto the person as soon as I get her details

Am sending this off - sorry it took so long

Thank you scrapaholic, lucy-lemon and chich. The book has arrived safely in Western Australia. I am looking forward to it!

(Editing: April 2010) I finished reading this just before Easter and really enjoyed it. I loved the flow of the book and took it at a nice and easy pace ..... the discrepancies didn't really bother me as I just enjoyed the characters, the time, the place and their story.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I must apologise for the delay in posting this for I had kihli's address almost immediately. I put the package away and completely forgot. (blush!) Thanks heaps for sharing this lucy-lemon,chich and thanks to everyone for forwarding it along on it's journey.... (and to scrapaholic for sending it this way!) The book is travelling now.

it arrived today from far away Australia,together with another bonus book :) thank you very much Carole,you made my day!!!

I finally read it and I'm glad I did

it's enjoyable and funny,yet sad at times and nostalgic
I loved the characters,the whole era,everything

what I didn't like was the problem with the dates and ages but oh well

thank you so much for the chance to read this book!

going to idiazontos,enjoy :)

Got it from Kihli. Thanks! :)