I really didn't enjoy Karen Quinn's debut, The Ivy Chronicles - in fact, I didn't even finish it – but I loved the premise of her third book, Holly Would Dream, and I've been looking forward to it for ages, so it seemed like a perfect book to take on holiday with me.
The premise is that Holly Ross, who works in a fashion museum in New York, is obsessed with all things Audrey Hepburn. When her boyfriend dumps her, she loses her apartment (because it was his apartment) and misses out on a promised promotion all on the same day, it seems like things can't get any worse, but then, thanks to a collection of Audrey Hepburn's dresses, they do.
Holly Would Dream takes in New York, Italy, Turkey and Greece and contains over a hundred hidden references to Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant films. Right up my street, in fact. So did I like it?
Actually I really liked it. It's clear from the beginning of the book that this is a fairy story and there isn't much reality involved, but it's a great escapist read. I liked Holly although I found her irritatingly full of herself at times (which is exactly the same problem I had with Ivy in Quinn's first book). I didn't think there was any chemistry between Holly and the object of her affections, which was a shame. If ever a book was crying out for a sexy, traditional, manly hero, it was this one. But a number of the other supporting characters – from Holly's father, to the rich widows Holly meets on the cruise – are highly entertaining. I could have done without the tired cliché of the gay best friend, but I suppose Holly does work in fashion so I'll just have to let that one go.
All in all, a highly entertaining and almost entirely satisfying holiday read. On the strength of this book, I think I'll give Quinn's second book, Wife In the Fast Lane, a try.
Rating: 4/5
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