Review for What I Did On My Holidays by Chrissie Manby

What I Did On My Holidays by Chrissie Manby 
Publisher: Hodder
Release Date: 21st June 2012
Genre: Chick-Lit, Fiction, Summer, Romance, Comedy
Rating: 4/5 stars
Source: Received from the publisher for review

Amazon Summary:
"Sophie Sturgeon can't wait for her annual summer holiday. Not only will it be a week away from work, it will be a chance to reconnect with her boyfriend Callum. So this upcoming trip to Majorca is a big deal. Sophie's spent a lot of time getting ready. She's bought a new wardrobe. She's been waxed to within an inch of her life. She's determined she and Callum will have the best time ever. Then Callum dumps her, the night before they're due to leave. In a show of bravery and independence, Sophie says she'll go to Majorca alone - but in fact, she hides in her London flat. But when her friends, family, and even Callum seem so surprised and delighted at her single girl courage, Sophie decides to go all out and recreate the ultimate 'fake break'...with hilarious results."

Review 
What I Did On My Holidays was right at the top of the list of books I want to read this summer. Despite never reading a book by Chrissie Manby before I’d heard what a fab writer she is and this book sounded so funny and uplifting that I was looking forward to reading it hugely and it certainly lived up to my expectations!

The book begins with our hilarious heroine Sophie looking forward to her annual summer holiday and this holiday in particular will be extra special as she plans to spend her thirtieth birthday celebrating in Majorca with long term boyfriend Callum. However as the hours pass before the plane takes off with no word from Callum Sophie starts to get slightly frantic and after several failed attempts to reach him he finally texts to let her know that he’s not going to be going to Majorca with her after all and worst of all dumps her hours before they’re meant to leave. Heartbroken and devastated with nobody who can accompany her on such short notice Sophie decides to stay at home and nurse her broken heart. But when her family and friends assume that she has gone ahead with her holiday alone and Callum gets wind of it he starts to regret the break-up and is impressed with Sophie’s new found independence. And so from her London flat, in the middle of a drizzly English summer, Sophie goes about trying to re-create the perfect holiday in Majorca in an all or nothing attempt to win Callum back.

What I Did On My Holidays was such a hilarious read. Sophie’s drastic attempts to live out an abroad holiday at home made for the wackiest staycation ever. Stealing pictures from the hotels website to send to her friends, checking club webcams to see what’s happening live, and even re-creating a beach scene in her garden with a whole lot of builders sand, Sophie does it all. Reading about Sophie’s staycation was the real highlight of the book for me and I’d find myself laughing out loud at just how far she was willing to go so as not to be found out. What I Did On My Holidays certainly celebrates the joys of having a holiday from home something which I’m sure a lot of people can relate to with more and more people having to cut back on their holidays with the recession.

Sophie was such a likeable, funny, heroine who I wanted the best for from the start. After being dumped so horribly at the beginning of the book she’s immediately endearing as a character and I was cheering her on throughout.

What I Did On My Holidays had everything I could want from a summer story. It was a feel good, light hearted, hilarious read that’s definitely made me want to check out Chrissie Manby’s other books. Whether you’re staying at home this summer, going on an English holiday, or going abroad this is a holiday read that can be enjoyed whatever the occasion and celebrates holidays of all shapes and sizes. Perfect to be read either by the pool with a cocktail or curled up on the couch with a cuppa this is a holiday book that has something to offer everyone.