I absolutely love Hester Browne's Little Lady Agency series, so despite being a little disappointed not to be catching up with the Little Lady Agency's Melissa/Honey, I was excited to read about a completely new character in The Finishing Touches.
As a baby, Betsy was found in a Cooper's Marmalade box outside the Tallimore Academy, a venerable London finishing school. Despite being adopted and raised by Frances and Pelham Tallimore, Betsy didn't attend the academy herself and, at 18, moved to Scotland to attend university. Back in London following Frances's death, Betsy is shocked to find the academy close to closure and vows to do everything she can to bring it into the 21st Century. But that's not all. She also wants to finally find out who her real parents were.
I loved this book just as much as the Little Lady series and that's saying something. I found myself rationing the chapters because I could have happily gone on reading it forever. I loved the academy's four students - Divinity, Venetia, Clementine and Anastasia - and Betsy's friend Liv. Betsy is a really sweet character and both Mark and Jamie (Liv's brother and Betsy's long-time crush) are foxy too.
But most of all I loved the idea of the Tallimore Academy and the courses Betsy comes up with for the new finishing school. Things like "Happy homeowning" and "Dealing with the inlaws", not to mention classes in how to pose for photographs, organise your handbag, and walk in high heels. (There's a short tip at the beginning of each chapter and they're genuinely helpful too!)
Now I loved the book, but I don't love the cover. I don't hate it, but it's just so young-looking and I'm not a fan of cartoony covers in general. Here are some of the other covers. Which one's your favourite?
Oh, you are going to hate the cover for A Reluctant Cinderella so much.
Posted by: alison | 23 March 2010 at 05:05 PM
*tactful silence*
(How do you feel about it?)
Posted by: Keris | 23 March 2010 at 05:13 PM
This sounds brilliant, I love Hester Browne and I'm really looking forward to reading this. I actually like the cover at the top of the page best, and then the purple one. I don't like the strings of pearls on the others.
Posted by: Jenni | 23 March 2010 at 08:33 PM
The pearls are actually quite an important feature in the book, Jenni. I don't love any of the covers, tbh, but I think the top one is my least fave.
Posted by: Keris | 23 March 2010 at 08:37 PM
I too loved this book. But I have to disagree with your opinions on the cover - I think the top one is gorgeous and even better in real life. The others are a bit dull, I think!
Posted by: Kirsty | 28 March 2010 at 12:25 PM
Like I said, Kirsty, I don't love any of them, but I do hate cartoon covers in general. It is cute, but it could quite easily be the cover of a book for 5-9 year-olds and since it's aimed at grown women I find that a bit weird.
Posted by: Keris | 28 March 2010 at 12:27 PM