Review: 'When I Fall in Love' by Miranda Dickinson (2012)

What happens when your happy ever after is suddenly and painfully taken away from you?

Elsie Maynard has a whole new life she never expected to have. From inadvertently founding a choir like no other with former 80s rock star Woody Jensen, to daring to date again, Elsie steps out into an unknown future – a future that could include gorgeous designer Olly Hogarth, a man who seems intent on winning her heart. Overcoming problems, challenges and the occasional frustration – namely overconfident Torin Stewart who seems to be everywhere – Elsie believes she is making the most of her life. But then a heartfelt request brings her to Paris – and the last item on a very important List.

Can Elsie take the final step and lay her past to rest? Join Elsie as she battles to start again, with the help of a disastrous, newly-formed singing group and her father and sister armed with dating hopefuls.

Whenever I’m in a shop and looking for a lovely new book to take home with me, Miranda Dickinson’s covers always catch my eye. The first of her novels that I read was ‘It Started With a Kiss’ and since then every time I see one of her recognisable book covers I get excited. I didn’t just pick up ‘When I Fall in Love’ because of the lovely sense of winter on the cover, the Eiffel Tower hidden in the background, the bit of sparkle and lovely pink title, but also because I know a Miranda Dickinson tale is the perfect story to snuggle up with on the couch, with a cup of tea and a couple of free hours. And this particular book certainly didn’t disappoint!

This novel tells the story of Elsie Maynard, who has just had the roughest eighteen months of her life. She works at an ice-cream parlour (with the most yummy flavours of ice-cream a girl can dream of; serously, just that is worth reading the book for, trust me!) in Brighton with her good friend and boss Cher, and lives close to her father Jim, and her two sisters Daisy and Guin. One day, Elsie is convinced to give a spontaneous piano performance in a cafe and she meets 80’s rock star Woody, who wants to start a choir with her. Elsie decides to give it a go and it doesn’t take long before The Sundaes are born; a choir consisting of all kinds of Brighton citizens, from slightly bitchy Sasha, to the friendly and kind-hearted elderly woman Irene and the two young lovers, Danny and Aoife (a couple you can't help but fall in love with). Next to this new development in her life, Elsie has started dating again with graphic designer Oliver and she can’t seem to stop bumping into the slightly annoying Torin... After everything that has happened and the changes that are going on in her life, it is now time for Elsie to have a good look around and start rediscovering herself to ultimately decide what she wants to get out of life and what steps she needs to take to find happiness again.

The heroine of this novel, Elsie, is instantly loveable and you can’t help but start rooting for her from the very first pages of the novel. However, not only Elsie, but all the characters in this book have been worked out in detail and all add their own personal touch to what happens in Elsie’s life. I really liked the fact that the story kept on developing itself with each chapter, and that not everything was given away at the start of the novel. Elsie’s tale is heart-warming and it made me laugh, but also shed a few tears at times. I had high hopes for this book and Miranda Dickinson certainly didn’t let me down. I know they say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but if in this case a chick-lit fan decides to pick up this book simply because of the sparkle and pretty letters, I’m almost certain they won’t be disappointed!

Rating: 

9/10