It's great to welcome Angela Petch's Mavis and Dot to the blog today. I am even more delighted to tell you that all profits from the sale of the books will go towards
research into the cure for cancer.
A warm slice of life, funny, feel-good, yet poignant.
Introducing two eccentric ladies who form an unlikely friendship.Meet Mavis and
Dot - two colourful, retired ladies who live in Worthington-on-Sea, where there
are charity shops galore. Apart from bargain hunting, they manage to tangle
themselves in escapades involving illegal immigrants, night clubs, nude
modelling, errant toupees and more. And then there’s Mal, the lovable dog who
nobody else wants. A gently humorous, often side-splitting, heart-warming
snapshot of two memorable characters with past secrets and passions. Escape for
a couple of hours into this snapshot of a faded, British seaside town. You'll
laugh and cry but probably laugh more.
"This book is quirky and individual,
and has great pathos...[it] will resonate with a lot of readers." Gill
Kaye - Editor of Ingenu(e).
Written with a light touch in memory of a dear
friend who passed away from ovarian cancer, Angela Petch’s seaside tale is a
departure from her successful Tuscan novels.
My Thoughts
In Mavis and Dot, we are introduced to two larger than life characters who are outspoken and full of life. At first, they seem quite different. Mavis is full of humour, more outgoing and out to try new things. Dot seems much more reserved. As the story unfolds, you find out more about both of them. This book reads like a breath of fresh air as new friendships develop. There are some laugh out loud moments with all the quirkiness that seems to be going on but beneath the surface are some more serious issues around how we welcome people in need and homelessness.
I loved the illustrations by Gill Kaye ( @GillKayeArtist ) which capture the flavour of the two women and their life in Worthington on Sea. The seaside resort is now past its best and there is a real feeling of nostalgia and changing times. There is plenty more to learn about Mavis and Dot's past lives and I would love Angela to return to Worthington on Sea sometime, to bring us more of these two.
In short: Escapades galore in this faded seaside town.
About the Author
A prize-winning author, Angela Petch lives half the year in
West Sussex and the summer months in a remote valley in the Tuscan Apennines.
She recently signed a two-book deal with Bookouture for her Tuscan novels and
“Mavis and Dot” is a temporary departure from her usual genre. She has
travelled all her life: born in Germany, she spent six years as a child living
in Rome, worked in Amsterdam after finishing her degree in Italian, moved to
Italy for her job, then to Tanzania for three years. Her head is full of
stories and she always carries a pen and note-book to capture more ideas.
In May 2017, Angela Petch won PRIMA’S monthly short story
competition and recently had a dozen stories published by The People’s Friend
magazine.
“Mavis and Dot” was written in memory of a dear friend who
lost her battle with ovarian cancer. All profits from sales of the book will go
towards research into a cure for cancer.
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Thanks for this lovely review. I think there are many "faded" seaside towns along our coast. I'm certainly continuing stories about Mavis and Dot. Watch this space!
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