Worth reading, 02 Jun 2007
Read this as it's intended - light-hearted chick lit for the 20something to 40something's - and it's good fun. I wouldn't exactly call it anti-romance but there is a good dose of realism & I'm sure most women can relate to at least some of the problems Miranda & Kath face, and maybe even reading the novel, have the odd laugh about them too!!

Miranda is at the centre of the story. She's the lynch-pin. A successful business-woman and shoe designer, with her own boutique in London, Miranda is so looking forward to a week away by the beach with her best friend, Kath... but when another couple drop out of the holiday & Kath invites her brother, Rob, & her father, Giles, Miranda isn't quite so sure that this is going to be the relaxing break she was so desperate for! However, when her partner Simon insists he's going anyway and taking their daughter, Anna, Miranda reluctantly agrees to join him.

It's a holiday fraught with tensions as no-one seems to be having the best time. Giles, a seemingly cold & distant widower, is there by default of having broken his arm & being dragged along. Rob has brought his girlfriend who's clearly into him way more than he is with her. Kath & Joe just want to be able to have some time on their own without being interrupted by their kids & then there's Miranda and Simon who barely have a civil word to say to each other. As the week unravels so to does the plot - can Miranda hold it all together?

The book starts off a bit stilted but gets better as you go along. Touchingly human, and with moments of perfect insight, it's a good read.


Making waves..., 06 Dec 2004
Although set in an old house by the sea, 'Cross My Heart and Hope to Die' isn't so much a rural story as the landscape of an extended family on holiday together. Family members are portrayed with warmth, humour and a deceptive lightness of touch. Their irritations and anxieties are there, along with their hang-ups, avoidances and confrontations, but at the same time there was plenty to make me smile and enjoy the company.

Secrecy and misunderstandings are tangled up with the pleasures the family finds in being together, and there is plenty for the reader to unravel. As family members get to know each other under different circumstances, changes and surprises surface: Anna (aged 8) has her own daydreams but is old enough to mirror tensions of the adults around her; Miranda and Simon are fighting an uncomfortable war of attrition; Kath wants to keep everyone happy but this is not so easy with her father around, and what will she do with her unexpected find in the attic?

This book kept me turning the pages late into the night. There is plenty of good dialogue, keeping the narrative flowing and revealing more and more about the characters. How would this diverse group ever find any resolution? Would there be painful compromises, easy solutions, more surprises? I had my own theories and they certainly weren't all right...

Gillian Andrews, Designer and Life Coach, 05 Aug 2004
Will Kath reconnect with her distant father? Will Miranda have the courage to face her past and embrace the future? Will Anna's dreams of mermaids last forever?

This story leaves you wanting to know the answers to these questions and follow them on their journey home and beyond!

Through an inspired collection of dialogue, the characters and real sense of place are beautifully crafted, springing them to life from each page. The open, windswept coastline of Devon in April, the high-hedge lanes and the cosiness of their temporary, flagstoned home are effortlessly created through a tumultuous flow of conversation and hopeful anticipation.

From Anna's child-like view of the world, her gentle innocence and sense of freedom, to Giles, a man of few words but many reasons to get them right, this story offers a sensitive insight into all their lives and the hope that they'll make the best of their chances and what life has to offer them.

This is a very warm and observant read, cheerful, honest and full of human expectation.

Nobody could fail to be won over by the self-deprecating charm of Claire Calman's introduction to her first novel: "despite popular demand that she should go back to magazines, she is now working on another book". Actually, that's good news for readers--those who pick up this sharp and witty meditation on sex and the other element that occasionally goes with it, Love is a Four Letter Word, will definitely be looking out for the second novel.

Calman's heroine Bella is trying to remember what sex is like. Wasn't it something that happened somewhere between the talking-and-going-out-to-dinner bit and the sobbing-and-eating-too-many-biscuits bit? But she is determined to fall off her sexual wagon before she becomes a virgin again ("all sealed over like pierced ears if you don't wear earrings for too long"). But there's one thing Bella is not prepared to hear again: the "L" word. Her body might be making hormonal demands, but she's resolute in not wanting the emotional baggage of love again. Nobody will be surprised, of course, to learn that she's back up to her neck in romantic trouble again--and why is it she always ends up with the wrong kind of man? Like all the best comic novelists, Calman crams her perky narrative with a host of highly diverting characters to surround her beleaguered heroine. The plotting, too, betrays no sign of first-novel inexperience: the situations that contrive to sink Bella deeper in the mire are all as imaginative as they are funny. And Calman's narrative voice always sounds just the right note, as when Bella is ironically considering becoming a nun:

Mother, I'm joining a convent. You'll never seen me again. Who knows, in her austere cell she might even take up painting again. Alone, the patterns of her thoughts would be clear and vibrant, shocking the virgin paper with their boldness, her brush caressing and seductive. She snorted at herself: Saint Bella of the Divine Brushstrokes.

--Barry Forshaw

Worth reading, 02 Jun 2007
Read this as it's intended - light-hearted chick lit for the 20something to 40something's - and it's good fun. I wouldn't exactly call it anti-romance but there is a good dose of realism & I'm sure most women can relate to at least some of the problems Miranda & Kath face, and maybe even reading the novel, have the odd laugh about them too!!

Miranda is at the centre of the story. She's the lynch-pin. A successful business-woman and shoe designer, with her own boutique in London, Miranda is so looking forward to a week away by the beach with her best friend, Kath... but when another couple drop out of the holiday & Kath invites her brother, Rob, & her father, Giles, Miranda isn't quite so sure that this is going to be the relaxing break she was so desperate for! However, when her partner Simon insists he's going anyway and taking their daughter, Anna, Miranda reluctantly agrees to join him.

It's a holiday fraught with tensions as no-one seems to be having the best time. Giles, a seemingly cold & distant widower, is there by default of having broken his arm & being dragged along. Rob has brought his girlfriend who's clearly into him way more than he is with her. Kath & Joe just want to be able to have some time on their own without being interrupted by their kids & then there's Miranda and Simon who barely have a civil word to say to each other. As the week unravels so to does the plot - can Miranda hold it all together?

The book starts off a bit stilted but gets better as you go along. Touchingly human, and with moments of perfect insight, it's a good read.


Making waves..., 06 Dec 2004
Although set in an old house by the sea, 'Cross My Heart and Hope to Die' isn't so much a rural story as the landscape of an extended family on holiday together. Family members are portrayed with warmth, humour and a deceptive lightness of touch. Their irritations and anxieties are there, along with their hang-ups, avoidances and confrontations, but at the same time there was plenty to make me smile and enjoy the company.

Secrecy and misunderstandings are tangled up with the pleasures the family finds in being together, and there is plenty for the reader to unravel. As family members get to know each other under different circumstances, changes and surprises surface: Anna (aged 8) has her own daydreams but is old enough to mirror tensions of the adults around her; Miranda and Simon are fighting an uncomfortable war of attrition; Kath wants to keep everyone happy but this is not so easy with her father around, and what will she do with her unexpected find in the attic?

This book kept me turning the pages late into the night. There is plenty of good dialogue, keeping the narrative flowing and revealing more and more about the characters. How would this diverse group ever find any resolution? Would there be painful compromises, easy solutions, more surprises? I had my own theories and they certainly weren't all right...

Gillian Andrews, Designer and Life Coach, 05 Aug 2004
Will Kath reconnect with her distant father? Will Miranda have the courage to face her past and embrace the future? Will Anna's dreams of mermaids last forever?

This story leaves you wanting to know the answers to these questions and follow them on their journey home and beyond!

Through an inspired collection of dialogue, the characters and real sense of place are beautifully crafted, springing them to life from each page. The open, windswept coastline of Devon in April, the high-hedge lanes and the cosiness of their temporary, flagstoned home are effortlessly created through a tumultuous flow of conversation and hopeful anticipation.

From Anna's child-like view of the world, her gentle innocence and sense of freedom, to Giles, a man of few words but many reasons to get them right, this story offers a sensitive insight into all their lives and the hope that they'll make the best of their chances and what life has to offer them.

This is a very warm and observant read, cheerful, honest and full of human expectation.

Cute book, 23 Apr 2008
Quite a sweet book, romantic. But it did take a while to get going, I thought. The good thing is that with one central character, you could really get to know her, and what makes her who she is now. The flashbacks were an important part of the story I think, for character developing. Without these little insights, I doubt the book would have been so readable. Bella would have just been a 2 dimentional person, rather than a well rounded one.

I was suprised by what happened with Patrick, as you don't get to know the full story until about half way through the book. I like books that suprise me, so this was great. I didn't expect that at all.

And Will..... well I think I fell for him a bit myself!


Not what I expected and definately worth a read, 16 May 2005
Having just finished reading "Love is a Four Letter Word", I know what my fellow reviewer means when they say they felt weird after reading this book. I do too, inexplicably. This novel, whilst at first glances appears to be a piece of light-hearted literature, which in places, it is just that, it also deals with some much darker issues. It made me ponder for a while about the fragility of life and relationships. It is an easy read and a bit different to most "chick-lit" novels; well worth a read.

A romance with depth, 14 Apr 2003
I really enjoyed reading Love is Four Letter Word. The characters are warm, humourous and likable and really draw you in to their world............

If you like a good romantic read with some soul then definitely read this book, you will laugh, cry and feel good inside.

Good, but quite annoying, 12 Mar 2003
I thought this was going to be one of the funniest books I've ever read, judging from the other reviews that is!! However, although the mystery of Patrick looms in the air for half the book and Bella is extremely scatty throughout, it is also very frustrating. Bella is supposed to be 33 and Will 37, but they act more like teenagers. Their constant bickering and then making up is enough to annoy anyone. However, the story is still very touching and a very easy holiday read.

modern take on "truly madly deeply", 23 Jul 2002
I have to agree with other readers: this book should certainly NOT be judged by its cover. It's unbelievable how misleading a book-cover can be, especially in these...slippery days of thousands of chic-lit books hitting the bookstore shelves.

Claire Calman's book has some chic-lit characteristics- the love affair, the good friends helping our heroine (Bella) & having endless drinks with her. The difficult family. But there the resemblances end. This book was a lovely surprise for me: I read it in one sitting, & felt weird when it ended. OK OK, I know this all sounds tacky, but it's true that I enjoyed this book, & especially the lovely, true-to-life relationship between Bella & Will.

One of my favourite plays ever is "Truly madly deeply" & this book (as others have noted) reminded me of a lighter version of that play. Bella finds it hard to leave the past behind & to trust herself & her life. What came to mind as I was reading this book is the old saying that "it's hard to be sad, but it's even harder to be happy".

Oh, and by the way: the book is very funny, too.

Some things just can't be undone. For Scott and Gail, Scott's five-minute indiscretion was the end of their 15-year marriage. Told from the individual perspectives of each member of the family, every chapter is a new voice and the family takes it in turns to tell us its story.

Scott is the husband and father, who feels rather a failure at both, and wonders how he will survive with the binliner of belongings his wife tossed out onto the front lawn; Gail, the wife and mother, is sick of being the responsible parent, and questions whether Scott's affair was just the excuse she was looking for to get out of her marriage; Nat, or Natty, is the 13-year-old son who resents his father for leaving, but likes to distract himself by winding up his little sister; and Rosie is a precocious nine-year-old, who loves her Daddy, the colour mauve, lollies and glittery nail polish.

Lessons for a Sunday Father is a clever, funny and poignant treatment of a sore subject--the break up of the family. It follows on from the success Calman achieved with Love is a Four Letter Word, for which she was short-listed for the "Finest First Novel Featuring Biscuits on the Cover" award. Calman is a writer whose awards even reflect her cynical and quirky sense of humour! --Neena Dutta

Worth reading, 02 Jun 2007
Read this as it's intended - light-hearted chick lit for the 20something to 40something's - and it's good fun. I wouldn't exactly call it anti-romance but there is a good dose of realism & I'm sure most women can relate to at least some of the problems Miranda & Kath face, and maybe even reading the novel, have the odd laugh about them too!!

Miranda is at the centre of the story. She's the lynch-pin. A successful business-woman and shoe designer, with her own boutique in London, Miranda is so looking forward to a week away by the beach with her best friend, Kath... but when another couple drop out of the holiday & Kath invites her brother, Rob, & her father, Giles, Miranda isn't quite so sure that this is going to be the relaxing break she was so desperate for! However, when her partner Simon insists he's going anyway and taking their daughter, Anna, Miranda reluctantly agrees to join him.

It's a holiday fraught with tensions as no-one seems to be having the best time. Giles, a seemingly cold & distant widower, is there by default of having broken his arm & being dragged along. Rob has brought his girlfriend who's clearly into him way more than he is with her. Kath & Joe just want to be able to have some time on their own without being interrupted by their kids & then there's Miranda and Simon who barely have a civil word to say to each other. As the week unravels so to does the plot - can Miranda hold it all together?

The book starts off a bit stilted but gets better as you go along. Touchingly human, and with moments of perfect insight, it's a good read.


Making waves..., 06 Dec 2004
Although set in an old house by the sea, 'Cross My Heart and Hope to Die' isn't so much a rural story as the landscape of an extended family on holiday together. Family members are portrayed with warmth, humour and a deceptive lightness of touch. Their irritations and anxieties are there, along with their hang-ups, avoidances and confrontations, but at the same time there was plenty to make me smile and enjoy the company.

Secrecy and misunderstandings are tangled up with the pleasures the family finds in being together, and there is plenty for the reader to unravel. As family members get to know each other under different circumstances, changes and surprises surface: Anna (aged 8) has her own daydreams but is old enough to mirror tensions of the adults around her; Miranda and Simon are fighting an uncomfortable war of attrition; Kath wants to keep everyone happy but this is not so easy with her father around, and what will she do with her unexpected find in the attic?

This book kept me turning the pages late into the night. There is plenty of good dialogue, keeping the narrative flowing and revealing more and more about the characters. How would this diverse group ever find any resolution? Would there be painful compromises, easy solutions, more surprises? I had my own theories and they certainly weren't all right...

Gillian Andrews, Designer and Life Coach, 05 Aug 2004
Will Kath reconnect with her distant father? Will Miranda have the courage to face her past and embrace the future? Will Anna's dreams of mermaids last forever?

This story leaves you wanting to know the answers to these questions and follow them on their journey home and beyond!

Through an inspired collection of dialogue, the characters and real sense of place are beautifully crafted, springing them to life from each page. The open, windswept coastline of Devon in April, the high-hedge lanes and the cosiness of their temporary, flagstoned home are effortlessly created through a tumultuous flow of conversation and hopeful anticipation.

From Anna's child-like view of the world, her gentle innocence and sense of freedom, to Giles, a man of few words but many reasons to get them right, this story offers a sensitive insight into all their lives and the hope that they'll make the best of their chances and what life has to offer them.

This is a very warm and observant read, cheerful, honest and full of human expectation.

Cute book, 23 Apr 2008
Quite a sweet book, romantic. But it did take a while to get going, I thought. The good thing is that with one central character, you could really get to know her, and what makes her who she is now. The flashbacks were an important part of the story I think, for character developing. Without these little insights, I doubt the book would have been so readable. Bella would have just been a 2 dimentional person, rather than a well rounded one.

I was suprised by what happened with Patrick, as you don't get to know the full story until about half way through the book. I like books that suprise me, so this was great. I didn't expect that at all.

And Will..... well I think I fell for him a bit myself!


Not what I expected and definately worth a read, 16 May 2005
Having just finished reading "Love is a Four Letter Word", I know what my fellow reviewer means when they say they felt weird after reading this book. I do too, inexplicably. This novel, whilst at first glances appears to be a piece of light-hearted literature, which in places, it is just that, it also deals with some much darker issues. It made me ponder for a while about the fragility of life and relationships. It is an easy read and a bit different to most "chick-lit" novels; well worth a read.

A romance with depth, 14 Apr 2003
I really enjoyed reading Love is Four Letter Word. The characters are warm, humourous and likable and really draw you in to their world............

If you like a good romantic read with some soul then definitely read this book, you will laugh, cry and feel good inside.

Good, but quite annoying, 12 Mar 2003
I thought this was going to be one of the funniest books I've ever read, judging from the other reviews that is!! However, although the mystery of Patrick looms in the air for half the book and Bella is extremely scatty throughout, it is also very frustrating. Bella is supposed to be 33 and Will 37, but they act more like teenagers. Their constant bickering and then making up is enough to annoy anyone. However, the story is still very touching and a very easy holiday read.

modern take on "truly madly deeply", 23 Jul 2002
I have to agree with other readers: this book should certainly NOT be judged by its cover. It's unbelievable how misleading a book-cover can be, especially in these...slippery days of thousands of chic-lit books hitting the bookstore shelves.

Claire Calman's book has some chic-lit characteristics- the love affair, the good friends helping our heroine (Bella) & having endless drinks with her. The difficult family. But there the resemblances end. This book was a lovely surprise for me: I read it in one sitting, & felt weird when it ended. OK OK, I know this all sounds tacky, but it's true that I enjoyed this book, & especially the lovely, true-to-life relationship between Bella & Will.

One of my favourite plays ever is "Truly madly deeply" & this book (as others have noted) reminded me of a lighter version of that play. Bella finds it hard to leave the past behind & to trust herself & her life. What came to mind as I was reading this book is the old saying that "it's hard to be sad, but it's even harder to be happy".

Oh, and by the way: the book is very funny, too.

Truly wonderful., 27 Nov 2001
I adored Love is a Four-Letter Word, so I was predisposed to enjoy Lessons for a Sunday Father. I was not disappointed. Calman is capable of making her readers laugh and cry simultaneously -- a rare talent.

As another reviewer mentioned, Rosie is a delight. But all the characters are so real that you can believe you know them and what they're going through.

I'm looking forward to Calman's next effort; I can only hope that she can continue to work her magic.

Excellent...shame about the cover, 15 Nov 2001
This was a fantastic read. It's split into 4 different voices as a family (2 children, 2 parents) suffer a divorce. It's touching, poignant and at times funny...

But, as other amazon reviewers have noted, why on earth does it have a silly Chick Lit cover on the front? I had to make it point because as a result I was putting off buying this book for months until someone forced it onto me. I think it is a shame as publishers seem to do this more and more - wrapping an intelligent read by a female in a trashy cover, and I think it loses readers rather than gaining them! I would put Claire Calman in the ranks of other fine female writers such as Polly Sampson and Maggie O'Farrell for her insight and sensitivity...I look forward to more from Claire Calman.

A great 4-way read!, 01 Mar 2001
What an excellent read. This book takes the perspective of 4 characters involved in a marriage break-up, the father, the mother and the 2 children. What an excellent idea! This mean we can see how the break-up affects everyone and how people's actions can be misinterpreted by others. I would thoroughly recommend this book even if you didn;t like "Love is a Four Letter Word". This is sexy, funny and just a little bit good!!!

a story of emotional nitty-gritty, 23 Feb 2001
I found the jacket design of Claire Calman's "Lessons for a Sunday Father" rather misleading. It's much less of a fantasy love story than her excellent "Love is a Four Letter Word" which had a similar cover. This new novel is more nitty-gritty throughout. The rush of all kinds of emotions in the splitting marriage is full of the humour and sexiness of her first book but digs deeper, hurts more and feels true. The nine-year old Rosie is an unforgettable commentator from first to last. I loved it all.

love and conflict in four voices, 15 Feb 2001
It's not often you find a book that makes you laugh a lot, cry a litte, and rings true as well. I enjoyed every minute of Claire Calman's "Lessons for a Sunday Father". At first I thought Scott, the husband, deserved everything he got but gradually I saw a more rounded picture through the voices of his (very entertaining) kids and upset wife - he is revealed as an inarticulate but loveable man who very nearly loses everything precious to him.

Georgia Abrams, the heroine of Claire Calman's third novel I Like it Like That, leads a black-and-white kind of life, her clothes come in shades of monochrome, her flat is tiny, tidy and neat and her boyfriend is 'Stephen with a p-h'. Her family can be rambunctious and unruly, but everything else seems pretty much under control, including her wildly curly hair, which she carefully straightens every morning. From chapter one it's obvious that this "sensible and well-behaved" character is about to experience a bit of dramatic disruption. And, as this is romantic fiction, the agent of chaos is a man. Photographer Leo crashes into her door and her life. He's funny and flirty and has a knack of questioning Georgia's carefully edited world view. The chemistry between them sparks and crackles, verbally and emotionally, but Claire Calman keeps the sexual tension (and there's plenty) unresolved with some well-paced family drama.

Snippets of Georgia's childhood explain why she always feels the need to always behave like "a grown up". Family lunches, brunches and parties illuminate her character, she isn't a boring control freak, she can be "mean-spirited, judgmental, unjust, unkind". But she's also warm, loving 'passionate and deeply silly'. I Like It Like That is a love story, but it's also the tale of how Georgia learns to live an untamed, curly-haired life, complete with a red velvet wedding dress, and groom who's name isn't spelt with 'p-h'.--Eithne Farry

Worth reading, 02 Jun 2007
Read this as it's intended - light-hearted chick lit for the 20something to 40something's - and it's good fun. I wouldn't exactly call it anti-romance but there is a good dose of realism & I'm sure most women can relate to at least some of the problems Miranda & Kath face, and maybe even reading the novel, have the odd laugh about them too!!

Miranda is at the centre of the story. She's the lynch-pin. A successful business-woman and shoe designer, with her own boutique in London, Miranda is so looking forward to a week away by the beach with her best friend, Kath... but when another couple drop out of the holiday & Kath invites her brother, Rob, & her father, Giles, Miranda isn't quite so sure that this is going to be the relaxing break she was so desperate for! However, when her partner Simon insists he's going anyway and taking their daughter, Anna, Miranda reluctantly agrees to join him.

It's a holiday fraught with tensions as no-one seems to be having the best time. Giles, a seemingly cold & distant widower, is there by default of having broken his arm & being dragged along. Rob has brought his girlfriend who's clearly into him way more than he is with her. Kath & Joe just want to be able to have some time on their own without being interrupted by their kids & then there's Miranda and Simon who barely have a civil word to say to each other. As the week unravels so to does the plot - can Miranda hold it all together?

The book starts off a bit stilted but gets better as you go along. Touchingly human, and with moments of perfect insight, it's a good read.


Making waves..., 06 Dec 2004
Although set in an old house by the sea, 'Cross My Heart and Hope to Die' isn't so much a rural story as the landscape of an extended family on holiday together. Family members are portrayed with warmth, humour and a deceptive lightness of touch. Their irritations and anxieties are there, along with their hang-ups, avoidances and confrontations, but at the same time there was plenty to make me smile and enjoy the company.

Secrecy and misunderstandings are tangled up with the pleasures the family finds in being together, and there is plenty for the reader to unravel. As family members get to know each other under different circumstances, changes and surprises surface: Anna (aged 8) has her own daydreams but is old enough to mirror tensions of the adults around her; Miranda and Simon are fighting an uncomfortable war of attrition; Kath wants to keep everyone happy but this is not so easy with her father around, and what will she do with her unexpected find in the attic?

This book kept me turning the pages late into the night. There is plenty of good dialogue, keeping the narrative flowing and revealing more and more about the characters. How would this diverse group ever find any resolution? Would there be painful compromises, easy solutions, more surprises? I had my own theories and they certainly weren't all right...

Gillian Andrews, Designer and Life Coach, 05 Aug 2004
Will Kath reconnect with her distant father? Will Miranda have the courage to face her past and embrace the future? Will Anna's dreams of mermaids last forever?

This story leaves you wanting to know the answers to these questions and follow them on their journey home and beyond!

Through an inspired collection of dialogue, the characters and real sense of place are beautifully crafted, springing them to life from each page. The open, windswept coastline of Devon in April, the high-hedge lanes and the cosiness of their temporary, flagstoned home are effortlessly created through a tumultuous flow of conversation and hopeful anticipation.

From Anna's child-like view of the world, her gentle innocence and sense of freedom, to Giles, a man of few words but many reasons to get them right, this story offers a sensitive insight into all their lives and the hope that they'll make the best of their chances and what life has to offer them.

This is a very warm and observant read, cheerful, honest and full of human expectation.

Cute book, 23 Apr 2008
Quite a sweet book, romantic. But it did take a while to get going, I thought. The good thing is that with one central character, you could really get to know her, and what makes her who she is now. The flashbacks were an important part of the story I think, for character developing. Without these little insights, I doubt the book would have been so readable. Bella would have just been a 2 dimentional person, rather than a well rounded one.

I was suprised by what happened with Patrick, as you don't get to know the full story until about half way through the book. I like books that suprise me, so this was great. I didn't expect that at all.

And Will..... well I think I fell for him a bit myself!


Not what I expected and definately worth a read, 16 May 2005
Having just finished reading "Love is a Four Letter Word", I know what my fellow reviewer means when they say they felt weird after reading this book. I do too, inexplicably. This novel, whilst at first glances appears to be a piece of light-hearted literature, which in places, it is just that, it also deals with some much darker issues. It made me ponder for a while about the fragility of life and relationships. It is an easy read and a bit different to most "chick-lit" novels; well worth a read.

A romance with depth, 14 Apr 2003
I really enjoyed reading Love is Four Letter Word. The characters are warm, humourous and likable and really draw you in to their world............

If you like a good romantic read with some soul then definitely read this book, you will laugh, cry and feel good inside.

Good, but quite annoying, 12 Mar 2003
I thought this was going to be one of the funniest books I've ever read, judging from the other reviews that is!! However, although the mystery of Patrick looms in the air for half the book and Bella is extremely scatty throughout, it is also very frustrating. Bella is supposed to be 33 and Will 37, but they act more like teenagers. Their constant bickering and then making up is enough to annoy anyone. However, the story is still very touching and a very easy holiday read.

modern take on "truly madly deeply", 23 Jul 2002
I have to agree with other readers: this book should certainly NOT be judged by its cover. It's unbelievable how misleading a book-cover can be, especially in these...slippery days of thousands of chic-lit books hitting the bookstore shelves.

Claire Calman's book has some chic-lit characteristics- the love affair, the good friends helping our heroine (Bella) & having endless drinks with her. The difficult family. But there the resemblances end. This book was a lovely surprise for me: I read it in one sitting, & felt weird when it ended. OK OK, I know this all sounds tacky, but it's true that I enjoyed this book, & especially the lovely, true-to-life relationship between Bella & Will.

One of my favourite plays ever is "Truly madly deeply" & this book (as others have noted) reminded me of a lighter version of that play. Bella finds it hard to leave the past behind & to trust herself & her life. What came to mind as I was reading this book is the old saying that "it's hard to be sad, but it's even harder to be happy".

Oh, and by the way: the book is very funny, too.

Truly wonderful., 27 Nov 2001
I adored Love is a Four-Letter Word, so I was predisposed to enjoy Lessons for a Sunday Father. I was not disappointed. Calman is capable of making her readers laugh and cry simultaneously -- a rare talent.

As another reviewer mentioned, Rosie is a delight. But all the characters are so real that you can believe you know them and what they're going through.

I'm looking forward to Calman's next effort; I can only hope that she can continue to work her magic.

Excellent...shame about the cover, 15 Nov 2001
This was a fantastic read. It's split into 4 different voices as a family (2 children, 2 parents) suffer a divorce. It's touching, poignant and at times funny...

But, as other amazon reviewers have noted, why on earth does it have a silly Chick Lit cover on the front? I had to make it point because as a result I was putting off buying this book for months until someone forced it onto me. I think it is a shame as publishers seem to do this more and more - wrapping an intelligent read by a female in a trashy cover, and I think it loses readers rather than gaining them! I would put Claire Calman in the ranks of other fine female writers such as Polly Sampson and Maggie O'Farrell for her insight and sensitivity...I look forward to more from Claire Calman.

A great 4-way read!, 01 Mar 2001
What an excellent read. This book takes the perspective of 4 characters involved in a marriage break-up, the father, the mother and the 2 children. What an excellent idea! This mean we can see how the break-up affects everyone and how people's actions can be misinterpreted by others. I would thoroughly recommend this book even if you didn;t like "Love is a Four Letter Word". This is sexy, funny and just a little bit good!!!

a story of emotional nitty-gritty, 23 Feb 2001
I found the jacket design of Claire Calman's "Lessons for a Sunday Father" rather misleading. It's much less of a fantasy love story than her excellent "Love is a Four Letter Word" which had a similar cover. This new novel is more nitty-gritty throughout. The rush of all kinds of emotions in the splitting marriage is full of the humour and sexiness of her first book but digs deeper, hurts more and feels true. The nine-year old Rosie is an unforgettable commentator from first to last. I loved it all.

love and conflict in four voices, 15 Feb 2001
It's not often you find a book that makes you laugh a lot, cry a litte, and rings true as well. I enjoyed every minute of Claire Calman's "Lessons for a Sunday Father". At first I thought Scott, the husband, deserved everything he got but gradually I saw a more rounded picture through the voices of his (very entertaining) kids and upset wife - he is revealed as an inarticulate but loveable man who very nearly loses everything precious to him.

I really loved this book - and I've outgrown chick-lit, 06 Oct 2005
I just have to say how much I truly loved this book. I've not read anything that could vaguely be considered "chick-lit" for a while now, and I'd resigned myself to the fact that I was in fact a bit old and boring these days. Tales of girl meets boy/girl has amazing job/girl has lots of pretty friends just didnt do it for me anymore. However I'd really enjoyed previous titles by Claire Calman so I thought I'd give this one a go. It didn't disappoint - this book is witty, sensitive, and the characters are very real. I've not been able to put it down and I'm really enjoying it. Nice one Claire. Oh and PS. I especially like it because I have mad, curly, "birds nest" hair like Georgia. So there.

A Treat!, 09 Feb 2003
What a treat! Claire Calman’s sympathetic and witty book - gulped down with much chuckling and enjoyment - totally transformed what would have been a gloomy December Sunday. I particularly loved all the family stuff (it really drew me in) and the relationship between Georgia and her sister is explored with insight and humour..More seriously, the central character’s journey of self-discovery, her realization that she doesn’t in fact want the things she always thought she wanted, is something many of us can relate to. I know I can. I Like It Like That is a delightful read.

A Delightful Read, 15 Jan 2003
What a treat! Claire Calman's sympathetic and witty book - gulped down with much chuckling and enjoyment - totally transformed what would have been a gloomy December Sunday. I particularly loved all the family stuff (it really drew me in) and the relationship between Georgia and her sister is explored with insight and humour. And although Georgia leaving tight-arsed Stephen for Leo is predictable, it's also satisfying - indeed I'd have been very miffed if it had gone another way! More seriously, the central character's journey of self-discovery, her realization that she doesn't in fact want the things she always thought she wanted, is something many of us can relate to. I know I can. I Like It Like That is a delightful read.

Try it, you'll like it!!!, 07 Dec 2002
Who could resist a book with a title this appealing? I eagerly devoured Claire Calman's novel, which is a delightful mix of romantic comedy and domestic drama. The voice of her heroine, the supremely sensible Georgia, is refreshingly distinct. You feel as if she is a flesh-and-blood person, someone with whom you could sit and chat for hours. And the frenetic energy of her family will resonate with readers, especially the scenes involving Georgia's hapless sister, Ellen.

The tension between Georgia and Leo - the man who unexpectedly crashes into her life...well, her door, more like it - is finely wrought and utterly satisfying. Although the genre demands a happy ending, the story isn't formulaic: until the final pages I found myself wondering if Georgia would come to realize that Leo (aka Mr. "Wrong") was in fact Mr. Oh-So-Right.

What I appreciated in the writing -which is often laugh-out-loud-funny - is the emotional depth. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I Like It Like That contained many heart-rending passages, particularly the flashbacks to Georgia's childhood, and the dark family secret that is revealed is both shocking and deeply moving.

My advice to anyone tempted to pick this up? Try it, you'll like it - I promise.

Women's Glib?, 18 Nov 2002
I had to read this for a book promo day and found the first 100 pages to be totally predictable. As a male, I have never read a chick lit book before, and I found this to be hackneyed and stereotyped in regard to the male characters. It picked up after the yawn inducing beginning but the last chapters returned to the sudsy predictability of the beginning. The way the stepmother Quinn was depicted was a disgrace. My heart went out to that woman who had to suffer abuse from the insufferable middle class snobs who inhabit this book. As disposable as a sink full of washing up liquid.

Worth reading, 02 Jun 2007
Read this as it's intended - light-hearted chick lit for the 20something to 40something's - and it's good fun. I wouldn't exactly call it anti-romance but there is a good dose of realism & I'm sure most women can relate to at least some of the problems Miranda & Kath face, and maybe even reading the novel, have the odd laugh about them too!!

Miranda is at the centre of the story. She's the lynch-pin. A successful business-woman and shoe designer, with her own boutique in London, Miranda is so looking forward to a week away by the beach with her best friend, Kath... but when another couple drop out of the holiday & Kath invites her brother, Rob, & her father, Giles, Miranda isn't quite so sure that this is going to be the relaxing break she was so desperate for! However, when her partner Simon insists he's going anyway and taking their daughter, Anna, Miranda reluctantly agrees to join him.

It's a holiday fraught with tensions as no-one seems to be having the best time. Giles, a seemingly cold & distant widower, is there by default of having broken his arm & being dragged along. Rob has brought his girlfriend who's clearly into him way more than he is with her. Kath & Joe just want to be able to have some time on their own without being interrupted by their kids & then there's Miranda and Simon who barely have a civil word to say to each other. As the week unravels so to does the plot - can Miranda hold it all together?

The book starts off a bit stilted but gets better as you go along. Touchingly human, and with moments of perfect insight, it's a good read.


Making waves..., 06 Dec 2004
Although set in an old house by the sea, 'Cross My Heart and Hope to Die' isn't so much a rural story as the landscape of an extended family on holiday together. Family members are portrayed with warmth, humour and a deceptive lightness of touch. Their irritations and anxieties are there, along with their hang-ups, avoidances and confrontations, but at the same time there was plenty to make me smile and enjoy the company.

Secrecy and misunderstandings are tangled up with the pleasures the family finds in being together, and there is plenty for the reader to unravel. As family members get to know each other under different circumstances, changes and surprises surface: Anna (aged 8) has her own daydreams but is old enough to mirror tensions of the adults around her; Miranda and Simon are fighting an uncomfortable war of attrition; Kath wants to keep everyone happy but this is not so easy with her father around, and what will she do with her unexpected find in the attic?

This book kept me turning the pages late into the night. There is plenty of good dialogue, keeping the narrative flowing and revealing more and more about the characters. How would this diverse group ever find any resolution? Would there be painful compromises, easy solutions, more surprises? I had my own theories and they certainly weren't all right...

Gillian Andrews, Designer and Life Coach, 05 Aug 2004
Will Kath reconnect with her distant father? Will Miranda have the courage to face her past and embrace the future? Will Anna's dreams of mermaids last forever?

This story leaves you wanting to know the answers to these questions and follow them on their journey home and beyond!

Through an inspired collection of dialogue, the characters and real sense of place are beautifully crafted, springing them to life from each page. The open, windswept coastline of Devon in April, the high-hedge lanes and the cosiness of their temporary, flagstoned home are effortlessly created through a tumultuous flow of conversation and hopeful anticipation.

From Anna's child-like view of the world, her gentle innocence and sense of freedom, to Giles, a man of few words but many reasons to get them right, this story offers a sensitive insight into all their lives and the hope that they'll make the best of their chances and what life has to offer them.

This is a very warm and observant read, cheerful, honest and full of human expectation.

Cute book, 23 Apr 2008
Quite a sweet book, romantic. But it did take a while to get going, I thought. The good thing is that with one central character, you could really get to know her, and what makes her who she is now. The flashbacks were an important part of the story I think, for character developing. Without these little insights, I doubt the book would have been so readable. Bella would have just been a 2 dimentional person, rather than a well rounded one.

I was suprised by what happened with Patrick, as you don't get to know the full story until about half way through the book. I like books that suprise me, so this was great. I didn't expect that at all.

And Will..... well I think I fell for him a bit myself!


Not what I expected and definately worth a read, 16 May 2005
Having just finished reading "Love is a Four Letter Word", I know what my fellow reviewer means when they say they felt weird after reading this book. I do too, inexplicably. This novel, whilst at first glances appears to be a piece of light-hearted literature, which in places, it is just that, it also deals with some much darker issues. It made me ponder for a while about the fragility of life and relationships. It is an easy read and a bit different to most "chick-lit" novels; well worth a read.

A romance with depth, 14 Apr 2003
I really enjoyed reading Love is Four Letter Word. The characters are warm, humourous and likable and really draw you in to their world............

If you like a good romantic read with some soul then definitely read this book, you will laugh, cry and feel good inside.

Good, but quite annoying, 12 Mar 2003
I thought this was going to be one of the funniest books I've ever read, judging from the other reviews that is!! However, although the mystery of Patrick looms in the air for half the book and Bella is extremely scatty throughout, it is also very frustrating. Bella is supposed to be 33 and Will 37, but they act more like teenagers. Their constant bickering and then making up is enough to annoy anyone. However, the story is still very touching and a very easy holiday read.

modern take on "truly madly deeply", 23 Jul 2002
I have to agree with other readers: this book should certainly NOT be judged by its cover. It's unbelievable how misleading a book-cover can be, especially in these...slippery days of thousands of chic-lit books hitting the bookstore shelves.

Claire Calman's book has some chic-lit characteristics- the love affair, the good friends helping our heroine (Bella) & having endless drinks with her. The difficult family. But there the resemblances end. This book was a lovely surprise for me: I read it in one sitting, & felt weird when it ended. OK OK, I know this all sounds tacky, but it's true that I enjoyed this book, & especially the lovely, true-to-life relationship between Bella & Will.

One of my favourite plays ever is "Truly madly deeply" & this book (as others have noted) reminded me of a lighter version of that play. Bella finds it hard to leave the past behind & to trust herself & her life. What came to mind as I was reading this book is the old saying that "it's hard to be sad, but it's even harder to be happy".

Oh, and by the way: the book is very funny, too.

Truly wonderful., 27 Nov 2001
I adored Love is a Four-Letter Word, so I was predisposed to enjoy Lessons for a Sunday Father. I was not disappointed. Calman is capable of making her readers laugh and cry simultaneously -- a rare talent.

As another reviewer mentioned, Rosie is a delight. But all the characters are so real that you can believe you know them and what they're going through.

I'm looking forward to Calman's next effort; I can only hope that she can continue to work her magic.

Excellent...shame about the cover, 15 Nov 2001
This was a fantastic read. It's split into 4 different voices as a family (2 children, 2 parents) suffer a divorce. It's touching, poignant and at times funny...

But, as other amazon reviewers have noted, why on earth does it have a silly Chick Lit cover on the front? I had to make it point because as a result I was putting off buying this book for months until someone forced it onto me. I think it is a shame as publishers seem to do this more and more - wrapping an intelligent read by a female in a trashy cover, and I think it loses readers rather than gaining them! I would put Claire Calman in the ranks of other fine female writers such as Polly Sampson and Maggie O'Farrell for her insight and sensitivity...I look forward to more from Claire Calman.

A great 4-way read!, 01 Mar 2001
What an excellent read. This book takes the perspective of 4 characters involved in a marriage break-up, the father, the mother and the 2 children. What an excellent idea! This mean we can see how the break-up affects everyone and how people's actions can be misinterpreted by others. I would thoroughly recommend this book even if you didn;t like "Love is a Four Letter Word". This is sexy, funny and just a little bit good!!!

a story of emotional nitty-gritty, 23 Feb 2001
I found the jacket design of Claire Calman's "Lessons for a Sunday Father" rather misleading. It's much less of a fantasy love story than her excellent "Love is a Four Letter Word" which had a similar cover. This new novel is more nitty-gritty throughout. The rush of all kinds of emotions in the splitting marriage is full of the humour and sexiness of her first book but digs deeper, hurts more and feels true. The nine-year old Rosie is an unforgettable commentator from first to last. I loved it all.

love and conflict in four voices, 15 Feb 2001
It's not often you find a book that makes you laugh a lot, cry a litte, and rings true as well. I enjoyed every minute of Claire Calman's "Lessons for a Sunday Father". At first I thought Scott, the husband, deserved everything he got but gradually I saw a more rounded picture through the voices of his (very entertaining) kids and upset wife - he is revealed as an inarticulate but loveable man who very nearly loses everything precious to him.

I really loved this book - and I've outgrown chick-lit, 06 Oct 2005
I just have to say how much I truly loved this book. I've not read anything that could vaguely be considered "chick-lit" for a while now, and I'd resigned myself to the fact that I was in fact a bit old and boring these days. Tales of girl meets boy/girl has amazing job/girl has lots of pretty friends just didnt do it for me anymore. However I'd really enjoyed previous titles by Claire Calman so I thought I'd give this one a go. It didn't disappoint - this book is witty, sensitive, and the characters are very real. I've not been able to put it down and I'm really enjoying it. Nice one Claire. Oh and PS. I especially like it because I have mad, curly, "birds nest" hair like Georgia. So there.

A Treat!, 09 Feb 2003
What a treat! Claire Calman’s sympathetic and witty book - gulped down with much chuckling and enjoyment - totally transformed what would have been a gloomy December Sunday. I particularly loved all the family stuff (it really drew me in) and the relationship between Georgia and her sister is explored with insight and humour..More seriously, the central character’s journey of self-discovery, her realization that she doesn’t in fact want the things she always thought she wanted, is something many of us can relate to. I know I can. I Like It Like That is a delightful read.

A Delightful Read, 15 Jan 2003
What a treat! Claire Calman's sympathetic and witty book - gulped down with much chuckling and enjoyment - totally transformed what would have been a gloomy December Sunday. I particularly loved all the family stuff (it really drew me in) and the relationship between Georgia and her sister is explored with insight and humour. And although Georgia leaving tight-arsed Stephen for Leo is predictable, it's also satisfying - indeed I'd have been very miffed if it had gone another way! More seriously, the central character's journey of self-discovery, her realization that she doesn't in fact want the things she always thought she wanted, is something many of us can relate to. I know I can. I Like It Like That is a delightful read.

Try it, you'll like it!!!, 07 Dec 2002
Who could resist a book with a title this appealing? I eagerly devoured Claire Calman's novel, which is a delightful mix of romantic comedy and domestic drama. The voice of her heroine, the supremely sensible Georgia, is refreshingly distinct. You feel as if she is a flesh-and-blood person, someone with whom you could sit and chat for hours. And the frenetic energy of her family will resonate with readers, especially the scenes involving Georgia's hapless sister, Ellen.

The tension between Georgia and Leo - the man who unexpectedly crashes into her life...well, her door, more like it - is finely wrought and utterly satisfying. Although the genre demands a happy ending, the story isn't formulaic: until the final pages I found myself wondering if Georgia would come to realize that Leo (aka Mr. "Wrong") was in fact Mr. Oh-So-Right.

What I appreciated in the writing -which is often laugh-out-loud-funny - is the emotional depth. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I Like It Like That contained many heart-rending passages, particularly the flashbacks to Georgia's childhood, and the dark family secret that is revealed is both shocking and deeply moving.

My advice to anyone tempted to pick this up? Try it, you'll like it - I promise.

Women's Glib?, 18 Nov 2002
I had to read this for a book promo day and found the first 100 pages to be totally predictable. As a male, I have never read a chick lit book before, and I found this to be hackneyed and stereotyped in regard to the male characters. It picked up after the yawn inducing beginning but the last chapters returned to the sudsy predictability of the beginning. The way the stepmother Quinn was depicted was a disgrace. My heart went out to that woman who had to suffer abuse from the insufferable middle class snobs who inhabit this book. As disposable as a sink full of washing up liquid.

Worth reading, 02 Jun 2007
Read this as it's intended - light-hearted chick lit for the 20something to 40something's - and it's good fun. I wouldn't exactly call it anti-romance but there is a good dose of realism & I'm sure most women can relate to at least some of the problems Miranda & Kath face, and maybe even reading the novel, have the odd laugh about them too!!

Miranda is at the centre of the story. She's the lynch-pin. A successful business-woman and shoe designer, with her own boutique in London, Miranda is so looking forward to a week away by the beach with her best friend, Kath... but when another couple drop out of the holiday & Kath invites her brother, Rob, & her father, Giles, Miranda isn't quite so sure that this is going to be the relaxing break she was so desperate for! However, when her partner Simon insists he's going anyway and taking their daughter, Anna, Miranda reluctantly agrees to join him.

It's a holiday fraught with tensions as no-one seems to be having the best time. Giles, a seemingly cold & distant widower, is there by default of having broken his arm & being dragged along. Rob has brought his girlfriend who's clearly into him way more than he is with her. Kath & Joe just want to be able to have some time on their own without being interrupted by their kids & then there's Miranda and Simon who barely have a civil word to say to each other. As the week unravels so to does the plot - can Miranda hold it all together?

The book starts off a bit stilted but gets better as you go along. Touchingly human, and with moments of perfect insight, it's a good read.


Making waves..., 06 Dec 2004
Although set in an old house by the sea, 'Cross My Heart and Hope to Die' isn't so much a rural story as the landscape of an extended family on holiday together. Family members are portrayed with warmth, humour and a deceptive lightness of touch. Their irritations and anxieties are there, along with their hang-ups, avoidances and confrontations, but at the same time there was plenty to make me smile and enjoy the company.

Secrecy and misunderstandings are tangled up with the pleasures the family finds in being together, and there is plenty for the reader to unravel. As family members get to know each other under different circumstances, changes and surprises surface: Anna (aged 8) has her own daydreams but is old enough to mirror tensions of the adults around her; Miranda and Simon are fighting an uncomfortable war of attrition; Kath wants to keep everyone happy but this is not so easy with her father around, and what will she do with her unexpected find in the attic?

This book kept me turning the pages late into the night. There is plenty of good dialogue, keeping the narrative flowing and revealing more and more about the characters. How would this diverse group ever find any resolution? Would there be painful compromises, easy solutions, more surprises? I had my own theories and they certainly weren't all right...

Gillian Andrews, Designer and Life Coach, 05 Aug 2004
Will Kath reconnect with her distant father? Will Miranda have the courage to face her past and embrace the future? Will Anna's dreams of mermaids last forever?

This story leaves you wanting to know the answers to these questions and follow them on their journey home and beyond!

Through an inspired collection of dialogue, the characters and real sense of place are beautifully crafted, springing them to life from each page. The open, windswept coastline of Devon in April, the high-hedge lanes and the cosiness of their temporary, flagstoned home are effortlessly created through a tumultuous flow of conversation and hopeful anticipation.

From Anna's child-like view of the world, her gentle innocence and sense of freedom, to Giles, a man of few words but many reasons to get them right, this story offers a sensitive insight into all their lives and the hope that they'll make the best of their chances and what life has to offer them.

This is a very warm and observant read, cheerful, honest and full of human expectation.