Books & Audiobooks
Annabel Monaghan’s latest novel, Dolly All the Time is charming fake dating romance done right. Stewart Whitfield, of the Rhode Island Whitfields, of course, was born into a wealthy family with strong ties to the small town named after them. Dolly Brick is a 39-year-old single mother who comes from a working-class family and returns to the town, with her 13-year-old son in tow, to help her father save their family home.
The couple meets when Dolly changes Stewart’s flat tire and from there a plan is hatched – one that will save Dolly’s family home and helps Stewart achieve his own goals. Needless to say, things get complicated fast.
The story has an obvious Pretty Woman vibe, and I enjoyed seeing Dolly’s fish-out-of-water experiences and how she and Stewart, who are delightfully and believably flawed, grow together. The secondary cast is one of the strongest I’ve seen and added a lot to the story. I particularly loved that the ultra-rich Whitfields weren’t stereotypical snobbity snobs, and Dolly’s bond with her family and, in particular, her teenage son melted my heart.
The only wee issue is the romantic blip towards the end that felt contrived and a bit drawn out. But the ending, which made me tear up, made up for the third act issue.
With laugh out loud moments, lots of heart and some swoony bits, this is a well-paced story with romance and the importance of family set in a lovely small-town seaside locale. A perfect end of summer read!