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The Travel Auction
It should have been their trip of a lifetime. But with just days to go, Jonathan Cork finds himself dumped by his girlfriend, Kate Thornly. Even worse, a life-threatening allergy means he can’t travel alone. Unable to change the name on the spare ticket and fast running out of time, Jonathan resorts to desperate measures. He advertises on eBay for a travel companion with the same name as his ex. The problem is, it’s a complete lottery who he’ll end up with.
Kate Thornly (the second) is aware of the unusual eBay auction, but she can’t be persuaded to bid. Enter Maria, her best friend, who secretly applies on her behalf! With her nursing credentials and erotic photo, Kate seems the perfect travel companion. But there’s just one small detail Maria’s conveniently left off Kate’s bid...
What follows is a funny, page-turning, roller-coaster ride around South America.
Kate Thornly (the second) is aware of the unusual eBay auction, but she can’t be persuaded to bid. Enter Maria, her best friend, who secretly applies on her behalf! With her nursing credentials and erotic photo, Kate seems the perfect travel companion. But there’s just one small detail Maria’s conveniently left off Kate’s bid...
What follows is a funny, page-turning, roller-coaster ride around South America.
374 pages, ebook
First published August 13, 2012
About the author
Mark Green
6 books41 followersMark Green is a British guy who got bored with the soulless nature of his job in the construction industry. In 2007, he and his girlfriend, Nicky, spent three months backpacking around South America, which provided the backdrop to this book. Upon returning to the UK after their adventure, Mark and Nicky decided that a conventional life wasn’t for them. They rented out their house and spent three years renovating a small sailing boat where they now live on Britain’s south coast. The Travel Auction is Mark’s first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
December 19, 2020
I had to give this a five star rating because for a book that was self-published (and 8 years ago), first novel and actually written by a man, this was a really fun read with the right mix of humor and romance. Hilarious and playful!
Jonny and his girlfriend Kate Thornley booked a 3-month trip around South America but a few days before their departure, Kate was caught cheating. Red handedly! Jonny resorted to finding a new travel companion (preferably a nurse or in the medical field to help him with his allergies when the need to administer drugs arise) with the same name as his ex and opened the application on ebay. He eventually found Kate Thornley #2! Their adventure of a lifetime begins when they’ve finally met and Jonny found out something that was not included on Kate #2’s profile.
Kate Thornley #2 is blind. But Jonny decided to go on with the trip anyway and they had to be physically close to each other almost all the time and Jonny would often describe their surrounding to Kate. I find this so intimate and so weird at the same time. But nonetheless romantic. And fun! I enjoyed reading it.
Jonny and his girlfriend Kate Thornley booked a 3-month trip around South America but a few days before their departure, Kate was caught cheating. Red handedly! Jonny resorted to finding a new travel companion (preferably a nurse or in the medical field to help him with his allergies when the need to administer drugs arise) with the same name as his ex and opened the application on ebay. He eventually found Kate Thornley #2! Their adventure of a lifetime begins when they’ve finally met and Jonny found out something that was not included on Kate #2’s profile.
Kate Thornley #2 is blind. But Jonny decided to go on with the trip anyway and they had to be physically close to each other almost all the time and Jonny would often describe their surrounding to Kate. I find this so intimate and so weird at the same time. But nonetheless romantic. And fun! I enjoyed reading it.
March 8, 2023
I loved, loved, loved this book so much- it was too much fun and had such a great premise.
It brought out the travel lover in me with thoughts of “no money? No problem” and “have a gut? No problem” and “taking life too seriously? No problem”
I’m telling you, this book is a cure for whatever ails you.
It brought out the travel lover in me with thoughts of “no money? No problem” and “have a gut? No problem” and “taking life too seriously? No problem”
I’m telling you, this book is a cure for whatever ails you.
February 23, 2018
What a fab book, i absolutely loved this :) I wont give anything away but guys its really worth a read :) makes me want to go travelling. :)
Updated 22/02/2018
It was a privilege to read this when it was first published and the rewrite was just as good. I cant wait to start the next one :) thanks Mark
Updated 22/02/2018
It was a privilege to read this when it was first published and the rewrite was just as good. I cant wait to start the next one :) thanks Mark
September 19, 2013
Jonathan Cork has a spare ticket for a 3 month trip around South America as his girlfriend (rather ex) found the plumber too much to resist. Problem is with this short notice he cannot change the name on that ticket. So on eBay he advertised for a new Kate Thornly as he cannot risk going on the trip himself as he has life threatening allergy to nuts.
Kate Thornly finds out that her best friend Maria has set her up in a massive way, by organising for her to be the new Kate Thornly to accompany Jonathan on his trip - she is after all medically trained so ideal companion surely?
This is a lovely story of their journey together and brings completely different perspective on people travelling around the South American countries, including the Inca Trail up to Macho Pichu
Love this book and read in no time at all!
Kate Thornly finds out that her best friend Maria has set her up in a massive way, by organising for her to be the new Kate Thornly to accompany Jonathan on his trip - she is after all medically trained so ideal companion surely?
This is a lovely story of their journey together and brings completely different perspective on people travelling around the South American countries, including the Inca Trail up to Macho Pichu
Love this book and read in no time at all!
August 28, 2013
This was sent to me in the mail as our Goodreads group "Books, Wine and Girl Talk" first traveling book. I hope we have more traveling books. It's exciting to get a book in the mail. :)
Mark wrote a wonderful story that is very eye opening. He kept me reading wanting to know what was going to happen next. I've never thought about a blind persons perspective before because I don't know anyone who is blind. Also, I think Mark did a great job of writing from a girls perspective. I look foward to reading more books written by Mark. :)
Mark wrote a wonderful story that is very eye opening. He kept me reading wanting to know what was going to happen next. I've never thought about a blind persons perspective before because I don't know anyone who is blind. Also, I think Mark did a great job of writing from a girls perspective. I look foward to reading more books written by Mark. :)
January 10, 2014
Had it on my kindle for some time , and have just started reading it. I am surprised to say it is a very good read . It is a different type of story but very interesting xx
December 25, 2020
I didn't think I would like this at the start as Jonny (JC) kind of irritated me and the style of writing - switching back and forth quickly between the POVs - was confusing at first. However, this book was so good I don't have any complaints.
I liked the writing style once I got used to it.
JC and Angel were amazing and the character growth was top notch (especially for JC). It was fun and cute and if someone was advertising something like this on eBay with my name, this book would entice me to put in a bid.
I was smiling and laughing through so much of this that my mum and my sister both commented on how they were just spending their time watching me read because my facial expressions entertained them so much.
Highly recommend.
I liked the writing style once I got used to it.
JC and Angel were amazing and the character growth was top notch (especially for JC). It was fun and cute and if someone was advertising something like this on eBay with my name, this book would entice me to put in a bid.
I was smiling and laughing through so much of this that my mum and my sister both commented on how they were just spending their time watching me read because my facial expressions entertained them so much.
Highly recommend.
December 23, 2018
Excellent, feel good, very funny
I really enjoyed this book, the idea behind it seams a bit silly at first but it’s so well written you quickly get into the story. Hard to put it down! My Mum loved it too (apart from the bit at the end when they get together 😄)
I really enjoyed this book, the idea behind it seams a bit silly at first but it’s so well written you quickly get into the story. Hard to put it down! My Mum loved it too (apart from the bit at the end when they get together 😄)
August 18, 2018
Excellent. Cute story, love the main characters and the sense of humor. I also loved how the relationship between the main characters had a natural feel in the way it develops.
May 7, 2013
Reading The Travel Auction made me feel as if I was going on a journey to South America along with JC and Angel. I was so attached to the characters and the story that it was hard for me to believe that they were not real people and that this story didn't really happen. Mark Green writes in the voice of both JC and Angel and does a very good job of it. He was able to make them have two distinct personalities and was very good at writing in the narrative of a woman. The Travel Auction reads as if JC and Angel both kept diaries and Mark Green took those diaries to tell their story. The fact that it's all fiction is astonishing and amazing.
I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book. When I finished the book and realized it was inspired by seeing a blind woman climb Machu Picchu I was very surprised. The way this was written had me convinced that it had been based off real events, more than just one event. Knowing this all came from Green's mind is incredible.
I very much enjoyed this book, but I hesitate giving it 5 stars because I felt there were loose ends with the email Angel's husband (ex-husband?) sent about new technology for getting vision back. It would have been interesting to see her take on it, whether she would want her vision back or not. I also thought the sex on the beach (literally) could have been done a bit more tastefully. I don't care that it was on a beach, but to just do that in front of so many people so publicly isn't romantic in any sense of the word. That part took away from the characters for me, it seemed too unreal compared to other events of the story and other character traits. That part just didn't work for me.
What I really did appreciate was that their looks weren't important and it was all about who they were as people, because that's what life is really about. So many books describe everyone as good looking and attractive and that gets a lot of mention, but other than one or two people saying how JC looked, without giving away too many detailed description, there was very little focus on their looks, which I really found wonderful.
I definitely recommend this book as I think it can teach us a lot about how we view people in general.
I was pleasantly surprised when I read this book. When I finished the book and realized it was inspired by seeing a blind woman climb Machu Picchu I was very surprised. The way this was written had me convinced that it had been based off real events, more than just one event. Knowing this all came from Green's mind is incredible.
I very much enjoyed this book, but I hesitate giving it 5 stars because I felt there were loose ends with the email Angel's husband (ex-husband?) sent about new technology for getting vision back. It would have been interesting to see her take on it, whether she would want her vision back or not. I also thought the sex on the beach (literally) could have been done a bit more tastefully. I don't care that it was on a beach, but to just do that in front of so many people so publicly isn't romantic in any sense of the word. That part took away from the characters for me, it seemed too unreal compared to other events of the story and other character traits. That part just didn't work for me.
What I really did appreciate was that their looks weren't important and it was all about who they were as people, because that's what life is really about. So many books describe everyone as good looking and attractive and that gets a lot of mention, but other than one or two people saying how JC looked, without giving away too many detailed description, there was very little focus on their looks, which I really found wonderful.
I definitely recommend this book as I think it can teach us a lot about how we view people in general.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2017
3.5 stars
How to categorise this book?
Jonny and his girlfriend have spent months planning a three month trip around South America, then shortly before they are about to leave he finds her in flagrante delicto with the plumber.
Jonny has already paid for the whole trip. Unfortunately, he has a nut allergy and needs to travel with someone capable of injecting him before he goes into anaphylactic shock. For a laugh his friend suggests advertising on eBay – the catch is that the companion has to have the same name as his ex-girlfriend as the tickets have already been issued.
Kate’s best friend bids on the holiday on her behalf and tricks her into going to the airport to meet Jonny.
There are lots of surprises which I won’t spoil but it was a great story, apparently partially based on truth.
The story is alternately narrated by Jonny and Kate almost like diary entries or TV interview. It is also a personal travelogue of their journey following the tourist trails in South America. Most of all, it is a personal exploration for each of them about issues from their pasts. The last comment makes it sound boring and it is anything but. I loved Kate and grew to love the man Jonny became.
Highly recommended as a plate cleanser after wall-to-wall YA/NA and military romances leavened only by Magic Rises.
How to categorise this book?
Jonny and his girlfriend have spent months planning a three month trip around South America, then shortly before they are about to leave he finds her in flagrante delicto with the plumber.
Jonny has already paid for the whole trip. Unfortunately, he has a nut allergy and needs to travel with someone capable of injecting him before he goes into anaphylactic shock. For a laugh his friend suggests advertising on eBay – the catch is that the companion has to have the same name as his ex-girlfriend as the tickets have already been issued.
Kate’s best friend bids on the holiday on her behalf and tricks her into going to the airport to meet Jonny.
There are lots of surprises which I won’t spoil but it was a great story, apparently partially based on truth.
The story is alternately narrated by Jonny and Kate almost like diary entries or TV interview. It is also a personal travelogue of their journey following the tourist trails in South America. Most of all, it is a personal exploration for each of them about issues from their pasts. The last comment makes it sound boring and it is anything but. I loved Kate and grew to love the man Jonny became.
Highly recommended as a plate cleanser after wall-to-wall YA/NA and military romances leavened only by Magic Rises.
January 10, 2015
23/1/14 Re-posted as someone
******5 HILARIOUS, GIGANTIC, FANTASTIC STARS******
This would make a absolute fantastic movie - I hear Hollywood calling!!
WaNtEd!! Travel companion for all expenses paid trip to South America...
When Jonathan Cork walks in and discovers his girlfriend Kate Thornly doing the dirty on him, he finds himself in a predicament with only days to go, and a life threatening allergy means he can't travel alone.
Unable to change the name on the spare ticket that was Kate's, Jonathan together with his friend come up with a plan to find another Kate Thornly with the ludicrous scheme to advertise on Ebay for travel companion with the same name KATE THORNLY!
Told in both Jonathan aka Johnny and Kate's aka Angel's pov it is a bloody hilarious, poignant, sweet and heart warming story with some real big clangers in it (Pssst...can't tell, will spoil it!!).
This is absolutely b-r-i-l-l-a-n-t....in it's conception and execution well done Mark Green I thoroughly enjoyed this little cracker!!!
October 6, 2013
WOW what a funny and inspiring story. I read The Travel Auction as a traveling book for Books, Wine and Girl Talk and I'm very glad I joined this fun event because otherwise I would probably have missed this awesome story. It's not one I would have likely picked up on my own because it sounds a little weird at first.
Jonathan Cork has planned a three month trip through South America with his girlfriend but just days before the trip his girlfriend leaves him with non refundable tickets. Not only does he need to find a new traveling companion, he needs one who matches the name on the tickets. Thanks to an eBay auction he actually finds himself a "new" Kate Thornly and with that a wonderful adventure starts.
I laughed out loud a lot, cried a little and felt very inspired by this wonderful read. I'm looking very forward to Mark Greens next book.
Jonathan Cork has planned a three month trip through South America with his girlfriend but just days before the trip his girlfriend leaves him with non refundable tickets. Not only does he need to find a new traveling companion, he needs one who matches the name on the tickets. Thanks to an eBay auction he actually finds himself a "new" Kate Thornly and with that a wonderful adventure starts.
I laughed out loud a lot, cried a little and felt very inspired by this wonderful read. I'm looking very forward to Mark Greens next book.
October 26, 2013
In the normal way of things, I would probably have never come across this book, but trawling through the Free books on Kindle chart as a card-carrying cheapskate, I was intrigued by the blurb for this book. What is it? Well, it's probably best described as a travelogue/romance but that would be to do it an injustice. This is a story with so many twists and turns along the way that the reader cannot help but become involved with both of the main characters, even though neither are necessarily all that sympathetic at the start. Put all of this against the backdrop of the wonderful scenery of South America and add a strong and increasing dollop of sexual tension, and you have a book that you can't put down. I could really see this as a very successful film or TV drama. Good luck with this, Mr. Green, you deserve considerable success with this.
December 20, 2013
A nice little holiday read... about a holiday in South America shared by two strangers. One was dumped by his girlfriend just days before his planned and paid-for 3 month trip, and replaced by an E-bay advertised for stranger sharing the same name as his ex-girlfriend... who has problems of her own! A funny and heart-warming tale of the trials and tribulations of their travels.
August 30, 2013
This was an amazing story. It is just the escape I needed at the time. I love traveling but have been unable to do it lately. This book takes you places and it is writing in a form that makes you feel like you are there. Also the characters are very relatable. I love the little unexpected twists and the development of the story.
June 21, 2014
I enjoyed this book for a lot of reasons. It was well-written and I enjoyed both of the main characters. They were both real people who gradually form a bond. No idealized hotties here. It is also a wonderful travelog that made me want to forget it all and travel South America with nothing but a backpack.
September 12, 2013
This was recommended to me by another reader and am glad I gave this a go. It was free at the time and is still currently only 99p. Highly recommended and will certainly read future books by this author.
February 1, 2018
Jonathan Cork had been planning a 3 month trip to South America with his girlfriend Kate Thornly, when a week before their trip, he came home to find the plumber servicing more than just the boiler.
Kate's moment of spontaneous infidelity cost her dearly, and Jonathan beat a hasty retreat.
He was committed to going ahead with the trip but because of a serious nut allergy it would be too dangerous for him to travel alone. The travel company would not refund or transfer Kate's ticket that Jonathan had paid for, so the only thing left to do was to find another 'Kate Thornly' and advertised the trip on eBay insistent on the buyer having the same name.
This book has been an absolute delight from beginning to end, with strongly defined characters, with the narrative shared between the two main characters,(Jonathan and the second Kate Thornly), and a fantastic description of their journey through Argentina, Peru, Bolivia and finally Brazil. As a reader, this experience was escapism at its best with a blend of plenty of laugh out loud moments and poignancy along the way.
I will certainly be reading the next in the series of 4 book, 'Travel Mate'.
Kate's moment of spontaneous infidelity cost her dearly, and Jonathan beat a hasty retreat.
He was committed to going ahead with the trip but because of a serious nut allergy it would be too dangerous for him to travel alone. The travel company would not refund or transfer Kate's ticket that Jonathan had paid for, so the only thing left to do was to find another 'Kate Thornly' and advertised the trip on eBay insistent on the buyer having the same name.
This book has been an absolute delight from beginning to end, with strongly defined characters, with the narrative shared between the two main characters,(Jonathan and the second Kate Thornly), and a fantastic description of their journey through Argentina, Peru, Bolivia and finally Brazil. As a reader, this experience was escapism at its best with a blend of plenty of laugh out loud moments and poignancy along the way.
I will certainly be reading the next in the series of 4 book, 'Travel Mate'.
December 30, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It was written in such an easy flowing way that it was a pleasure to read.
When you are taken out of your comfort zone, it's amazing what may happen. I loved that the author gave credit to the girl who inspired the story when he saw her walk the Inca Trail on the arm of her Peruvian guide
When you are taken out of your comfort zone, it's amazing what may happen. I loved that the author gave credit to the girl who inspired the story when he saw her walk the Inca Trail on the arm of her Peruvian guide
May 4, 2019
4.5 stars
May 18, 2021
Funny, easy to read and bought back lots of memories of travelling South America so enjoyed it a lot more. I definitely wanted to read it night after night and perfect before bed.
April 9, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. Very well written and wanted to keep on reading to find out how it turned out at the end.
July 18, 2020
A well written and contemporary story with the internet providing everything a person needs and much more! I enjoyed the writing style and the quirky humor, the great escape from the reality TV torture and many more of the experiences within the story. Well done Mark for the pleasurable read.
July 7, 2022
I'm surprised I enjoyed this as much as I did, given I normally despise novels that switch POV between characters. That technique was a distraction, but not overly so.
MOST of the book was fantastic. The last few chapters, after the hospital stay (to avoid spoilers) are somewhat more jagged and hard to follow. A significant amount of internal characterization is still missing.
Nevertheless, I'll keep the next few books on my reading list. It may be a while before I get to them.
MOST of the book was fantastic. The last few chapters, after the hospital stay (to avoid spoilers) are somewhat more jagged and hard to follow. A significant amount of internal characterization is still missing.
Nevertheless, I'll keep the next few books on my reading list. It may be a while before I get to them.
August 15, 2021
What? I enjoyed a Romcom?
Actually, I thoroughly enjoyed it. As a fellow traveller of South America, I could really relate to the places too. As an author myself, I found the writing style fitted the plot perfectly and am already on the next book of the series.
Actually, I thoroughly enjoyed it. As a fellow traveller of South America, I could really relate to the places too. As an author myself, I found the writing style fitted the plot perfectly and am already on the next book of the series.
April 19, 2013
Today we're going to discuss "The Travel Auction" a wonderful book by Mark Green. I had the most amazing time reading it, really liked it, and I believe you are going to like it too, so read on and then read the book!
On one side we have Jonathan who just broke up with his long time girlfriend, Kate Thornly, because of a nasty cheating shortly before they would leave for a three months' trip to South America. The agency refuses to change the name on the ticket and he can't go alone because of a very severe nut allergy that can kill him (specially in places with new food, different languages, all that). Jon decides to do an Ebay auction, looking for a Kate Thornly willing to travel with him in exchange of being ready for nutty emergencies (no pun intended. Ok, maybe a bit).
On the other side we have Angel. Kate Angela Thornly. Angel is pretty, young and a nurse. Perfect! Jon chooses her... Except she's blind, well, pretty much, can't see more than shapes from very close by. And she didn't really enter the auction or submit her picture, her friend Maria did it for her. They set off to adventure either way, it's not like Jon has much of a choice after KT2 (Kate Thornly the Second) proves she's quite able of both handling herself as well as a possible nut allergy reaction.
They head off to Buenos Aires and, as we can guess, of course they don't get along well at first... It's not easy to adapt to a different place or different people, but adapting to another continent, language, people AND someone with impared sight, that's a very tough job.
KT2 is bubbly, cheeky, funny and likes to use her blindness to laugh at people. Jon is a cold analyst, someone who likes to plan things, organize and follow strict rules and plans. KT2 makes him rethink that.
After their first moments, they start to get more at ease with eachother, with Jon having to describe everything he sees, KT2 having to trust someone she doesn't know and who is, by her book, a very boring person and not at all someone she would choose to be around. Jon didn't know how he felt about the trip before he went on it. His mother incentived him, before she died, and so he, an uptight analyst, goes on a spontaneous and barely planned trip.
What we see, later on, is two people learning with each other and working their differences out. It's a book about boundaries and trust, about seeing the wonderful world around us and not just passing by. It's a book about a blind girl climbing the Inca Trail, up to Machu Pichu, and making me incredibly jealous. I love traveling and I live much closer to Machu Pichu than England and yet -I- have never been there. I would love to live on the road, seeing the world, meeting new people, learning new things, eating different foods. So far, I'm left stuck here, waiting for the start.
What really touched my heart, though, was that the Inca Trail is real (I SO want to climb it someday!) and that there was a blind girl that finished it and inspired the author to write the book. Inspired me to do a lot, too.
On one side we have Jonathan who just broke up with his long time girlfriend, Kate Thornly, because of a nasty cheating shortly before they would leave for a three months' trip to South America. The agency refuses to change the name on the ticket and he can't go alone because of a very severe nut allergy that can kill him (specially in places with new food, different languages, all that). Jon decides to do an Ebay auction, looking for a Kate Thornly willing to travel with him in exchange of being ready for nutty emergencies (no pun intended. Ok, maybe a bit).
On the other side we have Angel. Kate Angela Thornly. Angel is pretty, young and a nurse. Perfect! Jon chooses her... Except she's blind, well, pretty much, can't see more than shapes from very close by. And she didn't really enter the auction or submit her picture, her friend Maria did it for her. They set off to adventure either way, it's not like Jon has much of a choice after KT2 (Kate Thornly the Second) proves she's quite able of both handling herself as well as a possible nut allergy reaction.
They head off to Buenos Aires and, as we can guess, of course they don't get along well at first... It's not easy to adapt to a different place or different people, but adapting to another continent, language, people AND someone with impared sight, that's a very tough job.
KT2 is bubbly, cheeky, funny and likes to use her blindness to laugh at people. Jon is a cold analyst, someone who likes to plan things, organize and follow strict rules and plans. KT2 makes him rethink that.
After their first moments, they start to get more at ease with eachother, with Jon having to describe everything he sees, KT2 having to trust someone she doesn't know and who is, by her book, a very boring person and not at all someone she would choose to be around. Jon didn't know how he felt about the trip before he went on it. His mother incentived him, before she died, and so he, an uptight analyst, goes on a spontaneous and barely planned trip.
What we see, later on, is two people learning with each other and working their differences out. It's a book about boundaries and trust, about seeing the wonderful world around us and not just passing by. It's a book about a blind girl climbing the Inca Trail, up to Machu Pichu, and making me incredibly jealous. I love traveling and I live much closer to Machu Pichu than England and yet -I- have never been there. I would love to live on the road, seeing the world, meeting new people, learning new things, eating different foods. So far, I'm left stuck here, waiting for the start.
What really touched my heart, though, was that the Inca Trail is real (I SO want to climb it someday!) and that there was a blind girl that finished it and inspired the author to write the book. Inspired me to do a lot, too.
July 19, 2013
Office drone Jonathan Cork resigns his analyst job in order to take a 3-month jaunt through South America with his girlfriend, Kate Thornly. When they break up after he catches her in flagrante delicto with a plumber, he posts an eBay ad for a new travel companion, who must both have a passport in the name of "Kate Thornly" (in order to use prepaid travel tickets and the like) and be able to provide medical assistance should he inadvertently ingest any nuts (to which he is severely allergic). Jonathan is contacted by several individuals claiming to fit the bill, but eventually is paired with Kate Thornly the 2nd, aka "KT2" or "Angel," with the help of her best friend. I won't reveal the detail disclosed at KT2 and Jonathan's first meeting that nearly derails the whole plan, because it is (as another reviewer noted) a major plot point.
The journey on which Jonathan and Angel embark is told through their alternating first-person POVs, in a form similar to journal entries that remind me of Bridget Jones's Diary in that the protagonists' adventures are v. hilarious. I echo other reviewers' hopes that a film industry player discovers The Travel Auction and adapts this screwball rom-com (with UK cast, please) for the silver screen.
Jonathan and Angel are beset with a few trials and tribulations along their way: their eBay connection brings them a level of celebrity they could not have anticipated, skeletons find their way out of closets, and their evolving relationship at times is fraught with tension.
Angel and Jonathan's tale is told in breezy, informal style that makes for a fast, entertaining read during which I often laughed aloud. A few issues with homonyms and such (pigeon/pidgin, wonder/wander, dinghy/dingy, etc., that are not attributable to variations between British and American English) mar the story only negligibly.
I would be delighted to read more by Mark Green, particularly if he picks up Angel and Jonathan's story where The Travel Auction ends.
Disclosure: I received this book gratis as part of a First Reads giveaway.
The journey on which Jonathan and Angel embark is told through their alternating first-person POVs, in a form similar to journal entries that remind me of Bridget Jones's Diary in that the protagonists' adventures are v. hilarious. I echo other reviewers' hopes that a film industry player discovers The Travel Auction and adapts this screwball rom-com (with UK cast, please) for the silver screen.
Jonathan and Angel are beset with a few trials and tribulations along their way: their eBay connection brings them a level of celebrity they could not have anticipated, skeletons find their way out of closets, and their evolving relationship at times is fraught with tension.
Angel and Jonathan's tale is told in breezy, informal style that makes for a fast, entertaining read during which I often laughed aloud. A few issues with homonyms and such (pigeon/pidgin, wonder/wander, dinghy/dingy, etc., that are not attributable to variations between British and American English) mar the story only negligibly.
I would be delighted to read more by Mark Green, particularly if he picks up Angel and Jonathan's story where The Travel Auction ends.
Disclosure: I received this book gratis as part of a First Reads giveaway.
October 19, 2012
I was feeling very under the weather when I started reading this book and it was a perfect pick-me-up. Even with a sore throat and a cold, it was hard to feel miserable while reading of Jonathan and Kate (the second's) adventures in South America.
Jonathan has paid lots of money for his trip of a lifetime, Kate the first was supposed to pay him back, but now that they've split, she's not going and not paying for the trip either. Jonathan has a severe nut allergy which could kill him and he's got a phobia about needles so he needs someone else to administer the adrenaline if he accidentally ingests any nuts. The airline won't let someone else travel on Kate Thornly's ticket, so he sets up an auction on eBay to find another Kate Thornly to go on the trip with him.
The first few bids he gets are hilarious, I was really laughing out loud at the pensioner Kate Thornly who wanted to make sure that she'd be able to draw her pension abroad, and he wonders if he's done the right thing. Of course, it would be a very short book if he didn't pick one of the Kate Thornlys to go with him, so he decides on Kate the second or KT2 as she's referred to later in the book.
It's told in alternating points of view between Kate and Jonathan, both in first person. The banter between them is enjoyable, and they both have quite a bit of baggage with them, although not of the luggage variety. Their pasts are part of who they are and help flesh them out. Both are well-drawn characters and I was impressed how Mr. Green got into the mind of Kate here, she was very believable as a character in her own right, not just there to be a love interest as is the case with some other novels.
The novel is fast paced, with plain, simple writing that makes it easy to sink into. All the places in South America are so well described that it makes you want to pack up and go on your own adventure. Green's love for the places he's visitied (I presume) shines through in the book. It's unpretentious, it's just like being on holiday with two friends.
Does romance blossom between our two intrepid travellers or do they remain friends? You'll just have to read to find out because you don't want to miss any of their adventures or the people they meet along the way.
A wonderful read.
Review copy provided by author.
Jonathan has paid lots of money for his trip of a lifetime, Kate the first was supposed to pay him back, but now that they've split, she's not going and not paying for the trip either. Jonathan has a severe nut allergy which could kill him and he's got a phobia about needles so he needs someone else to administer the adrenaline if he accidentally ingests any nuts. The airline won't let someone else travel on Kate Thornly's ticket, so he sets up an auction on eBay to find another Kate Thornly to go on the trip with him.
The first few bids he gets are hilarious, I was really laughing out loud at the pensioner Kate Thornly who wanted to make sure that she'd be able to draw her pension abroad, and he wonders if he's done the right thing. Of course, it would be a very short book if he didn't pick one of the Kate Thornlys to go with him, so he decides on Kate the second or KT2 as she's referred to later in the book.
It's told in alternating points of view between Kate and Jonathan, both in first person. The banter between them is enjoyable, and they both have quite a bit of baggage with them, although not of the luggage variety. Their pasts are part of who they are and help flesh them out. Both are well-drawn characters and I was impressed how Mr. Green got into the mind of Kate here, she was very believable as a character in her own right, not just there to be a love interest as is the case with some other novels.
The novel is fast paced, with plain, simple writing that makes it easy to sink into. All the places in South America are so well described that it makes you want to pack up and go on your own adventure. Green's love for the places he's visitied (I presume) shines through in the book. It's unpretentious, it's just like being on holiday with two friends.
Does romance blossom between our two intrepid travellers or do they remain friends? You'll just have to read to find out because you don't want to miss any of their adventures or the people they meet along the way.
A wonderful read.
Review copy provided by author.
December 18, 2013
Quite good.
This book was such a different idea, I really liked the sound of it. It certainly started very well but, in the later stages, lost momentum for me. The main character has a trip booked travelling around South America with his girlfriend but, unfortunately, she dumps him. He isn't able to get a refund and can't change the name on the ticket so he comes up with the idea of advertising on ebay for a travel companion and anyone named Kate Thornly can apply. I found this a good idea for a book, different to anything I had read before, refreshing. There are some comedy moments where he is sifting through the replies of the various Kate Thornly's and one is a pensioner, one is currently going through gender reassignment surgery etc. so the book seemed like it was going to be a real hoot. Jonathan was unable to travel alone as he had a peanut allergy so he needed someone who could help with the injection pen. He also says he needed someone to 'taste his food' to make sure it wasn't going to pose a problem to him, ie. that it didn't contain nuts: This was one thing I didn't understand-how can anyone tell by tasting a food if it contains nuts because some foods contain traces of nuts and you can't taste them, I would think you just have to check labels and know the main culprits but perhaps someone can enlighten me? Anyway, that bit I found didn't quite ring true. Another thing I thought wasn't very plausible was that lots of characters that met the two main ones kept coming up with phrases like: 'Oh aren't you the couple from the ebay advert'-I find it incredible that so many people would have known about and seen the listing. There are a few errors in the book eg. 'wondering from stall to stall'-should be 'wandering', 'air on the side of caution'-should be 'err', 'dinghy' instead of dingy, quite a few of these so this rather let it down a bit. Obviously, kindle books can be updated so this could be sorted out. I did enjoy the book to a point, some humorous bits and some interesting pieces about their travels, good atmosphere for the places. Well worth a read but not quite up to 4 stars so I have given it 3.
This book was such a different idea, I really liked the sound of it. It certainly started very well but, in the later stages, lost momentum for me. The main character has a trip booked travelling around South America with his girlfriend but, unfortunately, she dumps him. He isn't able to get a refund and can't change the name on the ticket so he comes up with the idea of advertising on ebay for a travel companion and anyone named Kate Thornly can apply. I found this a good idea for a book, different to anything I had read before, refreshing. There are some comedy moments where he is sifting through the replies of the various Kate Thornly's and one is a pensioner, one is currently going through gender reassignment surgery etc. so the book seemed like it was going to be a real hoot. Jonathan was unable to travel alone as he had a peanut allergy so he needed someone who could help with the injection pen. He also says he needed someone to 'taste his food' to make sure it wasn't going to pose a problem to him, ie. that it didn't contain nuts: This was one thing I didn't understand-how can anyone tell by tasting a food if it contains nuts because some foods contain traces of nuts and you can't taste them, I would think you just have to check labels and know the main culprits but perhaps someone can enlighten me? Anyway, that bit I found didn't quite ring true. Another thing I thought wasn't very plausible was that lots of characters that met the two main ones kept coming up with phrases like: 'Oh aren't you the couple from the ebay advert'-I find it incredible that so many people would have known about and seen the listing. There are a few errors in the book eg. 'wondering from stall to stall'-should be 'wandering', 'air on the side of caution'-should be 'err', 'dinghy' instead of dingy, quite a few of these so this rather let it down a bit. Obviously, kindle books can be updated so this could be sorted out. I did enjoy the book to a point, some humorous bits and some interesting pieces about their travels, good atmosphere for the places. Well worth a read but not quite up to 4 stars so I have given it 3.
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