The Time of Our Lives

Palace Hotel Trilogy #1

by Imogen Parker

A sweeping story of the passions and fashions of the 1950s and 1960s, charting the lives of two very different families. It is 1953. At the Coronation party at the Palace Hotel, two lives are about to change forever. Claudia—16, beautiful, fragile, and an outsider in this small seaside town—finds herself talking to Michael, also a newcomer, who is struggling with a rocky marriage. Their instant, irresistible attraction to one another will have consequences which stretch far into the future. Against the ever-changing backdrop of events ranging from grey post-war austerity to technicolor rock and roll, from Suez to the summer of love, from Bill Haley to The Beatles, from the buttoned-up glamour of the 1950s to the rebellious freedom of the 1960s, The Time of Our Lives is an intensely passionate love story and a captivating chronicle of the times.

Genres: Fiction

603 pages, Paperback

First published June 5, 2006

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Far to many characters, hence it didn't flow that well, for me.
Reads like a soap opera.
Wouldn't say it was badly written so I expect many may enjoy it.

[Stella Branch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this, the first of a Trilogy set on The South Coast of England in a not so swish Hotel. It starts at the time of the Queens Coronation. Lots of characters involved, all weaving their way in and out of the story.

[Isabel Wolff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first volume of a trilogy about the Palace Hotel on the South Coast, but at a deeper level, a portrait of Britain since 1953 - a wonderful start to a riveting and beautifully written trilogy.

[Kathryn Barnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first novel I have read by Imogen Parker. The setting and premise of the story appealed to me, as I live on the south coast of England. I found it an easy and for most part a relaxing read. It was organised very well with each chapter starting a new year as it chronicled the lives and times of the residents of the fictious town of Kingshaven during the 1950s and 1960s. The attention to history and fashions which were woven into the story made it a good generational novel. The last fifty pages packed a punch and made me cry, encouraging me to find out how it all ended. I will look out for the sequel to see how the characters and town embrace the heady 1970s.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had nearly finished this book before I realised that many of the characters from the Palace Hotel of Kingshaven were every day versions of prominent members of the Royal Family! I won't tell you anything more about this, but it should increase your interest in the book if you work out who these characters represent as you read.

What put me off the scent was because I thought Michael Quinn, his wife and young lover were the central characters of the story although they have no connections with Royalty at all!

Imogen Parker's book commences at the time of the Coronation in 1953 and the first volume ends at the time of the moon-landing in 1969. Each chapter tells of events in a particular year, so there is not much close cohesion in the plot of the novel.

Imogen Parker writes fluently and the novel certainly held my interest throughout this long novel (543 pages). This is the first part of a trilogy and I look forward to reading the next two novels in the series.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweeper of a soap opera, set in a sleepy English seaside town. No one minds their own business and everyone is wrapped up in the lives of others. Britain is just awakening to the world post-WWII; post-war primness is quickly giving way to the mod mini-skirts of the 1960s. Passions flirt with social issues, fortunes rise and fall, fashion is a character all its own. A satisfying read that is saved from chick lit by excellent period details and some heartfelt characterizations.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book one in the Kingshaven trilogy and set in a fictitional seaside town on the south coast. Resplendent and in prime postition is the Palace Hotel, which is home to the prominent King family who like to think they control events in the town. As with all communities ,this one has a set of eccentric characters - some likeable, others not so, but together they form an interesting pastiche of what life was like between the years 1953-1969. I enjoyed it.

[KarenV · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit disappointing. I found it a bit slow-going in places and it was only an average story, it certainly didn't grip me like others of the genre. Having said that, the second half was better than the first, I think it just took time to get going and hold my interest. Not sure that I would go out of my way to read any of her others, unless I could get them from the library or second-hand.

[Kathleen McGurl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took a while to get used to the style of this one - such a huge cast of characters and frequent changes of view point. But when I got into it I loved it - it reads like a soap opera. I will definitely read the other two in the trilogy.

[Dilys Myhill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit to slow for my taste.

[Samantha Ferreira]

It's not a "can't put down book" but it is a clear my mind before bed book. I am currently studying for exams and its just the sort of book to settle me down for the night

[Madeleine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me a while to get to grips with the large cast of characters at first but I persevered and enjoyed it enough to want to read the second novel in the trilogy this book starts.