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Becoming Liz Taylor
'An accomplished and memorable debut full of heart and heartbreak - an absolute corker for reading groups!' Ruth Hogan, bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things
Val, a widow living in Weston-super-Mare, spends lonely evenings dressing up as the movie star Elizabeth Taylor. It seems to be a way of coping with the loss and sadness she has experienced in her life. One day, when Val sees a pram left unattended on the seafront, on a whim she kicks off the brake and walks away with it...
Set in the present and the 1970s, BECOMING LIZ TAYLOR is a vivid and touching depiction of love, loss and bereavement - thought-provoking, moving fiction for fans of Rachel Joyce, Emma Healey and Ruth Hogan.
Val, a widow living in Weston-super-Mare, spends lonely evenings dressing up as the movie star Elizabeth Taylor. It seems to be a way of coping with the loss and sadness she has experienced in her life. One day, when Val sees a pram left unattended on the seafront, on a whim she kicks off the brake and walks away with it...
Set in the present and the 1970s, BECOMING LIZ TAYLOR is a vivid and touching depiction of love, loss and bereavement - thought-provoking, moving fiction for fans of Rachel Joyce, Emma Healey and Ruth Hogan.
352 pages, Paperback
Published November 19, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
December 8, 2023
The incredibly eye-catching cover and title were the first things that attracted me to Becoming Liz Taylor by Elizabeth Delo, but once I read the blurb as well I was 100% sold on this book.
Val leads a lonely life in Weston-super-Mare. She hasn't seen her son for years and her husband died a long time ago. The only hint of joy in her day-to-day life is when she dresses up as Elizabeth Taylor and spends an evening at home imagining herself as the Hollywood star. It's her way of escaping the bad memories and remembering the good ones. A baby in a pram left unattended changes Val's life quite substantially when she makes off with it in a moment of madness.
This is such a wonderful book. Whilst you may imagine it to be difficult to sympathise with somebody who takes a baby, Val is such a well-drawn, desperate yet likeable character that I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Delo portrays her as a faded woman, one who had it all and who lost it all, the baby giving her back a semblance of a full life, one in which she is needed and feels fulfilled. I was rooting for her all along and although it's a sad story it never felt unbearably so.
It's billed as the perfect book club pick and I agree. I'd love to chat with someone about it, especially the ending which I was a little surprised by but which felt quite hopeful. There's lots to consider with regard to the moral aspects of the story and why Val acts as she does. For me, it was just superb, an incredible debut that moved me and gripped me from start to finish. The writing is accomplished and the story multi-faceted, focusing on family, loss and ways of coping. I just adored it.
Val leads a lonely life in Weston-super-Mare. She hasn't seen her son for years and her husband died a long time ago. The only hint of joy in her day-to-day life is when she dresses up as Elizabeth Taylor and spends an evening at home imagining herself as the Hollywood star. It's her way of escaping the bad memories and remembering the good ones. A baby in a pram left unattended changes Val's life quite substantially when she makes off with it in a moment of madness.
This is such a wonderful book. Whilst you may imagine it to be difficult to sympathise with somebody who takes a baby, Val is such a well-drawn, desperate yet likeable character that I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Delo portrays her as a faded woman, one who had it all and who lost it all, the baby giving her back a semblance of a full life, one in which she is needed and feels fulfilled. I was rooting for her all along and although it's a sad story it never felt unbearably so.
It's billed as the perfect book club pick and I agree. I'd love to chat with someone about it, especially the ending which I was a little surprised by but which felt quite hopeful. There's lots to consider with regard to the moral aspects of the story and why Val acts as she does. For me, it was just superb, an incredible debut that moved me and gripped me from start to finish. The writing is accomplished and the story multi-faceted, focusing on family, loss and ways of coping. I just adored it.
September 18, 2023
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this very unusual novel.
The novel has a beautiful, eye-catching cover that attracts you. Its a very unusual novel full of heartbreak. Val is a lonely widow who escapes her grief by dressing up as Liz Taylor. This for me a part of suspension of belief as Val is in her 70s and she dresses up as Liz Taylor in her forties. How could she really believe that she looks like Liz Taylor.
But this is the heart of the novel. Val is suspended in grief and her view of life is not one of reality.
She abducts a child and for me that was heard to forgive; but somehow the author manages to garner sympathy for Val.
A heartwarming, sypmathetic four star read.
The novel has a beautiful, eye-catching cover that attracts you. Its a very unusual novel full of heartbreak. Val is a lonely widow who escapes her grief by dressing up as Liz Taylor. This for me a part of suspension of belief as Val is in her 70s and she dresses up as Liz Taylor in her forties. How could she really believe that she looks like Liz Taylor.
But this is the heart of the novel. Val is suspended in grief and her view of life is not one of reality.
She abducts a child and for me that was heard to forgive; but somehow the author manages to garner sympathy for Val.
A heartwarming, sypmathetic four star read.
April 30, 2023
Becoming Liz Taylor tells the story of widow Val living in Weston Super Mare who spends lonely evenings dressing up as screen siren Elizabeth Taylor. Its a way of coping with the trauma, loss & sadness that she had experienced in her life. One day, when Val sees a pram left unattended on the seafront, she walks away with it. I found this book to be an engaging & compelling read from the start although shocked by the abduction that sets the events of the novel into play, I was also intrigued to find out what would happen & duly unfold as the novel progressed.
I felt that the author took a sympathetic approach to the themes of maternal love, loss, loneliness, and grief. The novel does illustrate and offers a believable insight into the intense emotional pain of bereavement that in the protagonists case has consumed her life and had a tragic stranglehold on her life for 50 years and furthermore, how it has damaged & destroyed the relationships around her, most notably with her son. As a result, he is gripped by feelings of inadequacy, isolation & loneliness that stem from his strained relationship with his mother. Val is ultimately paralysed by her own suffering & loneliness to recognise or acknowledge the hurt or distress to the baby's family. I would recommend this book as it is readable, original & thought provoking.
I felt that the author took a sympathetic approach to the themes of maternal love, loss, loneliness, and grief. The novel does illustrate and offers a believable insight into the intense emotional pain of bereavement that in the protagonists case has consumed her life and had a tragic stranglehold on her life for 50 years and furthermore, how it has damaged & destroyed the relationships around her, most notably with her son. As a result, he is gripped by feelings of inadequacy, isolation & loneliness that stem from his strained relationship with his mother. Val is ultimately paralysed by her own suffering & loneliness to recognise or acknowledge the hurt or distress to the baby's family. I would recommend this book as it is readable, original & thought provoking.
November 2, 2025
3.5 stars.
Book one of my 12 advent books from A Box of Stories. I went in completely blind reading this, didn't check reviews/ratings etc.
The book primarily follows Val, a lady in her 70s who's experienced a lot of heartbreak over the her life. In the evenings, she enjoys dressing up as Liz Taylor to separate herself from reality and forget her past. On a walk in town, she finds a baby in a pram who appears to have been abandoned, so she takes the child without a second thought. The story follows her from there.
The book was very well written and kept my interest. I did actually feel sorry for Val a lot of the time. I think if I knew more about Liz Taylor and her films I may have gotten more out of the book as I must have undoubtedly missed some references or parallels. The ending left me wanting more however. Just a few more chapters to see what happened after would have left me more satisfied!
Book one of my 12 advent books from A Box of Stories. I went in completely blind reading this, didn't check reviews/ratings etc.
The book primarily follows Val, a lady in her 70s who's experienced a lot of heartbreak over the her life. In the evenings, she enjoys dressing up as Liz Taylor to separate herself from reality and forget her past. On a walk in town, she finds a baby in a pram who appears to have been abandoned, so she takes the child without a second thought. The story follows her from there.
The book was very well written and kept my interest. I did actually feel sorry for Val a lot of the time. I think if I knew more about Liz Taylor and her films I may have gotten more out of the book as I must have undoubtedly missed some references or parallels. The ending left me wanting more however. Just a few more chapters to see what happened after would have left me more satisfied!
August 23, 2023
This was such a surprising and emotional read.
I was initially drawn to it by the gorgeous front cover! Being bright and colourful and having the timeless beauty of Liz on, this really did stand out.
I loved the intriguing premise of this story, but the blurb really didn't offer much of what the book gave when reading.
Val has never recovered from the loss of her baby son and subsequent death of her husband and this grief ate away at her and manifested.
Her escape was to dress up as Liz Taylor and act out the glamorous, Hollywood lifestyle that plowed her to forget, just for a while.
When she spots a neglected pram at the fair one night, she takes it and the baby and never looks back.
Val is such a complex character to explore and it was heart-breaking at times to follow her journey. Although extremely flawed, it was easy to feel compassion for Val and to see exactly what made her do what she did. I really does go to show how important it is to tackle mental health as soon as possible to avoid scenarios like these.
I loved Delo's writing style. I was completely hooked within the first few pages and remained totally immersed throughout.
I adored the descriptive passages and atmosphere created throughout but this does make it a story that will tug on your heartstrings.
I was initially drawn to it by the gorgeous front cover! Being bright and colourful and having the timeless beauty of Liz on, this really did stand out.
I loved the intriguing premise of this story, but the blurb really didn't offer much of what the book gave when reading.
Val has never recovered from the loss of her baby son and subsequent death of her husband and this grief ate away at her and manifested.
Her escape was to dress up as Liz Taylor and act out the glamorous, Hollywood lifestyle that plowed her to forget, just for a while.
When she spots a neglected pram at the fair one night, she takes it and the baby and never looks back.
Val is such a complex character to explore and it was heart-breaking at times to follow her journey. Although extremely flawed, it was easy to feel compassion for Val and to see exactly what made her do what she did. I really does go to show how important it is to tackle mental health as soon as possible to avoid scenarios like these.
I loved Delo's writing style. I was completely hooked within the first few pages and remained totally immersed throughout.
I adored the descriptive passages and atmosphere created throughout but this does make it a story that will tug on your heartstrings.
August 3, 2023
An immersive debut novel full of heartbreak, love, loss, grief, and family relationships. It's also a novel that delves into the past with a back and forth timeline that shows us, the reader how much having a fractured past can affect the present day.
The characters are well written, and we can only feel compassion for them, especially Val, as we follow her journey of grief.
Some sensitive topics are covered in this book, such as possible suicide and child loss, but the author covered them with dignity.
This book will stay with me a while, so I definitely highly recommend it.
The characters are well written, and we can only feel compassion for them, especially Val, as we follow her journey of grief.
Some sensitive topics are covered in this book, such as possible suicide and child loss, but the author covered them with dignity.
This book will stay with me a while, so I definitely highly recommend it.
January 17, 2026
There definitely should be trigger warnings on this book as it extensively covers some very sensitive topics. It’s an attempt to make a very dark and heartbreaking storyline into a lighthearted almost out of body experience. It’s a really tragic story of a grieving mother who takes a baby in broad daylight and convinces herself she’s done nothing wrong. Your brain knows you should strongly dislike Val knowing the extent and consequences of what she’s done but seeing the severity of her delusions and knowing her awful history, it’s just really sad how her story inevitably ends.
June 23, 2024
Not my usual genre but thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Very likeable characters and a storyline that keeps you turning the pages.
May 1, 2025
I think this book should have a trigger warning as it covers some very sensitive topics - yet it looks like a 'light read'.
June 4, 2023
4⭐️
Val is a widow who is estranged from her son, still battling with grief, she finds comfort dressing up as Hollywood movie star, Elizabeth Taylor. A tie to her late husband. One day, as Val is walking along the seafront, she sees a pram that appears to be abandoned, before she has time to think, she grabs the pram and walks away with the baby.
I’m not massively into Hollywood movie stars or even know much about Liz Taylor, so I wasn’t sure I’d like this book. I guess it’s one of those, don’t judge a book by it’s cover moments or don’t judge a book by it’s title in this case.
This is a really easy to read, enjoyable book about loss, grief and family. I enjoyed the alternating storylines of Val and Rafe and as the story developed, understanding how their past trauma had carved their lives.
Val is a widow who is estranged from her son, still battling with grief, she finds comfort dressing up as Hollywood movie star, Elizabeth Taylor. A tie to her late husband. One day, as Val is walking along the seafront, she sees a pram that appears to be abandoned, before she has time to think, she grabs the pram and walks away with the baby.
I’m not massively into Hollywood movie stars or even know much about Liz Taylor, so I wasn’t sure I’d like this book. I guess it’s one of those, don’t judge a book by it’s cover moments or don’t judge a book by it’s title in this case.
This is a really easy to read, enjoyable book about loss, grief and family. I enjoyed the alternating storylines of Val and Rafe and as the story developed, understanding how their past trauma had carved their lives.
July 24, 2023
I really wanted to love this book but it was not like what I was expecting. I found it hard to keep reading it lacked something for me. I found it quite sad and not dull. Am sure a lot of readers will love this but isn’t for me. Thank you for the arc anyway
March 9, 2024
This was such an unusual book. While the synopsis may be about an elderly woman abducting a baby, Becoming Liz Taylor is so much more than that. Val has had a difficult life since losing her youngest child and then her husband in quick succession. Her need to become Liz Taylor is a way for her to escape, to pretend she has the life of someone beautiful and successful.
Val is no villain; she is a lonely, sad old woman who lost far too much when she was young and is now estranged from her living son. The further she travels, the more she believes her own lie and her grief takes over until she can no longer see the truth. Although we can only imagine the distress of the mother whose child she stole, Delo manages to make us root for Val and not blame her for the choice she makes with the little one.
As we learn more about Val’s life, it becomes more poignant; we also see how her way of escaping has shaped her son and affected their relationship. Delo keeps us reading because we cannot see any possible resolution for this situation and we have to know. The ending – when it comes – is a little disappointing, but leaves us to imagine a variety of situations based on how we feel Val should be treated.
Poignant and heartbreaking, this is a fantastic exploration of grief and how it affects us, long after a person has died.
Val is no villain; she is a lonely, sad old woman who lost far too much when she was young and is now estranged from her living son. The further she travels, the more she believes her own lie and her grief takes over until she can no longer see the truth. Although we can only imagine the distress of the mother whose child she stole, Delo manages to make us root for Val and not blame her for the choice she makes with the little one.
As we learn more about Val’s life, it becomes more poignant; we also see how her way of escaping has shaped her son and affected their relationship. Delo keeps us reading because we cannot see any possible resolution for this situation and we have to know. The ending – when it comes – is a little disappointing, but leaves us to imagine a variety of situations based on how we feel Val should be treated.
Poignant and heartbreaking, this is a fantastic exploration of grief and how it affects us, long after a person has died.
August 16, 2023
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC.
“In the quiet of her terraced house and hidden away from the world, the burden of being Val was lifted… The loss she still dragged around from day to day fell away, and for a few short hours she was able to forget. Dressed as Elizabeth, she could almost be happy.”
Becoming Liz Taylor is the tragic tale of Val, a 72 year old woman who has spent most of her adult life lost in grief. The book details how the loss continues to manifest in her life and the unusual means by which she’s learned to cope with it. We are also introduced to her estranged son, who’s never recovered from losing his father, or forgiven his mother for how she dealt with that loss.
The premise was intriguing, and it was hard not to sympathise with Val as she ignored the reality of her predicament, in favour of a fantasy of her own making. Kudos to the author for making a fugitive so lovable.
The story drew me in and whilst I found some of it slow, I needed to keep reading to see how the story resolved itself. I felt life wrapped up a bit too neatly and too quickly for Rafe, one walk seemed to cure all his woes. And the ending, the lack of resolution, was incredibly disappointing.
But it was a very original idea, a charming, emotional read and a fantastic debut effort.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC.
“In the quiet of her terraced house and hidden away from the world, the burden of being Val was lifted… The loss she still dragged around from day to day fell away, and for a few short hours she was able to forget. Dressed as Elizabeth, she could almost be happy.”
Becoming Liz Taylor is the tragic tale of Val, a 72 year old woman who has spent most of her adult life lost in grief. The book details how the loss continues to manifest in her life and the unusual means by which she’s learned to cope with it. We are also introduced to her estranged son, who’s never recovered from losing his father, or forgiven his mother for how she dealt with that loss.
The premise was intriguing, and it was hard not to sympathise with Val as she ignored the reality of her predicament, in favour of a fantasy of her own making. Kudos to the author for making a fugitive so lovable.
The story drew me in and whilst I found some of it slow, I needed to keep reading to see how the story resolved itself. I felt life wrapped up a bit too neatly and too quickly for Rafe, one walk seemed to cure all his woes. And the ending, the lack of resolution, was incredibly disappointing.
But it was a very original idea, a charming, emotional read and a fantastic debut effort.
February 25, 2025
I don't think a lot of people know me to be an Elizabeth Taylor expert, because I am (I used to be sort of obsessed with her when I was around 15) and I know a lot about her, more than the standard things you can find on the internet. People mostly remember Marilyn Monroe, but don’t really think about actresses like Elizabeth Taylor, so I was excited to see a book centered around her and I picked it up thinking I'd get to relive my fandom years, but what I got was a couple references to about three movies she was in. This book literally has Elizabeth Taylor on the front and in the title, but the story about a traumatised woman who happens to dress up as Elizabeth Taylor when she feels low could have been a story about a woman who dresses up as any old Hollywood actress, because a couple short references to three movies Elizabeth Taylor was in and two outfits she once wore does not really make this about Elizabeth Taylor.
I do think the whole trauma aspect of the protagonist was executed quite well, but because I expected something else, I didn't really care.
So in short, not a bad book, but to me the title and blurb portrayed it to be something it's not. To me anyway. I can definately see other people enjoying this for what it is, but not me.
P.S. Elizabeth Taylor hated the nickname Liz, so I wouldn't have chosen that to be the title :P
I do think the whole trauma aspect of the protagonist was executed quite well, but because I expected something else, I didn't really care.
So in short, not a bad book, but to me the title and blurb portrayed it to be something it's not. To me anyway. I can definately see other people enjoying this for what it is, but not me.
P.S. Elizabeth Taylor hated the nickname Liz, so I wouldn't have chosen that to be the title :P
August 17, 2023
This would be a great bookclub read because the main discussion is – do we feel sorry for Val? In order to ‘root’ for her (as someone put it in a review) we have to assume that her overwhelming grief following her loss, led her to completely lose sight of reality and what she had done.
I had three issues with this. Firstly, why it took her almost 50 years to completely lose it, secondly, she made an assumption that she was ‘rescuing’ a neglected baby from a teenage mother who wanted someone to take it, and finally, I felt desperately sorry for her son Rafe. He never recovered from the feeling of being second best, being told he was a difficult child, and from the embarrassment of his mother’s obsession with dressing up like Elizabeth Taylor – fur coat, drawn on eyebrows, beauty spot, the lot.
I’ve often wondered whether Madeleine McCann’s siblings have ever been able to have a normal life, or whether their parents have been so wrapped up in grief that they couldn’t love the other two. And then there was my own mother, who lost my sister at 17 months to tubercular meningitis before I was born. There were no photos of myself or my brother when we were babies or toddlers. And yes, she would often talk about how perfect my sister was (compared to me I guess). But I did understand, really I did, and while she always had delusions of grandeur, she never went out dressed as a film star, or stole a baby.
Because that is what Val has done. Taken a baby from under the big wheel at Weston-Super-Mare’s seafront and walked off with it. I say ‘it’ because she doesn’t discover whether it’s a boy or a girl for ages. She doesn’t look back to hear the hysterical mother screaming, she just keeps on walking. Then she goes home, gets her car, straps the baby’s carrycot into the front seat and starts driving.
It was heartbreaking to witness her total disintegration, but also to read about poor Rafe, whose sad lifestyle after his relationship has broken down is like witnessing a car crash. He hasn’t seen his mother in decades. Can they ever be reunited? I hoped for that more than anything else.
But back to whether we have sympathy for Val. The jury is still out, but ultimately, this shows what a well-written and emotional book this is, otherwise it wouldn’t have raised all these questions.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
I had three issues with this. Firstly, why it took her almost 50 years to completely lose it, secondly, she made an assumption that she was ‘rescuing’ a neglected baby from a teenage mother who wanted someone to take it, and finally, I felt desperately sorry for her son Rafe. He never recovered from the feeling of being second best, being told he was a difficult child, and from the embarrassment of his mother’s obsession with dressing up like Elizabeth Taylor – fur coat, drawn on eyebrows, beauty spot, the lot.
I’ve often wondered whether Madeleine McCann’s siblings have ever been able to have a normal life, or whether their parents have been so wrapped up in grief that they couldn’t love the other two. And then there was my own mother, who lost my sister at 17 months to tubercular meningitis before I was born. There were no photos of myself or my brother when we were babies or toddlers. And yes, she would often talk about how perfect my sister was (compared to me I guess). But I did understand, really I did, and while she always had delusions of grandeur, she never went out dressed as a film star, or stole a baby.
Because that is what Val has done. Taken a baby from under the big wheel at Weston-Super-Mare’s seafront and walked off with it. I say ‘it’ because she doesn’t discover whether it’s a boy or a girl for ages. She doesn’t look back to hear the hysterical mother screaming, she just keeps on walking. Then she goes home, gets her car, straps the baby’s carrycot into the front seat and starts driving.
It was heartbreaking to witness her total disintegration, but also to read about poor Rafe, whose sad lifestyle after his relationship has broken down is like witnessing a car crash. He hasn’t seen his mother in decades. Can they ever be reunited? I hoped for that more than anything else.
But back to whether we have sympathy for Val. The jury is still out, but ultimately, this shows what a well-written and emotional book this is, otherwise it wouldn’t have raised all these questions.
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
August 15, 2023
Val is in her 70s and lives alone in Weston-super-Mare. When she is feeling down she loves to dress up as her icon Elizabeth Taylor, remembering the days when her husband Len would compare her to the iconic movie star. After a trip to the hairdressers one day she comes across a baby in a pram, seemingly unattended and and makes the snap decision to take him and wheels him back to her house.
She gets in her car and decides to take the baby (which turns out to be a boy) to Wales. She calls him Christopher and tells anyone she meets that he is her grandson. We hear about her life, how she met Len at the local Lido as teenagers and how they had son’s Rafe and Duncan and how she lost both Duncan and Len within 6 months of each other.
We also hear from a grown up Rafe. Now living in Brighton, scraping by after his breakup with his partner Jim. He still struggles with the memory of the day his dad died, not really knowing for sure what happened. He finds his mother’s obsession with dressing up embarrassing and has been estranged from her for over 30 years.
I loved Val but also felt desperately sorry for her – she has had such a sad life. She is lonely and mixed up and when she decides to take the baby she truly believes she is doing the right thing, that Christopher is better off with her and his real mum didn’t want him. She looks after him really well, making sure he is fed and bathed. When news stories start appearing about a missing baby from Weston-super-Mare, she is in denial that she is the one responsible.
I also felt really sad for Rafe whose insecurities stemming from his childhood means he struggles to hold down a relationship.
I think the author did a really good job at looking at the characters’ mental health. The depictions of Val’s state of mind felt realistic and understandable. I also really liked the descriptions of Brighton where Rafe lives – being a Brighton girl myself, I could clearly picture the areas that Rafe frequented.
A moving story, this was a sad read but one with characters who you can’t help but root for. A story of loss and grief, this is a wonderful and original debut. Highly recommended.
She gets in her car and decides to take the baby (which turns out to be a boy) to Wales. She calls him Christopher and tells anyone she meets that he is her grandson. We hear about her life, how she met Len at the local Lido as teenagers and how they had son’s Rafe and Duncan and how she lost both Duncan and Len within 6 months of each other.
We also hear from a grown up Rafe. Now living in Brighton, scraping by after his breakup with his partner Jim. He still struggles with the memory of the day his dad died, not really knowing for sure what happened. He finds his mother’s obsession with dressing up embarrassing and has been estranged from her for over 30 years.
I loved Val but also felt desperately sorry for her – she has had such a sad life. She is lonely and mixed up and when she decides to take the baby she truly believes she is doing the right thing, that Christopher is better off with her and his real mum didn’t want him. She looks after him really well, making sure he is fed and bathed. When news stories start appearing about a missing baby from Weston-super-Mare, she is in denial that she is the one responsible.
I also felt really sad for Rafe whose insecurities stemming from his childhood means he struggles to hold down a relationship.
I think the author did a really good job at looking at the characters’ mental health. The depictions of Val’s state of mind felt realistic and understandable. I also really liked the descriptions of Brighton where Rafe lives – being a Brighton girl myself, I could clearly picture the areas that Rafe frequented.
A moving story, this was a sad read but one with characters who you can’t help but root for. A story of loss and grief, this is a wonderful and original debut. Highly recommended.
August 2, 2023
Love, Loss and Optimism dominates this immensely readable debut
Elizabeth Delo's Becoming Liz Taylor is a touching tale of love, loss and fractured family relationships. I was lucky enough to win a proof copy and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Val as she travelled around the country both literally and metaphorically.
The premise sounded intriguing and the first few pages got me in straight away. The reader learns more about Hal and her journey, her reasons for the impulsive act and how she ends up where she does. The reader feels invested as she follows the travels of the unlikely pair in a small car all over the country.
Delo delivers a convincing character in Val, and although she is introduced in an unusual situation Val immediately garners sympathy from the reader. Val's actions are impulsive and yet she acts with a conviction that is justified, driving the story forward and opening up a range of possibilities.
The story moves back and forth in time and Delo's skill comes to fore as she maintains a good balance of nostalgia and emotions in the face of real life situations. This well judged balance makes for an immersive reading experience.
There is also Rafe, an interesting character with a story of his own. Once at the top of his game, Rafe now exists on benefits, living on the fringe of poverty. As both their individual stories merges into one narrative, Delo delivers a compelling story that explores daily, ordinary lives but injected with sharp observations and an optimism that is desperately needed in today's world.
It is a heart warming, optimistic story that reflects life in its varied colours and hues. Delo brings out dynamics of a family, the imposed loneliness as a result of a fractured past and the underlying optimism that shines through even when the chips are looking down.
That for me, really worked in this immensely readable debut and why the story stuck with me much after turning the last page.
Elizabeth Delo's Becoming Liz Taylor is a touching tale of love, loss and fractured family relationships. I was lucky enough to win a proof copy and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Val as she travelled around the country both literally and metaphorically.
The premise sounded intriguing and the first few pages got me in straight away. The reader learns more about Hal and her journey, her reasons for the impulsive act and how she ends up where she does. The reader feels invested as she follows the travels of the unlikely pair in a small car all over the country.
Delo delivers a convincing character in Val, and although she is introduced in an unusual situation Val immediately garners sympathy from the reader. Val's actions are impulsive and yet she acts with a conviction that is justified, driving the story forward and opening up a range of possibilities.
The story moves back and forth in time and Delo's skill comes to fore as she maintains a good balance of nostalgia and emotions in the face of real life situations. This well judged balance makes for an immersive reading experience.
There is also Rafe, an interesting character with a story of his own. Once at the top of his game, Rafe now exists on benefits, living on the fringe of poverty. As both their individual stories merges into one narrative, Delo delivers a compelling story that explores daily, ordinary lives but injected with sharp observations and an optimism that is desperately needed in today's world.
It is a heart warming, optimistic story that reflects life in its varied colours and hues. Delo brings out dynamics of a family, the imposed loneliness as a result of a fractured past and the underlying optimism that shines through even when the chips are looking down.
That for me, really worked in this immensely readable debut and why the story stuck with me much after turning the last page.
August 12, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. Set in the present and late 1960’s / 70s this Is Valerie ‘Val’ story starting in 1968 when Val meets Len at The Lido in her home town of Weston-Super-Mare; the attraction is immediate and they eventually marry and have two children but when one of their children dies both Val and Len are unable to cope. Val is now in her 70’s, estranged from her other son, and since she was widowed her escape mechanism has been to dress as her idol Liz Taylor, in private. There are two thread to this book Val’s story and Rafe’s both of which I found very engaging.
Briefly, walking on the prom one day Val sees an unattended pram with a baby. There is no one around so she takes the pram. Convinced that the baby has been dumped Val sees this as a chance to give a child a good life. She calls the baby Christopher and packing a small bag she leaves her home with him, initially for Wales.
Rafe is in his 50’s and lives in Brighton. He has split from the love of his life with whom he ran a number of art galleries. He was obsessively jealous and this has continued to eat him up, eventually losing his business, letting himself go and now unable to pay his rent.
This is a heartbreaking story of the dreadful effect bereavement and loss can have on those left behind. Val uses her seemingly harmless ‘dressing up’ to make herself feel better, never imagining it could hurt anyone else. Although sympathetic to Val’s life it’s hard to understand how she is able to justify to herself stealing a baby. The author has written a very emotional book, not just the baby abduction but Val and Rafe’s lives which have been badly affected by trauma. A wonderful read. 4.5⭐️
Briefly, walking on the prom one day Val sees an unattended pram with a baby. There is no one around so she takes the pram. Convinced that the baby has been dumped Val sees this as a chance to give a child a good life. She calls the baby Christopher and packing a small bag she leaves her home with him, initially for Wales.
Rafe is in his 50’s and lives in Brighton. He has split from the love of his life with whom he ran a number of art galleries. He was obsessively jealous and this has continued to eat him up, eventually losing his business, letting himself go and now unable to pay his rent.
This is a heartbreaking story of the dreadful effect bereavement and loss can have on those left behind. Val uses her seemingly harmless ‘dressing up’ to make herself feel better, never imagining it could hurt anyone else. Although sympathetic to Val’s life it’s hard to understand how she is able to justify to herself stealing a baby. The author has written a very emotional book, not just the baby abduction but Val and Rafe’s lives which have been badly affected by trauma. A wonderful read. 4.5⭐️
March 15, 2024
I picked this book up on a bit of a whim really. I was in Waterstones and saw that a new romance display had just been created on one of the tables, and this was one of the covers that really stood out to me. I've been trying to read a bit more contemporary fiction and romance recently, and as soon as I read the back of the cover, I was hooked!
I started the book a couple hours after buying it, and by the end of the day, I'd read half. The next day, I finished it. I simply couldn't read it quick enough.
There's something so compelling and enticing about Elizabeth Delo's writing. I think this is the first time I've read a novel that's got a narrator in their 70s, and it was very refreshing and I really appreciated the POV (normally, I read YA or narrators in their 20s or 30s).
Val is such a complex character. She's so flawed, but we can see why she's like this, and it's heartbreaking watching some of her decisions. So many times I was screaming at her! She felt so real, and I think that's what made this story so stunning and a compulsive read. Because, yes, Val is the villain. She kidnaps a baby. Only she thinks she's doing the right thing. She doesn't see it as kidnap. And while I wanted the baby to be reunited with his mother, I also desperately didn't want Val to be caught and punished.
In this stunning debut, Delo offers us a mixture of complex characters, heart, and insight into families.
I started the book a couple hours after buying it, and by the end of the day, I'd read half. The next day, I finished it. I simply couldn't read it quick enough.
There's something so compelling and enticing about Elizabeth Delo's writing. I think this is the first time I've read a novel that's got a narrator in their 70s, and it was very refreshing and I really appreciated the POV (normally, I read YA or narrators in their 20s or 30s).
Val is such a complex character. She's so flawed, but we can see why she's like this, and it's heartbreaking watching some of her decisions. So many times I was screaming at her! She felt so real, and I think that's what made this story so stunning and a compulsive read. Because, yes, Val is the villain. She kidnaps a baby. Only she thinks she's doing the right thing. She doesn't see it as kidnap. And while I wanted the baby to be reunited with his mother, I also desperately didn't want Val to be caught and punished.
In this stunning debut, Delo offers us a mixture of complex characters, heart, and insight into families.
July 30, 2023
I met Liz when we were both appearing at a writing event and such was the standard of storytelling in the short story she read it was no surprise to learn she had a novel coming out this summer.
Becoming Liz Taylor launches on August 3rd and I welcomed the opportunity to review an advance copy. The book lures you into a seemingly innocuous humdrum modern-day South West seaside town with echoes of its equally humdrum sixties self. Then there’s a massive jolt – a jolt which is somehow both pedestrian and horrific, as we wonder just how far down an ostensibly harmless elderly lady with a Liz Taylor obsession can go.
The plot continues not just within this seaside town but within another one, this time on the South Coast. You just know at some point these two worlds are going to collide, but Liz expertly weaves the journey there. Her ability to combine not only different locations but different timescales is seriously impressive; she succeeds with great aplomb. There’s no formal ‘now and then’ alternating structure or breaking the book up into sections. It might not work but it does, and how.
I wanted to like this book because I think Liz is a great writer. But I liked it so much more than I anticipated! Seriously recommended summer reading – a trip to the swimming pool will never be the same.
Becoming Liz Taylor launches on August 3rd and I welcomed the opportunity to review an advance copy. The book lures you into a seemingly innocuous humdrum modern-day South West seaside town with echoes of its equally humdrum sixties self. Then there’s a massive jolt – a jolt which is somehow both pedestrian and horrific, as we wonder just how far down an ostensibly harmless elderly lady with a Liz Taylor obsession can go.
The plot continues not just within this seaside town but within another one, this time on the South Coast. You just know at some point these two worlds are going to collide, but Liz expertly weaves the journey there. Her ability to combine not only different locations but different timescales is seriously impressive; she succeeds with great aplomb. There’s no formal ‘now and then’ alternating structure or breaking the book up into sections. It might not work but it does, and how.
I wanted to like this book because I think Liz is a great writer. But I liked it so much more than I anticipated! Seriously recommended summer reading – a trip to the swimming pool will never be the same.
July 5, 2023
An utterly captivating and heart breaking novel about grief and loss. Val's baby son and husband died tragically over 50 years ago. She is still grieving, and dressing up in her home as filmstar Elizabeth Taylor helps her feel close to husband Len. She is unaware it repelled their other son Rafe, who's been estranged from his mother for decades.
Seeing what looks like an abandoned pram with a baby boy inside catapults Val back to the 70s, and she calmly walks away with it.
The writing is sublime in this debut novel, taking us back to the courtship of Val and Len and happy times at the lido in Weston-super-Mare. It was so evocative I found myself back at the art deco lido on Plymouth Hoe as a 70s teen.
Val goes on the run with the baby she's named Christopher. It's hard for a 72 year old dressed as Elizabeth Taylor with bouffant black hair, who has never driven on a motorway. Not to mention caring for a baby just a few months old. But although she's all over the news we still feel compassion for Val as the story of her grief unfolds. We see right into her mind and understand she's not malicious but desperate.
A must read - I consumed it in one day and had to finish it. Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the eARC.
Seeing what looks like an abandoned pram with a baby boy inside catapults Val back to the 70s, and she calmly walks away with it.
The writing is sublime in this debut novel, taking us back to the courtship of Val and Len and happy times at the lido in Weston-super-Mare. It was so evocative I found myself back at the art deco lido on Plymouth Hoe as a 70s teen.
Val goes on the run with the baby she's named Christopher. It's hard for a 72 year old dressed as Elizabeth Taylor with bouffant black hair, who has never driven on a motorway. Not to mention caring for a baby just a few months old. But although she's all over the news we still feel compassion for Val as the story of her grief unfolds. We see right into her mind and understand she's not malicious but desperate.
A must read - I consumed it in one day and had to finish it. Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the eARC.
December 15, 2025
3.5 for this one I think.
There’s a lot of nostalgia in this novel. Descriptions of a swimming Lido with concrete platforms to sunbathe on, fashions and films of the 60’s, a certain innocence of being. And perhaps that era didn’t encourage openness about pain, loss and the engendered feelings. People were more inclined to keep their negative emotions to themselves.
The novel looks at the repercussions of such suppression.
The protagonist Val has suffered great losses in her life and her only solace is to imitate her celebrity idol Elizabeth Taylor. Her relationship with her son Raif suffers because of this ‘escape tactic’ and his life is negatively affected as a result. We also learn that her husband kept his pain within himself and that certainly didn’t work out for him - or anyone else.
Val’s abduction of the baby, whilst made in a moment of madness, allows us to see her desperation for love and attachment and the reader feels for her regardless of the moral aspect of her actions.
Plenty of recrimination is levelled at Val from various characters but Elizabeth Delo has created a very empathetic character and whilst the ending for some may be unsatisfactory - the uncertainties in life are always with us.
There’s a lot of nostalgia in this novel. Descriptions of a swimming Lido with concrete platforms to sunbathe on, fashions and films of the 60’s, a certain innocence of being. And perhaps that era didn’t encourage openness about pain, loss and the engendered feelings. People were more inclined to keep their negative emotions to themselves.
The novel looks at the repercussions of such suppression.
The protagonist Val has suffered great losses in her life and her only solace is to imitate her celebrity idol Elizabeth Taylor. Her relationship with her son Raif suffers because of this ‘escape tactic’ and his life is negatively affected as a result. We also learn that her husband kept his pain within himself and that certainly didn’t work out for him - or anyone else.
Val’s abduction of the baby, whilst made in a moment of madness, allows us to see her desperation for love and attachment and the reader feels for her regardless of the moral aspect of her actions.
Plenty of recrimination is levelled at Val from various characters but Elizabeth Delo has created a very empathetic character and whilst the ending for some may be unsatisfactory - the uncertainties in life are always with us.
August 15, 2023
Dual timeline between nowadays and the late 1960s/early 1970s
It tells the story of Val, who meets Len at the Lido, Weston Super Mare in 1968, they marry and have two children.
Following the tragedy of the death of her youngest child and losing her husband, she is now estranged from her only surviving son.
She spends her lonely evenings dressing up in a mink coat and nylon stockings as her icon, movie star Elizabeth Taylor, it’s her way of coping with the loss and sadness.
One day Val sees a pram left unattended on the seafront.
“Val looked around. The baby appeared to be all on it’s own. There was no sign of a mother, no sign of anyone. Val didn’t think about it. She didn’t even break her stride. She kicked the break off the pram and pushed it as if she did it every day”
Such an accomplished debut novel - moving and beautifully written.
Would make the perfect Reading Group set, as you feel so many emotions surrounding Val and her actions, her mental health and why she did what she did,
Thanks @elizabethdelowriter @atlanticbooks & @netgalley for the eARC
It tells the story of Val, who meets Len at the Lido, Weston Super Mare in 1968, they marry and have two children.
Following the tragedy of the death of her youngest child and losing her husband, she is now estranged from her only surviving son.
She spends her lonely evenings dressing up in a mink coat and nylon stockings as her icon, movie star Elizabeth Taylor, it’s her way of coping with the loss and sadness.
One day Val sees a pram left unattended on the seafront.
“Val looked around. The baby appeared to be all on it’s own. There was no sign of a mother, no sign of anyone. Val didn’t think about it. She didn’t even break her stride. She kicked the break off the pram and pushed it as if she did it every day”
Such an accomplished debut novel - moving and beautifully written.
Would make the perfect Reading Group set, as you feel so many emotions surrounding Val and her actions, her mental health and why she did what she did,
Thanks @elizabethdelowriter @atlanticbooks & @netgalley for the eARC
August 12, 2023
Val is a lonely widow in her seventies, who deals with her grief by dressing up as Liz Taylor. One day after a trip to the hairdressers, she spots a baby left alone in a pram by a ferris wheel. Believing the child to be abandoned, she takes the child home and looks after it as her own.
You would think that I would hate a main character for stealing a baby but I didn’t, far from it. I’ve never felt such sympathy and distress for a character who had clearly needed help for her mental health and her grief for a very long time. I could completely sympathise with Val in the way she reacted and only wanted to help her rather than see her arrested.
Grief is not a clear cut emotion with a definitive cycle and when Val suffered her losses, there was no one there to help her deal with them and learn to live again. Her grief affected all her other relationships, especially with her estranged son, Rafe. He also struggled to deal with loss and it affected every other aspect of his life growing up.
This book is heartbreaking yet sympathetic to a woman who has clearly lost her sense of reality. Her mind is addled and lost in a past that was so cruelly snatched away from her. As the reader you switch back and forth between the present and the past to see what exactly happened in the seventies to change the trajectory of her life.
I found myself so involved with these characters, I was disappointed at the end to not see them through the final outcome of their journey. I desperately wanted to know what happened next.
This is beautifully written and completely absorbing. I honestly can’t wait to see what the author writes next.
You would think that I would hate a main character for stealing a baby but I didn’t, far from it. I’ve never felt such sympathy and distress for a character who had clearly needed help for her mental health and her grief for a very long time. I could completely sympathise with Val in the way she reacted and only wanted to help her rather than see her arrested.
Grief is not a clear cut emotion with a definitive cycle and when Val suffered her losses, there was no one there to help her deal with them and learn to live again. Her grief affected all her other relationships, especially with her estranged son, Rafe. He also struggled to deal with loss and it affected every other aspect of his life growing up.
This book is heartbreaking yet sympathetic to a woman who has clearly lost her sense of reality. Her mind is addled and lost in a past that was so cruelly snatched away from her. As the reader you switch back and forth between the present and the past to see what exactly happened in the seventies to change the trajectory of her life.
I found myself so involved with these characters, I was disappointed at the end to not see them through the final outcome of their journey. I desperately wanted to know what happened next.
This is beautifully written and completely absorbing. I honestly can’t wait to see what the author writes next.
August 27, 2023
This book takes you on an emotional whirlwind! You are set in the life of a woman who is living and struggling, and trying to get by in so many ways. It’s rough for her, but she finds respite in becoming someone you idolise. Each time she dresses as her, some of the pain and sorrow seem to wash away, but when she changes back, it all seems to come back again. Then when she seizes a moment she really shouldn’t, life changes. We travel along on this journey and see how the changes affect her and those around her.
There is growth, sorrow, tears and more in this book. It really touches on some subjects that are hard to approach and gives you a little insight into the mind of someone struggling. It’s hard to read it and not get caught up in the emotion. I really enjoyed the book and found it very insightful and honest.
There is growth, sorrow, tears and more in this book. It really touches on some subjects that are hard to approach and gives you a little insight into the mind of someone struggling. It’s hard to read it and not get caught up in the emotion. I really enjoyed the book and found it very insightful and honest.
October 10, 2023
Well that was a bit unexpected. Although I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting when I first pinged this across to my kindle.
I think I mostly imagined it to be a story of a woman who isn’t coping with life and who finds escape by being someone else.
Instead I found a book which not only delved into the heartbreak of loss but also explored how someone’s coping mechanism can be so deeply damaging in the way it ripples outward to those who orbit them.
Valentines view of reality is so distorted it’s hard to relate to her at times but the image her son paints of baby Jane made her actions go from innocent to quite disturbing.
This book has got so many layers that it’s hard not to get captivated I just wish felt that something was lacking in the writing style which I can’t quite put my finger on.
I think I mostly imagined it to be a story of a woman who isn’t coping with life and who finds escape by being someone else.
Instead I found a book which not only delved into the heartbreak of loss but also explored how someone’s coping mechanism can be so deeply damaging in the way it ripples outward to those who orbit them.
Valentines view of reality is so distorted it’s hard to relate to her at times but the image her son paints of baby Jane made her actions go from innocent to quite disturbing.
This book has got so many layers that it’s hard not to get captivated I just wish felt that something was lacking in the writing style which I can’t quite put my finger on.
June 15, 2023
An absolute wonder of a debut!
This read has some really sensitive subject matters at the heart and loneliness feels like its heart of it but with it is passion, love, loss, and relationships.
You cant help but feel for Val as a main character, and whilst I didn't always understand her or agree with her actions, it made for beautiful, thought provoking and utterly brilliant storytelling.
I know this one will stay with me. On the surface, I wasnt sure this would be believable, but it definitely is, and more. My only complaint is that it ended too soon.
Read in one sitting. Addictive reading.
This read has some really sensitive subject matters at the heart and loneliness feels like its heart of it but with it is passion, love, loss, and relationships.
You cant help but feel for Val as a main character, and whilst I didn't always understand her or agree with her actions, it made for beautiful, thought provoking and utterly brilliant storytelling.
I know this one will stay with me. On the surface, I wasnt sure this would be believable, but it definitely is, and more. My only complaint is that it ended too soon.
Read in one sitting. Addictive reading.
July 5, 2023
Big shout out to NetGalley for the access to this ARC in exchange for a honest review. Overall this book was easy to read, I liked the characters Val and Rafe this book is about discovering yourself and dealing with loss, grief and family relationships. This book is about dealing with trauma and living with it. What I find very interesting. The storyline was very clean and I enjoy the authors writing style is probably one of the best debut novels this year. The brutality in the honesty of the book is what make it relatable to the reader and I think it gonna be come a favourite for many people.
August 7, 2023
Val is a widow and likes dressing up as Elizabeth Taylor to cope with all that life has thrown at her. One day Val finds a baby in a pram left unattended and she casually grabs the pram and walks off. The author has done a brilliant job with some really hard topics writing about them with such raw honesty and compassion. My heart broke for Val and I could feel her pain as no one would expect her to manage after what she had been through. It's not a easy read but one I really enjoyed reading. It's well written with characters that I felt emotions for. A honest, heartfelt and emotional book that is beautifully written.
August 18, 2023
Val lives in Western-super-Mare, her only escape to being happy is dressing up and 'Becoming Liz Taylor', black hair, make-up and clothes. Val has never be able to get over the death of her baby boy, Duncan and her husband. She never sees her other son Rafe, who's living in Brighton after splitting with his long-ter
m partner Jim. Val goes on the run after taking a baby, that she seen in a pram at the funfair, but it's not going to be that simple, when you're dressed as Liz Taylor. What is she going to do now with the baby?
This is an emotional story, that I could relate to in parts. We have love, loss, grief, loneliness
m partner Jim. Val goes on the run after taking a baby, that she seen in a pram at the funfair, but it's not going to be that simple, when you're dressed as Liz Taylor. What is she going to do now with the baby?
This is an emotional story, that I could relate to in parts. We have love, loss, grief, loneliness
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