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The Mercury Travel Club #1
The Mercury Travel Club
He took her to dinner: that was annoying
He slept with her: that was hurtful
He bought new underwear to impress her: quite frankly astounding
He left me to bloody wash his FILTHY WHORING PANTS: INFURIATING!
After twenty-four years and eleven months of marriage, Angie Shepherd is divorced, dejected and facing a future of cardigans and cats. Best friend Patty is having none of it, and launches Angie into a variety of crazy schemes in search of her lost mojo. But it's just not enough; what she really dreams of is beating her ex and becoming Entrepreneur of the Year.
Channelling her inner Richard Branson, Angie invests her divorce settlement into The Mercury Travel Club, a travel agency with a twist. But as the club gets going, things don't go according to plan, and in this digital age, a little chaos brings the recognition Angie's been looking for.
Witty, entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny, this feel-good novel shows that it's never too late for a second chance.
He slept with her: that was hurtful
He bought new underwear to impress her: quite frankly astounding
He left me to bloody wash his FILTHY WHORING PANTS: INFURIATING!
After twenty-four years and eleven months of marriage, Angie Shepherd is divorced, dejected and facing a future of cardigans and cats. Best friend Patty is having none of it, and launches Angie into a variety of crazy schemes in search of her lost mojo. But it's just not enough; what she really dreams of is beating her ex and becoming Entrepreneur of the Year.
Channelling her inner Richard Branson, Angie invests her divorce settlement into The Mercury Travel Club, a travel agency with a twist. But as the club gets going, things don't go according to plan, and in this digital age, a little chaos brings the recognition Angie's been looking for.
Witty, entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny, this feel-good novel shows that it's never too late for a second chance.
308 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2017
349 people are currently reading
467 people want to read
About the author
Helen Bridgett
14 books25 followersHelen has always loved books and always loved writing. One year she decided her New Year’s resolution would be “Write a novel to give as a Christmas present”. She spent the year writing and The Mercury Travel Club was born.
Helen hails from the North East When not writing, Helen can usually be found walking or drinking wine – not usually at the same time.
Like many people, Helen believes that the music you grow up with as a teenager stays with you for the whole of your life. Being a child of 80’s rock, when she hears the opening riff to Sweet Child of Mine, she cannot be held responsible for her actions!
Helen hails from the North East When not writing, Helen can usually be found walking or drinking wine – not usually at the same time.
Like many people, Helen believes that the music you grow up with as a teenager stays with you for the whole of your life. Being a child of 80’s rock, when she hears the opening riff to Sweet Child of Mine, she cannot be held responsible for her actions!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
November 23, 2017
4☆ Fun, Frolics, feel good read.
The Mercury Travel Club is Helen Bridgett Debut Novel and what a gem of a book.
The title is fab and the cover is eye catching! Loved it!!
When Angie finds out her hubby is cheating on her, her world comes tumbling Down.
But with the support from her best friend Patty she decides that she isn't going to let him bring her down and so they set out to challenge life!
Zoe her daughter comes across as a spoilt teenager in the beginning!
She is in her 20s and seems to be more supportive of her Cheating Dad and his new partner but chastises her mum for trying to move on! It annoyed me because it was her Dad who did wrong.
Why can't Angie move on.
Afterall yes she's a Mum but she is still a women with needs!!
I loved the fact that Angie isn't your typical chick lit character, she is an older mature lady who has been deeply hurt, but refuses to give up!
It was very refreshing to see a mature lady, embracing and discovering life now she is a single women!
I think this made me relate to Angie even more. As I was championing her all the way.
We follow Angie over a period of a year, with some fantastic chapter titles that are short and sweet. They keep the readers attention whilst giving them a sneak peak to what's to come.
From Karaoke, Speed Dating, You Tube, Baking, Book Club. There is an adventure in every chapter!
Then there is The Mercury Travel Club, Angie's baby, her project. Which came just at the right time when she needed to focus her attention.
The Mercury Travel Club is a perfect mix, it's a heartwarming, poignant read, that had me laughing so hard in places, All the fun and Frolics adventures, the loveable and endearing quirky characters, Family Drama, Friendships, it really is an uplifting story of new beginnings you won't want to miss!!
I received this book from the Publisher in which I voluntarily reviewed.
My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2017/1...
The Mercury Travel Club is Helen Bridgett Debut Novel and what a gem of a book.
The title is fab and the cover is eye catching! Loved it!!
When Angie finds out her hubby is cheating on her, her world comes tumbling Down.
But with the support from her best friend Patty she decides that she isn't going to let him bring her down and so they set out to challenge life!
Zoe her daughter comes across as a spoilt teenager in the beginning!
She is in her 20s and seems to be more supportive of her Cheating Dad and his new partner but chastises her mum for trying to move on! It annoyed me because it was her Dad who did wrong.
Why can't Angie move on.
Afterall yes she's a Mum but she is still a women with needs!!
I loved the fact that Angie isn't your typical chick lit character, she is an older mature lady who has been deeply hurt, but refuses to give up!
It was very refreshing to see a mature lady, embracing and discovering life now she is a single women!
I think this made me relate to Angie even more. As I was championing her all the way.
We follow Angie over a period of a year, with some fantastic chapter titles that are short and sweet. They keep the readers attention whilst giving them a sneak peak to what's to come.
From Karaoke, Speed Dating, You Tube, Baking, Book Club. There is an adventure in every chapter!
Then there is The Mercury Travel Club, Angie's baby, her project. Which came just at the right time when she needed to focus her attention.
The Mercury Travel Club is a perfect mix, it's a heartwarming, poignant read, that had me laughing so hard in places, All the fun and Frolics adventures, the loveable and endearing quirky characters, Family Drama, Friendships, it really is an uplifting story of new beginnings you won't want to miss!!
I received this book from the Publisher in which I voluntarily reviewed.
My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2017/1...
March 19, 2017
I am taking part in the blog tour for this book so stop on over: www.marriedtobooksreviewsandblog.word...
The Mercury Travel Club definitely gave me some Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging vibes. Both books are great for sitting back, relaxing and having a laugh. The number of mishaps that happen in The Mercury Travel Club was humorous to witness as Angie deals with a divorce after just under 25 years of marriage.
Her best friend Patty decides to switch things up introducing a YouTube act The Granny-Okes singing classic versions of 80s songs and giving Angie a starring role. The story follows the Travel Club business offering cruises and holidays to customers as well as the people who work there. My favourite part was when Angie was giving a talk at the WI about the club and the scene that goes down with Amanda (Angie’s ex-husbands new girlfriend).
I have not read many books set in Manchester before so it was refreshing to see somewhere new for a change.
If you are looking for perfect book to showcase laughter, love and music, pick this one up.
The Mercury Travel Club definitely gave me some Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging vibes. Both books are great for sitting back, relaxing and having a laugh. The number of mishaps that happen in The Mercury Travel Club was humorous to witness as Angie deals with a divorce after just under 25 years of marriage.
Her best friend Patty decides to switch things up introducing a YouTube act The Granny-Okes singing classic versions of 80s songs and giving Angie a starring role. The story follows the Travel Club business offering cruises and holidays to customers as well as the people who work there. My favourite part was when Angie was giving a talk at the WI about the club and the scene that goes down with Amanda (Angie’s ex-husbands new girlfriend).
I have not read many books set in Manchester before so it was refreshing to see somewhere new for a change.
If you are looking for perfect book to showcase laughter, love and music, pick this one up.
January 14, 2025
THE MERCURY TRAVEL CLUB introduced me to author, Helen Bridgett, and I am happy to report I enjoyed this chick lit romantic comedy. This book had me smiling from beginning to end. It was a pleasure to be privy to Angie’s adventures. We have the delightful mix of a cruise, speed dating, karaoke, and other adventures that keep the excitement rolling along from chapter to chapter so you never get bored. The family drama and friendships add even more icing on this literary cake. Angie is over 50 years of age; she is mature and tackles the single life with ravenous gusto. So glad she didn’t let her cheating husband destroy her life. I love that she is portrayed with an engaging vitality that left me overjoyed long after I read this book.
THE MERCURY TRAVEL CLUB is a beautifully written, feel-good romcom you would enjoy! 4.5/5
THE MERCURY TRAVEL CLUB is a beautifully written, feel-good romcom you would enjoy! 4.5/5
March 16, 2017
All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com
I have been on a real kick with feel good, chick lit books and this one was another gem of a book to add to my list! Maybe March is just a really good month for new romantic comedy releases?! I’m not sure, but I really enjoyed this hilarious story of Angie Shepherd and the adventures she takes over the course of a year.
When the story begins Angie has been dumped by her husband, Alan right before their twenty fifth wedding anniversary. He left her for their younger caterer, Amanda. Sounds pretty cliche and typical of the genre, right? Well this is anything but typical and boring, there were plenty of unique qualities to make this one a standout. The biggest refreshing change for me was the fact that Angie is more mature than the average chick lit heroine as she’s fifty three. Something else that appealed to me was it had short chapters, which I don’t often find in this genre, I typically only see that in fast paced mystery/thrillers. On top of that, the chapters were actually titled, and cleverly I might add. That’s a rarity as of late and it added some charm.
This follows Angie during the course of a year as she starts a new chapter in her life and she has plenty of adventures along the way. She does karaoke, speed dating, a cruise and starts the Mercury Travel Club through the travel agency where she works. There are also some great secondary characters, my favorite was her best friend Patty. They have a love for eighties music and it really doesn’t get anymore feel good than that, does it? This was an outrageously funny debut all about getting a second chance at a new life.
I have been on a real kick with feel good, chick lit books and this one was another gem of a book to add to my list! Maybe March is just a really good month for new romantic comedy releases?! I’m not sure, but I really enjoyed this hilarious story of Angie Shepherd and the adventures she takes over the course of a year.
When the story begins Angie has been dumped by her husband, Alan right before their twenty fifth wedding anniversary. He left her for their younger caterer, Amanda. Sounds pretty cliche and typical of the genre, right? Well this is anything but typical and boring, there were plenty of unique qualities to make this one a standout. The biggest refreshing change for me was the fact that Angie is more mature than the average chick lit heroine as she’s fifty three. Something else that appealed to me was it had short chapters, which I don’t often find in this genre, I typically only see that in fast paced mystery/thrillers. On top of that, the chapters were actually titled, and cleverly I might add. That’s a rarity as of late and it added some charm.
This follows Angie during the course of a year as she starts a new chapter in her life and she has plenty of adventures along the way. She does karaoke, speed dating, a cruise and starts the Mercury Travel Club through the travel agency where she works. There are also some great secondary characters, my favorite was her best friend Patty. They have a love for eighties music and it really doesn’t get anymore feel good than that, does it? This was an outrageously funny debut all about getting a second chance at a new life.
April 7, 2017
‘The Mercury Travel Club’ is the debut novel by British author Helen Bridgett. I’ll come clean from the outset, I’m not normally a fan of chick-lit but I was looking to read and review something different and I certainly found it.
The cover design is eye catching and jaunty and I hoped the book would live up to my early expectations. I loved the idea of a fifty-something lady bouncing back from adversity.
I compliment the author on a great opening sentence to her synopsis; I was immediately drawn in. From the outset the book was tongue-in-cheek and very amusing. It is written in the first person and the present tense. It is anchored in the present day with contemporary references which gives the reader a sense of identity – the main character Angie, facing her bitter sweet journey, could be any one of us.
Angie is able to laugh at herself, which she does at times as a defence against the raw pain created by her husband’s affair and the subsequent break up of their marriage. To the outside world, she’s reinvented herself as a vibrant, career-orientated divorcee, having fun. Privately she admits, she’s ‘camouflaged the broken bits,’ as we see her struggle with anger, jealousy and betrayal.
Angie is ably assisted by Patty, her old friend and single (widowed) sidekick, who has her back and is a willing accomplice as Angie dips her toes into life as a singleton once more.
This book flows well and is very easy to read; I think occasionally there is a little superfluous information but usually with a humorous tilt. There are some terrific one-liners and a couple of laugh out loud moments, so I congratulate the author on her upbeat and positive approach to a difficult subject.
Arguably, the plot becomes a little implausible as Angie did manage to pack an awful lot into a short space of time but it is entertaining and certainly held my interest. As this is her first book, I think we can expect good things from Helen Bridgett in the future and wish her every success.
If you’re a fan of chick-lit, give this book a try – in fact even if you’re not, it would definitely make a good light holiday read. I award ‘The Mercury Travel Club’ four-and-a-half well-deserved stars.
Reviewed by Julie on www.whisperingstories.com
The cover design is eye catching and jaunty and I hoped the book would live up to my early expectations. I loved the idea of a fifty-something lady bouncing back from adversity.
I compliment the author on a great opening sentence to her synopsis; I was immediately drawn in. From the outset the book was tongue-in-cheek and very amusing. It is written in the first person and the present tense. It is anchored in the present day with contemporary references which gives the reader a sense of identity – the main character Angie, facing her bitter sweet journey, could be any one of us.
Angie is able to laugh at herself, which she does at times as a defence against the raw pain created by her husband’s affair and the subsequent break up of their marriage. To the outside world, she’s reinvented herself as a vibrant, career-orientated divorcee, having fun. Privately she admits, she’s ‘camouflaged the broken bits,’ as we see her struggle with anger, jealousy and betrayal.
Angie is ably assisted by Patty, her old friend and single (widowed) sidekick, who has her back and is a willing accomplice as Angie dips her toes into life as a singleton once more.
This book flows well and is very easy to read; I think occasionally there is a little superfluous information but usually with a humorous tilt. There are some terrific one-liners and a couple of laugh out loud moments, so I congratulate the author on her upbeat and positive approach to a difficult subject.
Arguably, the plot becomes a little implausible as Angie did manage to pack an awful lot into a short space of time but it is entertaining and certainly held my interest. As this is her first book, I think we can expect good things from Helen Bridgett in the future and wish her every success.
If you’re a fan of chick-lit, give this book a try – in fact even if you’re not, it would definitely make a good light holiday read. I award ‘The Mercury Travel Club’ four-and-a-half well-deserved stars.
Reviewed by Julie on www.whisperingstories.com
May 9, 2017
The Mercury Travel Club
Helen Bridgett
Received From The Author For Review
THE MERCURY TRAVEL CLUB by Helen Bridgett is the first time I have ever heard of this author and I'm so happy I took a chance on her book. I was giggling out loud and snorting quite a bit while reading this fun story. Angie has just gotten dumped by her husband for a younger woman, who happens to have been the caterer for their 22 year old daughter's party! What?? Hang on to your seats! The situations that Angie and her best friend, Patty find themselves in are hysterical and soon you will feel as if you are right there with them!
I still can't believe THE MERCURY TRAVEL CLUB is Helen Bridgett's debut novel. I love that the main and secondary characters are all a bit older and none of them are perfect. I easily connected with them all and found them very relatable. It truly is a miracle that Angie came back unhurt from all the trips she took, with all the things that went wrong with them. But it was also funny and light hearted.
I have been reading heavier books lately and THE MERCURY TRAVEL CLUB was exactly what I needed after all the drama of the previous books. As soon as I was introduced to Angie, I loved her and wanted to be her friend and help her along in her journey to her new chapter in her life. I gave her a lot of credit considering she was married for twenty four years, eleven months, and had to start all over again. She knew she had to put herself out there, but wasn't sure just how to do that. Once I started reading, I had a hard time putting this humorous tale down. I'm looking forward to reading more by Helen Bridgett in the future.
Helen Bridgett
Received From The Author For Review
THE MERCURY TRAVEL CLUB by Helen Bridgett is the first time I have ever heard of this author and I'm so happy I took a chance on her book. I was giggling out loud and snorting quite a bit while reading this fun story. Angie has just gotten dumped by her husband for a younger woman, who happens to have been the caterer for their 22 year old daughter's party! What?? Hang on to your seats! The situations that Angie and her best friend, Patty find themselves in are hysterical and soon you will feel as if you are right there with them!
I still can't believe THE MERCURY TRAVEL CLUB is Helen Bridgett's debut novel. I love that the main and secondary characters are all a bit older and none of them are perfect. I easily connected with them all and found them very relatable. It truly is a miracle that Angie came back unhurt from all the trips she took, with all the things that went wrong with them. But it was also funny and light hearted.
I have been reading heavier books lately and THE MERCURY TRAVEL CLUB was exactly what I needed after all the drama of the previous books. As soon as I was introduced to Angie, I loved her and wanted to be her friend and help her along in her journey to her new chapter in her life. I gave her a lot of credit considering she was married for twenty four years, eleven months, and had to start all over again. She knew she had to put herself out there, but wasn't sure just how to do that. Once I started reading, I had a hard time putting this humorous tale down. I'm looking forward to reading more by Helen Bridgett in the future.
February 25, 2017
One of my favourite things about reading and reviewing the quantity of books that I seem to, is that every now and then you will come across a brand new author, and a debut novel that catches the eye instantly. The second I saw the cover reveal for The Mercury Travel Club I had a great feeling about it, I love travel, I love reading about travel, and there is a cruise ship on the cover, and I love cruising.
And then I read, and re-read the blurb and have that sudden feeling I may be making a mistake, I knew it was set to an 80s soundtrack, but that was the decade of my early years, and I really wasn't sure if there would be any travel.
Thankfully it didn't take too long into the first few chapters to realise my initial instincts were correct, this was a book I was going to get on well with and enjoy thoroughly. There is a fair bit of travel in the second half of the book, so I'm not going to risk spoiling things for you by giving any details, but let's just say there are incredibly memorable bits from the trips that are taken.
The Mercury Travel Club is well paced and set over a year, with chapters that are literally only a handful of pages each. Each one has a clever title that gives some inkling as to what lies within it. Hence people who have that one more chapter syndrome will always end up quite a lot further than they intended before stopping, as the pages are so readable.
The story takes place over a calendar year, and follows the story of Angie, who is newly divorced. She is determined to turn her life around, and agrees to take part in all sorts of groups and activities purely to keep busy and to please her friends and family.
However what she really wants is to be become known as a successful business woman, and when she hits on an idea to make The Mercury Travel Agent potentially have more income and bookings, her dreams of one day meeting Sir Richard Branson even bigger.
I loved everything to do with the travel agency and the trips that were being planned. Her colleagues Charlie and Josie are brilliant, and Charlie especially has great drive, and seems to take everything in his stride.
There are many amusing parts of the book which really made me smile. My favourite of which was the whole character of Patty, the best friend. She like Angie, is in her fifties, but Pattie is a lot more outgoing, she is finally recovering from the death of her husband, and is determined to embrace life to its fullest. She is over the top, and a born entertainer, while also being a great source of support for Angie.
Actually Angie's mun is another fabulous character, with her love of all things cake and freebie! She appears to be an expert blagger and has a bit of the gift of the gab about her.
I would describe this as mature chick lit, as the characters are slightly older than the average in romantic comedies, but doesn't make them any less outrageous, likeable or fun. They still have flaws and are prone to the odd daft moment, and seem to have a habit of ending up on youtube!
There is of course the dealing of the aftermath of divorce, how Zoe, Angie's grown up daughter is doing, and a whole host of new relationships being formed.
The Mercury Travel Club is an uplifting and enjoyable debut novel, from an author that I would be more than happy to read more by, with characters that are easy to engage with, an easy to read style and just a really fun feel to the book.
Thank you so much to Anna Burtt at RedDoor Publishing for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
March 18, 2017
Firstly, that gorgeous cover is an invitation to abandon everything else in your life and dive right in, isn't it?!
At fifty-three years old Angela (Hargreaves) Shepherd is adjusting to life as a divorcee. The outlook is so overcast that even a meteorologist would have a hard time fathoming what happens next. Still, she does do her best to look on the bright side even though her daughter is still coming to terms with the ‘other woman’ in their lives, as is her rebellious, larger-than-life friend, Patty. Come to think of it Angela hasn’t quite got to grips with the gravity of the situation either.
It was uncomfortable to see her shuffling into a new position as her family unit is rearranged, so I was grateful to the animated widow Patty for encouraging her oldest friend to step out of the shadows by applying a firm, well-meaning shove. Instead of floundering in self-pity, sitting in her little rented house alone, swaddled in cardigans and playing skittles with the vino empties, Angelia can embrace the opportunity to paint a different scene on the now blank canvass that is the rest of her life.
Modest social engagements (except for the odd, cringe-worthy karaoke sensation) spark some unlikely friendships, as well as new ideas for short breaks to revive bookings for the humble travel agency she works for – aaaand behold - The Mercury Travel Club is born!
How terrific to watch Angela embark on her self-made destiny as she scales life’s stumbling blocks. But no tailored vacation remains unchallenged, as a calamitous streak follows her sterling efforts – it’s a miracle she returns from her travels unscathed! As themed weekends take on a mutinous life of their own via a series of impromptu interruptions, this part-time travel shop sales assistant sees her big ideas multiply and offer their own ‘unique’ rewards.
Life’s little downpours are chased away by sunny nuances throughout. I especially liked the mysterious and endearing arrival of a gnome, and other gardening curiosities, leaving Angela wondering who is behind the sentimental helper. Seeing the people at the centre of her world breaking out of their own cocoons was inspiring too.
I’m delighted to have hopped on board this gentle-paced journey to follow the personal itinerary of our narrator, courtesy of The Mercury Travel Club . An array of unscheduled stops en route allow her to rediscover the little things that truly matter to reinforce that somehow, someway, life can reflect a contented symmetry once more.
Lighthearted, entertaining, and a genuinely lovely read.
(I received an advanced paperback copy of this title from the publisher, and it is my pleasure to provide this unbiased review.)
At fifty-three years old Angela (Hargreaves) Shepherd is adjusting to life as a divorcee. The outlook is so overcast that even a meteorologist would have a hard time fathoming what happens next. Still, she does do her best to look on the bright side even though her daughter is still coming to terms with the ‘other woman’ in their lives, as is her rebellious, larger-than-life friend, Patty. Come to think of it Angela hasn’t quite got to grips with the gravity of the situation either.
It was uncomfortable to see her shuffling into a new position as her family unit is rearranged, so I was grateful to the animated widow Patty for encouraging her oldest friend to step out of the shadows by applying a firm, well-meaning shove. Instead of floundering in self-pity, sitting in her little rented house alone, swaddled in cardigans and playing skittles with the vino empties, Angelia can embrace the opportunity to paint a different scene on the now blank canvass that is the rest of her life.
Modest social engagements (except for the odd, cringe-worthy karaoke sensation) spark some unlikely friendships, as well as new ideas for short breaks to revive bookings for the humble travel agency she works for – aaaand behold - The Mercury Travel Club is born!
How terrific to watch Angela embark on her self-made destiny as she scales life’s stumbling blocks. But no tailored vacation remains unchallenged, as a calamitous streak follows her sterling efforts – it’s a miracle she returns from her travels unscathed! As themed weekends take on a mutinous life of their own via a series of impromptu interruptions, this part-time travel shop sales assistant sees her big ideas multiply and offer their own ‘unique’ rewards.
Life’s little downpours are chased away by sunny nuances throughout. I especially liked the mysterious and endearing arrival of a gnome, and other gardening curiosities, leaving Angela wondering who is behind the sentimental helper. Seeing the people at the centre of her world breaking out of their own cocoons was inspiring too.
I’m delighted to have hopped on board this gentle-paced journey to follow the personal itinerary of our narrator, courtesy of The Mercury Travel Club . An array of unscheduled stops en route allow her to rediscover the little things that truly matter to reinforce that somehow, someway, life can reflect a contented symmetry once more.
Lighthearted, entertaining, and a genuinely lovely read.
(I received an advanced paperback copy of this title from the publisher, and it is my pleasure to provide this unbiased review.)
November 20, 2017
Favorite Quotes:
…there are plenty of fish still in the sea without you having to go back to that washed-up walrus.
Our first venture has gone well, even if it does feel as if I’m in an episode of Scooby-Doo. I wonder which character I am.
I’ve watched American beauty pageants on TV and they looked like this. There’s obviously a circuit crowd who greet each other with bi-focal faces: the mouth is smiling hello while the eyes are snarling ‘die bitch die’.
I head back downstairs and straight for the gym. I find the punch bag instead. I pound it with everything I have and then more. This lasts about thirty seconds – they’re much tougher than they seem in films.
My Review:
I enjoyed this entertaining and cleverly amusing first person POV story featuring Angie, a betrayed and newly divorced fifty-three-year-old woman. I relished her bitter, comical, and fanciful inner musings and although she occasionally veered off track, I admired her attitude. Her marriage was over but her life wasn’t. Angie began her transition from being part of a two to just one by joining a book club, and in so doing, found a life coach in Caroline, the bookstore owner, who encouraged her to daydream and wave a magic wand over her new hopes and ideas of each major life aspect. It was an effective exercise and one we should all replicate. Step one - Angie took stock in the mirror and was shocked to find a Frida type uni-brow and granny fugly wardrobe – so off for a makeover with extensive plucking, which resulted in an instant uptick in her self-confidence. If only the other areas were as easy to tackle.
I enjoyed Angie’s transformation and how her improvements affected and enhanced the lives of those around her. I adored her outspoken and wily best friend Patty, whom I instantly identified with since I pretty much am a Patty. Angie and Patty together and individually find themselves embroiled in several unique adventures such as speed dating, forming a karaoke band, gambling on a new business venture, international travel, busting a shipboard crime ring, opening up to romance, entering competitions, and even riding pillion with a leather-clad biker. I enjoyed my time with this amusing group and look forward to more.
…there are plenty of fish still in the sea without you having to go back to that washed-up walrus.
Our first venture has gone well, even if it does feel as if I’m in an episode of Scooby-Doo. I wonder which character I am.
I’ve watched American beauty pageants on TV and they looked like this. There’s obviously a circuit crowd who greet each other with bi-focal faces: the mouth is smiling hello while the eyes are snarling ‘die bitch die’.
I head back downstairs and straight for the gym. I find the punch bag instead. I pound it with everything I have and then more. This lasts about thirty seconds – they’re much tougher than they seem in films.
My Review:
I enjoyed this entertaining and cleverly amusing first person POV story featuring Angie, a betrayed and newly divorced fifty-three-year-old woman. I relished her bitter, comical, and fanciful inner musings and although she occasionally veered off track, I admired her attitude. Her marriage was over but her life wasn’t. Angie began her transition from being part of a two to just one by joining a book club, and in so doing, found a life coach in Caroline, the bookstore owner, who encouraged her to daydream and wave a magic wand over her new hopes and ideas of each major life aspect. It was an effective exercise and one we should all replicate. Step one - Angie took stock in the mirror and was shocked to find a Frida type uni-brow and granny fugly wardrobe – so off for a makeover with extensive plucking, which resulted in an instant uptick in her self-confidence. If only the other areas were as easy to tackle.
I enjoyed Angie’s transformation and how her improvements affected and enhanced the lives of those around her. I adored her outspoken and wily best friend Patty, whom I instantly identified with since I pretty much am a Patty. Angie and Patty together and individually find themselves embroiled in several unique adventures such as speed dating, forming a karaoke band, gambling on a new business venture, international travel, busting a shipboard crime ring, opening up to romance, entering competitions, and even riding pillion with a leather-clad biker. I enjoyed my time with this amusing group and look forward to more.
March 21, 2017
Every once in a while you see a book, you love the cover, you love the title, then you read the blurb and you immediately fell in love with it as well, and you know that you MUST read this book, no matter what. Well, it was like this with me and "The Mercury Travel Club". It is a debut novel by Helen Bridgett and I love discovering new authors, as you already know, and I can assure you that we should all keep our eye on this author - she freely and easily delivered a light - hearted novel with a feel - good factor.
I also love to read about mature characters, who have already really experienced something in their live and not only have big mouth, and this book delivered them in dozens, and they were all so colourful and full of life. They are prone to accident, they have flaws and they seem to have an odd moment or two. The only character that I didn't warm to at the beginning was Angie's daughter Zoe, who was behaving like a spoiled child, even though she was over twenty, usurped the right to dictate how her mother should live and coming to terms with her father having a new life after divorce but not allowing her mother to do the same. Fortunately, later she seemed to grow up and she changed, and after all turned out to be a supporting daughter. But altogether, oh my word. The characters, they were brilliant, and the author put them through many ups and downs. There were baking classes, book clubs, speed dating, life coaching, travelling - they really had no time for boring in their lives. Patty, loud, taking no prisoners and always saying as it was, she complemented Angie in a great way and was a great support to her, but also with the most tender side to her. Angie's mother, with her big mouth, the same as Patty with no holding back but she would do anything for her daughter. And then Angie herself - I loved her. She was so normal! She grieved over her marriage, she cried, she was deep down on her knees but she also always found her strength to stand up for herself. She had a great sense of humour and a heart in the right place - just have a look at Socks. Even though she felt hurt she was positively looking towards the future and she wasn't afraid to take risks. She was really great and inspiring, just my favourite kind of character.
But. This book. It started brilliantly, full of things happening and with tons of hilarious sense of humour. But unfortunately later on it went a little downhill for me. Maybe it didn't slow down, as there was always something new, it was really full of surprises, this novel, but it started to feel a little too flat and there was nothing new and refreshing. It actually took 60% to get to the cruise itself. Don't get me wrong, please, I still adored this story, and I still loved Angie, my new best friend, but I just had a feeling we're stuck in the rut. Some things took a lot of time, some were too rushed but altogether it was a great read, light and uplifting, just what the doctor ordered for me at the moment. What I really liked is that the author in a brilliant way managed to keep the borders between hilarity and too far - fetched. There were moments that the story balanced at the verge of being grotesque but Ms Bridgett always knew her limits and while the book is laugh out loud - y, it is still the greatest kind of humour. For example the Granny - Okes: it could go so, so wrong but they turned out to be wonderful, and Patty was just the best!
The chapters are short, which for me always makes the reading much quicker and more interesting - and also with a risk of addiction, you know this one, only one chapter more, and then you find yourself spending your beauty sleep on reading. They were also cleverly titled, always giving a small hint of what can happen. Also, the idea of the Mercury Travel Club was fantastic! Totally new and totally interesting and Angie was determined to make it successful, as it was her "baby". I liked that the author made it so realistic, showing that starting a new idea is not only a walk in the park but that's also a struggle requiring commitments and sacrifices sometimes, but Angie was then ready for the challenge.
"The Mercury Travel Club" was a lovely read with such a natural humour in the writing style. It was inviting, it was warm, full of scenes that made me snort with laughter but also full of poignant moments and I loved this mix. The cast of characters is unforgettable and Madonna's "Like a Virgin" is playing in my head over and over again. Helen Bridgett's writing style is warm and inviting and it flows effortlessly and seamlessly. The dialogues are hilarious, sharp and spot - on and make the story sparkle even more. If you are in a need of a story about being ready for challenges, for fighting the problems, finding your own feet after starting afresh, going after things that you dreamed about, or just of reading an uplifting, incredibly funny story, then "The Mercury Travel Club" by Helen Bridgett is your book! Highly recommended!
Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
March 7, 2017
Oh this book came along at just the right time for me! After some dark and creepy crime reads, to pick up a funny and unputdownable book about a woman of a similar age to myself really did lift my spirits and keep my mind off real life for a few hours. This is Helen Bridgetts debut novel and what an achievement it is! In fact, I was left feeling quite bereft at having finished it until I wrote this review and realised when I researched the author that we will be seeing lots more of The Mercury Travel Club and I can’t wait.
Poor old Angie doesn’t even get a Silver wedding party after her marriage ends after 24 years and 11 months. Her emotions when she moves into her small rented accommodation on her own were very much heart felt as there was a fine line between that fresh start as a single woman and mourning the end of a very long relationship. Obviously I detested her husband Alan and his new partner Amanda (the A team) for hurting the lovely Angela but as time goes by we see a new Angela emerge from the ashes of her divorce and are cheering her on in her vision of a becoming an entrepreneur with her new business enterprise. Honestly, getting rid of Alan is the best thing Angie has done-she is like a butterfly emerging from her cocoon, becoming an inspiration for divorced women everywhere showing that it’s never too late to live your dreams.
I engaged totally with Angela from the moment I met her, as you can probably tell, and mentally helped push through the obstacles placed before her in her quest for happiness. And although there were a few romantic dalliances throughout, I enjoyed the fact that it wasn’t a new man that was the sole purpose in her quest for a new life. When I was a little girl, women in their fifties seemed like old ladies in the way they dressed and behaved but now 50 is the new 30 it’s fabulous to have books celebrating this whole new generation of women putting themselves first and having fun doing it.
This is a feel good read that you will probably want to read in one session but be warned your cheeks will hurt at the end of it from laughing out loud and smiling constantly. Recommended by me!
Poor old Angie doesn’t even get a Silver wedding party after her marriage ends after 24 years and 11 months. Her emotions when she moves into her small rented accommodation on her own were very much heart felt as there was a fine line between that fresh start as a single woman and mourning the end of a very long relationship. Obviously I detested her husband Alan and his new partner Amanda (the A team) for hurting the lovely Angela but as time goes by we see a new Angela emerge from the ashes of her divorce and are cheering her on in her vision of a becoming an entrepreneur with her new business enterprise. Honestly, getting rid of Alan is the best thing Angie has done-she is like a butterfly emerging from her cocoon, becoming an inspiration for divorced women everywhere showing that it’s never too late to live your dreams.
I engaged totally with Angela from the moment I met her, as you can probably tell, and mentally helped push through the obstacles placed before her in her quest for happiness. And although there were a few romantic dalliances throughout, I enjoyed the fact that it wasn’t a new man that was the sole purpose in her quest for a new life. When I was a little girl, women in their fifties seemed like old ladies in the way they dressed and behaved but now 50 is the new 30 it’s fabulous to have books celebrating this whole new generation of women putting themselves first and having fun doing it.
This is a feel good read that you will probably want to read in one session but be warned your cheeks will hurt at the end of it from laughing out loud and smiling constantly. Recommended by me!
June 17, 2017
This book was such a joy to read. This isn't as much as a chic lit read but more of a hen that has gone past her egg laying days. At 53 Angie Shepherd's life has just crumbled as after 24 years and 11 months her cheating two timing husband has left to set up home with a younger model. I mean what do you do when for most of your life you have just been someone's wife and someone's mum? Well you re-find yourself. The only thing is the world has moved on while her head was buried in being pick up, clean up, and wipe up for everyone else.
I really took to Angie straight away as she became, with a little help from her widowed bestie Patty, like a child in a sweetie shop. Well ok a bit of a reluctant child as she did go out and try everything even if at times she was dying inside, but it can be a scary world. The brilliant thing was the world was better with her being back in there taking part.
I just laughed so much as the story followed Angie on her first year of transformation. There are some real gems, from karaoke, You tube and speed dating to a session of making cakes and feeding the birds that made me laugh till I cried. What you can say for Angie is that she will try anything. This is a perfect read if you love everything about the 80's especially the music which plays heavily in the book. Pure gold.
What is the star feature, as you could say, is when she starts to actually find herself again, her own ideas and that is where the book title comes from. Angie works for a travel agent and she comes up with a pretty awesome idea, which I will leave you to read find out about and smile and laugh along with.
Lastly to say this is Helen Bridgett's debut book is so incredible, this really is a must read for summer. Just loved it.
With thanks to RedDoor Publishing for this ebook which I have chosen to review.
I really took to Angie straight away as she became, with a little help from her widowed bestie Patty, like a child in a sweetie shop. Well ok a bit of a reluctant child as she did go out and try everything even if at times she was dying inside, but it can be a scary world. The brilliant thing was the world was better with her being back in there taking part.
I just laughed so much as the story followed Angie on her first year of transformation. There are some real gems, from karaoke, You tube and speed dating to a session of making cakes and feeding the birds that made me laugh till I cried. What you can say for Angie is that she will try anything. This is a perfect read if you love everything about the 80's especially the music which plays heavily in the book. Pure gold.
What is the star feature, as you could say, is when she starts to actually find herself again, her own ideas and that is where the book title comes from. Angie works for a travel agent and she comes up with a pretty awesome idea, which I will leave you to read find out about and smile and laugh along with.
Lastly to say this is Helen Bridgett's debut book is so incredible, this really is a must read for summer. Just loved it.
With thanks to RedDoor Publishing for this ebook which I have chosen to review.
November 7, 2017
I will post review as part of the blog tour.
March 2, 2017
THE MERCURY TRAVEL CLUB by Helen Bridgett is one of the funniest books I have ever read, with a cast of characters that you will completely fall head over heels in love with. Meet Angie Shepherd, age 53, newly-divorced with a grown-up daughter and unsure of what exactly she is supposed to do with her life now. With the usual advice dispensed to those who find themselves in her situation, she makes a determined effort 'to get out there' and find a new path, and Angie does so with gusto. From the new book club where she makes new friends, becoming an overnight internet sensation during a drunken karaoke session with her best friend Patty, to trying to learn how to bake with her daughter even though she is a health hazard in the kitchen, life is certainly not dull. But while she is doing all of these exciting things with everyone else, Angie cannot help but feel that it is more for them than for her. But when Angie has an idea that could help grow the travel agency where she works, she has no clue that this new business venture will expand her world in ways she never thought possible. From cruise ships with international criminals, a mother with no filter, speed dating, and showdowns with the ex, THE MERCURY TRAVEL CLUB by Helen Bridgett has everything you will ever need for an excellent nights reading - and trust me it will only take one night because you will not want to put this book down! Witty dialogue, clever characterisation, and a beautifully down-to-earth atmosphere throughout, this stunning debut shows us that life truly is what you make of it, and it is yours for the taking. I cannot wait to see what Helen Bridgett has for us next!!
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the Publisher - Red Door Publishing
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the Publisher - Red Door Publishing
March 17, 2018
The Mercury Travel Club, Getting your life back on track has never been more funny! Helen Bridgett
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: General Fiction (adult), Women's Fiction.
Usual moan...Woman's Fiction. Again....* sigh* Why do we have a category aimed at excluding those who might want to read this. Men read – and write- romance and I can think of many that would love this. Don't do it authors and publishers.
Its a wonderful read, I wasn't sure when I requested it and it languished on my kindle for a week or so while I read other novels, but once I did pick it up it was perfect. I'm a little older than Angie, not much, a few years, and reading it I empathised with her, shared her reminiscing and laughed so much. I could see me doing all the things she and Patty did!
I tagged a few parts that really made me smile - the Spanx...I always imagine The Great Seduction falling apart when the Spanx come off.
Picture it, soft music, sweet nothings being murmured, clothing being slipped off...all's going well until it comes to the Spanx. Ping, heave, tug, roll them down, acres of confined flesh spill out, red and sweaty, full of compression lines and itching. Cos when you take tight clothes of skin always itches doesn't it? Not really the scene you had in mind. And going to the loo? Yep, men have no idea.
Mothering Sunday, yep, I've had the toast that is bizarrely soggy white in places, black in others, and the egg box daffodils.
The red wine dilemma, how come TV characters never have those gruesome teeth when they smile and never, never get drunk?
Poor Angie's sponge cake, which knocks over the bird table, falls like lead. My cakes are like that, she mentions putting jam and custard on them a serving for dessert, and when my kids were little it was one they loved, the failed cake dessert. “Mum, mum, make a microwave cake today.”
Getting mistaken for a hooker, well, that's one which has missed me but made me snigger.
Its a great read, uplifting for those of us a bit older, reminding us we Have Value, we have lots to give, and Angie and Pattie had a wonderful year.
There so much to smile at and yet its not just humour but some fabulous ideas encouraging us to continue having fun, its not a prerogative of the young. When she was going off for a bike ride with Ed and his Chapter I was so envious, never been on a bike and it sounded wonderful. Hmnn, wonder if someone has a bike and would take me for a spin.... ;-)
I wanted Alan and Amanda to get theirs, so unfair cheating – its one thing I really, really hate, so cruel, so devastating. Sort your marriage/relationship out before straying. I wanted them to see Angie was doing so well, and they did but not quite as I hoped. I guess I'm the vengeful sort, I want the cheater to see what they've lost and regret it, for the third person to get the elbow and the cheatee to move on, to better and braver life, leaving the others regretful. There's something of that in this book, but much more subtle!
Stars: Five, The characters were fabulous, from Angie and Patty, Angie's mum and dad, her daughter, Charlie and Josie from the travel shop, Caroline, Peter, Ed, the Granny-Oks....so many fantastic people who all played a solid part in the novel
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
April 2, 2017
After the first few pages my initial impression was that this wasn't exactly my kind of book. Not because of the style of writing, which is incredibly relaxed and easy to read, but because I found it rather hard to identify with the main protagonist.
Angie is in her early 50s, newly divorced and wondering how to manage the rest of her life, none of which applies to me in the slightest and so I was expecting to have little interest in her journey or that of her friends and family.
However, this book is remarkably well written with rounded, believable characters and it somehow manages to draw the reader in, despite the fact that this is probably the most ordinary book I've ever read. The Mercury Travel Club is about ordinary people living ordinary lives and there are none of the usual climaxes that you might expect from a novel. The few dramas that Angie and her associates do face are over quickly and seem to leave no lasting scars. There are no heart-in-mouth situations, no reading late into the night because you can't put it down, no peeping to see what is to come later in the book because you just can't stand being left in the dark- and yet somehow it is immensely readable. Just like Angie's metaphor for middle-age, this book is a comfy cardigan: comforting, reassuring and familiar, with no nasty surprises to speak of.
I enjoyed it- it's not a show stopper but it is rather a nice cardigan (certainly not a brown one)!
Angie is in her early 50s, newly divorced and wondering how to manage the rest of her life, none of which applies to me in the slightest and so I was expecting to have little interest in her journey or that of her friends and family.
However, this book is remarkably well written with rounded, believable characters and it somehow manages to draw the reader in, despite the fact that this is probably the most ordinary book I've ever read. The Mercury Travel Club is about ordinary people living ordinary lives and there are none of the usual climaxes that you might expect from a novel. The few dramas that Angie and her associates do face are over quickly and seem to leave no lasting scars. There are no heart-in-mouth situations, no reading late into the night because you can't put it down, no peeping to see what is to come later in the book because you just can't stand being left in the dark- and yet somehow it is immensely readable. Just like Angie's metaphor for middle-age, this book is a comfy cardigan: comforting, reassuring and familiar, with no nasty surprises to speak of.
I enjoyed it- it's not a show stopper but it is rather a nice cardigan (certainly not a brown one)!
March 12, 2017
Exceptionally sweet, pleasantly whimsical and incredibly funny!
This is an intelligent, engaging story about moving onward and upward after divorce and reminds us to always grab life by the horns no matter your age.
The writing is descriptive and smooth. The characterization is spot on, with a whole gang of quirky, unique and lovable characters. And the plot is a good mix of family drama, friendship, emotion, humorous escapades, as well as some great 80s references and flashbacks.
This truly is a lovely, heartwarming debut novel that will make you smile, amuse you from start to finish, and will definitely leave you hoping for more.
Thank you to Helen Bridgett and RedDoor Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
This is an intelligent, engaging story about moving onward and upward after divorce and reminds us to always grab life by the horns no matter your age.
The writing is descriptive and smooth. The characterization is spot on, with a whole gang of quirky, unique and lovable characters. And the plot is a good mix of family drama, friendship, emotion, humorous escapades, as well as some great 80s references and flashbacks.
This truly is a lovely, heartwarming debut novel that will make you smile, amuse you from start to finish, and will definitely leave you hoping for more.
Thank you to Helen Bridgett and RedDoor Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
November 19, 2017
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
I had a weird sense of deja vu when I started reading ‘The Mercury Travel Club’. I knew I had never read this book before, yet the storyline seemed awfully familiar and I couldn’t put my finger on why that was. It wasn’t just the storyline which felt similar though, it was also the characters. So much so I had to double and triple check that I had read the book before and forgotten about it. But I hadn’t, yet I have read a couple of other storylines with travel agents in them. Maybe that’s what it was, I don’t know. It really bugged me though I must admit ahah.
Angie’s best friend, Patty, had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion although her pushy nature started to grate on me a little bit. I can fully appreciate that Patty had her best friends interests at heart, but the way she portrayed that made her come across a little bit obnoxious.
Even though I wasn’t sure of the book to begin with, I did find myself getting into the swing of the storyline, whilst giggling as I read about several of the characters antics. Seriously, the humour in this book is one of a kind and certainly kept a smile on my face once finished. The whole vibe of the book screamed fun and fabulous with more than one character attempting to win the crown for most fabulous (not really, but once you read the book you’ll see why I thought that!).
Helen Bridgett has written a truly enjoyable read – even if I did struggle with deja vu and more than one character! I know I probably sound mean when I say this but several characters in the storyline really did rub me up the wrong way due to the way they were portrayed in the book. Personally, it dampened my spirits a little which meant that I couldn’t appreciate every part of ‘The Mercury Travel Club’ like I wanted to.
Basing my opinion on the overall shell of the book, I laughed out loud, was entertained, the storyline was a lovely, easy read and didn’t make my brain hurt. All in all it was rather enjoyable so in all honesty, I really can’t complain. Helen Bridgett has made one reader rather happy.
Fun, flirty and fabulous. If you fancy taking a journey to the Isle of giggles, I fully suggest popping into ‘The Mercury Travel Club’ where you will be fully looked after.
Thanks RedDoor Publishing.
I had a weird sense of deja vu when I started reading ‘The Mercury Travel Club’. I knew I had never read this book before, yet the storyline seemed awfully familiar and I couldn’t put my finger on why that was. It wasn’t just the storyline which felt similar though, it was also the characters. So much so I had to double and triple check that I had read the book before and forgotten about it. But I hadn’t, yet I have read a couple of other storylines with travel agents in them. Maybe that’s what it was, I don’t know. It really bugged me though I must admit ahah.
Angie’s best friend, Patty, had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion although her pushy nature started to grate on me a little bit. I can fully appreciate that Patty had her best friends interests at heart, but the way she portrayed that made her come across a little bit obnoxious.
Even though I wasn’t sure of the book to begin with, I did find myself getting into the swing of the storyline, whilst giggling as I read about several of the characters antics. Seriously, the humour in this book is one of a kind and certainly kept a smile on my face once finished. The whole vibe of the book screamed fun and fabulous with more than one character attempting to win the crown for most fabulous (not really, but once you read the book you’ll see why I thought that!).
Helen Bridgett has written a truly enjoyable read – even if I did struggle with deja vu and more than one character! I know I probably sound mean when I say this but several characters in the storyline really did rub me up the wrong way due to the way they were portrayed in the book. Personally, it dampened my spirits a little which meant that I couldn’t appreciate every part of ‘The Mercury Travel Club’ like I wanted to.
Basing my opinion on the overall shell of the book, I laughed out loud, was entertained, the storyline was a lovely, easy read and didn’t make my brain hurt. All in all it was rather enjoyable so in all honesty, I really can’t complain. Helen Bridgett has made one reader rather happy.
Fun, flirty and fabulous. If you fancy taking a journey to the Isle of giggles, I fully suggest popping into ‘The Mercury Travel Club’ where you will be fully looked after.
Thanks RedDoor Publishing.
March 15, 2017
Angie's husband left her after almost twenty-five years of marriage and she is devastated. Angie is in her early 50s and has to start over. She moves into a house that is a lot smaller than the one she shared with her ex. To keep herself busy Angie is increasing her workload. She has a job at a travel agency, but dreams of being a business owner. Her friend Patty makes sure Angie doesn't waste away due to constantly being home alone in her free time. She encourages her to go out and do all kinds of crazy things, like singing on a stage. Angie's daughter Zoe wants her mother to be more serious and she tries to drag her to baking classes. Angie was afraid to be lonely, but her days are so busy that she hardly has time to breathe.
A makeover makes Angie feel a lot better about herself. She also uses the money she received after the divorce for something she's always dreamed of, a partnership that will make her an entrepreneur. The Mercury Travel Club is Angie's new project and she's determined to make it successful. The idea is brilliant and the big challenge is to find customers. Making her dreams come true doesn't happen without struggles, but Angie is ready for them and she faces them head-on. Angie's journey to recovery and finding a better life also inspires others and it does them a world of good. Will the same happen to Angie, will she eventually be happy again?
The Mercury Travel Club is a wonderful story. I loved Angie, she's strong, smart and able to stand up for herself. She also has a great sense of humor and she has a positive outlook on life. I liked that she keeps doing things that are out of her comfort zone. Her divorce might have been painful, but she's on her way to a better life and I enjoyed reading about her adventures. Angie has fabulous friends and there's always something going on with them. Reading about their lives put a big smile on my face. Friendship is very important to Angie and she has a lovely caring group of people around her that warmed my heart. For me that was one of the most amazing parts of the story. They keep motivating her and I felt proud of Angie because of her kind and dignified nature and her numerous achievements. She's a fantastic inspiring main character.
Helen Bridgett's writing has an easy flow and I read The Mercury Travel Club in one sitting. It's such a fun story and I flew through the pages. I loved this book about living, no matter how old you are you can still go after the things you want the most. It's a brilliant message and an excellent theme for a book. Helen Bridgett's skillful writing and clever dialogue are making the story entertaining and bright. I highly recommend The Mercury Travel Club, it's a sparkling story filled with beautiful people and fascinating twists and turns.
A makeover makes Angie feel a lot better about herself. She also uses the money she received after the divorce for something she's always dreamed of, a partnership that will make her an entrepreneur. The Mercury Travel Club is Angie's new project and she's determined to make it successful. The idea is brilliant and the big challenge is to find customers. Making her dreams come true doesn't happen without struggles, but Angie is ready for them and she faces them head-on. Angie's journey to recovery and finding a better life also inspires others and it does them a world of good. Will the same happen to Angie, will she eventually be happy again?
The Mercury Travel Club is a wonderful story. I loved Angie, she's strong, smart and able to stand up for herself. She also has a great sense of humor and she has a positive outlook on life. I liked that she keeps doing things that are out of her comfort zone. Her divorce might have been painful, but she's on her way to a better life and I enjoyed reading about her adventures. Angie has fabulous friends and there's always something going on with them. Reading about their lives put a big smile on my face. Friendship is very important to Angie and she has a lovely caring group of people around her that warmed my heart. For me that was one of the most amazing parts of the story. They keep motivating her and I felt proud of Angie because of her kind and dignified nature and her numerous achievements. She's a fantastic inspiring main character.
Helen Bridgett's writing has an easy flow and I read The Mercury Travel Club in one sitting. It's such a fun story and I flew through the pages. I loved this book about living, no matter how old you are you can still go after the things you want the most. It's a brilliant message and an excellent theme for a book. Helen Bridgett's skillful writing and clever dialogue are making the story entertaining and bright. I highly recommend The Mercury Travel Club, it's a sparkling story filled with beautiful people and fascinating twists and turns.
March 15, 2017
Now, I’m old enough to believe that there’s nothing wrong with a sensible cardigan – or thermal vest and granny knickers if the weather requires it. But there’s also nothing wrong with trying to get your life kick-started again, and I loved taking this journey along with my new best friend, Angie Shepherd (otherwise known as Bo – after the shepherdess?!). Laugh-out-loud isn’t always my favourite kind of reading, but Helen Bridgett gets this one absolutely right. The life coaching, the book club, the speed dating, the baking classes – so much that was familiar! – and I just loved the friendships and the way they were drawn. The Granny-Okes are just wonderful, a really different and original idea – and friend Patty, loud and larger than life but with a little hidden sadness of her own, was quite perfect at their centre and as Angie’s constant source of support. The Mercury Travel Club is an inspired idea too, and with my love of everything holiday-related I loved it all, from the planning and marketing through the trips and holidays (the cruise was particularly great reading…), and I was with Angie all the way as she dreamed of her chance of being awarded Entrepreneur of the Year.
All the supporting characters are fantastic – I have a particular soft spot for Angie’s mother with her outspokenness and love of a freebie, and also for fellow travel agent Charlie as he finds his path to some happiness of his own. Ex-husband Alan and his new partner Amanda – the new A-Team – are magnificently awful, as you share Angie’s anger and ambiguous feelings about the man she’s shared most of her life with. And then there’s the lovely Socks – and as for Gnorman and Gnorma, the garden gnomes with a life of their own…
This was a wonderful story – superbly written in a conversational style rich in wit and detail – with perfectly judged humour, really touching moments and a cast of characters who will become your best friends too, all set against a 1980s musical background. And the end? Well, I’m not giving anything away, but I thought it was simply perfect. Highly recommended by me.
All the supporting characters are fantastic – I have a particular soft spot for Angie’s mother with her outspokenness and love of a freebie, and also for fellow travel agent Charlie as he finds his path to some happiness of his own. Ex-husband Alan and his new partner Amanda – the new A-Team – are magnificently awful, as you share Angie’s anger and ambiguous feelings about the man she’s shared most of her life with. And then there’s the lovely Socks – and as for Gnorman and Gnorma, the garden gnomes with a life of their own…
This was a wonderful story – superbly written in a conversational style rich in wit and detail – with perfectly judged humour, really touching moments and a cast of characters who will become your best friends too, all set against a 1980s musical background. And the end? Well, I’m not giving anything away, but I thought it was simply perfect. Highly recommended by me.
August 19, 2018
This book was funny and entertaining. I loved the cast of characters, the humor, the style of writing, and the story.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc
April 17, 2024
I enjoyed this women’s fiction book that follows a woman as she rebuilds her life following a divorce. It has a host of quirky characters that add to the story.
March 5, 2017
Its been a whille since ive read such a feel good book. This has it all, fun, laughter, tears, great charactors and above all a fantastic story line.
We meet Angie Shepherd, after finding out her husband of 24 years has run off with another woman, Angie sets out to get her life back in order. Set over a year period, we follow Angie as she gets herself back out there. She joins some activity groups amd keeps herself busy. She has a great best friend, Patty who is lively but a fun person. She also has her grown up daughter, Zoe rooting for her as long as she doesnt embarass Zoe in the process. There is so much going on in the story but its not overwelming. We have the book club, Cookery lessons, Karaoke nights, Speed dating, Cruise ships, Catching criminals and her fabulous mum who will say what she thinks.
Angie works in a travel agent and gets promoted to partner, as The Mercury Travel Club is born, we get to go on holiday all from the arm of your chair.
This book is filled with great, vivid descriptions and you can feel yourself standing beside Angie as she works through her life, and gets over her ex husband.
He is also in the story and this was handled well, Im glad he didnt get any easy time either.
Helen Bridgett, has a great imagination to of fit so much into this story, and it works!.
There are so many good points about this book and I have given it 5 stars as I think it is one I could read again. I am hoping this isnt the last we see of Angie.
We meet Angie Shepherd, after finding out her husband of 24 years has run off with another woman, Angie sets out to get her life back in order. Set over a year period, we follow Angie as she gets herself back out there. She joins some activity groups amd keeps herself busy. She has a great best friend, Patty who is lively but a fun person. She also has her grown up daughter, Zoe rooting for her as long as she doesnt embarass Zoe in the process. There is so much going on in the story but its not overwelming. We have the book club, Cookery lessons, Karaoke nights, Speed dating, Cruise ships, Catching criminals and her fabulous mum who will say what she thinks.
Angie works in a travel agent and gets promoted to partner, as The Mercury Travel Club is born, we get to go on holiday all from the arm of your chair.
This book is filled with great, vivid descriptions and you can feel yourself standing beside Angie as she works through her life, and gets over her ex husband.
He is also in the story and this was handled well, Im glad he didnt get any easy time either.
Helen Bridgett, has a great imagination to of fit so much into this story, and it works!.
There are so many good points about this book and I have given it 5 stars as I think it is one I could read again. I am hoping this isnt the last we see of Angie.
March 22, 2017
Meet Angie Shepherd who is well into a mid-life crisis as the book opens – perhaps a little on the late side for that at 53 years but, hey! – her husband Alan having left her for the younger Amanda (a skilled cake maker to boot). After 24 and a bit years of marriage, Angie hasn’t even had the chance to celebrate her Silver Wedding Anniversary. The future isn’t looking all that rosy.
Life isn’t doing Angie any favours, so she really needs to take the proverbial bull by the horns and “get a life”. Sticking her toe in the water she joins a book club and engages a life coach who casts a critical but supportive eye over each area of her life. Angie then has a brainwave – why not set up The Mercury Travel Club under the auspices of the travel agency where she works? Matching hobbies and interests with getaway destinations, she creates a range of carefully tailored trips to suit individual passions.
Angie is a little hapless but has the most amazing and genuine support from her friends, who are just willing her to succeed on all fronts. It is also time to resurrect the Granny-Okes, a 1980s tribute act (they arrive on stage with zimmer frames only to cast them to one side as soon Gloria Gaynor belts out “I will survive”, or The Weather Girls robustly exclaim “It’s raining Men”). She can also call on the skills she honed way back as an airline cabin attendant, a ‘stewardess’ in her day.
And that is the tenet of the book – how to survive a post divorce life but actually get stuck in and find enjoyment; much to the chagrin of daughter Zoe, who, even in her twenties, can be mortally embarrassed by her mother’s antics. Zoe deals with that by retreating into baking, getting ready for a Bake-Off (watch this space, it’s Amanda’s thing, as mentioned, as well!). There’s Angie’s mum, too, who is always on hand for some sage advice, whilst on the look-out for any freebies.
There are potential house moves, speed dating, karaoke, fortune telling and two gnomes to perk things up….
The book is set in Manchester, but it’s not strongly depicted. There is a quick trip to a haunted house further north, an evening in Crosby, a chapter set in Monaco (“No matter how well you think you’ve dressed, in Monaco you’ll always feel slightly shabby” – yup, I get that!!). Indeed, Monaco is the only place you are likely to encounter a Hennessy Venom GT, one of the top ten most expensive cars in the world – and nope, I hadn’t heard of this car either. (You can’t say you don’t learn anything new on the TripFiction blog!). Angie is then cruising to Cognac (well, to La Rochelle) and off to Bilbao with family members in tow – including her ex and his new missus, which isn’t an ideal set up, of course. Magic shenanigans relieve some of the punters of their expensive jewellery and the family tensions are broken. Phew. And finally it’s a quick trip to New York where the group stays in The Standard Hotel overlooking the Hudson – described as a “funky” hotel with a “deadly” bathroom (where you can sit on the loo taking in the full view of New York). This makes a fitting end for these characters’ adventures. Food, cocktails and films (set in New York of course) pass the time and Angie is soon back in Manchester preparing for an Award’s Ceremony. Will she win anything?
In TripFiction terms the book has the potential to be an ace read for #literarywanderlust but there is in actual fact little depth when it comes to the settings. The focus of the novel is on Angie and how she gets a life. It is well observed, it is humorous, and delightful in many ways. My reservation is that there are just far too many themes, too many ingredients like the cakes that Zoe and Amanda conjure up. It can at times be quite a struggle to blend all the diverse elements into a whole, cohesive story. It’s like continuous channel hopping, and as it says on the cover “the chaos come free”…. It certainly does at times.
But overall a feel-good, entertaining story; and I do rather fancy staying at The Standard when I next go to New York! Thanks for the tip!
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January 25, 2017A good reads give away chatty style lots of eighties references great holiday readn
January 31, 2017
I won this on Goodreads and entered without really knowing what it was about so I wouldn't have bothered as it was not my kind of book. However, I really did enjoy it much to my surprise.
May 10, 2017
Helen Bridgett instantly drew me into the story with her delightfully witty writing. I loved the part about the candle, I would definitely feel the same way as Angie! I got an instant feel for Angie's character and it was a great introduction to this charming character. She is such a down to earth and lovely person who at the start is seemingly lost.
All of the characters were developed well and had their quirky ways which definitely made them more memorable. A special mention has to go to Patty there are no other words to describe her other than that she is just brilliant! Her one liners always lightened the mood and I really enjoyed Angie and Patty's friendship. I have to admit that at times Zoe slightly annoyed me with how she acted with her mum. I guess it is difficult being stuck in the middle of divorced parents but she could be a little blunt. I guess this made me like Angie's character even more. It isn't just Angie who transforms over the course of the year her friends and family also change too. I guess that was what was so interesting about following this group of people.
I love to travel although since having children I don't really get much of an opportunity anymore. I guess I look at motherhood as a whole different kind of adventure! So the travel aspect to the story really appealed to me especially as at school I had visions of working as a travel agent just like Angie.
There are so many funny moments that had me smiling virtually all the way through the book. It was a joy to see Angie try new things in her quest to get her life back on track. The eighties vibe was a brilliant touch I'm sure most people agree that the eighties are a firm favourite for reminiscing! Music features in the storyline and the soundtrack is fab, well it is if you are a fan of 80s pop! The Granny-oakes plot is such a great part of this story and showcases Patty's personality brilliantly.
I'm sure this book will resonate with a lot of people especially if you have had a long term relationship break down. Angie's attitude was a breath of fresh air and even when faced with an uncertain future she picks herself up and carries on the best she can. This book is so easy to read and before I knew it I was half way through and I was having such a great time getting to know Angie and her friends. The short chapters are great and I think this helps to keep the story fresh and moving along at a good pace.
Packed full of friendship, family life & learning to move on - The Mercury Travel Club is the perfect pick me up from everyday life!
With thanks to Helen Bridgett & RedDoor Publishing for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
All of the characters were developed well and had their quirky ways which definitely made them more memorable. A special mention has to go to Patty there are no other words to describe her other than that she is just brilliant! Her one liners always lightened the mood and I really enjoyed Angie and Patty's friendship. I have to admit that at times Zoe slightly annoyed me with how she acted with her mum. I guess it is difficult being stuck in the middle of divorced parents but she could be a little blunt. I guess this made me like Angie's character even more. It isn't just Angie who transforms over the course of the year her friends and family also change too. I guess that was what was so interesting about following this group of people.
I love to travel although since having children I don't really get much of an opportunity anymore. I guess I look at motherhood as a whole different kind of adventure! So the travel aspect to the story really appealed to me especially as at school I had visions of working as a travel agent just like Angie.
There are so many funny moments that had me smiling virtually all the way through the book. It was a joy to see Angie try new things in her quest to get her life back on track. The eighties vibe was a brilliant touch I'm sure most people agree that the eighties are a firm favourite for reminiscing! Music features in the storyline and the soundtrack is fab, well it is if you are a fan of 80s pop! The Granny-oakes plot is such a great part of this story and showcases Patty's personality brilliantly.
I'm sure this book will resonate with a lot of people especially if you have had a long term relationship break down. Angie's attitude was a breath of fresh air and even when faced with an uncertain future she picks herself up and carries on the best she can. This book is so easy to read and before I knew it I was half way through and I was having such a great time getting to know Angie and her friends. The short chapters are great and I think this helps to keep the story fresh and moving along at a good pace.
Packed full of friendship, family life & learning to move on - The Mercury Travel Club is the perfect pick me up from everyday life!
With thanks to Helen Bridgett & RedDoor Publishing for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.
November 24, 2017
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
I had a weird sense of deja vu when I started reading ‘The Mercury Travel Club’. I knew I had never read this book before, yet the storyline seemed awfully familiar and I couldn’t put my finger on why that was. It wasn’t just the storyline which felt similar though, it was also the characters. So much so I had to double and triple check that I had read the book before and forgotten about it. But I hadn’t, yet I have read a couple of other storylines with travel agents in them. Maybe that’s what it was, I don’t know. It really bugged me though I must admit ahah.
Angie’s best friend, Patty, had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion although her pushy nature started to grate on me a little bit. I can fully appreciate that Patty had her best friends interests at heart, but the way she portrayed that made her come across a little bit obnoxious.
Even though I wasn’t sure of the book to begin with, I did find myself getting into the swing of the storyline, whilst giggling as I read about several of the characters antics. Seriously, the humour in this book is one of a kind and certainly kept a smile on my face once finished. The whole vibe of the book screamed fun and fabulous with more than one character attempting to win the crown for most fabulous (not really, but once you read the book you’ll see why I thought that!).
Helen Bridgett has written a truly enjoyable read – even if I did struggle with deja vu and more than one character! I know I probably sound mean when I say this but several characters in the storyline really did rub me up the wrong way due to the way they were portrayed in the book. Personally, it dampened my spirits a little which meant that I couldn’t appreciate every part of ‘The Mercury Travel Club’ like I wanted to.
Basing my opinion on the overall shell of the book, I laughed out loud, was entertained, the storyline was a lovely, easy read and didn’t make my brain hurt. All in all it was rather enjoyable so in all honesty, I really can’t complain. Helen Bridgett has made one reader rather happy.
Fun, flirty and fabulous. If you fancy taking a journey to the Isle of giggles, I fully suggest popping into ‘The Mercury Travel Club’ where you will be fully looked after.
Thanks RedDoor Publishing.
I had a weird sense of deja vu when I started reading ‘The Mercury Travel Club’. I knew I had never read this book before, yet the storyline seemed awfully familiar and I couldn’t put my finger on why that was. It wasn’t just the storyline which felt similar though, it was also the characters. So much so I had to double and triple check that I had read the book before and forgotten about it. But I hadn’t, yet I have read a couple of other storylines with travel agents in them. Maybe that’s what it was, I don’t know. It really bugged me though I must admit ahah.
Angie’s best friend, Patty, had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion although her pushy nature started to grate on me a little bit. I can fully appreciate that Patty had her best friends interests at heart, but the way she portrayed that made her come across a little bit obnoxious.
Even though I wasn’t sure of the book to begin with, I did find myself getting into the swing of the storyline, whilst giggling as I read about several of the characters antics. Seriously, the humour in this book is one of a kind and certainly kept a smile on my face once finished. The whole vibe of the book screamed fun and fabulous with more than one character attempting to win the crown for most fabulous (not really, but once you read the book you’ll see why I thought that!).
Helen Bridgett has written a truly enjoyable read – even if I did struggle with deja vu and more than one character! I know I probably sound mean when I say this but several characters in the storyline really did rub me up the wrong way due to the way they were portrayed in the book. Personally, it dampened my spirits a little which meant that I couldn’t appreciate every part of ‘The Mercury Travel Club’ like I wanted to.
Basing my opinion on the overall shell of the book, I laughed out loud, was entertained, the storyline was a lovely, easy read and didn’t make my brain hurt. All in all it was rather enjoyable so in all honesty, I really can’t complain. Helen Bridgett has made one reader rather happy.
Fun, flirty and fabulous. If you fancy taking a journey to the Isle of giggles, I fully suggest popping into ‘The Mercury Travel Club’ where you will be fully looked after.
Thanks RedDoor Publishing.
November 19, 2017
What a refreshing, witty, and wonderful read! Angela finds herself in a place she never thought she would be in her early 50’s. Instead of enjoying life with her husband, she finds herself in the position of being the “discarded wife” whose husband ran off with the caterer hired for her daughter’s university graduation. The Mercury Travel Club is Angela’s journey of self-discovery and happiness.
When I first met Angela, she is the perfect example of the wife thrown away for a younger model. She is angry and deeply hurt. She put her needs aside to support her husband, helping build his business, and her daughter Zoe. Somewhere along the way, she forgot who she was…the beautiful, vivacious stewardess who knew how to have fun with her best friend, Patty. She joins a book club not knowing how much this eclectic group of people would change her life. They would help her find herself again and finally live a life not just satisfying for others but herself.
I was looking for something a bit different to read, and this one definitely exceeded my expectations. I adored that this was about an older woman. The author illustrated that because you happen to be older than your 20’s, your life isn’t over. Angela was fun, and she was beautiful. Her daughter had a hard time realizing that her mother is actually human….not a machine to fill her adult child’s needs. She was a woman and had a life before having a child. However, Zoe comes around and is a staunch supporter of her mother in her brand, new business running a travel club for people of a similar age.
It is amazing that this is Helen Bridgett’s debut novel. She writes as if she has been doing this for years. The story itself was witty and well-written. Her additional characters, especially Patty, Angela’s Mum and Dad, Charlie, and other members of the book club, were so well integrated into the storyline. I highly recommend reading this book if you are a fan of women’s fiction, and you love a story about a woman who proves that life doesn’t end because of a divorce or you happen to be a certain age. So excited that this won’t be the last adventure of The Mercury Travel Club.
***Read and Reviewed by Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews***
When I first met Angela, she is the perfect example of the wife thrown away for a younger model. She is angry and deeply hurt. She put her needs aside to support her husband, helping build his business, and her daughter Zoe. Somewhere along the way, she forgot who she was…the beautiful, vivacious stewardess who knew how to have fun with her best friend, Patty. She joins a book club not knowing how much this eclectic group of people would change her life. They would help her find herself again and finally live a life not just satisfying for others but herself.
I was looking for something a bit different to read, and this one definitely exceeded my expectations. I adored that this was about an older woman. The author illustrated that because you happen to be older than your 20’s, your life isn’t over. Angela was fun, and she was beautiful. Her daughter had a hard time realizing that her mother is actually human….not a machine to fill her adult child’s needs. She was a woman and had a life before having a child. However, Zoe comes around and is a staunch supporter of her mother in her brand, new business running a travel club for people of a similar age.
It is amazing that this is Helen Bridgett’s debut novel. She writes as if she has been doing this for years. The story itself was witty and well-written. Her additional characters, especially Patty, Angela’s Mum and Dad, Charlie, and other members of the book club, were so well integrated into the storyline. I highly recommend reading this book if you are a fan of women’s fiction, and you love a story about a woman who proves that life doesn’t end because of a divorce or you happen to be a certain age. So excited that this won’t be the last adventure of The Mercury Travel Club.
***Read and Reviewed by Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews***
April 11, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book about Angie, a mature woman in her fifties, basically starting over after her spouse dumps her for a younger woman. This is familiar territory for women's fiction/chick lit, but Angie stood out in resolute determination to get on with her life and in how she handled the sometimes offbeat situations she found herself in.
In her younger years, Angie was a flight attendant who traveled the world. After their daughter was born though, she settled into typical homemaker domesticity, as well as expending a lot of effort getting her husband's business off the ground, only to get zero credit for all of her hard work when they divorced.
Over the course of a year we follow Angie as she comes out of her shell, changes her style, meets loads of new people, tries out various new experiences, including karaoke, (and accidentally becoming a founding member of an 80's tribute band), taking cooking lessons with her 23 YO daughter (which doesn't go particularly well since Angie really can't cook), joining a bookclub, and tentatively entering the dating pool. Most importantly, though, she rediscovers her passion for business and entrepreneurship by coming up with a brilliant idea for a travel club focusing on older singles and empty nesters with plenty of disposable income, and using her divorce settlement, becomes a partner at the travel agency she works at in order to carry out her idea.
At the beginning of the book, Angie is a bit depressed and at loose ends, but by the end of it, she's achieved so much, mainly by being game for anything no matter how doubtful she is inside. She has plenty of anger, jealousy, and hurt to work through, but she does so with humor and grace and never backs down from a challenge. I loved her attitude, the secondary characters were great, the writing was fun, the plot moved along pretty smartly and all in all it was a very enjoyable read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
In her younger years, Angie was a flight attendant who traveled the world. After their daughter was born though, she settled into typical homemaker domesticity, as well as expending a lot of effort getting her husband's business off the ground, only to get zero credit for all of her hard work when they divorced.
Over the course of a year we follow Angie as she comes out of her shell, changes her style, meets loads of new people, tries out various new experiences, including karaoke, (and accidentally becoming a founding member of an 80's tribute band), taking cooking lessons with her 23 YO daughter (which doesn't go particularly well since Angie really can't cook), joining a bookclub, and tentatively entering the dating pool. Most importantly, though, she rediscovers her passion for business and entrepreneurship by coming up with a brilliant idea for a travel club focusing on older singles and empty nesters with plenty of disposable income, and using her divorce settlement, becomes a partner at the travel agency she works at in order to carry out her idea.
At the beginning of the book, Angie is a bit depressed and at loose ends, but by the end of it, she's achieved so much, mainly by being game for anything no matter how doubtful she is inside. She has plenty of anger, jealousy, and hurt to work through, but she does so with humor and grace and never backs down from a challenge. I loved her attitude, the secondary characters were great, the writing was fun, the plot moved along pretty smartly and all in all it was a very enjoyable read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
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