Beautiful Little Fools

by Olivia Horrox

Elizabeth "Birdie" Graham must defy her family to discover herself.

Birdie dreams of becoming a professional artist, but the constraints of society demand she marries well. In order to fulfil her dreams, she makes a deal with her parents: to let her spend a year at the St. Agnes School of Art in Cornwall, after which she will return home and marry the insufferable but influential and wealthy Charles Bonham, as per her parents' wishes.

Birdie however, has no intention of ever going back. Free of responsibility for the first time, she finds herself surrounded by a crew of bohemian artists who show her just how dizzying independence can be. And when she meets the magnetic, but troubled, Tremayne family, she will be forced to ask herself exactly what kind of woman and artist she really wants to be.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2022

About the author

Olivia Horrox studied English Literature and Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, and wrote her dissertation on The Great Gatsby which has inspired her own writing. Olivia now works as a senior marketing & PR manager at Simon & Schuster Children’s Books. She lives in West London with her husband, a very cantankerous cat called Coco, and about four-hundred books. Beautiful Little Fools is Olivia’s debut historical fiction novel and was published in Autumn 2022.

Reviews

[Christy fictional_traits · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Beautiful Little Fools' is a coming of age set amongst the post-WW1 era of Britain's Bright Young Things. A time charactised by Bohemian socialites and aristocrats trading conventions for rebellion and flamboyance. The war to end all wars had rattled societal norms and reverberated carpe diem.

Elizabeth Graham should be getting married, in fact, her parents tell her she is getting married, but Elizabeth wants more freedom, not less. Against their better judgment, her parents begrudgingly allow Elizabeth to attend art school for the summer prior to getting married. At St. Agnes' School of Art, 'home to dreamers, the unconventional and reprobates', Elizabeth unfurls her wings and takes flight as Birdie. She quickly learns though, that independence isn't just about being free from the cage your parents and their expectations surround you in, it's about being true to who you really are.

Olivia Horrox's debut novel, 'Beautiful Little Fools', paints the post- WW1 landscape of unadulterated indulgence, amongst the young elite, vibrantly. The story matures alongside Elizabeth and results in an interesting, easy-to-read piece of romantic, historical fiction.

Thank you Embla Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to review and share my opinion on this book.

[karla_bookishlife · Rating 4 out of 5]

A scintillating historical romance set between WW1 and WW2 when the Roaring Twenties were at their height. As Elizabeth comes of age, her parents announce a lucrative marriage, but Elizabeth or Birdie dreams of independence and escape from all the constraints and makes her plea to attend art college in the Cornish coast. There, she meets all sorts of wealthy and bohemian individuals and discovers that gaining independence is only the start, that she really needs to discover herself and her true desires. It is a beautifully written debut novel from Olivia Horrox. #beautifullittlefools #oliviahorrox #emblabooks #netgalley

[Lori Sinsel Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a coming of age novel set in the time period between WWI and WWII.
Birdie wants nothing but to be an artist, her parents want her to make a good match and marry. Her parents, disregarding protests from Birdie forge ahead making a deal with a proper young business man for Birdie's hand in marriage at the beginning of the next year, with the provision that she is sent to a finishing school in the interim. Birdie is dismayed when she hears the plan but with an intervention from her aunt, Birdie is permitted to attend St. Agnes' School of Art, where she meets other young people like herself that want to experience life through their art.
If you like reading about the "Bright Young Things" of the roaring twenties, the bohemian lifestyle filled with passion, music and plenty of booze then this is the book for you. It has it all, the aristocratic elite with all their excesses, the gap between the social classes and the forbidden passions and romances, broken hearts, dreams shattered and others fulfilled.This is a great, glowing look at a bygone era that was a wisp in time and then gone forever filled with all the excitement of new discoveries and breakthrough achievements.
I recommend this novel for all readers who, if anything like me are enamoured with this era, I have always been in love with the roaring twenties, this book deepens my attraction to this magical era in our history.
Thank you to Embla Books and Net Gal;ley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return..

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It felt like one of Eva Ibbotson's older titles in all the best ways. I loved being back in those interwar years and spending time with the main character as she finally gets to be her own person and do her own thing. I loved the romance and all the whole host of characters too. I'd love a whole series of sequels

[Sheryll H Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely

Olivia Morris has crafted a beautiful love story! It is well written and has just the right amount of tension to keep the reader engaged. She contrasts art and science, sexual preferences, aristocracy and commoner, city and country, and tradition with non-conformity. I look forward to the sequel, to learn more about Cornwall and the characters who have not yet met their soul mates!

[Paula Schilling-miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical yet fresh

Thank you for giving a voice to relationships that for too long had to be hidden! ALL of the characters were easily relatable and like those in my own circle of friends! I’ll be waiting for more from this author !!

[Dawn M Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MUST READ

This is the most complex love story I've read in a long time. Its not your typical story as so many wonderful characters are blended into

each others lives. Hard to put down.

[Leanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A coming of age novel of self discovery and worth. The characters are brilliant and the storyline interesting. I absolutely loved how the settings are all described making you able to picture it in your mind and feel like you are there.

[Terri]

Sweet historical romance.

This is a typical romance with good guys, bad guys, intrigue, breakups, makeups, but I really enjoyed it. I'm not an artist but I have a great appreciation of it and art is a major part of this story. Worth your time to read it!

[Kbarker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good

This book was great. I loved the story and the characters. Its a coming of age story and perfect for fans of Downton Abbey. Its a sweet romance easy to get caught up in.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one from prime reading. Better than the average available in this genre. The characters were well developed and the story and language well crafted.

[TERRI DURAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

good read

I really like the characters in this book. It drew me in and kept me there. What on earth will happen next?

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Story

A young woman in the early 1930s struggled to escape the confines of her parents and arranged marriage by pursuing her love of painting.

[Marilyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reminded me of a young girl attending college to party. Was way over the plot skimming to the finish.

[Norma Escobedo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

Traveling your own road instead of the road your parents have set you on is difficult but leads you to know your self and your heart.

[Karen ⊰✿ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad coming of age story. I’m not sure I was in the right mood for it - really just an ok read.

[Ellen Elizabeth Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Its one of those GREAT Reads that you dont want it to end!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This charming novel reminded me of The Beautiful Visit by Elizabeth Jane Howard, which is high praise indeed! Set in a fairy-tale like Cornwall setting in the 1930s, the heroine comes of age while the sinister drums of war beat in the background. The star-crossed love story, idyllic setting and well-rounded characters make this book a joy to read.

When the story begins, Elizabeth's parents have arranged a match with the ghastly eentrepreneur Charles Bonham. Luckily, her aunt is against this, and makes sure that she can go to the art college in Cornwall where she won a scholarship instead. However, Charles thinks that she has gone to finishing school!

In Cornwall, Elizabeth falls in with bohemian Nina, Eddie and , and decides that the name 'Birdie' suits her better. Trouble looms, however, when she starts to have feelings for the heir to the manor, Alexander, and she also tries to help anguished Nina, who has her own problems. The friendship between Birdie and Nina is well-drawn, and so is the question of whether their conflicted relationships with men will break it up.

The main flaws with this novel are that it is a bit too old-fashioned for the era in some ways, and extremely modern in others. Birdie's parents arranging a marriage for her seems a bit far-fetched, considering that this is the 1930s, for example. I am also not sure that a lesbian woman would have called her girlfriend her 'partner' in the 1930s. Birdie herself seems to be well-aware of homosexuality, considering that she has had such a sheltered upbringing, although that's possible. These are my opinions, and minor details with the novel.

I look forward to more novels by Olivia Horrox.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Jez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right from the get-go, I need to add a disclaimer to my review, for Olivia Horrox is my daughter. However, if I had read her book and not enjoyed it my inclination would have been to not leave a review at all rather than leave a bad or a dishonest one. So I am determined to lay aside my pride in her achievement and review her debut novel as honestly and dispassionately as I can.
It is not a genre of book that I would normally have picked up, but having done so I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The characters are all three-dimensional and complex which gives itself to an unpredictable and intriguing plot line. The rugged beauty of Cornwall is described magnificently as is glitz and glamour of the hedonistic, halcyon days between the two world wars. It is a historical romance, yes, but moreover, it is about the struggle betwee inn duty and passion, between love and ambition. It is also a novel about the strength and resilience of deep and abiding friendships.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who loves Cornwall, art, romance, and the tumultuous 1930s.

[Lesley N · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Beautiful Little Fools" is a page turner of a book set mostly in Cornwall in 1932. It is the story of Elizabeth (nicknamed Birdie) pursuing a final summer of freedom before an unwanted marriage arranged by her parents. Her "fiance" has requested that she be sent to a finishing school but she manages, with the collusion of her aunt, to get herself enrolled at the St Agnes School of Art.

In St Agnes she meets many interesting people, both at the art school and in the surrounding area, who broaden her horizons and help her to see what she could become. Birdie makes some good friends, who sometimes lead her astray, and she is truly happy for the first time in years. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

[Rachel Barnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the heart-warming story of Birdie, a young woman promised to a man she neither knows nor likes. She wants to become an artist, to make her own way in the world, but in the 1930’s that’s easier said than done.
I really enjoyed this one – the relationships between the main characters were convincing and well-developed. The growing feelings between Birdie and Alexander Tremayne (who himself is expected to marry a woman he doesn’t love) are well explored and kept me reading to the very end, hoping it would all work out.
The assembled cast, plus the backdrop of the beautiful coastline of Cornwall, added rich depth to this novel.

[Miss D C Ladd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book, highly recommended.

I am not good at reviews and never want to inadvertently give any spoilers, so have been brief. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I was hooked from the start and sorry when I finished it. I loved the characters, setting and subjects. It made me laugh out loud at times and got some funny looks when reading while out. I highly recommend and hope this will be the first of many.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story about a woman who discovers independence and what she really wants. Set after WWI in the world of artisti it's a well plotted and interesting novel.
The characters are well done and I liked it.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine