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Falling in Love with English Boys
Sixteen-year-old Catherine Vernon has been stranded in London for the summer-no friends, no ex-boyfriend Adam the Scum (good riddance!), and absolutely nothing to do but blog about her misery to her friends back home. Desperate for something-anything-to do in London while her (s)mother's off researching boring historical things, Cat starts reading the 1815 diary of Katherine Percival her mom gives her-and finds the similarities between their lives to be oddly close. But where Katherine has the whirls of the society, the parties and the gossip over who is engaged to who, Cat's only got some really excellent English chocolate. Then she meets William Percival-the uber-hot descendant of Katherine-and things start looking up . . .
293 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 2010
17 people are currently reading
2079 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Jensen
15 books186 followersI grew up in San Francisco, which gave me a love of fog and funny-colored houses. My mother is an amazing watercolorist, my father an architect. I can’t draw. Never could. But I always loved telling stories (occasionally of the sort involving passing Vegetable Fairies and disappearing sweet potatoes at dinnertime). I read lots of pretty wonderful books as a kid, but haven’t been quite the same since I was fourteen and my English teacher handed me a copy of Pride and Prejudice. I still want to be Elizabeth Bennet when I grow up. Elizabeth Bennet with a career and jeans, anyway. My husband got a second date by telling me he had once played Mr. Darcy on stage. There would have been a second date, in any case, but still…
I’ve written lots of stuff over the years, including a few novels, magazine articles, and even a syndicated newspaper etiquette column. I like dinner parties. I don’t give nearly enough of them. I love to make lists of whom I would invite if I possibly could. My fab friends aside, there’s always a spot for Jane Austen (who probably would always politely refuse), Robert Burns, and Charles Darwin. Then there’s Oscar Wilde, Eleanor Roosevelt, the Dalai Lama, and William Steig. Abigail Adams and Oprah. Orlando Bloom (anyone have his phone number?) and Julia Child. Bonnie Robinson: that long-ago English literature teacher, later my creative writing teacher, who told me that I’d better spend a lot more time in England if I was going to insist on writing about it.
My fave places in the world are London and Dublin, neither of which are as foggy as literature would have us believe. I spend as much time as possible in Ireland, often on the edge of one cliff or another. It makes my family crazy. It makes me feel like a Bronte.
Now I live most of the time in Pennsylvania, in a house old enough to have hosted Elizabeth Bennet, if she had cared to visit the Colonies. Of course, as Mrs. Darcy, she would have been very grand and my house isn’t, but then, she was all about having a curious and open mind. Not a bad philosophy. I do my best, but it doesn’t always work. Nothing will ever make me like sweet potatoes.
Melissa's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Melissa...
I’ve written lots of stuff over the years, including a few novels, magazine articles, and even a syndicated newspaper etiquette column. I like dinner parties. I don’t give nearly enough of them. I love to make lists of whom I would invite if I possibly could. My fab friends aside, there’s always a spot for Jane Austen (who probably would always politely refuse), Robert Burns, and Charles Darwin. Then there’s Oscar Wilde, Eleanor Roosevelt, the Dalai Lama, and William Steig. Abigail Adams and Oprah. Orlando Bloom (anyone have his phone number?) and Julia Child. Bonnie Robinson: that long-ago English literature teacher, later my creative writing teacher, who told me that I’d better spend a lot more time in England if I was going to insist on writing about it.
My fave places in the world are London and Dublin, neither of which are as foggy as literature would have us believe. I spend as much time as possible in Ireland, often on the edge of one cliff or another. It makes my family crazy. It makes me feel like a Bronte.
Now I live most of the time in Pennsylvania, in a house old enough to have hosted Elizabeth Bennet, if she had cared to visit the Colonies. Of course, as Mrs. Darcy, she would have been very grand and my house isn’t, but then, she was all about having a curious and open mind. Not a bad philosophy. I do my best, but it doesn’t always work. Nothing will ever make me like sweet potatoes.
Melissa's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Melissa...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
January 26, 2016
If "Anna and the French Kiss" and "Revolution" got together and had a rather dim English baby that embarrassed you in public places by trying way too hard to be cool, it just might be this book. It's not like I was expecting profundity; I mean, it's called "Falling in Love with English Boys" and I got it because of the review on ForeverYA. But I expected smart and funny and charming and win. I didn't find it.
For the most part, I hated the main characters. Selfish, whiny, dumb, spoiled, clueless - choose your own adjective. The love interest angle, totally one-dimensional. There was pretty much nothing swoony about the boys involved - and so stereotyped. The supporting characters was the sole place the book sort of had me. The English posse that Cat finds, while being completely too-good-too-be-true, were at least well-executed. But, the modern day and historical story lines never really come together. Speaking of the historical story it was, eh, fine. Pretty rote, nothing anybody's never seen before.
But, I will admit that I might have forgiven these things - because I confess that I was smiling a bit when I finished because I'm a sucker - if the writing hadn't been totally irksome. Cat's story is told in blog entries she writes to her friends back home and they are riddled with super unrealistic and annoying slang and the sort of quirks that adults think teens use but that teens don't actually use. Over and over again. And there's lots of text-speak, but like made up text-speak. And it all lowers the I.Q. of the book and these characters so, so many points.
Color me disappointed. Mostly, it just really made me crave *good* contemporary, teen fiction set in London. But maybe I'll just have to make my away across the ocean and do some shopping, because American publishers aren't giving it to me.
For the most part, I hated the main characters. Selfish, whiny, dumb, spoiled, clueless - choose your own adjective. The love interest angle, totally one-dimensional. There was pretty much nothing swoony about the boys involved - and so stereotyped. The supporting characters was the sole place the book sort of had me. The English posse that Cat finds, while being completely too-good-too-be-true, were at least well-executed. But, the modern day and historical story lines never really come together. Speaking of the historical story it was, eh, fine. Pretty rote, nothing anybody's never seen before.
But, I will admit that I might have forgiven these things - because I confess that I was smiling a bit when I finished because I'm a sucker - if the writing hadn't been totally irksome. Cat's story is told in blog entries she writes to her friends back home and they are riddled with super unrealistic and annoying slang and the sort of quirks that adults think teens use but that teens don't actually use. Over and over again. And there's lots of text-speak, but like made up text-speak. And it all lowers the I.Q. of the book and these characters so, so many points.
Color me disappointed. Mostly, it just really made me crave *good* contemporary, teen fiction set in London. But maybe I'll just have to make my away across the ocean and do some shopping, because American publishers aren't giving it to me.
December 8, 2018
I have to admit, I only picked this up because I relate to the title. Because honestly, what girl doesn't melt at an English accent? I wasn't expecting much when I started it, but I ended up loving it.
It is a really sweet book about a girl's summer blog while she's in London intertwined with a diary of a girl with the same name, Katherine, from hundreds of years ago; deep literature it is not. You won't find insightful, indepth poetry or life-changing events, but you will find a great little addition for your library.
Most definitely it's chick-lit and romance, but it honestly has it's hilarious moments.
It's a book I'll pick up whenever I want something to make me happy, I mean who doesn't like a book where the character meets Orlando Bloom? All in all a book definitely worth taking the time to read.
~Sunrise
It is a really sweet book about a girl's summer blog while she's in London intertwined with a diary of a girl with the same name, Katherine, from hundreds of years ago; deep literature it is not. You won't find insightful, indepth poetry or life-changing events, but you will find a great little addition for your library.
Most definitely it's chick-lit and romance, but it honestly has it's hilarious moments.
It's a book I'll pick up whenever I want something to make me happy, I mean who doesn't like a book where the character meets Orlando Bloom? All in all a book definitely worth taking the time to read.
~Sunrise
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2011
I usually finish reading a book in 2 - 3 days. But this one took like a week. I couldn't not finish because I always finish books...but this one tempted me a lot.
Things I did to avoid continuing with the book:
- Water the plants.
- Laundry (got loads done)
- Finish one of my oldest projects
- Ironed clothes
- Cook something...anything whenever I got chance.
- Count stars (nah..jk)
Well you get the idea. I read somewhere that this book was similar to Anna and the French Kiss...well it was a bit like Anna and french kiss interms of story, like how the MC comes to Europe and meets a guy who is already taken and falls in love with him. But nothing in writing style actually captures you. I don't know how "Anna and the french kiss" fans swallowed this one, I couldn't get past first 40 pages. I had soo many expectations....it was nothing like Anna and the french kiss.
Lets see if I can justify my 1 star:
- To begin with...this whole book is written in Journals / blogs. Past Katherine writes in her journal and Modern Catherina writes in her blog. Author tries to complete this jigsaw puzzle with pieces of stories from Journal and blogs...but it left some huge holes...some pieces are missing and reader is left wondering about things.
- Language of the book is supposed to be teenage like language, with words like sez (says), thang (thing), (s)mother etc. I didn't understand what (s)mother was until about middle of the book.
- Unlikable MCs (both Kat and Cat). They both come off vain and shallow. Always talking about looking good, shopping, boys etc...nothing really important or anything that needs some brainpower.
- Story doesn't pick up until last 50 pages...very very very boring.
- Too many Mr. whatevers (couldn't keep track of who's who).
- Unanswered questions:
- What happened to Kat (did she marry Nicholas?)
- What happened to Cat (sounds like she comes back to London for college?)
- It was never mentioned that Kat has figured out the puzzle, but some how she knows at end?)
- Most important...what's with witch looking person in the middle of the book.
- Who was the witch that helps Kat from the creep pawing at her in the garden.
- Witch says Kat gets married to man of words / swords...this is never mentioned again in the book. I didn't understand who she was or how she got there or why she told Kat's future.
- For a standalone book, it sure has too many loose ends....it's not wrapped up properly.
I will end this review with one positive thought about the book...it is incredibly funny. I laughed out loud at so many scenes.
Things I did to avoid continuing with the book:
- Water the plants.
- Laundry (got loads done)
- Finish one of my oldest projects
- Ironed clothes
- Cook something...anything whenever I got chance.
- Count stars (nah..jk)
Well you get the idea. I read somewhere that this book was similar to Anna and the French Kiss...well it was a bit like Anna and french kiss interms of story, like how the MC comes to Europe and meets a guy who is already taken and falls in love with him. But nothing in writing style actually captures you. I don't know how "Anna and the french kiss" fans swallowed this one, I couldn't get past first 40 pages. I had soo many expectations....it was nothing like Anna and the french kiss.
Lets see if I can justify my 1 star:
- To begin with...this whole book is written in Journals / blogs. Past Katherine writes in her journal and Modern Catherina writes in her blog. Author tries to complete this jigsaw puzzle with pieces of stories from Journal and blogs...but it left some huge holes...some pieces are missing and reader is left wondering about things.
- Language of the book is supposed to be teenage like language, with words like sez (says), thang (thing), (s)mother etc. I didn't understand what (s)mother was until about middle of the book.
- Unlikable MCs (both Kat and Cat). They both come off vain and shallow. Always talking about looking good, shopping, boys etc...nothing really important or anything that needs some brainpower.
- Story doesn't pick up until last 50 pages...very very very boring.
- Too many Mr. whatevers (couldn't keep track of who's who).
- Unanswered questions:
- What happened to Kat (did she marry Nicholas?)
- What happened to Cat (sounds like she comes back to London for college?)
- It was never mentioned that Kat has figured out the puzzle, but some how she knows at end?)
- Most important...what's with witch looking person in the middle of the book.
- Who was the witch that helps Kat from the creep pawing at her in the garden.
- Witch says Kat gets married to man of words / swords...this is never mentioned again in the book. I didn't understand who she was or how she got there or why she told Kat's future.
- For a standalone book, it sure has too many loose ends....it's not wrapped up properly.
I will end this review with one positive thought about the book...it is incredibly funny. I laughed out loud at so many scenes.
March 24, 2011
When I picked this book up, I figured it'd be a mindless, formulaic, chick-lit read. You know, one where girl goes somewhere new, girl meets charming boy, charming boy likes her, they have some sort of fight, and then at the end things are hunky-dory by some bit of fateful magic that doesn't really exist. In some ways, that's what Falling in Love with English Boys is. But I don't want to trivialize it, because it's better than that.
What saves this book from being just another teen chick-lit is debut author Jensen's humor, wit, and command of two very different writing styles. Although the story is primarily about Catherine Vernon, it is also the story of Katherine Percival, an 18-year-old girl living in 1815, and believe you me, the girls have WAY more in common than just their first name.
What I really liked about this book is that it is told in diary form throughout. Jensen writes as both Catherine in present day and Katherine in 1815, and she handles the stylistic transitions brilliantly. She also does a fantastic job of bringing a girl from the oh-so Romantic-seeming era of the early-1800s, where everyone is supposedly demure and charming and Elizabeth Bennett-y, and made Katherine Percival seem like a real person who gets mad and is insecure and a little more boy-crazy than she probably should be. It was really refreshing, actually, and made me feel like less of a basket-case. (Ha!)
Now it's time to talk about the boy: William Percival. Will is British. Will is smart. Will is funny. Will is caring. Will will inherit a title. (!!!!!!) Will is sort of perfect. Okay, I'll stop with the short sentences. Overall, Will did the job as the leading man just fine. And though he had all the characteristics and charms, I wanted more . . . I don't know, edge or passion or a motorcycle. Hell, I would have settled for a drum set. I like my boys a little rough around the edges, and I think Will could have used just a dash of that "you-know-I'm-bad-for-you-but-you-just-can't-say-no" salt.
Anyway, the book is bouncy and light for the most part, but Jensen also throws in some plot curveballs that remind us just how random and unfair life can sometimes be--this is esepcially showcased in Catherine's friendship with Elizabeth, a gorgeous and politically-minded girl from a Muslim family and in Katherine's brother, Charles, who is in the Battle of Waterloo. Although both are minor characters, you learn to love them, and their stories bring a sense of reality and weight to the otherwise carefree story.
Overall, Falling in Love with English Boys was surprisingly fun and extremely charming. It was a little reminiscent of Louise Rennison's Georgia Nicholson series, which I am still mourning the finale of, and made me laugh a lot. It's a quick, light, but worthwhile read if you're in the mood for a little British romance, both modern and Austen-ish. And let's be honest, girls (and boys!) like us are almost always in the mood for a little British romance.
What saves this book from being just another teen chick-lit is debut author Jensen's humor, wit, and command of two very different writing styles. Although the story is primarily about Catherine Vernon, it is also the story of Katherine Percival, an 18-year-old girl living in 1815, and believe you me, the girls have WAY more in common than just their first name.
What I really liked about this book is that it is told in diary form throughout. Jensen writes as both Catherine in present day and Katherine in 1815, and she handles the stylistic transitions brilliantly. She also does a fantastic job of bringing a girl from the oh-so Romantic-seeming era of the early-1800s, where everyone is supposedly demure and charming and Elizabeth Bennett-y, and made Katherine Percival seem like a real person who gets mad and is insecure and a little more boy-crazy than she probably should be. It was really refreshing, actually, and made me feel like less of a basket-case. (Ha!)
Now it's time to talk about the boy: William Percival. Will is British. Will is smart. Will is funny. Will is caring. Will will inherit a title. (!!!!!!) Will is sort of perfect. Okay, I'll stop with the short sentences. Overall, Will did the job as the leading man just fine. And though he had all the characteristics and charms, I wanted more . . . I don't know, edge or passion or a motorcycle. Hell, I would have settled for a drum set. I like my boys a little rough around the edges, and I think Will could have used just a dash of that "you-know-I'm-bad-for-you-but-you-just-can't-say-no" salt.
Anyway, the book is bouncy and light for the most part, but Jensen also throws in some plot curveballs that remind us just how random and unfair life can sometimes be--this is esepcially showcased in Catherine's friendship with Elizabeth, a gorgeous and politically-minded girl from a Muslim family and in Katherine's brother, Charles, who is in the Battle of Waterloo. Although both are minor characters, you learn to love them, and their stories bring a sense of reality and weight to the otherwise carefree story.
Overall, Falling in Love with English Boys was surprisingly fun and extremely charming. It was a little reminiscent of Louise Rennison's Georgia Nicholson series, which I am still mourning the finale of, and made me laugh a lot. It's a quick, light, but worthwhile read if you're in the mood for a little British romance, both modern and Austen-ish. And let's be honest, girls (and boys!) like us are almost always in the mood for a little British romance.
January 21, 2011
Charming story, if very derivative of Austen and her ilk. Suffered most from having both stories be so similar (as well as predictable). Like many of the less superior fictional romances, there were was much Sturm und Drang that could have been solved very simply by honest communication. Essentially, the contemporary modern romance felt a bit situationally forced. One particular scene in Hyde Park was an example of ridiculous plot tampering.
Also, one of my pet peeves is when authors completely abuse teen speech. You are writing a book published in 2011 when most teens have Smartphones. Therefore they do not text like this:
"HisText: 2moro ok 4u?
"MyText: Y [This means "yes" by the way, not "why." Confusing.]
"HisText: H-Park?
"MyText: Y
[...]
"HisText: Gr8. 11. Boathouse?
"MyText: CU" (p. 176).
Or this:"Ur B-Day 2moro. 2 Bizy? Or can I C U 4 it?" (p. 215). HELLO? "Busy" has the exact same number of words as "Bizy!" A philosophy/history major would NOT text someone this way. I am 23 and when I was in high school we did not even text each other this way, back when texts needed to be short. Absolutely crazymaking. The contemporary story is composed of blog entries and similarly, the girl, Cat, often misspells things FOR NO REASON except that the author wants to indicate that she is a teen. Who writes "sez?" "Says" requires ONE MORE LETTER! TEENS WHO KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY USE A SEMICOLON WOULD NOT WRITE "SEZ!"
Also, one of my pet peeves is when authors completely abuse teen speech. You are writing a book published in 2011 when most teens have Smartphones. Therefore they do not text like this:
"HisText: 2moro ok 4u?
"MyText: Y [This means "yes" by the way, not "why." Confusing.]
"HisText: H-Park?
"MyText: Y
[...]
"HisText: Gr8. 11. Boathouse?
"MyText: CU" (p. 176).
Or this:"Ur B-Day 2moro. 2 Bizy? Or can I C U 4 it?" (p. 215). HELLO? "Busy" has the exact same number of words as "Bizy!" A philosophy/history major would NOT text someone this way. I am 23 and when I was in high school we did not even text each other this way, back when texts needed to be short. Absolutely crazymaking. The contemporary story is composed of blog entries and similarly, the girl, Cat, often misspells things FOR NO REASON except that the author wants to indicate that she is a teen. Who writes "sez?" "Says" requires ONE MORE LETTER! TEENS WHO KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY USE A SEMICOLON WOULD NOT WRITE "SEZ!"
May 12, 2012
1.5.
I actually enjoyed The Fine Art of Truth or Dare, so I thought I'd check out Melissa Jensen's first book, Falling in Love with English Boys.
I didn't have very high hopes from the very first page, when the main character, Cat, starts COMPLAINING because she gets to stay in LONDON for a WHOLE SUMMER. When I read on and the book managed to effectively utilize three of my YA pet peeves,
1. faux historical diaries, unrealistic to the point of inaccurate
2. horrible fake text speak-- at one point 'A-B' was used in place of 'abbey'
3. vapid, whiny, immature main character whom everyone seems to adore
it was pretty solidly a one-star venture. I should've known from the title.
I actually enjoyed The Fine Art of Truth or Dare, so I thought I'd check out Melissa Jensen's first book, Falling in Love with English Boys.
I didn't have very high hopes from the very first page, when the main character, Cat, starts COMPLAINING because she gets to stay in LONDON for a WHOLE SUMMER. When I read on and the book managed to effectively utilize three of my YA pet peeves,
1. faux historical diaries, unrealistic to the point of inaccurate
2. horrible fake text speak-- at one point 'A-B' was used in place of 'abbey'
3. vapid, whiny, immature main character whom everyone seems to adore
it was pretty solidly a one-star venture. I should've known from the title.
March 2, 2012
Catherine's Story: 1.5 Star
Most of it was pretty boring. Though I did adore her English friends. The glimpse we get of them anyway.
Katherine's Story: 4 Star
Rather entertaing and interesting. Would've been a better stand alone but with more. It'd be too short as is with it "entwined" as it is in the story.
I averaged it all to a 3. Katherine impressed me to aim toward the higher end.
Most of it was pretty boring. Though I did adore her English friends. The glimpse we get of them anyway.
Katherine's Story: 4 Star
Rather entertaing and interesting. Would've been a better stand alone but with more. It'd be too short as is with it "entwined" as it is in the story.
I averaged it all to a 3. Katherine impressed me to aim toward the higher end.
January 25, 2022
3 1/2 ***
April 28, 2012
I want to stick my head out the window and, at the top of my lungs, demand of all of London: I feel like Cinderella; so where the hell is my prince?
----
Cat Vernon is stuck in London for the Summer. Not alone, but with her mother who is doing a research about a woman who lived from the early 19th century and has been dead for almost 200 years. Her mother may research all she wants but Cat would rather write on her blog for her friends back home about her observations in London and Rants about boredom and other stuffs. Until she meet Will Percival. A handsome British boy who is a descendant of the woman her mother is studying. With his presence on Cat's summer life, she all of a sudden finds herself more interested in London, the history of the Percival family, making new friends and maybe and possibly falling in love with an English Boy.
It's my first encounter on a story which takes place in two different periods but I guess I liked this concept. There are two parallel stories in the form of Cat which is taking place on our present time through her blog and of Katherine which takes place in the early 19th century which is through her diary. I find it very interesting because though the storyline of Cat and Katherine were at least 200 years apart, they still connect. I liked seeing Cat get so wrapped up in reading Katherine's diary which I for one also find very interesting.
Cat is a very interesting yet weird character. I just find it hard to get through her. She tends to be sullen, rude, cranky and even selfish at times. I never really liked her character but I also never hate it.
Katherine is one fine woman of the old age. She's a very young lady which is still on her way in the world. I liked the way she pours her heart though her diary, I find her entries very much interesting.
These two are very insightful characters. There area lot of similarities between them like both being new in London making them feel kinda lost in place, pining for guys and even talking about fashion. Around the middle of reading it, I kinda think that Cat reflect the modern Katherine.
Will is the present day prince charming for Cat. He was charmingly handsome. Though he might have a little problem on the communication department I still liked him. Just one thing, the build up between Cat and Will's relationship is really slow, but still very likeable but upon reaching the last chapters I come to think on how would they continue what they have if Cat is going back to the States?! But hey, continue up to the end and it would definitely make you smile.
It was my second Melissa Jensen read after The Fine Art of Truth or Dare and I'm amazed on how this author is pretty much fascinated with history though it tends to get boring.
In all, Falling In love with English Boys was a nice read and I do enjoyed it. Its really nice reading in both the perspective of a modern and historical teen. It was pretty insightful and yes I think its an okay one.
----
Cat Vernon is stuck in London for the Summer. Not alone, but with her mother who is doing a research about a woman who lived from the early 19th century and has been dead for almost 200 years. Her mother may research all she wants but Cat would rather write on her blog for her friends back home about her observations in London and Rants about boredom and other stuffs. Until she meet Will Percival. A handsome British boy who is a descendant of the woman her mother is studying. With his presence on Cat's summer life, she all of a sudden finds herself more interested in London, the history of the Percival family, making new friends and maybe and possibly falling in love with an English Boy.
It's my first encounter on a story which takes place in two different periods but I guess I liked this concept. There are two parallel stories in the form of Cat which is taking place on our present time through her blog and of Katherine which takes place in the early 19th century which is through her diary. I find it very interesting because though the storyline of Cat and Katherine were at least 200 years apart, they still connect. I liked seeing Cat get so wrapped up in reading Katherine's diary which I for one also find very interesting.
Cat is a very interesting yet weird character. I just find it hard to get through her. She tends to be sullen, rude, cranky and even selfish at times. I never really liked her character but I also never hate it.
Katherine is one fine woman of the old age. She's a very young lady which is still on her way in the world. I liked the way she pours her heart though her diary, I find her entries very much interesting.
These two are very insightful characters. There area lot of similarities between them like both being new in London making them feel kinda lost in place, pining for guys and even talking about fashion. Around the middle of reading it, I kinda think that Cat reflect the modern Katherine.
Will is the present day prince charming for Cat. He was charmingly handsome. Though he might have a little problem on the communication department I still liked him. Just one thing, the build up between Cat and Will's relationship is really slow, but still very likeable but upon reaching the last chapters I come to think on how would they continue what they have if Cat is going back to the States?! But hey, continue up to the end and it would definitely make you smile.
It was my second Melissa Jensen read after The Fine Art of Truth or Dare and I'm amazed on how this author is pretty much fascinated with history though it tends to get boring.
In all, Falling In love with English Boys was a nice read and I do enjoyed it. Its really nice reading in both the perspective of a modern and historical teen. It was pretty insightful and yes I think its an okay one.
November 15, 2011
Cat is going on what some might consider the trip of a lifetime. Cat and her (s)mother are going to spend 10 weeks over the summer in England! Many would ask why this is a bad thing, well here are the reasons; she is 16 and old enough to stay on her own, her mom won’t let her stay with her grandma, her soon to be stepmonster needs her dad’s guest bedroom for wedding plans, she has no friends in England, they have weird TV shows, different magazines, and different chocolate. It’s not like she and her mom will be going sight-seeing, shopping, and to parties, no they are there for research. Her mom is doing research on some woman from a long time ago, that no one has heard of, and no one cares about. For some reason her (s)mother thinks Cat will be interested in reading the diary of Katherine, the daughter of her research subject. (S)Mother thinks she needs to get out of her depressing funk, so she asks the hot English descendent of the research subject, whom if you squint just right and tilt your head, kind of looks like Orlando Bloom. The thing is Cat can’t tell if he’s hanging out with her because her mom suggested it and he’s trying to be nice, or he just feels obligated. Luckily, she makes some awesome gal pals here in Jolly Ol’ England. Follow Cat’s blogs to her friends as she navigates her way through England and learns that sometimes no matter how far in the past some things never change.
Falling in Love with English Boys: A Novel by Melissa Jensen was a pretty good book. It alternates between Cat’s voice and her blogs to Katherine’s diary entries. I don’t know how I would feel if I found myself in England, but Cat seemed kind of like a whiner and very shallow. Maybe it’s just the history buff in me seeing the missed opportunity. Katherine, in her diary entries was shallow, but I enjoyed her best. Her view on the balls, social politics, and relationships of the era were fascinating. It is interesting to think on how little the emphasis on women finding a mate today has changed. As for the friends Cat makes, I can’t make up my mind about them. The main one Elizabeth seems to hate Americans with a passion, but thinks Cat is ok because she likes Al Gore? And they become bffs? Something just doesn’t click with that. I know I would get tired of hearing how “stupid” us “yanks” are. I have to admit I found her friends more interesting than she was. I am a sucker for all of that British slang and vulgarity. As for Cat’s blog posts, I know I’m being picky here, but her constant usage of “thang” and “sez” killed me. She’s from Philadelphia, do they talk like that? I guess it was to spice up the blog entries. There are other things I could harp on, such as how fast she is able to pick up the British slang herself and use it without hesitation, but I won’t. The ending was ok, but I think it should have been fleshed out a little more to better wrap everything up. I felt like I was left hanging and thinking, “I read all of that for this ending?” Enough complaining, all in all, this was a cute and short book. If you are looking for a fast and shallow read, go for it
Falling in Love with English Boys: A Novel by Melissa Jensen was a pretty good book. It alternates between Cat’s voice and her blogs to Katherine’s diary entries. I don’t know how I would feel if I found myself in England, but Cat seemed kind of like a whiner and very shallow. Maybe it’s just the history buff in me seeing the missed opportunity. Katherine, in her diary entries was shallow, but I enjoyed her best. Her view on the balls, social politics, and relationships of the era were fascinating. It is interesting to think on how little the emphasis on women finding a mate today has changed. As for the friends Cat makes, I can’t make up my mind about them. The main one Elizabeth seems to hate Americans with a passion, but thinks Cat is ok because she likes Al Gore? And they become bffs? Something just doesn’t click with that. I know I would get tired of hearing how “stupid” us “yanks” are. I have to admit I found her friends more interesting than she was. I am a sucker for all of that British slang and vulgarity. As for Cat’s blog posts, I know I’m being picky here, but her constant usage of “thang” and “sez” killed me. She’s from Philadelphia, do they talk like that? I guess it was to spice up the blog entries. There are other things I could harp on, such as how fast she is able to pick up the British slang herself and use it without hesitation, but I won’t. The ending was ok, but I think it should have been fleshed out a little more to better wrap everything up. I felt like I was left hanging and thinking, “I read all of that for this ending?” Enough complaining, all in all, this was a cute and short book. If you are looking for a fast and shallow read, go for it
March 22, 2011
Reviewed for Mundie Moms by Sophie-
ou know that an Anglophile like me couldn't walk by a book with this cover without, at least, picking it up. I mean, I love chick-lit, Cadbury chocolate and hey, who doesn't love a tall, good looking British boy? But what I love most is a well-written story about a girl who finds herself in a different place and while getting her bearings, she still manages to stay true to herself. Falling In Love with English Boys is just such a story.
Melissa Jensen presents a plot line which switches between modern-day Cat and Napoleon Era Katherine. The two girls have more than a love of writing in diaries (or blogs) in common -- they're about the same age, want to fall in love with the right guy and find friendship when they least expect it. Although, there is a historical aspect to the story through Katherine's diary, what I loved the most are the parallels between Katherine's and Cat's families which I found completely relatable.
And then there is the romance. Sure, I was interested in Katherine's season but I was more interested in the adorable ancestor of hers, William Percival. Fortunately, so was Kat. Their encounters had that delicate balance I love in a romance -- the awkward first meetings, the inevitable mix ups and well, yes, the resolution.
I'm recommending this book but only if you promise to read it in just the way I did -- sitting in your favorite chair with a Cadbury Milk Chocolate bar close by and a cup of coffee made just right (the scene where Kat tries English tea is quite funny). In a few hours, you'll sit back with a smile on your face. You may even tweet this: "Falling In Love with English Boys is such a cute romance. I want to carry it with me on cloudy days when all I want is a cup of tea and one heck of a Kissy Scene."
ou know that an Anglophile like me couldn't walk by a book with this cover without, at least, picking it up. I mean, I love chick-lit, Cadbury chocolate and hey, who doesn't love a tall, good looking British boy? But what I love most is a well-written story about a girl who finds herself in a different place and while getting her bearings, she still manages to stay true to herself. Falling In Love with English Boys is just such a story.
Melissa Jensen presents a plot line which switches between modern-day Cat and Napoleon Era Katherine. The two girls have more than a love of writing in diaries (or blogs) in common -- they're about the same age, want to fall in love with the right guy and find friendship when they least expect it. Although, there is a historical aspect to the story through Katherine's diary, what I loved the most are the parallels between Katherine's and Cat's families which I found completely relatable.
And then there is the romance. Sure, I was interested in Katherine's season but I was more interested in the adorable ancestor of hers, William Percival. Fortunately, so was Kat. Their encounters had that delicate balance I love in a romance -- the awkward first meetings, the inevitable mix ups and well, yes, the resolution.
I'm recommending this book but only if you promise to read it in just the way I did -- sitting in your favorite chair with a Cadbury Milk Chocolate bar close by and a cup of coffee made just right (the scene where Kat tries English tea is quite funny). In a few hours, you'll sit back with a smile on your face. You may even tweet this: "Falling In Love with English Boys is such a cute romance. I want to carry it with me on cloudy days when all I want is a cup of tea and one heck of a Kissy Scene."
August 30, 2011
My Summary: Cat's mom is an expert on all things old and antique, and when she gets called to London to work at the British Museum for a few weeks, she decides to take Cat with her - something Cat is definitely not looking forward to. Why? Because while her mother is busy working, Cat will have nothing to do but sit around in their rented apartment and watch cricket games... or so she thinks. Because Cat's mom has a surprise for her: she's arranged for Will - a gorgeous descendant of the girl who's diary Cat happens to be reading - to be her tour-guide.
Meanwhile, 200 years in the past, Katherine Percival is getting ready to start her Season and find a husband. But she doesn't want to marry someone who only wants her money; the gorgeous Thomas Baker seems to be the answer to all her prayers. But can she escape the arranged marriage her father is planning for her, or is she destined to live without love?
My Thoughts: When I read the premise for this book, all I could think was, "A vacation in London? Hot English boys? AND an old diary?! Count me in!"
First off: the writing is incredibly easy to get into. Cat's voice seemed incredibly genuine, and the plot was never boring or slow. Also, the way that the plots of both stories wove together was awesome - I especially loved Katherine and her mother standing up to Katherine's uppity father. And I absolutely adored the ending.
Second, I loved how the author developed the characters, especially Cat's mom and Nicholas. At first they were just secondary characters, but as the novel goes on you begin to like them more and more.
Lastly, the blog/diary format was great and really easy to follow.
Final Thoughts: I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about travel. It's a great, fast read, and great if you like historical fiction.
Meanwhile, 200 years in the past, Katherine Percival is getting ready to start her Season and find a husband. But she doesn't want to marry someone who only wants her money; the gorgeous Thomas Baker seems to be the answer to all her prayers. But can she escape the arranged marriage her father is planning for her, or is she destined to live without love?
My Thoughts: When I read the premise for this book, all I could think was, "A vacation in London? Hot English boys? AND an old diary?! Count me in!"
First off: the writing is incredibly easy to get into. Cat's voice seemed incredibly genuine, and the plot was never boring or slow. Also, the way that the plots of both stories wove together was awesome - I especially loved Katherine and her mother standing up to Katherine's uppity father. And I absolutely adored the ending.
Second, I loved how the author developed the characters, especially Cat's mom and Nicholas. At first they were just secondary characters, but as the novel goes on you begin to like them more and more.
Lastly, the blog/diary format was great and really easy to follow.
Final Thoughts: I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about travel. It's a great, fast read, and great if you like historical fiction.
January 21, 2012
Seventeen-year-old Cat Vernon is stuck in London all summer with her mother who is doing research on an obscure writer from the early nineteenth century. Her mother wants her to read the diary of Katherine Percival, daughter of the obscure writer from the early nineteenth century, but Cat would rather blog to her friends back home in the States with her observations of London and her lamentations of boredom. But then Cat meets Will Percival, descendent of the obscure writer from the nineteenth century, and suddenly London and Katherine’s diary don’t seem so dull.
This is a fun novel that describes the bumpy road to adulthood from the perspective of both a modern teen and a historical teen. The time switch is done very well, with clear distinctions in style between the two periods. The literary references scattered throughout the novel add interest without seeming like a literature lesson; Katherine’s riddles are particularly notable. I had to put the book down several times so that I could spend time figuring them out. I also enjoyed how the author chose to delve deeper into each time period by discussing more than fashion and dating. Both Cat and Katherine learn important truths about their parents and that the consequences of war are not limited to the battlefield. Because of some mature content, I’d recommend this novel for older teens.
This is a fun novel that describes the bumpy road to adulthood from the perspective of both a modern teen and a historical teen. The time switch is done very well, with clear distinctions in style between the two periods. The literary references scattered throughout the novel add interest without seeming like a literature lesson; Katherine’s riddles are particularly notable. I had to put the book down several times so that I could spend time figuring them out. I also enjoyed how the author chose to delve deeper into each time period by discussing more than fashion and dating. Both Cat and Katherine learn important truths about their parents and that the consequences of war are not limited to the battlefield. Because of some mature content, I’d recommend this novel for older teens.
September 22, 2014
19th-century Katherine's story was okay, though nothing new (but I'm a sucker for Regency romances so it gets a pass). 21st-century Cat's story was much less interesting and it never really felt like the two stories intersected in a meaningful way. Like, sure Cat is reading Katherine's diary, but reluctantly and I didn't really get a sense of her growing to appreciate it. Katherine's diary is a decent approximation of Regency reads, but Cat's blog-format narrative is pretty awkward -- a lot of annoying slang and text-speak that didn't ring true (plus a lot of annoying references to "see pix" when there are none). It also felt like the author was trying too hard to say "See? I like British things!! *wink wink*" by inserting all kinds of references to British pop culture (the most glaring was naming half the 19th-century characters after actors who've played Doctor Who and even giving them some of the traits of the Doctor that actor played). It's an okay summer read and it does have some fun scenes, but it didn't really do it for me.
February 17, 2012
I didn't really know what to make of this. The relationships between the heroines and their heroes was...odd. I don't know how to explain that, exactly, but it was odd.
I have a list of things, though, that REALLY annoyed me about this book.
One: Catherine (the modern one) insisted on using 'sez' instead of 'says'. You've no idea how frustrating that gets when reading conversation.
Two: For some reason, the author seems to think that British people pronounce their 'r's' as 'd's'. As in 'veddy' instead of 'very'. Very strange. Also? Annoying.
Three: The author also seems to think that we call the British Museum the BM. I have never once heard anybody call it as such (and I have a grandad who lives in London!)
Four: Again, the author seems to think that everyone in London is rich, related to royalty, or knows/is friends with royalty. Um...no.
Apart from that, the plot was okay (it could have done with a little tweaking here and there) and it was a nice, quick read.
I have a list of things, though, that REALLY annoyed me about this book.
One: Catherine (the modern one) insisted on using 'sez' instead of 'says'. You've no idea how frustrating that gets when reading conversation.
Two: For some reason, the author seems to think that British people pronounce their 'r's' as 'd's'. As in 'veddy' instead of 'very'. Very strange. Also? Annoying.
Three: The author also seems to think that we call the British Museum the BM. I have never once heard anybody call it as such (and I have a grandad who lives in London!)
Four: Again, the author seems to think that everyone in London is rich, related to royalty, or knows/is friends with royalty. Um...no.
Apart from that, the plot was okay (it could have done with a little tweaking here and there) and it was a nice, quick read.
April 30, 2012
I picked this up because I read a feature article about Melissa Jensen, who teaches creative writing at Penn. I have to say I hated the first section that introduced Cat, a spoiled Philadelphia teenager who is forced to spend the summer in London while her mother does research at the British Museum. Her story is told as a blog for her friends back at home, and her disdain for her mother, her distant soon-to-be-remarried father, and all things British are off-putting and clearly setting up a trite change-of-heart plot. Things pick up, though, when Cat starts reading the journal of Katherine Percival, the daughter of the Regency-period author whom her mother is studying. Katherine is just as silly and shallow, and also ripe for a comeuppance, but the juxtaposition of the two stories make both of them much more fun, and by the end I was ripping through it to find out if the two C/Kats figured out their Mr. Rights.
January 31, 2011
Well, first off, I have to say that I fell in love with the title. Falling In Love With English Boys is definitely an attention grabbing name. For me at least. It kind of reminded me of Angus, Thongs, And Full Frontal Snogging, but I really like those books, so that's a good thing. Definitely hilarious. And I absolutely love Will he's so sweet, and he bought Catherine a satellite! ;)
August 26, 2011
This book was so awful and forgettable that I forgot to even add it to goodreads until now. There was just nothing in it I liked. I thought I'd like it because of the English setting and thought it might be a cute, funny romance.
No. Just no. I was wrong. To anyone thinking of reading this, you should read "Anna and the french kiss" by Stephanie Perkins or "Nobody's Girl" by Sarra Manning instead.
No. Just no. I was wrong. To anyone thinking of reading this, you should read "Anna and the french kiss" by Stephanie Perkins or "Nobody's Girl" by Sarra Manning instead.
November 26, 2020
OH. The past story was really nice, although
The modern love story wasn't as good.
The friends were good, too. It was fun!
The modern love story wasn't as good.
The friends were good, too. It was fun!
January 10, 2012
This is DARLING. Like, objectively, it is not as good as Anna and the French Kiss (and this is that book, just in London), but damn if I wasn't hanging on the edge of my seat wanting more of it all day while I was supposed to be doing my job. It took awhile to get going (and holy annoying narrator, at least at first) and the present/past thing is weird initially, but really. It's worth a read.
April 15, 2015
Maybe more of a 2.75 or 2.5...This book was addicting to read, but kind of terrible at the same time. I had no idea that Americans don't have cadbury or areo bars, which means that they are seriously missing out. I loved all of the Doctor Who references though..
April 6, 2020
My favourite book - I learn something new about myself with each reread (this being probably the 6th!)
I am willing to die on the hill of This Book, because everyone has that one book that isn’t The Next Modern Classic but is still their soft spot, and this will always be mine.
I am willing to die on the hill of This Book, because everyone has that one book that isn’t The Next Modern Classic but is still their soft spot, and this will always be mine.
September 23, 2010
Lots of mature content.
maybe
January 11, 2011The title says it all as to way I wanna read this. (^_~)
August 21, 2018
This epistolary novel spans two centuries, combining the stories (through alternating chapters) of two young women, Cat and Katherine. Cat, who shares her adventures with the reader via a blog format, is a modern day American teen who travels with her mom to the UK so that her mom may study the life of Mary Percival, whom Cat describes as "some woman who did absolutely nothing of import and has been dead for two hundred years."
*In the story, this Mary Percival character died before the age of 45, like Jane Austen. The reader will pretty quickly notice that this novel is heavily influenced / inspired by Austen's work.*
Katherine is a teen in 1815 England, whose story is provided through journal entries. When you read the excerpts from the journals of both Katherine and Mary Percival, Austen fans will likely notice that those journal scenes are basically remixes of plot points from Austen's Sense & Sensibility as well as Pride & Prejudice, but with some changes to make it Jensen's own unique imaginings. For one, a character in Katherine's era drinks too much at a party and suffers a sexual assault... which helps make even this fluff piece a bit of timely reading material.
While it may be easy to dismiss this as an easy breezy read, there are some respectable moments of character growth to be had here as well as some important, and as I said earlier, timely, topics to think on. Cat outwardly comes off as spoiled and obnoxious, but as the reader gets to know her a bit better, we learn that there's actually a fair amount of emotional hurt in her that she's struggling to address. But I did enjoy her sense of humor. For example, visiting the Tower of London and coming back with the hilariously simplified "King Henry (VIII) was rather hard on his wives."
Meanwhile, Katherine in her own time is struggling to maintain her sense of self when it's expected that she should just go along with her father's plan for her. I grew to really like Katherine's mother, who did her best to keep her daughter distanced from the gross choice of a suitor Katherine's father had picked out for her.
One moment in the story also illustrates a good point regarding double standards to think on: If we can acknowledge that some women may be fine pursuing fat, ugly or socially odious men simply for monetary gain, why is it so baffling to think men might likewise pursue plain women for THEIR wealth?
If you only get through the first few chapters of this, it'll be easy to dismiss it as forgettable froth, but there is a layer of depth here I found impressive and entertaining. Admittedly, I did prefer Katherine's portions of the book, but I'm a history junkie, not to mention I just found her story, that of a young woman so desperately trying to show others she has plenty of worth as an individual, not dependent on nabbing a husband, much more interesting than Cat's humorous but somewhat privileged ramblings around London... but Cat, though maybe a little irritating at first... she grew on me :-)
*In the story, this Mary Percival character died before the age of 45, like Jane Austen. The reader will pretty quickly notice that this novel is heavily influenced / inspired by Austen's work.*
Katherine is a teen in 1815 England, whose story is provided through journal entries. When you read the excerpts from the journals of both Katherine and Mary Percival, Austen fans will likely notice that those journal scenes are basically remixes of plot points from Austen's Sense & Sensibility as well as Pride & Prejudice, but with some changes to make it Jensen's own unique imaginings. For one, a character in Katherine's era drinks too much at a party and suffers a sexual assault... which helps make even this fluff piece a bit of timely reading material.
While it may be easy to dismiss this as an easy breezy read, there are some respectable moments of character growth to be had here as well as some important, and as I said earlier, timely, topics to think on. Cat outwardly comes off as spoiled and obnoxious, but as the reader gets to know her a bit better, we learn that there's actually a fair amount of emotional hurt in her that she's struggling to address. But I did enjoy her sense of humor. For example, visiting the Tower of London and coming back with the hilariously simplified "King Henry (VIII) was rather hard on his wives."
Meanwhile, Katherine in her own time is struggling to maintain her sense of self when it's expected that she should just go along with her father's plan for her. I grew to really like Katherine's mother, who did her best to keep her daughter distanced from the gross choice of a suitor Katherine's father had picked out for her.
One moment in the story also illustrates a good point regarding double standards to think on: If we can acknowledge that some women may be fine pursuing fat, ugly or socially odious men simply for monetary gain, why is it so baffling to think men might likewise pursue plain women for THEIR wealth?
If you only get through the first few chapters of this, it'll be easy to dismiss it as forgettable froth, but there is a layer of depth here I found impressive and entertaining. Admittedly, I did prefer Katherine's portions of the book, but I'm a history junkie, not to mention I just found her story, that of a young woman so desperately trying to show others she has plenty of worth as an individual, not dependent on nabbing a husband, much more interesting than Cat's humorous but somewhat privileged ramblings around London... but Cat, though maybe a little irritating at first... she grew on me :-)
July 28, 2019
This was a good concept. I like the idea of switching back and forth between a contemporary teenager and the diary of a 19th century teenager. However, it wasn’t well executed. I was honestly pretty bored for most of the novel. It picked up for the ending, but most of the book felt like filler. Also, Cat’s whining really annoyed me. I mean, I get that she had to leave her friends for the summer, but she couldn’t enjoy England until she met a boy, really?? Oh, and the text speak. No one uses “sez” instead of says! It really got on my nerves! Oh, and the actual texts were even worse. “U up 4 c-ing ded ppl?” Just very irritating. I feel like adults tend to think the worst of teenagers, but I don’t think anyone actually texts like that. Katherine’s sections were better, but very dull. The last fifty pages or so made me grin a little bit, but it wasn’t worth it. 2/5 July 28 2019
March 22, 2020
This had a fairly good premise, and I found the back and forth between the two stories and timelines to be an interesting way to tell the story. But that's where the good points kind of end for me.
For the life of me, I could not stand Cat. She was insufferable and whiny, and I'm sorry, but getting moved to England for a bit of your life and all you can do is whine about it? Boohoo. When it's the main character that you don't like and half of the story is told in her perspective, that becomes a huge problem.
The story is told in Cat's blog posts and Katherine's diary. And when it comes to storytelling like this, it can become kind of dicey for me. I'm personally not a fan when they start writing dialogue because I don't know who actually writes in their diary or blog like that. Also, the text speak just killed it for me.
2/10
For the life of me, I could not stand Cat. She was insufferable and whiny, and I'm sorry, but getting moved to England for a bit of your life and all you can do is whine about it? Boohoo. When it's the main character that you don't like and half of the story is told in her perspective, that becomes a huge problem.
The story is told in Cat's blog posts and Katherine's diary. And when it comes to storytelling like this, it can become kind of dicey for me. I'm personally not a fan when they start writing dialogue because I don't know who actually writes in their diary or blog like that. Also, the text speak just killed it for me.
2/10
June 3, 2018
I thought it was a nice, novel that did a fine job of exploring two different love stories across two different centuries, but in one city. Honestly, the mixing of the old and new is what I love about London. But I would say, that I preferred Ms.Percival's story to Cat's because I felt there was more plot to the story, more intrigue, and I felt Ms.Percival had the better character development and redemption. She truly did go from being merely shiny to luminous. Both Will and Nicholas are amazing leading lads and belong to the book-boyfriend hall of fame(even tho I prefer Nicholas)
April 6, 2019
3.5
The title is awful, but I'm glad I took a chance, because this was actually pretty darn cute. It was frustrating in parts - I hate that Katherine's story just sort of...ends? without much fanfare, and it was slow getting into the first entries of Katherine's diary - but Cat had a distinctive voice, which was nice. A surprisingly enjoyable, quick read.
The title is awful, but I'm glad I took a chance, because this was actually pretty darn cute. It was frustrating in parts - I hate that Katherine's story just sort of...ends? without much fanfare, and it was slow getting into the first entries of Katherine's diary - but Cat had a distinctive voice, which was nice. A surprisingly enjoyable, quick read.
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