HannahTovey – A Take from Two Cities

IS THIS IT? by Hannah Tovey

-Employed (you have frequent nightmares about your job)
-Single and fabulous (swiping Tinder in your pyjamas while your best friend shops for engagement rings)
-Thriving (surviving)

Ivy and Mia have been best friends since the fun, messy, hungover years of their twenties.

Ten years later, Mia has it all – the man, the house, the career. Ivy is skint, single, and scared that she isn’t a ‘hot mess’ any more – she’s a walking disaster.

But one night, Ivy switches her phone off, peels last night’s drunken pizza off the sofa, and makes a list. A list that changes everything . . .

The new Ivy has a proper job. She goes on fancy dates in wine bars. She’s starting to think: maybe ‘faking it till you make it’ is easy?

But then she meets Scott.

Curly-haired, sarcastic Scott.

Sh*t.

Title : Is This It?
Author : Hannah Tovey
Format : Paperback
Page Count : 368
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Publisher : Piatkus Books
Release Date : July 22, 2021

Reviewer : Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★.5

Micky’s 4.5 star review

Headlines:
Witty & Welsh
Finally getting your act together
New beginnings

Is This It continued the story of Ivy from The Education of Ivy Edwards but you could totally read this as a standalone. That said, the Ivy in this story was an Ivy I could identify with more and I loved seeing her journey here. I felt that new attitude in Ivy from the first few pages and the story pulled me in really quickly.

Ivy hadn’t changed completely but she had realised she needed a direction, a focus and she was determined. This really was a story of your life can be in the gutter for some time, but it is possible and believeable to find a way out. This book was full of positivity alongside the occasional typical Ivy high jinks.

There were a range of other characters I loved in this book but none more than Scott, Anna and Eleanor (with an honourable mention for Mr Reid). Scott saw that spark in Ivy that seemed hidden in the previous book and he helped her shine, I loved these two but they did put me through some angst (but I secretly loved it). Anna and Eleanor were such an important part of this story and I really liked the sisterly closeness and the complete unreserved love Ivy had for Eleanor. I thoroughly disliked Ivy’s mother and her cruel comments to her daughters.

Ivy’s education and job journey really drew me in and I thought how she blossomed was quite special. The kids were hilarious and Ivy really was made for the profession.

I think Is This It was made more of a sweet experience because of the hard won journey from book one. I could read about Ivy again!

Thank you to Piatkus Books for the finished review copy.

THE EDUCATION OF IVY EDWARDS by Hannah Tovey

Ivy Edwards is thirty-one years old, funny, shameless, and a bit of a romantic. She’s also currently trying not to cry in the office toilet.

Partly because she’s just run out of money for fags. A bit because her mum continues to annoy her. Definitely not because she’s just been dumped by her fiancé.

With her London life in shambles and her family miles away in the Welsh valleys, Ivy doesn’t actually feel like she belongs anywhere.

At least, she has her friends – and a bottle of vodka.

Embarking on a journey of singlehood, Ivy is about to discover that sometimes, having your life fall apart can be surprisingly fun.

Sometimes, heartbreak can be the best education . . .

The Education of Ivy Edwards is perfect for fans of Dolly Alderton’s Everything I Know About Love, Holly Bourne’s How Do You Like Me Now?, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag.

Title : The Education of Ivy Edwards
Author : Hannah Tovey
Format : Ebook
Page Count : 336
Genre : Women’s Fiction
Publisher : Piatkus
Release Date : May 7, 2020

Reviewer : Micky
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★

Micky’s 3.5 – 4 stars

THE EDUCATION OF IVY EDWARDS was months of a journey in Ivy’s life as she navigated some of the biggest life changes imaginable. Ivy was a thirty-something protagonist that was incredibly real, irritations to boot. The story started with a relationship break up and tracked her slow demise across the months of grief and trying to cope.

The narrative for Ivy’s life was witty, with inner monologue that kept you chuckling and endeared you to her, just when you were most irritated with her. Ivy was all about friendships and family and she leaned on them a lot in this time period.

I sat down at my desk and closed my eyes. I can do this, I thought. I am an adult, I have a degree and I frequently make my own packed lunches.

I struggled somewhat with Ivy’s self-destructive streak and the friendships that came along with that, such as Dan and Rob. Her reliance on alcohol and drugs was frustrating but probably realistic of that 30-something professional, working in the big smoke and spiraling down, looking for a crutch.

As the story reached it’s culmination, I held my breath because I thought the journey might be for nothing, that Ivy had learnt nothing. I was satisfied however with the end.

If you’re looking for something real, less cookie-cutter and more sitting on gutter drunk, reciting your woes, then this is the read for you. It felt fresh and the writing was fun and willing to ‘go there’ with difficult topics and taboos.

Thank you to Piatkus Books for the early review copy.