Published by Orion on June 27, 2019
Bring Me Sunshine by Laura Kemp is a fresh, funny and uplifting novel - an ideal summer's read to put a big smile on your face. From the first chapter I knew I was going to love this book. It had such a refreshing feel to it with laugh-out-loud humour and characters that were crafted so well that I didn't need any time at all before I cared for their stories.
Charlotte Bold loves plans and structure and routine to her day. She lives for a quiet life. She's comfortable in London with her traffic updates radio job, her friends and her boyfriend and the safe knowledge of what she's having for tea that night. Any upheaval is a no-go. Except, when she is moved on from her job and pushed to apply for a new station, Sunshine FM in Wales, Charlotte's worst nightmare is presented to her. A fresh start means change - and change is scary.
Charlotte is maybe not the character you expect, as she lacks a lot of confidence for someone who works in radio. But I loved this about her as through the book, it's so easy to root for her to grow in confidence and fight through her anxieties. When Charlotte arrives in Wales, the author perfectly depicts the stark contract between there and London through Charlotte's eyes. The steamed up, rainy windows faded and the surprisingly beautiful pier is revealed, and maybe, despite the wet and windy weather, Mumbles doesn't seem so bad after all. Laura Kemp describes the seaside location beautifully and it sounds enticing and picturesque and an ideal setting for a sunshiney read.
There is a lot to like about this book. I really warmed to the characters, not just Charlotte, but the supporting characters too. One character I really liked was Del, who, whilst maybe known for not really being good at anything, was certainly good at stepping in to help make Charlotte feel comfortable in her first day presenting at Sunshine FM. Del contributed to a lot of the laugh-out-loud funny moments in this book for me, but as with all the main characters, there were also parts to his character and story that were thought-provoking and deeper than his on-surface humour appeared.
Whilst Charlotte struggles from the start of her time in Wales, with crippling nerves and fears and zero confidence and her London friends not around to help, working at Sunshine FM shows her that she is not alone. This book delivers new friends and second chances and a truly heartwarming story that kept me engaged throughout. Warm and witty, Bring Me Sunshine was an absolute joy to read.
Review copy provided by the publisher - this was my honest review.