Author:Cathy Bramley,Colleen Prendergast
Random House presents the audiobook edition of A Match Made in Devon by Cathy Bramley.
Sometimes you have to play a part to realise who you really are…
Nina has devoted her life to making it as an actress; although her agent thinks she’s more best friend than leading lady. But with her onscreen character about to be killed off it might be time for a new role (on and off screen).
Lucky for Nina, life has a way of shoving you in the right direction. A falling out with her agent and his new star client leaves Nina’s life in tatters and her name in the papers. She is left with no choice but to flee the city, leaving nothing but an empty bottle of hair dye and her tiny bedroom behind.
Escaping to the West Country, Nina makes herself useful by helping her friend set up his holiday business in beautiful Brightside Cove. Soon Nina is learning there’s more to life than London and more characters in a small village than on the stage. But she won’t be able to avoid the drama for long, Nina’s star is finally rising and it seems everyone wants a piece of her. So, when a beautiful man (and his adorable dog) catch her eye it’s not long before London and showbiz start to lose their appeal.
But can Nina really trade the bright lights of the Big Smoke for the calming tides of this sleepy seaside town? Especially when – after years of chasing celebrity – it’s finally pursuing her.
Will Nina choose the bright lights or has she met her match in Brightside Cove?
Praise for Cathy Bramley:
'Delightfully warm with plenty of twists and turns' Trisha Ashley
‘Full of joy and fun’ Milly Johnson
‘Delightful!’ Katie Fforde
Cathy has done it again … A Match Made in Devon is wonderful, warm, wise and witty and made me cry and laugh. I loved it!
—— Alex BrownI loved this book, and I want Nina to be my new best friend! She is brilliant.
—— Rachael Lucas, author of Wildflower BayThis is the perfect summer’s day read
—— HeatUplifting, love-filled slice of brilliance *****
—— HeatDelightful!
—— Katie FfordeBooks by Cathy Bramley are brilliantly life affirming
—— Good HousekeepingFull of joy and fun
—— Milly JohnsonCathy Bramley serves up the perfect concoction of charm and escapism
—— Sunday ExpressDunmore’s skill as an observer and chronicler of human behaviour shines throughout this final collection of her fiction
—— S Magazine, Sunday ExpressA mix of historical and contemporary, they’re outstanding and showcase her amazing talent
—— Good HousekeepingDunmore’s writing ranges over a multitude of subjects, from teenagers to centenarians , and all ages in between. With sensitivity and compassion she wrote about passion, family, friendship, happiness, loneliness and grief. She brought an elegant economy of words to her stories, communication her meaning with clarity and finesse. Her family and friend have created a superb memorial to her unique talent and an excellent primer for anyone who has not explored her work before.
—— The HeraldSharply observed
—— Woman & HomeThere was no story that didn’t hold my attention from its first sentences.
—— Scotsman magazineThe best of them showcase Dunmore’s knack for shining a light into the hidden corners of women’s experience
—— MetroWe too imagine ourselves in the room with her characters, imagine they are talking, like friends, to us
—— Evening StandardLyrical and full of human situations acutely observed.
—— Choice magazine[A] remarkable collection of short stories exploring fragile ties between passion, love, family.
—— Western Morning NewsThis collection is the finest swan song of a writer full of sensitivity, talent and an immense grasp of the complexity of human nature.
—— The Opinionated ReaderA reminder of what a tender and perceptive writer she was.
—— Daily MailThey are stories full of humanity and compassion which witness her interest in women under stress or duress, in the horrors of war, in motherhood and in moments of joy at unexpected times. I’m very happy to have had a chance to read them.
—— Shiny New BooksNafissa Thompson-Spires has taken the best of what Toni Cade Bambara, Paul Beatty, Morgan Parker...do plus a whole lot of something we've never seen in American literature, blended it all together and given us one of the finest short story collections I've ever read. The super thin lines between terror, intimacy, humor and hubris are masterfully toed, jumped and ultimately redrawn in the most exciting and soulful fiction I've read this century. The nation needed Heads of Colored People 40 years ago. Thankfully, we Nafissa Thompson-Spires gave it to us now.
—— Kiese LaymonBy turns hilarious, charming, ingenious, and heartbreaking, Thompson-Spires’ debut is well worth checking out
—— LitHubWhat a true pleasure it is to spend time with this alive mind thinking so openly and interestingly on the page about character and culture and storytelling and one’s everchanging role in it all. This book made me laugh many times, and I also sometimes stopped midpage to read a paragraph aloud just to relish how Thompson-Spires was moving her story along. A marvel of a debut
—— Aimee Bender, author of The Particular Sadness of Lemon CakeDarkly humorous and incredibly moving, "Heads of the Colored People" is a wonderful collection of short stories ... The book couldn't be more timely — and even the stories that seem light-hearted on the surface are, at their center, incredibly intelligent reflections on race, identity, and blackness. Nafissa Thompson-Spires has written a masterpiece.
—— Gina Mei , Shondaland.comThis is one of the best short story debuts I’ve read in my whole life. It’s that simple. Nafissa Thompson-Spires is the real deal. Straight up, no hyperbole. Read a couple pages and recognize
—— Mat Johnson, author of Loving DayClever, cruel, hilarious, heartbreaking, and at times simply ingenious
—— Gabrielle Bellot , Los Angeles Review of BooksA dazzling mix of dark, funny and wicked stories about black identity in the so-called post-racial era. Reminiscent of the catchy intelligence of Paul Beatty...this debut audaciously tackles race and identity politics
—— Chicago Review of BooksStuffed with invention… Thompson-Spires proves herself a trenchant humorist with an eye for social nuance
—— Publishers WeeklyNafissa Thompson-Spires’ stories fearlessly tackle broad issues of race, identity politics, and the body, while never losing sight of the intricately-faceted individuals inhabiting those bodies. She writes with a precision of psychological insight that is both moving and profound. Dignified, controlled, and, above all, original: Thompson-Spires is an important new voice in contemporary fiction
—— Jamie Quatro, author Fire Sermon[A] dazzling collection... Transgressive and wildly funny, Heads of the Colored People announces a major new talent
—— Ms. MagazineTremendous... One of the best books of the year... a breakthrough in literary fiction
—— Christopher Borrelli , Chicago TribuneWith devastating insight and remarkable style, Nafissa Thompson-Spires explores what it means to come to terms with one’s body, one’s family, one’s future. The eleven vignettes in Heads of the Colored People elevate the unusual and expose the unseen, forming an original—and urgent—portrait of American life
—— Allegra Hyde, author of Of This New WorldThis short story collection is filled with characters that will your win your heart in a matter of words. This book is a must-read
—— Melissa Ragsdale , BustleNafissa Thompson-Spires has a way of staring intense, awkward, comic, and sorrowful situations right in the face. There's no escaping her honest gaze. Heads of the Colored People is a necessary and powerful new collection with, thankfully, not a dull sentence to be found
—— Peter Orner, author of Am I Alone HereFrom petty classroom moms to a young girl who is contemplating taking her own life, these stories are deep and touching. We promise you’ll fall in love with this book, just like we did
—— She ReadsThis collection resonates on many frequencies. There are direct links between characters in several of the stories, many of whom are foils for each other, and their nuances are sure to strike a chord with any reader who’s struggled with insecurity and a search for self… Thompson-Spires writes with grace, a lightly bitter humor, and a real eye for a detail that calls attention to the simultaneous reality and fictionality of each story… A profound and truly enjoyable collection
—— Anna Meyer , The RiveterBubbly and sardonic, full of sly twists and dramatic reveals
—— Allison Noelle Conner , The RumpusA bold new voice, at once insolently sardonic ... Thompson-Spires flashes fearsome gifts for quirky characterisation, irony-laden repartee and edgy humour
—— Kirkus Reviews[An] impressive debut collection… [Nafissa Thompson-Spires’] electric style is extrovert, erudite and hugely entertaining… [an] unmistakable talent
—— Anthony Cummins , ObserverA fresh take on what it means to be black in today’s America
—— StylistFuriously contemporary, Heads of the Colored People feels like a bulletin from the world delivered in the last couple of seconds
—— BookmunchSuperb… This is a firecracker of a book, sizzling with politics, but it’s also a triumph of storytelling: intelligent, acerbic and ingenious
—— Lucy Scholes , Financial TimesCharacters’ observations are delivered with clarity and precision; their responses to tragic situations are often filled with humour… [Heads of the Colored People] explore the internal and external tensions of moving through life in a body of colour
—— Luie Elliott , Times Literary Supplement