MSB Book Club
The MSB book club has finished its fifth book and this month they explore the staff’s favourite authors.
April’s Book
April’s book was chosen by Paralegal Katie Kennedy. She has chosen The Flat Share by Beth O’Leary.
Tiffy and Leon share a flat
Tiffy and Leon share a bed
Tiffy and Leon have never met…
Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but it’s the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.
But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven’t met yet, they’re about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window…
This book was Beth O’Leary’s debut novel and has been shortlisted for a number of awards. She has currently has four books published and is growing in popularity.
Katie said she chose the book because “I have heard it is a light-hearted story that will have people in stitches, and it is a really good book for escapism”.
Staff Reviews
“I loved this book. It took me a few chapters to get used to the switch between the characters as Beth would have their style change, however as I got further into the story the style differences made sense. It was a funny and romantic story, whilst also tackling some serious issues around emotional abuse. I have already bought her latest book as I enjoyed her writing. I would give the book four stars just because it took me a while to get into it.” Rachael Payne, Solicitor ****
“I would give the Flat Share four stars – I’m not usually a big fan of the romance genre but I liked the fact that this book was quite down-to-earth, and the characters had to deal with realistic issues (such as the rising cost of living, which brings about the whole flat-share premise!). I did root for the characters, and the book was quite funny in places. I would read more of Beth O’Leary’s work.” Michelle Summers, Solicitor ****
“Funny and heart-warming with very likeable relatable characters. I wouldn’t normally choose to read a romance but thoroughly enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend. Five stars.” Amy Tagoe, Solicitor *****
“I enjoyed Flat Share I would give it four stars – it started out as a nice, light-hearted read with likeable characters and a “cute” storyline. I like the way that it managed to deal with darker issues such as abuse and abusive relationships without being too “preachy”. I probably won’t buy any more books by this author – but I did enjoy this book.” Amanda Ralph, Legal Assistant ****
“Beth O’Leary is brilliant, I would definitely recommend The Road Trip too if people want to read more from her. I currently have all three of her books and cannot wait for the next one to be published.” Sarah Sharples, Trainee Solicitor *****
May’s Book
This month’s book was chosen by Emma Parry. She decided to go with Julia Quinn’s The Duke and I. This book was published over 22 years ago in 2000 and was the first in Julia’s Bridgerton family saga. It was adapted for the small screen by Netflix for the very popular Bridgerton series which broke records in 2021 when it was first released.
In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince – while other dictates of the tone are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable…but not too amiable.
Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.
Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society – just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar.
The plan works like a charm-at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule…
Emma said: “I chose the first Bridgerton book as I have been loving the series on Netflix, so I decided to read the entire Bridgerton saga. I bought the whole collection in December 2021 and I am just about to start book three. So far, I prefer the books to the series!”
Favourite authors
This month we wanted to discuss who our favourite authors are and why:
“My favourite author of all time is Stephen King. I have challenged myself to read every book of his, but he is very prolific (he has published 64 novels so far) and I am just over halfway through. I think that he always has interesting and unique ideas, and there is a timeless quality to his books – I recently read the novels that he published in the 1970s and they still felt relatable and exciting.” Michelle Summers, Solicitor
“My favourite author is Lindsey Kelk. Her stories are sometimes relatable, funny and an easy read before bed. You really get to know her characters. If you’re a bit of a hopeless romantic, you will love these books.” Emma Parry, Legal Assistant
“I have many authors that I love but my favourite would have to be Lucinda Riley. Her books are beautifully written, and I like how she has two stories run parallel to each other, the past and the present. She is thought provoking in her books on how the decisions made decades ago can still be felt generations later. The books can fall into several genres including romance, mystery, thriller and family. Sadly, Lucinda passed away in June 2021. Her son is currently finishing the works she had in progress, and I look forward to reading these.” Rachael Payne, Solicitor
“My favourite authors are those that sparked my love of books. Malorie Blackman and Jacqueline Wilson. I would get lost in their stories, finding comfort in re-reading them often! I have now bought these for my daughter and can see the same sparkle when she reads them too!” Dominique Owens, Client Relationship Executive
“My favourite author is Helen Phifer. She combines my favourite genres – horror, crime and psychological thriller. I love a good scary story! Once I start reading her books, I can’t put them down until I’ve finished. They really do have you on the edge of your seat!” Joyce Pink, Senior Associate Costs Lawyer
“My favourite author at the moment is LJ Ross who does the DCI Ryan series which are suspense thrillers.” Amy Tagoe, Associate Solicitor
Do you agree with our team? Who is your favourite author?
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