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It's Up to You, New York
Will Holly find love in the city where dreams are made?
Fielding calls from disgruntled customers on a crispbread telesales careline isn't exactly where Holly Collins saw herself in life. Living in a shoebox flat and working in a windowless building on an outer London industrial estate were never quite what she'd had in mind. So when Holly is picked from obscurity to take part in Street Scout, a television series on the hunt for fashion's next big model, life finally seems to be taking a turn for the better for the happy-go-lucky twenty-something. Surely this is her big moment?
But Holly knows only too well that dreams are just that and when it feels like everything - and everybody - is conspiring against her, Holly heads for New York with her best friend Meg. The magic of Manhattan has Holly in its grasp: strutting down 5th Avenue and drinking two too many cosmopolitans, taking romantic carriage rides in Central Park and standing at the top of the Empire State building she can scarcely believe how far away the real world seems. But when Holly is faced with the biggest decision of her life can she make the fairy tale become a reality?
Fielding calls from disgruntled customers on a crispbread telesales careline isn't exactly where Holly Collins saw herself in life. Living in a shoebox flat and working in a windowless building on an outer London industrial estate were never quite what she'd had in mind. So when Holly is picked from obscurity to take part in Street Scout, a television series on the hunt for fashion's next big model, life finally seems to be taking a turn for the better for the happy-go-lucky twenty-something. Surely this is her big moment?
But Holly knows only too well that dreams are just that and when it feels like everything - and everybody - is conspiring against her, Holly heads for New York with her best friend Meg. The magic of Manhattan has Holly in its grasp: strutting down 5th Avenue and drinking two too many cosmopolitans, taking romantic carriage rides in Central Park and standing at the top of the Empire State building she can scarcely believe how far away the real world seems. But when Holly is faced with the biggest decision of her life can she make the fairy tale become a reality?
416 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2013
3 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 18, 2018
I actually bought this book because of how pretty the cover was. Sadly that was not the case for the inside.
At first I really like how relatable Holly(the main character) was for me. She had the same insecurities and fears as I did. However as the book went on she became a person that even she didn't like. Almost every guy she fell for was a jerk right off the bat, and how could she not see that? Her best friend was not a good friend at all. She was telling her to go have fun with all the boys in a way that made me not want to ever know her.
I enjoyed the modeling part of the plot, but the romance was bad.
The one thing this book did have was how fast it was to read. It was easy and fast and thats what got me through it!
At first I really like how relatable Holly(the main character) was for me. She had the same insecurities and fears as I did. However as the book went on she became a person that even she didn't like. Almost every guy she fell for was a jerk right off the bat, and how could she not see that? Her best friend was not a good friend at all. She was telling her to go have fun with all the boys in a way that made me not want to ever know her.
I enjoyed the modeling part of the plot, but the romance was bad.
The one thing this book did have was how fast it was to read. It was easy and fast and thats what got me through it!
May 29, 2013
I haven’t read any books by Tess Daly before, I’d only ever seen her on TV so I wasn’t sure what to expect from her, but I was keen to find out! I really liked the cover of It’s Up To You New York, it’s very glamorous and exiting and it did have me intrigued.
Holly Collins is working in a job she doesn’t like, in telesales for VitaSlim. Dealing with customers complaints isn’t the career she had in mind, but it isn’t all bad – she works with her best friend Meg. However, her golden opportunity arises when Holly is picked to take part in Street Scout, a television series on the hunt for the next big model! With Meg at her side, Holly plucks up the courage to follow her dreams…but will she be able to make it?
I quite enjoyed this! It’s Up To You New York is a very entertaining book. It was really easy to get into, the story started off well and from there I went on a fun journey with Holly and her best friend Meg!
I really liked the characters. I warmed to Holly straight away, I enjoyed reading about how she was just an ordinary girl working in telesales and then suddenly she is on her way to achieving her dreams and making it big. I enjoyed reading about the glamour, the fame and the fortune, about everything that comes with being put into the lights. I also loved Meg, I loved the friendship between her and Holly and in my opinion Meg helped to make the book as intriguing and fun as it was!
It’s Up To You New York is a great read for the summer! It is full of glamour, and we are given an insight into the world of modelling, not only the glitzy bits but the competition and hard times behind the world of fashion and modelling too.
Holly Collins is working in a job she doesn’t like, in telesales for VitaSlim. Dealing with customers complaints isn’t the career she had in mind, but it isn’t all bad – she works with her best friend Meg. However, her golden opportunity arises when Holly is picked to take part in Street Scout, a television series on the hunt for the next big model! With Meg at her side, Holly plucks up the courage to follow her dreams…but will she be able to make it?
I quite enjoyed this! It’s Up To You New York is a very entertaining book. It was really easy to get into, the story started off well and from there I went on a fun journey with Holly and her best friend Meg!
I really liked the characters. I warmed to Holly straight away, I enjoyed reading about how she was just an ordinary girl working in telesales and then suddenly she is on her way to achieving her dreams and making it big. I enjoyed reading about the glamour, the fame and the fortune, about everything that comes with being put into the lights. I also loved Meg, I loved the friendship between her and Holly and in my opinion Meg helped to make the book as intriguing and fun as it was!
It’s Up To You New York is a great read for the summer! It is full of glamour, and we are given an insight into the world of modelling, not only the glitzy bits but the competition and hard times behind the world of fashion and modelling too.
September 18, 2020
Holly is a customer service phone operator who lands herself a spot on Street Scout, a new reality tv show to find Britain’s next top model. The story follows the show, along with Holly’s relationship with boyfriend James who isn’t too happy about her taking part.
Holly heads off to New York for a weekend away with her best friend and the fairy tale begins. Or does it?
I really enjoyed this. Nice and light, and the short chapters make you just keep reading “one more”.
Holly heads off to New York for a weekend away with her best friend and the fairy tale begins. Or does it?
I really enjoyed this. Nice and light, and the short chapters make you just keep reading “one more”.
April 4, 2019
Couldn't put it down, was a great light read with suspense and such likeable characters.
January 2, 2023
Loved it. Such an easy read
May 26, 2013
When I heard Tess Daly was writing a Chick Lit novel, I was intrigued. I’m always torn when celebs decide to write novels because for the most part they only do it for publicity (I’m looking at you, Katie Price) and they don’t even bother to write the novels themselves (Katie, you, again) but I know Tess is a former journalist so I can feasibly believe she writes her own novels, so I was really interested to read them. I have her debut novel The Camera Never Lies somewhere on my book case, I’m sure, but as soon as I heard about her new one It’s Up To You New York I wanted to read it. Mostly because of the absolutely stunning purple cover, I will admit. It’s a gorgeous looking book and you can never underestimate how nice it is to read a gorgeous looking book. But I also liked the sound of the novel, and I was impressed.
It’s Up To You New York opens with a conversation between Holly and an unhappy VitaSlim (like Ryvita for those wondering) customer, who is desperate to lose weight so she can look good in her bikini and can’t believe that putting a KFC chicken wing on top of her VitaSlim isn’t making her slim. I was hooked from that. I liked the plot, of how Holly goes on a show called Street Scout, a show looking for new models, and how she meets the enigmatic Max Moore and finds herself becoming closer to him. I was a bit peeved at how long it took to get to New York – like half the book – especially as the title and the synopsis hints that it’s a mega factor in the book, and it was, it just took ages to get there. If I have any criticism of the plot it’s that I’d have liked to have seen Holly’s career progression. It sort of stagnates after Street Scout and the novels ends without that being resolved, and I’d have liked to have seen Holly in the future. Did she make it as a model? Did she go back to VitaSlim? What the heck happened?
I really enjoyed It’s Up To You New York, I think Tess Daly is a talented writer, and she hasn’t just jumped on the book writing bandwagon for the sake of it, it’s actually a viable career option and I forsee her going on to write many brilliant novels. This is one celeb who very much gets the thumbs up from me, and I am looking forward to going back and reading her debut novel. Her characters were people you cared about, and though Holly was a bit naive (and had numerous tug-of-wars with her inner feelings, particularly concerning a hot famous man) I liked her. I felt she was a worthy lead character, someone to root for, and it again goes back to how I’d have liked to have seen her career progress. Perhaps there’ll be a sequel? I don’t know. I certainly hope so. If one thing was lacking it was the romance side of things. I was rooting for Joe Taylor, the underdog, who I felt deserved a bit more air time, as I wasn’t a fan at all of Holly’s on/off boyfriend James. He was a bit too uppity for my liking. So, yes, all in all a worthy second novel, bravo Tess!
It’s Up To You New York opens with a conversation between Holly and an unhappy VitaSlim (like Ryvita for those wondering) customer, who is desperate to lose weight so she can look good in her bikini and can’t believe that putting a KFC chicken wing on top of her VitaSlim isn’t making her slim. I was hooked from that. I liked the plot, of how Holly goes on a show called Street Scout, a show looking for new models, and how she meets the enigmatic Max Moore and finds herself becoming closer to him. I was a bit peeved at how long it took to get to New York – like half the book – especially as the title and the synopsis hints that it’s a mega factor in the book, and it was, it just took ages to get there. If I have any criticism of the plot it’s that I’d have liked to have seen Holly’s career progression. It sort of stagnates after Street Scout and the novels ends without that being resolved, and I’d have liked to have seen Holly in the future. Did she make it as a model? Did she go back to VitaSlim? What the heck happened?
I really enjoyed It’s Up To You New York, I think Tess Daly is a talented writer, and she hasn’t just jumped on the book writing bandwagon for the sake of it, it’s actually a viable career option and I forsee her going on to write many brilliant novels. This is one celeb who very much gets the thumbs up from me, and I am looking forward to going back and reading her debut novel. Her characters were people you cared about, and though Holly was a bit naive (and had numerous tug-of-wars with her inner feelings, particularly concerning a hot famous man) I liked her. I felt she was a worthy lead character, someone to root for, and it again goes back to how I’d have liked to have seen her career progress. Perhaps there’ll be a sequel? I don’t know. I certainly hope so. If one thing was lacking it was the romance side of things. I was rooting for Joe Taylor, the underdog, who I felt deserved a bit more air time, as I wasn’t a fan at all of Holly’s on/off boyfriend James. He was a bit too uppity for my liking. So, yes, all in all a worthy second novel, bravo Tess!
February 22, 2017
*2.5 stars*
July 5, 2013
This is an absolutely cracking read. Tess Daly has obviously drawn on her background in modelling and TV to produce an extremely readable novel set around the production of a TV reality show which promises to find the next top model, in a style reminiscent of The Apprentice. The central character is Holly, stuck in a dead end job and with a boyfriend who spends more time working than with her at the start of the book. Her life is changed forever when she enters the contest (a trifle unwillingly at first).
The action switches between London and New York and it is a really gripping read, one that I found very hard to put down, I just had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. There are some wonderful characters who are OTT sometimes but in a very believable way considering the circles they move in. What I really loved about the book was the way it twisted and turned; every time I thought I had an inkling of how everything was going to end up, the author very cleverly sent the story off in another direction keeping me guessing all the time. At one point I counted no less than four potential "romantic conclusions!" It is a very easy to read story that just flows nicely at a good pace with an immensely satisfying ending.
To sum up, this is a book that is a lot less predictable than many other chick lit books, an extremely good read full of glamour, fun and oodles of cocktails which is absolutely perfect for summer beach reading. It will give you a gossip ridden insight to celebrity life, which will leave you pondering "I wonder if that could really happen?" Highly recommended.
The action switches between London and New York and it is a really gripping read, one that I found very hard to put down, I just had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. There are some wonderful characters who are OTT sometimes but in a very believable way considering the circles they move in. What I really loved about the book was the way it twisted and turned; every time I thought I had an inkling of how everything was going to end up, the author very cleverly sent the story off in another direction keeping me guessing all the time. At one point I counted no less than four potential "romantic conclusions!" It is a very easy to read story that just flows nicely at a good pace with an immensely satisfying ending.
To sum up, this is a book that is a lot less predictable than many other chick lit books, an extremely good read full of glamour, fun and oodles of cocktails which is absolutely perfect for summer beach reading. It will give you a gossip ridden insight to celebrity life, which will leave you pondering "I wonder if that could really happen?" Highly recommended.
August 11, 2013
Not the best book I've read but certainly a good effort from Tess Daly. What works really well is that Tess draws from her knowledge and background in modelling and presenting and applies this to the book.
October 3, 2014
Classic story line of a girl getting into modelling and meeting a famous model/director/agent that she falls madly in love with but she still likes the guy that she was dating before she was famous.
Quite enjoyed this book. Easy read and would recommend to others
Quite enjoyed this book. Easy read and would recommend to others
September 5, 2013
Check out my review below:
Debra's Book Cafe
Debs :-)
Debra's Book Cafe
Debs :-)
March 19, 2014
It's a fascinating light read. The twist in the storyline was unexpected and that made it interesting, unlike the ordinary chic-lits that I'm used to.
June 9, 2015
I enjoyed the camera never lies and enjoyed this one also, great story, great ending, great read.
August 15, 2013
A real chick novel, very easy to read enjoyable but not at all believable!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews