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Piece of My Heart
Fame. Money. Beauty. Sex. Love. Ari wants them all. And as the face of the 1960s, they’re hers for the taking. But to find them, she may have to lose herself.
Trapped between the suffocation of English boarding school and a chaotic homelife dominated by her eccentric mother, Ari longs for a different kind of life – one lived in the glamour of London, with the pop stars and fashion icons she adores. It seems impossible until she is discovered by Bill Ramsey – the notorious bad boy photographer of the Swinging Sixties set.
Suddenly, Ari’s life is transformed into a dizzying whirlwind of drugs, photoshoots, and parties, all with the famous Ramsey by her side. The young couple are the darlings of the media. But in the fickle world of fashion, nothing lasts forever – and Ari’s addiction, her eating disorder and her increasingly dysfunctional relationship with Ramsey send her life spinning out of control.
A Vogue cover shoot in Nepal offers Ari a make-or-break chance – not just to revive her ailing career, but to win back Ramsey’s love, the only thing that matters to her. But in the captivating surroundings, Ari finds herself wondering how much more of herself she must lose to keep the things she always thought she wanted.
An honest and strikingly moving exploration of what we will sacrifice for love, amid a richly-detailed setting of 1960s London’s fashion scene. Piece Of My Heart is a coming-of-age story with a difference that will appeal to readers of Marian Keyes’s Rachel’s Holiday and Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins-Reid.
Trapped between the suffocation of English boarding school and a chaotic homelife dominated by her eccentric mother, Ari longs for a different kind of life – one lived in the glamour of London, with the pop stars and fashion icons she adores. It seems impossible until she is discovered by Bill Ramsey – the notorious bad boy photographer of the Swinging Sixties set.
Suddenly, Ari’s life is transformed into a dizzying whirlwind of drugs, photoshoots, and parties, all with the famous Ramsey by her side. The young couple are the darlings of the media. But in the fickle world of fashion, nothing lasts forever – and Ari’s addiction, her eating disorder and her increasingly dysfunctional relationship with Ramsey send her life spinning out of control.
A Vogue cover shoot in Nepal offers Ari a make-or-break chance – not just to revive her ailing career, but to win back Ramsey’s love, the only thing that matters to her. But in the captivating surroundings, Ari finds herself wondering how much more of herself she must lose to keep the things she always thought she wanted.
An honest and strikingly moving exploration of what we will sacrifice for love, amid a richly-detailed setting of 1960s London’s fashion scene. Piece Of My Heart is a coming-of-age story with a difference that will appeal to readers of Marian Keyes’s Rachel’s Holiday and Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins-Reid.
- GenresFiction
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 23, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 17, 2024
I am working on a cocktail recipe to complement reading Penelope Tree's book "A Piece of My Heart." So far I have: watch the season of The Crown set in the 1960s, watch the Beatles "Get Back", drink some black tea from In Pursuit of Tea, listen to Five Leaves Left by Nick Drake, eat crumpets and cream, buy some rose tinted glasses, wear some couture to a Buddhist temple, burn some Bhutanese incense, take a walk in the rain...
It's such an evocative book. Penelope Tree lived this life fully, accessed it in her memory, and delivered it to us in this book. Of course details have changed, it's not memoir. I love the curveball at the end. This is also a book about being a woman object in a man's world. I love how she takes ownership of her role in that game.
My memory is shot and if I don't write down lines that I love I forget them but there were many that I could have jotted. As I closed this book I let out a pleased sigh. I really enjoyed it. I don't read a fraction as much as I used to (eyes/attention shot) and I have such trouble getting through a whole book but I couldn't put this down.
It's such an evocative book. Penelope Tree lived this life fully, accessed it in her memory, and delivered it to us in this book. Of course details have changed, it's not memoir. I love the curveball at the end. This is also a book about being a woman object in a man's world. I love how she takes ownership of her role in that game.
My memory is shot and if I don't write down lines that I love I forget them but there were many that I could have jotted. As I closed this book I let out a pleased sigh. I really enjoyed it. I don't read a fraction as much as I used to (eyes/attention shot) and I have such trouble getting through a whole book but I couldn't put this down.
June 5, 2024
I read this amazing book in paperback
Here is part of my favourite lines from this wonderful book
Part of page 100
When I pulled the dress on and straightened it, she drew in delighted breath. “It looks fab on you. Just wow”. She clapped her hands. “ I knew it would work. Right. Now I want you to try another one…”
I tried on outfit after outfit. Everything she gave me fit as if it had been made for me. It didn’t occur to me at the time that this was because Sophie was such a brilliant fashion editor, she had spent days working out the right look for the shoot.
When I tried on the last outfit, Sophie leaned back against her desk, smiling at me. “You know, I had a hunch when I saw Antonie Boucher’s pictures of you in the Sunday Times that you would be perfect for this shoot. Keep on what you are wearing, and let’s go and meet Miss Miller. I want her to see you in person.”
Bea Miller was famous in London fashion for her exacting standards and perfect eye for a great fashion story. So my heart was stuttering as we walked down the corridor to a door, painted high-gloss racing green. Perhaps sensing my sudden panic, Sophie gave me a reassuring smile before knocking.
Here is part of my favourite lines from this wonderful book
Part of page 100
When I pulled the dress on and straightened it, she drew in delighted breath. “It looks fab on you. Just wow”. She clapped her hands. “ I knew it would work. Right. Now I want you to try another one…”
I tried on outfit after outfit. Everything she gave me fit as if it had been made for me. It didn’t occur to me at the time that this was because Sophie was such a brilliant fashion editor, she had spent days working out the right look for the shoot.
When I tried on the last outfit, Sophie leaned back against her desk, smiling at me. “You know, I had a hunch when I saw Antonie Boucher’s pictures of you in the Sunday Times that you would be perfect for this shoot. Keep on what you are wearing, and let’s go and meet Miss Miller. I want her to see you in person.”
Bea Miller was famous in London fashion for her exacting standards and perfect eye for a great fashion story. So my heart was stuttering as we walked down the corridor to a door, painted high-gloss racing green. Perhaps sensing my sudden panic, Sophie gave me a reassuring smile before knocking.
July 1, 2024
A great book, almost reading like a memoir (especially as the author was a model herself). A really interesting look at the fashion world in the late 60’s, as well as a lot of the toxicity with in. Through in an abusive relationship, bulimia and drugs and you have this book!
I felt slightly disconnected from the MC and her story, but I still found it kept my attention and flowed well. I went into this mainly for the era, and I loved all the fashion and music references, but I also loved the fact that there were some darker moments too to level this out.
The ending did fall a little flat for me, mainly because we didn’t really get a definite finish or a cliffhanger but that’s just my personal preference.
I felt slightly disconnected from the MC and her story, but I still found it kept my attention and flowed well. I went into this mainly for the era, and I loved all the fashion and music references, but I also loved the fact that there were some darker moments too to level this out.
The ending did fall a little flat for me, mainly because we didn’t really get a definite finish or a cliffhanger but that’s just my personal preference.
May 29, 2024
Piece of my Heart by Penelope Tree.
I really enjoyed reading this book. This is a new author for me. It was different. I did like the cover and blurb. I did like Ari. I liked the story. The chapters were short, and I read this in two sittings. I got into it straight away. It did feel as though I was there watching everything happen. I love that when that happens when I'm reading a book. What a great start for a debut. 5*.
I really enjoyed reading this book. This is a new author for me. It was different. I did like the cover and blurb. I did like Ari. I liked the story. The chapters were short, and I read this in two sittings. I got into it straight away. It did feel as though I was there watching everything happen. I love that when that happens when I'm reading a book. What a great start for a debut. 5*.
May 30, 2024
If you're looking for a book recommendation for your holiday this summer I highly recommend this book. I loved it so much I read the book within 3 days.
An autobiography that covers the swinging 60s & life as David Bailey's muse it will keep you turning the page until you come to the end & is gives a fascinating insight into the world of fashion.
An autobiography that covers the swinging 60s & life as David Bailey's muse it will keep you turning the page until you come to the end & is gives a fascinating insight into the world of fashion.
July 15, 2025
A pleasant afternoon read. Although the characters are annoying it captures late 60s very well.
October 2, 2025
piece of my heart
Have been engrossed with Ari’s life journey. Enjoyed it immensely felt as though I was there. Loved this book and highly recommend reading it
Have been engrossed with Ari’s life journey. Enjoyed it immensely felt as though I was there. Loved this book and highly recommend reading it
May 29, 2024
This book surprised me, and the route it took was in a very unexpected way.
It has some dark elements to it, and seemed to spiral. But I was intrigued and eager to move on. This is honest and quite raw at time but makes for an immersive experience.
I can honestly say that I haven't read anything like it before and I'm not sure I will again.
It has some dark elements to it, and seemed to spiral. But I was intrigued and eager to move on. This is honest and quite raw at time but makes for an immersive experience.
I can honestly say that I haven't read anything like it before and I'm not sure I will again.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews