London Holiday: A Novel

by Richard Peck

“A charmingly upbeat tale… Peck’s stylish story offers not only pleasant diversion but a vicarious boost, and an urge to cheer, ‘Go, girls!’”— Arizona Daily Star
 
Lesley Hockaday is a St. Louis society woman, Margo Mayhew a Chicago schoolteacher and the mother of a teenage daughter, and Julia Steadman a single, successful Manhattan interior designer. Best friends during their Missouri childhood, the passage of time, the thousands of miles between them, and the demands of family and careers have taken a toll on their friendship. When a shocking act of violence reminds them how precious life really is, the three friends decide it’s time for a reunion and embark on a long-awaited trip to London.
 
From the cozy confines of Mrs. Smith-Porter’s bed-and-breakfast, Lesley, Margo, and Julia enter a gracious world of high tea in the garden, antique markets, picture-perfect countryside, and unexpected romance. The London holiday presents them with more than a few surprises, becomes a journey of self-discovery and a chance to renew the bonds of friendship, and holds the promise of three new lives awaiting them.

Genres: Fiction, British Literature, Friendship, London, Chick Lit, Modern

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Richard Peck was an American novelist known for his prolific contributions to modern young adult literature. He was awarded the Newbery Medal in 2001 for his novel A Year Down Yonder. For his cumulative contribution to young-adult literature, he received the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1990.

Reviews

[Jennifer Parr · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up. I was so bored until the last 50 pages or so. Too much backstory for my taste. I do like how everything worked out in the end. All three women followed their heart and made brave, bold moves.

[Kressel Housman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, can Richard Peck write female characters! This is one of his adult novels, the story of three best friends who go to London for vacation, and each one finds what she needs most in her life: love, independence, or both. Another GR reviewer called it "fluff," but I completely disagree. This is a story about people and relationships. Yes, there's romance in it, but there's just as much grit to make it a realistic portrayal of life. But I'd be remiss if I didn't warn my frum friends: a few scenes here, while not X-rated, definitely warrant an R.

[Ellen L. Ramsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This summer, I've been rereading Peck's middle grade and young adult novels and decided to read his adult novels. Thoroughly enjoyed London Holiday. Loved reading about the relationships of three friends who embark on a vacation and end up finding new paths for their lives.

[Em · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bought this book a while back because it was a Penguin Classic and about London and usually Penguin books are reliably good. This book wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t that good. Once I finished the tale I read the study guide in the back and learned the author usually writes young adult books which could explain the weak spots. First and foremost there wasn’t a clear, strong narrative voice, it always seemed to be changing. And with no lead character it really needed a strong narration to propel the story. And unlike an author like Arthur Golden who did a great job of writing from a feminine perspective, Peck doesn’t do any justice to the lives of the four women who carry most of the story. I had hoped this would appeal to my inner anglophile, but alas not a chance! The location wasn’t used at all, and characters were mere skeleton sketches without distinct characteristics or points of view other than all of them choose to remain in England when their holiday ends. Lord knows I’d be tempted, but all four – preposterous! A truly disappointing waste of time and paper is this book.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love London so this was a fun read for me. I thought one romance developed too deeply and quickly to be believed. But overall it was enjoyable.

[Suanne Laqueur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the book seems to be a fantasy specially designed for women of a certain age who particularly enjoy antiquing, I really enjoyed the light read.

Three certain-aged friends stay in a beautifully decorated bed and breakfast run by a secretive, charming old woman named Mrs. Smith-Porter. Mrs. Smith-Porter is swell and terrific and has a knack for saying just the right thing to solve a problem. Then she magically vanishes.

These women have plenty of problems: Les is stuck in a loveless marriage; Margo has just learned that her teenage daughter is pregnant and her former husband is gay; Julia is just plain lonely. But never fear—England and Mrs. Smith-Porter improve these women's lives immeasurably.

This isn't a very profound book but it's rather fun. For people who like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing they will like.

[Sundae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Peck has long been one of my favorite authors. He mostly wrote for kids and teens and the Blossom Culp series was one I read over and over as a kid. As a teen I loved his two adult novels, Amanda/Miranda and This Family of Women.
Until London Holiday showed up at the library's used book sale, I'd never heard of it. And it's delightful. Three high school friends, now around 40-ish, get together to go on a holiday to a little B&B run by the formidable Mrs. Smith-Porter. It's just dreamy.
Now I want to know just how Richard Peck got inside the minds of women so well? He's really remarkable. I might have to go re-read Amanda/Miranda (a much better Titanic story than the Titanic movie).

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet, fluffy read that I really enjoyed. It would make a fun, diverting chick flick.

[Brenda Holcomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, but not as good as some of the kids books by Richard Peck.

[Reading Fury · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved his A Long Way From Chicago series, so I bought this on the strength of the other books. It's an adult book, so not as innocent, light-hearted, and fun. A good book, and as romances and "chick" books go, it's a sweet winner. Peck has a real talent for telling a good story and creating memorable characters, and this book was no exception. It is an adult novel in that there are suggestions of sex and there is romance. Also, complex, adult-created situations abound. But the resolution is satisfying and, overall, the book is pleasurable, fast reading.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts off a bit slow and was confusing at some parts in the beginning. But I kept reading, and really began to love the characters and understand what was going on. I love the evolution of Lesley, Margo and Julia and how their stories turn out. The ending made me smile. This book brought me comfort in knowing that just because you have gotten older, it doesn't mean your life has to end. You can begin a new adventure in life at any age. I highly recommend this novel for any adult women who feels lost and stuck in their life.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a gap in my reading this one as books that required reviews or book group books took precedence. I was able to pick up and remember everyone's story. A nice relaxing escape from the crazy world. I enjoyed spending time in this place and with these people. My first of Richard Peck's adult books. I am again sorrowed by our loss of this wonderful author. Glad to find there are titles of his that I have missed. Look forward to reading them all.

[Julie Akeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming...lovers of the English Bed and Breakfast and tours of London will love this...My parents made a trip to London but I didn't go...I didn't want to ...they asked me..and I said no...granted I was like 12 I think so at 43 I'm like..damn..and here I am pretty much a Celtic lover and Anglophile. so this book is the next best thing..three American women needing a change of pace and to rethink their lives go to London together..interesting story..love it.

[Les · Rating 2 out of 5]

My Original Thoughts (2000):

Not very good and difficult to stay interested. The narrative was very choppy. Definitely not another Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. The details about London were fun to read, though.

My Current Thoughts:

Nope. No recollection on this one at all. Maybe I picked it up because one of the characters' name is spelled the same way as mine (which is unusual in the U.S.).

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this, it was a fun read, but love at first sight stories are hard for me to swallow. I also found the ending totally unbelievable, although it’s what I hoped for in a start-a-new-life fantasy. For some reason the Margo-Kimberly-Reg story/dynamic really grated on me, or I might have enjoyed this more.

[Camilla Roper · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rollicking romp through London and the lives of three friends who converge there after decades of friendship. Unexpected challenges, some very sad events, and a great story await the fortunate reader.

[Rohan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly I was just trying to find another book to complete my 2021 reading challenge. It was a cute easy read that would make an entertaining Netflix Rom Com. Nothing groundbreaking, but enjoyable nonetheless.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was so much fun to read! After years in England and having read many many British books, this was like a stroll down memory lane. I could commiserate with the 'landlady' regarding the ups and downs of Chelsea over the decades. A very enjoyable book!

[JV Austen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a long-time fan of Richard Peck - young adult & adult books. His books are rich in detail without being mired in them. The women have conversations I could imagine having with my friends. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

A light read about childhood girlfriends traveling to London in their 40's for a break from their midlife crises. All ends well! Definitely an adult read--I liked Richard Peck's children's books much better!

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three middle-aged Midwesterners, friends from girlhood, take a transformative trip to London. Entanglements, sorted cozily. A Chelsea landlady is the spark. Reminded me a bit of Barbery's Elegance of the Hedgehog.

[Maggie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quick read. Interesting characters, though a bit of a fairy tale.

[Kenzie · Rating 1 out of 5]

bought this random book from a secondhand bookstore in kc. unfortunately, not the best randomly selected storyline, but still a fun acquisition origin story.

[ConnaCarol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, fluffy book that has a happy ending. A nice little escape. No heavy lifting.

[jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Margo, Les and Julia had grown up together in their Missouri town, been inseparable in high school, then gone their own ways. Julia had married a wealthy local boy and quickly divorced him, which provided her with the means to go to school, then New York, where she became a successful interior designer. Margo married the intellectual Reg, which meant putting her own dreams of academic success aside to work as an elementary school teacher and help pay for his schooling while raising their daughter. Les married into another wealthy family and twenty years later finds that she fills her calendar with charity meetings in order to have something to do, while Margo's husband has now divorced her and their daughter hates both her parents. Julia has money and status but thinks of nothing but her work. Through the years the friends have kept in touch, but when Margo is shot, the three decide to take a break from their lives by spending ten days in London. What was supposed to be a time for the three to have fun and forget their unhappy lives for a bit is ruined from the start by Margo bringing along her horrible teenage daughter.
Though each woman has a distinct personality and her own problems, I still found this to be a little superficial. Not bad at all, I just didn't feel that the author created people I cared about, with the exception of Mrs. Smith-Porter, the owner of the London B&B the women stay at. Towards the end, Julia's storyline even devolves into standard chick-lit cliches, complete with aristocracy.

[Julia Hahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

"No." said Les. "Not to old times. To the future and wherever it takes us next."

London Holiday by Richard Peck tells a story of three American women who have been friends all their lives. Now as forty-somethings these three individuals are looking for somewhere to escape the lives that have played out before them. It is decided that they will travel to London for ten days in order to "escape" the drama of their daily lives. Their time away is nothing but dramatic as their problems seemed to have followed them on their mini-vacation. Their time abroad is nothing neither woman would have expected--in both the good and bad events that develop. The book ends with all three women seizing control of their lives and at last getting a chance at fulfillment that their previous one lacked.

I recommend this book because after getting each women's background at the beginning of the book, the reader is at once hoping that things finally turn around for them--especially for Margo. It's very "chick lit" but it isn't overly feminine and at the end, knowing they all get a second chance at living a life that will make them happy makes this a feel good book that I believe anyone can enjoy.

[Nicole · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't understand this book. I have read plenty of British books, but this one is so full of Brit-speak I didn't know what the author was saying. For example, describing someone's experience in the war, Peck writes: "She hardly remembered going out except to quene. There'd been a muddle about her ration book, and the meat ration right down to eightpence. It was all muddle then and usually a way around it. She hadn't been above a fiddle." While I got the general idea of sentences like that, it was awfully cumbersome. I half expected a character to appear, coming out of his lorry, throwing his fag onto the ground, and saying in a cockney accent, "Ev'nin', Gov'nor" before heading into his flat. This book just wasn't interesting enough to warrant the work involved in reading it.

[Rrshively · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first blush and the first few chapters, this seemed to be a standard 3 star book that was pleasant enough but not memorable. However, the way the story all came together and supported the themes of choice and change along with revelations about the characters, I really liked it and felt it was a 4 star book. Other books I've given 4 stars might be more in the category of great literature, but I have very positive sentiments for this shorter book. One thing that totally amazed me was the way the male author really seemed to get women and their thoughts and lives. I really came upon this book somewhat accidentally, as I was looking for a more recent book by this author, but that book wasn't on our library's shelves. What a satisfying surprise!

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another unexpectedly disappointing read. I've enjoyed Richard Peck's work and I also dearly love a "tea-drinking" novel, so I was eager for this one to be a delight.

The first chapter was delightful.

From then on, my brain was straining to keep the characters clear, and before I had finished the second chapter, I felt that each one had a limited set of qualities: the High Society One, the Motherly One, the One with a Career. I wanted to like them, but the effort was more than I could manage at the time.

So I didn't read beyond the second chapter. For a novel about a woman's personal growth, I'd rather re-read "The Stone Diaries."

[Magda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I selected it because I had enjoyed another by the same author (although for children: The Ghost Belonged to Me), and was a little disturbed by the modern plot line of three American friends whose lives (and morals) are messy going to London. I was pleasantly surprised by the narrative mix of American and British descriptions, and by the evolutions of each of the main characters. I laughed out loud at parts, and am having my husband read it, too.