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The Finishing Touches
In New York Times bestselling author Hester Browne's delightful new novel, a fading English finishing school is about to get a twenty-first-century makeover. Out with white gloves and flower arranging, in with managing mortgagesand do-it-yourself manicures! Behind this remarkable transformation is business-savvy Betsy Phillimore, with her own unique connection to London's esteemed Phillimore Academy for Young Ladies....
Twenty-seven years ago, an infant turned up on the Academy's doorstep, with a note tacked to her blanket by an elegant golden brooch -- Please take care of my baby. I want her to grow up to be a proper lady. Loved by Lady Frances Phillimore and her kindhearted staff, Betsy grew up aspiring to be an Academy girl. But when Franny and her husband, Lord Phillimore, advise Betsy to instead hone her considerable math skills at college, she brokenheartedly leaves behind the only family she's known.
Now, on the sad occasion of Lady Frances's memorial service, Betsy comes back to find the school in disrepair, the enrollment down, and Lord P. desperate to save his legacy. Enter Betsy, the numbers genius, and her business plan -- to replace dusty protocol with the essentials girls need today: cell phone etiquette, eating sushi properly, handling credit cards, choosing the perfect little black dress, negotiating a pre-nup, and other lessons in independent living.
But Betsy may have bitten off more than she can chew. Can she win over the school's snobby headmistress and its handsome but risk-averse treasurer? Returning to London also means facing her own unfinished business, as she crosses paths with her sexy girlhood crush...and blowing the dust off clues to a lifelong mystery: who were her parents, and why did they abandon her? If knowledge is power, Betsy is on the brink of truly becoming her own woman, and embracing the one thing she's wanted all along: a place to call home.
A bittersweet journey of laughter and tears, The Finishing Touches will have you gleefully turning pages through dinner with elbows on the table -- bad manners, perhaps, but excusable for one utterly irresistible read.
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 21, 2009
159 people are currently reading
4689 people want to read
About the author
Hester Browne
17 books814 followersHester Browne was born in England's Lake District, read English at Trinity College, Cambridge, and worked as a fiction editor before leaving publishing to write full time. She enjoys Scottish reeling, driving, baking, and trawling eBay for estate sale bargains. She doesn't enjoy hot weather, tax returns, or any talent programme where people have to plead to be allowed to juggle flaming chainsaws on national television.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 386 reviews
September 17, 2018
Read the full review at Elgee Writes
Returning home to attend her adoptive mother’s funeral, Betsy Phillimore learns that her mother’s beloved finishing school is on the brink of being shut down. Saving the Finishing touches means having to fight the unfriendly headmistress, indifferent students and a former nemesis who is interested in her recently widowed father.
While she attempts to reconstruct their archaic syllabus and teaching methods, she realizes she is closer to finding her biological mother than ever before. Does she even want to open that can of worms?
Betsy has taken it upon herself to make a financially responsible adult out of her rich and spoilt BFF, Liv when her father absconds from the scene. Enter Liv’s brother and Betsy’s long time crush Jamie, who seems smitten by Betsy as well. Does the boy get the girl? Or will the entry of another handsome bursar distract her? Read The Finishing Touches to find out more.
Hester Browne’s books are usually straight forward love story with a strong female lead and an interesting back story. She didn’t fail this time as well, the plot was new and interesting.
Characters
While I liked Betsy’s feisty and complicated self, I loved Liv and Jamie more. They were witty and charming. The younger students didn’t make a mark but the cook and the housekeeper, Nancy and Kathleen did. Though there were lots of adorable characters none of them had an interesting sub plot except maybe for Liv.
Writing
I love Hester Browne’s writing that ensured The Finishing Touches stayed as a feel good, light hearted chick-lit just like her other novels. Her witty dialogues and funny scenes had me entertained throughout. The pace slacked at times and there were times that I was kinda distracted, as the sub plots didn’t hold my interest.
Bottom line
If you are looking for a light hearted chick lit set in the UK, you might try The Finishing Touches. Though it is no way as good as the Little Browne Agency trilogy, The Finishing Touches is worth a read.
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May 18, 2010
3.5 STARS.
I came to this novel after falling in love with Browne's The Little Lady Agency series which is, IMO, top-notch, feel-good chick-lit-with-substance. Truth be told, I might have picked up "Finishing Touches" anyway because I think the idea is just so darn appealing. I love the idea of a 21st century 27-year-old carving out her future by trying to preserve something of her past in the presumably archaic finishing school her adopted parents ran for many years. Yes, there are memories in the rose-scented ballrooms, the luster of pearls, the convivial flow of champagne; but more than this, the true good manners that not only help one enjoy society more but also put others at ease--the heart of good manners ought to be timeless. But, our dauntless heroine believes, they can also be updated for the modern girl who can balance her own budget, ask men out on dates and choose to wear high heels because they make her feel sexy and confident, not because they are an enforced dress code. For these girls, good manners will help them be in better control of their lives. As someone who despises superficial good manners, I truly love the heart of them (to put others at ease, to feel confident in social situations...) and so this theme was right on target for me! There's also the angst for our poor heroine (Betsy) as she tries to decide if she wants to find her birth mother (who left her on the steps of the finishing school when she was just a baby) now that her adopted mother has passed away.
I admit that the execution of the story wasn't quite as sparkling as I'd hoped for, though. For about the first half of the novel, everything was very predictable--I mean, it took about half the novel for Betsy to start modernizing the finishing school and you pretty much know that's what the book is supposed to be about. I admit I was guessing all the way to the end on which pleasant young man Betsy would go with and who her mom would turn out to be and things were resolved to my satisfaction. But, in the act of dangling two yummy bachelors in front of us, Browne failed to make either one sufficiently stand-out. The cast of characters is entertaining, but I never really felt that any of them had become my friends or that I'd give them too much thought when I wasn't reading the book. (This in contrast to "Little Lady Agency"--I so want to be friends with Melissa and Nelson!!!)
All in all, this is a completely ENJOYABLE book! It is pleasant and entertaining and decently-written. You don't have to worry about sex scenes or cuss words if that's not your thing, and you know there's going to be a happy ending. But I do hope next time Browne writes more on a level with "Little Lady Agency"
I came to this novel after falling in love with Browne's The Little Lady Agency series which is, IMO, top-notch, feel-good chick-lit-with-substance. Truth be told, I might have picked up "Finishing Touches" anyway because I think the idea is just so darn appealing. I love the idea of a 21st century 27-year-old carving out her future by trying to preserve something of her past in the presumably archaic finishing school her adopted parents ran for many years. Yes, there are memories in the rose-scented ballrooms, the luster of pearls, the convivial flow of champagne; but more than this, the true good manners that not only help one enjoy society more but also put others at ease--the heart of good manners ought to be timeless. But, our dauntless heroine believes, they can also be updated for the modern girl who can balance her own budget, ask men out on dates and choose to wear high heels because they make her feel sexy and confident, not because they are an enforced dress code. For these girls, good manners will help them be in better control of their lives. As someone who despises superficial good manners, I truly love the heart of them (to put others at ease, to feel confident in social situations...) and so this theme was right on target for me! There's also the angst for our poor heroine (Betsy) as she tries to decide if she wants to find her birth mother (who left her on the steps of the finishing school when she was just a baby) now that her adopted mother has passed away.
I admit that the execution of the story wasn't quite as sparkling as I'd hoped for, though. For about the first half of the novel, everything was very predictable--I mean, it took about half the novel for Betsy to start modernizing the finishing school and you pretty much know that's what the book is supposed to be about. I admit I was guessing all the way to the end on which pleasant young man Betsy would go with and who her mom would turn out to be and things were resolved to my satisfaction. But, in the act of dangling two yummy bachelors in front of us, Browne failed to make either one sufficiently stand-out. The cast of characters is entertaining, but I never really felt that any of them had become my friends or that I'd give them too much thought when I wasn't reading the book. (This in contrast to "Little Lady Agency"--I so want to be friends with Melissa and Nelson!!!)
All in all, this is a completely ENJOYABLE book! It is pleasant and entertaining and decently-written. You don't have to worry about sex scenes or cuss words if that's not your thing, and you know there's going to be a happy ending. But I do hope next time Browne writes more on a level with "Little Lady Agency"
June 30, 2021
3.5 stars
Hester Browne is a better Sophie Kinsella.
There. I said it.
If you're coming from this book after reading The Little Lady Agency, you'll be disappointed. The Finishing Touches is lovely, but the heroine's hang-ups don't inspire quite the same way the heroine of TLLA. Plus, there are a lot fewer references to Remington Steele. Like, 0 references.
But it does reference (and what brought me to this book in the first place) Georgette Heyer. A lot. But not particularly specifically. Heyer (in this book) stands as a short-hand for naïve, romantic school girls daydreaming about marrying a prince. And, okay, maybe Iresemble resent that a teeny bit. But it also fits. Finishing schools as introduced in this book help prepare eligible young women for marriage, and a dose of romance doesn't hurt.
The story follows Betsy Phillimore: a young woman raised at a finishing school by her adopted parents. Returning after a decade's absence, she's horrified to find the curriculum outdated, the students apathetic, and the entire business about to fade into obscurity. What kind of twenty-first century woman needs to be "finished" to catch a husband? But Betsy isn't about to let the family business fall into ruin. She's determined to update the curriculum and rebrand for a new generation. If only she can do it all in a month...
This is a fun, albeit predictable, story. The characters were sweet. The ending left me satisfied. And overall, I'd say it hits the right notes. Clean and classy.
If I had one major complaint, the book does drag after a while. The story doesn't need to be 400+ pages long. It ends up just feeling repetitive. It might work better if one of the plotlines got dropped and the others slightly fleshed out. What with the search for her biological parents, desperation to save the school, potential romance, relationship with her best friend, relationship with the students, identity-crisis, etc. etc. it made everything feel a tad exhausting, but repetitive.
Still, if looking for something romantic and fluffy, this is a fun British rom-com.
Hester Browne is a better Sophie Kinsella.
There. I said it.
If you're coming from this book after reading The Little Lady Agency, you'll be disappointed. The Finishing Touches is lovely, but the heroine's hang-ups don't inspire quite the same way the heroine of TLLA. Plus, there are a lot fewer references to Remington Steele. Like, 0 references.
But it does reference (and what brought me to this book in the first place) Georgette Heyer. A lot. But not particularly specifically. Heyer (in this book) stands as a short-hand for naïve, romantic school girls daydreaming about marrying a prince. And, okay, maybe I
The story follows Betsy Phillimore: a young woman raised at a finishing school by her adopted parents. Returning after a decade's absence, she's horrified to find the curriculum outdated, the students apathetic, and the entire business about to fade into obscurity. What kind of twenty-first century woman needs to be "finished" to catch a husband? But Betsy isn't about to let the family business fall into ruin. She's determined to update the curriculum and rebrand for a new generation. If only she can do it all in a month...
This is a fun, albeit predictable, story. The characters were sweet. The ending left me satisfied. And overall, I'd say it hits the right notes. Clean and classy.
If I had one major complaint, the book does drag after a while. The story doesn't need to be 400+ pages long. It ends up just feeling repetitive. It might work better if one of the plotlines got dropped and the others slightly fleshed out. What with the search for her biological parents, desperation to save the school, potential romance, relationship with her best friend, relationship with the students, identity-crisis, etc. etc. it made everything feel a tad exhausting, but repetitive.
Still, if looking for something romantic and fluffy, this is a fun British rom-com.
April 28, 2016
The Finishing Touches is simply fun to read. Hester Browne used her typical creativity to produce a delightful chick lit genre novel which is light, entertaining and smartly paced. No thinking required- just kick back and relax.
May 25, 2011
This book was adorable. Now I'm wishing there really was a finishing school for the modern girl/woman/lady/what exactly *is* it you're supposed to say so as not to sound sexist and dated? I can appreciate their struggle.
So yeah, in the book, Betsy Cooper Tallimore, adopted daughter to the recently deceased Frances Tallimore, former head of the Tallimore finishing school and all-around-chic-gracious-mothe- figure, is hired by her father to revamp the finishing school with its archaic lessons and dwindling student count, which leaves her with a serious challenge. Throw in some romance and bratty teenagers and older bratty fashionistas and disastrous exposes and you've got a book that the Sunday Express (whatever that is) calls "the perfect accompaniment to a bubble bath" (which I actually tried last week with very little success. How are you supposed to turn the pages and keep the thing dry? I mean, books aren't exactly waterproof, in case you hadn't noticed. Yes, I'm talking to you, movies that have me drooling for a long read in a bubble bath). The words "fun" and "flirty" are also thrown around quite a bit, so there's that.
I really loved the ideas behind the renovated school. Because like it or not, there are some skills to being a lady that you can't really learn if someone doesn't teach you, and for those of us who have capable, collected, caring (what is it with the c's?), resourceful mother figures in our lives, then that's fine, but for the rest of us? It would be awesome if a place where such skills are taught existed.
I loved the little tips at the beginning of each chapter. Store your facial wipes upside down! Brilliant. Never would have thought of that. Also: "Always keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes the special occasion is that you've got a bottle of champagne in the fridge." haha. I don't drink, but it sounds about right.
And I REALLY want to read her Little Lady series. The synopsis alone has me hooked. Man makeover agencies? Double Identities? Yes, please.
So yeah, in the book, Betsy Cooper Tallimore, adopted daughter to the recently deceased Frances Tallimore, former head of the Tallimore finishing school and all-around-chic-gracious-mothe- figure, is hired by her father to revamp the finishing school with its archaic lessons and dwindling student count, which leaves her with a serious challenge. Throw in some romance and bratty teenagers and older bratty fashionistas and disastrous exposes and you've got a book that the Sunday Express (whatever that is) calls "the perfect accompaniment to a bubble bath" (which I actually tried last week with very little success. How are you supposed to turn the pages and keep the thing dry? I mean, books aren't exactly waterproof, in case you hadn't noticed. Yes, I'm talking to you, movies that have me drooling for a long read in a bubble bath). The words "fun" and "flirty" are also thrown around quite a bit, so there's that.
I really loved the ideas behind the renovated school. Because like it or not, there are some skills to being a lady that you can't really learn if someone doesn't teach you, and for those of us who have capable, collected, caring (what is it with the c's?), resourceful mother figures in our lives, then that's fine, but for the rest of us? It would be awesome if a place where such skills are taught existed.
I loved the little tips at the beginning of each chapter. Store your facial wipes upside down! Brilliant. Never would have thought of that. Also: "Always keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes the special occasion is that you've got a bottle of champagne in the fridge." haha. I don't drink, but it sounds about right.
And I REALLY want to read her Little Lady series. The synopsis alone has me hooked. Man makeover agencies? Double Identities? Yes, please.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2010
A most enjoyable book and simply fun to read!
From the back cover:
"Twenty-seven years ago, an infant turned up on the doorstep of London's esteemed Phillimore Academy for Young Ladies. Now, Betsy Phillimore returns to the place where she was lovingly raised by Lord and Lady Phillimore, only to find the Academy in disrepair and Lord P. desperate to save his legacy." What ensues is not only Betsy's attempts to rejuvenate the dusty Academy (dusty in it's antiquated courses, and dusty in that it is in need of a thorough feather dusting). But, along the way, Besty also deals with her own trials, from her conflicts in finding her birth parents, to her love life.
In all, I loved this concept! I loved the thought of an updated finishing school, learning the things that are needed to start an independent, successful life, but that aren't really taught anywhere else. And while a good part of the plot was somewhat predictable, an equal amount was not (and I was pretty satisfied with the ending).
My biggest complaint was that, ironically, the book about finishing touches felt like it needed on final finishing touch. The book has a fun plot and fantastic characters, but it seemed to me to lack that one final edit that would make the book a 5 star. I found myself tripping over the words just a tad too often, and some parts of the book seemed redundant. That said, Browne's flair for characters and sweet story more than made up for it's shortcomings!
Definitely recommended!
From the back cover:
"Twenty-seven years ago, an infant turned up on the doorstep of London's esteemed Phillimore Academy for Young Ladies. Now, Betsy Phillimore returns to the place where she was lovingly raised by Lord and Lady Phillimore, only to find the Academy in disrepair and Lord P. desperate to save his legacy." What ensues is not only Betsy's attempts to rejuvenate the dusty Academy (dusty in it's antiquated courses, and dusty in that it is in need of a thorough feather dusting). But, along the way, Besty also deals with her own trials, from her conflicts in finding her birth parents, to her love life.
In all, I loved this concept! I loved the thought of an updated finishing school, learning the things that are needed to start an independent, successful life, but that aren't really taught anywhere else. And while a good part of the plot was somewhat predictable, an equal amount was not (and I was pretty satisfied with the ending).
My biggest complaint was that, ironically, the book about finishing touches felt like it needed on final finishing touch. The book has a fun plot and fantastic characters, but it seemed to me to lack that one final edit that would make the book a 5 star. I found myself tripping over the words just a tad too often, and some parts of the book seemed redundant. That said, Browne's flair for characters and sweet story more than made up for it's shortcomings!
Definitely recommended!
May 2, 2010
If you liked Elegance by Kathleen Tessaro, then you will love this story about English manners in the modern world. A little bit fantasy, a little bit real-life that, in the end, folds into a modern fairytale.
I loved Hester Browne's first book The Little Lady Agency though the follow-ups didn't seem to be able to maintain the magic of the first book. The Finishing Touches was a chance for Hester Browne to cover similar ground in a different way.
I loved Hester Browne's first book The Little Lady Agency though the follow-ups didn't seem to be able to maintain the magic of the first book. The Finishing Touches was a chance for Hester Browne to cover similar ground in a different way.
January 21, 2022
I really liked The Little Lady Agency series, so I was quite excited to read a new book by Hester Browne.
The story starts out quite similarly: a girl from a titled family finally gets a use out of the many etiquette lessons. She has to save her childhood home: a finishing school. And she also gets an excellent chance to snoop around, in the hopes of finding her biological mother, most probably a past student.
I was somewhat disappointed in the story. You see, the entire reason I read chicklit books is to live the modern fairy tale: independent/self-sufficient (or maybe not so much) Cinderella finds her Prince. Bonus points if it all starts out as hate-at-first-sight.
While there is romance in this book, it is kind of marginal. And everything gets solved in 10 minutes, towards the end of the book in an awfully predictable manner. Their chemistry wasn't too impressive either. Nor was the whole who's my real mummy?" part, either.
Score: 2.7/5 stars
If you enjoyed Melissa's advice in The Little Lady Agency, you'll get some of that here too. How could you not, with the action taking place at a traditional finishing school? Every chapter sports an motto referencing handy little tips to help a lady "get that perfect finish".
I guess it's a good beach read, if there's nothing juicier at hand.
The story starts out quite similarly: a girl from a titled family finally gets a use out of the many etiquette lessons. She has to save her childhood home: a finishing school. And she also gets an excellent chance to snoop around, in the hopes of finding her biological mother, most probably a past student.
I was somewhat disappointed in the story. You see, the entire reason I read chicklit books is to live the modern fairy tale: independent/self-sufficient (or maybe not so much) Cinderella finds her Prince. Bonus points if it all starts out as hate-at-first-sight.
While there is romance in this book, it is kind of marginal. And everything gets solved in 10 minutes, towards the end of the book in an awfully predictable manner. Their chemistry wasn't too impressive either. Nor was the whole who's my real mummy?" part, either.
Score: 2.7/5 stars
If you enjoyed Melissa's advice in The Little Lady Agency, you'll get some of that here too. How could you not, with the action taking place at a traditional finishing school? Every chapter sports an motto referencing handy little tips to help a lady "get that perfect finish".
I guess it's a good beach read, if there's nothing juicier at hand.
May 31, 2011
I always like the heroine in Hester Browne's books. They are smart and capable and not silly, which I like since senseless heroines tend to bug me quite a bit.
Infant Betsy was left on the doorstep of a London finishing school on the day of the 1981 Royal Wedding. The story picks up 27 years later as Betsy's adoptive mother who ran the school has recently died and the school is in serious financial trouble.
Betsy, who always wanted to attend the school but wasn't allowed, steps in to try to help save the school.
I love the characters, all well drawn and with a distinct personality. Betsy is struggling with what to do with her life and her love life as well.
There is a fairly large cast of characters and they are deftly managed. I knew who was speaking and their personality.
I do wish there had been a touch more romance thoughg, as though Betsy wishes for love, she seems to keep pusing it away for fear that it won't work out. She carries some understandable scars from being an abandoned baby and while working on fixing the school, she also works on locating her birth parents. So there are several different threads running through the story which made it more interesting.
The chapter headings with little bits of information and suggestions added to the story. I could see Betsy's mother telling her these things as I read them.
All in all, a fun read with a perfect ending.
Infant Betsy was left on the doorstep of a London finishing school on the day of the 1981 Royal Wedding. The story picks up 27 years later as Betsy's adoptive mother who ran the school has recently died and the school is in serious financial trouble.
Betsy, who always wanted to attend the school but wasn't allowed, steps in to try to help save the school.
I love the characters, all well drawn and with a distinct personality. Betsy is struggling with what to do with her life and her love life as well.
There is a fairly large cast of characters and they are deftly managed. I knew who was speaking and their personality.
I do wish there had been a touch more romance thoughg, as though Betsy wishes for love, she seems to keep pusing it away for fear that it won't work out. She carries some understandable scars from being an abandoned baby and while working on fixing the school, she also works on locating her birth parents. So there are several different threads running through the story which made it more interesting.
The chapter headings with little bits of information and suggestions added to the story. I could see Betsy's mother telling her these things as I read them.
All in all, a fun read with a perfect ending.
June 16, 2009
I wish I had a chance to receive instruction from Betsy. She has a wonderful mix of traditional and current skills that women should learn. Some skills make life more pleasant (good manners, how to dress appropriately for any occasion, how to uncork champagne, etc.) while others are more survival oriented (parallel parking, walking/running in high heels, budget management).
This book is also a tale of self-discovery, learning the meaning of family, and of a young woman who uses her strengths to build a business of her own.
Like Melissa, of Hester Browne's The Little Lady Agency series, Betsy was raised with many advantages and is able to make others feel at ease, even when she is filled with self-doubt. In the end, she finds her place in the world, with her perfect man by her side.
This book is also a tale of self-discovery, learning the meaning of family, and of a young woman who uses her strengths to build a business of her own.
Like Melissa, of Hester Browne's The Little Lady Agency series, Betsy was raised with many advantages and is able to make others feel at ease, even when she is filled with self-doubt. In the end, she finds her place in the world, with her perfect man by her side.
September 26, 2014
In "New York Times" bestselling author Hester Browne's delightful new novel, a fading English finishing school is about to get a twenty-first-century makeover. Out with white gloves and flower arranging, in with managing mortgagesand do-it-yourself manicures! Behind this remarkable transformation is business-savvy Betsy Phillimore, with her own unique connection to London's esteemed Phillimore Academy for Young Ladies....
I love different stories for chick-lit books and I thought this was very unique. Betsy is sweet and trying to prove herself which at the time I felt like in my life I was trying to prove myself with work too so I was totally relating haha. Plus, Hester Browne has the talent to make her women characters become stronger by the end of the story (and not for a man but for themselves). More girl power please!
I love different stories for chick-lit books and I thought this was very unique. Betsy is sweet and trying to prove herself which at the time I felt like in my life I was trying to prove myself with work too so I was totally relating haha. Plus, Hester Browne has the talent to make her women characters become stronger by the end of the story (and not for a man but for themselves). More girl power please!
January 19, 2018
It was a cute chick lit.. Fast read, enjoyable, characters were fun and interesting. I also liked the idea of the "finishing" school (but the updated modern one), because lord knows I totally need some schooling on basic things of life!!!! Definitely recommend if you are looking for a fun, quick read! Also would be a great beach read!
July 28, 2018
What a fun book! I mean what relevance does a Finishing school have in the 20-21st century?
Good light read
Good light read
June 14, 2019
Sorry, this one was not for me, I kept waiting for something to occur.
November 12, 2024
While the plot didn't capture me the way some of Browne's other books have, it was light and airy, and I enjoyed the characters very much.
August 20, 2015
Finishing a good book is like leaving a good friend. - William Feather
Published in 2010 by Gallery Books, I found this 432 page trade size paperback at my library's swap shelf. I had not read Hester Browne before but have enjoyed other "chick lit" books from British authors, including Sophia Kinsella. In fact, Sophia offers a cover quote, "A delicious, entertaining book." As soon I finished the last page, I realized Sophia was right - it was tasty treat!
THE FINISHING TOUCHES unfolds from Betsy's point of view after the memorial service for her adopted mother, Lady Frances Phillimore. On the taxi ride from the service to the reception, Betsy reveals her early relationship with Lord and Lady Phillimore, growing up at the finishing school, and the events leading to her estrangement from her adoptive parents. During the reception, Betsy realizes something's amiss at this London institution. When Lord Phillimore asks for her help to revitalize the finishing school, Betsy sees it as a way to mend the rift and pay tribute to her beloved mother.
Betsy's quest is two fold - while she reviews the school's financial books, she will also search for clues to her birth mother's identity. It only makes sense that a former student would leave Betsy with the Phillimores to "become a lady".
Betsy calls upon a handful of friends to lend their expertise, only to find her friends need to be "sorted out" as well. Likewise, she leans on the retired cook and retired housekeeper for moral support (in turn, her efforts will ensure they continue to reside in the cottage on school's estate). While Betsy reaches out to the four spoiled students enrolled the school, she soon realizes they teach her something about her own community.
I read THE FINISHING TOUCHES in two sittings - an amazing feat for a slow reader like me who is often intimidated by any novel over 300 pages. Yet I found myself among fictional friends, laughing at their antics and sobbing along with their heartbreak.
Recommended read for fans of Brit chick lit, British pop culture, and modern Cinderella story.
Published in 2010 by Gallery Books, I found this 432 page trade size paperback at my library's swap shelf. I had not read Hester Browne before but have enjoyed other "chick lit" books from British authors, including Sophia Kinsella. In fact, Sophia offers a cover quote, "A delicious, entertaining book." As soon I finished the last page, I realized Sophia was right - it was tasty treat!
THE FINISHING TOUCHES unfolds from Betsy's point of view after the memorial service for her adopted mother, Lady Frances Phillimore. On the taxi ride from the service to the reception, Betsy reveals her early relationship with Lord and Lady Phillimore, growing up at the finishing school, and the events leading to her estrangement from her adoptive parents. During the reception, Betsy realizes something's amiss at this London institution. When Lord Phillimore asks for her help to revitalize the finishing school, Betsy sees it as a way to mend the rift and pay tribute to her beloved mother.
Betsy's quest is two fold - while she reviews the school's financial books, she will also search for clues to her birth mother's identity. It only makes sense that a former student would leave Betsy with the Phillimores to "become a lady".
Betsy calls upon a handful of friends to lend their expertise, only to find her friends need to be "sorted out" as well. Likewise, she leans on the retired cook and retired housekeeper for moral support (in turn, her efforts will ensure they continue to reside in the cottage on school's estate). While Betsy reaches out to the four spoiled students enrolled the school, she soon realizes they teach her something about her own community.
I read THE FINISHING TOUCHES in two sittings - an amazing feat for a slow reader like me who is often intimidated by any novel over 300 pages. Yet I found myself among fictional friends, laughing at their antics and sobbing along with their heartbreak.
Recommended read for fans of Brit chick lit, British pop culture, and modern Cinderella story.
October 7, 2015
I almost gave this 5 stars; I would give this 4.5 if Goodreads had half stars.
I thought this book was utterly delightful! I've always thought there is so much about the Real World that one has to learn through mistakes, so a finishing school like the one Betsy develops sounds quite appealing!
I thought the teens who attended were great, especially Divinity and Anatasia. The other two, Clemmy and Venetia, didn't come as alive to me. I think I also liked how earnest Divinity tried to be.
I thought this book was utterly delightful! I've always thought there is so much about the Real World that one has to learn through mistakes, so a finishing school like the one Betsy develops sounds quite appealing!
I thought the teens who attended were great, especially Divinity and Anatasia. The other two, Clemmy and Venetia, didn't come as alive to me. I think I also liked how earnest Divinity tried to be.
May 5, 2013
The Finishing Touches was a perfectly enjoyable read, even if it did seem formulaic in its execution. We've got our down and out heroine, a handsome but flirtatious friend that she's trying to keep herself from falling for (we all know how well that will work out in chick-lit land), her best friend and a potential love interest. Throw together birth secrets, a finishing school to save, bratty students and voila, this book is formed.
Betsy returns from Scotland to attend her adoptive mother's funeral, only to find that her mother's beloved Finishing School is now teetering dangerously close to the red line. To make matters worse, her best friend Liv's father has taken off, leaving her absolutely clueless as to how to manage her finances. This leads to a brainwave for Betsy as she realizes that maybe what the school needs to survive is not a godmother's magic fairy dust but perhaps a good ol' update to the syllabus. On top of that, she is busy trying to find her biological mother and sorting out her love life. Through it all, she may just discover a little more about herself, gain some confidence, and maybe even a new man.
All in all, a good, breezy summer read. Read on and you might discover some life truths that might be applicable to yourself as well.
Betsy returns from Scotland to attend her adoptive mother's funeral, only to find that her mother's beloved Finishing School is now teetering dangerously close to the red line. To make matters worse, her best friend Liv's father has taken off, leaving her absolutely clueless as to how to manage her finances. This leads to a brainwave for Betsy as she realizes that maybe what the school needs to survive is not a godmother's magic fairy dust but perhaps a good ol' update to the syllabus. On top of that, she is busy trying to find her biological mother and sorting out her love life. Through it all, she may just discover a little more about herself, gain some confidence, and maybe even a new man.
All in all, a good, breezy summer read. Read on and you might discover some life truths that might be applicable to yourself as well.
June 22, 2009
I have to say, I was a little disappointed with this book. Maybe I expected too much from it because of how much I adore the Little Lady Agency books. Maybe I just missed Honey. Maybe I shouldn't have read it in snippets on vacation. Maybe I shouldn't have read it after finishing Fablehaven and loving it. I don't know what it was but this was okay for me. I think I would really give it 3.5 stars.
The story is about Betsy and her desire to find her real mother (she was left in a crate on a finishing school doorstep) and update the aforementioned finishing school to have 21st century cred. So, there is a great best friend and a darling love interest and I loved both of these two but I think the story was too much about Betsy finding her mom and working through her own problems. I would have liked more cute guy interaction and none of this "let's finally get together two pages before the book ends."
Overall, I did like the characters and the story is an interesting read. A good book for the pool.
The story is about Betsy and her desire to find her real mother (she was left in a crate on a finishing school doorstep) and update the aforementioned finishing school to have 21st century cred. So, there is a great best friend and a darling love interest and I loved both of these two but I think the story was too much about Betsy finding her mom and working through her own problems. I would have liked more cute guy interaction and none of this "let's finally get together two pages before the book ends."
Overall, I did like the characters and the story is an interesting read. A good book for the pool.
March 6, 2012
Cute, fluffier than fluff book about a twenty-something woman who returns to the London finishing school she grew up in to save it from certain ruin. The setting is unique and the helpful hints sprinkled throughout are good fun. The writing is crisp and fast-paced. I found the four current students annoying but that is clearly the point. Unfortunately, it just meant that all four blended together and not a one stood out. I did not enjoy any scene where they were displayed prominently and wish there’d been a little more variation between them aside from looks. This is predictable in a way that chick lit books are, which means they always end the way you want them to. Although the big “reveal” at the end was kind of flat and pointless. All in, a fun book to read when you’re feeling like something light.
time-s-summer-picks-2009
September 21, 2009Sophie Kinsella picks The Finishing Touches by Hester Browne
The Finishing Touches is a charming and funny novel about Betsy Phillimore, who was found as a baby on the steps of an English finishing school. Now that she's grown up, she comes back to save it and give it a 21st century revamp. Out with white gloves and fish knives; in with snappy, savvy essentials for modern girls. I loved all the pieces of advice and scribbled a few down! There are some great characters, and the story is entertaining throughout. It's moving too, with some really poignant moments. All in all, a delicious and witty delight.
Kinsella is the author of the Shopaholic series. Her new novel, Twenties Girl, will be published in July
The Finishing Touches is a charming and funny novel about Betsy Phillimore, who was found as a baby on the steps of an English finishing school. Now that she's grown up, she comes back to save it and give it a 21st century revamp. Out with white gloves and fish knives; in with snappy, savvy essentials for modern girls. I loved all the pieces of advice and scribbled a few down! There are some great characters, and the story is entertaining throughout. It's moving too, with some really poignant moments. All in all, a delicious and witty delight.
Kinsella is the author of the Shopaholic series. Her new novel, Twenties Girl, will be published in July
April 20, 2017
Slightly too long (Editors! Please step it up! And, writers! Please listen to your editors), but overall very enjoyable. This is classic chick lit, and I mean that in a good - even great - sense. As a baby, Betsy was left on the doorstep of a London finishing school and subsequently adopted by the owners, Lord and Lady Phillimore. As an adult, she returns to Edinburgh following Lady Phillimore's death and attempts to modernize the school and ensure it's relevance (does it have any relevance?) in a twenty-first century. It's funny and romantic and hits all the right call-signs and is just really delightful.
November 2, 2009
I actually really enjoyed this book! It was quite clean - no F-bombs! - and no sex. It had the perfect amount of femi-Nazism for me, too. The writing was solid and flowed nicely, and the plot was good. It was just a touch rushed at the end, and I wasn't sure if she ended up with the "right" guy, but that's just me. I'd recommend this to my friends if they're in the mood for a non-thinking, fun, "beach" read. I'll read more from this author.
July 10, 2021
Delightful, easy read about a foundling raised in a Finishing School, later trying to save the business from going under, because it is out of date and run down.
Just what I need to get out of a slump.
Just what I need to get out of a slump.
July 25, 2013
3.5 stars -- light and fun, but not one that will stick with me
August 20, 2018
I was actually quite disappointed with this book as it lacked some of the warmth of the previous Hester Browne novels I have read. I'm not sure why really as all the ingredients are there for a comforting romantic comedy but I just felt like I was reading all the time rather than living vicariously through the pages of the book. This could quite likely be because I just could not take the heroine of this book, Betsy, seriously as a character. She lacked a certain depth somehow and everything seemed to be just about her surface veneer.
The tale itself is actually quite a decent one, just don't expect any surprises or real tension. Betsy's love interest is flagged up early and from the first few chapters you know exactly who she is going to end up with. There is a real possibility for interest with her search for her birth mother but that didn't really work for me that well as I wasn't really invested in the character. Many of the supporting characters, especially the handful of girls at Treadwell's Academy, are caricatures rather than real people - particularly noticeable with the headmistress of the Academy.
Of course the setting is a rather rarefied atmosphere of the Finishing School and one that is firmly set in he 1950s with it's attention to dining etiquette and how to greet various echelons of Society. To be honest I kept comparing it to the finishing school in Shirley Conran's Lace (I love that book) and found it coming up short. The thread that deals with Betsy's ideas to bring the school up to date is well plotted and fairly realistic; to be honest I left the book wishing there was somewhere you could go that would teach you how to deal with the Modern World- but the world in the book is a stratosphere away from the one I inhabit so knowing how to get papped without looking like you have had major plastic surgery that failed wouldn't be high on my list of priorities.
In short it is an enjoyable, fluffy read that didn't suck me to another world or really involve me in the life of the characters. Ideal coffee break read really as you can pick it up and put it down without feeling ike you just have to read one ore chapter.
The tale itself is actually quite a decent one, just don't expect any surprises or real tension. Betsy's love interest is flagged up early and from the first few chapters you know exactly who she is going to end up with. There is a real possibility for interest with her search for her birth mother but that didn't really work for me that well as I wasn't really invested in the character. Many of the supporting characters, especially the handful of girls at Treadwell's Academy, are caricatures rather than real people - particularly noticeable with the headmistress of the Academy.
Of course the setting is a rather rarefied atmosphere of the Finishing School and one that is firmly set in he 1950s with it's attention to dining etiquette and how to greet various echelons of Society. To be honest I kept comparing it to the finishing school in Shirley Conran's Lace (I love that book) and found it coming up short. The thread that deals with Betsy's ideas to bring the school up to date is well plotted and fairly realistic; to be honest I left the book wishing there was somewhere you could go that would teach you how to deal with the Modern World- but the world in the book is a stratosphere away from the one I inhabit so knowing how to get papped without looking like you have had major plastic surgery that failed wouldn't be high on my list of priorities.
In short it is an enjoyable, fluffy read that didn't suck me to another world or really involve me in the life of the characters. Ideal coffee break read really as you can pick it up and put it down without feeling ike you just have to read one ore chapter.
February 9, 2017
(3.5 stars) Betsy was left as a baby on the doorstep of the Phillimore Academy, a finishing school for young ladies in London. Betsy was adopted by Lord and Lady Phillimore and grew up around the school. While she always thought that she would attend, she was hurt when Lord Phillimore insisted that she go elsewhere for school. She ended up with a college degree, but struggled to find a position, and ended up working as a manager for a shoe store in Scotland. On Lady Phillimore’s death, she returns to her home, and is shocked to find the school in disrepair, both physically and in enrollment, facing closure. As she inflates her experience as a management consultant, Betsy is determined to save the school despite the apathetic students, a hostile headmistress, and a former student/instructor who has intentions on Lord Phillimore. She is also determined to find out about her birth mother. She is aided by her friends in her tasks to modernize the school and solve the mystery of her parentage. The book is filled with humor and is a fun, uplifting story.
May 24, 2021
This book was the first of 5 Hester Browne novels I was gifted and it was easy enough to get through. I did keep getting confused by the time period and a lot of very inside Britishisms. And to be very honest, there was a very disparaging moment about therapy and young women needing it. I get this was written in 2009, and it's British, but that knocked down a star for me.
Betsy was a very relatable character--even though she's really good at math and saving money. Feeling unworthy of a bigger future happens to the best of us, especially with an uncertain past like Betsy's.
There's a hint of a love triangle and some very similar teen debutantes-in-training. It was hard to keep Divinity and Venetia straight, only Gothic Clementine and Russian Anastasia with car problems stood out. Like many reviewers, I'll take note of many of the lifestyle tips dispensed throughout the story.
The ending comes almost out of nowhere and the epilogue ties everything up very nicely.
Betsy was a very relatable character--even though she's really good at math and saving money. Feeling unworthy of a bigger future happens to the best of us, especially with an uncertain past like Betsy's.
There's a hint of a love triangle and some very similar teen debutantes-in-training. It was hard to keep Divinity and Venetia straight, only Gothic Clementine and Russian Anastasia with car problems stood out. Like many reviewers, I'll take note of many of the lifestyle tips dispensed throughout the story.
The ending comes almost out of nowhere and the epilogue ties everything up very nicely.
December 14, 2017
Betsy Phillimore returns to the Phillimore academy where she was raised to attend the funeral of her mother. She was raised by Lord and Lady Phillimore after being left on the steps in a marmalade box as an infant.
Even in her sadness, she still had fond memories of the prestigious finishing school for young women. When she returned however, she found that the school was in financial trouble and in need of repair. She crafted a plan to bring the academy teachings into the 21st century and to raise the desperately needed funds to keep the school open. In the midst of her plan, she also decided to investigate who her birth mother was.
I am giving this book two stars because I actually liked the Betsy Phillimore character. The overall story was nonsensical and lacked cohesion. Meh, not my favorite.
Even in her sadness, she still had fond memories of the prestigious finishing school for young women. When she returned however, she found that the school was in financial trouble and in need of repair. She crafted a plan to bring the academy teachings into the 21st century and to raise the desperately needed funds to keep the school open. In the midst of her plan, she also decided to investigate who her birth mother was.
I am giving this book two stars because I actually liked the Betsy Phillimore character. The overall story was nonsensical and lacked cohesion. Meh, not my favorite.
June 30, 2020
I was hesitant for the first few chapters of this book but I think it pulled through to be a pretty good read. The romance was cute and the characters were just fun enough to enjoy. I really liked the growth of the finishing school and the main character throughout. However, I didn't like that some of her growth was tied so much to the fact that she was adopted and how that was used. Several times Betsy made comments that she didn't know who she was because she didn't know her mother. Or that she didn't want someone to be their mother because she didn't want to inherit their bad behaviors (that wouldn't be things you inherit anyway). They could have still done the "figuring out who you are " thing without throwing it so heavily on the adoption.
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