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From Notting Hill with Love... Actually
(Actually #1)
by
She was just a girl, standing in front of a boy . . . wishing he looked more like Hugh Grant.
Scarlett loves the movies. But does she love sensible fiancé David just as much? With a big white wedding on the horizon, Scarlett really should have decided by now . . .
When she has the chance to house-sit in Notting Hill - the setting of one of her favourite movies - Scarlett j ...more
Scarlett loves the movies. But does she love sensible fiancé David just as much? With a big white wedding on the horizon, Scarlett really should have decided by now . . .
When she has the chance to house-sit in Notting Hill - the setting of one of her favourite movies - Scarlett j ...more
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Paperback, 431 pages
Published
November 1st 2010
by Sphere
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Showing 1-30

Start your review of From Notting Hill with Love... Actually (Actually, #1)

Nov 10, 2013
Katrina Passick Lumsden
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
run-away-quickly

I'm at an almost total loss here. I feel like Ali McNamara raped my brain. I feel...insulted. This book. Wow, this book. It's difficult to put into words just how awful this is. First of all, the stereotypes are embarrassing. Perhaps not 'naked in front of strangers' embarrassing, but maybe 'tripping at a job interview' embarrassing. The stereotypical homosexual shows up like, four pages in. Oscar owns a designer clothing boutique, a tiny dog named Delilah, says things like, "honey" and "dar ...more

What you need to know about me is I love everything British (I should have been born in London instead of Long Island, New York) so this book was made for me! The main character loves movies like me (British movies!) and the romance of it all. I'm a dreamer like her as well. Basically, this was me in a nutshell and I loved it. While reading this I would be skipping down tha halls of my office and apartment, singing Disney songs. So if you want to be jolly like I was then read this book!
Also, thi ...more
Also, thi ...more

This started out pretty great. I was immediately drawn in and found it enjoyable and cute. At some point, it just got a little bit too cute, if you know what I mean.
I guess all the movie references were adorable for maybe the first half of the book but after a while, I wanted to scream. It's not even the movie references that bothered me; it was the way the main character had to explain them. I think most people who will read this book will know the references. We don't need to be told what situ ...more
I guess all the movie references were adorable for maybe the first half of the book but after a while, I wanted to scream. It's not even the movie references that bothered me; it was the way the main character had to explain them. I think most people who will read this book will know the references. We don't need to be told what situ ...more

Books don't make me angry often, but this did. I am furious I paid seven quid for it and it took up space in my suitcase that could have been filled with another book.
This is why Rom Coms have a bad name. Bad, dull, cliched writing: a protagonist so unbearable it's like being stuck in the corner of the xmas party with the office bore, except in your own house, and you're paying for it. The author has stumbled across the GENIUS strategy of interjecting terrible, insanely pointless monologues with ...more
This is why Rom Coms have a bad name. Bad, dull, cliched writing: a protagonist so unbearable it's like being stuck in the corner of the xmas party with the office bore, except in your own house, and you're paying for it. The author has stumbled across the GENIUS strategy of interjecting terrible, insanely pointless monologues with ...more

Romantic Comedy Adventures in London!
Rating: 4.5 stars
I was drawn to this book by two things, the title and its dual movie references, and the fact that is was published by Sourcebooks (who published quite a bit of Jane Austen works years ago.)
I immediately fell in love with this fun tale that has a movie-obsessed heroine who dreams of her life being like in the movies. I loved all the fun movie references and nods - Sleepless in Seattle, Pretty Woman, Notting Hill, and Bridget Jones's Diary a ...more
Rating: 4.5 stars
I was drawn to this book by two things, the title and its dual movie references, and the fact that is was published by Sourcebooks (who published quite a bit of Jane Austen works years ago.)
I immediately fell in love with this fun tale that has a movie-obsessed heroine who dreams of her life being like in the movies. I loved all the fun movie references and nods - Sleepless in Seattle, Pretty Woman, Notting Hill, and Bridget Jones's Diary a ...more

Cliched, shallow, cringingly embarrassing, and trite, with cardboard characters, unbelievable coincidences, and a questionable moral message.
In its defense, it was meant to be cliched, with the entire premise being that the protagonist was trying to live out various moments from romantic comedies. I found that a clever enough gimmick. One flaw in this plan, though, was that the author relied on too few films: Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle, Pride & Prejudice (not exactly a romantic comedy, ...more
In its defense, it was meant to be cliched, with the entire premise being that the protagonist was trying to live out various moments from romantic comedies. I found that a clever enough gimmick. One flaw in this plan, though, was that the author relied on too few films: Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle, Pride & Prejudice (not exactly a romantic comedy, ...more

I'm giving this book 5 stars not because it's some kind of groundbreaking masterpiece, but because it's absolutely adorable and perfect read for romantic comedies sucker. I have to admit - I got it as a freebie on Amazon and wasn't hoping for much, but I was nicely surprised. It's good to read book like that from time to time and be completely charmed by the story. It's well written, page-turner about girl, who reminded me of myself a bit. I love romantic comedies, movies in general. I sometimes
...more

In the beginning this book was really cute and funny, even though Scarlett's obsession with movies and re-creating movie moments in real life could be a tad annoying. However, as the story progressed I liked the book less and less, until I got to the point where it really made me angry!
I liked the whole idea of the book, and the writing was not all bad. Basically, there were good parts, and there were bad parts, but the further the story got the worse the plot (and the writing) became.
Scarlett ...more
I liked the whole idea of the book, and the writing was not all bad. Basically, there were good parts, and there were bad parts, but the further the story got the worse the plot (and the writing) became.
Scarlett ...more

From Notting Hill with Love...Actually is a VERY sweet book. It wraps you up like a warm hug, with brilliant characters and a lovely plot (especially the last few scenes). I adored it. Of course, it was very obvious, very cliched and didn't hold any surprises - but that was the point, to me, in a way. It was certainly part of the charm. I am not going to say much more than this - anyone who loved movies like Pretty Woman, Notting Hill, Love Actually and Sleepless in Seattle will just love this,
...more

No. No, no, no. A story about a girl obsessed with movies trying to reenact her favorites in real life sounds cute. I love Hugh Grant movies as much as anyone. But Scarlett's obsession got old very quickly. How can you live day to day with your head constantly in the clouds?
...more

This book is so hilarious, people looked at me odd when I read it in public. The characters are so loveable and ahh just everything about this book I loved!! I didn't have any expectations for this book and it blew me away!
...more

DNF at 7%.
You DO NOT go to a stranger's flat just because they're gay so that makes you feel safe.
If Criminal Minds taught us anything is that anyone could lure us with false safety and then wear our skin as a suit.
So there's that. ...more
You DO NOT go to a stranger's flat just because they're gay so that makes you feel safe.
If Criminal Minds taught us anything is that anyone could lure us with false safety and then wear our skin as a suit.
So there's that. ...more

Scarlett O’Brien lives her life as if she’s in one big movie production but often finds herself in trouble for indulging in such fantasies. When Scarlett is given the chance to house-sit a mansion in Notting Hill, she jumps at the chance to live out her life-long film fantasies. As she gets comfy in her Notting Hill mansion and finds herself re-creating many famous film scenes, she also realises that there may be more to life than the one she was leading prior to her house-sitting expedition. As
...more

I have been wanting to read this for ages! I heard so many great things about Ali's writing and especially that s ries, so I was really excuted to read it! Now I finally got round to it and all I can say is taht it is just FABULOUS!!! And the cover is gorgeous ��
Scarlett O'Brien is a big movie fan, she co-owns a business with her father, they sell, install etc. popcorn machines, so it's all connected to the movies. She lives the think about mivie scenes and alsi connects them to her real life. T ...more

I think I'm one of the last people on earth that would qualify as a romantic. I hated Titanic, didn't cry during P.S. I Love You, have no desire to see most of Hugh Grant's movies, and I've never seen Pretty Woman. I'm still trying to understand why that movie is popular or romantic. Not that hookers don't deserve love, but all I can ever think of is if Richard Gere's character was ever tested for anything he could've caught from Julia Roberts' character. So, yeah, not a romantic.
This book kinda ...more
This book kinda ...more

Jul 13, 2013
QNPoohBear
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
clean-romance,
women-s-fiction
This is one of the best books I've ever read. Like Scarlett, I like the escapism of a good romantic comedy, especially British director Richard Curtis's movies (Notting Hill, Love Actually, Bridget Jones). This book blends the plots of several well-known romantic comedies with a dash of real life to create a whole new romantic comedy. I was torn about how I wanted the story to turn out; I felt like Scarlett needed to get her head out of the clouds but I also really wanted her to have her movie m
...more

Well, I'm happy to have at least one book finished in 2013; I'm also glad I got it for free on my Nook. There is something irresistible to me about a good boy meets girl story. Chalk it up to that stingy extra "X" chromosome or the monthly hormone imbalance, but I've always been a fan of a decent meet-cute, and a satisfactory happy ending. While this book does actually have both of those, it's the pesky in-between that gets tedious.
From the outset, the premise is, at best highly questionable. A ...more
From the outset, the premise is, at best highly questionable. A ...more

"Everyone who’s seen a romantic comedy at least once in their life knows the story. Boy meets girl. They fall in love. Something happens that separates the two of them. This is followed by a swoon-worthy, grand romantic gesture that sweeps the girl off her feet. We’ve seen them, and we love them. Some of us even wish for one of those grand romantic gestures at least once in our lifetime. I know I do! And so does Scarlett O’Brien.
The spitting image of Vivien Leigh, Scarlett is madly in love with ...more
The spitting image of Vivien Leigh, Scarlett is madly in love with ...more

Grab your popcorn and soft drink.....or a glass of wine and the chocolate box for the Rom-Com of the year!
This story has all the elements of a great romantic comedy just like the films Notting Hill, Bridget Jones, Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle and more. It is all there and you won't be disappointed.
I loved all the characters...
Scarlett the movie fantic who wants life to be like the movies -sometimes we all wish it could be more like the movies, eh girls?
Sean, the neighbour who befriends S ...more

What a wonderful British Chick Lit story! This totally quirky, romantic comedy will leave a smile on your face. Now the first chapter was just a bit cheesy for me but once I got past it then I couldn’t put it down.
I loved all the movie references! I did think that Scarlett was a bit extreme in how much she loved movies but that really is what made her personality interesting. I really didn’t like her fiancé David though. I didn’t get the feel that he really loved her and that he just wanted Scar ...more
I loved all the movie references! I did think that Scarlett was a bit extreme in how much she loved movies but that really is what made her personality interesting. I really didn’t like her fiancé David though. I didn’t get the feel that he really loved her and that he just wanted Scar ...more

This book has everything I love. There's a wonderful love story and it involves all my favourite films (I adore romantic comedies.)
Scarlett lives her life in films (something I would like to do) but it's not always appreciated by the people around her. When she gets the opportunity to house sit in Notting Hill she jumps at it. Her life becomes more like a film when she meets Sean.
This book was one I couldn't put down. If you love your romantic comedies and know your Mark Darcy from your Willia ...more
Scarlett lives her life in films (something I would like to do) but it's not always appreciated by the people around her. When she gets the opportunity to house sit in Notting Hill she jumps at it. Her life becomes more like a film when she meets Sean.
This book was one I couldn't put down. If you love your romantic comedies and know your Mark Darcy from your Willia ...more

I couldn't warm to this book for the first pages. I thought it's totally not my climate, all those things about films, films, films... I am not a big fan of films, actually, I prefer reading. But fortunately I have seen more of the films that were mentioned in this book.
But when I was reading, I found this book more and more interesting. There are not boring moments at all, it's pure and funny action, and I was really curious what happens next. Was not sure of happy ending at all for example, th ...more
But when I was reading, I found this book more and more interesting. There are not boring moments at all, it's pure and funny action, and I was really curious what happens next. Was not sure of happy ending at all for example, th ...more

To read full review at mariesbookboutique.wordpress.com/2018...
As soon as I spotted this front cover and realised it was one of Ali Mc Namara stories; I just new I had to buy it. The cover is wistful and romantic. From the big theatre cinema on the corner of a busy street. The night sky is full of stars, there are silver coloured snowflakes fall all around and shimmer's in the light adding to its romantic feel. Silhouettes of people are walking past the theatre going about their life's. Across t ...more
As soon as I spotted this front cover and realised it was one of Ali Mc Namara stories; I just new I had to buy it. The cover is wistful and romantic. From the big theatre cinema on the corner of a busy street. The night sky is full of stars, there are silver coloured snowflakes fall all around and shimmer's in the light adding to its romantic feel. Silhouettes of people are walking past the theatre going about their life's. Across t ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Crazy for Young A...: From Notting Hill with Love...Actually, by Ali McNamara → Start Date: December 24, 2016 | 26 | 14 | Dec 30, 2016 07:53AM | |
Chick Lit Book Club: 8/2013: From Notting Hill with Love... Actually: Chit Chat | 13 | 69 | Sep 04, 2013 03:31PM | |
Chick Lit Book Club: 8/2013: From Notting Hill w/ Love: Chapters 31 - 40 | 4 | 13 | Sep 01, 2013 06:40AM | |
Chick Lit Book Club: 8/2013: From Notting Hill w/ Love: Chapters 21 - 30 | 4 | 20 | Aug 31, 2013 07:22PM | |
Goodreads Librari...: Ali Mcnamara Kindle edition | 2 | 22 | Nov 25, 2012 01:14PM |
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