Title: Adorable Fat Girl and the Mysterious Invitation
Author: Bernice Bloom
Published on: November 12th, 2018
Genre: Humor, Chick-lit, Fiction
I finally found a book that is based on my life! Okay, I am kidding! But Mary Brown – you are one heck of a foodie! Something that I can totally relate to. Like Mary, even I think about food the whole time. Now you must be wondering if I was thinking about snacks while I was typing. I probably was!
This is one of the best books that I have read this year! Though ninth in the Adorable Fat Girl series, this book can be read as a standalone. The characters are quirky and hilarious and so is the story.
Mary Brown, an adorable fat girl, gets an invite to attend a funeral of one Reginald Charters. A fellow whom Mary or her family do not know. Mary decides to go to the funeral – her train tickets are booked and she’s even got a room in a ‘world-class hotel with spa’ – courtesy of the late Mr.Charters. Mary is a tad bit disappointed when she reaches Gower farm, after all, the world-class hotel is not so ‘world-class’!
Mary discovers that five other people have also received a similar invite from the late Reginald Charters. In each of their rooms lies an envelope with a newspaper clipping and a letter from Reginald. The solicitors arrive and give them a task – find out more about Reginald and win a prize of 1 million euros!
The story is hilarious. Mary is funny. I just couldn’t stop laughing at the egg and cress conversation. The solicitors ask if anyone needs an egg and cress. The ever-hungry Mary raises her hand and says that she would love to have some. Poor Mary. She has a hard time understanding the Welsh accent. The egg and cress was actually ‘head address’ at the funeral!
The story starts with Mary visiting Gower farm. Then, there are flashbacks of Marco, a POW in WW2 who started working at the Gower farm. The flashback then continues with Joe – Marco’s son, and his life as a homosexual man in the 1970’s. Though homosexuality was accepted/made legal by then, Joe had a tough life. People, doctors, and policemen were cruel to gay men.
Now, what do these totally 6 strangers have in common with Reginald Charters? And who wins the prize money? Well, the story is full of surprises. Though it ends with a cliffhanger of sorts, the six decide to find Tom, the original owner of the Gower farm.
The six strangers – Mary Brown, Sally Bramley, Julie Bramley, Matt Prior, Mike Sween, and Simon Blake – are quirky in their own way. But the quirkiest of them all is none other than our own Mary Brown!
I loved Bloom’s writing style. And the story is as narrated by Mary, which made the story not only interesting but hilarious. If you are looking for a quirky story that makes you laugh, then this is THE book!
I was very curious to know who Reginald was. The guy sends invites to 6 strangers after his death! A nut job? or, someone who believes in random acts of kindness? Well, I am not saying anything much about Reginald and spoiling the suspense here!
I am looking forward to reading other books in the Adorable Fat Girl series. Now, now. All this typing has made me hungry. Let me search the cupboard for a packet of crisps or biscuits. Potato chips, anyone?
Thank you, Rachel, from Rachel’s Random Resources for giving me an opportunity to be a part of this blog tour.
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