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Not Quite Nice

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Not Quite Nice

By: Celia Imrie
Narrated by: Celia Imrie
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About this listen

Theresa is desperate for a change. Forced into early retirement, fed up with babysitting her bossy daughter's obnoxious children, she sells her Highgate house and moves to the picture-perfect town of Bellevue-sur-Mer, just outside Nice.

With its beautiful villas, bustling cafes and shimmering cerulean sea, the village sparkles like a diamond on the French Mediterranean coast. Once the hideaway of artists and writers, it is now home to the odd rock icon and Hollywood movie star and, as Theresa soon discovers, a close-knit set of expats.

There's Carol, the infinitely glamorous American and her doting husband, David; the erstwhile British TV star, Sally; the ferocious Sian and her wayward Australian poet husband; the sharply witty Zoe with her strangely youthful face and penchant for white wine; and the suave Brian, who catches Theresa's eye.

As Theresa settles in to the gentle rhythm of seaside life, she embraces her newfound friendships and freedom. However, life is never quite as simple as it seems, and as skeletons start to fall out of several closets, Theresa begins to wonder if life on the French Riviera is quite as nice as it first appeared.

©2015 Celia Imrie (P)2016 Audible, Ltd Literature & Fiction Romance Marriage Witty Comedy
All stars
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loved it😊beautifully narrated and I really enjoyed the insites into human relationships in this book.

not quite nice

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The book wasn't riveting because there were too many characters without much depth. Some characters were detestable and unrealistic. Some of the women were portrayed as gullible passive doormats. The plot itself had some good twists. Unfortunately it seems difficult to do some of the accents with a plum firmly stuck in your mouth. It was a light enough book to listen to while doing other things. I have started listening to the 3rd book in the series which seems more cohesive and enjoyable so may be worth persisting with.

Fair to middling - recipes fun

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Got off to a cracking pace. Struggled to finish it at the 3/4 mark. Then it got interesting again.

Fun story

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Great reading voice, expressions done very well. Great story line, good funny spots. I'd definitely listen to the same author.

Very nice Nice

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I am a big fan of Celia Imrie but I was shocked by the violence and foul language. I think the reading should be prefaced with a warning. The excerable Australian accent was like something from a 1950s movie (I live in Oz so I know). The story was gripping but I had trouble keeping up with who was who in the cast of characters. In future I will read her books instead of listening to them.

Mixed reaction

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To predictable with not enough depth
Well read but to many similar accents made it confusing

Laked zest

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the story started off so well but ended up being a bit long and drawn out and the ending predictable.

A bit predictable

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Disappointed with this book since previous reviews made it sound good. Story finally got a little bit interesting at the end. Character development was lacking, I didn't really care about any of them particularly.
Narration: possibly the worst attempt at an Aussie accent I have ever heard. Cringeworthy.

Don't bother

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What did you like most about Not Quite Nice?

Perfect background noise, it didn't matter that I missed bits while turning kitchen appliances on and off ;) There were a couple of twists which were very funny (and quite unexpected)...

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

At the risk of sounding harsh maybe inflict a little more suffering on the main characters, add depth and provide opportunity to demonstrate meaningful problem solving.

Have you listened to any of Celia Imrie’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No, but she is an accomplished actress!

Any additional comments?

Very lightweight escapism.

A Lightweight Listen

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loved it, unexpected twists and turns, but all will be revealed! Celia's narration draws you in and you don’t want to stop listening.

could not stop listening

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