Portobello Book Blog

I love Miranda Dickinson’s book and was so excited to have the chance to meet her newest creations Otty and Joe in Our Story. The night before Otty is due to start her dream job as a writer for a tv show, she is unexpectedly evicted from her flat. By coincidence, one of her new colleagues has just been left in the lurch when his flatmate left owing some rent. This leads to them very quickly becoming flatmates as well as writing partners, but will that partnership carry over into their personal lives too? They certainly very quickly become firm friends and also work incredibly well together. There is an attraction that it seems everyone else can see but are they brave enough to act upon it or will it ruin their friendship and writing careers too?

I was completely emotionally engaged with Otty and Joe and their journey. Miranda Dickinson creates such wonderful characters who you take to heart. You live through all their trials and tribulations, their joys and sorrows until they feel like people you know. And because you feel that way about them, you want the best for them, you want them to find happiness and satisfaction. Whether that happiness was with each other or someone else, I didn’t really mind (well, perhaps secretly I did!) – I just wanted them both to find someone who completed their stories, who provided that happy ever after.

I have to mention the setting of the book. I’ve never been to Birmingham but through reading this book, I feel as though I’ve had a little tour. I can imagine sitting by the canal, listening to the beautiful chimes of the Clocktower. Birmingham is obviously a place the author knows and loves and that shows in the book. With its craft bakeries, independent breweries and bustling streets, Birmingham comes across as a vibrant city full of energy and possibilities. Another really interesting aspect to the story was the fact that it was set in an industry I hadn’t really thought about much before. It was fascinating to read about the workings of a tv screenwriting team, about how insecure everyone’s jobs were and about how decisions of what would go ahead or not seemed to be on a whim.

Our Story is a classic ‘will they, won’t they, should they, shouldn’t they’ love story with misunderstandings and near misses aplenty. It’s a book about following your dreams, never doubting yourself, aiming high and finding that one person who completes your story. Loved it!

(One last comment – I loved the way the end scenes and acknowledgements were written like the end of a TV show and its credits. A fun, final touch. #TeamSparkly)

Thanks to the publishers HQ stories for my place on the tour and my review copy of the book via Netgalley. Our Story is available now in all formats and you’ll find buying links for various retailers on the HQ website here: Our Story

From the back of the book

Otty has just landed her dream job. She’s about to join the writing team of one of the most respected showrunners in TV. And then the night before her first day, she’s evicted from her flat.

Joe has been working with Russell for years. He’s the best writer on his team, but lately something has been off. He’s trying to get his mojo back, but when his flatmate moves out without warning he has other things to worry about.

Otty moving into Joe’s house seems like the perfect solution to both their problems, but neither is prepared for what happens next. Paired together in the writing room, their obvious chemistry sparks from the page and they are the writing duo to beat. But their relationship off the page is an entirely different story, and neither of them can figure out why.

And suddenly the question isn’t, will they, or won’t they? It’s why won’t they?

An epic and modern love story for our times, we will all see ourselves reflected in Otty and Joe. We are our own biggest barriers and this novel explores what happens when we get out of our own way. And it is glorious.

About the Author

Miranda Dickinson has always had a head full of stories. Born in Wolverhampton, in The Black Country, West Midlands, she grew up in Kingswinford and dreamed of one day writing a book that would reach the heady heights of Kingswinford Library… Her first novel, Fairytale of New York (2009) was discovered on Authonomy.com – HarperCollins’ site for unpublished authors. Within three weeks of its release, Fairytale of New York had entered the Sunday Times Top Ten Bestsellers List, where it remained for five weeks – making it the world’s first crowd-sourced bestseller. The novel was also shortlisted for the RNA’s Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2010 at the Pure Passion Awards.

Miranda is a six-times Sunday Times Bestseller, with Fairytale of New York, Welcome to My World, It Started With a Kiss, When I Fall in Love, Take a Look at Me Now, I’ll Take New York, A Parcel for Anna Browne and Searching for a Silver Lining. Her Christmas novella, Christmas in St Ives, is a festive treat and also a prequel to her ninth novel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea. She is an international bestseller in four countries and her books have been translated into fifteen languages. To date, she has sold one million books worldwide. The Day We Meet Again is her tenth novel and publishes on 5th September 2019.

Miranda is the founder of WriteFoxy – resources, vlogs and inspiration writing days for writers of all ages and abilities. Her popular vlogs feature her own publishing journey for each new novel, together with advice for authors and lots and lots of hats!

Miranda lives in Dudley with her husband, Bob and daughter, Flo. She is also a singer-songwriter and recently released her first solo album, About Time.

Follow Miranda’s vlog at http://www.youtube.com/mirandawurdy and visit her website: miranda-dickinson.com
You can also follow Miranda on Twitter @wurdsmyth, on Instagram @wurdsmyth and on Facebook: MirandaDickinsonAuthor