If you liked One Day by David Nicholls then you'll probably like this book.

I, however did not like One Day but did not hate this book.

Arden Hall is divorced from a horrid, abusive man and is living a quiet life in London. One day, visiting a friend in hospital she spots someone, another patient, who she thinks she recognises, Mac Bartley-Thomas, her lecturer in Film Studies from university and lover from 30 years ago. Mac is paralysed and the only things that he can say to Arden are quotes from films that he and Arden watched together. These quotes bring memories flooding back to Arden and makes her reconsider the life that she thought she would have compared to the one that she has lived.

The film references are fantastic, probably helped massively by the fact that I have seen the majority of them.

The characters are fantastic and so very realistic.

This is such a wonderful book that shows us how important our pasts are and how something quite innocuous can have such a profound effect on who we become.

I read this book courtesy of NetGalley. I adored this book. The author kept me wanting to read it. The characters were believable and I grew to love them. The novel was written in Now and then chapters, however it was very easy to follow. Arden falls in love with one of the lecturers at University. She has a wonderful two and a half years with Mac., watching wonderful movies and Arden is devastated when Mac puts an end to the affair.. Life goes on. Twenty eight years later she visits someone in hospital. Looking about she sees someone who looks like Mac. The following day she went back to discover that it was in fact him. He is unable to speak very much however he does say lines from movies they have watched together. Arden then reminisces. This is a poignant story of love, heartbreak, sorrow and laughter. It was extremely clever how the movies were woven into the story. It gave me deeper insight into some of the films, which I had not thought of. I thoroughly recommend this book to everyone.

An affair with her old lecturer. A surprise reunion, resulting in a new love. A sometimes depressing read but the book grips you and makes you want to keep reading. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

I had a hard job getting into this book and kept on putting it down to do other things. Arden wasn't a very like-able under graduate for me; selfish, needy and uncaring of others. Those traits carried on into adulthood too, for varying reasons. I loved the 'Then' parts concerning the movies as I studied film as part of my history degree, and. I wanted to join in the discussions with Arden and Mac. The book is written in a very immediate style and the emotions throughout the book seem very real. I liked the ending too. Overall an enjoyable read after a flickery start. With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review and e-ARC of the text.

This ARC was courtesy of netgalley - all thoughts and opinions are mine and unbiased

I loved this - the perfect holiday read

Well written - I loved the characters

I really loved the way the author incorporated the films and movies throughout - its made me want to go back and see the ones I haven't seen and see again the ones I have - the author's enthusiasm and love for the movies is throughout and I really loved that

Highly recommended

You don’t have to be a movie buff to enjoy this book. This book changes between the present and the past as Arden is reunited after 30 years with an old lover in a chance encounter at the hospital where he can no longer speak. The past follows their love affair and their love of movies. In the present she visits him in hospital and even though he can’t talk he says the odd phrase from movies they watched together. It is a sad ending though as he ends up dying. It’s a great read though and not a book you want to put down.

I was sent a pre-publication copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I loved this book, really loved it, I read it over two evenings whilst on holiday and it just got me - I couldn't put it down.

Arden Hall has recently come out of an abusive relationship, she has a son, (not the son of the abusive partner) but lives alone and is trying to get her life back on track. Whilst visiting a friend in hospital, a chance encounter with an ex lover draws her back to happier times.

The book jumps from past to present but in a way that is very easy to follow. As Arden lives both in the present visiting her old flame whilst he's in hospital, she also looks back and reminisces over the relationship she had whilst at university that featured heavily around the movies that they watched together. The descriptions of the past were very good, taking me back to my university days, the music, the clothes, the friendships. Even though I'm not a great movie buff, I recognised a few of them and even though I haven't seen a lot of them this didn't detract from the story line at all.

There are bits of the book that are very funny and parts that had tears forming in my eyes. The journey Arden takes makes her a stronger and part of you hopes that the relationship is rekindled, but the journey she takes doesn't always work out the way you want it to and there are small twists to the plot concerning Arden's relationships and who she falls in love with.

The plot was brilliant, cleverly written and mesmerising. I had to read on to find out what happened to both Arden and Mac. The ending wasn't what I expected but still worked out well for Arden, for which I was very happy.

I loved this book and it was a great holiday read, but It was one I wish hadn't ended!

Adored this! As an Essex girl it was fun reading about familiar-esque places and people and I completed fell in love with Mac. The book has echoes of David Nicholls, which is the highest compliment I can pay to a writer in this genre. Really loved it.

Just loved it. A novel about love and lost loves and being young and getting older. Losing and finding and finally being happy with who you are. Exactly what I needed at this point in my life. Thank you.

This is an epic love story between Mac, a film studies lecturer at Warwick university and Arden, an undergraduate.
Their story is told from the viewpoint of Ardie, more than thirty years later when she meets Mac, simply by chance when visiting a friend in hospital in London. Mac has had a car accident and is unable to speak, the doctors unsure of his future. Narrated by Ardie, from Mac’s bedside, she reminisces about what she believes to be their great love affair. The narrative alternatives between ‘now’ with Ardie on ward 10 and switches to ‘then’when Ardie recalls the various stages of their relationship. Favourite lines from films that the pair watched together, films from Mac’s list, are what prompts the memories and their affair is recounted according to each film that they saw. Mac whilst unable to speak manages to communicate a few words that hold some kind of meaning between the two which pulls at your heartstrings.
The characters of Mac and Ardie are instantly loveable despite their flaws (Mac’s a married man for starters). In fact all the characters in this novel are brought to life extremely well, from Fran the nurse taking care of Mac to socially awkward James, Mac’s neighbour who also visits the hospital. Ardie’s mother, who models herself on Marilyn Monroe is larger than life and her character is hilarious and embarrassing and she clearly isn’t maternal at all, once quite promiscuous but now languishing in a care home.
Both ‘then’ and ‘now’ are equally engrossing with the author beautifully capturing the all consuming passion that underpins their affair. With such an obvious connection between Mac and Ardie it is heartbreaking knowing that this relationship is doomed. In the ‘now’ chapters, despite the years that have elapsed it is evident that the connection is still there, however fragile that may be. Is Ardie remembering the relationship through rose tinted spectacles or would Mac, if he could talk regret that he let Ardie go? Can their romance be rekindled or is there someone waiting in the wings who could potentially be the real love of her life???
You, me and the movies is heart wrenching, funny and sad and perfect for die hard romantics. It doesn’t even matter whether as a reader you’ve seen any or all of the films referenced as it just adds to the overall atmosphere of this modern day love story and may even make you want to view some! This novel definitely took me by surprise in terms of its depth, as often this type of novel can be quite shallow with one dimensional characters. Highly recommend. You might shed a tear or two at the end and in my opinion would make a great romcom too. Thanks to the author and publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read ahead of publication.

Really nice book to read, perfect for a holiday! I loved exploring the main character and how altered she was due to the events that had occurred in her past. The contrast between her personality in her early twenties and later in life, narrating the story, was shocking and the reasons both relatable and realistic. I really enjoyed the incorporation of the films and how they held the story together but definitely feel as though I would have enjoyed the novel more if I had actually seen more of these films! The transition from past tense to present tense was seamless and I really enjoyed the characters despite their flaws.

To begin with I really did think this was going to be a middle of the road nostalgic look back at a first love romance. I am not even a particular fan of films. And yet this story gripped be hard and would not let me go! I stayed up to the early hours to finish it, which is usually a good sign!
Arden escaped her Marilyn Monroe look-a-like and film star wannabe Mum to go to Warwick University. There she meets a Film Studies lecturer and embarks upon an intense love affair with Mac.
The story moves from the past to the present with memories being triggered by particular film references uttered by a very ill Mac in a hospital bed some thirty years after the pair were together.
The past doesn't just encompass Arden's love affair but explores the nature of parental love, what she didn't have from her mother and the love she felt for her father who dies. It is about pain - abusive relationships - about friendship, about betrayal, forgiveness and hope.
The characters are fantastic. I loved them all, particularly Arden, Mac and James.
To start with I was going to give this book 3 stars, then before half-way I was considering upping that to 4 stars. Having read the entire novel I am happy to give this book 5 stars. It is beautiful, funny, poignant and it did reduce me to tears at the end.
I would imagine if you are a movie buff, you will enjoy this book even more than I did.

This was a cute book. Loved the movie references (the ones I had seen anyway). Loved the character Arden. Light read.

A very good book, full of emotions, entertaining and engrossing.
I loved the plot, the character development and how well the writer makes you feel the emotions.
I will surely read other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A good plot, and mostly likeable characters, though I did feel frustrated with Arden at times, especially the way she was with her friend. I really liked James. Mac only came alive through Arden's storytelling. Every other chapter we're taken back to the past to find out more about Mac and Arden. I confess to skimming through many of their film conversations. I haven't watched most of the films, and even I had, I'm not one who analyses film plots. I liked the detail of Arden dressing like characters from films. If you're a film fan, and know these films, you'll probably enjoy Mac and Arden's conversations all the more. But that aside, this book held my attention, and I think the ending was fitting.

A chance meeting at the hospital reunites Arden with Mac, a university film lecturer she had an affair with thirty years ago. As many people have said, this will be liked more by those who are big cinema lovers, but can also be enjoyed by casual cinema fans. It's a really lovely story and I liked it. I appreciated how we had an older protagonist and I think the flashbacks to her young adult self at university worked really well. I enjoyed the link between the films (especially as a massive film fan myself) - it really spoke to me and was very original and charming. Sometimes it felt slow, but I really liked learning about who Arden was and who she is now alongside the exploration of her affair with the love of her life. It's simply written and easy to follow. A very nice read that is quite heartwarming with some relatable parts.

My thanks to Netgalley and to Transworld Publishers, Penguin, Random House, Corgi Books for an ARC of this novel in return for an honest review. I requested it on the description but regretted it almost immediately I began reading, but I ploughed determinedly on. Several times I was tempted to give up, but then read a passage that gave me hope that it might develop into something that was going to be OK. On reflection, after finishing the book, my problem was that if I couldn’t bond with the chief protagonist, it didn’t bode well for the book. The heroine, Arden Hall, is not a likeable character. Thinking back to my student days, I would never have dreamt of behaving like her. I couldn’t have cared less about this irritating female. The fact that she had a rotten upbringing didn’t excuse anything. Brought up by an immoral mother her own morals were shot. And the male lead, the lecturer, Mac Bartley Thomas, with whom Arden engineers an affair, is self-serving and duplicitous. Written in the first person, it adds to the self cantered feeling. There are alternating chapters of the heroine's student life and her present-day existence. This gives some exploration of how an earlier life made these two characters the people they are today.

It was quite a clever idea to link the story into the films watched/studied by the two lead characters. But the fact that I hadn’t actually seen any of the films involved didn’t really help me. Perhaps other readers with greater film knowledge might fare better. I’ve always thought of films as light entertainment, a diversion from real life. Did they honestly merit serious analysis? For me, this became a bit of a leaden read and I developed a love-hate relationship with the novel. Sometimes I didn’t know if I could read any more, then came a good bit. The ending was extremely good.. Having said all that, many themes are explored in the book. It might possibly be good for a reading group discussion if they didn’t mind a rather girly, self-centred book.

‘Do you ever wonder what happens after the end of the movie?’ I say. ‘After all the decisions have been made, all the kissing has been done, the baddies have been banged up, the goodies have found the treasure? Do you wonder what comes next?’

You, Me and the Movies is a book that certainly grows on you with its bittersweet, nostalgic reflections about past regrets and future possibilities. This story alternates between present day middle aged Arden and her reminiscing about the great love affair of her life with Mac when she was a university student. It is interesting to see how the dual narratives progress with its impact on present day.

‘I know I am a survivor, that I have survived so much, but I don’t know how to move on from it. How to get the old me back. I want to be funny and optimistic. I want to be someone people are happy to spend time with. It seems I have forgotten how to be that person.’

The highlight for me is, of course, the movie referencing. With Mac only able to converse (present day) with short references to famous films, it provides Arden with the trigger to reflect on what was and what has evolved. The list of classic movies provide the catalyst to all that unfolds in the reminiscing. A self confessed movie buff, I relished the references, everything from classics such as Casablanca and Kramer versus Kramer, to modern day ones such as Pretty Woman. I reveled in their discussion and analysis of the films, both in isolation and in tandem with how events were unfolding in the story. They provided the perfect link between the past and present narratives, providing the spark for often bittersweet reflections, yet simultaneously, a stimulus for fleshing out unfulfilled promises to younger selves. Will they provide the bridge to reconnect with the world when Arden thought there were no possibilities?

‘Showing up is not enough, I think. So much more is required. I want and need to apologize, to start over, to build a bridge I’m not sure I have the tools for. I simply don’t know where or how to start. ‘

This book slowly trundles along (a bit too dragged out in some passages) but I encourage you to persevere for the ending is heartfelt and enlightening. Don’t worry ... you don’t need to have watched all the films in question in order to enjoy the book (but it does deepen one’s appreciation). Also, this most certainly is not a light hearted romance. It is a well written story with an array of engaging characters with the themes of regret and redemption.

‘Mac believed in the magic of the movies, the finite Hollywood ending. But I also knew what he was saying was true–there were some things that weren’t magical, or turned out the way you wanted.’

Arden has had a tough time of it, from the benign neglect of her parents to an abusive past relationship. This has caused her to shut off emotionally from everyone and everything around her, but a chance encounter with her first love leads Arden down a nostalgia trip, which also allows her to lay some old ghosts to rest, and slowly start to open up and live her life again.
I'm not ashamed to say that this book made me sob. It also made me laugh, smile in recognition and want to go on a Netflix binge of all the movies referenced in the book. I absolutely loved it.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Good book, got emotional at times, different from my normal choice, but amazing book all the same! Really liked that the characters were relatable! Will be reading more from the author