Musical theatre in the twenties with some intrigue, lots of romance and lots of details of putting on the ritz. This is such a pleasant experience and Jack makes a wonderful leading man. Plot was a tad predictable and characters a bit one-dimensional but overall it’s a great debut and there will be an eager readership that will love it.

I was unsure what to expect from Ball's fiction debut and I was pleasantly surprised that this is a well written book. However, the plot is dull. On paper it sounded okay but it is so slow and I lost interest. The second half is better but it was too late and I had lost interest in the book. Ball does of course know theatres inside out and this was captured really well in the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for an advance copy.

A great escapism read that take you back with such a great ensemble of characters and themes. A gentle easy read but with characters that you end up really rooting for. I am sometimes cynical of celebrity authors but this is easy to forget and I got so immersed in the story..

As a fan of the Ball & Boe concerts, and a member of an amateur musical theatre group, reading this was an absolute must! Ball is a man of many talents. This was a splendid look into music halls and theatre land, and I’ll definitely be signing up for Ball’s Behind the Curtain newsletter in the hopes that he’s already writing something else with such glittering, heartwarming characters.

Michael Ball has written a novel close to his heart and experience, centred around a theatre which specialises in musicals and variety. The location is an invented county and city in the north, so again playing to his strengths. The two main characters are Jack and Grace, with Jack being a veteran of World War 1 and trying to find work on his return home. He ends up at "The Empire", starting at the bottom as a back door man, but proving himself indispensable in many ways.

This is a story of a fight for survival in what was a competitive market at this time (a different fight to nowadays). Being set in the twenties there are aspects of class conflict, as well as business conflict. There are a whole cast of different characters from within the theatre and in the wider area. This is an enjoyable tale with enough twists to keep things moving along nicely. There is even a hint at the end that there might be a sequel.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

This is a cracking debut novel from Michael Ball..... and yes, it IS, THE Michael Ball! I was so surprised to see this pop up as an option for me to preview and I'm very grateful for it.
It's very well written and you feel as though you are experiencing the theatrical era in which it is set and the characters are three dimensional and interesting.
It's the perfect, escapism, holiday read and I enjoyed it immensely.

There's an ailing theatre, villains and the dash of fairy dust that you'd expect if you've ever listed to Michael Ball!

I definitely recommend as an escapist, enjoyable read. Congratulations to the author and thanks to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview.

Great Christmas present!

A bit of a slow start but stick with it. I didn't read the cast of characters wanting to meet them as the story unfolded.
I came to care about the characters and their circumstances.
I am not a fan of historical tales but thoroughly enjoyed the story.
I am hoping there will be a second book and it carries on from where the book finishes and expands on some of the other characters I met and enjoyed.

I start this review by saying I LOVE Michael Ball. I’ve seen him once in the Les Miserables Concert, and once alongside Alfie Boe. So I was desperate to read this novel and desperate for me to love it, but sadly, it fell a bit short for me.

Quite a number of characters are introduced in a very short space of time so make sure you’ve got your wits about you when you start this, as even seemingly insignificant characters will play a large part to the overall story.

It’s not the most proficiently written book, but as a debut from someone not in the industry, it wasn’t too bad,

My main positive is that it really revisits the splendour of old-school, classic glamour and theatre, and as a big musical theatre lover, I really appreciated that. There is definitely an ease to reading it. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and it’s just a bit of fun. I also really liked the main character of Jack. I didn’t think I would because at the start I thought he was a bit much, a bit forward, but he quickly grew on me.

However, that’s where the positives end for me.

I didn’t think much of any of the other characters. I didn’t dislike them but I didn’t like them either. They were very middle of the road and I didn’t find myself caring about them. The only exception to this tepidness was Joe Allerdyce. He was meant to be the villain of the story but he wasn’t particularly a good one. He was quite insipid but not very scary, but randomly get changing personas. I felt he needed more development, as did the characters as a whole.

I found it lacking in substance. It felt drawn out and rushed. There seemed to be very little going on for the most part of it, and yet chapters were dedicated to it.

Like I said, it wasn’t as accomplished as I’d hoped but it’s still a relatively pleasant read. I would be interested in reading any future works as I think his storytelling will grow in time. I did have my concerns that he’d used a ghost writer like a number of celebrity authors, but my gut instinct is he’s done it himself, which is good.

Honestly - and I hate saying it because I absolutely adore him - but speaking from a neutral position, it just fell flat, and there were some bits I was simply tempted to skip.

However, even though my review is mainly negative, I won’t say it was a bad book. All the other reviews I’ve seen have been 4 or 5 stars so I’m aware it’s just personal taste. It was a pleasant, easy read and I’ll admit the ending was satisfying and added a few twists that suggest a sequel. So if you’re in the majority and like it, then it feels like there’s more to come.

Sorry Michael.

This is just what you’d expect from Michael Ball - warm, light hearted, a bit of romance and a multitude of characters, some goodies, some baddies, a lovely story that might well work if adapted into film or play.

A very easy read, you can put it down and pick up again very easily, it’s not complex once you’ve worked out who is who.

The only downside for me was that it’ll always be remembered as the book I was reading when the Queen died. Much needed light relief at such a sad time.

Thank you to the author, publishers and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review

The Show Must Go On..
The show really must go on. The 1920’s, the Empire Theatre is a glamour packed, magical place. Certainly for Jack Treadwell who becomes quickly mesmerised and enamoured by the whole package. As Jack throws himself with abandon into the theatre life he realises that it’s the people that make the place and that nowhere is actually perfect, secrets and scandal can be hiding around every corner. With a touch of romance, glitz and mystery this tale transports the reader to another age with a cast of memorable characters and a beautifully done backdrop.

This was a fantastic read that was well written, utterly riveting and had a cast of well developed characters. Full of sabotage and mystery. I loved it.

It's the 1920s. Everywhere, people are still reeling from the after-effects of the war. In particular, the town of Highbridge and the fabulous folk trying to make the Empire theatre a success, despite sabotage and skullduggery

Wonderful

I’ve admired Michael’s talents for many years, from the stage through screen to the radio. He makes me sing, smile and the occasional tear with his astute,caring, humorous personality and this shines through in this his first novel. It's set in an environment he knows intimately- that of a theatre and I'm sure there are the odd reflections of real characters amongst the fictional ones. It's brilliantly written and there's the odd line here and there which if you “ know” Michael it's his wonderful sense of humour coming through the pages. (I've never met him- would dearly love to- but from hearing him for many years you feel that you “know” the public personality in a small way). For example, without giving anything away there's a chap who lives above a fish and chip shop- the line goes “ his place above the shop” (plaice??). It's a serious book but lighthearted and for me, wonderful that there's the smile factor stamping Michael’s own personality on this.

Jack has returned from the war and his mother always said he should work in the theatre. He tries his luck and gets thrown in at the deep end. One thing leads to another and Jack with Grace who is also a woman of all trades begins to try to save the theatre as it is likely to be bought by a rival and become a picture house so the rumours have it. There's lots going on both on and off stage, in and around the theatre and those whose lives it affects. Can Jack and Grace keep pulling together to save the day and more?

I read over 200+ books a year of several genres. This one shines through in a very good way. There is a real ease of reading and a sense of comfort, a passion and love coming through the pages. There's drama, a little romance and scandals of various kinds which keep the pages turning and turning. I can't say how brilliantly this is written , it's stunning as if by a seasoned author. I truly enjoyed reading this and hope that perhaps there will be more. A wonderful, uplifting sensational read. A big 5* from me.

#blogtour

I have to admit, I was expecting this to be more of a comedy, mainly as the author always comes across as amusing.
It's not a comedy though, its a book about a theatre the incredibly likeable people who fight to save it, and the pantomime villains out to ruin it.
Overall I just got the feeling of it being a nice cosy read.
I feel this isn't the last we've seen of the Empire and its characters.
Enjoyable.