The third in the mercury travel club series and I love them all. This time there’s conflict in a rival travel agent but everything is not what it seems. Given the gangs new investment at the end, I’m looking forward to more installments in a resort location

This is a really funny book filled with fun, friendship and the trials of relationships and life in general. The High Life is the third book in The Mercury Travel Club Series. I have to say this is the first book I have read, but thoroughly enjoyed it, although I am sure I have missed some of the background of the characters.

Angie Shepherd is famous for finding fantastic travel destinations for her clients, offering the best culture, food, sun and sea. In this book her and her best friend Patty hit the road Thelma and Louise style on a road trip to Scotland. This book is full of laugh out loud moments and I found myself snoring at the ladies shenanigans. This book is the perfect summer read and I will definitely be recapping on the previous two books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Choc Lit Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in this series, it see’s the return of Angie and her band of co-workers Charles and Josie, her larger than life friend Patty with their various partners. The arrival and opening of a rival shop causes some moments of panic as the new owner uses less than friendly tactics to lure in customers.

I was so glad to see the return of this totally mad cap bunch, they are a fun and caring group that put their customers first. Although this could be read as a stand alone you will get a much better idea of what makes the characters tick if you read in order.

The cast come back in a full of beans style, especially Patty, she is an absolute howl a minute with her inappropriate comments, well they are not so much inappropriate more just the way she says what is on her mind and definitely without a filter.

The story focuses on the new ideas the travel agency has to come up with as they try to compete with an ultra modern rival shop. But also in with that are a couple of stories that deal Patty and Charlie’s personal lives and complement the main plot very nicely.

Loved this funny, light-hearted read. Such a perfect beach read and such fun. It really lifts your mood and I laughed at the antics of these women. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it a lot!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books/Choc Lit for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is the 3rd in a series, and I think you need to read them in order. You are in the 3rd Chapter before you learn the name of the main character. The blurb to me was misleading-maybe the person didn't really read the book? The story is very little about the trip to the Scottish Highlands. For me, it did make me smile a few times, but it didn't grab me and have me saying Wow. Just ok for me. I can see that young people may also have a difficult time connecting with the characters. 3 stars

This is the third book in the series, and it should really be read after the previous two.

The idea behind the Mercury Travel Club is fab - themed trips with like-minded people. The latest idea - a treasure trail around Scotland sounds like a success!

Angie is building her relationship with Micheal, but will her terrible communication skills ruin it before it has really started?

Charlie has his dream wedding, and the travel agency a new possible opportunity.

Patty is back on dry land and getting more and more involved in the travel agency.

Interesting characters, a few laughs and a dodgy competitor. Less travel, more every day life.

This book follows a group of friends learning how to manage changes as they get older and accepting that you aren’t the same in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s. Changes in romance, work, life& family. However I just could not connect to these characters. This was not a book for me, but I do hope others enjoy this book and can connect. Thank you NetGalley, Choc Lit Contemporary Romance: A Joffee Books Company & Helen Bridgett for picking me to be an arc reader of this book.

Helen's writing style is an absolute delight—fun, engaging, and it makes time fly by.

It's witty and keeps things light. The characters feel so real and endearing, with their loyalty and genuine nature shining through. The plot is a delightful mix of life’s ups and downs, capturing love, friendship, heartfelt moments, and plenty of hilarious antics. You’ll also find themes of resilience and determination woven into adventurous travels, relationship challenges, and romance.

The road trip mentioned in the blurb isn't a major focus, but that doesn't take away from the fun of the story. Angie’s circle of friends and romantic interest are so well-developed and supportive that they make the plot immensely enjoyable. I loved getting to know these characters and following their adventures.

Although it stands strong as a standalone, I’m excited to start from the beginning of the series to deepen my love for these characters and witness their growth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books | Choc Lit for providing this as a Read Now choice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I STRUGGLED to finish this book. I think it's because I'm not in the same stage of life as the female main character so it's hard for me to relate. The writing itself was good, and were some very funny parts. I would not call this a romance, but I think this book would do really well marketed to the over 50 crowd. I will add I did not read the first few books in this series, so maybe if I had I would have enjoyed this more. It wasn’t bad, per se, just wasn’t my vibe.

I’ll say it again. I wish the Mercury Travel Club was a real thing. And their business-saving idea of a “treasure trail” mystery trip is just the icing on the cake! Also, I learned about Formentera, which is now on my travel bucket list.

In this installment, Patty is done performing on cruise ships, as her ship’s doctor boyfriend is taking up a land based position. When she wants to help out in the travel agency, Angie isn’t sure, but things turn out very well for everyone!

Watching what the characters go through when the new travel shop opens across the street is hard. No matter what they do, they just can’t catch a break. It almost ruins Angie’s relationship with Michael. In an astounding turn—they actually communicate with each other! I will admit, I figured out the twist a few chapters before it actually happened.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Lots of innuendo, a few curse words. LGBT+ characters. Drinking, sometimes to the point of getting drunk. Infidelity. Unmarried sex.

Who Might Like These Books:
Those who like stories about women over 50 taking charge of their lives. Those who like travel.

This book is also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2024/07/british-chick-lit.html

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

This book is now available and is the 3rd in the Mercury Travel series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Helen Bridgett, Joffe Books, and Choc Lit Publishing for this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

"I'm back" my best and oldest friend Patty blasted into the Mercury Travel shop like a rockstar exploding onto a stage amid dry ice and pyrotechnics.
This is how the book opens. This was an honest laugh out loud read with funny references like working as a funeral home entertainer singer Knocking on Heavens Door and Don't Fear the Reaper. Or when talking about dating getting vajazzled before being intimate. This is an adult romance that just pulls you in from the start and will have you wanting to buy the whole series. It was so good that I read it in one sitting. Her writing is so descriptive that you can easily picture this book coming to life.

This book has it all:
💠 Second chance romance
💠 Starting over in life
💠 Rom-com
💠 Women's fiction

💠 If you enjoy Jenny Colgan or Carolyn James, you will love this book!

#netgalley #netgalleyreview #joffebooks #choclit #thehighlife

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story follows Angie Shepherd as she navigates a newish relationship post divorce and owning a travel business that is threatened by competition. Lorenzo breezes into town and sets up his own rival travel company across the street and continually finds ways to sabotage and undercut Mercury Travelling

I had a hard time reading this book. I think it's mostly because I'm not in the same stage of life as the female main character so it's hard for me to relate to. I also felt like a lot of the cultural references were outdated, but I'm wondering if that was the point? Further, the main reason I wanted to read this book was because of the road trip through Scotland because that was how I spent my honeymoon, but it doesn't come until the very end.

The writing itself was good, and were some very funny parts. I would not call this a romance, but I think this book would do really well marketed to the over 50 crowd

I picked this book out because I couldn't wait for a fun trip to the Scottish Highlands. The description of this book is very misleading. I am 60% of the way through the book and they are just about to introduce the itinerary to the Highlands. I am only finishing the book because this is what I have been waiting for the whole time. I have not read either of the first two books in this series so maybe I would have been more prepared. The story seems to jump all over the place with several different side stories going on at the same time. And then every so often there is a cringy sex pun.

I will finish, but this book just didn't work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I hadn’t read a book from the Mercury Travel Club series, so starting at the end may be a bit out of the ordinary but The High Life was a great introduction that suited me just fine.

Angie, part owner of the Mercury Travel Club with one her best friends Charlie is doing just fine. She’s met a great man (even if they’ve not had sex yet), has a thriving business she loves, a daughter who is succeeding in the hotel industry and now in NYC, and a loving if slightly grating on her nerves mother. When her best friend Patty comes back to town it’s also as a competitor travel agency run by the suspicious Lorenzo sets up shop across the street. While these events are merely coincidental, Angie will need everything she’s ever learned (including some things she hasn’t but she’ll take cues from Richard Branson) and Patty’s endless well of energy to help keep the Mercury Travel Club successful.

The road trip mentioned in the blurb is not a big focus in the story but it doesn’t need to be to bring on the fun. Angie’s friend (and romance) group is supportive and richly written and I enjoyed the plot immensely, and look forward to reading through some of the earlier books in the series to capture that energy. This can easily be read as a standalone, enjoyment should not be hampered as Helen Bridgett ensures the reader doesn’t miss a beat.

The High Life, by Helen Bridgett

The 3rd book in the Mercury Travel Club series. This story revolves around another travel agency which opens up right across the street from Mercury. The competition is ruthless in their efforts to win all the customers over.

This book was OK, it just didn’t grab me and pull me in.
I enjoyed it, but not enough to say hey you gotta read this one! Just fell kinda flat for me sorry to say.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Scotland? Yeah, a little bit🙁

3-3.5🌟stars
The story itself was an easy read, enjoyable and moved at a pretty good clip. However, I felt misled by the cover and blurb for this novel, since they had me thinking that the Scottish road adventure would play a major role in the plot. In fact, less than two chapters are devoted to Patty and Angie's Scottish trip, with the bulk of the story focusing on the ups and downs of running a small travel agency in Manchester (England) after the surprise arrival of a competing travel agency across the street.

Angie, the narrator and lead character, is part owner of the Mercury Travel Club and the story revolves around her business and love life, her colleagues at the agency, her family, a diabolical competitor, and Patty, Angie's BFF since their flight attendant days in their youth. For me, the nuts and bolts stuff on running the agency took up too much of the story.

This struck me as more in the women's fiction genre than romance. There's romance and wedding bells, but I found Angie's treatment of her beau Michael pretty shoddy until a spark of jealousy finally sets her on a better course and the travel club problems and successes really dominated the action.

The plot and characters held up well and some, like Angie's discount-loving mum and center-of-attention Patty, offered humor and whimsy, but I would have liked it better had I not anticipated more of the story unfolding in Scotland, which actually was the main draw for me to pick up the book in the first place.

Thanks to Joffe Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for providing this as a Read Now choice.

This is the third book in the charming Mercury Travel Club series.

This time, Angie has to fight off a rival travel agency that resorts to underhand methods to steal their customers.

She and co-owner Charlie try to do this by bidding to invest in a resort on Formentera. The blurb goes on and on about a road trip through Scotland - this only takes place for a few pages towards the end of the book so I have no idea why the blurb and some reviews wax lyrical about it. It disappointed me greatly as it sounded such fun and I thought it would cover most of the book. There is also very little romance. It's all about the travel agency against the rival business, so the title makes very little sense.

Angie is exactly my age, and she felt like a friend from the beginning of book 1 so it was lovely to spend some time with her again. The cover is gorgeous, the writing is humourous, and the book is full of quirky, lovable characters. I enjoyed this story about a middle-aged woman and her new life and work after divorce, but after the first two the content of this last installment somehow fell flat for me. Angie's friend Patty is the standout character and goes a long way to making the book funny.

Also, again - "stewardess" is an outdated term that has been replaced by the more gender neutral "flight attendant".

This will be a Kindle Unlimited release, and if you always wanted to own a travel agency, this is the book for you.

3.25 stars

Lovely to be back with Charlie, Angie and Patty. They are great characters. You can read alone. You follow the highs and lows of the travel agency . You have a love element . Lots of funny bits. I love Angie’s mum and dad. A great fun relaxing read.