Wednesday, January 22, 2014

596#Ai no Kotoba ~ [Book Review] Miracle on Regent Street

[edited: Dec 29, 2015]



Rating : 4.3/5

Evie Taylor, a girl with a big heart, gets lost in the big city. For the past two years, Evie has lived an invisible life in London. Her neighbours think she’s just moved in, her sister mistakes her for a live-in nanny, and even Evie’s manager at work can’t remember her name. But all that is about to change …this Christmas has brought a flurry of snow and unimaginable possibilities into town. Evie works in the stockroom of an old-fashioned, family-run, London fashion department store. Hardy’s is a beautiful, wood-panelled jewellery box of a building, but it’s in dire need of a makeover. 

One day Evie overhears that if the entire store’s takings don’t turn round by Dec 26th – 3 weeks’ time – the family who own it will be forced to sell to one of the big chains. Hardy’s is in need of a Christmas miracle. Determined to save her beloved store, Evie hatches a plan to secretly transform it into a magical place to shop again. But has the time come for her to be noticed too? When an accidental romantic encounter with handsome, enigmatic Joel gives her the chance of a whole new identity, she takes it.


Evie Taylor works at Hardy's as a stockroom girl for nearly two years. But it doesn't mean her colleagues know her real name. Even her so-called colleague-turned-friend Carly calls her Sarah. Evie is secretly angry with their ignorance but she doesn't stand up to correct them - Sarah was the stockroom girl before her.

Hardy's was once a well-known department store, especially in 1940s. But now Hardy's in great financial problem. Evie really loves Hardy's, the place where her father swept her mother off her feet and married her. Instead waiting for her fairy godmother to act, Evie decides to save the store by re-decorated each department of the store. Her adventure to make Hardy's relive its glory before Christmas has to be done secretly - or it would cost her job.

At first, I found it hard to understand Evie. Her extremely low self-confidence makes my feelings to her complicated. I don't know whether I want to pity her or land my punch on her face. Are you okay being called with different name when you have work there for two years? Are you?

I love the friendship between Evie and the sweet elderly dancer-turned-tea-host Lily, the nice elderly guard Felix and Sam the big-hearted delivery guy. They are the people behind Hardy's scene. Only these three know Evie's real name. And they help Evie when she needs them the most!

Evie's doesn't take credit of what she has done to save the store. Customers start flocking in with her numerous, one-by-one departments made-overs. Nobody knows who is the real Christmas elf coming to rescue Hardy's. With the made-overs, Evie gains confidence to expose her true self instead of being secretly grumpy with people's misunderstanding to her. She makes the department made-overs a success, but could she deal with the sudden blow from her family when it's time to be happy for Christmas?

Till then.
Wassalam.


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