I can’t begin to say how much I LOVED this book. It had me laughing, falling in love and ultimately crying. The agony that is first love was very convincingly written and I was there with them in their private screening room, watching the classic movies that I too love so much. Life doesn’t end with the happily ever after drive off into the sunset of movies, and this story explores the ‘what next’ aspect of storytelling.

You me and the Movies by Fiona Collins is the first book that I have read by the author.
The story is about Arden Hall who in her university days had an affair with a Film Studies lecturer. Thirty years later, she finds him in a hospital bed and the only words that he can say are quotes from the films that they used to watch together. The story than alternates between present day and the pass and describes relationship between them both. And the life Arden has now. Divorced and alone.
I really wanted to like this book after reading the burb, but I am afraid this wasn’t for me. I found it very slow. The references about films at first was interesting but found it a bit repetitive after a while. The main character I found very shallow and selfish. She didn’t care about anyone but herself. So because of the I did not finish it and stop reading at 40%.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for a copy of this book.

Fate has a way of bringing two past lovers back together. When Arden goes to visit a friend who is in hospital, what are the chances that her former lover would not only be in the same hospital but on the same ward. 

Swapping between past and present, you get to understand Arden and Mac's love story which happened over 30 years ago through the love of films and how they both have different views of classic movies. I really enjoyed reading this book a month before it came out thanks to requesting it on Netgalley! I loved the way Fiona wrote the Arden when she was at universtity and she was the first person to win Mac's love. I'm not sure if it was Fiona's intention but the way she wrote Mac's charcter, I felt like he wasn't a nice person and wasn't that sad at the shocking twist at the end!. However, I did enjoy Arden and how she was a wild uni student and then 30 years later she had become a lonley and friendlless person due to her ex-husband. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this e-book, and you should go and buy it on amazon. It's out today! Now, I'm off to go watch the movies they did!

Having survived an abusive marriage and divorce, middle-aged Arden Hall is existing rather than living in Elinor Oliphant style. Then fate intervenes and during a hospital visit she sees the love of her life, Mac Bartley-Thomas lying comatose and unidentified to hospital staff. And so begins a series of daily hospital visits to Mac’s bedside. On the recommendation of kindly nurse, Fran, Arden talks to former film lecturer, Mac in the hope of stirring him back to consciousness. So unfurls the story of their love affair and the reason for its eventual demise, with each key moment in their developing romance marked by the memory of them watching a classic film. Through this cathartic revisiting of her past, Arden begin to heal and as a reader I was cheering from the sidelines hoping that she is able to reconnect and find happiness again. Whilst for me, this story was not quite in the same league of enjoyment as Me Before You or One Day, it is certainly a page turner and I would seek out other titles by Fiona Collins in the future.

I finished this book yesterday. I knew I’d like the book as the storyline was interesting...but I didn’t think I’d enjoy it so much. As the book progressed I found myself looking forward to ‘reading time’ to see what was going to happen.

The book is quite long and there’s many overly descriptive parts, but this didn’t detract from the story and added a lot of depth to the different aspects of Arden’s character.

Arden is a selfish girl who matures into a knowledgable, sensitive woman. She still shows selfish traits, but don’t we all sometimes?

I loved James. Not your typical ceo billionaire sweeping the woman off her feet, but a flawed man with a normal job! Brilliant!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Lots and LOTS of movie references, so if you’ve never been a fan of film you may get bored with the frequent descriptions. However, I thought it was a lovely story :)

Well this felt completely different to previous books from Fiona Collins - it was less humorous and more real life in feel.

If you are a big classic movie buff you will probably love this story, however I hadn't seen most of the films discussed in depth, and found I was skimming the sections where Arden and Mac were analysing the films. I just like watching films for the story and without looking for hidden messages.

Speaking of which I'm fairly sure there is a message within this book, it felt like that sort of story, but for the life of me I couldn't quite put my fingers on it.

Alternating between present day life for Arden, and her great love affair with Mac, thirty years earlier, we see just how life has changed her, and Mac. I enjoyed seeing how the two timelines progressed, while at the Same time just felt slightly disconnected from the book and its characters.

I had such high hopes for this book, given how much I have previously enjoyed the author, but it just fel short for me. In places it was enjoyable, and I was getting lost in the pages and at other times, I just wasn't as convinced.

Thank you to Corgi and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

You, Me and the Movies is the story of Arden Hall, who discovers the university lecturer she had an affair with on the same ward. She hasn't seen Mac in nearly 30 years, and after a car accident Mac is left unable to speak. As she visits him, he begins to utter words that only have relevance to Ardie and the time they spent together.

The story is then told in present time as Ardie visits Mac, and flashbacks to their time together 28 years ago.

Look, I quite enjoyed this book. I did, however, find Ardie quite hard to relate to. Young Ardie was shallow and selfish and I don't think a nice person. Current day Ardie was much more down to earth, but even then the events of her life have hardened her and make her a difficult person to care for and get to know.

The growth and development of current day Ardie was perhaps the highlight of the book. From the memories Mac invokes, Ardie remembers the person who she used to be and makes some progress in healing the damage she has suffered.

At times though, it did feel a little like reading a film textbook and not how two people would converse with each other (at least, no people I know).

I loved this book. It's such a great premise and the characters were wonderfully drawn. I was at university around the same time as Arden and so many memories flooded back when I read the book - not only the clothes and music and movies, but also the feelings of a young woman let loose on the world. She is a fantastic character. And Mac... well, I know Arden shouldn't have gone there, but I couldn't blame her at all! This is a book which would make a great Richard Curtis movie - it's feel-good and poignant and very, very funny.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I absolutely loved this book and the theory that there could always be something better in the future, just keep on hoping and wishing

Imagine “One Day’ with movies. A really fine read, well written and keeps the reader hooked. Possibly a little slow in the middle, but that’s no bad thing. Highly recommended.