Bubblegum and Blazers by Isabella May

When Ali, Blake, Charlotte, and Grant sign contracts to star in a Back to School reality TV show, LOVE is the very last thing on their minds:

Ali flies to the UK from New Zealand, intrigued by the golden opportunity to advance her amateur social media influencer career.

Blake carpe diems the moment with both hands after a constant flurry of bad luck.

Charlotte jumps at the chance to relive her sporting glories of the past – and take a hiatus from her humdrum marriage.

And Grant is just relieved to get away from his failing second-hand music shop.

But once the advances hit their bank accounts, it soon becomes apparent that producer Jock’s Pied Piper-style offer to change their lives is distinctly lacking in sherbet fizz!

In fact, the only sweet thing about this gig for the former students and the rest of their Bubblegum and Blazers competitors, may just be the packet of candy in their pockets.

Re-enacting their past is a rollercoaster of revelations, retaliation, and unlikely romance in a gold-fish bowl of mayhem where Raphael (Agony Uncle of the school sweet shop) and his rhubarb and custards reign supreme…

My Thoughts

⭐⭐⭐⭐

With everything that has been going on in the world lately, I for one was in dire need of a feel good, fun read – and this book certainly ticked all of those boxes!.

Three months with your old classmates whilst taking part in a reality TV show, with the opportunity to get your hands on a huge jackpot at the end for the winners… It all sounds easy enough, but as ex-classmates Ali, Blake, Charlotte and Grant come to realise when they come face to face with their fellow competitors, this is going to be an adventure they are unlikely to forget.

Isabella May has perfectly captured the atmosphere that lives within the walls of a school building, from the secret-crushes that many people carry, to the hierarchy of the pupils and the various dramas that take place along the way. Each of the characters have their own reasons for wanting to appear on the show, and we learn more about this as the story progresses.

I love the way in which the story is written, and with the setting being that of a school, bringing with it a wave of nostalgia as I found myself being swept away with memories from my own school years. The storyline is wonderfully structured and combines drama, romance and humour beautifully, providing us with a story that you find yourself immersed in from the start.

Amidst the chaos that is expected within such an environment, we also see some really tender, moving moments too, with friendships forming and romance blossoming in the most unlikely of places. Alongside a cast of intriguing, realistic characters who each have their own story to share along the way, this is the perfect form of escapism I so desperately needed. Another fabulous book by the wonderful Isabella May!.

You can purchase a copy of this book by following the link below

Amazon: mybook.to/bubblegumandblazers

About the Author

*Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and Isabella May for providing me with a gifted copy of this book in return for my honest review. All thoughts are entirely my own and not influenced in any way.*