A thrilling ocean voyage on the Queen Mary 2 from New York City to Southampton culminating in a two-month ramble through the charming back roads and small villages of the pastoral English countryside in the spring of last year is the subject of this delicious travel journal that Susan has painstakingly hand-lettered and water colored in the way many of us have grown to love over the years.
Join Susan as she recounts her lighthearted ramble of discovery through the historical homes and gardens of art and literary heroes, along ancient footpaths, through wildflower meadows and fields of lambs, into tea rooms, pubs and antique stores. This lovely hard-cover book includes hundreds of photographs and a red ribbon sewn-in book mark. A FINE ROMANCE is a work of art, part love story, part travel guide and all dream come true.
Anonymous
Posted Sun Sep 08 00:00:00 EDT 2013
DELIGHTFUL!!!
A beautifully written and illustrated journal complete with the pretty watercolors that we've come to know Susan Branch by, along with lots of photographs that almost make you feel like you are there along with Susan and Joe. This book has totally lived up to it's expectations. An absolute MUST for any Anglophile. I found this journal to be a sweet and enjoyable trip "across the pond" and almost hated to see the journey end. A real keepsake!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Tue Sep 09 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Magical, enchanting I didn't want this book to end. Been to England, did the tourist bit , but would love to go back just to visit the castles , cottages and towns that are part of the National Trust.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.AustenStudent
Posted Sun Jun 29 00:00:00 EDT 2014
The first Susan Branch book I read was her lovely The Summer Book. It’s filled with many delicious hot weather recipes and quotes about summer, but what makes this book—and all of her books—special are that they are all handwritten, drawn, and painted in watercolor. At first I thought it was a font she created—and perhaps she has, I’m not sure—but a quick study of several different letters shows that no two “y’s” or “g’s” are the same.
In 2012, Branch traveled the English countryside for two months with her beloved husband, Joe. They crossed on the Cunard ship Queen Mary 2 instead of flying—a much more civilized way to travel, with the added bonus of a gradual adjustment to the time difference—no jet lag! She also says it helps ease the way from the history of England to modern 21st century New York City.
This is also a love story as she recounts how she met her husband 28 years ago—a second marriage for her to her soul mate, a man five years her junior, who she thought was too young for her.
In 2004, they visited England and this was an encore trip. They rented lovely little cottages and flats and they were lucky to have friends to visit; one owns a lovely hotel. Their trip coincided with the 60th Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, so there was a celebratory atmosphere throughout the country (complete with bunting!).
They visited Rudyard Kipling’s house Batemans, Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top Farm—her idol—the Yorkshire Dales, Jane Austen’s Chawton, Vera Sackville-West’s Sissinghurst Castle, the country house of actress Eileen Terry, along with countless local pubs, public footpaths, and gorgeous scenery. She also describes the awkward terror of driving on the different side of the road.
I loved the little details that Branch describes: their cozy little cabin on the Queen Mary 2 (with private balcony!), how The Tale of Peter Rabbit (narrated by Judi Dench) played in the rest rooms of the pub near Hill Top Farm (!), uniforms in a little country grocery store, and the charming pronunciations of words (“Yowk-sha” for Yorkshire, “scuns” for scones).
She has inspired me to visit England sooner rather than later. But even more than money, time is needed to savor and enjoy, which is exactly what Branch did.
A delightful love letter to England and the English people.
jms41
Posted Fri Mar 14 00:00:00 EDT 2014
This book is a fantastic work of art. The drawings, the handwriting, the story completely awesome. Mi am from UK and loved it!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Fri Feb 28 00:00:00 EST 2014
Charming! A lovely travelogue. If one hasn't had the opportunity to go to England, it will make you want to go. Enjoyed the pictures, the writing, and especially the art work. ♥♥♥♥♥
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Posted Mon Jan 13 00:00:00 EST 2014
Wonderful book! I could not put it down! I read it from cover to cover in one day :) I have never been on a cruise much less been to England, but she made me want to do both!
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Posted Fri Jan 10 00:00:00 EST 2014
This was a great book that really makes me want to take a trip to England.
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Posted Mon Jan 06 00:00:00 EST 2014
i loved every page and felt like i was on the trip with susan and her husband. the wonderful desciptions and photos and lovely art was so pleasing. of course, i've always loved all of susan's books, but this was very special. i'll never travel to england, but after reading 'a fine romance', i feel that i have been there.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Wed Dec 11 00:00:00 EST 2013
I think that Susan Branch has certainly made a very interesting book, I really love it, I felt I was there in the English Countryside, it made me quite home sick! I loved the way she describes every little detail of places she visited, and it was so refreshing to have it written like a diary, the photos were great and the drawings and little paintings here and there made it so delightful, I could not wait to see the next page.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Wed Dec 11 00:00:00 EST 2013
What a delight! Susan Branch is such a talent - her wonderful text and superb illustrations put you right there with her and Joe on their fabulous trip to the English countryside. I highly recommend this soul satisfying and eye delighting journey.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Tue Dec 10 00:00:00 EST 2013
I have found this book to be a very enjoyable read. The photos and water colors are perfect and I feel as if I am traveling through the English countryside with Susan and Joe.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.EAH
Posted Tue Dec 10 00:00:00 EST 2013
I had to wait a long time to find this book and I was not disappointed one bit. It is beautifully illustrated and the travel stories are delightful. It is especially nice because it covers the almost the same time period that my husband and I visited England and Wales in the same year 2012.
It brings back many delightful adventures and the challenge of driving on the opposite side of the road and dealing with heavy traffic in roundabouts. My husband dealt with that for most of the trip.
I highly recommend this travel book if you are interested in going to Britain.
Anonymous
Posted Fri Feb 21 00:00:00 EST 2014
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
A thrilling ocean voyage on the Queen Mary 2 from New York City to Southampton culminating in a two-month ramble through the charming back roads and small villages of the pastoral English countryside in the spring of last year is the subject of this delicious travel journal that Susan has painstakingly hand-lettered and water colored in the way many of us have grown to love over the years.
Join Susan as she recounts her lighthearted ramble of discovery through the historical ...