📖 Book Review ~ The Chancer by Fiona Graham

Sonny & Skye Productions
May 2023

Thanks to Cameron Marketing and Publicity for my copy of the book

In 1989, in the west of Ireland, Donnie McNamara, tired of being a family disappointment buys a one-way ticket to Tinseltown to pursue his ridiculed dreams of acting.

Abe Nelson, a fallen Hollywood legend, now wallows in LA dive bars.

Their worlds collide. Abe becomes a mentor for Donnie and is catapulted into his fantastical endeavour.

But will the journey to stardom end in red carpets or red faces?

📖 My Review..

Right from the start of the story there is something charmingly different about Donnie McNamara and this eccentricity continues throughout the whole of this quirky story which follows Donnie from his provincial life in the west of Ireland, to his departure, in 1989, with a one-way ticket for America. There Donnie hopes to pursue his dream of becoming an actor and his meeting with Abe Nelson, a Hollywood legend now on the downhill slope, opens up a world of change for both of these rather odd characters.

There is much to enjoy in the story and the author has used her screen writing skills to the best advantage as time, place and people come alive quite strongly in the imagination.  Of course there are stumbling blocks along the way and there's a definite someone who doesn't want to see Donnie succeed however, all these add an extra dimension as we watch as Donnie blithely negotiates this very different world to the one he has left behind in rural Ireland.

Nicely written and filled with humour, Donnie's quest for stardom is never without its funny moments however, there is also a deeper message about the importance of taking a chance and always following your dreams

About the Author

Fiona Graham  lives in County Galway, in the west of Ireland with her husband and daughter and their two dogs. Fiona grew up in Scotland but has lived in Ireland for most of her adult life. Fiona wrote and produced the award winning feature film Songs for Amy. The Chancer is Fiona's debut novel.

 

Twitter@fgrahamwriter

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