Writer Hilary Boyd probably can’t quite believe it. A month
ago, her first novel had sold just 3,000 copies – a respectable number, but
nothing to write home about.
Four weeks later, it’s a different story. Largely through
word of mouth, Thursdays in the Park has turned into a smash hit.
The book’s fortunes changed when Amazon discounted the ebook
version to 20p. I spotted the novel a couple of weeks ago and was so
entranced by the title and the cover – and yes, the price – that I downloaded
it straight away. I was clearly one of many because the book has now sold more
than 100,000 copies. Apparently Charles Dance is interested in starring in the
movie and and the foreign rights have been snapped up in France, Sweden,
Finland and Germany too. Not only that, Hilary Boyd has been interviewed by
scores of newspapers and even popped up on Radio 4’s Today programme this morning.
But after all the excitement, is the book any good? Well
yes, actually, it is. I read it earlier this week and tore through it in one
go. Well-written, heart-warming and sweet, it’s the story of Jeanie, a 60-year-old
woman trapped in a safe but sexless marriage. The light of her life is her
little granddaughter Ellie, whom she looks after on Thursday afternoons. The
pair always go to the park, and it’s there that she meets Ray and his small
grandson Dylan. Ray is kind, funny and easy to talk to – everything that
Jeanie’s husband isn’t, in fact – and much to the horror of Jeanie’s family the
pair find themselves falling in love.
Thursdays in the Park
has been dubbed “gran-lit,” but readers of all ages will enjoy it. Boyd, who’s
62, says she wanted to write about romance and love at “a certain age” and show
that these days becoming a grandmother doesn’t mean “polyester slacks and a
blue rinse.” Not in Jeanie’s case it doesn’t, anyway.
Boyd’s book is far from being a great literary work, but
it’s an insightful and compelling tale. There are a couple of sex scenes, but
they’re tastefully done. Thursdays in the
Park may be the talk of publishing circles right now but it’s nothing like Fifty Shades of Grey, I promise…
Thursdays in the Park by Hilary Boyd (Quercus, £7.99). The ebook is currently available for 20p on Amazon.
