Synopses & Reviews
Inspired by breathtaking views and romantic fantasies of finding love in the mountains, Tony Hawks impulsively buys an idyllic house in the French Pyrenees. And here, he imagines, he will finally fulfill his childhood fantasy of mastering the piano, all the while overlooking spectacular views as the troubles of the world pass him by unnoticed. However, Tonys hopelessly ill-prepared stumbling into the world of overseas homeownership is perhaps best read as a useful manual of how not to go about buying a house abroad. He flirts with the moving company in a disastrous attempt to take his piano over to France in a dodgy white van; foolishly attempts to build a swimming pool himself; and takes his experience of relationships to a new level when he finds himself cohabiting not with the expected beautiful French woman, but with his old buddy Ron the builder. Yet as Tony and his small group of friends haplessly attempt to integrate themselves into local village life, they learn more about themselves and each other than they ever thought possible.
Review
"Hugely entertaining." The Mirror
Review
"Funny and irreverent as ever." Wanderlust
Review
"Massively funny." Booklist
Synopsis
'If you had to pick two things you wanted - if you had to - what would you pick?'
I hesitated. This was a bigger question than usually got asked at these post-match debriefs. 'I suppose the honest answer would be, ' I said, still accessing the last pieces of required data from a jumbled mind, 'meeting my soul mate, and finding an idyllic house abroad somewhere.'
Inspired by breathtaking views and romantic dreams of finding love in the mountains, Tony Hawks impulsively buys a house in the French Pyrenees. Here, he plans to finally fulfil his childhood fantasy of mastering the piano, untroubled by the problems of the world.
In reality, the chaotic story of Tony's hopelessly ill-conceived house purchase reads like the definitive guide to how not to buy a house in France. It finds him flirting with the removal business in a disastrous attempt to transport his piano to France in a dodgy white van; foolishly electing to build a swimming pool himself; and expanding his relationship repertoire when he starts co-habiting, not with an exquisite French beauty, but with a middle-aged builder from West London.
As Tony and his friends haplessly attempt to fit into village life, they learn more about themselves and each other than they ever imagined.
About the Author
Tony Hawks lives in London. He leads a diverse life and has various ‘jobs, such as performing stand-up comedy, appearing as a panellist on TV and radio (Have I Got News For You, Just A Minute, Im Sorry I Havent A Clue), acting, writing, playing tennis, and making music.