#Domevember #BookshelfSpotlight ‘Life’s A Drag’ by Janie Millman

About the book…

Roz and Jamie have moved to leafy Suffolk from London in search of a quiet life so it is a surprise to find that the village is embarking on its riotous annual drag competition.

Fuelled by large quantities of alcohol and ubiquitous community spirit, they soon find themselves caught up in a battle for the identity of the village itself.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Drew is fighting his own battle to save his club and the livelihoods of his closest friends. Though they seem worlds apart, it soon becomes clear that appearances are not everything and that sometimes human connections can surprise us.

A heartwarming, romantic comedy.

‘Life’s A Drag’ is available from Dome Press in  paperback and ebook editions . I would urge you to download it, buy it, borrow it as this is the best feelgood book I have read in a long while!

As an absolutely HUGE fan of Jilly Cooper this was always going to be a book that sounded completely my type of read, but I was honestly unprepared for how much it made me laugh and cry,in equal measures and so sad to close it and leave the characters behind. You really grow to love them and see them on their journey, especially Jamie, and I love how the two plotlines dovetail to combust in the UK Drag Queen of the year showdown which is increeibly explosive!

The alternating between small village life and big city affairs in San Francisco illustrates how, deep down, we just want a place where we can go and be comfortable in our own skin, free of judgement. There is a poignancy underpinning the tales of both main, and side characters that really got me, deep in the feels, and made me want to read it all over again.

I loved the sheer expression of individuality and gender through the drag queens and how even across the Atlantic, both sets of people join together to save ‘The Honey Bee Club’ . The small acts of kindness which they do for each other have ripple effects far beyond imagining, and this is heartwarming fiction at its best. The short, sharp chapters are perfect vehicles for Janie’s command of dialogue, giving us screenshots of alternating Suffolk and San Fran and I, personally, would like to hold up my hands in support of this being made into a tv series. It is bright, vivid and unforgettable and for all these reasons I would absolutely recommend this honey coloured portion of sunshine as an antidote to the miserable, grey days we have at the moment. Escapism into books is something we readers adore and appreciate in all genres and I cannot recommend this novel highly enough. I am so glad to have bought it alongside her other book, ‘Sky’s The Limit’, as if that is as good as this, I’m in for a real treat!

About the author…

Janie Millman is an actress, writer and co-owner of Chez Castillon.

She met Mickey, her husband, playing romantic leads in a summer season of comedies at The Little Theatre, Sheringham, on the Norfolk coast. Both actors for more than twenty years, their roles have ranged from Ninja turtles to acting in Olivier Award-winning stage productions and working on screen with Hollywood stars.

Although still acting, Janie is now concentrating on writing. Her debut novel, Life’s A Drag, was published first in July 2015 by Accent Press and went on to receive highly acclaimed reviews. It was then rebranded by The Dome Press and republished in February 2017.

Janie’s latest novel, Sky’s the Limit​, was published in August 2018.

Twitter @ChezCastillon @DomePress

Links-https://www.thebooktrail.com/authorsonlocation/reading-and-writing-on-location-with-janie-millman/