My Beautiful England

England's most beautiful villages

---

They meet at the Language Centre, where they are determined to overcome their difficulties with the English language and pass the certificate to become 'Englis Set in Burnley, Lancashire in , My Beautiful England by Michelle Flatley is the story of three women. They meet at the Language Centre, where they are determined to overcome their difficulties with the English language and pass the certificate to become 'English'.

Su is a year-old widow from Thailand.

The most beautiful places in England

Her beloved husband died in the Boxing Day tsunami, she has become a 'Thai Bride' and is now married to Bobby. Sammy is 18, fresh from Pakistan and living with the husband that her family found for her. Lenka is Polish, the victim of domestic violence and mother to Anna. Michelle Flatley writes with confidence, it is difficult to believe that this is her debut novel, she has really got to the heart of each of these women, and allows each of her characters to develop slowly and beautifully.

See a Problem?

Despite the title, Flatley certainly does not present England, or the English as beautiful. Hard hitting and at times a little painful, the ignorance, prejudices and sometimes hate of the home-grown characters is not hidden away.

The Most Beautiful Places in England | Rough Guides

The isolation and sense of loneliness that Su, Sammy and Lenka feel at the beginning of the book is stark, and their developing friendship is beautiful to follow. These three women start out frightened yet hopeful and as time passes and they learn a little more each day about their new homeland, they discover together, grow together and at times, cry together. This story does not gloss over any issues, it contains violence and situations that are emotionally demanding, but it is honest and truthful, and most of all, it is wonderfully written. This is a stunning debut from Michelle Flatley, and another success from Cutting Edge Press who consistently deliver new, exciting and innovative fiction.

Aug 09, Anita Chapman rated it it was amazing. Heart-wrenching and beautifully told My Beautiful England is the story of three women from different countries who are brought together when meeting at an English class in Burnley, a town in the north of England. Su, from Thailand survives the tsunami and marries Bobby who works in a chocolate factory. Sammy comes to England from Pakistan, marries Ehsan and lives with his family.

She longs for freedom. Lenka from Poland Heart-wrenching and beautifully told My Beautiful England is the story of three women from different countries who are brought together when meeting at an English class in Burnley, a town in the north of England. Michelle Flatley is a natural storyteller and her words flow across the page. Despite the serious subjects covered, this novel has a warmth at its heart: Michelle writes from several points of view, which is difficult to carry off but she does it well. Once started, this novel is difficult to put down and the ending is what would be expected from the tone throughout: Aug 14, Linda Hardy rated it really liked it.

My Beautiful England

This book tells the story of 3 women, Su from Thailand, Samina from Pakistan and Lenka from Poland as they struggle to adapt to living their lives in a foreign country, and that foreign country is England. They meet at an English language class and so begins their daily struggle with everyday things like shopping, and the cultural aspects of their lives.

Nov 17, Andi rated it it was amazing. This was a wonderful surprise. I wasn't sure what to expect from it when I found it at a small bookstore in London. The characters were so well written that I found myself caring about them all - whether I liked them or not.

It's not a "happy" book - but uplifting just the same. It's central characters are three women who are immigrants that meet in an English class in their new home in Burnley.

Bath, Somerset

While learning English, they learn so much more about themselves, life and choices. Oct 18, Tav rated it it was amazing. What a brilliant book. Absolutely could not put this down. Some find them although not in the way they expected and some realise england is not the land of milk and honey. This is a book that is touching, humourous,warming and sometimes sad. A fantastic debut novel.

Cannot wait for another one from Michelle Flatley. Oct 10, Helen Howe rated it liked it. Good idea for a story, and in general, a heart-warming one.

Beautiful England – My Day Trip Adventure to Windsor, Bath and Stonehenge

A little predictable in places in some aspects reminded me a bit of Victoria Hislop's 'The Island', although the quality of writing was much better! I really enjoyed the 'northern-ness' of it which was captured very well. Karen Kennan rated it liked it Sep 28, Greg Heywood rated it liked it Oct 07, Christine Barton rated it it was amazing Aug 15, Dominic rated it it was ok Jun 07, June rated it it was amazing Oct 01, Susanne Williams rated it it was amazing Sep 27, Helen rated it it was amazing Jun 26, Simon rated it really liked it Jun 19, Katrina rated it really liked it Nov 28, Plus The Spaniards Inn pub at the northern edge is one of London's best — dating back to — and both Keats and Dickens allegedly used to drink here.

This historic fishing village, staggered down a steep hill to the sea, was once a haven for smugglers. The list of its merits is impressive: Some of the more attractive spots include Minack, with its open-air theatre carved out of the cliff face, and Botallack, ruined tin mines perched precariously above a raging sea. Dartmouth in Devon was picked by our Editorial Assistant Freya. At Rough Guides, we understand that experienced travellers want to get truly off-the-beaten-track.

Register or log in to view gallery

Mandatory - can not be deselected. Necessary cookies help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. The website cannot function properly without these cookies. Statistic cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously. Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites.

The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers. The most beautiful places in England.

Rough Guides Editors roughguides. The Peak District Inspiration for the likes of Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte, the rugged Peak District has been charming Brits for centuries with its undulating hills, windswept crags and imposing country houses. Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire This historic fishing village, staggered down a steep hill to the sea, was once a haven for smugglers.

• The Spirit of Zoroastrianism (The Spirit of ...)
• Science Fiction Short Stories, Writers of the Future (vol 29) Writing Contest Anthology (L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future)
• Why Men Cheat: 12 Main Causes
• Swapping Places (Erotica for the Thinking Man (and Woman) Book 3)
• The Last Pilgrims
• The Novels and Tales of Robert Louis Stevenson (Illustrated) (Illustrated Series Book 21)