Hearts and Minds [Paperback]

Rosy Thornton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 2008

While it's not easy being a woman in a man's world, James Rycarte has decided that the reverse is also true. Taking on the job of principal at an all-female college at Cambridge has quickly become the biggest challenge of his career. He is breaking with tradition and the faculty is unhappy with the results. But amid the hostility of his fellows and the endless bureaucracy of university life, he finds an unexpected hand of friendship from Senior Tutor Dr. Martha Pearce.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Funny, original, and clever. I loved it."  —Penny Vincenzi, author, Something Dangerous

"The power of this novel lies in the portrait of Dr. Martha Pearce."  —The Daily Telegraph

"Warm, witty, and sharp-eyed."  —Emma Darwin, author, The Mathematics of Love

About the Author

Rosy Thornton is also the author of More Than Love Letters.

Product Details

• Paperback: 440 pages
• Publisher: Headline Book Publishing (June 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0755333896
• ISBN-13: 978-0755333899
• Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 5 x 7.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,320,387 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Rosy Thornton is a UK-based author of contemporary fiction, published by Headline Review. Her novels could perhaps be described as romantic comedy with a touch of satire - or possibly social satire with a hint of romance. In real life she lectures in Law at the University of Cambridge, where she is a Fellow of Emmanuel College. She shares her home with her partner, two daughters and two lunatic spaniels.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hearts and Minds go together..., August 20, 2008

By 

Mary-LUE "Mary" (So-So Cal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hearts and Minds (Paperback)

The beauty of Hearts and Minds is that the characters endear themselves to you in such a way that you want them to have what will make them happy--even when that ends up being not what you expected. It is a story with love in it that isn't a "love story" in the classic sense. The characters are multi-layered--even the "baddies" and the story reflects the realities of life at home and in the workplace. Also, being a closet Anglophile (maybe the closet door is open and everyone can see in), I love getting a glimpse into English university life, learning English words for things, and overall improving my inner English accent! Don't let the pretty, girlish cover fool you. This is not your typical chick lit.

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent chick lit - a delight!, October 17, 2011

By 

tiggrie - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hearts and Minds (Paperback)

Martha Pearce is facing a jobless future, a withdrawn teenaged daughter, and a marriage which seems to be crumbling. Enter a new challenge: James Rycarte has been appointed the first ever male Head of House at the women-only college of which Martha is Senior Tutor.

Thornton doesn't shy away from her intelligence and Cambridge background - this is like chick lit with a degree, and doesn't talk down to the reader like so much literature for women does. The storylines and character arcs strike that difficult balance between keeping everything logical and emotionally satisfying whilst delivering a good few surprises and unexpected obstacles along the way. Some sad moments, some touching, some beautiful descriptions, a lot of smiles and a few genuine belly laughs.

I was thoroughly absorbed, and despite the large cast I never felt like there was a character who didn't ring true. No stereotypes. Plenty of recognisable archetypes, and a good dollop of 'oh yes, I know someone exactly like that!'

If you like strong characters and interesting situations - and indeed, if you have ever wondered what life might be like in the rarefied atmosphere of an Oxbridge college - then this comes highly recommended.