Rea Book Reviews: Amber Green Takes Manhattan Blog Tour

I am thrilled to be on the blog tour today for Amber Green Takes Manhattan which is the latest release by Rosie Nixon. Those of you who follow my blog will remember I read the first Amber Green book last year, The Stylist, and absolutely loved it so I was over the moon to find out our beloved Amber was making a return.

Joining me on the blog today is author Rosie Nixon who is kindly going to answer some questions about the new book and about her writing.

Amber Green Takes Manhattan is your sequel to your debut The Stylist which was a fabulous hit last year, tell us a little bit about what we can expect in this book and can it be read as a standalone?

Yes, I’d like to think that the book can definitely be read as a standalone – that was important to me because I know that not everyone will have read The Stylist. It’s set in New York and it sees my central character Amber Green relocate from London for a few months with her boyfriend. It involves fashion shows, photo shoots and a host of escapades as Amber tries to make her name as a stylist in the Big Apple. I found it interesting to bring social media into the second book, Amber is encouraged by her agent to up her social media following and has a baptism of fire on Instagram with a fashion faux pas that goes viral – your worst nightmare! There are lots of funny moments. The book is also about navigating her first serious relationship. After I finished writing The Stylist I couldn’t get Amber out of my head and wanted to know what was going to happen next in her life. It was so much fun to write.

I loved Amber Green from the moment I met her in The Stylist, is she or any of your characters based on people you know and have your friends questioned you as to whether a character is based on them?

Of course, you can’t help but be influenced by situations you’ve been in and people you’ve met when you’re writing a book. I certainly was influenced by a number of experience I’ve had in New York, LA and London. My husband found it quite amusing reading about Amber Green because her relationship is an important part of it and he would say ‘isn’t he a bit like me?’ or ‘that situation sounds a bit familiar?’ and I would say ‘No darling, of course not, it’s complete fiction!’ There are definitely elements of me in Amber, I can’t help that, I very much see the funny side in situations and she’s got a great sense of humour, accidentally ending up in hot water but her heart is in the right place and she’s not a walk-over. I also have a very close friend called Chrissie and we've shared lots of travelling adventures – there’s probably a bit of her in Vicky which I think she’d be quite happy to hear because Amber and Vicky have a really special friendship and lots of fun together.

What was the last book that you read, do you find much time to read?

I have to say I read so much for work in my capacity as Editor-in-chief at HELLO!, I’m constantly reading other magazines, websites, social feeds and newspapers to keep on top of everything that reading a book is a real luxury and something I don’t get to do as often as I’d like. I just finished The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo, and it’s brilliant, I really enjoyed it. It was one of those books that you don’t want to end. I have two very young children so I love reading bedtime stories to them and when I go to bed myself I’m asleep immediately – I try and read half a paragraph and then I’m out!

You are a very busy woman, what tips can you give for writing a novel around a demanding job and where is your favourite place to write?

I think if you want to do something badly enough, when it’s a real passion of yours, you somehow manage to find the time. Writing is something that I love doing, it’s real escapism for me. so even though time is short it’s something that I can’t wait to do. I wrote a lot of Amber Green Takes Manhattan on my maternity leave with my second son and it was quite nice to have an excuse to pop to a coffee shop on my own when somebody was around to look after the baby. I’ve always enjoyed having a busy life and I think it’s important to find that balance. Luckily I write quickly when I’m in the zone and Amber’s voice came very naturally to me. It’s not easy and I don’t claim to be Super Woman, because I have weeks when I feel like it’s all too much and others where everything seems to be working well and I get lots done. It’s all a juggling act.

Do you plan on revisiting Amber Green in future books or do you feel like her journey will come to a natural end in this book?

I don’t like the thought of saying goodbye to Amber just yet. I have got an idea in mind for a third Amber Green book, and I’ve sketched out a rough plot. I can see it being a trilogy and then it will probably be time to say goodbye.

Thank you for taking the time to come and talk to us Rosie.

AMBER GREEN TAKES MANHATTAN IS OUT NOW!