This Bird Has Flown Book Review

This Bird Has Flown is the debut novel from a name you might be familiar with - but not because of books. Susanna Hoffs was the lead singer of 80s band The Bangles, and now she can add published author to her resume. Because of Hoff's musical background, it only makes sense that she's written a novel about a musician, titled some (if not all - I'm not sure) of the chapters after song titles, and sprinkled musical references throughout the story.

Does that mean the novel is good? Wellllllll.....

I really wanted to like this more than I did, and perhaps it didn't live up to my expectations simply because I was expecting it to be something that it wasn't. 

Our novel's heroine Jane Start is a one-hit-wonder. Now in her 30s, she hasn't been able to write any new songs in years, and her relationship has just ended thanks to her boyfriend cheating on her. And then she meets Tom, the stranger sitting next to her on an airplane. Will her blossoming romance with Tom be just the impetus Jane needs to remove her writer's block? Or will Tom's past come back to bite her in the bum?

Despite Jane being American, much of the story takes place in England. Because of this (and possibly because Helen Fielding offered Hoffs some guidance), This Bird Has Flown felt very much like a Bridget Jones wanna-be. It's a fast-paced rom-com with lots of British cheek. It's a tad predictable and could have been edited a little tighter, but it's ultimately a fun and light read. 

I just wish there had been a downloadable playlist to go along with it! Seems like a missed opportunity.

This Bird Has Flown is published by Little, Brown and Company. I received a free e-ARC.