I’m a little late on reading this advanced copy, but I enjoyed it. I spent three months in London & I missed it so. I enjoyed the stories & also liked the adventures of a foreign correspondent. I liked hearing about the other countries as well.

I don't generally read memoirs, but this one really stood out for me because I'm obsessed with all things London.

Sean Mallen is truly a master storyteller. This book had so many intriguing elements: touching family stories, exotic travel tales, informative anecdotes of being a TV journalist, and laugh-out-loud moments of culture shock. It was diverse, well-written, genuine, transparent, and fun.

thanks to netgalley

Full review to come.
I deeply apologize, but life is a handful lately and I'm using all my free time to read, not review. I hope everybody understands.

Sean Mallen was a correspondent in Canada but he always wanted to work out of London. He finally gets his change to do just that but he has to talk his wife and daughter into the deal and they are not easily convinced. He tells us of their life in London on his personal aspect as well as the jobs he did through out the world. I especially found fascinating a story in Ireland involving the Catholic Church.
I really enjoyed this book because I have also have always wanted to live in England for awhile. And Sean gave us a wonderful view into that world. I did feel sorry for him though because his wife gave him a hard time.

It is my dream to live over seas so I was excited to get this book from NetGalley.  It is about Sean, a broadcast journalist from Canada, that moves his family to London to take on a new job.  I have been to London a couple of times so I was surprised to hear about his troubles dealing with land lords and public officials.  Londoners have always been so accommodating in my experience.  It was interesting to read how Sean had to find a flat, a school for his 7 year old daughter, and navigate himself around the city.  Many of his job assignments took him to other parts of Europe as well.  There are some humorous situations and scary situations due to his job as a journalist.  I felt like the story ended very abruptly and would have liked to keep reading more.

This book is a memoir of Mallen's year as a foreign correspondent based in London. While I am sure there were plenty of high points during the year, the feeling I had from finishing the book that it was mostly grumbling. The expenses are very high, their flats are horrid (so bad he gives them vulgar nicknames), many of the Brits he encounters are rude, and his wife hates the place. I guess that was what bothered me the most. I'm sure his wife must have many good qualities. I believe him when he says she was reconciled to London by the end of their year, but . . . She comes across as angry and demanding, as if nothing pleased her.

I was expecting something better.

I am still waiting for the whining to stop.

Sean was offered a job in London. A job he applied for. His wife didn't want him to accept it, or maybe she did, but either way, she wanted to hold it against him. Sean went to London. He felt super sorry for himself because he was all alone exploring a new country for a few month while his wife took care of their daughter back home. Eventually they are all together, but that doesn't change the whining. I am not sure who complained more-the author, his wife, or their 6 year old. I kept waiting for them to "fall" for London.

My husband and I are from 2 different countries, so we have dealt with moving and changing careers and giving things up for each other before. I couldn't find a redeeming quality about his wife-who seemed to threaten divorce any time she didn't get her way. It didn't make me a fan of his either-I just couldn't get into the "characters" in this book.

Anyone who complains, even sarcastically, that their free vacation is 4 star while their friends is 5 star...I just can't. The money complaints were out of control. They have money. They chose to live in an expensive part of town. They seem to be able to purchased hundreds of dollars of new clothes with no notice. They go on expensive vacations, eat out, take taxis.

As a traveler, I enjoyed the parts dealing with traveling. I feel like my review is complaining about their complaining.

I got this book to review free from Net Galley. Otherwise, I might not of finished it.

When I first requested this book on Netgalley and got it I didn't realise it was a non-fiction. I like travel novels and always request one or two so that's what I expected. It wasn't though. Its the memoir of a Canadian journalist who moved to London on assignment. I love memoirs so that didn't necessarily deter me from reading it but I just wish I knew beforehand. Also, the cover just didn't match the story and Im not sure why that bugs me so much (probably why I didn't think it was non-fiction also). Anyway, it does not read like a non-fiction. Its hilarious and well-written (the guy is a journalist after all) and could have well been the fictional story of a man, his nagging wife and daughter trying to find their way in London a new city .. except it was their real life. I recommend although I really wish/hope he'd change the cover before publishing. #coversnob

The author was a horrible whinger which made it difficult to get into the book. I understand the move was difficult for him but it was so negative he came off really unsympathetically. I felt like he was trying to come off as funny or sardonic but instead he just seemed like a loser who made a bad choice.

This book had a lot of things I liked, and some that really make the subtitle on the cover a true warning: a cautionary tale. The author moves to London to become a foreign correspondent, but his wife and daughter are weary about leaving their lives in Canada to do so. But as the book portrays the struggle of his daughter and wife acclimatizing to their new home, it is painted very negatively the entire time. This made it hard at times to want to continue reading. What I liked most was the author’s tales of his adventures around London and the other places he’s assigned to travel to for stories. These parts were funny and descriptive, and it made it easy to paint a mental picture of the different experiences an expat can have in a foreign city. I was expecting the book to be more of a London travel guide, but I appreciated the truths behind living abroad and finding a place to live and a school for Julia. I thought that some of the travel opportunities he had were maybe described a little too in depth; at times I felt like I was reading a travel journal when it could have been made more concise given that it was a longer book to begin with. Overall, I finished the book wanting to know more about the rest of the family’s experiences. Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

I requested this book from NetGalley because as an avid Anglophile, ANY London related stories are where you will find me. I LOVE them. That being said, I did not enjoy this book.

I will state here and now that (per my Kindle) I only made it through 35% of the book. My GOD was it depressing. Now, as much as I would LOVE to move to London for a year, I know that it would not be at all easy, practical, etc however this book was struggle after struggle, complain, whine, moan EVERY OTHER PAGE. It wasn't that me being a fan of the city was like "how dare you say bad things!" No. When I visit London. I enjoy my time but then I crave home and my normal. In this book, the first third is just constant issues and his wife and daughter knocking this guy down constantly. I just couldn't stand it. Maybe, if I get to finishing it, it all turns around or there is a happy ending? Or SOME happiness at all?

I know that this review is only on a small portion of the story but if the beginning is so bad how can you make it through anymore? I am always afraid to be brutally honest but honestly the 35% I forced myself to read was just awful.

This book was interesting, but it also had a negative tone that was offputting. The author clearly loved working in London, but his wife and daughter clearly hated the experience. All the whining from the family, in my opinion, completely soured what could have been a pretty good book.

Also, the author is a foreign correspondent based in London, but his travels take him to a number of other cities. His description of his travels took the book in many directions readers interested in London might not expect or find interesting. This book needed another draft.

Enjoyed reading about acclimation to living in London as a family. It was funny and insightful. I loved reading about the family's adapting to England and it's quirks.

The story of Sean, Isabell, and Julia is definitely a great read. I found myself wanting to more about his relationship with his wife and daughter than his work. Isabella is a real work. She is nasty and moody throughout the novel and I found myself thinking a few time Sean, drop her ass. Spoiler alert he doesnt. In the end everything turns out good and everyone is happy for the most part. I enjoyed this book and would read more if Mallen would continue about his time in London and the family struggles.

I liked this book, it reminded me of all my great times in london and was also, very very fun. Thank you to netgalley and he publisher, I am so glad I read this! Now I’ve got to go back ;P

A very good book that I enjoyed reading. I loved the descriptions of London, the characters and style of writing.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Dundurn and Netgalley for this ARC

I think the cover does this book a disservice. I expected a cute, chick-lit type book. Instead, it was more of a travel memoir.

Sean Mallen is a Canadian journalist who uproots his family (wife and kids) to realize his lifelong dream of living in London. His wife and kids weren't delighted with leaving their comfortable home but he ultimately persuades them to do it. Then, he gets to London and dashes off on journalistic assignments all over the globe, leaving his poor family behind to fight with their evil landlord.

Mallen is a talented writer, with comedic flair. I enjoyed reading his book but did feel sorry for his family throughout. Ultimately, he comes across as selfish.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was drawn to this book by the premise of a journalist sharing his experience in London. I mean that right there had me interested!
I thought this was going to be more a lighthearted read and it really wasn't but I was totally happy with that! I love memoirs and coming from a journalist had an interesting twist. The attention to detail about his assignments and the conditions around him were incredible and I could visualize everything he was writing about. It really brought the reader to London.
I would have loved to have more moments with his wife- conversations or their experiences together because this was such an emotional and overwhelming experience for them, especially his wife.
I highly enjoyed this book and would recommend it especially for those interested in travel and London. I will be looking for more from the author Sean Mallen in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy.

Journalism and London in the same book--a perfect blend of things I love.
In Falling for London, Sean Mallen dreams of being a foreign correspondent become a reality, a reality that comes with challenges when he uproots his family to move from Toronto to London, England.
When I first picked up this novel, I expected a light, funny read--the title and cover are misleading. What I got, was a well-researched, intelligently written memoir. I have romanticized about living abroad while writing and Falling for London gave me a lens into that life. I loved the anecdotes about the move as well as the history and politics of London. I soaked up the culture without having to pay the exorbitant rent. I also enjoyed reading about the events in Canada, Greece, Egypt, and Russia. I would have liked more moments of relational depth between Sean and his wife Isabella. I wanted more insight into how their relationship worked since they seemed so disconnected throughout.

I am glad that I picked up Falling for London, it was unexpected journalistic adventure abroad. I would recommend it to readers who long for London and enjoy current events.

A hilarious account of a Canadian journalist who has to jump through many hoops to take up his dream job in London. As someone who cherishes a dream of moving there one day, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I know I will never have the chance to move there, but if I did I now know exactly what type of pitfalls to expect. Definitely a good recommendation for library members who like to read about expats abroad!