Book Review: Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street by Craig Revel Horwood – @CraigRevHorwood @OMaraBooks @lovebookstours

Being a massive fan of Strictly Come Dancing and having a major soft spot for Craig Revel Horwood when I saw his debut book Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street was coming, I jumped at the chance to read it. Many thanks to Kelly at Love Book Tours and Michael O’Mara books for the gifted copy.

About the book

Set against the colourful boho backdrop of London’s Camden in the 1990s, Craig Revel Horwood’s first novel, Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street, tells the story of an unlikely family of friends who each rent a room in a ramshackle six-bedroom, four-storey townhouse. Like any family, the residents of Diamond Street sometimes fights and often act up but when the chips are down, they’re there for each other in an instant – usually brandishing a cheap bottle of booze, and the offer of an impromptu kitchen disco.

Presided over by the wise-cracking but warm-hearted patriarch of the family, Danny Hall, a professional dancer turned choreographer, the novel follows a year in the life of the inhabitants of Diamond Street, rough diamonds one and all, as they try to achieve their dreams – with unexpected, heart-warming and sometimes hilarious results.

My thoughts

Set in the 1990’s we follow the lives over a year of the residents who live at 27 Diamond Street and what a bunch they are. Cat, Danny, Jewel, Lachlan, Pete and Lil all become roommates and each character brings something different and unique to the story.

I absolutely loved getting to know each one and as it’s told from different POV’s throughout the book it made it feel even more special and it’s done exceptionally well. I adored Danny, dancer come choreographer. He was like a dad to the house, a fun dad I must add. Always there for the other residents if they needed a shoulder to cry on or some words of advice even when he had his own troubles to deal with.

Jewel was another who I fell in love with and just wanted to give a big hug to. I won’t say why or what for but I’m sure you’ll feel the same when you read it. To be honest I fell in love with all the residents at 27 Diamond Street apart from one, no name dropping here though. I’ll let you find out for yourself.

This book, honestly it had me in stitches, it had me very nearly sobbing and it had me feeling all warm and cosy. It’s like a hug in a book and I’m genuinely blown away by it. I didn’t think I could fall in love with so many characters in one book but I did and I was so sad when it ended. I could easily have read on and on.

I absolutely love that it was set in the 90’s and vividly remember Wet Wet Wet’s Love is all around being number one for what felt like for ever. I used turn the radio off when it cam on, I was so fed up of hearing it but I still remember all the lyrics.

Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street is a vivid, vibrant and colourful story (a bit like the author), it was beautifully written and absolutely engrossing. I can’t even explain how much I loved it, it’s just soooo good. I’m so excited to see what Craig Revel Horwood comes up with next, hopefully I won’t have too long to wait.

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