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Beverley Watts

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Claiming Victory: A Romantic Comedy (The Dartmouth Diaries Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Beverley Watts (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.1 4,743 ratings

Book 1 of 6: The Dartmouth Diaries

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Looking for a romantic comedy that will actually make you laugh out loud? Get ready for a hilarious and heart-warming adventure in Claiming Victory.

Meet Victory Shackleford. At thirty two, she's arguably overweight, undeniably frumpish and the love of her life is a dog. She still lives at home with her father - an eccentric retired Admiral who she considers reckless, irresponsible, and totally incapable of looking after himself. Her father on the other hand thinks Victory is a boring nagging harpy with no imagination or sense of adventure and what’s more, he’s determined to get her married off.

Unfortunately there’s no one in the picturesque yachting town of Dartmouth that Tory is remotely interested in, despite her father’s best efforts. But all that is about to change when she discovers that her madcap father has rented out their house as a location shoot for the biggest Hollywood blockbuster of the year. As cast and crew descend, Tory’s humdrum orderly existence is turned completely upside down, especially as the lead actor has just been voted the sexiest man on the planet…

And as Tory navigates the madness of showbiz, she discovers that love and laughter can be found in the most unexpected places...

Claiming Victory is a delightful and witty tale that will have you laughing out loud and rooting for Tory every step of the way. With its quirky characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and unexpected romance, this book is the perfect escape into a world of comedic mayhem. So grab a copy, sit back, and get ready for a hilarious journey that will leave you smiling from ear to ear!

Praise from Amazon readers for the Dartmouth Diaries:

"I can't ever remember laughing so much at a book."
"I'm reading them now. Haven't laughed out loud for so long. Absolute joy."
"Belly laughs all the way. Recommended to a friend who rang to say she just couldn't stop laughing. Excellent."
"Brilliant books that really do make you laugh out loud. You just don't want to put them down."
"I've binge read the first three books. I've laughed to the point of hysterics at the Admiral."
"I loved this series. I haven't laughed this much in ages."
"Don't read them in the early hours of the morning if hubby is asleep, they made me howl with laughter. Tried to stifle it, but shook the bedclothes. Absolutely brilliant."

From the Publisher

Romantic Comedy, Dartmouth Diaries, Claiming Victory, Funny Romance

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00QUAB6KW
Publisher ‏ : ‎ BaR Publishing (December 9, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 9, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1505 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 200 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #12,550 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #7 in Parenting & Family Humor
- #20 in Parenting & Families Humor
- #39 in Humor & Entertainment (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.1 4,743 ratings

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Beverley Watts

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Beverley spent 8 years teaching English as a Foreign Language to International Military Students in Britannia Royal Naval College, the Royal Navy’s premier officer training establishment in the UK. She says that in the whole 8 years there was never a dull moment and many of her wonderful experiences at the College were not only memorable but were most definitely 'the stuff of fiction.' Her debut novel An Officer And A Gentleman Wanted is very loosely based on her adventures at the College.

Beverley particularly enjoys writing books that make people laugh and currently she has two series of Romantic Comedies, both contemporary and historical, as well as a humorous cosy mystery series under her belt.

She lives with her husband in an apartment overlooking the sea on the beautiful English Riviera. Between them they have 3 adult children and two gorgeous grandchildren plus a menagerie of animals including 5 dogs - 3 Romanian rescues of indeterminate breed called Florence, Trixie, and Lizzie, a neurotic 'Chorkie' named Pepé and a 'Chichon" named Dotty who was the inspiration for Dotty in The Dartmouth Diaries.

You can find out more about Beverley’s books at www.beverleywatts.com

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5

4,743 global ratings

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Avalon

Dreams can come true

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2024

Verified Purchase

I wasn't expecting much when I opened this book to read it but I couldn't put it down and had several laugh out loud moments which I think most of us can relate to. It was refreshing and engaging. Looking forward to reading the next in the series

One person found this helpful

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writester

Poor Tory!

Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2019

Verified Purchase

Sometimes, you need a little dash of romance. Other times, a comedy. When they invented the rom-com, they found a way for us to have our cake and eat it, too.

I found myself laughing aloud at some of Tory’s misfortunes. Her earthiness is so relatable, and her clumsiness and unfailing ability to end up in embarrassing situations only add to her charm. Throw her father into the mix, and you know there will be antics.

Noah might be a bit too perfect and Gaynor could have used a little more development and a little more page time, but all in all, this was a solid cast of characters and a solid, if predictable, plot.

If you’re looking for a rom-com that truly is romantic and funny, this is the one. No big surprises, but no big mistakes, either. A fast, fun read.

2 people found this helpful

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booksmoviesandmoreohmy

Fun but predictable

Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2016

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This story had such a great start. The characterization of Admiral and Jimmy was so engaging. They made me laugh. And the writing and descriptive imagery pulled me in. I also fell in love with the setting. I'm a sucker for any story set in England with characters who possibly have a British accent. But then as the plot developed I realized I had already read two other books that had such similar storylines that made the reading experience cliche and predictable. I also wanted a cleaner romance that focused on falling in love rather that lustful attraction. The author tried to make me believe the couple had fallen in love. But there wasn't enough "showing" of that happening. So the romantic elements appeared cheap and flimsy rather than substantive.

9 people found this helpful

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C. Boyd

I thoroughly enjoyed this story

Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2015

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I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Victory (Tory) is a 'leaving young adulthood,' generously proportioned British woman living a quiet life managing her rambunctious ex-admiral father and small dog. As a side remark, I loved the scene-stealing dog. Tory's father gets it in his head that she should be married off so he can begin the next phase of his life with his current love. Its his great luck that an America film is being shot in the area and the director requests to use his house as one of the sets. Of course, he believes that the handsome leading man (considered to be one of the handsomest men in the world) would be the perfect suitor for his 'differently beautiful', 32 year old daughter. He sets off to make it so. The story follows the developing relationship, complete with father, friend and dog interference. This is a romantic comedy with witty dialogue and head musings that will keep you smiling and feeling hopeful. It has the ups and downs of this genre but the story is so well crafted that it is enjoyable even when predictable. The ending was just what I needed after my last very dark book choice. This is a feel great book. Read it.

2 people found this helpful

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Marianne

Fun and lighthearted

Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2023

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I needed a change of pace from the thrillers and mysteries I usually read and I couldn't have picked a better book. The characters in this book are incredible. The father is so eccentric and such a wack. The friends are just the kind you'd want to have to watch your back. Victory is such a sweet woman and the dog is adorable. It's a wonderful, fun, lighthearted story. I enjoyed it.

2 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Just delightful!

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2023

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The first book in the series, I already have the next two lined up!
This book made me smile and laugh out loud at her hilarious descriptions of her character’s antics and thoughts. The male lead is so delightful and though the story is surprising, it is not implausible.
Highly recommend!

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

I Love "Claiming Victory"

Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2016

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Victory is such a warm, loving, girl-next, door character that will make you cheer for her just like I did. She has a Dad who spent more time putting her down than lifting her up so I was there cheering her on! And I bet you will, too. Her life has you laughing and crying with her.

Then she met Noel...the sexiest, best, looking man in the world who had her falling all over her own two feet. I wanted all of her dreams to come true. He is such a wonderful character that they truly seem to be a great match for each other. Grab a cup of tea, or a glass of wine and settle down in your favorite chair because you won't want to put the book down. I couldn't stop reading it until it was finished (my favorite kind of book).

Bev, your writing is top notch; and I can't wait to read more of your lovely stories. Thank you for such a wonderful ride.
Karen Morris

2 people found this helpful

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the book weevil

This is a fun entertaining book in the tradition of Bridget Jones

Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2015

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This is a fun entertaining book in the tradition of Bridget Jones. There were elements of escapism, of course - a Hollywood star hailed the "sexiest man alive" falling for nice, plus-size woman of 30 with a heart of gold. The story was fun to follow, even if I did want to smack Tory a few times for having such low self-esteem. But the hero was to die for, the heroine's pair of friends added nice comic relief. I loved the descriptions of Darthmoor - sounds like a great place to be and I have already added it to my list of places to visit at some point in the future (loved that the author has added additional info about the area with some links). All in all, a fun book. The reason I did not give it 5 stars is the alternating persons POV - something that always bugs me, but maybe not everyone finds it a problem. I am definitely looking forward to the next book.

One person found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Trish Marney

Lighthearted Romcom

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2024

Verified Purchase

An easy to read book just right for chilling out with. A meddling father and a playful dog make this good summertime reading.

Anna D.

A Hollywood romance

Reviewed in India on September 1, 2020

Verified Purchase

A good book... The introductions are a bit long though but the story is definitely impressive keeps you engaged and a little hint of humor in all the characters and narrative style is definitely good

Nicole Abley

A delightful little romantic comedy

Reviewed in Canada on December 30, 2016

Verified Purchase

This is a delightful book with witty dialogue and a cast of quirky characters. The main plot is fairly predictable but the way it proceeds is fresh and fun.

Marlene D. G.

Four Stars

Reviewed in Australia on September 11, 2015

Verified Purchase

slow start but a good read funny in parts

Mrs S Carroll

Entertaining story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 9, 2023

Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this light entertaining story. Loved the characters and looking forward to reading the rest.

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Claiming Victory: A Romantic Comedy (The Dartmouth Diaries Book 1) Kindle Edition

Looking for a romantic comedy that will actually make you laugh out loud? Get ready for a hilarious and heart-warming adventure in Claiming Victory.

From the Publisher

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About the Author

Product details

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About the author

Beverley Watts

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