Author: Catherine Alliott
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Publication Date: 13th June 2019
Rating: 4 Stars
Flora's been in love with her husband for twenty years. The trouble is, he's been married to someone else for the past fifteen . . .
Now she's been invited to spend the summer in the shady lanes and sandy coves of Cornwall. It should be blissful.
There's just one small snag: she'll be staying with her former mother-in-law, Belinda.
And Flora discovers she's not the only one invited when her ex-husband shows up out of the blue, complete with his new wife. So now there are two small snags.
Can Flora spend the summer playing happy families with the woman who stole her husband's heart, and the mother-in-law who might have had a hand in it?
Or will stumbling on the family secret change her mind about them all?
If you like Fern Britton, Katie Fforde and Sophie Kinsella, you'll love this heartwarming read. . .
Now she's been invited to spend the summer in the shady lanes and sandy coves of Cornwall. It should be blissful.
There's just one small snag: she'll be staying with her former mother-in-law, Belinda.
And Flora discovers she's not the only one invited when her ex-husband shows up out of the blue, complete with his new wife. So now there are two small snags.
Can Flora spend the summer playing happy families with the woman who stole her husband's heart, and the mother-in-law who might have had a hand in it?
Or will stumbling on the family secret change her mind about them all?
If you like Fern Britton, Katie Fforde and Sophie Kinsella, you'll love this heartwarming read. . .
What an epic cast of characters, and some of the ending that I definitely didn't see coming.
It felt like there really were a lot of words and characters to get to grips with, although once you had an idea of the family dynamics, most of the book slotted into place nicely in my mind, it just felt at times a tad too long.
That being said there were sections where I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page, the main action scenes, one involving a hunt, and one a far more serious happening a lot later on in the book. There are old friendships, new interests, all within this huge novel, set over a summer in Cornwall.
This is the summer where Flora finally learns to be not quite as hooked on her ex-husband and starts thinking of herself again. I wasn't really that keen on Flora, or indeed many of the characters which may explain why I took a while reading this. I think I just didn't really connect to her at all, and given the whole book was from her point of view, it wasn't the quickest of books for me.
I did enjoy the story, and I loved hating Belinda, while Roger was really lovely and Babs rather cheeky. And Edward although we didn't see much of him, there is one stand out scene he is involved in that had me giggling a lot.
I can't really talk much about what happens in the book, purely as it felt like most of the first half was providing much needed background and leg work to make the much stronger second half fly. I loved the last quarter or so of the book, and really felt pleased for various of the characters with their resolutions.
Although not my favourite book by Catherine Alliott, it is still a good story and there is some lovely writing and great characterisation to enjoy.
Thank you to Michael Joseph and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
It felt like there really were a lot of words and characters to get to grips with, although once you had an idea of the family dynamics, most of the book slotted into place nicely in my mind, it just felt at times a tad too long.
That being said there were sections where I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page, the main action scenes, one involving a hunt, and one a far more serious happening a lot later on in the book. There are old friendships, new interests, all within this huge novel, set over a summer in Cornwall.
This is the summer where Flora finally learns to be not quite as hooked on her ex-husband and starts thinking of herself again. I wasn't really that keen on Flora, or indeed many of the characters which may explain why I took a while reading this. I think I just didn't really connect to her at all, and given the whole book was from her point of view, it wasn't the quickest of books for me.
I did enjoy the story, and I loved hating Belinda, while Roger was really lovely and Babs rather cheeky. And Edward although we didn't see much of him, there is one stand out scene he is involved in that had me giggling a lot.
I can't really talk much about what happens in the book, purely as it felt like most of the first half was providing much needed background and leg work to make the much stronger second half fly. I loved the last quarter or so of the book, and really felt pleased for various of the characters with their resolutions.
Although not my favourite book by Catherine Alliott, it is still a good story and there is some lovely writing and great characterisation to enjoy.
Thank you to Michael Joseph and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
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