Amazon UK
Title: We'll Always Have Paris
Author: Sue Watson
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Sphere
Publication Date: 27th June 2016
Rating: 4 Stars
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| Amazon UK |
Does first love deserve a second chance?
When she was almost seventeen, Rosie Draper locked eyes with a charismatic student called Peter during their first week at art college, changing the course of her life forever. Now, on the cusp of sixty-five and recently widowed, Rosie is slowly coming to terms with a new future. And after a chance encounter with Peter, forty-seven years later, they both begin to wonder 'what if' . . .
Told with warmth, wit and humour, We'll Always Have Paris is a charming, moving and uplifting novel about two people; the choices they make, the lives they lead and the love they share.
When she was almost seventeen, Rosie Draper locked eyes with a charismatic student called Peter during their first week at art college, changing the course of her life forever. Now, on the cusp of sixty-five and recently widowed, Rosie is slowly coming to terms with a new future. And after a chance encounter with Peter, forty-seven years later, they both begin to wonder 'what if' . . .
Told with warmth, wit and humour, We'll Always Have Paris is a charming, moving and uplifting novel about two people; the choices they make, the lives they lead and the love they share.
This is a remarkably different book from the previous ones I have read by Sue Watson, but in quite a few ways its similar. There are glimpses even very early on, when there is a lot of grief, of reasonably comical situations, and some great over the top characterisation, especially with one of the flower shop clients.
There is a warm hearted and inspirational feel to this story, as Rosie comes back into contact with her first ever love of her life, about a year after becoming widowed by her rock of her husband, who she did love dearly too. From a chance encounter, they move very slowly as they try to work out if they want to be in each others lives and have a second chance at love.
Of course not all of Rosie's family is in favour of her having new friendships, and there are some fantastic moments of role reversal when her grown up daughters, try to parent her, and demand to know her every movement.
Rosie's grand-daughters though make me smile, and they really come into their own during the story and as I learned more about all the generations of this family, I could see the similarities between the women even if they couldn't see it themselves.
I can only hope that when I get to Rosie's age, I am like her, up for new challenges and new love, open to new experiences and that people don't write people off in their sixties. Rosie is an inspiration as to the amount of personal progress she makes in a year, and I loved the reminisces of her first experiences with Peter all those years ago.
Even though they are no longer with us, there are two characters that I really got a great feel for, just from how they are remembered by the main cast, Rosie's husband Mike, and her mother Margaret. Margaret sounded like a strong minded woman that Rosie clashed with as a teenager but now as a grandmother herself, she can appreciate Margaret's position a great deal more.
This is a book that if you are an older reader will potentially cause you to become quite reflective on your own life, and as a younger reader, made me very hopeful for the future. As a fan of the author, I am delighted to say its great to see a new direction from her, and hope there may be more books like this in the future.
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.
About Sue Watson
Sue Watson was a journalist on women's magazines and national newspapers before working in a career in TV where she was a producer with the BBC. She has published six novels, her most well-known being Love, Lies and Lemon Cake. Originally from Manchester, Sue now lives in the Midlands and writes full time.
@suewatsonwriter
www.suewatsonbooks.com
Please follow along with this blog tour, and check out all the other fab blogs taking part.
There is a warm hearted and inspirational feel to this story, as Rosie comes back into contact with her first ever love of her life, about a year after becoming widowed by her rock of her husband, who she did love dearly too. From a chance encounter, they move very slowly as they try to work out if they want to be in each others lives and have a second chance at love.
Of course not all of Rosie's family is in favour of her having new friendships, and there are some fantastic moments of role reversal when her grown up daughters, try to parent her, and demand to know her every movement.
Rosie's grand-daughters though make me smile, and they really come into their own during the story and as I learned more about all the generations of this family, I could see the similarities between the women even if they couldn't see it themselves.
I can only hope that when I get to Rosie's age, I am like her, up for new challenges and new love, open to new experiences and that people don't write people off in their sixties. Rosie is an inspiration as to the amount of personal progress she makes in a year, and I loved the reminisces of her first experiences with Peter all those years ago.
Even though they are no longer with us, there are two characters that I really got a great feel for, just from how they are remembered by the main cast, Rosie's husband Mike, and her mother Margaret. Margaret sounded like a strong minded woman that Rosie clashed with as a teenager but now as a grandmother herself, she can appreciate Margaret's position a great deal more.
This is a book that if you are an older reader will potentially cause you to become quite reflective on your own life, and as a younger reader, made me very hopeful for the future. As a fan of the author, I am delighted to say its great to see a new direction from her, and hope there may be more books like this in the future.
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group and Netgalley for this review copy. This was my honest opinion.
About Sue Watson
Sue Watson was a journalist on women's magazines and national newspapers before working in a career in TV where she was a producer with the BBC. She has published six novels, her most well-known being Love, Lies and Lemon Cake. Originally from Manchester, Sue now lives in the Midlands and writes full time.
@suewatsonwriter
www.suewatsonbooks.com
Please follow along with this blog tour, and check out all the other fab blogs taking part.
Thank you for sharing this review. It seems like a sweet read.
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