Author: Lucy Diamond
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Pan MacMillan
Publication Date: 24th January 2019
Rating: 4 Stars
When Frankie stumbles upon an unopened letter from her late mother, she’s delighted to have one last message from her . . . until she reads the contents and discovers the truth about her birth. Brimming with questions, she travels to York to seek further answers from the Mortimer family, but her appearance sends shockwaves through them all.
Meanwhile, Robyn Mortimer has problems of her own. Her husband John has become distant, and a chance remark from a friend leads Robyn to wonder exactly what he’s not been saying. Dare she find out more?
As for Bunny, she fell head over heels in love with Dave Mortimer when she first arrived in town, but now it seems her past is catching up with her. She can’t help wondering if he’ll still feel the same way about her if he discovers who she really is – and what she did.
As secrets tumble out and loyalties are tested, the Mortimers have to face up to some difficult decisions. With love, betrayal and dramatic revelations in the mix, this is one summer they’ll never forget.
Meanwhile, Robyn Mortimer has problems of her own. Her husband John has become distant, and a chance remark from a friend leads Robyn to wonder exactly what he’s not been saying. Dare she find out more?
As for Bunny, she fell head over heels in love with Dave Mortimer when she first arrived in town, but now it seems her past is catching up with her. She can’t help wondering if he’ll still feel the same way about her if he discovers who she really is – and what she did.
As secrets tumble out and loyalties are tested, the Mortimers have to face up to some difficult decisions. With love, betrayal and dramatic revelations in the mix, this is one summer they’ll never forget.
To start with this book feels a bit overwhelming, there are a large number of characters, and the narrative swaps between focusing on a large number of the leading ladies at relatively quick intervals, so until I had worked out who was who and how they all fitted I was lost. In fairness I started this while on a long haul flight and was exhausted, so it may not be just the book that led to me feeling disjointed as I read this!
This is a book that explores family relationships, and proves that there is no such thing as a normal family any more.
Frankie never met her father, but when she discovers who he is, she decided to rock up in person, just a shame she had bad timing and it was Harry and Jeannie's Wedding Anniversary being celebrated that weekend.
This leaves the heads of the Mortimer clan, at odds and ends, and Jeannie is especially unhappy.
Meanwhile we get to know well other key women in this family dynamic too - Robyn who is married to John (one of Frankie's half brothers), Bunny who is going out with Dave (another of the siblings) and Paula (the half-sister). We also get to know Alison, Robyn's mother too.
All of the ladies have big struggles in their lives - John is hiding things from Robyn, Bunny has a huge secret she has been hiding, Alison really needs to shake up her life, as all she does is work and watch TV, and Frankie, well there is a blast from the past for Craig her other half, and it really shakes them up too.
There is conflict, secrets, lies, drama but also the good things about families too. There are some amusing parts to this book and some more serious moments.
I really enjoyed the variety of women that were featured, as well as learning about their families. I didn't really have a favourite character, but apart from John who I really disliked, and Julia I didn't hate many either. They are relateable too, especially if you have a large family and odds are you will recognise relatives within them.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
This is a book that explores family relationships, and proves that there is no such thing as a normal family any more.
Frankie never met her father, but when she discovers who he is, she decided to rock up in person, just a shame she had bad timing and it was Harry and Jeannie's Wedding Anniversary being celebrated that weekend.
This leaves the heads of the Mortimer clan, at odds and ends, and Jeannie is especially unhappy.
Meanwhile we get to know well other key women in this family dynamic too - Robyn who is married to John (one of Frankie's half brothers), Bunny who is going out with Dave (another of the siblings) and Paula (the half-sister). We also get to know Alison, Robyn's mother too.
All of the ladies have big struggles in their lives - John is hiding things from Robyn, Bunny has a huge secret she has been hiding, Alison really needs to shake up her life, as all she does is work and watch TV, and Frankie, well there is a blast from the past for Craig her other half, and it really shakes them up too.
There is conflict, secrets, lies, drama but also the good things about families too. There are some amusing parts to this book and some more serious moments.
I really enjoyed the variety of women that were featured, as well as learning about their families. I didn't really have a favourite character, but apart from John who I really disliked, and Julia I didn't hate many either. They are relateable too, especially if you have a large family and odds are you will recognise relatives within them.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
