A Midlife Gamble by Cary J. Hansson - #BookReview

 

So now you know the full truth of it. And that makes a grand total of five. I haven't told Helen. I've left that with Caro because it means they'll have to talk to each other. Things haven't been good between them since we got back from Cyprus, but that's a long story. My worry is that they're both Alex's godmothers, and if they're not even talking to each other, I don't know how they're going to be able to help him when ...

***

A terrifying future. Fragile forgiveness. Can three good friends rebuild their connection from the wreckage of burned bridges?

Helen Winters can’t ignore the ache in her heart. With one beloved friend facing a shocking diagnosis and the other still walking on eggshells after their blowout fight, the bubbly fifty-year-old craves the lost comfort of their familiar dynamic. So when someone suggests a trio of tickets to Vegas, the determined woman hopes the trip will rescue their decades-long friendship.

Landing in Sin City, Helen struggles to reclaim her devil-may-care university spirit. And as everyone plays their cards close to their vest and tries to make it alone, she worries that time is running out for reconciliation.

Will laughter, tears, and shared vulnerabilities help them salvage their lifelong bond?

***

This book is the third in the Midlife Trilogy. It begins with A Midlife Holiday, and you can read my review by clicking here. It is followed by A Midlife Baby and my review can be found here.

This book is every bit as good as it predecessors and I very much enjoyed having the opportunity to spend more time with Caro, Helen and Kay. Now in their late fifties, they have been close friends since university, and one of the things that this book looks at is what happens when a fracture appears in such a friendship.

Although this book is the third in the trilogy, it would work as a stand alone novel. However, I think a reader will enjoy it more by understanding the backstory behind these three women and the way in which their friendship has evolved over the years. 

At times it was humourous read. At other times it was emotional which has probably come from spending three books with these characters. The author totally understands and inhabits these women and consequently, the reader becomes totally invested in them. 

I do not want to give the ending away but I was a little concerned that the book would end on a depressing theme. However, the book was life-affirming and hopeful and my fears were unfounded.

As with the previous two books I enjoyed reading this very much and highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978 9198758771

Publisher:  Hansson Publishing

Formats:  e-book and paperback - currently available on Kindle Unlimited

No. of Pages:  324 (paperback)

About the Author:

Cary grew up in the UK, but now lives in Sweden. After a varied career that saw her tap-dancing in musicals and selling towels on shopping channels, she settled down to write contemporary fiction. She swims in the Baltic all year round, stands on her head once a day and prefers Merlot over Shiraz.

(ARC courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)