Popping her soft mustard-coloured beret on her head at a jaunty angle and tying her cotton scarf in a natty knot, she opened the front door. The sky was blue, even as the day crawled towards night...
***
In this captivating story from the bestselling author of Picking up the Pieces, Daisy has always envied the perfect family next door. But will a weekend of unexpected drama prove that the grass isn’t always greener?
Daisy Harrop has always felt like she exists in the background, and since her mother stopped getting out of bed, her life has come to a complete standstill. Daisy would give anything to leave the shabbiest house on the street and be more like the golden Kelleways next door, with their perfectly raked driveway and flourishing rose garden…
Winnie Kelleway is proud of the beautiful family she’s built. They’ve had their ups and downs―hasn’t everyone? But this weekend, celebrating her golden wedding anniversary is truly proof of their happiness, a joyful gathering for all the neighbours to see.
But as the festivities get underway, are the cracks in the ‘perfect’ Kelleway life beginning to show? As one bombshell revelation leads to another and events start to spiral out of control, Daisy and Winnie are about to discover that things aren’t always what they seem.
***
I was meant to be on the blog tour with this book a few weeks ago when I had an unexpected stay in hospital. Needless to say, I was unable to take part at the time. There are two very good reasons why I am posting this review now. First, the old adage about being better late than never, and secondly, it is a book well worth reading and I wanted to share my thoughts with you.
I am already a fan of the author's work. I think her books are great and this one was no exception. There are some links at the end of the review if you would like to see my reviews of a couple of her other books.
This book is about two families, the Harrops and the Kelleways, and each chapter is told by members of each family. I loved this aspect of the book as it meant that we had multiple perspectives on the interactions between them.
The story highlights the different economic status between the two families and the implications that has for various members of the families. As always, Ms. Prowse injects realism into her stories. Her characters each have challenges to face in life and she treats issues such as money, mental health, familial expectations and LGBTQ with sensitivity and a sense of authenticity.
I was gripped by this book and I would have loved to have had the opportunity to gobble this in one sitting. It made for a quick and easy read and I was completely engaged with each of the characters I thoroughly enjoyed being able to read their differing viewpoints on the situations that arose for them. In some books this constant changing from one character to another can be difficult to read but in the hands of an author as talented as Ms. Prowse, the chapters moved seamlessly from one to another.
It is such a relevant book and I think many readers will identify with both the characters and some of the issues they face. It is full of the highs and lows that families face and is written in a very accessible style.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books set around contemporary family life.
If you would like to read my reviews from other books written by Amanda Prowse, please click on the title links below and it will take you straight there.
ISBN: 978 1542024822
Publisher: Lake Union
Formats: e-book, audio and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)
No. of Pages: 319 (paperback)
About the Author:
Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author whose twenty-eight novels, two non-fiction titles and seven novellas have been published in dozens of languages around the world. Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres. Her books, including the chart-topping No.1 titles 'What Have I Done?', 'Perfect Daughter', 'My Husband's Wife', 'The Girl in the Corner' and ‘The Things I Know’ have sold millions of copies across the globe.
A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda has appeared on numerous shows where her views on family and social issues strike a chord with viewers. She also makes countless guest appearances on BBC national and independent Radio stations including LBC, Times Radio and Talk FM, where she is well known for her insightful observations and her infectious humour. Described by the Daily Mail as ‘The queen of family drama’ Amanda’s novel, 'A Mother's Story' won the coveted Sainsbury's eBook of the year Award and she has had two books selected as World Book Night titles; 'Perfect Daughter' in 2016 and 'The Boy Between' in 2022.
Amanda is a huge supporter of libraries and having become a proud ambassador for The Reading Agency, works tirelessly to promote reading, especially in disadvantaged areas. Amanda's ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can't possibly read another book until the memory fades...
(all media info courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)
(all opinions are my own)
*Disclosure: I only recommend books I would buy myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post contains an affiliate link from which I may earn a small commission.
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