Month: April 2020

Book Review: The Summer We Ran Away by Jenny Oliver

Posted on by Libby Price

The Summer We Ran Away

I’ve long been a Jenny Oliver fan – even before my name featured as a character in one of her books – so always keep my eyes peeled on NetGalley for her work – and saw this one, which comes out in June 2020.

Here’s the blurb:

“It was meant to be the party of the summer…

In Cedar Road, everyone is preparing for Lexi’s ‘White Hot’ summer party. For one night, parking squabbles and petitions are put aside as neighbours sip Prosecco under the fairy lights and gather by the hot tub to marvel at Lexi’s effortlessly glamorous life with Hot Hamish.

For Julia, it’s a chance to coax husband Charlie out of his potting shed and into a shirt so they can have a welcome break from the hellish house renovation they’ve been wrestling with. And it’s a chance for Julia to pretend – just for a night – that her life is as perfect as Lexi’s.

But when, during the party, one of Julia’s WhatsApp messages falls into the wrong hands and reveals her most intimate thoughts, things reach boiling point…
    
And when all the neighbours know exactly what you’re thinking, there’s only one thing to do.

Run away.

It’s going to be a summer Julia will never forget…”

The book starts on the evening of Lexi’s summer party.  Lexi is an ‘influencer’ and Julia’s neighbour – and Julia is desperate to be part of Lexi’s ‘in crowd’.  I initially felt a bit sorry for Julia – who was trying so hard to seek Lexi’s approval – when Lexi was clearly a complete cow.

(As an aside, I also wanted to buy Lexi a t-shirt from Paper Press Ireland that I recently got my teenage daughter which says ‘Being famous on Instagram is the same as being rich in Monopoly.  Calm Your Tits’.  Check out their slogan tees – they are EPIC.  Anyway – back to the book!)

The build up to the scene where Julia’s WhatsApp message is read by the wrong person is cringeworthy – you can just see where it’s going to go – real squeaky bum time!

And I actually much preferred the book after Julia had escaped from the party.

Her relationship with Amber (who I pictured as an Angelina Jolie-esque, don’t give a shit type person) develops really well, and the descriptions of France were brilliant and really evoked the feeling of being at an antiques market.

I also liked the fact that despite her disastrous time at the party – Julia is still desperate to know what has happened there by stalking social media – it really is an evil drug sometimes.

Using social media to stalk features later in the book too – and knowing who to stalk (sometimes not the actual person you’re bothered about – but someone close to them #skills) is great.

As well as Julia’s relationships with family and friends (I love the phonecalls with her parents – perfectly written), Amber’s relationships with her son and people from her past and present are also fundamental to the book.  Julia and Amber are incredibly different people. but it all segues together really nicely.

I enjoyed the ending and how lots of storylines were all tied together.  It also makes you think about priorities – especially at this weird time in the world.

As with all of Jenny Oliver’s books it was funny, warm, heartfelt and a lovely read.  I actually think this is my favourite so far (I suspect I say that every time?!)

I would definitely recommend you pre order it now so you get a nice surprise in June!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Pretending by Holly Bourne

Posted on by Libby Price

Pretending

I really enjoyed Holly Bourne’s first adult fiction (adult as in not YA, not as in porn!) How Do You Like Me Now – so when I saw her new novel on NetGalley, I requested an advance review copy – but my wish wasn’t granted until a couple of days before publication – but at least that means if you like the sound of it you can buy it now and not have to wait!

Here’s the blurb:

“He said he was looking for a ‘partner in crime’ which everyone knows is shorthand for ‘a woman who isn’t real’.

April is kind, pretty, and relatively normal – yet she can’t seem to get past date five. Every time she thinks she’s found someone to trust, they reveal themselves to be awful, leaving her heartbroken. And angry.

If only April could be more like Gretel.

Gretel is exactly what men want – she’s a Regular Everyday Manic Pixie Dream Girl Next Door With No Problems.

The problem is, Gretel isn’t real. And April is now claiming to be her.

As soon as April starts ‘being’ Gretel, dating becomes much more fun – especially once she reels in the unsuspecting Joshua.

Finally, April is the one in control, but can she control her own feelings? And as she and Joshua grow closer, how long will she be able to keep pretending?”

The main character in the story is April – and on the surface this looks like a normal ‘women’s fiction’ book – but this is not a tale of cupcakes, cushions and kittens – and should probably come with a trigger warning of the sexual abuse content.

April’s been ‘unlucky in love’ #crapphrase – but it soon becomes evident that there is a much darker element to this – and actually she was raped by a previous boyfriend. The description of rape and the aftermath is really moving – and thought provoking – it definitely made me stop and think.

Also, April works for a charity helpline – and so whilst she lives with the aftermath of what has happened to her all of the time, it’s also ignited more by triggering emails from people – on both side of the ‘abuse’ fence. It really made me think about such charities too – and what great work they do with so little funding.

Anyway – back to the book.  April decides that she is going to get ‘revenge’ on mankind by pretending to be ‘Gretel’ – the perfect girlfriend and the majority of the book follows this and her relationship with Joshua.

It is really well written – and the thread of the PTSD from her abuse whilst being fundamental – is only part of the storyline.  I really enjoyed April’s relationships with her flatmate Megan and her workmates.  There was also the start of relationships with women she met at an unusual support group – and I really enjoyed reading about that – but it felt like they weren’t really fleshed out during the book itself (but I hope April continued to build on their help and support after the book finished, in the fantasy world I create for characters once books have finished………….)

Overall I really enjoyed this thought provoking book, another good one from Holly Bourne.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review: The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward

Posted on by Libby Price

The Jetsetters

I was emailed by the publishers to see if I wanted an advance review copy of The Jetsetters – and when I saw it was a Reese Witherspoon book club pick (and she’s previously picked ‘Eleanor Oliphant‘) I jumped at the chance with high hopes.

Here’s the blurb:

“A family reunited on a holiday of a lifetime…what could possibly go wrong?

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A 2020 REESE WITHERSPOON HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK

When 70-year-old Charlotte Perkins enters the ‘Become a Jetsetter’ contest, she dreams of reuniting her estranged children: Lee, an almost-famous actress; Cord, a handsome Manhattan venture capitalist; and Regan, a harried mother who has never got over Charlotte’s gift of a Weight Watchers voucher for her birthday.

But when she wins that once in a lifetime trip, all doesn’t exactly go to plan…

As long-buried secrets are revealed, and lovers new and old appear, can these four lost adults find their way back to each other? And more importantly, can they do it without killing each other?

A hilarious and deliciously sun-scented novel about the courage it takes to reveal our true selves, and the pleasures and perils of family.”

When I first started reading it I was confused.  It felt like a self published, badly written novel – and I double checked I hadn’t misread Reese Witherspoon, and it was actually a trick – and some ‘Reice from Wetherspoons’ had started a book club and I’d been hoodwinked.  But no – I hadn’t.

I persevered – but it really wasn’t great at all.

The book is told with different chapters by different characters – Charlotte, Lee, Regan and Cord.  None are particularly deep or likeable, all have their problems – but none of them seem motivated to help themselves.  All of them needed a motivational chat to sort themselves out – probably independently of each other.

The descriptions of European destinations are SOOOOOO written by an American – it was hideous to read.  Yes – Europe has loads of history (most countries apart from America do!) and No – Europeans aren’t naked at all times on the beach.  It was written like some voyeur marvelling over a guidebook of Europe.

It also made me 100% definite that I NEVER want to go on a cruise.

It flirted with some sex scenes without ever getting down and dirty (it made me wonder if it was a ‘Christian’ romance – but I don’t think so?)

I persevered, hoping to find whatever Ms Witherspoon had seen in it, put I didn’t particularly care about any of the characters or what happened to them.

Overall a waste of a few hours – and I wouldn’t actively read anything by this author ever again.

Not often I am negative about a book – but this was poor.   But thank you to the publishers for an ARC – and for letting me prove I’m not always gushing about books!!