Month: April 2024

Book Review: The Revenge Club by Kathy Lette

Posted on by Libby Price

Whilst I’ve followed Kathy Lette on social media for years – I don’t think I’ve ever read one of her books before (and I definitely have never reviewed one on here) – but when I saw she had a new book out, I managed to get an advance review copy off Net Galley. Now weirdly on Net Galley it says it’s not out until August 2024 (but I now wonder if that’s a US release date perhaps?) as it appears to already be out on Kindle – and imminently released as a hard back – and Kathy has been having a fabulous time on book tour in her native Australia and has now started on a UK book tour! But at least that means I’m not tempting you loads in advance, and you can order it immediately if you like the sound of it?! So here’s the blurb:

“WHEN THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU, IT’S TIME TO GET EVEN.
Matilda, Jo, Penny and Cressy are all women at the top of their game; so imagine their surprise when they start to be personally overlooked and professionally pushed aside by less-qualified men.
Only they’re not going down without a fight.
Society might think the women have passed their amuse-by dates but the Revenge Club have other plans.
After all, why go to bed angry when you could stay up and plot diabolical retribution? Let the games begin…”

The main character in the book is Matilda – who is an Australian born writer now living in London, with 2 children (one of whom is autistic) and is separated from their father (now, this does sound vaguely familiar when compared to the writer’s own life – but ‘write what you know’ is often said!)

Tilly reunites – after 30+ years – with 3 friends she was in a band with at University (Louche Women is a most excellent band name!) but has lost touch with since. Jo has been in the US working on movies, Penny is a news anchor and Cressy is an actress married to a high flying lawyer with 4 daughters. All 4 women – as they approach their late 50s – have experienced issues with being a woman of a certain age – and so come together – as The Revenge Club – to, as the name suggests, take their revenge!

Whilst the book is silly and funny and frequently made me laugh out loud – it also covers important topics facing women of a certain age, but in a very entertaining way.

The ‘Revenge’ plans twist and turn during the plot of the book and keep you guessing right to the end – but the development of the main characters is great and the relationships between them all. I also really enjoyed how Tilly’s kids came into their own in the book – with kids a similar age I could very much empathise with Tilly’s initial frustrations!

Overall this was a fantastic, escapist and hilarious read – and perfect for those of us 50+

A huge thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for my ARC.

Book Review: You Are Here by David Nicholls

Posted on by Libby Price

Having adored previous books by David Nicholls, (so much so that I can’t watch the new Netflix series of One Day in case it disappoints) I was delighted to be granted a Net Galley advance review copy of his new novel. Here’s the blurb:

“Sometimes you need to get lost to find your way
Marnie is stuck.
Stuck working alone in her London flat, stuck battling the long afternoons and a life that often feels like it’s passing her by.
Michael is coming undone.
Reeling from his wife’s departure, increasingly reclusive, taking himself on long, solitary walks across the moors and fells.
When a persistent mutual friend and some very English weather conspire to bring them together, Marnie and Michael suddenly find themselves alone on the most epic of walks and on the precipice of a new friendship.
But can they survive the journey?A new love story by beloved bestseller David Nicholls, You Are Here is a novel of first encounters, second chances and finding the way home.“

I have to say from the off that David Nicholls has done it again – ‘You Are Here’ is WONDERFUL.

The chapters are told alternately from Marnie and Michael’s points of view – with the timelines sometimes overlapping slightly so that you get each of their perspectives on the same situation. I really liked both main characters from the start in different ways, and felt like we got to know them well and understand their back stories and how they are the 40 something people they are now over the timeline of the book.

I have to say that the geography of the trip and the coast to coast walk is also described beautifully – and Michael’s geeky geographical knowledge was very well received by me (even if not always by Marnie!)

It is a beautiful, gentle love story – where you’re rooting for the characters throughout. It twists and turns – much like the walk itself – as the tale unfolds, and is not straightforward at all (although the shocks aren’t quite as gobsmacking as in One Day!) but at the same time it feels really ‘real’.

The ‘banter’ between Michael and Marnie feels very genuine – as do their interactions with other characters in the book. It is funny, moving, sad, joyful – all rolled up into one fabulous book.

I loved the ending – and would love it not to be the end, but to be the beginning of a sequel.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy – it’s out on 23 April 2024 so not long to wait if you like the sound of it.