Author: Hilary Boyd
Published: February 8th 2018 by Quercus
Format: Paperback, 480 pages
Genre: Women's Ficton
I enjoy Hilary Boyd’s books. They are designed for readers who are not interested in following a redheaded twenty year old with bouncing curls trying to find their place in the world or have a knight in shining armor ride in to save the day. They are books about women making tough choices. Characters having seen the good and the bad, who get themselves out of bed every day and do what needs to be done for both themselves and for those they love. Do not get me wrong, there is romance and passion, but there is also the acknowledgement of the real work needed to keep a family going.
From the outside, Lily and Freddy appear to have the perfect marriage, a second chance if you will, he a music producer and she his charming wife. What others, including Lily herself, are unaware of is Freddy’s gambling addiction until her world boils over and she discovers not only is the house rented, but also every penny her late husband left to her is gone. Freddy, being less than stable, runs off to the island apartment of his late grandmother and tries to pull himself back together only to find an easy way out by tumbling into the arms, and bed, of an older wealthy woman who does not mind paying for his company. Meanwhile Lily is left to fend for herself in the home of a less than welcoming sister, manipulated by a nephew battling his own addition, and concerns over her own adult children result in a never-ending whirlpool of drama.
Readers bounce back and forth between wanting to shake Lily into understanding her precarious situation and cheering her on. A balance between wanting to meet up for coffee and girl talk and wanting to turn in the opposite direction when you see her walking your way. I do not know many who would stick with the feckless Freddy, but Lily has some unknown, until now, strength and that is what keeps the pages turning.
From the outside, Lily and Freddy appear to have the perfect marriage, a second chance if you will, he a music producer and she his charming wife. What others, including Lily herself, are unaware of is Freddy’s gambling addiction until her world boils over and she discovers not only is the house rented, but also every penny her late husband left to her is gone. Freddy, being less than stable, runs off to the island apartment of his late grandmother and tries to pull himself back together only to find an easy way out by tumbling into the arms, and bed, of an older wealthy woman who does not mind paying for his company. Meanwhile Lily is left to fend for herself in the home of a less than welcoming sister, manipulated by a nephew battling his own addition, and concerns over her own adult children result in a never-ending whirlpool of drama.
Readers bounce back and forth between wanting to shake Lily into understanding her precarious situation and cheering her on. A balance between wanting to meet up for coffee and girl talk and wanting to turn in the opposite direction when you see her walking your way. I do not know many who would stick with the feckless Freddy, but Lily has some unknown, until now, strength and that is what keeps the pages turning.
No comments:
Post a Comment