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‘A Breath of Fresh Air’ was her first published novel; I read it in 2000 and re-read it in 2008. Fifteen years on I’d entirely forgotten what it was about - and was hooked on the story almost immediately.
Charlotte is the main character. We learn in the first chapter that she’s been married to Peter for eight years, and in that time has lived in several countries. Her husband is a high-flying businessman whose job has taken him around the world - and Charlotte has gone with him. Initially eager to support him, she’s realised that she has become a poor second-best to his work. He is fond of her, and doesn’t understand why she longs for permanence and close friends, rather than luxurious flats and prestigious work events.
So she finally plucks up the courage to ask him for a divorce. It’s quite a dramatic start to the first chapter, which ends in an even more dramatic way. I’m not sure if I’d remembered subconsciously what was coming or whether it was cleverly foreshadowed or somewhat predictable. But even though I was half expecting something of the sort, it still gave me a jolt as the chapter ended.
The action then moves to the small village of Hulme Welford, where Charlotte has bought a cottage in need of some maintenance and care. It’s next door to her sister Hilary, and not far from her parents. Hilary is her younger sister, but highly organised, and wants to take Charlotte under her wing. So she cleans the cottage, and buys groceries and cleaning products. She then meets her sister at the airport.
All of which is fine; but Charlotte is exhausted and stressed and wondering whether she’s made the right decision to return to her childhood village. She’s not happy when she learns that Hilary has also organised a ‘welcome back’ dinner party, not just for the family, but to introduce her to some of her neighbours, including Alex, a man who is renting the ‘granny flat’ attached to Charlotte’s new home...
It’s mainly a character-based book, and Erica James has quite a gift of characterisation. I felt for Charlotte, I also felt a lot of sympathy for Hilary who tries to make order out of chaos, while looking after her husband and two young children. Their mother is a bit of a shadowy character, but their father is delightful - a retired GP who adores his daughters and often feels at a loose end.
Alex is likeable too; generous, helpful and slow to take offence. But their other neighbours, Derek and Cindy, really don’t fit into the village; they run several health spas, and have painted their home bright pink. Derek is a womaniser, although it’s hard to see why anyone finds him attractive; Cindy is rather snobbish. They have two teenagers, Barry - an academic - and Tiffany, who clashes with her parents at every moment.
And then there’s Mrs Braithwaite, who likes to gossip, stir up strife, and generally boss people around. She’s a bit of a caricature - as are Derek and Cindy - but it doesn’t much matter. And even they turn out to have some depth, as the novel progresses.
The story is about Charlotte settling into the neighbourhood, coming to terms with her past, and forming new relationships. That part is straightforward and somewhat predictable; but it’s very well handled. The book doesn’t really look at a lot of serious issues, and the forays into characters’ pasts are fairly lightweight, but I found myself engrossed and finished it in just a couple of days.
I suppose it’s not the kind of novel that would stand out nowadays; it’s fairly standard women’s fiction from the start of the century. But I thoroughly enjoyed re-reading 'A Breath of Fresh Air', and would recommend it to anyone wanting a light read with believable main characters and an entirely satisfactory ending.
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