Back to creative writing school (by Bridget Whelan)

(Amazon UK link)

I hadn’t heard of Bridget Whelan; indeed, I’ve entirely forgotten where I first saw her book on creating writing recommended. Most likely it was another writing book, or perhaps a blog on the topic. I know it wasn’t simply a random choice for my kindle since her book is one of the three or four (out of over two hundred) ebooks that I actually paid for, back in 2014.

I dipped into ‘Back to creative writing school’ a few times but it took me nearly three years to determine to read it straight through. I wish I’d done so sooner. What an excellent guide it is: it’s friendly, and full of excellent advice.

The book is laid out as if it really were a creative writing school, with three ‘terms’, although I went through it in just a month. The suggestions in the first term start fairly with fairly straightforward tasks: writing short pieces based on particular names, or ways of looking at things; generating names or titles; writing alternatives to cliches and well-worn metaphors. I did do one or two of these exercises, and adapted a couple of them for my local writing group. But for the most part I just read, noting some of the suggestions, and may well go back to them in future.

As the book progresses, the exercises become more complicated and thought-provoking. I’ve read many writing books, so inevitably there was much in this book that was familiar to me. But that didn’t matter, because the bulk of each section was the author’s ideas and suggestions. She gives advice for creating realistic characters, for getting stuck into simple poetic writing even for the most reluctant, for using alliteration and other literary devices.

The assignments for the second term are more specific, and I found some of them a bit bizarre. By this stage I had stopped doing any of the exercises, although I will take some of the ideas and suggestions into my writing in future. Topics covered include humour, dialogue, different kinds of poetry, suspense, and even synaesthesia in writing.

I didn’t even notice when term two turned into term three. But in looking back I can see that the final chapters are the most complex, for more advanced writers than the earlier ones. Similar topics are covered; I skimmed lightly over the horror one, but read the rest in full.

This would probably be an ideal book for a small writing group to work through together, if they want targetted and progressive exercises, and to share the results. Doing this on my own, I could have made the effort to do most of the assignments. But without any feedback I didn’t have much motivation. However for someone wanting to get to grips with the basics of writing, I would recommend spending perhaps a week or longer on each chapter. According to the front cover, there are thirty chapters in all, so they could be done roughly in academic terms with breaks in between each one.

Even though I didn’t take full advantage of this, it’s a book I will certainly dip into again. I would recommend it highly to anyone wanting some help with getting start in writing, or inspiration for making their writing better.

(Note that the UK Amazon link above is to the paperback version of this book)

My other personal favourite books about writing (sadly not all in print) are:

 

- Writing on both sides of the brain by Henriette Anne Klauser

- Bird by bird by Anne Lamott

- One way to write your novel by Dick Perry

- Walking on water by Madeleine l'Engle

- The five-minute writer by Margret Geraghty

- Becoming a writer by Dorothea Brande

- How to write and sell short stories by Della Galton

- Writing great short stories by Margaret Lucke

- Guide to fiction writing by Phyllis Whitney

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

Accidental Saints (by Nadia Bolz-Weber)

(Amazon UK link)

It took some months after I first heard of Nadia Bolz-Weber before I decided to get hold of her autobiographical book ‘Cranky, Beautiful Faith’. I was intrigued by many recommendations, but put off by the mention of crude and strong language. I am very thankful that I did eventually read the book, and almost immediately put this one on my wishlist. I was given it for Christmas, and have just finished reading it.

‘Accidental Saints’ is a very thought-provoking book, peppered, as the autobiography was, with decidedly ‘strong’ language. Bolz-Weber is a Lutheran pastor who has somehow got to the heart of the Gospel, finding Jesus in the unlikely (and sometimes unlikeable) people she meets and ministers to. She makes plenty of mistakes, which she acknowledges freely, and finds different people around her to pray for her, and hear her confessions, and give her suggestions or advice.

Each chapter is a different story, some of them based around the church’s year, and the rituals and liturgies that can be used alongside the important dates. People of all cultures, nationalities and beliefs pass through the ‘Church for All Sinners and Saints’ that the author founded in Denver, Colorado, in the United States; some of them stick around, in some cases because it’s the only church that will accept and love them.

What I love is the lack of judgementalism that shines through the pages of this book. Occasionally there is a trace of racist feeling, despite the author’s best intent, or some kind of bias against a newcomer who is perhaps too talkative, or too demanding. Every time, as the text skilfully shows, Jesus is revealed in some way; sometimes in the most unlikely people with lifestyles that many evangelicals would reject entirely.

I come from a liturgical church background (Anglican rather than Lutheran, but as far as I can gather, they have a fair amount in common) but have spent much of my adult life attending non-liturgical church congregations - or none at all. As I get older I find myself hankering for a little more structure, sometimes, and this book was an encouraging reminder of the way a liturgical service can be uplifting and cleansing, encouraging participants to start each week afresh, bringing the Kingdom of God into their families and neighbourhoods.

‘Accidental Saints’ was the ideal book for me to read at the start of this year, and one I’m sure I’ll return to. I would recommend it to anyone, with the proviso that some may be shocked, even offended by the crude language.

It’s not on every page; the writing is mostly friendly, clear and intelligent. I’m aware that by mentioning this I’m in danger of being judgemental myself, although I don’t want to be.

Clearly, a heavily tattooed strong-speaking woman pastor is herself an ‘accidental saint’ in the minds of many, and this book is, in my view, an unexpected gem.

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

The Great Christmas Knit-Off (by Alexandra Brown)

(Amazon UK link)

I hadn’t heard of Alexandra Brown when Amazon recommended this book to me, based on my reading preferences. The blurb made it sound interesting, and I liked the idea of a book that focused on knitting; so I put it on my wishlist, and was given it for Christmas.

The cover of ‘The Great Christmas Knit-Off’ instantly told me that it was going to be light reading, both undemanding and probably mildly humorous in places. I had a vague hope that it might be somewhat like the large number of books about baking, and I was not disappointed.

The story is told from the point of view of Sybil, a woman in her early thirties whom we meet as she’s arriving home from work. We learn from the first pages that she was jilted at the altar, and is still very hurt and angry, but hasn’t really taken a break at all. She works for social services but has always loved knitting...

Sybil decides to go and spend the weekend with her close friend Cher in a place called Tindledale. Sybil is accompanied by her dog Basil, and things start to go wrong right from the start. Her car stops working, so she decides to go by train… and the weather is getting more and more wintry.

Most of the book takes place in Tindledale, a picturesque (albeit somewhat caricatured) village where everyone knows and cares about everyone else. It’s in stark contrast to Sybil’s normal mode of living, and gradually - imperceptibly - she finds herself relaxing. Not that her long weekend is free of stress: she’s heard something on the radio that makes her pretty sure she’ll be fired from her job.

Hettie, meanwhile, is an elderly but sprightly lady who runs the Tindledale haberdashery shop. However she doesn’t get many customers, and her shop is looking very run-down. Her nephew has persuaded her to help him financially, which has put her in debt, and she has a lot of secrets in her past which weigh on her heavily.

There are a lot of characters in the book despite it being such a small village, and I found myself getting confused at times between Molly and Marigold, Cooper and Clive, Leo and Lawrence; not that it mattered unduly. There’s a little map at the front of the book showing a plan of the village, though not everyone’s names. The main characters were nicely drawn, though; I could certainly believe in Sybil and also in the somewhat klutzy (but very handsome) doctor Ben.

I wasn’t entirely sure I believed in the ability of the group of women to do as much knitting as they had to towards the end of the book. Nor was I impressed with the single small pattern offered at the end, for a Christmas pudding; the simplistic instructions clearly didn’t match the picture that went with it.

As I expected, the story was light, with mildly amusing scenes and comments here and there, and one or two very moving places as well. I don’t think I’ll be looking out for books in other series by this writer, but if, as she states in the introduction, there are going to be further Tindledale novels, I will probably acquire them as the main characters rather got under my skin.

Recommended in a low-key way for those who enjoy undemanding women’s fiction. It would be ideal reading during the run-up to Christmas, which is when I hope to re-read it in a few years' time.

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

Come Rain or Come Shine (by Jan Karon)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s about sixteen years since I was first introduced to Jan Karon’s wonderful ‘Mitford’ series about a small town in America, and its elderly Episcopalian priest Father Tim Kavanagh. I started collecting the books, and was quite sad when the author stated that her ninth book was the last in the series; then delighted that she began a slightly different set of books featuring Father Tim himself, now retired.

After two of those books, however, the series reverted to Mitford, and I thoroughly enjoyed the twelfth book, ‘Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good’ which I read about six months ago. When the thirteenth book came out in paperback I put it on my wish-list and was delighted to be given it for Christmas.

‘Come Rain or Come Shine’, as I knew already, was focussed on the wedding of Father Tim’s adopted son Dooley and the doctor’s adopted daughter Lace. The two had rather a cat-and-dog relationship from their early teens, but it became increasingly clear that they were destined for each other, so I was looking forward very much to reading about their wedding.

This isn’t a book for anyone who hasn’t read at least a few of the earlier Mitford books, as it builds on characters and situations from previous books. There’s a large cast of people and I didn’t remember all of them; to someone new to the series it would be overwhelming. However for those who have long-standing affection for Tim and his wife Cynthia and there many friends and acquaintances, this is a wonderful book, pulling together many threads and re-uniting various folk, as is inevitable at a wedding.

The early part of the book focuses on preparations, with a growing sense of urgency as the date comes closer. Dooley and Lace thought they had opted for a simple, small wedding but the number of things to do seems to increase daily. Lace hasn’t yet found a dress, and each day becomes more worried. She’s creating something as a wedding present for Dooley; we don’t know what it is until it’s revealed right before the wedding, but it’s also creating stress.

Dooley, meanwhile, is settling in as the resident vet, after his recent qualification, and there’s a new and potentially dangerous bull called Choo-choo. There are secrets, and surprises, and unexpected guests… and then the ceremony itself, spelled out in a lot of detail, with its own stresses and complications.

I found it a little confusing at first that the story is narrated from several different viewpoints, not just that of Father Tim. We read some sections from Dooley’s point of view, some from Lace’s, and some from other characters; it’s not always obvious who is the viewpoint character, but eventually I realised that it didn’t matter. And I loved the layout of the book, which includes both the wedding invitation and the order of service in the relevant places.

I don’t know what it is about this series that prompts such a feeling of well-being; the scenarios and people are not like anyone or any place I’ve come across before, yet reading or re-reading one of the books feels like coming home myself. Perhaps Heaven is a little like Mitford.

A lot of threads are tied up (although a few are left open) and when I reached the end I wondered if this might be the last Mitford book; if so, I thought, it ended on a strong and positive note. So I was very pleased to read that Jan Karon has already started another book in the series, set a few months after this one.

Definitely recommended to fans of the series. Keep a tissue or two to hand...

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

Elsie's kith and kin (by Martha Finley)

(Amazon UK link)

Way back in 2011, I downloaded and read ‘Elsie Dinsmore’ by Martha Finley, more out of curiosity than anything. The author died over 100 years ago, and most of her novels for girls were written in the late 1800s. Inevitably they’re old-fashioned, and (since she was the daughter of a Presbyterian minister) they are also overtly Christian and, to modern tastes, rather moralistic.

Idly flicking through my Kindle a few months ago I saw that I had many other ‘Elsie’ books and picked one at random. ‘Elsie’s kith and kin’ turns out to be number 12 in the series, which made it rather confusing. Elsie is now not just married with children, but a grandmother, and there are various in-laws and even step-children in the picture. There are a good many people who all seem to live in or around the same location, and I entirely lost track of who was whom.

I abandoned the story for a few months and only recently decided to finish it. I don’t know why it’s somewhat compulsive reading, as the storylines are predictable and the characters exaggerated and in many cases annoying.

Elsie herself comes into this very little. The earlier part of the story is taken up with her son Edward and his wife Zoe who have a disagreement about a friend who stays with them, and a potential tragedy that eventually pulls them together. I thought that was fairly interesting, if rather long-winded.

The second part of the story features Elsie’s daughter Violet and her step-children Max, Lulu and Gracie. There’s clearly some back-story that I’ve missed, but they’re all now living in Ion, the family home, although the children’s father (Violet’s husband) Captain Raymond mostly works at sea. Lulu has a hot temper and has been frustrated in many ways, and is threatened with being sent away to boarding school. She’s trying to control her temper, then she kicks out in anger, and there’s another possible tragedy…

The various subplots have a lot of potential, but the writing style is not just old-fashioned but full of unlikely and long-winded conversations and descriptions. I can see that, for the era, the adults are in fact fairly liberal and loving. Lulu’s father in particular, while very angry with her at first, owns that he makes many mistakes. He is quick to forgive when she is repentant, though not until after some quite harsh punishments.

The author was perhaps trying to show the importance of fathers being involved in their children’s lives (and listening to their wives, in the first part of the story). For the era, perhaps the nature of the story might have helped children with bad tempers to see the error of their ways. Or perhaps not. Human nature doesn’t change even if circumstances and situations do, and many of the people - particularly the children - are really too good to be true. Lulu is really the only interesting child in the book.

I also found it almost offensive that the servants, albeit treated well, are seen as inherently inferior to the house owners in an almost condescending way, even if they are highly skilled and intelligent. Perhaps that was realistic for the time and place (they are set in the United States) but it jarred, in a way that I don’t find in other writing of the era such as books by Jane Austen, for instance, or Louisa M Alcott.

I can’t imagine that any children or teens nowadays would be remotely interested in a book of this nature. But if anyone is curious, or would like to read them from a social history point of view, they are available freely as Google Books or at Project Gutenburg, as well as in paperback form at Amazon (as linked above).

I would not, personally, recommend this book however, and doubt if I will read any more in the series.

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

Summer on the River (by Marcia Willett)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s many years since I picked up the first of Marcia Willett’s ‘Chadwick’ series in a charity shop, and found myself hooked. I started to acquire and read her other books, and each time she publishes a new one, I add the paperback edition to my wishlist. I was given this one for Christmas, and have just finished reading it.

‘Summer on the River’ features quite a cast of people, and if I’d been reading just a couple of chapters each evening, as I usually do, I think I would have become very confused. It’s not as if they’re people from former books (as far as I recall) - and their connections don’t become clear until quite a way into the book.

However, I happened to start this on a flight, and read for about three hours, by which time I was well into the book and felt I knew the people. Marcia Willett creates likeable characters, and usually keeps their names and personalities different enough that it’s not too hard to remember who is who, at least once the connections are established. Evie is the linchpin of this book; an older woman who lives in a boat-house in Devon, but has also been left a much larger family house by her late husband. This seems odd to the family because she was his second wife, and the property was expected to go to her step-son Charlie.

Meanwhile Charlie’s cousin Ben is staying in the family home, because his marriage has broken up; they resemble each other strongly and are very good friends, so Charlie doesn’t in the least mind Ben living in the house, but his materialistic wife Ange becomes quite antagonistic.

Throw into the mix a young, bohemian woman called Jemima who is highly attracted to Charlie, an old family friend called Claude whom Evie confides in, and an unbalanced man called Jason whose father worked rather too closely with Evie many years previously. Oh, and a couple of likeable children and a dog. The novel charts their interactions, with a hint of mystery and possible menace, but the latter is not really fulfilled.

There’s not a great deal of plot, nor even much of a time-frame; the story essentially covers a long summer, and then the later part of the year ending with Christmas. There are flashbacks, of course, to fill us in on the past, but the main part of the novel is told in the present tense, switching between viewpoints in a way that works well, showing different perspectives.

It was a good book to read on a flight as it didn’t require much mental energy, but I have to admit that it’s a bit rambly in places; Willett has a gift for both description and conversation, but there’s also rather more inward reflection than I wanted, and places which seemed somewhat repetitive.

My other gripe is that the amount of adultery involved - whether having happened, or contemplated - seems rather high for one group of people. Given that this writer demonstrates quite a strong Christian ethos in some of her books, and whose writing is, thankfully, almost entirely free of bad language, there seems remarkably little that’s ethical in this novel.

Deceptions abound, and nobody seems to have any problem with people going to bed together casually. The one person who had suffered through an adulterous relationship is shown to be bitter, twisted and generally unlikeable.

But still, overall I thought it a good read; not in the style of the ‘Chadwick’ series, but still very readable with mostly believable characters, and a novel that I’m glad to have on my shelves.

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

How it works: the mum (A Ladybird book)

(Amazon UK link)

Being a Brit in my fifties, I grew up with Ladybird books: small hardback volumes on every topic imaginable that might interest a child. They also included ‘easy-read’ fairytales, a progressive reading scheme, and much more.

One of the many series was ‘How it works’. There were Ladybird books about forms of transport, electric and electronic devices, and much more. Many of them are now considered classics.

So when I spotted a Ladybird book on a relative’s shelf some months ago, I picked it up out of idle curiosity. ‘How it works: the mum’, was the intriguing title. Within the first few pages I realised it was clever satire; it’s part of a new series of Ladybird book ‘for grown-ups’. With illustrations reminiscent of the 1960s style, it’s an amusing look into the life of a young mother.

I put it on my wishlist in the Autumn and was given it for Christmas. After I’d read the first few pages, I knew I had to find a copy for a good friend. After giving it to her this morning, I read my one from cover to cover myself. And while I don’t usually review such short books, I like it so much that I wanted to add my recommendation to the many other reviews.

The humour is decidedly British and understated, and the style of writing is that of a children’s Ladybird book. If you haven’t come across the books as a child, or if you don’t get satire or understated humour, then this probably isn’t for you.

It’s also probably not for you if you’re not a mother, or indeed if you’re a new mother who is in the middle of struggling with broken nights, and explosive nappies, and all the other stressful features of having a baby or an exhausting toddler.

But for those of us with older or adult children, and who ‘get’ this style, it’s really very funny in places. I thought about quoting a paragraph or two, but out of context it would probably just seem silly. In the context of a light-hearted satirical look at ‘how mothers work’, I think it’s brilliant.

Not every page will apply to every mother, of course, but as my friend said, the principles hold true, and there’s a great deal left unsaid which makes it all the more amusing.

There are several others in this series; I have a couple of others too, written in similar style, though I didn’t find them as apt or funny as this one. I would recommend it highly, but since humour is very individual, it’s worth checking a few pages in the bookshop (or ‘looking inside’ on Amazon) before deciding to buy it for yourself or another mother.

Oh, and look for special offers or discounts. While it’s a nice novelty book that will probably provoke chuckles from visitors if you leave it lying around, the official price on the back is rather high for what it is.

Highly recommended, if you like this kind of thing.

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

Meeting Rich (by Caleb J Kruse)

(Amazon UK link)

Every so often I browse the free Kindle books at Amazon, and download any that look even slightly interesting. One of them I found earlier this year was this one, by Caleb J Kruse, an American author I had not heard of. The blurb said it was about the last three weeks in the life of a famous singer, and I vaguely recalled having heard of someone called Rich Mullins, so I thought it could be quite interesting.

The full title of the book is ‘Meeting Rich: A liturgy. A legacy. A man with a guitar in my living room’. I was increasingly puzzled by the title until, doing some research later, I discovered that it’s similar to the title of one of Mullins’ albums. It’s a bit misleading as there’s no hint of any kind of liturgy, but it could certainly be said to be a legacy. Rich Mullins, it turns out, was a contemporary Christian songwriter and singer.

On the plus side, apart from its having been free to download, the story is mostly well-written. It’s in the form of an autobiography starting with a brief account of the author’s life, particularly in his teens, including his taste in music. It then turns into something of a eulogy to Rich Mullins, veering rather into hero-worship, which I found somewhat uncomfortable. Then it recounts the occasion when the famous man comes to stay with the author’s family.

I suppose I was expecting some deep conversations between adults. Instead this is about a likeable guy who takes the time to befriend a somewhat insecure teenager and encourage him in his music. That’s cool, but essentially that’s all there is to the book. It’s not long - Amazon lists it as having 50 pages, and it’s not something I would have wanted to pay for.

There are some photos later in the book, mostly of the author and his family, and I started to wonder why this was available to the public. There’s a comment made towards the end that it was originally intended to be just for family and close friends; that would have made more sense, really.

It’s a nice enough account, but even for those who were fans of Rich Mullins, it doesn’t say much about him other than that he stayed at Kruse house as part of the family. And since these events happened almost twenty years ago, I'm not sure that it's going to be of much interest to anyone new.

If you can find a free edition of this, and like reading this kind of thing, it’s not a bad book to while away half an hour or so. But the Kindle version is no longer available for nothing. 

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

The Shepherd's Crown (by Terry Pratchett)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s almost two years since Sir Terry Pratchett lost his battle against a debilitating form of Alzheimer’s Disease, but his writing lives on. This book was published posthumously, and I’ve been wanting to read it for a while although it’s a bittersweet thought that it’s the final Discworld book ever. It was on my wishlist for a while, and I was delighted to be given a copy for Christmas.

‘The Shepherd’s Crown’ made ideal reading in a busy period when I had only fifteen minutes or so to read each evening before collapsing into an exhausted sleep. It’s really a teenage novel, fifth in the Tiffany Aching series; yet it brings together several threads, and feels in some ways more like a ‘full’ Discworld book, albeit somewhat shorter. And, inevitably, not as polished as some of the earlier books.

Nonetheless, it was a very satisfying read, and an excellent finale to the series. Tiffany is now a young adult, working hard as a witch - which mainly seems to involve being a midwife, nurse and counsellor at all hours of day and night. She has a lot of talent, and this is recognised by Granny Weatherwax; to say more on this would be to give a spoiler for an unexpected storyline that could have been shocking, yet was so sensitively done that I found it almost uplifting.

Meanwhile the evil elves are planning to invade the Discworld again, sensing that the barriers are weak. The advent of the railways lines frightens them - elves cannot tolerate iron or steel - and they don’t understand why goblins are being treated as sentient beings by the people of the Disc. There’s a classic, somewhat brutal battle forming the climax of the book.

Alongside this we meet Geoffrey, a likeable young man with an overbearing father, is determined to become a witch. It’s a nice mirror to the first of the witches books, ‘Equal Rites’, in which a young woman is destined to become a wizard. Pratchett often wrote undercurrents about women’s rights as well as the importance of accepting and working alongside people of all shapes, sizes and races (literally so on the Disc) and it’s a nice touch that Geoffrey is happy to help, to take on some quite unpleasant tasks, and generally to weave peace.

There’s much more; the Nac Mac Feegle naturally play an important role, as does a highly intelligent goat. To those not familiar with Discworld, it would probably be best to try some of Pratchett’s earlier works before reading this, particularly the ones featuring Tiffany Aching. Still, as with all the books in the series it could stand alone, even if the number of people and places might seem rather overwhelming.

I would caution parents that it isn’t a book for younger children. Some quite sensitive topics are covered, and there’s a bit of violence as well as some bad language. Older children and teens who have read the previous Tiffany Aching books may enjoy it, although she is now a young woman rather than a child, and there's even a low-key love interest.

Critics have said that some threads are left rather hanging, and some scenes aren’t really thorough enough. Perhaps that’s so; had the author lived longer, he would no doubt have edited and added, as explained in the epilogue. Nevertheless, it works well and in my opinion it’s still a terrific story; I’m very pleased that I’ve finally read it. Recommended to all who have enjoyed the Discworld series.

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews

Passing Shadows (by Della Galton)

(Amazon UK link)

I wanted something light and undemanding to read on my Kindle for an hour or so on a recent flight, which I could then dip into at odd moments while travelling. Skimming through the couple of hundred items I’ve downloaded (mostly free) in the past few years, I spotted a novel by Della Galton, who is one of my favourite short-story writers.

‘Passing Shadows’ is about a young woman called Maggie who runs an animal rescue centre. She has recently finished a difficult relationship, and trying to avoid the attentions of the local vet. She’s also struggling to keep her centre going, relying on donations; and she desperately needs a handyman to mend broken fences and keep the place well maintained.

Into her life comes Finn, an artist who can turn his hand to maintenance and repair work. Maggie first meets him in tricky circumstances where she’s not at her best, but eventually he takes on temporary work and a room in her cottage. By rather a huge circumstantial leap, Finn turns out to have known (briefly) Maggie’s best friend Sarah, who has a delightful five-year-old son called Ben….

The revelation of exactly what part Finn played in Sarah’s past takes quite a while to unravel, although it was obvious from the first mention of circumstances what it was going to be. That didn’t matter; it was nicely done, with growing tension until Maggie learns the truth. She then has to keep the truth from Finn, because Sarah is scared of her fiancé's reaction; this is central to the book, but I had a hard time with that storyline, since I could not see any reason for lies on such a big scale.

Maggie’s dilemma, however, is real: does she go along with what her friend has begged her to do, constantly feeling that she’s keeping something important from Finn, or does she betray her friend’s confidence to tell the truth? I was also surprised at Finn’s extremely negative reactions when he discovers the truth.

Still, overall I enjoyed the novel. The writing is good, and in most cases the conversation sparkles. I liked the unusual setting, and loved Maggie’s deep compassion and sense of integrity. I don’t mind a slight suspension of reality in fiction, and perhaps there are people like Sarah who can’t trust anyone. The ending is perhaps a bit too neat and tidy, and the epilogue a little fluffy, but I like stories where all the loose ends are tied up, and that certainly happens.

There’s a slight layout problem in my Kindle edition, in that the name of Maggie’s mother’s hotel appears to have been set as a subheading. But it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book (and may have been corrected in subsequent editions).

The link above is to a paperback edition of this book, as it no longer seems to be available for the Kindle. 

Review copyright 2017 Sue's Book Reviews