"Intrusion" Mary McCluskey

"A domestic drama with a chilling conclusion"

This is the story of Kat and Scott, mourning the death of their son, Christopher. Scott has thrown himself into work, Kat has become reclusive and listless; consumed by grief and loneliness.

Then a face from Kat's past in England turns up in their home town in California. A school friend who appears to have transformed herself into a wealthy and formidable business woman. Can she help Kat move on to a brighter future or is she harbouring a deep grudge and only interested in revenge?

I was drawn to this book after reading several reviews on Twitter and was pleased when I was able to claim it as my June 2016 Kindle First Read via Amazon.

Kat's grief at losing her only son is very well described. I thought the way people's sympathy for her made them "virtually inarticulate" and how they "murmured a welcome and then drifted off to easier company" captured the sense of isolation and loneliness that becomes two fold for Kat; not only has she lost a child but she is also excluded from society, her grief setting her apart and generating huge awkwardness for everyone. Kat can not contemplate returning to work and as Scott's hours become longer and longer, their marriage is threatened by the aftermath of the worse tragedy to befall parents.

When Sarah, Kat's school friend, suddenly appears at a business function, Kat is immediately wary of her. McCluskey sows seeds of suspense and tension with the implication that there is something more untoward about this beautiful, self confident woman and she is not as she seems. Kat herself observes that her voice is soft, "indicating gentleness and was dangerously deceptive." Maggie, Kat's protective sister, is much more vocal about her dislike and distrust of Sarah, using words like "deceptive", "vindictive" and "nasty." But Kat is vulnerable and desperate. Will she unwittingly play right into Sarah's hands?

Sarah is a great character - she is such a good villain. McCluskey keeps you guessing about her true motive and true character throughout the novel. We watch with horror as we begin to see through Sarah's behaviour and manipulation, trying to call out to Kat to see beyond her false hand of friendship. I loved her predatory nature and think she reminded me of several famous female villains.

So much of the story is revealed through suggestion and clues, the reader trying to piece together the reality as it hurtles along to a dramatic finale. The theme of revenge is so powerful and McCluskey shows how it is like a disease - slowing gnawing away at somebody until it consumes them. I always love it when the author gradually reveals the immense planning that has gone on by a character and you have that stomach-churning-penny-dropping moment as you realise the full threat they present to the protagonist - with whom you have emotionally bonded!

It is also a story about Kat and Scott, their marriage and their journey to finally accepting their loss and learning to confront their grief together. I found this really interesting and very sensitively handled. It could have become overwhelming or too melodramatic but it is gently handled to remain authentic, relatable and necessary to the plot.

This is a story with some strong characters, strong themes and it is well written. It basically has all the ingredients of a good thriller, with self absorbed characters bent on self destruction, raw emotion, harrowing pasts, secrets and complex plans to seek revenge. It is a straightforward, satisfying read. Perhaps a little predictable in places and with some slight cliches around the characters but all in all, very readable and enjoyable. A good thriller.

I received "Intrusion" as my June 2016 Kindle First Read.

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up to receive future posts via email.

"Dept of Speculation" Jenny Offill

With cool precision, in language that shimmers with rage and wit and fierce longing, Jenny Offill has crafted an exquisitely suspenseful love story that has the velocity of a train hurtling through the night at top speed. Exceptionally lean and compact, Dept. of Speculation is a novel to be devoured in a single sitting, though its bracing emotional insights and piercing meditations on despair and love will linger long after the last page. (Goodreads blurb)

This actually really is a one sitting read. There are 177 pages but the text is spread out sparsely - almost like poetry, with lots of short paragraphs and chapters. It is a collection of thoughts and reflections about marriage and family life but it is amazing how much can be gleaned about the couple from the efficient choice of images and observations. The author is merely referred to as "the wife" and the narrative charts the roller coaster ride of the course of love; from the initial excitement of marriage, through to parenthood and beyond. 

I first came across this book via a quote in someone's blog (sorry, can't remember any more than that!):
"And that phrase - 'sleeping like a baby'. Some blond said it blithely on the subway the other day. I wanted to lie down next to her and scream for five hours in her ear." This comment really resonated with me and I immediately added the book to my TBR pile then later on, ordered a copy via Amazon. 

The novel opens by capturing the emotional state of the narrator:
"Buddhists say there are 121 states of consciousness. Of these only three involved misery or suffering. Most of us spend our time moving bak and forth between these three." 

The writing is so understated that it is beautiful:
"I remember the first time I said the word to a stranger. "It's for my daughter," I said. My heart was beating too fast, as if I might be arrested."

Offill's ability to create a relatable, interesting, captivating character through these short, candid statements is impressive. "The wife" is a wonderful character. Although the book is absent of  much dialogue and action it is not without events and emotion. The humour is also sophisticated:
"Three things no one has ever said about me: You make it look so easy. You are very mysterious. You need to take yourself more seriously." 
"In (my daughter's school reading book) alliteratively named animals go on extremely modest adventures and return with lessons learned. A child in a wheelchair is thoughtfully pencilled in in the background. My daughter yawns as I finish it. 'Tell me a better story,' she says." 
"My Very Educated Mother Just Serves Us Noodles is the mnemonic they give her to remember the order of the planets."

I agree with another reviewer on Goodreads who said they literally underlined every sentence in the book! I was without a pen but have (sacrilegiously) folded down the corners of pages with resonant, amusing, sad, pertinent observations -it is nearly every other page! The book is ruined! 

This is a really interesting, pensive, reflective read which despite its brevity, induces a huge range of emotions and responses. Some of the reviews on Goodreads are incredible so worth having a little scroll through to see the effect that this book has had on readers! 

I highly recommend it. It was different, short, exquisitely written and a complete change of scene from everything else I've read recently. I identified with the character and think the writer is highly skilled in creating pertinent images and moments through her concise use of language. It does leave you a little stunned and dazed at the end - but in a very good way!

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK)

BLOG TOUR: Christina Hopkinson "The Weekend Wives"

Christina Hopkinson's witty novel is about the unlikely friendship between three women - all "weekend wives", all seemingly living the coveted dream of a stay-at-home-mum in a large house in the idyllic countryside. But as their friendship develops, they begin to face some hard realities of absent husbands, marriage, motherhood and village life. With the help of each other, they find themselves uncovering some difficult home truths and learning to confronting their problems.

"The Weekend Wives" publishes on Thursday June 30th 2016 and it is a great honour to host the first stop on the Blog Tour. In today's post, Christina talks to us exclusively about the love for her Jawbone. My review and link to buy the book follow. 

Welcome Christina and thank you so much for coming to visit me today! It's lovely to host your exclusive post!

Why do writers love fitness trackers?

For those who have so far remained blissfully ignorant of their existence, Fitbits and Jawbone Ups are electronic tracking devices that count steps, primarily, as well as calories burned and kilometres covered. Some prefer to leave their wrists free of the tell-tale rubberised bangles and just count steps using an app on their phone. They all do the same thing – announce when you’ve been good (10,000 steps or more) or chide you when you’ve been bad (once I think I stooped as low as 3,000, oh the shame).

Lots of people have them, but I’m not sure any profession has embraced them quite as enthusiastically as writers.

The American humourist David Sedaris wrote a brilliant piece in the New Yorker about his obsession (and it really was obsessive) with his Fitbit. It starts off with him aiming for 10,000 steps a day (around 7km or an hour and a half of walking), but gradually spirals into an extraordinary 60,000 steps a day. Even when his Fitbit dies, he only lasts five hours without ordering a new one – walking anywhere seemed pointless without the machine to mark it.

Bestselling You Before Me author Jojo Moyes wrote an equally great article for Red, but in contrast it was about how she’d fallen out of love with the bossiness of her fitness tracker. Novelist Katie Fforde, on the other hand, explained in the Daily Mail how striding around the living room in front of the TV shaking her Fitbit had transformed her body. I can sympathise - I do a dance in front of the TV in the evenings to get up to the magic 10k, which is highly irritating for anyone else in the room.

Why do authors love their trackers so much? I’ve been wearing rival band, the Jawbone Up, for two years and I feel naked without it. Even walking across a room feels worthless without the little bracelet counting for me.

The obvious reason is that writers lead very sedentary lives aka sitting on our butts making up stories. Before I had mine, it was easy for hours to pass where the most exercise I took was to turn the kettle on. Now I stride when I’m on the phone and look with horror when my Jawbone announces just how long I’ve been inactive.

But the reasons go deeper than the merely corporeal. I often describe the act of being alone all day locked in your own private world and then presenting all these interior thoughts for the world to critique, reject or ignore, as petri dish for paranoia. We don’t get to share an office with others or get told we’re doing well in a performance review. There’s no promotions or pay rises or grade progressions. We (or is it just me?) are prone to self-recrimination and feelings of worthlessness.

But lo, into our empty daily lives comes a little device that offers validation and self worth. Mine sends me little messages of congratulations, virtual pats on the back: ‘You did it!’, ‘Savor [sic] this moment.’, ‘go for it and stay focused.’

Aw shucks, I preen, pathetically grateful that somebody thinks I’m doing OK as I struggle with the middle rump of my novel.

We’re desperate for ways to make our lives count, figuratively and literally. It’s why we have word counts and set ourselves random numbers to reach before we can relax.

I’d love to write more on this subject, but I’ve just checked and I’m only on 4,531 and I’ve been inactive for over an hour. Why, thank you Jawbone for making my life worthwhile.

The Weekend Wives by Christina Hopkinson is available from Thursday in paperback http://amzn.to/28SGjni

MY REVIEW OF "THE WEEKEND WIVES"

I read "The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs" in 2011 when I was juggling a brand new baby and a sleepless toddler. I needed something light that I could read quickly in those desperately snatched moments between feeds and changing nappies. This was perfect! Not only did it "speak" to me- it made me laugh, giggle and even spit out my tepid tea (no child was harmed during the reading of this novel). I handed it on to my equally over tired friends but not before pointing out at length all the bits where Hopkinson had captured the very things we had complained about with our own husbands! So when I saw this new paperback arrive, I absolutely knew I had to read it!

Meet the "Weekend Wives"- a wife who's husband works away and only comes home at the weekend.  Or more accurately, a wife who misses her husband when he's gone, but wants him gone when he's home! This group of "Weekend Wives" live in an idyllic rural village. There is Sasha and Ned, whose success in America means he's absent for months on end. Their main method of communication is via Skype. Tamsin's husband John works away all week but ensures he keeps track of her every move by eerily getting her to text selfies throughout the day. Emily and Matt have recently moved in to the area and the harsh reality of living in the countryside is gradually dawning on Emily. And to make it worse, when Matt does return at the weekend, he is growing increasingly preoccupied and distant.

Three women, three marriages, three very different lives.

I truly enjoyed this book. From the opening pages I was snorting in agreement, recognition and pleasure as Hopkinson's observational wit leapt of the page. It is a perfect recipe for a summer read, a lazy Sunday read or just to give you a bit of a lift or gentle escapism. It covers all the basic elements essential for a chick lit read - it's full of melodrama and madness; it's charming and heartwarming, there are moments of shock, tears and laughter. The wry tone keeps it light and engaging. Hopkinson's insight into marriage, commuting and women's friendships are spot on and will have huge resonant and appeal to any reader's who can relate to this set up.

The novel is full of contemporary references, so even though the pressures on a marriage may not have changed that radically over 50 years, this novel feels like it is taking a fresh look at those issues and it is really easy to engage with it.

Each character is well constructed and realistic enough to find them authentic rather than cliched or over the top but with enough vitality and spark to create entertainment and drama. There is naive, young Tamsin who has always lived in the town and is slightly out of her depth amongst the new families that have now begun to set up home here -most people moved away, particularly if they wanted a job that was "new fangled" with the word "digital" in it. She is controlled by John who, even during sex, "gives commands with the precision of a powerpoint presentation." She has no sense of self worth and John's hold over her is unsettling and disturbing.

Then there's confident, wealthy, privileged Sasha who actually feels as if she is a doll "with a certain number of preprogrammed speeches that would vomit out at the touch of a button." Her primary school aged son explains to his babysitter that he needs to read aloud for 15 minutes everyday as it's "part of his success criteria.....to see if your learning is competent, accomplished or exceptional." But who is this strange woman who seems to be lurking at the bottom of the driveway and what is bothering her daughter?

My favourite character was Emily who having wanted greenery now "wants tarmac and pop up coffee shops." She finds the countryside like a beautiful man she knows to be gay - "appreciate its aesthetic splendour but knew she'd never really get it." She craved to be a stay at home mum with her non-Aga-Aga and persists in creating "as a family time" but her attempts are continuously disrupted by screens and she is beginning to feel bereft of the intellectual stimulation her career had offered. I loved that the first conversation they have when Matt returns at the weekend is who is more tired.....Oh yes, I've been there!!! And that word "work" which "shuts down any argument now that she could no longer use it as her excuse".

Emily brings the 3 women together to form the club "Weekend Wives". Little do any of them realise just how significant this friendship will become, how they will end up forming such strong bonds which will support them as they confront difficult pasts (as well as a tricky present) or rediscover themselves and their potential. Above all they will support each other as wives and mothers throughout a time of unease and change.

It is a comfortably predictable novel with a happy and satisfying resolution. The characters are endearing and although a little exaggerated, not unrealistic. The reader will feel empathy and friendship towards them. It is a witty novel and I smirked, giggled and rolled my eyes in agreement all the way through it. Sometimes it was a little close to home ("I've just got something to check on line said Matt standing in the middle of the room staring open mouthed into his phone....physically there but mentally absent.") and sometimes voicing thoughts I'm not brave enough to say aloud ("there's something comfortable about the hamster wheel of work, you don't have to worry about where you're going, just go round and round.") Hopkinson is insightful and although there are definitely some serious issues and moments, it is all well balanced in a tightly constructed plot. There is more to each of these women than just being a wife and they need to find this for themselves. Hopkinson clearly has a lot of affection for her characters and carries them through their emotional journeys as they work out just what kind of wife they are, and what kind of wife they want to be, with comedy and humour. I have to say, at this moment in time, it hit the spot and I really did enjoy it.

My huge thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of the paperback in return for a fair review and also for the opportunity to be part of the blog tour.

For more recommendations and reviews follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK)

Don't miss the rest of Christina's Blog Tour!

"The Light of Paris" Eleanor Brown

This is a really pleasing read following the two lives of Margie and Madeleine, grandmother and grand-daughter, on their journeys of self discovery- decades apart, but full of similarities.

Margie's story is set in 1924. Unhappily confined by the expectations of her parents and society, she finds herself trying to reject the inevitable path of marriage and submissiveness that lies ahead. Taking the opportunity to travel to Paris as a companion to another debutant, Margie then finds herself inspired, awakened and empowered by the people and city. But can it last or will she eventually have to return to "real life" and all it's constraints?

Madeleine's story is set in 1999 (although it sometimes feels more like the 1950s!) and sees her returning to her mother's house to contemplate the unhappiness and the restrictions she feels marriage and society have imposed upon her; suffocating her real desire to paint and carve her own path out for herself.

Both stories are about self discovery and the role of women in society. When Madeleine stumbles across her grandmother's diary, she is fascinated to read of her time in Paris and all the artistic and interesting people she meets. What she is not prepared for is the secret that she unwittingly discovers as she learns more about her grandmother's time there. It helps her to consider her own position in life and within her marriage. Can it give her the confidence to make decisions and changes that were beyond her grandmother?

I thought this story was beautifully written. It was compelling and the alternating story lines were full of interesting similarities and overlaps despite their distance in time and location. It is a reflective book and very pensive in its style but both the main female protagonists are vivid and very easy to form a relationship with. They are both engaging and relatable.

Margie feels like a woman before her time. Her mother is obsessed with her marriage and Margie is very bored with being a constant disappointment or a doll that won't perform.

"Margie crossed her eyes. There was going to be no husband. She knew it, and she guessed her mother knew it, and only said things like that to keep the fiction alive, for whose benefit she wasn't sure."

It feels very Austen -like at times; it is the 1920s and yet Margie is totally defined by her marriageability and how she is regarded within their class of society. Her mother has nothing else to really do but negotiate a match. Indeed, Mr Chapman's proposal is similar to that of the dreadful Mr Collins in "Pride and Prejudice". He begins with "I'm sure you're aware of how closely your father and I work together," then continues with the very pragmatic "it is an alliance I wish to preserve at any cost." Margie's response - as it so often does - made me giggle: "Margie wished there were a nearby plate of potatoes she could put her face in." She knows little of what her father does, (interesting historical comment on how some men still persisted in refraining from involving women with business and finances) only that he has something to do with the Washington Senators - a basketball team - but she's never allowed to go to the games as " 'The obligations of someone of your class' apparently didn't include eating peanuts, or doing anything fun, for that matter." Mr Chapman then tells her that he'd "like to cement that relationship by marrying (her)". So romantic! Any reader is going to find it hard not to sympathise with her plight. Margie's dry, sarcastic reactions - whether only unspoken or not - bring a lot of gentle humour to the novel and make her a very appealing young woman. It reflects her intelligence and exaggerates the importance of her trying to escape such a restrictive future.

Madeleine too is insightful, resourceful, bright and talented. She is very creative and her link with art is an important part of her characterisation. She is very similar to Margie. For Madeleine there are times when it feels that despite the progress made in Women's Rights, things are still complicated for women. And Margie's voice often felt as contemporary as a woman speaking in the 1990s. Both are very authentic and I was as intrigued with each story line. The alternating order of the tales encourages the reader to keep turning the page. The final twist, although creating a great ending and a necessary part of the plot, wasn't the thing that really struck me or kept me wanting to read more; I just wanted to know what happened to them both. I was part of their emotional journey of self awareness.

The chapters are relatively short and the plot is well controlled. I liked the author's use of language and found the description effective and at times, beautiful. The setting of Paris is really captivating and I would recommend the book to people who are interested in this period in time or Paris as it is a big part of the novel.

Overall, this is a thoughtful and interesting story of two women in two different times as they learn about love, duty, ambition and fate. I would strongly recommend you take a look!

My thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for a fair and honest review. For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK) or sign up to receive future posts via email.

"The Weekend Wives" Christina Hopkinson

I read "The Pile of Stuff at the Bottom of the Stairs" in 2011 when I was juggling a brand new baby and a sleepless toddler. I needed something light that I could read quickly in those desperately snatched moments between feeds and changing nappies. This was perfect! Not only did it "speak" to me- it made me laugh, giggle and even spit out my tepid tea (no child was harmed during the reading of this novel). I handed it on to my equally over tired friends but not before pointing out at length all the bits where Hopkinson had captured the very things we had complained about with our own husbands! So when I saw this new paperback arrive, I absolutely knew I had to read it!

Meet the "Weekend Wives"- a wife who's husband works away and only comes home at the weekend.  Or more accurately, a wife who misses her husband when he's gone, but wants him gone when he's home! This group of "Weekend Wives" live in an idyllic rural village. There is Sasha and Ned, whose success in America means he's absent for months on end. Their main method of communication is via Skype. Tamsin's husband John works away all week but ensures he keeps track of her every move by eerily getting her to text selfies throughout the day. Emily and Matt have recently moved in to the area and the harsh reality of living in the countryside is gradually dawning on Emily. And to make it worse, when Matt does return at the weekend, he is growing increasingly preoccupied and distant.

Three women, three marriages, three very different lives.

I truly enjoyed this book. From the opening pages I was snorting in agreement, recognition and pleasure as Hopkinson's observational wit leapt of the page. It is a perfect recipe for a summer read, a lazy Sunday read or just to give you a bit of a lift or gentle escapism. It covers all the basic elements essential for a chick lit read - it's full of melodrama and madness; it's charming and heartwarming, there are moments of shock, tears and laughter. The wry tone keeps it light and engaging. Hopkinson's insight into marriage, commuting and women's friendships are spot on and will have huge resonant and appeal to any reader's who can relate to this set up.

The novel is full of contemporary references, so even though the pressures on a marriage may not have changed that radically over 50 years, this novel feels like it is taking a fresh look at those issues and it is really easy to engage with it.

Each character is well constructed and realistic enough to find them authentic rather than cliched or over the top but with enough vitality and spark to create entertainment and drama. There is naive, young Tamsin who has always lived in the town and is slightly out of her depth amongst the new families that have now begun to set up home here -most people moved away, particularly if they wanted a job that was "new fangled" with the word "digital" in it. She is controlled by John who, even during sex, "gives commands with the precision of a powerpoint presentation." She has no sense of self worth and John's hold over her is unsettling and disturbing.

Then there's confident, wealthy, privileged Sasha who actually feels as if she is a doll "with a certain number of preprogrammed speeches that would vomit out at the touch of a button." Her primary school aged son explains to his babysitter that he needs to read aloud for 15 minutes everyday as it's "part of his success criteria.....to see if your learning is competent, accomplished or exceptional." But who is this strange woman who seems to be lurking at the bottom of the driveway and what is bothering her daughter?

My favourite character was Emily who having wanted greenery now "wants tarmac and pop up coffee shops." She finds the countryside like a beautiful man she knows to be gay - "appreciate its aesthetic splendour but knew she'd never really get it." She craved to be a stay at home mum with her non-Aga-Aga and persists in creating "as a family time" but her attempts are continuously disrupted by screens and she is beginning to feel bereft of the intellectual stimulation her career had offered. I loved that the first conversation they have when Matt returns at the weekend is who is more tired.....Oh yes, I've been there!!! And that word "work" which "shuts down any argument now that she could no longer use it as her excuse".

Emily brings the 3 women together to form the club "Weekend Wives". Little do any of them realise just how significant this friendship will become, how they will end up forming such strong bonds which will support them as they confront difficult pasts (as well as a tricky present) or rediscover themselves and their potential. Above all they will support each other as wives and mothers throughout a time of unease and change.

It is a comfortably predictable novel with a happy and satisfying resolution. The characters are endearing and although a little exaggerated, not unrealistic. The reader will feel empathy and friendship towards them. It is a witty novel and I smirked, giggled and rolled my eyes in agreement all the way through it. Sometimes it was a little close to home ("I've just got something to check on line said Matt standing in the middle of the room staring open mouthed into his phone....physically there but mentally absent.") and sometimes voicing thoughts I'm not brave enough to say aloud ("there's something comfortable about the hamster wheel of work, you don't have to worry about where you're going, just go round and round.") Hopkinson is insightful and although there are definitely some serious issues and moments, it is all well balanced in a tightly constructed plot. There is more to each of these women than just being a wife and they need to find this for themselves. Hopkinson clearly has a lot of affection for her characters and carries them through their emotional journeys as they work out just what kind of wife they are, and what kind of wife they want to be, with comedy and humour. I have to say, at this moment in time, it hit the spot and I really did enjoy it.

My huge thanks to Hodder Books for a free copy in return for a fair and honest review. For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 or sign up to receive future posts by email.

"Milkshakes and Heartbreaks at the Starlight Diner" Helen Cox

I have been following Helen Cox (@Helenography and @MilkshakesNYC) since I spotted her front cover on my twitter feed. It just looked like a really fun book and Helen has been releasing short free extracts about the background of the main characters via her twitter feed as a kind of tantalising treat while we all await the publication of the first full instalment of the story of the staff at the Starlight Diner.

I really liked the concept of making this more than a book and think it would lend itself to a huge franchise of all sorts of exciting avenues, including a film in which Anne Hathaway, Kristen Bell Jennifer Aniston or Kate Hudson would all ably capture the sarcastic, intelligent, vulnerable and very likeable main character Esther.

So what is it about? The Starlight Diner, a retro eatery in NYC, where 50's music, colourful uniforms and delicious milkshakes create an inviting atmosphere for customers and it's family of staff. As owner Bernie tells us in the prologue, "one thing you can never be sure of is just who is going to walk through the doorway but they all have one thing in common - they all have a story to tell."

Meet Esther, an English girl who has left a teaching career and London behind as she tries to run away from a hidden past. Meet Jack, a gruff, initially arrogant English actor, who wants to get to know more about this enigmatic waitress who can answer crossword clues without pausing for thought.

Esther harbours a deep, unhappy secret which is preventing her from moving forward in her life. "What good is a life if you were too afraid to live it?" She immediately feels a strong connection with Jack and they are clearly attracted to each other but something is holding them both back. Only when they confront their pasts and fully open up to each other, can they find their happy ending. But, will Jack still be interested in Esther when he finds out the truth about her?

Cox's style is very engaging and entertaining. Esther is sharp, witty, sarcastic, seemingly strong and in control. I really enjoyed the opening pages and connected with her personality very quickly. It was easy to visualise the busy life of the diner and the waitress's repartee with the customers. Quickly the reader realises that Esther is not a "typical" waitress and there must be a more sinister reason why she has chosen to rebuild her life here. She is intelligent, well read and frequently makes asides which infer knowledge and a literary background.

Mona, a fellow colleague, is full of gentle wisdom. She is a good tonic for Esther's cynicism, telling her that "actors are paid to be beautiful but they also need someone with whom they can share parts of themselves that aren't so pretty." Once she's finished admonishing her for the correct use of "whom", Esther is left to consider Jack more fairly. But while she wanders the dark, wet streets she continues to berate herself. She could never be warm, safe, loved. And once the truth begins to be uncovered she fears she'll have to flee again to somewhere where the "ghosts can't follow".

The mystery deepens. The novel takes a more serious turn. Boyce, the obnoxious journalist, is full of tricks and blackmail, stopping at nothing to get a headline story, sniffing out in the way only a ruthless journalist can, that there is more to Esther than simply an English woman who wanted to work in New York for a while.

Esther's story is an emotional journey; a journey of learning to forgive yourself, learning to love yourself, learning to trust others and overcome a traumatic past which is permeating all aspects of your new life. It is sad, it is serious. It is romantic and ultimately heartwarming. All the while, set against the bright backdrop of colour, light, music, fun, food and the friends of the 1950's style Starlight Diner. Cox's tone of voice always striking a perfect balance between wit, humour, entertainment, sensitivity, respect and understanding. The plot and the characters are well handled ensuring a plausible plot and appealing characters who you end up caring about and rooting for.

My only complaint - Cox beautifully resolves the different strands of the story to a satisfying and comforting conclusion then...disaster... She dares to end the story with the arrival of a new customer and the dreaded words "To Be Continued". Seriously? I mean, I just don't think I can wait......! I am sitting at the counter, about to tuck into my strawberry milkshake and help Walt with the crossword - I can't leave now!

There are some good reading group questions at the back which draw the reader's attention to some of the themes explored by Cox such as whether other people can change our lives or whether it is just up to us? And can you ever really outrun your shadow? Food for thought (excuse the pun).

So all in all, I enjoyed this book. I read it quickly, it was an easy read and probably best described as chick lit. I will be encouraging people to pack it in their holiday suitcase and really think it will do very well once published. I think it will have a wide and popular appeal and very much hope it gets picked up as a TV series or film.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Avon publishers for approving an advanced copy in return for a fair review.

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacUK), sign up to receive future posts via email or log on to Bloglovin' and see how easy it is to set up a feed with all your favourite bloggers so you see new posts as they are published.

"The Reader's of Broken Wheel Recommend" Katarina Bivald

I ordered this from the library - a 60p reservation charge for a hardback edition is an absolute bargain! You don't need to ask why I was attracted to the book, obviously the words "recommend", "reader's" and the picture of books swung it for me!!

I'm so glad I got hold of this book. It is a lovely, gentle, heartwarming read about books, small town communities, friendship and love. Meet Sara Lindquist, a Swedish bookworm who unexpectedly loses her job in a bookshop where she has worked for 10 years. Although she believes reading books isn't a bad way to live your life, she yearns to do something different - to experience something "big".

Before Sara's Book Shop was closed down, she bought a novel through an online second hand website from Amy Harris, an elderly lady living in the small backwater of Broken Wheel, Iowa, America. Amy refused payment, so Sara returned the favour by sending another book. The two women then became pen pals, exchanging books and little snippets of news about their everyday lives. Now free of any responsibility, Sara makes the bold decision to take a trip to meet Amy as there was no chance "anyone who wrote on proper cream coloured paper would abandon a friend in a strange town and turn out to be a psychopathic serial killer". Having spent most of her life living vicariously through fiction ("many of her most rewarding relationships had been with people that didn't even exist"), there was noting odd or risky to her about travelling all this way to stay with a stranger; to finally see Broken Wheel and its characters for herself.

However, when she arrives in Iowa, she is greeted with the news that Amy is dead.

What follows next is Sara's journey to rebuild the aptly named town of Broken Wheel through the healing power of words and stories by setting up a book shop. What problem can't a good book fix? "As soon as the inhabitants of Broken Wheel start reading, they will get better." Sara's mantra is "a person for every book, a book for every person." And it's not just the other towns folk who need healing, Sara too needs to find a purpose. She needs to feel like she belongs somewhere and to do this she needs confidence, adventure and romance. Perhaps some "reality" rather than hiding between the safe pages of a novel "where people are always better, nicer, friendlier."

The chapters are separated with Amy's letters. Her notes are brief and just provide snapshots of the people in her life. It is a really interesting technique - she is one of the main characters but all we hear from her is through these short letters which reference her reading habits and various bits of information about her family which we can then piece together with Sara's experiences to join the dots. As she is to Sara, so is Amy also to the reader, a shadow; always there, always part of each event but passively offering wisdom and insight gently and reassuringly in the background. I liked this aspect of the novel's structure.

I also enjoyed the many literary references - particularly Amy's comment that Joyce Carol Oates had never won the Nobel Prize because her productivity overwhelmed the male critics sense of self- "she writes more quickly than they can critique her."

I also really enjoyed the headings Sara chose to label her shelves with in the new shop: "Sex, Violence & Weapons" for thrillers, "Small Town Life", "Warning Unhappy Endings" for some classics like John Steinbeck's novels, "Short but Sweet" for the short but sweet! I think this book would be shelved perfectly under "For Friday Nights and Lazy Sundays" and "Happy Endings For When You Need Them." I'm quite inspired to reorganise my shelves under these headings!

This book is a little predictable, it does follow the well worn path of a romantic chick lit tale of friendship and self discovery, but do you know, what's wrong with that? I spent the evening curled up, engrossed in this charming, well written book about a kindred spirit who wants to spread her love for books, heal people and find a true sense of "coming home". I enjoyed being part of Sara's journey and was pleased that by the end she realises "once upon a time she hadn't wanted to be anything other than a minor character - to be the protagonist was too much to ask...but now..."

Amy's kind and warm comments help Sara to see that people can be as treasured as books and can be worth as much. She helps her to understand that dreams can be followed in real life rather than only in books and sometimes, reality can be as rewarding, happy and fulfilling as fiction.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to bury themselves books, identifies with fictional characters more often than real ones and who is looking for a book with a happy ending! If you liked "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society", "The Little Paris Bookshop", the "Big Stone Gap" series, "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" or "The Rejected Writers' Book Club" you will almost certainly enjoy this book!

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