Fiona Harper

A classic, feel-good holiday read that reminded me a little of the film The Holiday, starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet. Except that this time, the holiday swap is between two sisters who have a lot of unresolved issues linked to their childhood. Oh, and there are four incredibly vivacious children to be dealt with too. And a missing turkey.

I really liked the idea behind this story, and I loved seeing how these two completely different sisters managed to use the holiday swap as a way to step into each other's shoes. As the story delves deep into the thought processes of both Juliet and Gemma, it was really interesting to see what they thought of one another, and how their past influenced the way each of them interpreted the other's actions and decisions, but also how their different interpretation and memories of their childhood became incredibly relevant in their present relationship. I loved the characters, especially Juliet and Gemma. I found them so realistic, with all their flaws and fears. They weren't afraid to question themselves, but they were also funny and witty, and left me giggling more than once. Oh, and the St Lucia setting was just gorgeous! Many times I wished I, too, like Juliet could be tanning and bathing in those blue waters.

Overall, this was a pretty good read. It was very entertaining and uplifting, a classic feel-good holiday novel. It didn't turn my world around, and some things certainly left me wanting, but it definitely gave me a few pleasant reading hours.

Originally posted on Book For Thought.… (més)

Anna and Brody are strangers. They meet by phone when Anna dials a number that now belongs to Brody, and with that call their paths start to converge. This is the story of their journeys.

A main character’s gradual emergence from deep grief is not an uncommon theme in women’s fiction. Knowing this as I started the audiobook, I was sure I could predict which surprising (cliché and tired) plot devices would pop up. Fiona Lucas earned my respect by proving me wrong on every prediction, although this book does follow the expected formula and contains the usual characters (parents, in-laws, pushy best friend). As Anna, Brody, and other characters struggle toward healing, Ms. Lucas shows us the authentic grief and excruciating regret which any reader who has lost a loved one will recognize.

I would have appreciated a deeper exploration of Anna’s and Brody’s relationship early in their story. In their first interactions, one of them uses the other unashamedly and with no awareness of how their outpouring of emotion might be affecting their friend. There is no reciprocity, and the seemingly unavoidable conflict that this would create could have added depth to the relationship and the book. This was the only miss (I wouldn’t really call it a flaw) that I noted in an otherwise well-crafted audiobook edition that’s nicely paced and flows effortlessly; it’s always a pleasure to experience a book that’s created by a gifted storyteller.

The story is on the long side for its type, at just over eleven hours, but it held my interest throughout, and those who love the genre will consider the time invested in reading or listening well spent. Narrator Antonia Beamish has a pleasant, well-modulated voice although her depiction of male voices is awkward. It wasn’t necessary to constantly adjust the sound, as the volume was consistent – always appreciated.

Readers of women’s fiction with a theme of grief will recognize that The Last Goodbye holds its own in the genre.

Thank you to #NetGalley and HarperAudio for an Advance Reader Copy of this audiobook which I received in return for my honest review of #TheLastGoodbye.… (més)

This book is a long journey, but it needs to be, since it's a book about people who are grieving and stuck in place. And there aren't going to be quick remedies for that, but there will be a progression, one which is believably laid out by the author over the course of slightly more than a year.

The book opens with Anna, who lost her husband a couple of years previously and is still sheltering under the numbness. After one particularly low evening, Anna calls her late husband's old phone number. A number she's held on to just so she can call and hear his voice on the message. Except this time there's no reassuring voicemail recording. Someone actually picks up. Thus begins the slow development of a new friendship that offers Anna the listening ear and patient advice that she's been unknowingly yearning for.

Like me, you might not always be able to relate to exactly how these characters are acting. Like me, you might occasionally feel frustrated by the things they do or don't do. In a way, the reader becomes an extra member of the concerned friends brigade. Wanting to see the grieving person move forward a little sooner, but ultimately forced to recognize that grief takes unique pathways, and that the person will probably get to where they need to be in the end.

Although the subject matter was serious, I wouldn't say this was a hard or tragic book to read. It was poignant but not exhausting. The premise strained my credulity ever so slightly, not the strangers becoming friends over the phone idea, but that it would take Anna SO long to realize that she was the one who had been doing all the talking. It seemed like quite a one-sided friendship for a while. But what did sell me on the book was the concluding section. The emotional progress and the ultimate payoff were quite satisfying.

The writing was really good. Although it's a contemporary book, it felt fairly timeless because its focus was rightly on the character's internal worlds.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for this advance review copy.… (més)