Book Review: The Break by Marian Keyes.

Forty-four-year-old Amy is gobsmacked when her husband, Hugh, declares that he wants to take a break from their marriage. He plans to travel through South East Asia and sever all contact for six months. Leaving Amy and three children behind, he heads off with a rucksack, a quick-dry towel and a newly discovered sense of freedom. Amy is devastated but, in true Irish style, she picks herself up and carries on, regardless. With some words of (not your average) wisdom from her daughters, sisters and feisty mother, Amy slowly learns what it is like to be a separated mother and struggles to adapt to her new role, albeit in great vintage clothes.

It is twenty two years since Marian Keyes burst onto the fiction scene, with her debut, Watermelon. Twelve worldwide bestselling novels later, she returns with a fresh and zingy new host of characters. Amy is an extremely likable and well-rounded personality; in her prime, yet delightfully immature; attractive, yet insecure; career confident, yet equally happy to be at home. She has raised three very unique children and is a loving aunt to many. Her eldest daughter, Neeve, (who's father is a virtually-absent former footballer) is a make-up vlogger, even managing to rope in her Granny for the odd session. There is her quiet and contemplative niece, Sofie, who has been living with Amy and Hugh since her early childhood and is rarely seen without boyfriend, Jackson. Finally there is Kiara, a dream-child who gives her parents no worries. This houseful of females is awash with ongoing shenanigans and all-round mayhem which builds up momentum for the weekly extended-family meal. Add in Amy's regular commute to London, for her celeb clients requiring media-makeovers, and the story line never dips.

Keyes has come back with a bang. She has deposited some of her own insightful, warm wit into her characters and let them come to life in their own unique way. Fans will recognise many familiar topics dotted throughout the narrative; a love of all things cosmetic-related; a monthly cheese-subscription; a wife who is weary with the arduous task of caring for her husband with dementia; a fear of hairdressers; the joy of seeing a baby car seat being removed from a sibling's car. However, there are more universal moments. The delight of the first sip of crisp, white wine at the end of a crappy day; the 'mean-girl' effect on on adults who need friends, not enemies; the pre-date preparations required to make an older-woman feel confident enough to strip-off. There are also very valid and serious issues addressed. The ongoing Repeal the 8th campaign is tackled head-on with a character needing to travel abroad to end her pregnancy. Women, on this island, have no rights to their own bodies. Under Irish law, it is a criminal offense to procure abortion pills or seek termination in Ireland. In The Break, a female has made her choice, but cannot legally do anything about it. Choice is the key word.  It may not be a story line that everyone will be comfortable with, but it is a reflection of our times.  Unfair treatment of females in the workplace is also alluded to:

 "These days, my friends of child-bearing age, who work any sizable company, tell me that life is like a dystopian novel, one where women have to swallow their pill in a public ceremony every morning in the workplace. ('They watch over you like a hawk. You can't sneak off to puke from a hangover or put on even an ounce. If they suspect you're pregnant, you're immediately sidelined onto the worst project ever, to make you resign.')

But, there are lots of laughs. Bucket-loads of laughs. Amy is the kind of friend that you would want at your party. She's fun, sassy and you know she would have your back. Her ability to laugh and enjoy life, even through the darker moments, are endearing and despite being kicked in the teeth, she does not wallow in self-pity. (Instead, choosing to shop online, despite dwindling finances.) She is a great mother and a fantastic daughter. She gets her chance for her own 'mid-life crisis' and Jaypers, she gets right up on that horse. The sex scenes are real and raunchy, without being gratuitous, and are all the better for it. The body-shaming and 'things you should never wear over the age of forty' lists get the middle finger from Marian Keyes, and rightly so. There are some amazingly astute one-liners, all the way through:

"A soul-mate is like one of those seventy-nine-euro flights  to New York - a lovely idea but they don't exist."

"There are times when your heart is bursting with love for them and there are spells when you tense up at the sound of them entering the room."

Flashbacks give the reader a chance to know more about Amy and Hugh, allowing more depth to their relationship. The pacing is great, the language is a balance of the colloquial and generic and all emotions are examined; grief, anger, joy, surprise, despair, excitement (sexual and retail - YES!) and acceptance. Amy's mother is a breath of fresh air and like The Walsh Family novels, the diverse personalities within the family unit are the making of the story. I cannot fault this book at all. I am delighted to see Ms. Keyes back in flying form and spreading the joy to her readers. We are definitely a better nation for her. An outstanding look at life for the modern Irish woman.  Highly Recommended.

The Break is published by Michael Joseph on 7th September 2017 in HB. You can pre-order your copy via your local bookshop or via amazon link below:

Book Review - 'The Last One' by Alexandra Oliva.

In The Dark is a reality survival show that pushes its contestants to the limits.  The prize money is high but some are competing for more than the cash.  Zoo is running from her own reality and thinks the show may give her a new perspective.  Things start to go terribly wrong and one by one the contestants dwindle. But where are the crew and supplies, and is the whole world watching Zoo with admiration or horror as she battles the elements?

This is such a clever novel.  While the characters are given unusual names (and this takes a bit of getting used to) the concept is taught and as the game begins, the reader is right there alongside its participants. Zoo is a tough cookie, despite her slight appearance.  She has an inner-determination that sees her holding her own against some of the tough guys.  She soon gains some respect and the group begins to divide.  Online comments are dotted through the start of the book and its easy to relate to how the viewers feel about the reality show and its stars.  When obvious cameras begin to disappear, Zoo finds herself battling the elements with just her mini-cam and starts to suffer from paranoia.  Can she survive through to the bitter end? Is it really worth it? 

The over-all mood of Oliva's debut is one of tension and determination. Zoo is a strong character and the concept is even stronger.  It takes a few chapters to get really into the story, and the character names do not help this, but it is WELL worth persevering with it.  Once the games begin and challenges are set for the players, individual personalities come to light and clashes appear.  The woodlands have a personality of their own and the camera crew cannot interfere. Days slip into night and sleep is restricted.  The desire for food is intense and inner-survival skills become worth more than anything else.  The pace is choppy, with bursts of intense thrills and dips back to a steadier feel. The story line shifts about two thirds through and the protagonist takes on a more intense role.  I thoroughly enjoyed The Last One.  I had no idea what I was about to read and enjoyed the journey all the more for it.  A cross between Black Mirror and Survivor, with a great feisty, female lead. 

 A whip-cracking debut that I can highly recommend. 

The Last One is published by Penguin Michael Joseph in HB and Ebook and is released in PB on 29th December 2016. 

 You can order your copy, with 12% discount and Free Worldwide Postage,HERE.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

I received a copy of this title, from https://www.lovereading.co.uk/ in return for an honest review.

Book Review - "Dear Amy" by Helen Callaghan.

I received a copy of this title, from the publishers, in return for an honest review...

School teacher, Margot, freelances as a newspaper agony aunt and receives some disturbing mail:

Dear Amy,

Please please PLEASE help me!  I have been kidnapped by a stange man and he's holding me prisoner in this cellar.  He says I can never go home. I don't know where I am or what to do and nobody knows I'm here.

I don't even know how long I've been gone,but it seems like forever.  I'm afraid that people will stop looking for me.  I'm afraid he'll kill me.

Please help me soon,

Bethan Avery.

Hand written, in childish scrawl, Margot fears that the letter may be genuine.  Another school girl is missing and she fears for her safety.  She passes on the letter to the police and discovers there was indeed a missing girl called Bethan Avery, but back in the 1990s.  How is the recent disappearance of a schoolgirl related to this old case?  Why is Margot receiving letters?  How can she find a girl who has been missing for almost twenty years?  With the help of Martin Forrester, a criminologist with Cambridge University, she delves farther in the past in an attempt to understand the present.

This is one of the most twisty, turny novels I have read in a long time.  From the first chapter, the author take the reader into veritable carnival-like attraction of distorted mirrors, hidden corridors and cloak draped stages.  The letters received are heart-breaking yet confusing.  How is the missing girl able to post them, yet not know where she is? Why has she chosen an agony aunt as her saviour?  Does she read newspapers?  Will a TV appeal help?  Margot is already feeling pressure from her broken marriage and her vulnerability is now exposed even more.  Turning each page brings more questions and before you know it, you are hurtling towards the final chapter.

Helen Callaghan is an example of how returning to education can inspire a person to follow a dream.  Studying as a mature student can shed a different light on a persons interests and talents; sometimes resulting in a new career; a new outlook on life and, in this case, a sharp, cunning debut novel.  Callaghan's writing is pacy, vibrant and fresh.  The narrative is strong and the page-turning factor is high.  There are many, many crime writers out there who should look over their shoulders at this new novelist.  Part thriller, part psychological drama, this cries out for a TV three-part drama.  There are tastes of the writings of Ruth Rendell and Erin Kelly in here, as well as some similarities to  recent televised dramas like Sky One's The Five and BBC4's Thirteen.   This is a debut of note.  Just don't expect to get much done once you start.  It's one you won't  put down easily.     

Dear Amy is published by Penguin Michael Joseph on 16th June in HB and ebook format.

'The Good Girl' by Fiona Neill

Thanks to lovereading.co.uk for supplying a review copy of this title...

Romy is sixteen and has just moved with her family to a sleepy, rural town in England with her family.  Life suddenly seems brighter when they get some new neighbours, with two teenage sons.  A bohemian family, Romy finds herself drawn to handsome Jay, while her conservative mother struggles to hide her distaste of the neighbours lifestyle. Hippies, sex therapists and far left,  they represent everything that Romy's parents are not.   Meanwhile, young love leads to Romy uncovering her new boyfriend's secret and making an offer that may change her life forever.  In a parallel story, her parents secrets are about to be uncovered and may make things worse.

A difficult book to review as it has multi-layered stories with different themes.  I was expecting a psychological thriller but it is more of a literary read with added thrill.  The ending is placed at the start of the novel and the story unfolds gradually.  A little to slow unfurling, I found the story lost its momentum for the middle third of the book.  The dangers of online activity and the lack of privacy is one that all parents of teens worry about.  This story looks at the issue, but the teenage Romy is an unusual example of a sixteen year old, so it was hard to see her making this mistake.  She was far too clever a character to do something so blatant.  Her inner sense would have kicked it, long before allowing such momentous act to be filmed on camera.  Her younger brother was actually really annoying and the product of a very odd coupling of parents.   Her mother and father's mistakes also seemed improbable.  

The marketing and blurb suggested one book, but reading it proves another novel entirely.  

 A good read, if a bit too long.

The Good Girl is published by Michael Joseph and is available in hardback and ebook format