The book starts brilliantly. The concept is great – as I tucked in to the first chapter I was delighted that the story lives up to the novel idea. It's a beautiful story that flicks between current day and Pat's teenage years in the sixties.  As Pat's story becomes clear it's clear to see how she became the grand Patrice Leigh, and her role in supporting people who seek out a medium. Much my reading was spent thinking is she or isn't she (the real thing)?. Interwoven with Leo and Louise's lives respectively, the pain of grief and losing a loved one is heartfelt. When the loose ends came together at the end, I wanted to reread the book again straight away.
 
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
 
Thank you so much the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy in return for an honest review. 

I started to read this at the beginning of a 200km journey from Kampala to Hoima squished between two locals on a matatu taxibus. Unfortunately early on a sentence caught the eye of my new travel neighbour: 'Can men just Uber at – I looked at my phone – 2.54a.m. after a blow job, having not returned the favour and think it's acceptable?'  Although I couldn't be sure my fellow passenger had read the sentence, it was enough to make my cheeks blush and read something less risqué for the rest of the journey.
 
This is the third book I've read this summer concerning weddings, and in particular the impromptu engagements of best friends, so there was a presumptive here-we-go-again… but I was very pleasantly surprised.
 
Jasper "Jaz" Marquess of Milton, is a cad, but when he turns on the charm and gives more than just a hint of vulnerability one can't help falling for the charismatic rogue. What possibly could go wrong? Everything it seems!
 
The will-they won't-they romance merry-go-round was kept grounded by the news that Polly's mother has breast cancer. Polly tries to juggle a new love life, her mother's health, her maid of honour duties, and her insufferable place of work.
 
The writing was fresh and the story was absorbing. The dialogue was contemporary and the descriptive narrative was engaging –when Polly goes to interview Jasper in the country, I felt like a fly-on-the-wall at the family dinner. The modern dating was realistic as were the sex scenes to the point of awkward and yet not a truism in sight.
 
I happily say I Do to The Plus One.
 
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
 
Thank you so much the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy in return for an honest review.
 

The story opens with Jess promising to help her sister look after her two young children whilst Jess' mother and their grandmother looks for respite at a health retreat. Next, Jess is whisked away to South Africa for a friend's wedding. It's not quite the seven year itch for Jess and Pete (it's only six years for starters), but the cracks are there and it's telling in how realistic the dialogue is; awkward, barbed, and full of compromise.
 
When Jess spots her father, she phones him, and there is that awkward moment where he lies where he is. Jess' relationship woes intertwined with extensive family side-tangents keep you occupied and entertained. I was Team Jess the entire time (and I couldn't wait for Pete to fall from a great height. Spoiler: he was at no point in any danger, such a shame!).

It feels that as Jess' story is coming to an end - there is still another third of the book to go. When Jess returns to London, her life is even more complicated.

A lovely woven tale of love (new, old, and familial).
 
A life affirming romantic comedy – it leaves you thinking life is too short to not swim, even if that happens to be with sharks, rather than dolphins.
 
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
 
Having been to South Africa I was envious that my own travels didn't make it to Cape Town – Catherine describes the it as a wonderful and beautiful destination.

Thank you so much the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy in return for an honest review.

I have been Marian Keyes since the beginning. I had to look up when her first book Watermelon had been published (1995) to work out how long our relationship was – over 20 years. The women in her books were making the same mistakes and me and my peers, and now twenty years later, the characters are older and wiser, but then so am I.
 
I had The Break for a few months before starting.  And this is one of my strange habits with books from authors I love. I don't want to binge the book, for it to be gone too quickly. I want to savour and enjoy every sentence.
 
The Break is told in two timelines; the present day and starting from twenty years previously, until the timelines meet. The story of a marriage that has perhaps gone stale isn't new, but the actions to prevent settling for just that feels novel and fresh.
 
As always there is more than meets the eye to any Marian Keyes' novel, and in this case there is an side plot involving the complexities of abortion in Ireland that really resonated with me, especially in light of the recent referendum to repeal the 8th amendment.
 
The book made me cry, it made me angry, and it made me laugh. What more could I ask for?
 
Next time I won't wait so long to read a new Marian Keyes' book!
 
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

IVY AND ABE was my next book to read.  I try to read books in order of publication date - as it happens the e-book was published in February and the publication date of 28 June 2018 is actually the date for the paperbook.
 
I remember seeing a quote declaring IVY AND ABE was "THE romance of the year”. But when the epigraph mentions Stephen Hawkins, and a quote from It’s a Wonderful life, and the first chapter opens in 2026 - woah, what is going on?!  I went back to the book blurb - got it. Let’s begin...
 
An amazing and heartfelt story of the lives and lives of Abe and Ivy. I was fully engaged from the get-go and as the first section ended I was holding back the tears. Not only was the story an emotional rollercoaster, it included a multitude of stories from travelling in the UK and around the world which sparked my own wanderlust. And with the different eras it offers both a historical and a contemporary story.
 
With books like this, the substance of the story and the quality of the writing has to outweigh the novelty of the premise, which is why The Time Traveler's Wife holds the bar so high. I'm glad to report that this book does both and is an incredible read.
 
A timely reminder of love in all its glory.
And I have to agree - it is the romance of the year!
 
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
 
Thank you so much the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy in return for an honest review.