Caroline has left her smooth talking adulterous husband and moved to the Cotswolds with her 15 year old daughter. The move has not been good or smooth as they have left a fairly luxurious life in Singapore and Issy her daughter is being moody, difficult and fractious. Issy takes the view that her father is never wrong, would not do anything against her in particular as according to her she is the main person in his life and blames Caroline for everything and anything. So far the book sounds typically descriptive of a 15 year old spoilt girl!
Fast forward to the Cotswolds where Caroline is befriended by two people who take her in not just physically providing a place to stay but also into their hearts. Caroline also discovers a ramshackle, abandoned house which she and only she can envision as a place where she feels at home. Caroline has not worked for years and finds the going back to work idea traumatic. She can cook however so she becomes a cook at Jesus's restaurant dishing out fabulous dishes along with the tacos that Jesus and his wife provide.
Along with the mix of heartache whilst Caroline comes to terms with her betrayal the surprises keep coming. This is not just a story of how a woman can turn her life around but there are additions of a suspected murder, the Chinese triads, extortion, not just one mistress but a couple and on top of it all a love child.
Finding it impossible to cope Caroline has to learn how to manage all this, and at the same time help her daughter with her own problems of dating and relationships for the first time. Issy thinks she can handle this on her own and finds that she cannot and all is not what it seems.
For me the story is a balancing act of how Caroline manages relationships with her daughter and with men who are also interested in her. Trying to trust and love someone after a betrayal is hard.Also, trying to get financially independent after having being well provided for, for years and now finding yourself literally penniless and the realization that you are responsible not just for yourself but for your teenage daughter can be daunting but Caroline does it very well.
I thought from my initial look at the cover that this was going to be an idyllic read of the Cotswolds and more of an easy, comfortable read. It was a bit more and that added to the interest.
I like the sound of this - especially the part about managing teenage daughters! - adding to tbr list, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Vintage Reading Mystica, and love the way you ended your review enough to add it to my list! Thank you,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a good read. I'm glad you liked it even though it was different than you expected.
ReplyDeleteThe cover caught my attention because it reminded me of a nice comfort read. I'm not disappointed to hear there is more to it though. I like the sound of this one.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a wonderful book! I've always wanted to visit the Cotswalds so I could do some armchair traveling!
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