Before I Knew You (2011)

When two couples from opposite sides of the ocean decide to swap houses for the summer, the effects it has on each of them is powerful. Sophie and Andrew, who have been married a while and need some respite from the chores of daily life, and William and Beth, newly married and still in their honeymoon phase, don't know each other personally. However, when they are put in touch with each other through a mutual friend, and the house swap is put into place, a chain of events that neither couple can stop is set off. The novel takes a hard look at relationships and the complex emotions that are involved in each one. It's quite heartbreaking at points, but overall the novel is right on point. Relationships are hard work at times and when you lose interest or trust in your partner, then often these relationships take a different course. But at the end of the day, these characters learn that important things are worth fighting for. A smart and well-written novel that showcases just how good Amanda Brookfield is at dissecting the human relationship and creating compelling characters. (AS)

Life Begins (2008)

If life begins at 40, then 39-year-old Charlotte is so ready to start again. She has recently divorced her husband who has moved in with his new girlfriend. She is unsuccessfully trying to sell her house to move closer to her son Sam's school and she may well be out of a job when the bookshop she works in changes hands. Plus Amanda's attracting attention from all the wrong men, including her real estate agent and her close friend's husband. Although it jumps around a bit confusingly between characters' viewpoints, many will not need to walk in Charlotte's shoes to totally empathise with her.

Relative Love (2004)

Gathered together in their large family home for Christmas we meet the Harrison family: mother and father Pamela and John, their four children and grandchildren. Throughout the novel we learn about their lives during that same year, their ups and downs, their happiness and their sorrow and about how they deal with what life throws at them. This family saga is well written, with characters that we come to really care about. At the heart of the story is the tragic death of an infant, a hit-and-run accident and the repercussions that affect each family member. We discover long-kept family secrets, failed romances, adulterous affairs, and secret illnesses. It is a lengthy novel packed full of issues that are well documented. (JH)

Back to Authors B