In usual Cathy Kelly style, she introduces us to a cast of warm and delightful characters all connected by childhood sweethearts, Michael and Katy, who become engaged at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Their impending marriage affects all around them in different ways. There’s friend Leila who is struggling with the breakdown of her own relationship, a sick mother and distant sister; Katy’s mother Birdie is married to harsh and domineering Howard and watching her daughter wed empowers her to live her own life (this is the best storyline) then there is Michael’s separated but amicable parents Grace and Stephen. Throw in cake maker Vonnie who is struggling with her own blended family and it all adds up to a fantastic read about family dynamics. (LF)
It Started With Paris, by Cathy Kelly, starts with a once-in-a-lifetime moment. The summary says: "At the top of the Eiffel Tower, a young man proposes to his girlfriend, cheered on by delighted tourists. Vonnie, a widow and exceptional cake-maker, is just daring to let love back into her life, but someone is determined to stop it. Leila, devotedly working for her boss, but realising her devotion is turning to something more romantic. Grace, a divorced head-teacher, starting to wonder whether she faces a lifetime of being alone. The impending wedding of her daughter means that she's spending more time with her ex-husband. After ten years apart, is it possible she's made a mistake?" It Started With Paris is out in October 2014.