Tabby is the manager of a vintage store and has an eye for all things retro. Not long after her dad makes a bombshell announcement about his future, Tabby finds she can time-hop to 1989 where she becomes friends with the free-spirited Bea.
The connection between Tabby and Bea was absolutely lovely and I really enjoyed the glimpses into Tabby’s side hustle selling her treasures online. However, boy was she slow on the uptake about who various characters were! I was also expecting a bit more 80s nostalgia. But overall, a sweet and heartwarming read.
Robin Wilde feels like she's finally acing life: she's got an adorable daughter, a wonderful boyfriend and her dream job. But it's the veritable calm before the storm as Robin's best friend Lacey struggles with life as a new mother, her Auntie Kath becomes unusually distant and the loss of a major client at work threatens the very future of the company Robin works for. Robin is thrown into the midst of an epic juggling act but if there's anyone who can thrive, it's her.
I usually begin to get a little bored with book series by the end of book two, but Louise Pentland's Wilde books have gone to strength from strength and I enjoyed this third offering as much as the previous two. It is full of its usual girl power and balance of serious and lighter themes and just makes for a really easy, pleasant read.
There is a subplot surrounding Auntie Kath which appears in the final stages of the book that sadly did feel a little rushed at the end and I wish it had been given a more prolonged and in-depth focus but that aside, this is a great addition to the series.
(JC)
Robin Wilde has been a single mum for four years (and two months and twenty-four days) and as much as she adores her little girl, Lyla, she can't help but feel the Emptiness sometimes. She misses having another adult around, someone to talk to and interact with. And then there's the PSMs (posh school mums) who seem to have their lives fully under control, and even her ex, Simon, seems to have his life in order with new girlfriend, Storie. Robin knows something has to change, she just needs to give herself a chance, who knows who or what may come her way?
Like the very best chick lit heroines, Robin Wilde is the woman next door all women can relate to and want to be friends with. She and daughter Lyla are the most adorable tag team, and Auntie Kath rounds off the ensemble perfectly. There's a lot of girl power in this novel, and although there's romance too, the love between mother and daughter and the love for oneself come out on top. Full of humour, warmth and conviction, this is a sparkling debut. (JC)
