As bright-eyed freshers, best friends Sophie and Isla compose lists of things they want to do in life. Now in their thirties, some of their dreams seem to have slipped by them. But when Isla faces a difficult diagnosis out of the blue, perspective on life changes for both women. Vanessa Greene delivers a lovely, positive depiction of female friendship – of loyalty, compassion and devotion without any hint of jealousy, betrayal or acrimony. Sophie and Isla really are the epitome of best friends and it’s a nice change to see such a perfect friendship. At times the narrative felt a little hurried and it was easy to see through Sophie’s story in particular. But the spirit of this novel rises above all else. It is a nice, quick read with a powerful, inspiring message. (JC)
As teenagers, best friends Bee, Rosa and Iona spent a magical time on the Greek island of Paros. But a decade later, life, love and work has taken over and they’ve drifted apart. When the windmill guest house in Paros comes up for sale, however, Rosa decides to take a leap of faith and purchase it and Bee is soon on board. For Iona too it could be just the escape she needs but leaving her controlling boyfriend Ben won’t be easy. There’s something charming and warming about this novel and the setting is idyllic. As a read it’s extremely easy-going and pacy, but therein lies many of the novel’s drawbacks. Indeed, it reads as if on fast-forward, skimming the surface of the plot, characters and situations and never anything more. The story throws up some interesting plotlines and dramas but unfortunately these are bypassed without a second glance. Iona’s predicament is the most compelling of the three characters but again we’re not really taken below the surface. (JC)
This book begins with three women in search of something unique and simple for different reasons at a car boot sale. But they all fall for the same teaset and agree to share it and through this they form a bond. Jenny has found the man of her dreams in Dan, and then suddenly someone walks back into her life with a bang. Maggie has closed the box on her broken heart and focuses on the event in her career that could change her life but life isn't as always simple as you want it to be. Alison is happy with the way her life is, married to her true love with two daughters, but the balance of her life becomes unsteady and she is pushed to breaking point. We as readers are given an insight into the history of the teaset and I think a lot of readers will find this interesting, especially if they are interested in vintage items and their history. This is a simple easy read with a few surprises along the way. (KD)
