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sony08's review
4.0
Perfect reading for the summer nights just gone. A proper family drama novel that you can get your teeth stuck into and enjoy every page.
Anna is indeed shocked to discover her husband’s affair and it forces her to question the quality of their relationship. Like many couples, their own relationship was unintentionally put onto the side burner, whilst they brought up their daughter Sophie. But now that Sophie is a proper teenager with a charming, first boyfriend, Anna must face the possibility of future alone.
Sophie’s boyfriend Jack seems to breathe fresh air into the family setting and to an outsider, the Bonds seems to be a very happy family. But cracks appear very quickly. I was annoyed with Anna and her own affair, it just seemed selfish to me and it made her lose sight of the important things in her live. But I did love her relationship with Fred and the way she took him under her wing.
This book covers that middle agreed issue of kids flying the nest and couples being forced to question their life together. It shows how fragile relationship can be if not looked after.
Anna is indeed shocked to discover her husband’s affair and it forces her to question the quality of their relationship. Like many couples, their own relationship was unintentionally put onto the side burner, whilst they brought up their daughter Sophie. But now that Sophie is a proper teenager with a charming, first boyfriend, Anna must face the possibility of future alone.
Sophie’s boyfriend Jack seems to breathe fresh air into the family setting and to an outsider, the Bonds seems to be a very happy family. But cracks appear very quickly. I was annoyed with Anna and her own affair, it just seemed selfish to me and it made her lose sight of the important things in her live. But I did love her relationship with Fred and the way she took him under her wing.
This book covers that middle agreed issue of kids flying the nest and couples being forced to question their life together. It shows how fragile relationship can be if not looked after.
lorrainewardy's review
4.0
A really well written book about life’s ups and downs. I felt Diane really captured Anna, the main character very well and I found her such a likeable person, making me feel awful for her life experiences within this book, I don’t really want to say any more as I don’t want to spoil it for others, but it’s a highly recommend book.
shelleyann01's review
4.0
This is a book about marriage, love, motherhood, friendship, first love and sex. It is told in the best possible way, it is real and raw and poetic. This is Contemporary Literary Fiction at its finest. Diane Chandler writes about the human condition in a very compelling way. I read this book in a single day and found it to be a great character study.
This is definitely not a fluffy beach read. Besides the coming of age and the love story of each of the characters this book handles some important issues...low self esteem, loneliness and infidelity are just some of the emotional baggage these characters are carrying around. Watching each of these characters push through life the best way they can makes for a compelling read that in the end will make you glad to have read their story.
The plot is powerful and riveting, but the book's true strength is in the fully-developed characters, who will haunt you long after you stop reading. This is a must read for fans of contemporary, women's fiction.
Thank you NetGalley, Diane Chandler and Blackbird Digital Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.
#OnlyHuman #NetGalley
This is definitely not a fluffy beach read. Besides the coming of age and the love story of each of the characters this book handles some important issues...low self esteem, loneliness and infidelity are just some of the emotional baggage these characters are carrying around. Watching each of these characters push through life the best way they can makes for a compelling read that in the end will make you glad to have read their story.
The plot is powerful and riveting, but the book's true strength is in the fully-developed characters, who will haunt you long after you stop reading. This is a must read for fans of contemporary, women's fiction.
Thank you NetGalley, Diane Chandler and Blackbird Digital Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.
#OnlyHuman #NetGalley
amothersmusings1's review
5.0
I’m not surprised at all that Diane Chandler’s “Only Human” has made the long list for the #NotTheBooker prize. I adored this fabulously written book from the very first page, falling in love with Anna immediately and feeling a connection with the whole family scenario.
Anna Bond is floundering. Stay at home ‘tiger’ mother to tricky teen Sophie who is now slipping through her fingers and a loyal wife to a husband she no longer trusts, what does she do next with her life? Once a confident career woman, Anna now finds that her soul is searching for what matters and her mind needs more stimulation. Then Jack walks into their lives. Sophie’s first boyfriend is a breath of fresh air for the whole family and Anna gradually discovers new purpose for herself. But when deceit creeps in, tensions surface and she finds herself propelled through a tangled web of secrets and lies towards a devastating climax.
As a woman of a similar age to Anna with a teenager at home and having been married and a homemaker for over twenty years, I really did ‘get’ how Anna felt with her feelings of lost youth and the potential ‘flying the nest’ syndrome with her sixteen year old daughter. I totally understood her concerns as Sophie starting doing things for the first time, from attending parties, music festivals and having her boyfriend stay overnight. As a mam myself, everything rang true and the realistic storyline was very relatable. What woman stuck in a rut wouldn’t be flattered by the attentions of a handsome young man after finding out her husband has been having an affair for the last five months? What the author also tackled in the storyline was dementia which was handled sympathetically and true to life and Fred really found a place in my heart. Dementia is a horrible disease and I liked the way the author covered it with empathy, even considering Anna as a candidate for a social enterprise, selling devices and activities to help patients suffering from it. However, it’s not all doom and gloom and along with some twists and turns there’s some really funny, laugh out loud moments that I shall I never forget. I can only begin to imagine Sophie’s embarrassment when they return some clothes to a shop! A must read chapter...
Beautifully written with intrigue, genuine emotions and family life dealing with friends, fidelity and secrets, this story was outstanding. I could read it all over again immediately and was quite saddened when it ended. I would love to see what lies ahead for Anna and Sophie and I beg the author to consider writing a follow up to this addictive five star read!
5 stars
Anna Bond is floundering. Stay at home ‘tiger’ mother to tricky teen Sophie who is now slipping through her fingers and a loyal wife to a husband she no longer trusts, what does she do next with her life? Once a confident career woman, Anna now finds that her soul is searching for what matters and her mind needs more stimulation. Then Jack walks into their lives. Sophie’s first boyfriend is a breath of fresh air for the whole family and Anna gradually discovers new purpose for herself. But when deceit creeps in, tensions surface and she finds herself propelled through a tangled web of secrets and lies towards a devastating climax.
As a woman of a similar age to Anna with a teenager at home and having been married and a homemaker for over twenty years, I really did ‘get’ how Anna felt with her feelings of lost youth and the potential ‘flying the nest’ syndrome with her sixteen year old daughter. I totally understood her concerns as Sophie starting doing things for the first time, from attending parties, music festivals and having her boyfriend stay overnight. As a mam myself, everything rang true and the realistic storyline was very relatable. What woman stuck in a rut wouldn’t be flattered by the attentions of a handsome young man after finding out her husband has been having an affair for the last five months? What the author also tackled in the storyline was dementia which was handled sympathetically and true to life and Fred really found a place in my heart. Dementia is a horrible disease and I liked the way the author covered it with empathy, even considering Anna as a candidate for a social enterprise, selling devices and activities to help patients suffering from it. However, it’s not all doom and gloom and along with some twists and turns there’s some really funny, laugh out loud moments that I shall I never forget. I can only begin to imagine Sophie’s embarrassment when they return some clothes to a shop! A must read chapter...
Beautifully written with intrigue, genuine emotions and family life dealing with friends, fidelity and secrets, this story was outstanding. I could read it all over again immediately and was quite saddened when it ended. I would love to see what lies ahead for Anna and Sophie and I beg the author to consider writing a follow up to this addictive five star read!
5 stars
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