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what_heather_loves's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"If someone had asked me how things were going a few weeks ago I would have said 'this is fine, it's fine'. Little phrases we use to wash down our discontent even though 'fine' is an adjective that has moved so far away from its original meaning of things being excellent or good, that it has become a piece of tape hiding the cracks in a life. I only know that because life feels different now."
39 year old Padma finds herself taking care of her distant teenage niece Myra in a Kent seaside town one summer after her self-centred boyfriend of 10 years suggests they go on a break and Myra suffers alcohol poisoning. Will Padma and Myra mend fences?
I adored In Case Of Emergency by the author, so requested her new book through NetGalley and was not disappointed. More wise words about friendship and family seen through the eyes of Padma and Myra, both of whom I was drawn in by, wanting to know them better. It was a joy to follow them both on their journeys to understanding themselves and what they wanted from their lives, less constrained by their pasts and others' expectations. The pretty and up-and-coming seaside town of Harkness was a lovely location from the summer away from their usual lives and supporting characters, Daisy (Maya's mum and Padma's sister), Selena (Padma's new friend), Henry (Padma's love interest) and Greg (Myra's new friend) were equally well-drawn and relatable. Astute examinations of some challenging themes, including alcoholism, parental abandonment and grief, motherhood and choosing to be child-free, are expertly woven into the plot, peppered with affectionate humour. I found this to be so readable - a skillfully written and moving novel engaging the reader so they feels connected to the characters. Highly recommended!
39 year old Padma finds herself taking care of her distant teenage niece Myra in a Kent seaside town one summer after her self-centred boyfriend of 10 years suggests they go on a break and Myra suffers alcohol poisoning. Will Padma and Myra mend fences?
I adored In Case Of Emergency by the author, so requested her new book through NetGalley and was not disappointed. More wise words about friendship and family seen through the eyes of Padma and Myra, both of whom I was drawn in by, wanting to know them better. It was a joy to follow them both on their journeys to understanding themselves and what they wanted from their lives, less constrained by their pasts and others' expectations. The pretty and up-and-coming seaside town of Harkness was a lovely location from the summer away from their usual lives and supporting characters, Daisy (Maya's mum and Padma's sister), Selena (Padma's new friend), Henry (Padma's love interest) and Greg (Myra's new friend) were equally well-drawn and relatable. Astute examinations of some challenging themes, including alcoholism, parental abandonment and grief, motherhood and choosing to be child-free, are expertly woven into the plot, peppered with affectionate humour. I found this to be so readable - a skillfully written and moving novel engaging the reader so they feels connected to the characters. Highly recommended!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Mental illness, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Bullying
Minor: Miscarriage
liv4516's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thecandidbookclub's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
beate251's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for an ARC.
I first became aware of Poorna Bell through In Case of Emergency, her first fiction book. I rated it very much so when NetGalley granted me a copy I was very excited and started reading immediately. That was about ten hours ago. I read it in one sitting and I think it's even better than her first novel.
Padma is a 39 year old woman of Indian decent whose partner of ten years Wallace suddenly suggests a break from their relationship because she doesn't want to have kids and he does, like he could force her into it by doing so. She is also currently unemployed so when her sister Daisy and brother-in-law Henry ask her to look after their wayward 15 year old daughter Myra in a holiday cottage in Kent for six weeks during the summer holidays and get paid for it, she says yes. The cottage belongs to Hugo, a friend of the family. What follows is a lot of reflection on life while trying to get through to a depressed teenager. Padma herself also struggles with depression - it seems to lie in the family and stem from their alcoholic mother. Their childhood is frequently mentioned in her talks with her sister. The two of them struggle to connect as they remember things so differently, and Padma resents how Daisy tried to reinvent herself without acknowledging her Indian roots, even changing her name from Dharma. Padma's passion is cooking and she starts bringing her Indian dishes to the village where she makes friends quickly.
Bell's writing is so rich and so wise, I screen grabbed a few pages just for some quotes too good to forget. Padma's reluctance to have kids is brought up frequently but handled sensitively. It's really irritating how the decision to stay childfree is so often questioned in society.
Bell concentrates on the women in the story and there is very strong character development for everyone involved. The men aren't altogether too important although Wallace tries very hard to act like an arse. Thankfully even the love story isn't given great prominence and only happens at the end when Padma has regained her confidence.
What can I say, I loved the characters and the story, which is so effectively told. Myra is a typical but loveable teenager who opens up to her auntie and helps her gain followers on social media for her cooking videos.
I was sad when the book ended - I could have spent weeks with these characters as the love between the women was palpable.
I first became aware of Poorna Bell through In Case of Emergency, her first fiction book. I rated it very much so when NetGalley granted me a copy I was very excited and started reading immediately. That was about ten hours ago. I read it in one sitting and I think it's even better than her first novel.
Padma is a 39 year old woman of Indian decent whose partner of ten years Wallace suddenly suggests a break from their relationship because she doesn't want to have kids and he does, like he could force her into it by doing so. She is also currently unemployed so when her sister Daisy and brother-in-law Henry ask her to look after their wayward 15 year old daughter Myra in a holiday cottage in Kent for six weeks during the summer holidays and get paid for it, she says yes. The cottage belongs to Hugo, a friend of the family. What follows is a lot of reflection on life while trying to get through to a depressed teenager. Padma herself also struggles with depression - it seems to lie in the family and stem from their alcoholic mother. Their childhood is frequently mentioned in her talks with her sister. The two of them struggle to connect as they remember things so differently, and Padma resents how Daisy tried to reinvent herself without acknowledging her Indian roots, even changing her name from Dharma. Padma's passion is cooking and she starts bringing her Indian dishes to the village where she makes friends quickly.
Bell's writing is so rich and so wise, I screen grabbed a few pages just for some quotes too good to forget. Padma's reluctance to have kids is brought up frequently but handled sensitively. It's really irritating how the decision to stay childfree is so often questioned in society.
Bell concentrates on the women in the story and there is very strong character development for everyone involved. The men aren't altogether too important although Wallace tries very hard to act like an arse. Thankfully even the love story isn't given great prominence and only happens at the end when Padma has regained her confidence.
What can I say, I loved the characters and the story, which is so effectively told. Myra is a typical but loveable teenager who opens up to her auntie and helps her gain followers on social media for her cooking videos.
I was sad when the book ended - I could have spent weeks with these characters as the love between the women was palpable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Alcoholism
carammcdermott's review against another edition
3.0
Easy reading, sweet story, no big surprises but perfectly comforting nonetheless. I appreciated the opportunity to learn about south Asian culture, and the key issues of mental health, addiction and racism were handled with sensitivity. .
bookishconnections's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
As always Poorna knocks it out of the park, this is such a funny, heartwarming and lovely book that deals with so many issues including mental health, the death of a parent, teenage alcoholism and so much more.
Padma is a fantastic and realistic character and her growth is very realistic as she has to face so many challenges both personally and professionally.
I really enjoyed this book and wish I had Myra’s tenacity and wit in real life!
Padma is a fantastic and realistic character and her growth is very realistic as she has to face so many challenges both personally and professionally.
I really enjoyed this book and wish I had Myra’s tenacity and wit in real life!
lalapope's review
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for an ARC.
Caution; Mild spoilers (I’ve tried to keep it vague)
Brief review; 3 ½ star book that has the space to be 4 or more with a few modifications.
Let me begin with a positive. Most of the main cast and secondary is well written and developed. Poorna Bell knows how to say just enough about a character to give them the depth and flavour required to care about what happens to them. Of note to me was Myra. She acts her age (this is hard to do!) and her emotional regulation develops as the book progresses. A less skilled author would have struggled to turn Myra from as unlikeable as she is at the start of the story to the strong woman she grows to be over the book. Padma’s love for Myra ,despite how difficult Myra makes things at first, feels genuine and believable. I also really liked both café owners for being sweet and encouraging without being cloying.
In contrast, Wallace felt quite two dimensional for how much he factors into Padma’s life. Poorna Bell could have used spent some of the time Padma fixates on her past conflicts with her mother on their relationship. She comes across as extremely co-dependent on him until later, but we never really get to see how these residual feelings remain. The version of Wallace we see seems profoundly awful. Perhaps this was the point. Even so, Poorna Bell could have spent time showing how loving he once was to contrast the cruel man we see within these pages.
To return to the positive, I really loved to see Padma regain her confidence through cooking and getting closer to Myra through cooking too. It was fantastic to see Myra be just as encouraging to Padma as she is to her. The gradual progression of her talents being seen by the right eyes to the outcomes of the epilogue felt organic and well-paced.
In contrast, I found Hugo’s role in the story often harmed the message of self-love that I feel gives this book its heart. Padma learns to love herself and be happy alone only for this to feel detracted by Hugo’s presence. Perhaps some readers may enjoy that she finds love again. Me? The bond between Myra and Padma and their relationship is what got me to the end. Hugo had me skimming. In a similar thread, I find that the frequent reminisce of her troubled childhood is a little excessive. Whilst “the seaside story” and “when mom was gone” stories really work for the story, the rest didn’t feel that necessary.
To end on a more neutral thought, the final fifth and ending leaves me with some complex feelings. On one hand, it’s emotional and intense. Book long plot threads come to roost and closure is given to many questions. On the other, the mental episode feels too convenient. I didn’t like mental breakdowns as a plot device. It is also so much more intense than the rest of the book. I spent most of the book enjoying some reflective chatter and character growth. The last part was genuinely distressing.
So how would I improve this book? I have a few ideas.
Firstly, I would rethink Hugo as a character within the story. I see his value as a good friend to Padma outside of the cafes and family. However, their romance is undeveloped, and it leaves it feeling unnecessary. Poorna Bell should either give the romance more room to grow or focus on Myra’s and Padma’s self-love and self-growth journey. I think the latter is better.
Secondly, I think Padma could have participated in some therapy of her own. This would be a great way to repurpose the passages about her mother and the effect of her depression. This would have allowed Padma the space to grow beyond her food and her niece. As someone who is all too in touch with depression, there’s no such thing as the day it’s all fixed but I really think Padma should have ended the story being more in control of these feelings. As it stands, I left the story with a sense of dread that these unresolved issues might harm her happy ending.
Finally, I think Poorna Bell should decide what sort of book she wants this book to be.
Is a poolside read about women uplifting women despite their struggles?
Is this a book that mediates on generational trauma and mental health as demons we must tame to become better that is supposed to be deeply contemplative?
Is this a love story?
Is this about self-love necessary to grow as a person?
There are two ways Poorna Bell might be able to do this.
Poorna Bell could focus on keeping the book light and airy by reducing some of the darkness surrounding her childhood and depression to give the book a more uplifting feel. This would give it a good “read by pool” experience with less moments that might get them to shut the book as to not spoil their mood.
Alternatively, Poorna Bell has the bones for a great meditation on mental health and generational trauma and how we must push beyond this darkness to grow. She could do this by Padma having a more realistic version of her mental issues. I feel things are solved a little too neatly as it stands.
To put this more simply, Pinky Dishwalla has a comedic moment and easy solution to the conflict Padma has later on feels at home in a light and airy book. In a more serious novel, I think she would need to think of a different route to resolution.
To conclude, this is a book feels like it has as many positives as negatives. Some characters are well made, some aren’t. Some plot threads are compelling, others simply aren’t. A classic 3 ½ star book that could easily be 4 or more with some edits.
Caution; Mild spoilers (I’ve tried to keep it vague)
Brief review; 3 ½ star book that has the space to be 4 or more with a few modifications.
Let me begin with a positive. Most of the main cast and secondary is well written and developed. Poorna Bell knows how to say just enough about a character to give them the depth and flavour required to care about what happens to them. Of note to me was Myra. She acts her age (this is hard to do!) and her emotional regulation develops as the book progresses. A less skilled author would have struggled to turn Myra from as unlikeable as she is at the start of the story to the strong woman she grows to be over the book. Padma’s love for Myra ,despite how difficult Myra makes things at first, feels genuine and believable. I also really liked both café owners for being sweet and encouraging without being cloying.
In contrast, Wallace felt quite two dimensional for how much he factors into Padma’s life. Poorna Bell could have used spent some of the time Padma fixates on her past conflicts with her mother on their relationship. She comes across as extremely co-dependent on him until later, but we never really get to see how these residual feelings remain. The version of Wallace we see seems profoundly awful. Perhaps this was the point. Even so, Poorna Bell could have spent time showing how loving he once was to contrast the cruel man we see within these pages.
To return to the positive, I really loved to see Padma regain her confidence through cooking and getting closer to Myra through cooking too. It was fantastic to see Myra be just as encouraging to Padma as she is to her. The gradual progression of her talents being seen by the right eyes to the outcomes of the epilogue felt organic and well-paced.
In contrast, I found Hugo’s role in the story often harmed the message of self-love that I feel gives this book its heart. Padma learns to love herself and be happy alone only for this to feel detracted by Hugo’s presence. Perhaps some readers may enjoy that she finds love again. Me? The bond between Myra and Padma and their relationship is what got me to the end. Hugo had me skimming. In a similar thread, I find that the frequent reminisce of her troubled childhood is a little excessive. Whilst “the seaside story” and “when mom was gone” stories really work for the story, the rest didn’t feel that necessary.
To end on a more neutral thought, the final fifth and ending leaves me with some complex feelings. On one hand, it’s emotional and intense. Book long plot threads come to roost and closure is given to many questions. On the other, the mental episode feels too convenient. I didn’t like mental breakdowns as a plot device. It is also so much more intense than the rest of the book. I spent most of the book enjoying some reflective chatter and character growth. The last part was genuinely distressing.
So how would I improve this book? I have a few ideas.
Firstly, I would rethink Hugo as a character within the story. I see his value as a good friend to Padma outside of the cafes and family. However, their romance is undeveloped, and it leaves it feeling unnecessary. Poorna Bell should either give the romance more room to grow or focus on Myra’s and Padma’s self-love and self-growth journey. I think the latter is better.
Secondly, I think Padma could have participated in some therapy of her own. This would be a great way to repurpose the passages about her mother and the effect of her depression. This would have allowed Padma the space to grow beyond her food and her niece. As someone who is all too in touch with depression, there’s no such thing as the day it’s all fixed but I really think Padma should have ended the story being more in control of these feelings. As it stands, I left the story with a sense of dread that these unresolved issues might harm her happy ending.
Finally, I think Poorna Bell should decide what sort of book she wants this book to be.
Is a poolside read about women uplifting women despite their struggles?
Is this a book that mediates on generational trauma and mental health as demons we must tame to become better that is supposed to be deeply contemplative?
Is this a love story?
Is this about self-love necessary to grow as a person?
There are two ways Poorna Bell might be able to do this.
Poorna Bell could focus on keeping the book light and airy by reducing some of the darkness surrounding her childhood and depression to give the book a more uplifting feel. This would give it a good “read by pool” experience with less moments that might get them to shut the book as to not spoil their mood.
Alternatively, Poorna Bell has the bones for a great meditation on mental health and generational trauma and how we must push beyond this darkness to grow. She could do this by Padma having a more realistic version of her mental issues. I feel things are solved a little too neatly as it stands.
To put this more simply, Pinky Dishwalla has a comedic moment and easy solution to the conflict Padma has later on feels at home in a light and airy book. In a more serious novel, I think she would need to think of a different route to resolution.
To conclude, this is a book feels like it has as many positives as negatives. Some characters are well made, some aren’t. Some plot threads are compelling, others simply aren’t. A classic 3 ½ star book that could easily be 4 or more with some edits.
sineadisreadingagain's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
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