Reviews

I read this one after consuming four of Lisa Jewell's more recent mysteries so I was expecting this to be more devious. However, in spite of my expectations, this book still delivered. She is a great author who knows how to build character and plot.

This book was reminiscent of Jojo Moyes but, I felt, slightly more well-formed female characters. Definitely recommended.

yani_cross's review

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1.0

I like this author, but this book I couldn't get into.

mbkarapcik's review

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4.0

Yes, I'm whipping through Lisa Jewell's extensive catalog of novels. I may even go against my rule and download the audio books! I'm not a fan of audiobooks since I last attempted to listen to Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned on a commute home back in 1995 and could not switch it off fast enough. It's lucky I didn't crash my car!

Anyway, this book fits into the more women's fiction category within Jewell's portfolio. Betty tends to her beloved step grandmother's needs when she falls ill with dementia. When she passes away, Betty decides to make her dreams a reality by moving to London, trying to find her passion, and also locating the mysterious heir mentioned in her grandmother's will. Before she took care of her, she led a happy life full of socializing and fun and means to get back to that period of her life.

While she learns more about her grandmother's unusual past, she makes determinations about her path in life. She secures a crappy apartment and the only job she qualifies for is at the fast food joint Wendy's. Fortuitously, she stumbles upon a job with a famous and handsome rock star as a nanny for his three children for his ex-wife. She also embarks on friendships with a brother and sister in the neighborhood.

This was a good book with an engaging story that flips between her present life in 1995 and her grandmother's youth in the 1920s when she also goes to seek her fortune in London. However, the magic and twists that you discover in her more recent suspense-laden novels seem to be missing.

Yes, there are twists, romance, and scandal, but it's milder. Despite this, I did really like the characters, especially the main character, and the story and plan to read more. I really enjoy the books Jewell writes.

coffee_and_chapters's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This was overall a really good audio listen. I actually was not expecting the storyline to go this way at all. Arlette's life and everything that she had gone through made me quite sad and emotional as I was not expecting those events to take place the way that they did. I really liked Betty's character, you can definitely see Arlette's fire living inside her.

avidbookreader7's review

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challenging emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

3.25

deribash's review

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad 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

4.25

edhammell's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring mysterious reflective 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

4.5

God lisa jewell builds scenes and characters like nobody else.

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