Heading off for a fortnight in the sun, I packed a big pile of books to read and the obligatory chicklit novel came in the form of Colette Caddle's Every Time We Say Goodbye. (You can read my review of Always On My Mind by the same author here.)
As a child being brought up in care, Marianne didn't have the best of starts, so she has always worked hard to give her own children a safe and happy environment to grow up in, even if this meant putting up with her less-than-perfect husband Dominic through years of domestic abuse. When she hears the shocking news that he has been found dead, she can't help but think that she may now be better off without him and have a second chance at happiness. Then the skeletons start coming out of the closet and Marianne discovers that her husband had a secret double life that may put her and her children's financial future in jeopardy.
That may all sound very doom-and-gloom but the book is actually very upbeat and positive. It's nice feelgood chicklit and was the perfect poolside read but I couldn't help but think that it all seemed a bit too good to be true. Everyone has big issues - domestic abuse, a cancer scare, bulimia, to name but a few - but it all comes good a bit too quickly so I would have preferred a bit more gritty realism. They all get their happy ending whereas in the real world, it would have all been a lot more complicated and less perfect.
That said, if you want a nice light read for the summer, it's ideal.
star rating : 4/5
RRP : £6.99
- Paperback: 416 pages
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd (16 Aug 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1847399622
- ISBN-13: 978-1847399625
Disclosure : I received a review copy of the book.
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This book sounds lovely - I might treat myself!
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