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Friday 24 October 2014

Maeve Haran - THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES

book review written & read live on the bookshow by Babs Simpson 23rd October 2014
AS IT SAYS ON THE COVER - THIS IS A NOVEL FOR ANYONE WHO WASN'T BORN YESTERDAY AND I CERTAINLY FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY.
IT TELLS THE STORIES OF FOUR FRIENDS, CLAUDIA, ELLA, SAL AND LAURA WHO MEET UP EVERY MONTH TO CELEBRATE THEIR 4OYR FRIENDSHIP.
SAL IS SINGLE AND A SUCCESSFUL CAREER WOMAN EDITING A MAGAZINE.  SHE;S VERY INDEPENDENT AND EVEN WHEN FACED WITH A TERRIBLE CHALLENGE, HER INSTINCT IS TO COPE ALONE RATHER THAN INVOLVE HER CLOSE FRIENDS.
CLAUDIA IS MARRIED TO DON AND THEY HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS.  CLAUDIA LOVES HER LONDON LIFE BUT DON RECENTLY RETIRED, HANKERS FOR A MORE RURAL EXISTENCE.  SHE IS VERY ANTI UNTIL PROBLEMS WITH HER VERY ACTIVE BUT ELDERLY PARENTS BEGIN TO THROW UP WORRIES.  PERHAPS IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO MOVE CLOSER TO THEM.
ELLA IS A WIDOW.  SHE HAS TWO DAUGHTERS - JULIA WHO IS MARRIED AND GABY WHO IS NOT - AND STILL LIVES IN THE BIG FAMILY HOME SHE SHARED WITH HER BELOVED HUSBAND.  HER ELDER DAUGHTER IS DOING HER BEST TO MAKE ELLA SELL THE HOME AND SHARE THE PROFITS WITH HER GIRLS BUT ELLA CANNOT CONTEMPLATE LEAVING THE PLACE WHERE SHE HAS BEEN SO HAPPY.
LAURA IS BLISSFULLY HAPPY WITH SIMON.  THEY HAVE TWO CHILDREN - BELLA AND SAM.  IT'S THEIR 25TH ANNIVERSARY AND LAURA PLANS A ROMANTIC SURPRISE BUT THINGS GO HORRIBLY WRONG.#SO THE VARIOUS SCENES ARE SET FOR A LONG AND VERY ENJOYABLE NOVEL OF MODERN LIFE IN WHICH THE READER GETS TOTALLY INVOLVED.  THE CHARACTERS ARE ALL VERY REAL, THE SITUATION TOTALLY BELIEVABLE AND THE FINAL CHAPTER AT A WEDDING IAS IMMENSELY SATISFACTORY.
MAEVE H IS A GREAT AUTHOR AND THIS BOOK IS ONE OF HER VERY BEST.

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