Tess needs a break!
Under appreciated at home, overlooked at work and now her beloved dog Bella has died. Tess has
simply had enough!
So in a spur of the moment act, Tess books a holiday of a lifetime for her, her two grown up kids and useless husband Dave. Maybe they can use the break to reconnect with each other?
But when the kids refuse to go, and Dave breaks his leg, Tess’s dream holiday looks seriously in doubt. And then there’s River Romero, the glamourous LA screen writer who is supposed to be house-sitting for Tess whilst she’s away….
Everything about River sounds so much more exciting than Tess’s boring life in Stratford Upon Avon.
From her beautiful LA condo and the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Tess wonders whether a bit of River’s LA life might be exactly what she needs? So when River suggests a house swap, Tess jumps at the chance!
With Dave happily ensconced in the summer house at the bottom of the garden, the kids not needing mum anymore, Tess packs her bags and heads off for the adventure of a lifetime.
But real life isn’t like the movies, and when Tess arrives in LA, things aren’t exactly as they seem.
Will Tess find what’s she’s looking for or is getting away from it all isn’t all perhaps not all it’s cracked up to be?
Amazon
Carmen Reid is the bestselling author of numerous woman’s fiction titles including the Personal Shopper series starring Annie Valentine. After taking a break from writing she is back, introducing her hallmark feisty women characters to a new generation of readers. Her first title for Boldwood will be published in July 2021. She lives in Glasgow with her husband and children.
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Bookbub
My thoughts: this was a lovely, heartwarming book about adventure, reassessing your life and doing what’s best for you, even if that is egging a parking restriction sign!
Tess and River swap homes for six weeks one summer and both get a lot more from it than they anticipated. Tess is feeling stuck in a rut, in her job, her marriage, her relationship with her kids, even her haircut and her time in LA lets her decide whether she wants things to change. River meanwhile is writing a teenagers do Shakespeare adaptation for film, and Tess’ home not far from the Bard’s birthplace, is somewhere she hopes to be inspired and refreshed.
I loved Tess, I loved her carpe diem attitude once she arrives in LA, her determination not to let anything, River’s gross apartment and unexpected dogs, the closed pool, her too heavy clothing, nothing at all, stop her. She was marvellous. We should all be more Tess. I liked River, and Dave (Tess’ husband) too, they were strongly written, funny people. Their garden party disaster made me laugh, sometimes we leave people in our pasts for good reasons. I felt for Alex, having spent a long time living with depression I really empathised with his struggles and wanted to give him a hug. I think I need a sequel so I know that he, and everyone else, is OK. And that Tess gets a new canine pal too.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 