Emma is something of a control freak; her life is perfectly ordered, she works hard as an insurance underwriter, she owns her own well organised flat and is engaged to a similarly employed suitable man, George. But within a week she is laid off at work and discovers George’s faithfulness isn’t quite as his boring personality would suggest. Her best friend Alice helps her pick up the pieces, and believes Emma should try acting her age (thirty-two) and having some fun for a change. Alice devises the Pollyanna plan- Pollyanna being a fictional character who always sees the positive in any situation- and challenges Emma to change her perspective on life. Thanks to some sensible savings Emma does not have to rush into her next job and makes some surprising discoveries.
Kooks for your Kindle?– Part of the story is told from the point of view of Will, the enigmatic stranger Emma meets in her local DIY store. His viewpoint allows us to understand his mystery, which stems from his difficult relationship with his father, the family business, and some health problems. Alice makes a nice contrast to the uptight Emma, she’s a more fun loving, daring actress/bartender. There are a few other minor characters, still with heartfelt roles, such as Will’s eccentric neighbour Lou, and Emma’s (oddly 25 years younger) half-sister Meg.
The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– Emma has some scars and they all hark back to the early death of her father and subsequent withdrawal of her mother. By keeping control of her adult life and not feeling anything she can avoid getting hurt again. Once she lets go and begins to live she has a bit of a scare, not really surprising with such a big change.
Painting a picture for your paperback?– The tale has both a sad and hopeful tone, and is a little more poignant and thoughtful than you might expect having seen the truly frothy cover. The setting is more picturesque than your average London-based story, with canal boats and a side trip towards the end which i probably shouldn’t reveal.
Evaluation of your eBook?– It’s fairly short as books go, I read it in just a few hours, but that might just be because it was quite gripping. The ending isn’t a big surprise but it’s a good journey, and an uplifting one at that. Emma’s personality changes are extreme, and the ensuing fear has a boomerang effect, but a nice balance is eventually achieved. There is one aspect of the story that concerns illness, and again I don’t want to spoil anything, so lets just say it was very nicely handled. Overall a nice easy read with a positive ending, cheap too.
Frothy Ranking: 4/5 cocktails.
Can be obtained from:
UK: Amazon for only 79p
US: Amazon for only 99c