Thank you to the author, publishers Faber & Faber and NetGalley UK for access to this as an advance reader’s ebook. This is an honest and voluntary review.

 

When Shauna moved to a new area with her mum the first people she meets are Dean, Mark and Pamela. From the start she is drawn to Dean and he to her. A deep bond tested by family challenges and changes over the years.

 

Another heartwarming and heartbreaking masterpiece from Fíona Scarlett. The characters are engaging, warm, honest and funny. The depth of relationships depicted in a small community over the years is exceptional. Whether it’s a brief encounter with a widowed customer who used to come to Shauna’s salon with his wife or a friendship visited repeatedly in encounters over the years the author is able to quickly establish a depth of character and understanding which is astonishing.

 

What I find even more amazing is how a story about missed opportunities, misunderstandings and self-sacrifice manages to avoid any sense of schmaltz or cliché. Partly it’s the vibrancy of the character voices, the accents coming through the writing without ever being forced. Mostly it’s just a sign of a very talented writer who obviously cares deeply about their characters and brings them alive for the readers.

 

I feel like I grew up with these people and shared their love for each other, their fears and their hopes. Make sure you have the hankies on standby, but don’t miss this book. It will stay with you a long, long time.