Mother's Ruin

by Kitty Neale

You can’t choose your family…

CRUEL When her beloved Gran has a stroke, Sally and her family move back home to look after her. But Sadie's illness has made the wise woman they once knew bigoted and bad-tempered. Sadie is testing everyone's patience, including Sally's mum Ruth, and Sally’s husband Arthur.

CALLOUS Their problems are nothing compared with Tommy, the little ruffian next door. With an absentee father and an alcoholic mother, Tommy has a hard life. However, Ruth sees the good in him and takes him under her wing, but his unpredictable and violent mother has other ideas.

CRISIS Meanwhile, the stress of living cheek-by-jowl with Sally's family is starting to push Arthur away. As cracks in their marriage begin to appear, both Sally and Arthur must decide where their priorities lie before it's too late…

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

436 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 9, 2010

Reviews

[Cindy Landes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ça se lit bien, c’est fluide…. Mais tout est tellement fade. Les personnages sont unidimensionnels. Il manquait beaucoup de richesse et de nuance à mon avis. J’avais bizarrement l’impression que ce livre avait été écrit genre dans les années ‘90 et que ça avait mal vieillit.

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book.
Highly Recommended.

[Pauline Haycocks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve only read a couple of Kitty Neale books but I’m hooked.

[Sally Hussey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book.

Yet another great read from a magnificent author Kitty Neale. I have read so many of her books and they always have me reliving my own loving memories of when I lived in Battersea. Such treasured memories

[Andrew Bridgman]

Gripping read

I chose 5 stars because there weren't any more to rate this brillrread,I first read this year's ago and have just finished reading this again,storyline is so good,thanks kitty for being a literal genius xx

[Lynn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long and enjoyable drama with lots of relationship issues. Great characters and quite an easy read. I did feel Arthur's infidelity was quickly arrived at and their reconciliation was hurried at the end but apart from that a really good story.

[Audrey Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

I truly enjoyed my short visit to London. I have spent some time in London so the story was special.

[Mary Bonney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great character development!

I liked this book because it kept my interest to the end! Character s grew and resolved issues and then in the end all was resolved.

[Nichole1980hotmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

Great heartwarming book about a family that each member has There own skeletons on their closets but even when exposed work things out for the best!

[Yvonne Simcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book ..brilliant

[Kaye Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

A long and enjoyable drama with lots of relationship issues. Great characters and quite an easy read. Bit disappointed with the ending, but that is the author's prerogative!

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh it was okay - I liked some parts of it like finding out about Ruth and Andrew but it was quite boring and predictable
It was obvious that Sally was going to take Arthur back even though she would’ve been better without him

[AvonBooksUK]

CRUEL When her beloved Gran has a stroke, Sally and her family move back home in order to look after her. But Sadie's illness has made the wise woman they once knew bigoted and bad-tempered. Sadie is testing everyone's patience, including Sally's mum Ruth, and her husband Arthur.

CALLOUS Their problems are nothing compared with Tommy, the little ruffian next door. With an absentee father and an alcoholic mother, Tommy has a hard life. However, Ruth sees the good in him and takes him under her wing, but his unpredictable and violent mother has other ideas.

CRISIS Meanwhile, the stress of living cheek-by-jowl with Sally's family is starting to push Arthur away. As cracks in their marriage begin to appear, both Sally and Arthur must work out where their priorities lie before it's too late…

Another compelling family drama from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lost Angel and Nobody's Girl.

[Kerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was really hard to read, I found the language awful - I could not visualise anyone speaking the words, the conversations did not flow at all. It lacked description and depth. I forced myself to continue reading though, as I hoped the writing would get better, and I wanted to know if the story developed into the story I thought I had chosen to read. The second half of the book was slightly more exciting but all in all I was disappointed with it. A shame because the general concept of the story seemed a good one.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book it was hard to put down. If I could I would give this book 6 stars, this is the second book I have read of Kitty Neale. I just love how Kitty Neale transport you back in time. In the beginning of the book I felt it was a sad story, I am so glad Sally's life turns around for the better.

[Claire Moss · Rating 3 out of 5]

not as good as the first book a cuckoo in candle lane but a good follow up to the story some parts were unrealistic but possibly because things were different back then. a lovely ending although rushed where as the beginning of the book dragged a little longer. I will read more by kitty neale :)

[Mrs A Duarte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story about several lives being played out.

A well written emotional story of life and its threads of troubles all playing out in ensuing dramas. A book you want to pick up and finish.

[ED ROTH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly enjoyed.

I'm looking forward to reading more of MS Neale's stories! I think its amusing that one of my favorite teachers in grammar school was MS Neale. It was DBE who taught me the value of a good book, and this is one!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book , so much so i read it within a day . . London in the 1960's having the same problems in family life we have now . .

[Helen O'Mahony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was slow to get into and in my opinion that was becasue there were so many characters at the start to remember. But once into it, it was another book I found hard to put down.

[Claire Ridge]

Another Kitty Neale masterpiece!

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book. Well written and an easy read.

[Kirsty · Rating 2 out of 5]

the blurb failed to mentioned the mystery side to the characters. The characters were annoying and just wet blankets.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

A family story:
Not particularly well written in my view. Too much speech and too many coincidences.
Easy enough to read and I guess probably sufficient for a beach read.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

really enjoyed this book so heartwarming

[Fiona Vieira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not normally my kind of book but enjoyed it.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. As well as the ups and downs of what seems at first an idyllic marriage ,it explores the darker side of poverty in London during the 1960's
Well worth a read

[Astrid · Rating 1 out of 5]

Predictable, long and lame

Very long boring story, Predictable ending, irritating persons, stereotypes,, i am happy I paid less than 1 dollar for it.

[Islem djermoune · Rating 5 out of 5]

i've just finished it and i totally loved reading it, the end great .

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read.