Body and Soul

by Sheila Norton

Rosie has a lot of doubts about her life. She feels middle-aged, bored and frumpy, and it doesn't help that PJ, her friend and colleague at the hospital where she works, has compared her to a comfy old armchair! Her marriage to the so-predictable Barry seems to be hurtling towards the rocks, and when the new consultant, Mr Ashley Connor, seems to be taking an interest in her, the temptation to have a little fun certainly appeals. But where is this going to lead her? Surely not anywhere that a sensible, mature, medical receptionist and mother of three ought to be going! Would she, and her marriage, be able to survive the Ashley Connor experience? To say nothing of the hospital gossip! Or should she forget it and stay safe, comfortable and bored ... with her body and soul intact?

Genres: Chick Lit

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Winner of the RoNAs 'Christmas and Winter Seasonal Award' novel, 2022, with 'Winter at Cliff's End Cottage'.

I live in Chelmsford, UK, with my husband Alan. We have three married daughters and six grandchildren. I've been writing ever since I was a little girl, and finally achieved my lifelong ambition to have a novel published, with the acceptance in 2002 of 'The Trouble With Ally'. Prior to this, I'd been having short stories published in women's magazines for about ten years.

My most recent books are stories set in the English county of Devon, and most include pets in the story! They are feel-good contemporary fiction.

I worked for most of my life as a medical secretary. I now write full-time. I like to relax by reading, walking,swimming, and seeing my family and friends.

I am passionate about my writing and love to hear from my readers. I am also happy to give talks to writers' groups and others, and book signings, in my local area.

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. What a fun read. I could not put it down. I think every woman should read this book. I loved the main characters. The author made them feel real and we could easily relate to them. She added touches of humour in an otherwise difficult situation. You can get through anything if you remember to laugh. I can't wait to read more books by this author.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really love this book!
If you had a good sense of humor, please read, and you will find a good way to spend your time, laughing! I read it about 2days.
Well, it's not classic literature, of course, but it is a very good entertainer!

[João Pedro · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tem alguns aspetos interessantes e que nos fazem pensar... Mas não acho que a protagonista esteja bem defendida...
Tem alguns momentos em que anda para a frente e para trás. Parece estar desesperada a aceitar qualquer homem que lhe apareça à frente e sem ser capaz de ver o que tem à frente.

[Rita Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nao adorei a história. Ainda assim precisava de algo mais "light"... uma espécie de livro entre histórias e cumpriu o propósito

[Suzanne Paschke · Rating 1 out of 5]

The blurb of this book read as something I would absolutely love. I had been really looking forward to reading this book and was enjoying it until a rather interesting fact that wasn't on the blurb was revealed...

Rosie was MARRIED.

I don't know if it says something about the regard I hold marriage in or something else entirely that I found this such a troubling element. Sure, the marriage was on its last legs and they did separate, but never for the fact that Rosie began and was having an affair (or that her husband was too!). It also really bothered me that no other character in the entire book had an issue with the fact that Rosie, Barry and Ashley had affairs. In fact it was the opposite. Really? No one? Not one person from the outside looking in said 'hey, aren't you married?' to any of them??

I got to the end of the book and really wondered what the appeal of Rosie was. Through the course of the book three different men had fallen over themselves to be with her (four if you count Barry ultimately wanting to return to his marriage) and I truly couldn't understand why. She didn't stand out as particularly caring, kind or interesting and had no compunction about lying to other characters throughout the book. For me she just wasn't likeable and this together with the disregard of marital status for any character in the book turned this from an expected great read to a book I ultimately did not enjoy.

Note: I do want to point out that the blurb on Goodreads is different to the blurb on the paperback version I read, and appreciate the fact that Rosie's marriage is included on the Goodreads blurb.

[Mai · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://nadandoentremilesdelibros.blog...

Este libro me lo leí cuando estaba en el pueblo, después de la saga Cazadores de Sombras. Por lo que me pareció un libro bastante más tranquilo. Los últimos que me he leído este mes están hasta arriba de acción y este en cambio trata sobre la vida cotidiana de una mujer a la cual le da un cambio radical.
En cierto modo me gustó, porque tiene unas frases que me hicieron mucha gracia, y el modo en el que esta narrado (en primera persona) me gustó .

La historia en cambio no me hizo tanta gracia ya que en mi opinión la protagonista, Rosie, una mujer de 44 años se comportaba como una adolescente de 14. Se enfadaba sin motivos, le entraban ganas de llorar por situaciones fáciles de resolver, quería hacerse la heroína y la valiente pero a la hora de la verdad salía corriendo o se escondía de los problemas y sobre todo estaba ciega, no literalmente, sino que no veía venir ni las cosas más ovías.
Había ratos en los que me olvidaba que los personajes tenían de 30 años para arriba y parecía una historia de adolescentes.
La historia en sí no me gusto mucho, porque es una historia muy normalíta y con poca chicha, pero la verdad es que entre libro y libro como descanso si que lo recomendaría.
En cierto modo me pareció un libro bastante aburrido el cual lo leí por habermelo comprado en vez de por gusto.

Como ya he dicho antes es un libro que califico como para despejarse de tanta saga trilogía y demás es fácil de leer.

[Carla Faleiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Não sendo uma leitura magnifica, longe disso, este livro apresenta-nos uma personagem quarentona com uma grave crise. Não apenas a crise da idade, mas um não saber o que quer exactamente a não ser que decididamente não foi talhada para estar só!!

Confesso que dei por mim a ler alguns dos capítulos muito apressadamente, porque o que se iniciou como uma leitura bastante agradável foi ficando arrastada com o passar das folhas e ha alturas em que se torna um pouco repetitivo ate.
Obviamente que o resultado final é exactamente aquele que estamos à espera e pouco mais do que isso.

Não fiquei particularmente encantada com a estoria.

[Michelle Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well I can't say I was completely impressed but I must say it wasn't a bad read. It seemed slow moving but quirky. Funny and sweet. Its a book about settling for a life you feel is right but unfortunately its not always true. Its a book about taking a risk instead of just existing. Sometimes we must choose between merely existing or actually living. The choice is hers to make so let's see which road shell take either way its all about life.

[Kaysie Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the book had a good story. It was a little hard for me to relate to, as the main character is experiencing somewhat of a mid-life crisis. However, there was a good story of the human desire to experience life instead of sticking to the routine and predictable. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.

[Joana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Não gostei particularmente deste livro, estava entusiasmada com a história quando o comprei, mas definitivamente, no decorrer da história, não me cativou a sua leitura. Não só pela história, como pela escrita. Apesar de alguns momentos mais divertidos, não houve anda que me chamasse à atenção e logo percebemos como irá terminar.

[Dulce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gostei tanto deste livro, uma leitura envolvente, com uma história real, e repleta de acontecimentos, voltas e reviravoltas, uma protagonista apaixonada, em plena crise de meia idade, que me conseguiu cativar. Passado num ambiente totalmente fora do comum em literatura, as consultas externas de um hospital do SNS, e lá como cá, muitas semelhanças.

[Clarinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A minha opinião

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