Among Friends

Perthshire Cycle #5

by Alexandra Raife

In the two years since the loss of her husband and twin daughters in a fatal car crash, Louise has avoided facing up to the full extent of her bereavement by caring for her husband's elderly great-aunt. But now Aunt Bea, too, is dead and Louise is robbed of both a dear friend and a home. Caring is what Louise does best, and - with the proviso that she will not work in households with children - she joins an agency that specialises in supplying temporary domestic help. The demands made upon her, and the homes in which she finds herself, are varied and occasionally bizarre, but in confronting them she makes friends and discovers self-confidence.

Genres: Fiction

410 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mindless, yet enjoyable reading fluff. Raife usually manages to engage me with her realistic portrayals of people in crisis, even when I am often annoyed with the characters themselves.

Always a good "go to" writer when I just want a comfort read.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Louise, unsure of herself, after a tragic bereavement. applies for temporary caring posts at a job agency. She's a reliable and valuable person who gradually learns to face up to her fears and deal, in a positive way, with her grief.

This is fifth in the author's 'Perthshire' series, following on from 'The Wedding Gift'. Cass, who was the main protagonist in that, is the head of the employment agency in this book, and becomes friendly with Louise. It's not necessary to have read that first, as this book stands alone, but I like the way Raife weaves into her novels a little about characters she has introduced in earlier books.

Overall I thought 'Among Friends' very readable (and re-readable, fifteen years after first reading it) and enjoyable. Definitely recommended to anyone who likes women's fiction with some depth.

[Jenny Barclay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read

I love the fact that while each book is stand alone you meet characters from previous books. A journey from the emptiness of grief to beginning to live again with new friendships and experiences on the way. A great read for those who enjoy what is a love story that doesn't need sex scenes to bulk out the storyline.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Een hoog sound of music gehalte. En de vertaling is vreselijk, fouten, ontbrekende woorden,..