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Love Untold
The funny, moving and uplifting new novel from Ruth Jones, co-creator of Gavin & Stacey and author of the Sunday Times bestsellers Never Greener and Us Three.
Praise for Ruth Jones:
'Jones's trademark warmth and humour suffuse the novel with comedy and pathos, making for a heart-warming, entertaining and, at times, deeply moving story.' Observer
'Ruth Jones is excellent on human nature.' Jojo Moyes
'This novel oozes warmth and honesty. A big-hearted book that provides a cast of characters you'll lose your heart to.' Adele Parks
'Ruth Jones tells her well-crafted characters' experiences, both hilarious and heartbreaking, with compassion and sensitivity.' Daily Express
Praise for Ruth Jones:
'Jones's trademark warmth and humour suffuse the novel with comedy and pathos, making for a heart-warming, entertaining and, at times, deeply moving story.' Observer
'Ruth Jones is excellent on human nature.' Jojo Moyes
'This novel oozes warmth and honesty. A big-hearted book that provides a cast of characters you'll lose your heart to.' Adele Parks
'Ruth Jones tells her well-crafted characters' experiences, both hilarious and heartbreaking, with compassion and sensitivity.' Daily Express
Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2022
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About the author
Ruth Jones
48 books867 followersJones is a Welsh television actress and writer known for her work on shows such as Gavin & Stacey and Stella.
Note: There are multiple writers with this name.
Note: There are multiple writers with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,209 reviews
July 20, 2022
I really enjoy reading Ruth Jones novels, they make such a refreshing change from the gritty thrillers I also enjoy. Her novels are full of wonderful characters and the stories so well written, much in the same vein as Graham Norton.
This is a story of mother and daughter relationships, a bitter sweet tale that tells of heartbreaks, joy and forgiveness. Grace doesn’t like a lot of fuss, so a surprise party to celebrate her reaching ninety is not going to be well received. What she does want is for the heartache caused by family rifts to be healed. Rifts that have gone on far too long over decades.
To heal the rifts she must first locate her daughter Alys. which will risk betraying granddaughter Elin. Elin is far less forgiving of the past rifts and may not be as ready as others. For Grace time is running out to solve the family rifts that have been going on for the last thirty years.
Beautifully written.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Random House for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This is a story of mother and daughter relationships, a bitter sweet tale that tells of heartbreaks, joy and forgiveness. Grace doesn’t like a lot of fuss, so a surprise party to celebrate her reaching ninety is not going to be well received. What she does want is for the heartache caused by family rifts to be healed. Rifts that have gone on far too long over decades.
To heal the rifts she must first locate her daughter Alys. which will risk betraying granddaughter Elin. Elin is far less forgiving of the past rifts and may not be as ready as others. For Grace time is running out to solve the family rifts that have been going on for the last thirty years.
Beautifully written.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Random House for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2022
What an amazing, comforting, and beautifully moving novel. a tale about the bond between a mother and daughter; a tale of sorrows, love, and forgiving. The reader gains knowledge of this family's background, including the harm and suffering that have been inflicted upon them.
The plot is mostly set in the present, although there are a few moments where we flash back to different stages in the past 70 years. These details shed light on how the bonds between the four ladies were formed.
The characters are nicely developed, and the book is quite well written. I became engrossed on the first page. The conversation feels so natural.
However, because the plot is divided across several POVs, it progresses somewhat slowly. Keeping track of the several POVs and continuous flashbacks could be very difficult. It appears intriguing enough, but not everyone found it to be.
but still this author's work is still worth reading!
The plot is mostly set in the present, although there are a few moments where we flash back to different stages in the past 70 years. These details shed light on how the bonds between the four ladies were formed.
The characters are nicely developed, and the book is quite well written. I became engrossed on the first page. The conversation feels so natural.
However, because the plot is divided across several POVs, it progresses somewhat slowly. Keeping track of the several POVs and continuous flashbacks could be very difficult. It appears intriguing enough, but not everyone found it to be.
but still this author's work is still worth reading!
July 11, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and the author Ruth Jones for the opportunity to review this wonderful book.
What a wonderful, heart-warming, beautifully emotional story by Ruth Jones of 4 generations, trying to navigate their own lives and their relationships with others and each other.
It is such a well written book, with the characters being fully formed and believable, it had me rooting for the best outcome for them all.
Also I loved that it is set in Wales, with such familiar and comforting use of the Welsh language and idioms, so reminiscent of my own upbringing.
What a wonderful, heart-warming, beautifully emotional story by Ruth Jones of 4 generations, trying to navigate their own lives and their relationships with others and each other.
It is such a well written book, with the characters being fully formed and believable, it had me rooting for the best outcome for them all.
Also I loved that it is set in Wales, with such familiar and comforting use of the Welsh language and idioms, so reminiscent of my own upbringing.
October 2, 2022
I've really enjoyed Ruth Jones' previous books. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but I didn't find myself gripped like I did with her others. I found a lot of the plot very predictable, and I didn't find the characters all that believable. Ruth Jones writes very well, so it was not a chore to read, but I was expecting something more emotionally moving and engaging, and was left feeling a bit flat.
August 31, 2022
Ruth Jones’ third novel is another warm, heartfelt story, filled with strong and joyful female characters that captures the challenges and joys of relationships and family.
Grace is eighty-nine, she’s proud and independent and enjoys an early morning swim in the sea, no matter what the weather.
Grace doesn’t want a traditional celebration for her birthday, but her granddaughter Elin has other ideas. She’s determined that Grace’s big day will be celebrated, her own daughter, Becca is slightly mortified by her mother’s quest to party, much preferring to spend quality time with her great grandmother.
What Grace really wants is to find her daughter Alys; mother of Elin and absent from the family for thirty years. Alys left under a dark cloud, and as far as Elin is concerned, she has no mother. Becca doesn’t even know that her grandmother is still alive.
By chance, Grace discovers where Alys may be living and secretly contacts her. She has no idea quite what will happen next and whatever it is, it is sure to cause trouble in the family.
This is a wonderful and powerful story about the bond between mother and daughter. The reader learns the history of this family, and the hurt and pain that has been caused in the past.
We follow Elin as she struggles with her marriage, and Becca as she discovers love for the first time. We also learn so much more about Grace’s early life, and why Alys saw her as she did. It is a story that tenderly portrays a broken family, outlining the complexities that define history, with an ending that is both heart-breaking, yet uplifting at the same time.
Grace is eighty-nine, she’s proud and independent and enjoys an early morning swim in the sea, no matter what the weather.
Grace doesn’t want a traditional celebration for her birthday, but her granddaughter Elin has other ideas. She’s determined that Grace’s big day will be celebrated, her own daughter, Becca is slightly mortified by her mother’s quest to party, much preferring to spend quality time with her great grandmother.
What Grace really wants is to find her daughter Alys; mother of Elin and absent from the family for thirty years. Alys left under a dark cloud, and as far as Elin is concerned, she has no mother. Becca doesn’t even know that her grandmother is still alive.
By chance, Grace discovers where Alys may be living and secretly contacts her. She has no idea quite what will happen next and whatever it is, it is sure to cause trouble in the family.
This is a wonderful and powerful story about the bond between mother and daughter. The reader learns the history of this family, and the hurt and pain that has been caused in the past.
We follow Elin as she struggles with her marriage, and Becca as she discovers love for the first time. We also learn so much more about Grace’s early life, and why Alys saw her as she did. It is a story that tenderly portrays a broken family, outlining the complexities that define history, with an ending that is both heart-breaking, yet uplifting at the same time.
October 4, 2022
A wonderfully told story following 4 generations of Welsh women, with complex characters, complicated relationships and a glorious and beautiful ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher / author for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher / author for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review.
October 13, 2022
Love Untold tells the stories of four generations of women, mothers and daughters set in South Wales. Grace is approaching ninety and a surprise party is planned for her, organised by her granddaughter, Elin, yet all Grace requires is the rift in her family to be healed. A delightful tale of wisdom, I was enraptured from the first chapters. The characterisation was exquisite and the ending took me by surprise. Heartbreaking yet uplifting.
This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Transworld Publishers, Random House UK, Bantam Press via NetGalley.
This review was written voluntarily and my rating was in no way influenced by the fact that I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Transworld Publishers, Random House UK, Bantam Press via NetGalley.
November 8, 2023
4 generations of women? Sounded too familiar - as I was the great-granddaughter in my family until I lost my great-nan when I was 24, I just had to read this to see how the dynamics worked between the 4!
It was such an enjoyable story, and the characters were well described.
Solid 3.5 stars for me ✨️
It was such an enjoyable story, and the characters were well described.
Solid 3.5 stars for me ✨️
July 7, 2022
This is such a wonderfully Welsh read. Not sure I've read a book where the town I live in gets a mention or 2!
This does jump around a bit and changes POV which is a bit dis-orientating.
Nice story, complex characters and glorious ending.
This does jump around a bit and changes POV which is a bit dis-orientating.
Nice story, complex characters and glorious ending.
January 15, 2023
Loved this book! Heartwarming, hilarious & such an easy read. It got into the depths of mother / daughter / grandmother / great grandmother relationships in such a wonderful and both heartbreaking and endearing way. Didn’t want it to end!
April 29, 2023
Another great read by Ruth Jones. A story about 4 generations of one family as they venture through life. Like many chic lit books the characters learn all about love; but unlike a lot of books, they experience the bad parts of love as well as the good.
March 17, 2025
A lovely heartfelt book about life’s ups & downs & love - it was really good & I’ll be hunting down her other books!
September 21, 2022
Four women, four generations of Meredith women, decades of lies, half-truths, and silence.
Grace Meredith is eighty-nine years old. Widowed in her thirties, left to bring up a teenage daughter, Alys, she ran a boarding house with her friends John, and his sister Cassie for years until Cassie and John's ill-health forced them to move to a home where she visits them every day. Despite her age Grace swims daily, either in the hideous swimming pool in her garden or wild swimming in the sea, and does yoga several times a week.
Thirty years ago Alys and Grace had an almighty row and Alys disappeared, never heard of again. But Grace has recently received a postcard with a picture of Welsh hills on the front, painted by Alys Meredith. Is she strong enough to reach out to her wayward daughter, now seventy years old, and heal the rift? But what will her fifty-one year old grand-daughter Elin think about it? Elin has told everyone that her mother is dead, including her own daughter Beca. A respected head teacher at the local school, Elin couldn't bear anyone to find out the truth about her mother. Elin is busy organising a surprise birthday party for Grace and as usual it has got completely out-of-hand, exasperating both her husband Greg and Beca.
Finally, Beca, sixteen years old, artistic and musical but not good at lessons, constantly at odds with perfectionist Elin who sees education as a gateway to the world, she knows she is about to fail all her GCSEs and disappoint her mother, again.
Everyone thinks they know the truth, but they are all keeping secrets, will Grace's party be a joyous reunion or a day of tears and recriminations?
Told from each woman's point of view this novel criss-crosses backwards and forwards in time, stopping on key events in their lives. This was funny, sad, engaging and thoroughly enjoyable. Truly a cwtch.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Grace Meredith is eighty-nine years old. Widowed in her thirties, left to bring up a teenage daughter, Alys, she ran a boarding house with her friends John, and his sister Cassie for years until Cassie and John's ill-health forced them to move to a home where she visits them every day. Despite her age Grace swims daily, either in the hideous swimming pool in her garden or wild swimming in the sea, and does yoga several times a week.
Thirty years ago Alys and Grace had an almighty row and Alys disappeared, never heard of again. But Grace has recently received a postcard with a picture of Welsh hills on the front, painted by Alys Meredith. Is she strong enough to reach out to her wayward daughter, now seventy years old, and heal the rift? But what will her fifty-one year old grand-daughter Elin think about it? Elin has told everyone that her mother is dead, including her own daughter Beca. A respected head teacher at the local school, Elin couldn't bear anyone to find out the truth about her mother. Elin is busy organising a surprise birthday party for Grace and as usual it has got completely out-of-hand, exasperating both her husband Greg and Beca.
Finally, Beca, sixteen years old, artistic and musical but not good at lessons, constantly at odds with perfectionist Elin who sees education as a gateway to the world, she knows she is about to fail all her GCSEs and disappoint her mother, again.
Everyone thinks they know the truth, but they are all keeping secrets, will Grace's party be a joyous reunion or a day of tears and recriminations?
Told from each woman's point of view this novel criss-crosses backwards and forwards in time, stopping on key events in their lives. This was funny, sad, engaging and thoroughly enjoyable. Truly a cwtch.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
August 22, 2023
⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️
Love Untold is the first book I’ve read by Ruth Jones, but after loving it I’ve added her others to my (ever-growing) list.
The story is beautifully written, and I was hooked from the very first page. The characterisation is excellent, with brilliantly drawn, well fleshed out characters. I fell in love with Grace, Elin, Beca (and Soozi) straight away, but it did take me a long time to warm to Alys.
I was completely captivated by this character-driven story of mother/daughter relationships and really cared about the characters; I was genuinely sad to finish it and leave them all behind.
The ending took me totally by surprise and I had to read the last couple of chapters twice because my eyes leaked (I sobbed) and the print blurred.
Love Untold is a truly wonderful read, it made me laugh-out-loud and it broke my heart.
Huge thanks to the publisher for my proof copy.
Love Untold is the first book I’ve read by Ruth Jones, but after loving it I’ve added her others to my (ever-growing) list.
The story is beautifully written, and I was hooked from the very first page. The characterisation is excellent, with brilliantly drawn, well fleshed out characters. I fell in love with Grace, Elin, Beca (and Soozi) straight away, but it did take me a long time to warm to Alys.
I was completely captivated by this character-driven story of mother/daughter relationships and really cared about the characters; I was genuinely sad to finish it and leave them all behind.
The ending took me totally by surprise and I had to read the last couple of chapters twice because my eyes leaked (I sobbed) and the print blurred.
Love Untold is a truly wonderful read, it made me laugh-out-loud and it broke my heart.
Huge thanks to the publisher for my proof copy.
June 5, 2024
5⭐️En av de absolut finaste böcker jag läst. Jag storgrät genom de sista 50 sidorna. Saknar typ ord helt ärligt, läs den om du får chansen
August 13, 2022
Ruth Jones is, of course, a great storyteller, and she has pulled it off again with this tale of four generations of Welsh women. That's Grace, nearly ninety; her wayward daughter Alys; Alys's daughter Elin, a headteacher; and Beca, the younger generation, just 16.
It's a great read, refreshingly free of stereotypes, as we follow events in the lives of the four women in the run-up to Grace's ninetieth birthday. I loved the characters of Grace and Beca in particular. I did guess the Cissie reveal in advance, though.
A really engaging, enjoyable read.
It's a great read, refreshingly free of stereotypes, as we follow events in the lives of the four women in the run-up to Grace's ninetieth birthday. I loved the characters of Grace and Beca in particular. I did guess the Cissie reveal in advance, though.
A really engaging, enjoyable read.
August 13, 2023
Another classic from Ruth Jones. She has this ability to make you believe you are living the life of all the characters. The good and the bad. The flawed the messed up parts alongside the highs. Taking some time to get into ending up my favourite of the three I have read by the end. The sad beautiful tragic ending.
This time four generations of the same Welsh family.
Starting with Grace the great grandma. The matriarch of the whole family. Letting them all go along with the marriage they thought she had. After the state of her first love less marriage it is much the improvement. I love how at nearly ninety she still lives her prime even going wild swimming. Everyone would love a grannie Grace.
Next granddaughter Elin. The most serious of the four. The prime and proper headteacher whose daughter fails all but two exams and a husband who runs to play hippie. The affair of Greg I find slightly daft. Due to how much I liked them as a partnership. Can they pretend it never happened? Even the ever serious can have the breakdown the biggest of one. Especially with her estranged mum. Sometimes hard to like making her evermore a brilliant character.
Great Grandaughter Becca takes after them all in different ways. It might be hard to see in Elin sometimes however it is there. Becca who passes music and art. Her two passions. I love the relationship she had with her girlfriend so much. She is often the link the family do stop arguing for even if sometimes they fight because of her. They all love her in their own way. How she takes so well to the grandma back from the dead. She is literally living in an Eastenders episode by this point acting quite calmly. The time she looses her cool is with her academic mum which she is the opposite like the rest of the family it seems.
The grandma back from the dead the daughter of Grace the mum of Elin. That is Alys. Saving the best or worst to last. The mystery the drunk. The perfect modern rom com character. You should hate her but the passion put into her writing depth makes her my favourite in parts. She is the Kate of Never Greener. The Lana of Us Three. Alys being my latest favourite self destructed mess up however just needs love. The love she never witnessed between her mum and dad. The love she will not find in the bottom of a bottle.
The characters in this one generally are likeable accept Alys making me warm to the writing of her even more.
This time four generations of the same Welsh family.
Starting with Grace the great grandma. The matriarch of the whole family. Letting them all go along with the marriage they thought she had. After the state of her first love less marriage it is much the improvement. I love how at nearly ninety she still lives her prime even going wild swimming. Everyone would love a grannie Grace.
Next granddaughter Elin. The most serious of the four. The prime and proper headteacher whose daughter fails all but two exams and a husband who runs to play hippie. The affair of Greg I find slightly daft. Due to how much I liked them as a partnership. Can they pretend it never happened? Even the ever serious can have the breakdown the biggest of one. Especially with her estranged mum. Sometimes hard to like making her evermore a brilliant character.
Great Grandaughter Becca takes after them all in different ways. It might be hard to see in Elin sometimes however it is there. Becca who passes music and art. Her two passions. I love the relationship she had with her girlfriend so much. She is often the link the family do stop arguing for even if sometimes they fight because of her. They all love her in their own way. How she takes so well to the grandma back from the dead. She is literally living in an Eastenders episode by this point acting quite calmly. The time she looses her cool is with her academic mum which she is the opposite like the rest of the family it seems.
The grandma back from the dead the daughter of Grace the mum of Elin. That is Alys. Saving the best or worst to last. The mystery the drunk. The perfect modern rom com character. You should hate her but the passion put into her writing depth makes her my favourite in parts. She is the Kate of Never Greener. The Lana of Us Three. Alys being my latest favourite self destructed mess up however just needs love. The love she never witnessed between her mum and dad. The love she will not find in the bottom of a bottle.
The characters in this one generally are likeable accept Alys making me warm to the writing of her even more.
February 1, 2024
Words can’t express my LOVE FOR THIS BOOK! Literally what Jess said in her review, a hug in a book.
Everything about this story felt like the warmest cosiest Sunday morning you’d ever have in your whole entire life. The character development from the girls was so heartwarming and to see how overtime ice cold hearts can melt was endearing BUT don’t get me wrong there was enough juice to keep you hooked!!
Ruth does such an amazing job at creating lovable characters but this was next level.
It was so interesting to see everyone’s perspectives on their relationships with one another and why they thought relationships fell apart / what they always resented.
Conversations felt easy between characters like it always does with family, no matter how long it’s been since you last saw each other and portrays every age of womanhood so well. Ugh I just love being a women
It deffo helped that I read the majority of this book cwtch’d up to my boo (or should I say cariad;)) so every time I then picked it up I was back in his arms, with a dog on my lap reading by a fire that I felt the warmth and love of real life and the book all at once which made this read truly magical. Can’t get over it, deffo will be re-reading this in about a day in summer ❤️❤️
Thank you Jess for getting me onto the Ruth jones train can’t wait to see what other stories she shares with the world, I don’t ever want to get off xx
Everything about this story felt like the warmest cosiest Sunday morning you’d ever have in your whole entire life. The character development from the girls was so heartwarming and to see how overtime ice cold hearts can melt was endearing BUT don’t get me wrong there was enough juice to keep you hooked!!
Ruth does such an amazing job at creating lovable characters but this was next level.
It was so interesting to see everyone’s perspectives on their relationships with one another and why they thought relationships fell apart / what they always resented.
Conversations felt easy between characters like it always does with family, no matter how long it’s been since you last saw each other and portrays every age of womanhood so well. Ugh I just love being a women
It deffo helped that I read the majority of this book cwtch’d up to my boo (or should I say cariad;)) so every time I then picked it up I was back in his arms, with a dog on my lap reading by a fire that I felt the warmth and love of real life and the book all at once which made this read truly magical. Can’t get over it, deffo will be re-reading this in about a day in summer ❤️❤️
Thank you Jess for getting me onto the Ruth jones train can’t wait to see what other stories she shares with the world, I don’t ever want to get off xx
January 17, 2024
This book has my heart and I plan to keep it to re read when I need reminding of how important our family is. We have four generations of women all having different battles but with such incredible strength.
October 21, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. There isn’t much to say besides the fact that it is an easy read, with a lot of underlying messages. All families have their issues. And this book is about a family who have more than most, four generations worth. The ending shows that all of these aren’t worth it in the end.
I did not like the last chapter - lost 0.25 stars for it.
I did not like the last chapter - lost 0.25 stars for it.
September 2, 2022
This book explores family dynamics and the dramas that many families face. I really enjoyed the way it explored the unconditional love within families. I also loved the unexpected love story.
August 12, 2024
I was laughing and 10 minutes later I was crying, loved it!
February 2, 2025
Such a charming book ☺️
May 27, 2025
One of my all time favourite books! The twists and turns throughout this book and the way it is written is honestly amazing! No wonder Ruth Jones is a BAFTA award winner!
December 2, 2025
i enjoyed this book with its four generations of the same family. Jones writes with a tenderness for her characters and their complicated lives
December 18, 2023
Rubbish. If you want to read something with a pointless plot, do yourself a favour and pick an Anne Tyler novel. They’re shorter and much, much better written.
It feels like she had a 3 book contract and this was the last one she was obliged to drag out. The writing was flat and tedious, and the plot was dull, cliched and uninspiring. Who cares about these people and their wittering on about their pointless lives? Urgh. Don’t get me wrong - I doubt I could write a 400 page novel and have people in tears at the end, but it feels like I could have written this one. The writing felt like that of someone who was throwing all the “right stuff” at it but none of it was landing right. Lacked charisma. Predictable, right down to the rhythm of the sentences. And the whole me crying at the end? Cheap shot. Let’s tick all the right boxes to make people cry. There are loads of hooks people can identify with and they are all clumsily done. I was really really annoyed she got me because this book is not worth crying over.
Overall, the book was a collection of unbelievable characters, situations and reactions and a bit of utterly unsexy sex and romance. I only didn’t give it one star because islands of mercy and room are in their own special league of awful and this wasn’t offensive - just crap.
It feels like she had a 3 book contract and this was the last one she was obliged to drag out. The writing was flat and tedious, and the plot was dull, cliched and uninspiring. Who cares about these people and their wittering on about their pointless lives? Urgh. Don’t get me wrong - I doubt I could write a 400 page novel and have people in tears at the end, but it feels like I could have written this one. The writing felt like that of someone who was throwing all the “right stuff” at it but none of it was landing right. Lacked charisma. Predictable, right down to the rhythm of the sentences. And the whole me crying at the end? Cheap shot. Let’s tick all the right boxes to make people cry. There are loads of hooks people can identify with and they are all clumsily done. I was really really annoyed she got me because this book is not worth crying over.
Overall, the book was a collection of unbelievable characters, situations and reactions and a bit of utterly unsexy sex and romance. I only didn’t give it one star because islands of mercy and room are in their own special league of awful and this wasn’t offensive - just crap.
July 5, 2022
Massive thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this ahead of release !
Warning for spoilers
I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this book . This is an emotional , heartwarming and captivating read and I finished it in one afternoon , completely unable to put it down !
Firstly , each character was beautifully written , with their own complexities. Each character was realistic and I have fallen in love with Grace , she is such a strong woman and as a Welsh woman myself , I see a lot of my own grandmothers in her.
This is a wonderful story about the relationships between different generations of women within the same family. The conflicts and emotions are real and raw and you’ll find yourself relating to so many arguments and points of tension.
The end of this story is incredibly moving and brought me to tears (and I have never cried over a book before). Ruth Jones draws you in and tugs on the heartstrings in a beautiful way
Honestly I can’t recommend this book enough and will definitely be buying copies of this for my friends and family when it is released. A must read in my opinion! I now need to go and dry my eyes and have a strong cup of tea
Warning for spoilers
I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this book . This is an emotional , heartwarming and captivating read and I finished it in one afternoon , completely unable to put it down !
Firstly , each character was beautifully written , with their own complexities. Each character was realistic and I have fallen in love with Grace , she is such a strong woman and as a Welsh woman myself , I see a lot of my own grandmothers in her.
This is a wonderful story about the relationships between different generations of women within the same family. The conflicts and emotions are real and raw and you’ll find yourself relating to so many arguments and points of tension.
The end of this story is incredibly moving and brought me to tears (and I have never cried over a book before). Ruth Jones draws you in and tugs on the heartstrings in a beautiful way
Honestly I can’t recommend this book enough and will definitely be buying copies of this for my friends and family when it is released. A must read in my opinion! I now need to go and dry my eyes and have a strong cup of tea
July 14, 2022
A complex family saga!
Grace lives in Dylan’s Quay. She had lived there since her husband Aneurin Meredith died in 1968. Grace had moved in with John and Cissie Edwards to turn their beautiful home, Syn-yMor, into a guest house. Her daughter, Alys reluctantly moves in with her but escapes to London as soon as she turned eighteen.
Elin Matthews (married to Greg) is Grace’s granddaughter. She is the Head Teacher of St Stephen’s High and mother to Beca.
I must be very careful about spoilers in this delicious novel revolving around this family so full of resentment, long-held anger, prodigal daughters, and cold-water swimming. When I started the book, I wasn’t that sure about the characters as Grace is easy to understand and love, however, the same can’t be said for her granddaughter, beautifully portrayed as a Head Teacher, following in her grandfather’s footsteps, whereas her daughter hates school and the tension between the two is palpable.
Alys, the prodigal daughter…… Ruth Jones has drawn her warts and all.
A novel to truly read and compare to our own family? Definitely! Show me one family that doesn’t have hidden skeletons!
Elite Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
Grace lives in Dylan’s Quay. She had lived there since her husband Aneurin Meredith died in 1968. Grace had moved in with John and Cissie Edwards to turn their beautiful home, Syn-yMor, into a guest house. Her daughter, Alys reluctantly moves in with her but escapes to London as soon as she turned eighteen.
Elin Matthews (married to Greg) is Grace’s granddaughter. She is the Head Teacher of St Stephen’s High and mother to Beca.
I must be very careful about spoilers in this delicious novel revolving around this family so full of resentment, long-held anger, prodigal daughters, and cold-water swimming. When I started the book, I wasn’t that sure about the characters as Grace is easy to understand and love, however, the same can’t be said for her granddaughter, beautifully portrayed as a Head Teacher, following in her grandfather’s footsteps, whereas her daughter hates school and the tension between the two is palpable.
Alys, the prodigal daughter…… Ruth Jones has drawn her warts and all.
A novel to truly read and compare to our own family? Definitely! Show me one family that doesn’t have hidden skeletons!
Elite Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
August 11, 2022
AAgghhh, I really wanted to love this book because Ruth Jones is a total superstar, but I just couldn't get into it. I gave up a quarter of the way in as the plot wasn't moving along quick enough. I think it was because there are multiple POVs and the story moves along quite slowly as it is split between them all. The set up seems intrigiuing enough, but it wasn't for me unfortunately.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.
February 19, 2023
I wasn’t prepared for emotion at the end. Not as strong as Never Greener & Us Three in my personal opinion, this took me a little bit longer to get into and to get going, but nevertheless, Ruth Jones’ writing just encapsulates me and I’m so engrossed in her character writing. I often find it hard to keep up with multigenerational novels and each chapter written from someone else’s perspective but the transitions in this were pretty seamless and the humour was just right. Loved it!
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