‘Fooling other people is duplicity; fooling yourself is stupidity.’
In 1997, sixteen-year-old Tana Davis imagined a bright future for herself; she would finish school, become a lawyer, and generally swish her way through life being brilliant. But a chance encounter with a stranger on a Cornish beach pushed Tana’s life onto a different path.
Fast forward to 2010, and Tana awakes in a French hospital, with limited memories about what happened to put her there. Images flicker through her head: a ten-car pile-up, a terrorist attack, a brutal mugging. A train wreck or a plane crash. Anything could have happened. But what did? And where are her children? Forced to examine her life to this point, Tana must admit some brutal truths about herself, her family and her relationships. Her story confronts some of the most fundamental issues that we all face – how we create meaning in our life, how perceptions influence the way we conduct ourselves, and how relationships can be tested.
3.5 – 4 stars A Week at Meredith's is a compelling women’s fiction novel that stirs a whirlwind of emotions, featuring the relatable protagonist, Tania. I often felt torn between wanting to comfort her and feeling exasperated as she navigated her tumultuous life. The storyline is engaging, deftly blending everyday life with an undercurrent of suspense that keeps readers hooked. The author captures Tania’s journey through the challenges of motherhood, personal identity, and modern life’s pressures. Tania's confrontations with her struggles offer a raw look at self-reflection and the quest for self-acceptance, encouraging readers to consider whether they recognize themselves in the mirror. Her evolution through trials and triumphs delivers a rich emotional depth that resonates with many. For those interested in exploring Tania's life and lessons, I highly recommend this book. It's a worthwhile read for anyone feeling overwhelmed while searching for their identity amidst chaos.
Not my usual read but I really enjoyed this. It is a relatable book with fantastic character development and explores a wide range of emotions whilst remaining realistic. Got through this book super quick as well as was always wanting to pick it up.
A Week at Meredith's was an amazing book about a young mother's soul-seeking journey to finding herself in the most unexpected places. The story starts with a teenage Tana who risks her life by attempting to save a stranger's life and jumps into the chilly water to save the drowning surfer. Little does she know that this meeting will cause her to meet the love of her life and set her on a journey that she had never expected. As the story goes on, life takes some hard turns for Tana, as she battles a deep depression and lives a life of self-doubt and body dysmorphia. She unknowingly pushes everyone who loves her away, feeling lost and lonely at her wit's end, she takes a trip to France where she meets up with Meredith, the last person she ever expected to travel with. Meredith offers Tana to come to stay with her, even though they are not friends, but just acquaintances due to being moms of school-aged kids. From this point forward, Tana starts her journey, with the help of Meredith, to find herself worth and the meaning of her life. This de-stressing trip changes Tana's outlook on her life and causes her to guess everything she'd ever thought about her life and relationships. Will Tana find what she is looking for on this mini vacation, or will she get far more than the rest she was seeking? This is Kate Brazier's first published book, and by far exceeded my hopes and expectations, I highly recommend you give this story a read, it's a heart-wrenching story of love, loss, and self-discovery. @Brandy Rymer 12/2024
"In 1997, sixteen-year-old Tana Davis imagined a bright future for herself; she would finish school, become a lawyer, and generally swish her way through life being brilliant. But a chance encounter with a stranger on a Cornish beach pushed Tana’s life onto a different path. Fast forward to 2010, and Tana awakes in a French hospital, with limited memories about what happened to put her there. Images flicker through her head: a ten-car pile-up, a terrorist attack, a brutal mugging. A train wreck or a plane crash. Anything could have happened. But what did? And where are her children? Forced to examine her life to this point, Tana must admit some brutal truths about herself, her family and her relationships. Based loosely on the twelve-step recovery programme, Tana's story confronts some of the most fundamental issues that we all face – how we create meaning in our life, how perceptions influence the way we conduct ourselves, and how relationships can be tested." I love reading books about this, lots of battles in the story and decision making to be made, trying to figure out how certain things happened and why. I enjoyed the characters and the story. I give this book 4 stars.
An enjoyable and engaging story which kept me hooked throughout. We first meet Tana when she is sixteen and imagining what her future will be like. She wants to be a lawyer once she leaves school and imagines a brilliant future for herself. However, a chance encounter with a stranger whilst on a Cornish beach changes her future. In 2010 Tana founds herself in a French hospital with limited memories and no idea how she ended up there. As Tana tries to make sense of the images flickering in her head she is forced to confront her past. In order to move forward Tana has to face some brutal truths, regarding herself and her relationship with her family. Tana is a great character who is both likeable and relatable. I felt invested in her journey of self discovery as she faces real life issues that we all face. This is a wonderfully written novel with an intriguing storyline, and it was a real page turner to read.
Tana is now a divorced single mother of two boys who feels like her life is falling apart. She feels as if she can’t catch up. She has a dead end job, two boys that constantly fight, a dirty house and very few friends to turn to. Her and Jamie, her now ex husband married young and were married for 10 years, that got married when their oldest Jack was 2 and 3 years later along came Oliver. How could things have gotten so bad? Her friend and coworker Nicky tells her she needs time to herself and is willing to help her pay for this time of she will take it. However on her way to Nice she runs into Meredith who she calls one of the Perfect’s. She calls Meredith’s group of mom friends that because she feels that they have the perfect life and that nothing ever goes wrong for them. Meredith decides that Tana needs to come stay with her at her family’s home. While there Tana wakes up in the hospital and has no clue as to why! What could have happened?
When Tana finds herself in a French hospital, blind & paralysed, unable to understand the language, she wonders what the hell happened as she has no memory of how she ended up there. What follows is a passage through Tana's life, starting when she was a teenager and met surfer Jamie, through unexpected pregnancy, marriage, children, and divorce. She is forced to evaluate her life and the decisions that led to her current situation and to find a way forward. We follow her on this journey and learn about Tana and her life as she pieces her life together. The teenage sections are written in diary form, so they sound rather young adult but the tone changes as Tana grows up into an adult, though she does seem rather young and insecure in her thinking. I had to keep reminding myself that she was young, even though her experiences made her appear older.
This book takes readers on an emotional journey, starting with a somewhat disorienting introduction that gradually unfolds into a deeply meaningful story. Tana’s experiences are incredibly relatable for many mothers, capturing the full spectrum of emotions with authenticity and depth. The author skillfully portrays Tana’s growth, showcasing her ability to reflect, adapt, and challenge her own perspectives. The narrative is both thought-provoking and compelling, evoking a powerful emotional response. As a reader, I felt deeply connected to the story, as if parts of my own life were reflected within its pages. This is a poignant and transformative read that leaves a lasting impression.
This book was so good! I need a Meredith in my life. It’s inspirational without sounding to preaching and telling you how to live your life. I felt I really connected with Tana; it made me a little sad that I have so much in common with her. But I really liked the growth of her character, even before her accident she was realizing she misjudged and the mistakes that she made that could have been avoiding with time and communication. If you’re looking for a lighthearted, inspirational read definitely check this out.
TW: self-harm, drugs, abortion Kate Brazier’s A Week at Meredith’s follows Tana, who has woken up in a hospital bed in France and can’t remember exactly how she got there. The story jumps from present day to the past, peering at Tana’s teenage memories in the form of diary entries. Both versions of Tana have a strong, distinctive voice, and it’s an interesting, well-written story. It’s relatable and inspiring, and really makes you think about yourself and your choices, your past and your future. My favourite character was Meredith. Tana was an interesting character but couldn’t really admit her own flaws, I liked that Meredith was confident in herself, flaws and all. My least favourite character was probably Jamie, who was actually relatively likeable but did a few problematic things I couldn’t move past. I recommend this book because it was a really interesting read, a relatable story, and very reflective. I like the relatively open ending, I think that made sense for the tone of the book. ‘The reality is that death came close enough to touch, so I’m going to accept my second chance and make the most of my blessings.’
A mother seeking to find herself. Upon awakening, the mother finds herself lost in a nightmarish scenario. Will she get the answers to her unasked questions? Will she “find” herself? Will she manage to more deeply connect with her children? Get lost in this story- perhaps you, too, will find the answers you seek.
This book was great. At 16 Tana’s life changed forever. She saved a man from drowning, little did she know that was going to be the love of her life. She had dreams of being a lawyer and being fabulous. Fast forward to adulthood, she is battling depression and body dysmorphia. She ends up going on a trip to France. She rediscovers herself.
Very interesting storyline in this book! Definitely not my usual type of book, but I found it interesting and also emotional in several different ways. As the reader follows Tana’s story, both present and past, you get to experience her reflections of herself and her choices as she tries to discover and re-discover herself, and in doing so, I found that I became reflective of my own choices. This was a quick read and definitely a thought-provoking and interesting book.
A Week At Meredith's by Kate Brazier is not my usual read, but I could not help coming back to this book. Tana's story of self discovery is so hard to put down, I had trouble not sneaking in extra paragraphs when I should have been working! Tana is a deeply relatable character, and the story is inspirational! I definitely recommend this book, and I can't wait to see more from this author!
A week at Meredith’s is not my typical type of read. It was loosely based on the twelve step program, which I didn’t know much about, but I was still into the book. It was a quick, easy read, with realistic characters, amazing. Character development, and true to life struggles.
What would you do if you could escape it all? Your entire life, just leave it for a week and try something new. Tana Davis' life has fallen apart, nothing is going right. Tana had dream's all those years ago until that one faithful day when she see's someone on her morning walk that seems to be in trouble in the water. It is then that Tana's entire life changes. Shes a mom of 2, with a husband who she just can't seem to connect with anymore. She has a job that's going nowhere and a life she just can't seem to accept anymore. Tana decides to escape for a week and its during this time that her life changes forever.
A Week at Meredith’s by Kate Brazier 4 Star Review
A Week at Meredith’s by Kate Brazier is a story of one woman’s journey to achieve empowerment. When we first meet Tana, she is in the hospital but does not remember what happened or how she got there. As she slowly comes out of her coma, she begins to take an honest look at her life and how she ended up in a hospital in France.
Tana remembers her relationship with her ex-husband – how they met, fell in love and what their life together had become with their two sons. After their divorce, as she struggled with being a working single mother, a friend convinced her to take a vacation alone to relax and get some perspective on her life. Tana had overheard some of the other mothers at her son’s school talking about a holiday in France and decided that’s where she would go.
While on the flight to France, Tana realized that the woman she overheard at school, Meredith, was on the same flight and the two began talking. Meredith invited Tana to spend the week with her at her family’s house and Tana reluctantly accepted the invitation. While there at the house, Tana realized that Meredith was not the perfect person she had built up in her mind. Meredith had flaws like everyone else. While with Meredith, Tana let herself try new things and experiences that she would never have done otherwise and Tana started to realize the truth about herself as well. Tana finally admitted to herself that she wanted more in life. She wanted the life that she had envisioned before she met Jamie. She wanted to go to school and study law.
When Tana came out of her coma, Meredith helped her remember what had happened and how she ended up in the hospital. Meredith had also called Tana’s ex-husband and he and the boys came to France to be with Tana. During her recovery, Tana realized that blaming Jamie’s affair for their divorce was incorrect and that she was very much to blame as well. She was able to accept her responsibility in the breakdown of their marriage and admit that she still loved Jamie.
Tana’s journey through the good, the bad and the ugly in life was honest and refreshing.
This was a really enjoyable read. The characters were relatable especially Tana. Based on the 12 step recovery programme which I wasn't really aware of until reading this book. This story was fast paced and I couldnt put it down. It is a story of one women and her journey through life and rediscovering herself.
Tana had her whole life planned out. She was going to finish school and become a successful lawyer but all that changed when she met someone and it changed the course of the life she had planned.
Now we fast forward and Tana finds herself in hospital in France. What happened to her? How did she end up here? As she starts to recover she re-evaluates her life and the choices and decisions she made. She questions everything including her relationships with everyone around her. And so she starts her journey to rediscover who she is and what she wants can she finally find some more meaning to her life?
This was an interesting story and the authors writing made the character very relatable. You also go through emotions and growth with the character as you feel part of her journey and self discovery. This was a really enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more from this author.
A Week at Meredith's by Kate Brazier. This is my first read by this author but it will not be my last. I loved this book. Its a women's fiction read that has mystery and life struggles involved. Tana is the star of this book and we find her waking up in a French hospital with no idea how she got there. She doesn't even know how she got to France. She remembers her kids and wonders desperately where they are. She remember her ex husband, her friend Meredith and Meredith inviting her to stay with her. After that everything is murky. Tana has struggled with body issues and depression for her entire life and sometimes her mind goes place it shouldn't. Her week at Meredith's ends up changing her life because it causes her to take a good, long look at her life. Meredith helps Tana recover from her coma and helps her to come to terms with the mistakes in her life and even owning those mistakes that were hers. Tana is just like a lot of us, she wants to blame everyone else but doesn't want to take blame for our own part in the problem. This is a very deep, mysterious women's fiction and for a first book for an author, its an A!
I wasn't expecting to get as emotional as I did while reading. While my life wasn't exactly like Tana's there were some similarities there. She became a mom at a young age and was so unprepared for everything which is exactly how I felt. Then as life moved forward things got very overwhelming and she didn't have a clue on how to fix it.
Tana ends up in the hospital and during that time she has time to think, reflect and put things into prospective. She realized how much of a hand she had in how her life turned out.
A good life can be challenging and sometimes it can get to be too much before you even realize and admit there is a problem. Or even if the issue is acknowledged doing anything about can be more difficult than ignoring it, trust me on this one.
This was a well thought out and written debut book by Ms. Brazier. Excited to look for more from her in the future and see how she evolves as an author.
A Week at Meredith’s by Kate Brazier is an intriguing women’s fiction story that had me wondering where it would lead, right from the beginning. Tana thought she had her life’s trajectory all worked out once she left school. But, fate had a different plan- and Tana now finds herself in a situation that has her doing a lot of processing, soul-searching, and reevaluating. Decisions, choices, relationships, and roads less travelled – all come under scrutiny. This is a journey of discovery/self-discovery/rediscovery- and we follow Tana as she ‘finds’ herself, again. This is about finding meaning in life, while overcoming challenges. Throw in a little mystery, drama, angst, and emotion- and this proved to be a great introduction to Ms. Brazier’s work (for me). Happy Reading…
A Week at Meredith's is a beautifully written story about a young mother who goes on a soul-searching journey and learns much about herself. This book is so relatable as a woman and a mother. It's so easy to lose yourself along the way. Tana finds herself waking up in a hospital not remembering who she is, what happened or how she ended up in France. Her memories do come back to her bit by bit with the help of Meredith. Over the course of remembering past events and trying out new experiences with her newfound friend, Meredith, Tana comes to remember things that she had wanted to achieve, and she learns things about herself that she didn't realize. This really was a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it!
This is a really interesting story to read, about a woman who takes a look at her life and the choices she has made. This book takes a honest look at what life can be like for a lot of people, which made the characters so much more relatable. It is always refreshing to read a book like this. The characters have depth and the story really captures your attention. This is the first book I have read by this author and I love the style she brings to it. I enjoyed how it was developed as the story went on and I wanted to see what put Tana in the hospital. This is a great story that I enjoyed much more than I expected. I would highly recommend the story.
A Week at Meredith’s is an absolute page turner. Thrown into a mysterious situation from page one that slowly unfolds in a past and present jigsaw puzzle to get the full story. An emotional rollercoaster that all Mum’s go through of Am I doing it right? And Am I good enough? Such a heart wrenching, frustrating, scary turn of events to bring you back to being grateful for what you have, even on your darkest days. As Kate Braziers first novel, she’s set a high bar to meet for future novels which I hope to read as well! This book will sit with me for time to come as a reminder to appreciate who you have now.
This was my first book by this author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The cover drew me in, and once I read the summary, I knew I had to give it a chance. It is such an inspiring and relatable story to read as our main character finds herself doing a lot of soul searching. I was hooked from the beginning and read the entire book in one sitting. The pace of the story was fast but still felt as it was unfolding naturally. The character development is top notch as well. The author expertly crafts an emotionally charged book that will linger long after the last page is turned. If you’re looking for a story of love and loss to pull on your heartstrings, pick this one up!
This is my first book by this author that I have read and enjoyed. I enjoyed this author’s ability to pull me into the story by the characters. The characters are creative and written with a lot of heart and soul. This is a story about tested relationships and finding the meaning of your life. This is a story that took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride and one I enjoyed wanted to be on. I enjoyed the characters and what they brought to the story. Their growth throughout is page turning. They made it easy and entertaining to read. A fast paced, hard to put down story that you don’t want to miss. I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.
A Week at Meredith’s is a Women’s Fiction that takes the reader on quite the emotional journey. This is not at all what I was expecting going in but what I read was far better than I expected. This is a fairly new author to me and I’m definitely going to see what other books they have written. This is Tana's journey to finding herself. Tana thought she had her life mapped out after finishing school but one accident later and she finds herself on a journey of self discovery . I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next. I’m looking forward to reading more from this Author.
It's fair to say that most women can relate with Tana on some level in "A Week At Meredith's". This story invites the reader to learn from the childrearing and marriage lessons presented. Tana felt as though she was alone while wrapped up in the everyday chaos of life with young kids only to find out that everyone has problems we may know nothing about. This book is a great example of the "we listen and we don't judge" trend. I would gladly read more books from Kate Brazier.
This book was so relatable for me. I have been having a very hard time finding myself as a woman and as a stay at home mom this past year. This book follow's a young mother's journey of finding herself as both a mother and as a woman in general. It shows how hard it can be to know who you are as a person when you are busy taking care of everyone else. This book has helped me begin to truly find myself more. I highly recommend this book
A Week at Meredith's By Kate Brazier 5 stars This is a great book. I enjoyed this tale of a woman finding herself after life threw her some curveballs. This is not my typical type of story however I could not put it down. The author does a phenomenal job at world building and character development. I liked all the characters but really felt like Meredith was such a fun character. I definitely can't wait for Kate's next book.