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Three women find themselves questioning everything they know.
Amy’s comfortable world is thrown into disarray when husband Ben's business collapses. Feeling increasingly estranged from husband Miles, Kate wonders if a chance encounter with the enigmatic Jack can offer her a fresh start. When Jennifer makes contact with old flame Hugh, she is desperate to find the answer to a question that has tormented her for decades....
Amy’s comfortable world is thrown into disarray when husband Ben's business collapses. Feeling increasingly estranged from husband Miles, Kate wonders if a chance encounter with the enigmatic Jack can offer her a fresh start. When Jennifer makes contact with old flame Hugh, she is desperate to find the answer to a question that has tormented her for decades....
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First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 18, 2013
Oh my, this book was boring. With some exceptions the storylines were predictable and unenganging. It was only willpower that made me finish the book.
December 9, 2017
A good read. Was engrossed from the beginning. Read the prologue, got about half way through the book and thought, yep, I know where this is going. But, I was totally wrong. Which was good as I hate preditcability.
November 11, 2012
Step into the lives of three very different women...
Meet:
Amy, the Princess who's about to see her fairy tale brought to an abrupt end...
Kate, the would-be adulterer
Jennifer, the widow with a secret.
♥♥♥
Old debts and new temptations... Find out just who will pay up in this warm and wise new novel.
When Helen's first book Rsvp came out and I enjoyed that very much, I knew I wasn't going to be dissappointed in this new book.
It starts off with someone sat on a doorstep with an envelope ready to open it to see the letter...and you start wondering whos sat there? whats the letter about? however you will only find out at the end who it was sat there.
I really did love this book though, We meet Amy and Kate who are sister and Jennifer their mum who is a widow due to their father Michael died.
Amy has a charming and exciting life who shops till she drops and lunches out while her nanny is looking after their children. Until her world comes crashing down when her husband Ben's business collapses over night and with Amy not having a job, she must get out there and find one and help keep her family together...
Kate is just a normal lass who does struggle in life with her husband Miles and two children even though she loves them lots, but her life is rocked when she has an accident and the wonderful Jack comes crashing into her life after rescuing her..
Jennifer is getting over heartbreak from losing her husband Michael and she does however get in touch with an old flame Hugh unlocking a dangerous pandora's box and finding out answers from her past whether she wants to know or not.
With this story I loved all the characters, there was such a nice mix and it wasn't chaos trying to remember all the names, you could easily follow and the chapters flowed very nicely.
With all their problems and heartbreaks it was lovely to see that they all soon got involved in each others lifes again and were brought closer together which was wonderful to see.
If your after a nice light hearted read, I highly recommend this book! You will enjoy this I promise.
Meet:
Amy, the Princess who's about to see her fairy tale brought to an abrupt end...
Kate, the would-be adulterer
Jennifer, the widow with a secret.
♥♥♥
Old debts and new temptations... Find out just who will pay up in this warm and wise new novel.
When Helen's first book Rsvp came out and I enjoyed that very much, I knew I wasn't going to be dissappointed in this new book.
It starts off with someone sat on a doorstep with an envelope ready to open it to see the letter...and you start wondering whos sat there? whats the letter about? however you will only find out at the end who it was sat there.
I really did love this book though, We meet Amy and Kate who are sister and Jennifer their mum who is a widow due to their father Michael died.
Amy has a charming and exciting life who shops till she drops and lunches out while her nanny is looking after their children. Until her world comes crashing down when her husband Ben's business collapses over night and with Amy not having a job, she must get out there and find one and help keep her family together...
Kate is just a normal lass who does struggle in life with her husband Miles and two children even though she loves them lots, but her life is rocked when she has an accident and the wonderful Jack comes crashing into her life after rescuing her..
Jennifer is getting over heartbreak from losing her husband Michael and she does however get in touch with an old flame Hugh unlocking a dangerous pandora's box and finding out answers from her past whether she wants to know or not.
With this story I loved all the characters, there was such a nice mix and it wasn't chaos trying to remember all the names, you could easily follow and the chapters flowed very nicely.
With all their problems and heartbreaks it was lovely to see that they all soon got involved in each others lifes again and were brought closer together which was wonderful to see.
If your after a nice light hearted read, I highly recommend this book! You will enjoy this I promise.
April 24, 2015
This would have gotten a 4, but that ending ruined it for me
March 16, 2012
Description:
Amy is a mother of two and married to a successful and rich man, Ben. Her days consist of lunching and shopping with the girls, getting her hair done and sitting at home. They live in a big house and have all the luxuries you could imagine. She even has Nanny Maria to help her with the cooking, washing and cleaning. But when Ben's business looks like it's going to fail, what will they do without all the money, the luxuries and what if they lose the house? Will Amy still want to be with Ben without his money?
Kate is also a mother of two, married to Miles who works at the Local Council and is obsessed with football, Kate works as a nurse, she was trying to follow in her parents footsteps and become a doctor but she fell pregnant early on. Kate is quite happy with her life, they may not have all the money and luxuries in the world like her sister Amy but at least she knows they are stable. Until one day she has a minor car accident and charming, handsome Jack comes to her rescue, is Kate really as happy with Miles as she originally thought? She feels a strange connection between Jack, does he feel too? And if he does what does that mean for her and her family?
Jennifer is a 60 year old woman who was a doctor, she recently lost the love of her life, her husband Michael a couple of years ago and is finding it hard coping on her own. She has her two daughters who come to see her sometimes. When Jennifer decides to reconnect with old flame Hugh through Facebook, she relives what had happened to her in her early years and battles with whether she made the right decision contacting Hugh again, he's handsome, despite his age, charming and always knows what Jennifer is thinking. Is she betraying Michael by meeting with him again? Is this her chance to have both her husband and her old flame in one lifetime?
My Review:
*May contain spoilers*
Amy's story - At first Amy seemed like a typical young, rich woman who had it all, never had to work, had a nanny to do all her jobs at home, bought things without looking at the price tag and so to begin with I wasn't really interested in her character, she seemed shallow and selfish, but as the story goes on and Ben loses his company, she's the one that has to deal with the consequences really.
After this she becomes a really interesting character and you see into reasons for what she did, for instance after over hearing her mother saying it was a good job she had looks because she didn't have brains, she always felt inferior to her sister who was a straight A student, she never felt clever enough to go and get a job, so literally just kept putting it off. And really it's Ben's fault as well for not trying to push her and help her, he just let her stay at home.
It falls to Amy to look after her family and Ben when he begins to have a breakdown over losing his company, it's like she has another child to look after.
She decides to move back in with her mother Jennifer, as they have no money, and no where to live. Which was nice to see their mother-daughter bond.
Amy finally plucks up the courage and applies for a teaching assistant job and the local school where her children have to go and is delighted when she gets it.
Her character really evolves from the shallow, selfish woman, to a mother, a wife and you see her start to enjoy living with her mother and not having to have all the luxuries, she didn't really need them.
I was definitely glad that Ben came around in the end, I didn't want her to leave him, which I thought could be possible with Ian (the headmaster) seemingly showing an interest in Amy, but we find out he's gay! ha!
So even though they lost everything they held dear to them, they gained a lot more by spending more time with each other, and figuring out who exactly they wanted to be.
Kate's story - I really liked Kate, she seemed like a normal wife and mother, working and saving, paying the bills with hardly any money left over, doing all the washing and cooking because her husband was, well quite lazy.
When she has he car accident, it isn't anything serious, but it shakes her a bit, here she meets Jack, who helps her out. He starts texting her and emailing her and she starts to feel a strong pull and connection which she instantly feels guilty about, he's not her husband. Jack starts dating Sarah, Kate's friend and invites them all round to dinner. She does herself up really nicely which Miles obviously takes a notice too.
I thought the dinner was really funny, I knew they both fancied each other, and I was curious with what Helen Warner was going to do with this scene, I was quite glad when Jack kissed Kate to be honest, because Miles was taking advantage of her and she did deserve better.
Obviously Kate rushes off, embarrassed and guilty but that doesn't stop Jack trying to contact her.
They exchange texts and emails a few times, when Kate decides she needs to stop this, she meets with Jack and tells him he can't have her, which was sad and they kiss in the car, as in goodbye.
After this Sarah becomes really moody with Kate and ignores her texts and phone calls, Kate doesn't know what she's done. Eventually they have it out and Sarah had followed Kate and took a picture of her and Jack kissing in the car, Kate tries to explain.
Kate talks to her mother Jennifer about her decision and her mother gives her some good advice, she decides to stick with Miles, her steady, loving relationship, instead of exchanging it for something based on lust. Which I could imagine would be quite difficult, if you really want this person, over your husband, you would think the obvious conclusion is, you don't want your husband anymore.
Kate rushes to the hospital when her mother has a heart attack and finds Jack there, he insinuates to Miles that him and Kate have been having an affair and Miles takes off, angry and upset.
They both arrive home and have an argument, Kate finds out that Sarah sent the picture of Kate kissing Jack to Miles, but he didn't say anything because he didn't want to lose her and hoped she would pick him. They have a heart to heart and it looks like they are getting back on track but Miles doesn't think he can forgive Kate for feeling a connection with Jack, it's too personal, she contemplated leaving him and the kids for Jack.
But when her mother takes a turn for the worst, Miles is there for her and they just seem to slip back into how they were before.
I didn't really like Miles that much, obviously I felt sorry for him when he "found" out about Kate and Jack but he seemed really selfish, and lazy, not doing anything to help.
Jennifer's story - This was my favourite, which I was quite surprised about, I thought it would be one of the daughters because you think at 60, you can't have that much drama going on in your life, but I was really taken with Jennifer's side of the story, she'd lost her husband Michael, who she'd been with since college, which was heartbreaking to read about, but it as the story progressed it delved into Jennifer's past to reveal she was quite naughty, back in the day. She had a one night stand with Hugh, a man who really fancied her and followed her, sounds creepy I know, but in the book it didn't.
Jennifer believed that Michael had been cheating on her while he was away studying in Medical school and so she had her one night stand with Hugh, only later to realise she had it all wrong, she felt so guilty for what she did, but a friend convinced her not to say anything, and so her and Michael carried on as normal, Hugh didn't want to give Jennifer up and asked her to marry him, pick him instead of Michael, he's too boring for her. But Jennifer knew she couldn't have a relationship with someone based on sex and lust, it wouldn't last and he would eventually find someone else.
Jennifer finds out she's pregnant when being fitted for her wedding dress, she instantly thinks that she doesn't know for sure who the father is, but goes along with Michael who would obviously think it's his.
After Michael's death, Jennifer decides to reach out to Hugh over Facebook and they meet face to face for the first time in years, they instantly fall back into how they used to be, and Jennifer still feels that connection with him, but also feels like its a betrayal of Michael, after speaking with her daughter Kate, who's in a similar situation as she was in when she was younger, over picking between two men. Jennifer tells Kate some of the truth, Kate tells her mother that she should try to contact Hugh, obviously not knowing she has already, and maybe she wouldn't have to chose, she could have both.
And so Jennifer begins a secret relationship with Hugh, acting like a teenage girl again which is funny, because now Amy and her family are living with her, it doesn't go unnoticed that she sneaks out and into the house early in the morning.
Hugh wants Jennifer to meet his son Jack for dinner, and Jennifer can't help but think, it can't be Kate's Jack? Because if it was, he could potentially be Kate's half brother, still not knowing for certain who Kate's father was.
She meets Jack and all the clues come together and obviously, I knew straight away by his description, what he did for a living and so on.
Jennifer has a heart attack at the dinner and gets rushed to hospital, Hugh contacts Kate, telling her what's happened.
And so Kate, Miles, Amy and Ben all turn up to the hospital worried sick, Jennifer is ok at the moment but the next 24 hours are critical, it was so heartbreaking to see Jennifer finally give in to her feelings for Hugh, and have a new lease on life, laughing, joking, acting like a teenager to suddenly have a heart attack and end up in hospital in critical condition.
Jennifer doesn't get better over night, she gets worse and Kate and Amy rush back up to the hospital again, basically to say goodbye to their mother, these last few chapters are heartbreaking, everyone knowing she's on her way out, Jennifer's last words are telling Kate that Hugh could be her father.
I could picture the scene so clearly in head, when it described Amy and Kate both lying on opposites side of Jennifer on her hospital bed, holding her and each other, a few tears slid out, I must admit.
And then the epilogue comes, and I'm thinking how is Helen going to round it up, is it going to be about Kate and Miles? Amy and Ben? or even Hugh and Jack? Or all of them combined? But no, it's only about 3 pages long, Kate receiving a letter, which I instantly know will be results as to who is her father, after she opens it, she thinks, I knew all along and so I instantly think that after all Michael was her father, because she wanted him to be, she knew him all her life, but it turns out it's Hugh! Which I thought was quite a shock, I mean she was contemplating having an affair with her half brother after all! EW! But at least she knows the truth and can start to build a relationship with Hugh before it's too late.
Honestly, I had a feeling he could be the father, there were little hints and clues, when talking about skin colour and her and Jack's hands looking similar.
Overall I thought this was a fantastic book, it was like reading three mini stories in one, I honestly don't know how Helen Warner could keep track of everything and everyone, it must have been difficult but she pulled if off nicely, I didn't get to one chapter and think, that was pointless, they all seemed to have something interesting in them.
Amy is a mother of two and married to a successful and rich man, Ben. Her days consist of lunching and shopping with the girls, getting her hair done and sitting at home. They live in a big house and have all the luxuries you could imagine. She even has Nanny Maria to help her with the cooking, washing and cleaning. But when Ben's business looks like it's going to fail, what will they do without all the money, the luxuries and what if they lose the house? Will Amy still want to be with Ben without his money?
Kate is also a mother of two, married to Miles who works at the Local Council and is obsessed with football, Kate works as a nurse, she was trying to follow in her parents footsteps and become a doctor but she fell pregnant early on. Kate is quite happy with her life, they may not have all the money and luxuries in the world like her sister Amy but at least she knows they are stable. Until one day she has a minor car accident and charming, handsome Jack comes to her rescue, is Kate really as happy with Miles as she originally thought? She feels a strange connection between Jack, does he feel too? And if he does what does that mean for her and her family?
Jennifer is a 60 year old woman who was a doctor, she recently lost the love of her life, her husband Michael a couple of years ago and is finding it hard coping on her own. She has her two daughters who come to see her sometimes. When Jennifer decides to reconnect with old flame Hugh through Facebook, she relives what had happened to her in her early years and battles with whether she made the right decision contacting Hugh again, he's handsome, despite his age, charming and always knows what Jennifer is thinking. Is she betraying Michael by meeting with him again? Is this her chance to have both her husband and her old flame in one lifetime?
My Review:
*May contain spoilers*
Amy's story - At first Amy seemed like a typical young, rich woman who had it all, never had to work, had a nanny to do all her jobs at home, bought things without looking at the price tag and so to begin with I wasn't really interested in her character, she seemed shallow and selfish, but as the story goes on and Ben loses his company, she's the one that has to deal with the consequences really.
After this she becomes a really interesting character and you see into reasons for what she did, for instance after over hearing her mother saying it was a good job she had looks because she didn't have brains, she always felt inferior to her sister who was a straight A student, she never felt clever enough to go and get a job, so literally just kept putting it off. And really it's Ben's fault as well for not trying to push her and help her, he just let her stay at home.
It falls to Amy to look after her family and Ben when he begins to have a breakdown over losing his company, it's like she has another child to look after.
She decides to move back in with her mother Jennifer, as they have no money, and no where to live. Which was nice to see their mother-daughter bond.
Amy finally plucks up the courage and applies for a teaching assistant job and the local school where her children have to go and is delighted when she gets it.
Her character really evolves from the shallow, selfish woman, to a mother, a wife and you see her start to enjoy living with her mother and not having to have all the luxuries, she didn't really need them.
I was definitely glad that Ben came around in the end, I didn't want her to leave him, which I thought could be possible with Ian (the headmaster) seemingly showing an interest in Amy, but we find out he's gay! ha!
So even though they lost everything they held dear to them, they gained a lot more by spending more time with each other, and figuring out who exactly they wanted to be.
Kate's story - I really liked Kate, she seemed like a normal wife and mother, working and saving, paying the bills with hardly any money left over, doing all the washing and cooking because her husband was, well quite lazy.
When she has he car accident, it isn't anything serious, but it shakes her a bit, here she meets Jack, who helps her out. He starts texting her and emailing her and she starts to feel a strong pull and connection which she instantly feels guilty about, he's not her husband. Jack starts dating Sarah, Kate's friend and invites them all round to dinner. She does herself up really nicely which Miles obviously takes a notice too.
I thought the dinner was really funny, I knew they both fancied each other, and I was curious with what Helen Warner was going to do with this scene, I was quite glad when Jack kissed Kate to be honest, because Miles was taking advantage of her and she did deserve better.
Obviously Kate rushes off, embarrassed and guilty but that doesn't stop Jack trying to contact her.
They exchange texts and emails a few times, when Kate decides she needs to stop this, she meets with Jack and tells him he can't have her, which was sad and they kiss in the car, as in goodbye.
After this Sarah becomes really moody with Kate and ignores her texts and phone calls, Kate doesn't know what she's done. Eventually they have it out and Sarah had followed Kate and took a picture of her and Jack kissing in the car, Kate tries to explain.
Kate talks to her mother Jennifer about her decision and her mother gives her some good advice, she decides to stick with Miles, her steady, loving relationship, instead of exchanging it for something based on lust. Which I could imagine would be quite difficult, if you really want this person, over your husband, you would think the obvious conclusion is, you don't want your husband anymore.
Kate rushes to the hospital when her mother has a heart attack and finds Jack there, he insinuates to Miles that him and Kate have been having an affair and Miles takes off, angry and upset.
They both arrive home and have an argument, Kate finds out that Sarah sent the picture of Kate kissing Jack to Miles, but he didn't say anything because he didn't want to lose her and hoped she would pick him. They have a heart to heart and it looks like they are getting back on track but Miles doesn't think he can forgive Kate for feeling a connection with Jack, it's too personal, she contemplated leaving him and the kids for Jack.
But when her mother takes a turn for the worst, Miles is there for her and they just seem to slip back into how they were before.
I didn't really like Miles that much, obviously I felt sorry for him when he "found" out about Kate and Jack but he seemed really selfish, and lazy, not doing anything to help.
Jennifer's story - This was my favourite, which I was quite surprised about, I thought it would be one of the daughters because you think at 60, you can't have that much drama going on in your life, but I was really taken with Jennifer's side of the story, she'd lost her husband Michael, who she'd been with since college, which was heartbreaking to read about, but it as the story progressed it delved into Jennifer's past to reveal she was quite naughty, back in the day. She had a one night stand with Hugh, a man who really fancied her and followed her, sounds creepy I know, but in the book it didn't.
Jennifer believed that Michael had been cheating on her while he was away studying in Medical school and so she had her one night stand with Hugh, only later to realise she had it all wrong, she felt so guilty for what she did, but a friend convinced her not to say anything, and so her and Michael carried on as normal, Hugh didn't want to give Jennifer up and asked her to marry him, pick him instead of Michael, he's too boring for her. But Jennifer knew she couldn't have a relationship with someone based on sex and lust, it wouldn't last and he would eventually find someone else.
Jennifer finds out she's pregnant when being fitted for her wedding dress, she instantly thinks that she doesn't know for sure who the father is, but goes along with Michael who would obviously think it's his.
After Michael's death, Jennifer decides to reach out to Hugh over Facebook and they meet face to face for the first time in years, they instantly fall back into how they used to be, and Jennifer still feels that connection with him, but also feels like its a betrayal of Michael, after speaking with her daughter Kate, who's in a similar situation as she was in when she was younger, over picking between two men. Jennifer tells Kate some of the truth, Kate tells her mother that she should try to contact Hugh, obviously not knowing she has already, and maybe she wouldn't have to chose, she could have both.
And so Jennifer begins a secret relationship with Hugh, acting like a teenage girl again which is funny, because now Amy and her family are living with her, it doesn't go unnoticed that she sneaks out and into the house early in the morning.
Hugh wants Jennifer to meet his son Jack for dinner, and Jennifer can't help but think, it can't be Kate's Jack? Because if it was, he could potentially be Kate's half brother, still not knowing for certain who Kate's father was.
She meets Jack and all the clues come together and obviously, I knew straight away by his description, what he did for a living and so on.
Jennifer has a heart attack at the dinner and gets rushed to hospital, Hugh contacts Kate, telling her what's happened.
And so Kate, Miles, Amy and Ben all turn up to the hospital worried sick, Jennifer is ok at the moment but the next 24 hours are critical, it was so heartbreaking to see Jennifer finally give in to her feelings for Hugh, and have a new lease on life, laughing, joking, acting like a teenager to suddenly have a heart attack and end up in hospital in critical condition.
Jennifer doesn't get better over night, she gets worse and Kate and Amy rush back up to the hospital again, basically to say goodbye to their mother, these last few chapters are heartbreaking, everyone knowing she's on her way out, Jennifer's last words are telling Kate that Hugh could be her father.
I could picture the scene so clearly in head, when it described Amy and Kate both lying on opposites side of Jennifer on her hospital bed, holding her and each other, a few tears slid out, I must admit.
And then the epilogue comes, and I'm thinking how is Helen going to round it up, is it going to be about Kate and Miles? Amy and Ben? or even Hugh and Jack? Or all of them combined? But no, it's only about 3 pages long, Kate receiving a letter, which I instantly know will be results as to who is her father, after she opens it, she thinks, I knew all along and so I instantly think that after all Michael was her father, because she wanted him to be, she knew him all her life, but it turns out it's Hugh! Which I thought was quite a shock, I mean she was contemplating having an affair with her half brother after all! EW! But at least she knows the truth and can start to build a relationship with Hugh before it's too late.
Honestly, I had a feeling he could be the father, there were little hints and clues, when talking about skin colour and her and Jack's hands looking similar.
Overall I thought this was a fantastic book, it was like reading three mini stories in one, I honestly don't know how Helen Warner could keep track of everything and everyone, it must have been difficult but she pulled if off nicely, I didn't get to one chapter and think, that was pointless, they all seemed to have something interesting in them.
January 14, 2018
I liked this book. I liked all the main characters and was interested in what was happening in each of their lives. I enjoyed the different romantic relationships that they had and how even though each of their personal circumstances were different and they each had their own problems and worries and secrets they were all there for each other as a family.
Without giving any spoilers away, I wasn’t particularly happy with the ending and not even sure I understood the last page. I think there was something fairly key that wasn’t addressed in the ending either. But overall, a good read.
Without giving any spoilers away, I wasn’t particularly happy with the ending and not even sure I understood the last page. I think there was something fairly key that wasn’t addressed in the ending either. But overall, a good read.
August 21, 2019
Devo dire che questo libro mi ha sorpreso positivamente, anche se non credo che lo rileggerò a breve . Diciamo che nonostante le apparenze non fa parte dei libri romantici, l’amore in questo libro si può percepire, ma non viene descritto praticamente mai. È semplicemente la storia di una famiglia, in particolare delle donne che affrontano i loro problemi quotidiani e della loro madre che ha un segreto nascosto. Commovente.
August 17, 2021
I think this book is more about Money then anything else.
Miles is not liked because he only works for the council.
Ben works all hours on his own business driving himself to a mental breakdown,so his wife can buy designer clothes and shoes and live in a big house and send their kids to a private School.
She then has to work herself (poor rich Bi**).
Jenny would have had a lot more fun with Huge.
Didn't like the characters much so getting to the end of the book was hard.
Miles is not liked because he only works for the council.
Ben works all hours on his own business driving himself to a mental breakdown,so his wife can buy designer clothes and shoes and live in a big house and send their kids to a private School.
She then has to work herself (poor rich Bi**).
Jenny would have had a lot more fun with Huge.
Didn't like the characters much so getting to the end of the book was hard.
May 21, 2023
wow les rebondissements!!
Suivre ces trois femmes a été une pute partie de plaisir, bien que leur vie ne soit pas toujours heureuses.
On peut vite comprendre que l'une et l'autre des filles n'agissent pas comme tout le monde pensait qu'elles agiraient.
On ne peut pas être dans leur tête, on ne peut pas tout prévoir, on ne peut pas imaginer ce qu'elles ressentent, on ne peut pas croire ce qu'il arrive, on ne peut pas... Être complètement à leur place.
C'était intense mais beau.
Suivre ces trois femmes a été une pute partie de plaisir, bien que leur vie ne soit pas toujours heureuses.
On peut vite comprendre que l'une et l'autre des filles n'agissent pas comme tout le monde pensait qu'elles agiraient.
On ne peut pas être dans leur tête, on ne peut pas tout prévoir, on ne peut pas imaginer ce qu'elles ressentent, on ne peut pas croire ce qu'il arrive, on ne peut pas... Être complètement à leur place.
C'était intense mais beau.
August 26, 2025
It was an okay read for me—fun, but not overly memorable. The romance and humor are light, making it an easy read if you’re in the mood for something casual. The characters are likable, but the plot felt a bit predictable at times. It’s a nice, feel-good story, but didn’t quite leave a lasting impression. A decent pick if you’re looking for a quick, breezy read, but nothing that stands out as a must-read.
October 1, 2019
3.5 stars. There's just something about this book. It's not normally my go-to, but I picked it up thinking it might be something light hearted for in between heavier reads. After all, the title hear reads "laugh out loud"!
I don't think I laughed at all. But, I was drawn in by these 3 womenand their lives, just the same.
I don't think I laughed at all. But, I was drawn in by these 3 womenand their lives, just the same.
September 8, 2021
A nice holiday read. Liked the characters especially Jennifer as I felt connected with her and was a little surprised how things turned out for her 😭 On the whole okay but agree the ending was a little ‘rushed’
April 10, 2018
Was a great read
September 6, 2018
I found the end very messy... It was as if the author needed to finish the book but didn't know how...
At least that 's how it felt to me.
At least that 's how it felt to me.
June 27, 2019
Enjoyed good read tissues needed for the end of the book.
May 30, 2021
Really enjoyed the different perspectives between a mother & her two daughters & the interesting reveals throughout.
June 20, 2022
A book that kept me engaged enough to finish but I found the characters unbelievable and I don't think the car on the cover is a Fiesta.
February 15, 2024
Took a chance on this one, never heard of this author or this book and I honestly loved it. Such a sweet complex story that I was hooked from the first chapter
March 22, 2024
Very good emotionally reading it
Read
February 12, 2025I read this book but I don’t remember what I thought about it to give a star rating
February 24, 2013
Prenez trois femmes, deux d’entre elles sont sœurs : l’une est une femme au foyer superficielle et qui bénéficie d’un train de vie élevé ; l’autre est une infirmière bosseuse et qui essaiye de jongler avec des moyens plus restreints. Amy dépense pour une paire de chaussures ce que Kate dépense en 6 mois pour chausser toute sa famille. La troisième est leur mère, Jennifer, veuve depuis un an et retraitée.
Maintenant, ajouter un évènement, un élément ou une personne dans leur univers qui va leur faire changer complètement la vision qu’elles ont de leur vie parfaite (ou proche de la perfection). L’auteur veut nous montrer que ce qu’on croit acquis dans notre vie, peut nous être retiré du jour au lendemain.
À la suite d’un léger accident de voiture, Kate rencontre Jack et immédiatement ils tombent sous le charme l’un de l’autre. Oui mais voilà, Kate est mariée à Miles et résiste autant qu’elle peut à son désir pour Jack. Même si ce nouveau bouleversement lui ouvre les yeux sur sa vie avec Miles et leurs enfants. Est-elle vraiment heureuse ? Miles est-il toujours l’homme de sa vie ? Et si Jack pouvait lui offrir quelque chose de plus excitant ?
Amy et Ben vivent dans une grande maison avec leurs deux enfants, la nounou, le jardinier et quand Amy veut s’acheter quelque chose, elle a juste à sortir sa carte bleue. Sauf qu’au retour d’un week-end avec les enfants, elle s’aperçoit que Ben n’est pas rentré et elle sent que quelque chose ne va pas. Lorsqu’elle contacte ses collègues, ils lui apprennent que la société de Ben connaît des difficultés. Et le monde doré d’Amy s’écroule d’un seul coup. Comment va-t-elle s’en sortir ? Comment réussir à sauver sa famille de la faillite alors qu’elle ne s’est jamais vraiment occupée de personne à part d’elle-même ?
Pour Jennifer, son monde ne change pas du jour au lendemain mais lorsqu’un homme de son passé, Hugh, refait surface. On découvre le rôle qu'il a joué dans les choix faits par Jennifer pour son avenir. A-t-elle pris la bonne décision en choisissant Michael au lieu de Hugh ? Malgré toutes ces années, Jennifer ressent toujours des émotions puissantes pour Hugh et le décès de Michael ouvre de nouvelles possibilités pour eux. Va-t-elle enfin choisir l’homme qu’elle a rejeté il y a trente ans ?
Dans la première partie du livre, les personnages de Kate et Jennifer nous paraissent sympathiques. Les émotions qu’elles rencontrent sont intéressantes et nous amènent à nous interroger sur ce qui peut pousser une personne à l’adultère. Mais très vite, l’attitude de Kate envers Miles agace et on oublie rapidement les sentiments positifs qu’on ressentait face à sa situation.
Pour ce qui est du personnage d’Amy, on ne peut pas s’identifier à elle. Même si au cours de l’histoire, Amy évolue et change de manière positive, ses réactions sont souvent détestables et on se demande comment elle ose critiquer son mari parce qu’il ne fait plus rien à cause de sa dépression, alors que ça fait quelques années que madame ne fait rien et se laisse entretenir par son mari.
Au final, ce livre aborde des sujets intéressants (l’adultère, l’unité d’un couple face à la crise ou le retour d’un ancien amour) mais à cause de personnages énervants, on a un peu de mal à rentrer dans le récit et à se sentir concerné par ce qui arrive à tous ces couples.
Maintenant, ajouter un évènement, un élément ou une personne dans leur univers qui va leur faire changer complètement la vision qu’elles ont de leur vie parfaite (ou proche de la perfection). L’auteur veut nous montrer que ce qu’on croit acquis dans notre vie, peut nous être retiré du jour au lendemain.
À la suite d’un léger accident de voiture, Kate rencontre Jack et immédiatement ils tombent sous le charme l’un de l’autre. Oui mais voilà, Kate est mariée à Miles et résiste autant qu’elle peut à son désir pour Jack. Même si ce nouveau bouleversement lui ouvre les yeux sur sa vie avec Miles et leurs enfants. Est-elle vraiment heureuse ? Miles est-il toujours l’homme de sa vie ? Et si Jack pouvait lui offrir quelque chose de plus excitant ?
Amy et Ben vivent dans une grande maison avec leurs deux enfants, la nounou, le jardinier et quand Amy veut s’acheter quelque chose, elle a juste à sortir sa carte bleue. Sauf qu’au retour d’un week-end avec les enfants, elle s’aperçoit que Ben n’est pas rentré et elle sent que quelque chose ne va pas. Lorsqu’elle contacte ses collègues, ils lui apprennent que la société de Ben connaît des difficultés. Et le monde doré d’Amy s’écroule d’un seul coup. Comment va-t-elle s’en sortir ? Comment réussir à sauver sa famille de la faillite alors qu’elle ne s’est jamais vraiment occupée de personne à part d’elle-même ?
Pour Jennifer, son monde ne change pas du jour au lendemain mais lorsqu’un homme de son passé, Hugh, refait surface. On découvre le rôle qu'il a joué dans les choix faits par Jennifer pour son avenir. A-t-elle pris la bonne décision en choisissant Michael au lieu de Hugh ? Malgré toutes ces années, Jennifer ressent toujours des émotions puissantes pour Hugh et le décès de Michael ouvre de nouvelles possibilités pour eux. Va-t-elle enfin choisir l’homme qu’elle a rejeté il y a trente ans ?
Dans la première partie du livre, les personnages de Kate et Jennifer nous paraissent sympathiques. Les émotions qu’elles rencontrent sont intéressantes et nous amènent à nous interroger sur ce qui peut pousser une personne à l’adultère. Mais très vite, l’attitude de Kate envers Miles agace et on oublie rapidement les sentiments positifs qu’on ressentait face à sa situation.
Pour ce qui est du personnage d’Amy, on ne peut pas s’identifier à elle. Même si au cours de l’histoire, Amy évolue et change de manière positive, ses réactions sont souvent détestables et on se demande comment elle ose critiquer son mari parce qu’il ne fait plus rien à cause de sa dépression, alors que ça fait quelques années que madame ne fait rien et se laisse entretenir par son mari.
Au final, ce livre aborde des sujets intéressants (l’adultère, l’unité d’un couple face à la crise ou le retour d’un ancien amour) mais à cause de personnages énervants, on a un peu de mal à rentrer dans le récit et à se sentir concerné par ce qui arrive à tous ces couples.
February 18, 2013
This is the story of a mother and her two adult daughters. Jennifer is a widow who is contacted by an old lover. She has been on her own for the last two years but still feels a strong loyalty to her late husband. On the other hand, can it harm to just meet up once?
Her eldest daughter Kate is living nearby with her husband and two children. They don’t have a lot of money, but they get by. But when Kate meets an interesting and handsome man who wants to go out with her, she wonders whether staying with dependable boring Miles is really all she wants from life. But is it just a crush or real love she feels for Jack?
The other daughter, stay-at-home mother Amy, also has a husband and two children. They are living an expensive life in London, which they can’t afford any more when Ben loses his job and has a break down. Now it’s up to Amy to provide for her family and live a more modest life.
This was a good story about family relationships. It was built up really well, I didn’t see some things coming at all, while in hindsight they seemed very possible. There is a lot of crying and eyes brimming with tears in the book, which I didn’t like quite so much. On the other hand, some dramatic (but not over-dramatic) things happened to the main characters so a tear here and there was really not that strange. My eyes didn’t brim at all, though.
I found the story very believable. I could easily imagine these three women living their lives as they did. Amy in London (losing all her wealthy friends the minute her husband loses his job), Jennifer in a small town meeting up with an old friend, re-acquainted via Facebook. And Kate, a nurse, who is a woman as there are many in England, just trying to get by.
If you like good women’s fiction, then this book about family relations is one for you!
Her eldest daughter Kate is living nearby with her husband and two children. They don’t have a lot of money, but they get by. But when Kate meets an interesting and handsome man who wants to go out with her, she wonders whether staying with dependable boring Miles is really all she wants from life. But is it just a crush or real love she feels for Jack?
The other daughter, stay-at-home mother Amy, also has a husband and two children. They are living an expensive life in London, which they can’t afford any more when Ben loses his job and has a break down. Now it’s up to Amy to provide for her family and live a more modest life.
This was a good story about family relationships. It was built up really well, I didn’t see some things coming at all, while in hindsight they seemed very possible. There is a lot of crying and eyes brimming with tears in the book, which I didn’t like quite so much. On the other hand, some dramatic (but not over-dramatic) things happened to the main characters so a tear here and there was really not that strange. My eyes didn’t brim at all, though.
I found the story very believable. I could easily imagine these three women living their lives as they did. Amy in London (losing all her wealthy friends the minute her husband loses his job), Jennifer in a small town meeting up with an old friend, re-acquainted via Facebook. And Kate, a nurse, who is a woman as there are many in England, just trying to get by.
If you like good women’s fiction, then this book about family relations is one for you!
April 21, 2012
IOU begins with a prologue which intrigues the reader … who is it sat on the step? Who is she waiting for? What is in the envelope? It isn’t until the epilogue that we are at the same scene again.
In the beginning, we get to know their characters and their lives. We see the cracks appearing in Ben and Amy’s finances and we witness Kate’s encounter with Jack. Although we spend time with Jennifer in the present, we also journey with her when she has flashbacks to the past.
Narrated in the third person, Amy, Kate and Jennifer’s stories weave in and out of each other’s in their own chapters as well as later on in the story, together. This is cleverly crafted so that the reader is left to make the connections. I thought this brought added depth.
I personally found it easy to identify with the three women and experience the emotions alongside them. I did figure out the plot and where it would ultimate take the reader very early in the story as I picked up on the subtle clues … but despite that, I enjoyed watching their lives unfurl.
There is plenty to hold the readers attention alongside the romance with family dynamics, secrets and a friendship betrayal. We also get to see one of the women grow and develop, gaining confidence and actually coming through as a really strong women (which I enjoy!)
The epilogue I mentioned in the beginning … the reader isn’t told what is on the piece of paper but we can infer …
I found IOU easy to read with a fast pace. A perfect read to pick up when you’ve booked yourself some ‘me’ time!
I would like to thank the publishers, Simon & Schuster, for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
In the beginning, we get to know their characters and their lives. We see the cracks appearing in Ben and Amy’s finances and we witness Kate’s encounter with Jack. Although we spend time with Jennifer in the present, we also journey with her when she has flashbacks to the past.
Narrated in the third person, Amy, Kate and Jennifer’s stories weave in and out of each other’s in their own chapters as well as later on in the story, together. This is cleverly crafted so that the reader is left to make the connections. I thought this brought added depth.
I personally found it easy to identify with the three women and experience the emotions alongside them. I did figure out the plot and where it would ultimate take the reader very early in the story as I picked up on the subtle clues … but despite that, I enjoyed watching their lives unfurl.
There is plenty to hold the readers attention alongside the romance with family dynamics, secrets and a friendship betrayal. We also get to see one of the women grow and develop, gaining confidence and actually coming through as a really strong women (which I enjoy!)
The epilogue I mentioned in the beginning … the reader isn’t told what is on the piece of paper but we can infer …
I found IOU easy to read with a fast pace. A perfect read to pick up when you’ve booked yourself some ‘me’ time!
I would like to thank the publishers, Simon & Schuster, for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 31, 2013
Stay Close To Me centres around one family but there is plenty of drama going on; Jennifer's past resurfacing, the crumble of Amy's lavish lifestyle and Kate's turmoil over her husband and the instant attraction she feels for another man, Jack. I wasn't sure I was going to like Amy to begin with as she was so spoilt. She didn't work yet she employed a nanny to take care of her children, even when they spent most of the day at school. I was almost willing the rug to be whipped out from under her feet just to teach her a lesson. I have to say, however, that Amy did grow on me and she coped with her new circumstances remarkably well. There are times when she loses her temper, when she could have been more understanding but it must have been a scary and frustrating time for her so I can see why her emotions boiled over occasionally.
Some of the threads within the story were a little predictable but it didn't hinder the enjoyment of the book. I really enjoyed delving into Jennifer's past, uncovering the circumstances surrounding her secret and it was nice to see Amy growing as a person, moving far beyond the spoilt, vacuous woman she once was. I could also understand the lure of Jack for Kate. Her husband Miles was quite difficult and stubborn and they didn't lead much of a life so the prospect of a wild fling with Jack was thrilling but it would also come with dire consequences for her family.
Stay Close To Me is a story of keeping secrets from those closest to you and the fallout created when those secrets are exposed.
Some of the threads within the story were a little predictable but it didn't hinder the enjoyment of the book. I really enjoyed delving into Jennifer's past, uncovering the circumstances surrounding her secret and it was nice to see Amy growing as a person, moving far beyond the spoilt, vacuous woman she once was. I could also understand the lure of Jack for Kate. Her husband Miles was quite difficult and stubborn and they didn't lead much of a life so the prospect of a wild fling with Jack was thrilling but it would also come with dire consequences for her family.
Stay Close To Me is a story of keeping secrets from those closest to you and the fallout created when those secrets are exposed.
March 15, 2012
A truly brilliant story of 3 ladies, Jennifer (mom), Amy & Kate. The dad died a couple of years earlier and the 3 woman, although not as close as some families, they were there for each other. So when Amy's husbands (Ben) business goes to ground and they lose everything they have in their privileged lives it is little wonder that Jennifer and Kate come to the rescue. Is it however a wonder that Kate is close to having an affair and Jennifer is meeting up with the man she knew back in her student days.
The story is a heart felt count of a time in life when you may feel like a grown up but you always need your mom. The tragedies, ups and downs of life are shared with the reader as the 3 women become a tighter family and the respective husbands feel more in the family as emotions rise and fall.
Personally speaking this book was particularly brilliant to me as i have 2 daughters and so could see myself in the book so much....they might not be married with children like Kate and Amy but its going to happen one day....hope we are still as close then as we are now :)
The story is a heart felt count of a time in life when you may feel like a grown up but you always need your mom. The tragedies, ups and downs of life are shared with the reader as the 3 women become a tighter family and the respective husbands feel more in the family as emotions rise and fall.
Personally speaking this book was particularly brilliant to me as i have 2 daughters and so could see myself in the book so much....they might not be married with children like Kate and Amy but its going to happen one day....hope we are still as close then as we are now :)
April 7, 2012
I really enjoyed Helen Warner's first book, RSVP, and so when I saw that Warner had a new book out, I was very keen to read this one and I was not disappointed.
The story follows three ladies, a mother and her two daughters, who each have a life changing situation to cope with. They are a close family but each had their separate lives, with their own highs and lows. The book followed each of their stories which were cleverly intertwined to create a fantastic read which is a feel good book but also one which I think is relevant to today's society.
The book is another of those that send you through a full range of emotions - there are times for tears and also for laughter. Warner touches on mental health issues and I think it has been handled sensitively, highlighting the journey the whole family go through in this situation.
I would recommend this book to lovers of chick lit and family stories.
The story follows three ladies, a mother and her two daughters, who each have a life changing situation to cope with. They are a close family but each had their separate lives, with their own highs and lows. The book followed each of their stories which were cleverly intertwined to create a fantastic read which is a feel good book but also one which I think is relevant to today's society.
The book is another of those that send you through a full range of emotions - there are times for tears and also for laughter. Warner touches on mental health issues and I think it has been handled sensitively, highlighting the journey the whole family go through in this situation.
I would recommend this book to lovers of chick lit and family stories.
April 18, 2012
This book is about a mother her 2 daughters, and their families:
Amy- Is married to Ben they have 2 children, Ben owns his own business they have a Nanny (Maria), Amy is a spoilt stay at home Mum and can spend her days hopping and lunching with friends, however is that all about to change?
Kate- Is 34 (but feels 100) she is married to Miles; they have 2 children Kate works hard to provide for their Family. Kate has an accident and meets gorgeous Jack Levine but why can’t she stop thinking about him she’s a married woman?
Jennifer- Is mother to Amy and Kate she is a widow but still has painful memories of her loss. She finds and ex- boyfriend on Facebook but should she make contact or leave things as they are?
I really enjoyed this book more than the previous novel it was very easy to read and follow, I couldn’t put it down, towards the end this book was very sad it brought a tear to my eye, I would definitely recommend.
Amy- Is married to Ben they have 2 children, Ben owns his own business they have a Nanny (Maria), Amy is a spoilt stay at home Mum and can spend her days hopping and lunching with friends, however is that all about to change?
Kate- Is 34 (but feels 100) she is married to Miles; they have 2 children Kate works hard to provide for their Family. Kate has an accident and meets gorgeous Jack Levine but why can’t she stop thinking about him she’s a married woman?
Jennifer- Is mother to Amy and Kate she is a widow but still has painful memories of her loss. She finds and ex- boyfriend on Facebook but should she make contact or leave things as they are?
I really enjoyed this book more than the previous novel it was very easy to read and follow, I couldn’t put it down, towards the end this book was very sad it brought a tear to my eye, I would definitely recommend.
September 1, 2013
Some of the coincidences in the plot are a bit unlikely but overall the book is quite realistic, offering a touching and poignant portrayal of the three central characters' inner turmoil. Fans of Desperate Housewives who are trying to find something else to get their teeth into since the series finished are likely to really enjoy it. I thought it was a great read but the structure was similar to Helen's début novel, RSVP, so I'm hoping she'll change the format for her next novel.
full review here : http://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspot...
full review here : http://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspot...
April 20, 2014
..First of all I do believe this book has been written under another title before... IOU... (think this is right) A good read, definitely a chick lit. Secrets that come out always change families. I felt for the mum, and understand how she felt. Interesting family relationships too. Glad I picked it up as never read this author before.
July 25, 2014
I think Helen Warner may be my new fave author!! Her style of writing is so engaging and this was a total page turner. I couldn't put it down and each thread of the story was equally enthralling. My only bug bear is the sudden ending with Jennifer and I would have liked to see Hugh and Kate develop their relationship and what did Jack think about Kate being his half sister??
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