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Ava Comes Home
From the authorof Relative Happiness and Shoot Me comes a riveting story about one terrible secret-a secret kept in shame, buried deep for self-preservation, and exposed in a moment that changes forever the lives of everyone involved. Ava Harris is a famous actress living the life of the rich and fabulous in L.A. when a family crisis calls her home. It’s been ten years since she’s set foot in Glace Bay, Cape Breton—back when she was plain old Libby MacKinnon. Why she ran away, no one knows. Returning home, she must face her family, her friends, and her first love, Seamus O’Reilly, whose heart broke the day she left. Ava is a good little actress, determined that no one will know what happened. She will keep the truth buried at all costs-even if she has to run again. But secrets have a way of surfacing, especially in a small town, and love has a way of blasting through the toughest barriers. While Ava can never go home again, perhaps Libby finally can.
408 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2008
14 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
About the author
Lesley Crewe
19 books734 followersLesley grew up in Montreal, PQ. After graduating from Concordia University with a degree in English and Education, she and her hubby settled down in Homeville, Cape Breton and raised a family.
From 2000-2005, Lesley was a features writer and columnist (Home Fires) for Cape Bretoner Magazine, and from 2005-2009, a columnist (Lesley's Letters) with the on-line magazine, Cahoots.
In 2005 her first novel, Relative Happiness, was published by Vagrant Press, the fiction imprint of Nimbus Publishing. It was an instant bestseller, and was shortlisted for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award. She has since written nine other novels.
In 2012, Relative Happiness was optioned for film, and in 2014, Lesley's characters came to life on the big screen. The movie was produced by Wreckhouse Productions, directed by Deanne Foley, and stars Australian Melissa Bergland (Winners and Losers), and homegrown Canadian talent like Susan Kent (This Hour has 22 Minutes), Jonathan Torrens (Mr. D, Trailer Park Boys), and Rob Welles (Trailer Park Boys).
From 2000-2005, Lesley was a features writer and columnist (Home Fires) for Cape Bretoner Magazine, and from 2005-2009, a columnist (Lesley's Letters) with the on-line magazine, Cahoots.
In 2005 her first novel, Relative Happiness, was published by Vagrant Press, the fiction imprint of Nimbus Publishing. It was an instant bestseller, and was shortlisted for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award. She has since written nine other novels.
In 2012, Relative Happiness was optioned for film, and in 2014, Lesley's characters came to life on the big screen. The movie was produced by Wreckhouse Productions, directed by Deanne Foley, and stars Australian Melissa Bergland (Winners and Losers), and homegrown Canadian talent like Susan Kent (This Hour has 22 Minutes), Jonathan Torrens (Mr. D, Trailer Park Boys), and Rob Welles (Trailer Park Boys).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
May 17, 2021
I had to sit on this review process for a bit because I was angry at the conclusion of this book. This was an intricate story of love, family, trauma, sexual violence, emotional destruction and re-connection with family that left me thinking WTF in the end. I was both taken aback by the conclusion of the story and riled up that I really was not satisfied it was the best ending.
In April 2021, this book was re-released after originally being published in 2008. I am a relatively new fan of Lesley Crewe. I started reading her books about a year ago to a year and a half. I started with Mary, Mary and loved it so much. As a Cape Bretoner, the nostalgia of home hits hard and makes me feel like I'm there, walking the streets of home. Many of the locations described I can picture in my head. The Mayflower Mall - I practically lived there in my teens - my dad worked there. Reserve mines - had friends there in high school. Glace Bay-spent some time there for sporting tournaments. Downtown Sydney and the Delta Hotel- my prom and safegrad after prom party was held there. This is notable because I think readers who are not native to Cape Breton miss out on a lot of the nuances in the books which make them stand out -or makes the reader feel connected to the characters on a deeper level.
What makes this particular story so intricate and ultimately unsettling is the relationships. I think everyone in the world has a complicated relationship with family. That's not exclusive to my Island home. What I think this story brings to the table is a mess of complications that we can relate to in some way. We all know someone or are that someone with an Alcoholic parent who has been around the bend a few times. We all know someone or are that someone who has a big family and knows the baby of that family with much older siblings. We all know or are that someone who has a complicated sibling relationship or felt under appreciated by a parent who was overworked and exhausted at the end of the day. But we all know or are that someone who when tragedy strikes, everyone who loves you shows up at your door or calls you on the phone, brings you a dish to put in your fridge and offers help if you need it. That is the Cape Breton way. Tongues may wag a little too often in some cases. Everyone loves gossip and few are able to ignore it.
Main folks:
Ava Harris (stage name and alterego) Elizabeth 'Libby' MacKinnon (birth name) (Last of 9 Children)
Lola (Ava's personal assistant) Libby's best friend
Rose - Libby's older sister
Seamus - Libby's high school boyfriend and the man she has always loved
(Sally- his wife, Jack and Sarah his children)
Colleen - Seamus's older sister
Maurice and Harold : Ava's Hollywood styling team, Libby's friends
Aunt Vi and Uncle Angus - Libby's family who moves in with Libby's mom who is sick with Cancer.
Because Libby was the last of 9 children her parents were quite a bit older when she was born. Past their 40's if I recall the math right. Libby is 28 and her mom is 80. Libby's dad died when she was 7 or 8 I think so her mom was 60 years old by then.
I don't think it is unrealistic to see a successful Cape Bretoner on the movie/tv screen who comes home from time to time. A quick search on IMDB reveals a list of Cape Bretoners who are actors, some more popular than others, of course. We're not loaded up with actors, but I certainly have a couple family members who in their youth attempted acting both locally for CBC shows and in Toronto and Vancouver. One had a TV show for a little while. I think that Lesley did a fine job in portraying a young woman who seeks out a different kind of life and finds some success.
I did really enjoy the relationships Ava crafted with Lola -her personal assistant/BFF and her Styling team Maurice and Hector but ultimately, they were her protectors. A role I think Libby felt was missing in her youth after her father died. They were great relationships in the end because they really did love and care about her. What really made this story powerful for me is that the Trauma Ava/Libby experiences in her own family is very relatable. Family resentments can be hard to overcome when you become an adult. The hurt and pain you keep bottled inside never goes away if you don't talk openly and without judgement. It is clear that some family members have skewed views and they work to overcome them - but no one is perfect and that's okay. The important message in this book is that we keep trying to bridge the gaps. Secrets cause the keeper a lot of pain, but it doesn't help anyone else to keep it quiet. In the ending of this story, a major secret tears more than one family apart, but brings them back together as well as they realize their own arguments are not so important. It is really hard to critique this ending without giving away the secret which is a bomb drop in the book. So I will just say that a historical sexual assault comes to light that ultimately explains everything but is so enormously infuriating that I did not know if I could keep reading. I did and was even more upset by the wrapping up of a quickly pulled together wedding in three weeks. It felt contrite to me, that the groom was making up for a situation he was unaware of happening. In other words, it was too rushed in order to finish of a sequence of events that were highly emotional and draining. It felt like it was a quick draw- "so lets throw in something everyone should be cheerful about" to make it better. I think the better reaction, in this particular case, would have been therapy. Lots of therapy, not a wedding. But movies never end in therapy. An epilogue taking place a year or so later would have been a much, much stronger ending.
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because I really did enjoy it up until the final chapters. I liked that characters, I appreciated their struggles. The real actions of coming home to care for sick family is common for Cape Bretoners. It is ingrained in our way of life.
Notes:
I think the publisher missed an opportunity to include resources at the end of this story for victims of domestic violence and family trauma as well as sexual violence in the work place and in general. There could have also been resources for teens on developing healthy relationships. Even though teens are not the target audience of this book, I would say there are many people with families who might benefit from that information. We live in a post #metoo world where understanding the trauma and believing that the trauma happened are not enough. We have to take action to educate to prevent the sexual idealization of minors.
https://youth.gov/youth-topics/teen-d...
In April 2021, this book was re-released after originally being published in 2008. I am a relatively new fan of Lesley Crewe. I started reading her books about a year ago to a year and a half. I started with Mary, Mary and loved it so much. As a Cape Bretoner, the nostalgia of home hits hard and makes me feel like I'm there, walking the streets of home. Many of the locations described I can picture in my head. The Mayflower Mall - I practically lived there in my teens - my dad worked there. Reserve mines - had friends there in high school. Glace Bay-spent some time there for sporting tournaments. Downtown Sydney and the Delta Hotel- my prom and safegrad after prom party was held there. This is notable because I think readers who are not native to Cape Breton miss out on a lot of the nuances in the books which make them stand out -or makes the reader feel connected to the characters on a deeper level.
What makes this particular story so intricate and ultimately unsettling is the relationships. I think everyone in the world has a complicated relationship with family. That's not exclusive to my Island home. What I think this story brings to the table is a mess of complications that we can relate to in some way. We all know someone or are that someone with an Alcoholic parent who has been around the bend a few times. We all know someone or are that someone who has a big family and knows the baby of that family with much older siblings. We all know or are that someone who has a complicated sibling relationship or felt under appreciated by a parent who was overworked and exhausted at the end of the day. But we all know or are that someone who when tragedy strikes, everyone who loves you shows up at your door or calls you on the phone, brings you a dish to put in your fridge and offers help if you need it. That is the Cape Breton way. Tongues may wag a little too often in some cases. Everyone loves gossip and few are able to ignore it.
Main folks:
Ava Harris (stage name and alterego) Elizabeth 'Libby' MacKinnon (birth name) (Last of 9 Children)
Lola (Ava's personal assistant) Libby's best friend
Rose - Libby's older sister
Seamus - Libby's high school boyfriend and the man she has always loved
(Sally- his wife, Jack and Sarah his children)
Colleen - Seamus's older sister
Maurice and Harold : Ava's Hollywood styling team, Libby's friends
Aunt Vi and Uncle Angus - Libby's family who moves in with Libby's mom who is sick with Cancer.
Because Libby was the last of 9 children her parents were quite a bit older when she was born. Past their 40's if I recall the math right. Libby is 28 and her mom is 80. Libby's dad died when she was 7 or 8 I think so her mom was 60 years old by then.
I don't think it is unrealistic to see a successful Cape Bretoner on the movie/tv screen who comes home from time to time. A quick search on IMDB reveals a list of Cape Bretoners who are actors, some more popular than others, of course. We're not loaded up with actors, but I certainly have a couple family members who in their youth attempted acting both locally for CBC shows and in Toronto and Vancouver. One had a TV show for a little while. I think that Lesley did a fine job in portraying a young woman who seeks out a different kind of life and finds some success.
I did really enjoy the relationships Ava crafted with Lola -her personal assistant/BFF and her Styling team Maurice and Hector but ultimately, they were her protectors. A role I think Libby felt was missing in her youth after her father died. They were great relationships in the end because they really did love and care about her. What really made this story powerful for me is that the Trauma Ava/Libby experiences in her own family is very relatable. Family resentments can be hard to overcome when you become an adult. The hurt and pain you keep bottled inside never goes away if you don't talk openly and without judgement. It is clear that some family members have skewed views and they work to overcome them - but no one is perfect and that's okay. The important message in this book is that we keep trying to bridge the gaps. Secrets cause the keeper a lot of pain, but it doesn't help anyone else to keep it quiet. In the ending of this story, a major secret tears more than one family apart, but brings them back together as well as they realize their own arguments are not so important. It is really hard to critique this ending without giving away the secret which is a bomb drop in the book. So I will just say that a historical sexual assault comes to light that ultimately explains everything but is so enormously infuriating that I did not know if I could keep reading. I did and was even more upset by the wrapping up of a quickly pulled together wedding in three weeks. It felt contrite to me, that the groom was making up for a situation he was unaware of happening. In other words, it was too rushed in order to finish of a sequence of events that were highly emotional and draining. It felt like it was a quick draw- "so lets throw in something everyone should be cheerful about" to make it better. I think the better reaction, in this particular case, would have been therapy. Lots of therapy, not a wedding. But movies never end in therapy. An epilogue taking place a year or so later would have been a much, much stronger ending.
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars because I really did enjoy it up until the final chapters. I liked that characters, I appreciated their struggles. The real actions of coming home to care for sick family is common for Cape Bretoners. It is ingrained in our way of life.
Notes:
I think the publisher missed an opportunity to include resources at the end of this story for victims of domestic violence and family trauma as well as sexual violence in the work place and in general. There could have also been resources for teens on developing healthy relationships. Even though teens are not the target audience of this book, I would say there are many people with families who might benefit from that information. We live in a post #metoo world where understanding the trauma and believing that the trauma happened are not enough. We have to take action to educate to prevent the sexual idealization of minors.
https://youth.gov/youth-topics/teen-d...
February 8, 2016
This was a cute little love story, but it did stretch credulity on almost every level. Having "Hollywood" come to Cape Breton was like some kind of adolescent fantasy. At the same time, there were serious themes about rape and pain that were jarring. An odd combination with a completely unrealistic resolution.
July 10, 2024
There is definitely a dark aspect to this story but it is also full of fun characters, great Cape Breton, Nova Scotia settings and some humour. I have now read this author’s complete book list and will have to wait anxiously for her next release.
March 27, 2021
This book was an extended travel brochure for Cape Breton. The author jumps around in her writing tenses, time skips like crazy even in one page. I don’t recommend it unless you want to hear about local places on the island
September 8, 2022
I so enjoy the settings in Crewe's books, how they are full of people I wish I could meet, how she understands family and small community dynamics, that even in the darkest moments there is some light, and that she doesn't shy away from difficult subjects. While I didn't connect as strongly with the MC this time I warmed up to her even before knowing her whole story. The lead male character I connected with immediately and I found his story to be as well developed as her.
However, over the past 2 years I've read several books by Lesley Crewe and I have to say that I am really thankful I started with her more recent books.
This was another of her early books and while it has all the elements I enjoy in her more recent books, it also has negative aspects that I find more common in her early ones. I do not enjoy when she often makes insulting comments about people who are marginalized members of society, especially when I cannot see any reason for it to be a necessary part of the story. This happened frequently enough to decide on a rating of 3 stars when without those moments it would have easily rated a 4.
However, over the past 2 years I've read several books by Lesley Crewe and I have to say that I am really thankful I started with her more recent books.
This was another of her early books and while it has all the elements I enjoy in her more recent books, it also has negative aspects that I find more common in her early ones. I do not enjoy when she often makes insulting comments about people who are marginalized members of society, especially when I cannot see any reason for it to be a necessary part of the story. This happened frequently enough to decide on a rating of 3 stars when without those moments it would have easily rated a 4.
November 30, 2021
I love reading books set in Canada, especially in areas that I am familiar with. Lesley Crewe lives in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. This is the setting for all her books. I discovered her a few years ago and have read 4 of her previous books.
This book is one of her older books, published in 2008. It's a sweet book. Easy and fast read. It is about a well known Hollywood actress who returns to her home (after being away for 10 years) in Cape Breton because her mother is seriously ill. I loved the setting. The characters are so typically “down east” and down to earth people.
It is interesting to see how an author has evolved over the years. It is really apparent after reading this book. While Ms Crewe's writing style is still not flowery and over the top, this book is much simpler than the more recent ones. Both in plot and writing style. I think if I had started reading her books years ago, it would not be as evident to me. This is not meant as a negative comment….we all evolve as we go through life.
Like all of Ms Crewe's books, this one was entertaining. Good story, some amusing parts, great characters. I love people from Atlantic Canada (I’m married to one!). Easy for the author to do, she lives where her books take place.
In my opinion, the journey to the ending was a little over dramatic. But the ending was as it should be. It ends up being a love story but not necessarily what I would call a “romance”.
I love books that make me smile when I am done.
This book is one of her older books, published in 2008. It's a sweet book. Easy and fast read. It is about a well known Hollywood actress who returns to her home (after being away for 10 years) in Cape Breton because her mother is seriously ill. I loved the setting. The characters are so typically “down east” and down to earth people.
It is interesting to see how an author has evolved over the years. It is really apparent after reading this book. While Ms Crewe's writing style is still not flowery and over the top, this book is much simpler than the more recent ones. Both in plot and writing style. I think if I had started reading her books years ago, it would not be as evident to me. This is not meant as a negative comment….we all evolve as we go through life.
Like all of Ms Crewe's books, this one was entertaining. Good story, some amusing parts, great characters. I love people from Atlantic Canada (I’m married to one!). Easy for the author to do, she lives where her books take place.
In my opinion, the journey to the ending was a little over dramatic. But the ending was as it should be. It ends up being a love story but not necessarily what I would call a “romance”.
I love books that make me smile when I am done.
August 20, 2023
A romance genre with many twists and turns. Ava & Seamus are strong characters, but have few alternating behaviors, self denial, near sightedness, and suspicions of truth exposure. Other topics brought to the surface were sexual and domestic violence, and family trauma.
Ava ran away from home ten years ago, but she is called home to a dying mother. Her feelings are raw, and she is fearful to see her mother, her relatives and Seamus. With a joyful and nonjudgmental welcome, Ava is overwhelmed with all the love. Seamus needs the reason for her departure so many years ago, but Ava has buried deep her secret for self preservation and by exposing it many lives would be affected.
Ava ran away from home ten years ago, but she is called home to a dying mother. Her feelings are raw, and she is fearful to see her mother, her relatives and Seamus. With a joyful and nonjudgmental welcome, Ava is overwhelmed with all the love. Seamus needs the reason for her departure so many years ago, but Ava has buried deep her secret for self preservation and by exposing it many lives would be affected.
January 23, 2024
My second time reading this, as one of my goals this year is to re-read all of this authors work.
June 2, 2024
Another wonderful novel by Leslie Crewe, such a gifted writer. The ending seemed a bit rushed to me , the clueing up of so many traumatic ends . I did enjoy it though. Well done!
March 22, 2025
Wonderful!!
September 4, 2023
So very sad! Love the happy ending!
Happy reading
Happy reading
June 9, 2021
Ava wins the Best Supporting Actress trophy at the Oscar Film awards which is a dream come true for this girl from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia whose real name is Libby. So right away, I think of Harlequin Romances or Danielle Steel, books I read as a young woman with small children underfoot....an escape from reality so that sets the reading mode for me.
Because I was now in the mood for this type of 'fluffy' book, I finished it in a day....the highschool sweethearts, Libby and Seamus are separated for the summer after graduation by his going to New Brunswick to work to earn money for university. During that summer it seemed like Libby went 'off the rails'....drinking, having sex with many boys and men and then before Seamus comes back, she runs off to California with friends and quickly gets a job in movies.
I kept reading because I had to know what the 'big terrible secret' was that Libby carried with her....I really wasn't her fan until I found out what had happened back in the summer 10 years previously. She comes home after the Oscar awards because her mother is dying....someone she loved but hadn't seen in 10 years so I was a bit annoyed with her. Surely, she could have found time to fly home in a private jet now and then.
The story ends as I thought it would but how these two sweethearts would overcome what happened that bad summer is mind boggling.
Because I was now in the mood for this type of 'fluffy' book, I finished it in a day....the highschool sweethearts, Libby and Seamus are separated for the summer after graduation by his going to New Brunswick to work to earn money for university. During that summer it seemed like Libby went 'off the rails'....drinking, having sex with many boys and men and then before Seamus comes back, she runs off to California with friends and quickly gets a job in movies.
I kept reading because I had to know what the 'big terrible secret' was that Libby carried with her....I really wasn't her fan until I found out what had happened back in the summer 10 years previously. She comes home after the Oscar awards because her mother is dying....someone she loved but hadn't seen in 10 years so I was a bit annoyed with her. Surely, she could have found time to fly home in a private jet now and then.
The story ends as I thought it would but how these two sweethearts would overcome what happened that bad summer is mind boggling.
January 12, 2009
I found this book pretty crappy compared to Lesley Crewe's other books. I love stuff to do with Hollywood, so I was really excited and expected to like this book. You know, until I started reading it. Like, why did Ava even like Seamus? I didn't believe that she would be so wrapped up in cheesy high school nostalgia to still loooooove him. Plus he was whiny as all get-out. And selfish. And unstable. And wouldn't she always be like: "Oh, this is the son of the guy who raped my virginity away"? And wouldn't that, like, be distressing to her? Not, you know, a turn on that ends in marriage!!!
The whole book was awkward and hokey. Writing about Nova Scotia doesn't have to mean fishing and tartan/bagpipes/fiddles and home cooked meals and Newfie accents and bingo. (Was there bingo? There should have been bingo.) It is frustrating to read a lame, goofy story with a tired, stereotypical-Maritime setting when I know full freakin' well that Lesley Crewe doesn't need to stoop to this because Shoot Me and Relative Happiness were both excellent.
The whole book was awkward and hokey. Writing about Nova Scotia doesn't have to mean fishing and tartan/bagpipes/fiddles and home cooked meals and Newfie accents and bingo. (Was there bingo? There should have been bingo.) It is frustrating to read a lame, goofy story with a tired, stereotypical-Maritime setting when I know full freakin' well that Lesley Crewe doesn't need to stoop to this because Shoot Me and Relative Happiness were both excellent.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2019
I didnt like Seamus and didn't like how Ava was always described as helpless. I also didn't like the homophobic comments/stereotypes.
June 12, 2017
Upgrade that to 3.5 stars
Ava Harris, aka Libby MacKinnon, is an Oscar winning actress who must come home to Glace Bay, Cape Breton (Nova Scotia) when she finds out her mother is dying. She has not been home in the 10 years since she left, and when she left, it was sudden and secret, leaving behind her childhood sweetheart. Something obviously happened to send her running, something she never told her family or her boyfriend Seamus, and when she returns home, she must face it and the boy she left behind.
This is a fairly routine story in that you pretty much can predict how it's going to go and that it'll have a happy ending. The incident that Libby/Ava ran from is revealed a little over half way through but there's still a twist which I didn't see coming.
Lesley Crewe gives us good characters and dialogue and it's set in my home province. I "know" lots of people like these lovely "Capers" (Cape Bretoners). Salt of the earth. I know the references to shops, locations, etc. For me, because of these things, it's a very relatable book.
Ava Harris, aka Libby MacKinnon, is an Oscar winning actress who must come home to Glace Bay, Cape Breton (Nova Scotia) when she finds out her mother is dying. She has not been home in the 10 years since she left, and when she left, it was sudden and secret, leaving behind her childhood sweetheart. Something obviously happened to send her running, something she never told her family or her boyfriend Seamus, and when she returns home, she must face it and the boy she left behind.
This is a fairly routine story in that you pretty much can predict how it's going to go and that it'll have a happy ending. The incident that Libby/Ava ran from is revealed a little over half way through but there's still a twist which I didn't see coming.
Lesley Crewe gives us good characters and dialogue and it's set in my home province. I "know" lots of people like these lovely "Capers" (Cape Bretoners). Salt of the earth. I know the references to shops, locations, etc. For me, because of these things, it's a very relatable book.
August 25, 2019
I much preferred "Mary, Mary" and "Amazing Grace". It just wasn't a substantive read for me, right now. I knew how the story was going to go before I was halfway through. And I was getting a little annoyed with the lead character. I was going to put it down, but I just have this thing about finishing a book. Thankfully it was a very quick read. I guess I was just in the mood for something with a little more meat to it. Nice characters (other than the lead, who I didn't regain sympathy for from a third of the way through the book until her secret was revealed), nice setting, evokes the comforts of home despite the secret that is the crux of the story. A little light, a little "chick lit" for my current tastes. I almost don't want to add it to my "books read in 2019" list - it was so predictable it doesn't seem like it should count as "reading". But here is the the crux of the matter: my age, my health, I have to be selective in what I read because I am going to run out of time. At another time I might have been perfectly happy with this as a summer read.
October 14, 2021
This was my 3rd novel written by Lesley Crewe, so I should have been a bit more prepared for the roller coaster my emotions took while reading it. I loved Crewe’s well-developed, quirky characters, especially Maurice and Aunt Vi. However, I felt that if Ava/Libby had lasted 10 years in Hollywood she should have been stronger in her thinking and convictions, especially with Hayden and not so wishy, washy.
I loved the Nova Scotia feel of this book, the newspaper tablecloth while eating lobster for easy clean-up was priceless. It was a quick, entertaining, fun read with a very unexpected, holy sh*t/OMG twist that I didn’t see coming, but it explained everything. I did find the ending rushed and I was left to wonder what happened to a few of the characters. I will be on the lookout for a 4th Crewe novel. I give it 3.5 stars.
I loved the Nova Scotia feel of this book, the newspaper tablecloth while eating lobster for easy clean-up was priceless. It was a quick, entertaining, fun read with a very unexpected, holy sh*t/OMG twist that I didn’t see coming, but it explained everything. I did find the ending rushed and I was left to wonder what happened to a few of the characters. I will be on the lookout for a 4th Crewe novel. I give it 3.5 stars.
February 20, 2017
I was a wee bit disappointed with this book after reading Mary, Mary (this author's most recent novel). But having finished it now, I actually enjoyed it too, just on a different level. It felt a bit like a harlequin romance to me, what with the overly descriptive scenes of superficial sex. (I no longer enjoy that while reading) Having said that, the story line rolled along nicely and it was an enjoyable, Eastern Canadian flavored fairy tale. The descriptions of life on Cape Breton made me want to go there, especially the parts that involved the aunt's cooking and baking. I did feel that the issue about Seamus' father was left unresolved and felt that I the reader, was left hanging about that. Otherwise I enjoyed this read.
March 5, 2023
This is my second book by Elizabeth Crew and , once again, I loved it. She is a Nova Scotia writer and my family is from Nova Scotia so I have a special place in my heart for her books. Having said that, her books are wonderful and heartfelt. In these strange times we are living in it is nice to escape to small town living, good homemade food, crazy relatives, and a mixed up family. There is also a lot of love and there is always a big mystery with a twist he never saw coming. I could not put it down. I will be reading more of her books for sure. If you love Elizabeth Berg, you will love Elizabeth Crew.
October 17, 2024
Not this authors usual humorous fare, it has a much more somber feel to it but still with authentic Cape Breton characters , language, and atmosphere. The protagonist lives two lives, as Ava she has everything anyone could want including a brand new golden Oscar, as Libby she harbours a dark secret that is a shocking twist towards the end. Anyone who has ever walked away from the great love of their lives will identify with them both.
July 26, 2019
This is probably a 3.5 stars for me. I loved every character in this book and thought their personal lives intertwined so well. The setting of a small town in Cape Breton brought beautiful scenery to mind and a longing to visit the seaside place.
Other than it being a bit far fetched and quite predictable at times, this book was a wonderful read.
Other than it being a bit far fetched and quite predictable at times, this book was a wonderful read.
May 8, 2024
The story was good, a little far fetched but kept my attention. Loved all the references to things in Cape Breton and especially the local language being used. I didn’t understand the end how it ended up being one guy doing the horrible thing to Libby over the other one, wasn’t well explained, felt like it was just thrown in there and like too abrupt. But still enjoyed the story.
April 29, 2025
Another delightful Lesley Crewe story. I adore her books and the stories told in and around the gorgeous East Coast of Canada. I thought that this story was going to be somewhat formulaic but it turned a corner and became more. This was a bonus read as I thought I had read them all. Do yourself a favour and read a Lesley Crewe book today.
November 2, 2017
I always enjoy Lesley Crewe’s writing! She really hits the mark of how generous and kind Cape Bretoners truly are, making everyone feel welcome. This novel was funny, moving and entertaining. I am giving it a “5”!!!
July 3, 2020
I loved that it takes place in my part of the world, but the story was a little too predictable for me. It was a teenage romance novel in a sense. I love Lesley Crewe's books, just didn't love this one.
January 29, 2023
I love her books. Her style of writing makes you feel like you are curled up beside the woodstove with a homemade quilt wrapped around you and a huge slice of pumpkin pie on a plate in front of you. Perfect reading to help get through the winter, especially if you are in Nova Scotia.
March 14, 2025
I enjoyed this read. Yes, Chick Lit.
The number of characters and how they together gave the story the feel that is had is something I enjoyed.
Also, a couple of surprises in the book which I always welcome.
The number of characters and how they together gave the story the feel that is had is something I enjoyed.
Also, a couple of surprises in the book which I always welcome.
July 28, 2025
I was first introduced to Lesley Crewe's work with 'The Spoon Stealer', and since then I have sought out her earlier works. Always enjoyable/ thought-provoking reads - she always gives you something to think about and relate too.
May 13, 2017
Loved it!
December 15, 2017
Enjoyed it, I like Lesley Crewe's writing.
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