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Jack & Bet
Even the longest marriages have their secrets . . .
Jack Chalmers is a man of few words, married to a woman of many. He and Bet have been together for seventy years - almost a lifetime - and happily so, for the most part.
All Jack and Bet want is to enjoy the time they have left together, in the flat they have tried to make their home. Their son Tommy has other ideas: he wants them to live somewhere with round-the-clock care, hot meals, activities. Bet thinks they can manage just fine.
When they strike up an unlikely friendship with Marinela, a young Romanian woman, Bet thinks she has found the perfect solution - one that could change Marinela's life as well as theirs. But this means revisiting an old love affair, and confronting a long-buried secret she has kept hidden from everyone, even Jack, for many years.
Tender, moving and beautifully told, Sarah Butler's Jack & Bet is an unforgettable novel about love and loss, the joys and regrets of a long marriage, and the struggle to find a place to call home.
Jack Chalmers is a man of few words, married to a woman of many. He and Bet have been together for seventy years - almost a lifetime - and happily so, for the most part.
All Jack and Bet want is to enjoy the time they have left together, in the flat they have tried to make their home. Their son Tommy has other ideas: he wants them to live somewhere with round-the-clock care, hot meals, activities. Bet thinks they can manage just fine.
When they strike up an unlikely friendship with Marinela, a young Romanian woman, Bet thinks she has found the perfect solution - one that could change Marinela's life as well as theirs. But this means revisiting an old love affair, and confronting a long-buried secret she has kept hidden from everyone, even Jack, for many years.
Tender, moving and beautifully told, Sarah Butler's Jack & Bet is an unforgettable novel about love and loss, the joys and regrets of a long marriage, and the struggle to find a place to call home.
257 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2020
5 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
March 12, 2020
Jack and Bet wasn't what I expected. When I read the synopsis I thought it would be a charming tale of two old people getting on with their lives, and us the reader getting an insight into their social life. This book had that but much, much more. And, I loved it. If there's one thing you should do today, that's to go out and buy Jack and Bet.
So, what exactly do you get with Jack and Bet? It's a story told from three different perspectives. We get to hear from Jack and Bet themselves. An elderly couple who have been married for seventy years. Now that is some achievement. And, Marinela. A young Romanian woman, who is studying photography in university.
Marinela and Jack's paths cross in a coffee shop. Jack likes to take a daily walk, passing by places and buildings and ending up in the coffee shop for a drink. But, on this day it's full and his regular seat in the corner is taken. In steps Marinela and offers Jack a seat at her table. From here a beautiful relationship blossoms.
Bet sees a lot of herself in Marinela and forms a lovely bond with the young woman. Through this developing relationship we get to learn about Bets life and the secrets she harbours. Despite being married and it being a happy marriage, Bet holds some regrets in decisions she made in her life. I love how she looks at Marinelas life and in some way is reliving her past and is urging Marinela to make some choices in life she wished she had taken.
When I think of old people, I naturally think of them pottering around their houses. Enjoying retirement, and loving living the quiet life. But, from reading Jack and Bet it gives me a different outlook on what could actually be. These are the people who have lived through decades of changes, they have lived through many experiences that have shaped who they are now. Jack and Bet are just that. A couple who have lived a life.
Their son Tommy, wants them to leave their flat and go live in a care home. He is obviously thinking of the benefits to them, they will be looked after and safe. But, Jack and Bet don't agree with him. In this thread of the storyline we see a role reversal. The child is now taking on a parental role, wanting what's best. As a reader you sympathise with both sides, Tommy is only doing what he thinks is best for his parents. And Jack and Bet are eager to keep hold of their independence.
Marinela I found was a character that spanned the generational gap. Despite being a young woman with her life ahead of her. She had built a firm relationship with Jack and Bet, and was a huge boost to their morale.
Jack and Bet is a story that will have a place firmly in my heart. It was touching and evocative tale of love.
So, what exactly do you get with Jack and Bet? It's a story told from three different perspectives. We get to hear from Jack and Bet themselves. An elderly couple who have been married for seventy years. Now that is some achievement. And, Marinela. A young Romanian woman, who is studying photography in university.
Marinela and Jack's paths cross in a coffee shop. Jack likes to take a daily walk, passing by places and buildings and ending up in the coffee shop for a drink. But, on this day it's full and his regular seat in the corner is taken. In steps Marinela and offers Jack a seat at her table. From here a beautiful relationship blossoms.
Bet sees a lot of herself in Marinela and forms a lovely bond with the young woman. Through this developing relationship we get to learn about Bets life and the secrets she harbours. Despite being married and it being a happy marriage, Bet holds some regrets in decisions she made in her life. I love how she looks at Marinelas life and in some way is reliving her past and is urging Marinela to make some choices in life she wished she had taken.
When I think of old people, I naturally think of them pottering around their houses. Enjoying retirement, and loving living the quiet life. But, from reading Jack and Bet it gives me a different outlook on what could actually be. These are the people who have lived through decades of changes, they have lived through many experiences that have shaped who they are now. Jack and Bet are just that. A couple who have lived a life.
Their son Tommy, wants them to leave their flat and go live in a care home. He is obviously thinking of the benefits to them, they will be looked after and safe. But, Jack and Bet don't agree with him. In this thread of the storyline we see a role reversal. The child is now taking on a parental role, wanting what's best. As a reader you sympathise with both sides, Tommy is only doing what he thinks is best for his parents. And Jack and Bet are eager to keep hold of their independence.
Marinela I found was a character that spanned the generational gap. Despite being a young woman with her life ahead of her. She had built a firm relationship with Jack and Bet, and was a huge boost to their morale.
Jack and Bet is a story that will have a place firmly in my heart. It was touching and evocative tale of love.
March 25, 2020
Jack and Bet Chalmers have been married for 70 years. They live in the Elephant and Castle district in London in a flat which they reluctantly moved into when their old flat was demolished to make way for improved housing. They loved their old flat – they loved the views of the London skyline and they were happy there.
Jack visits the local shopping centre every day, just to get out and have some exercise. It is there while sitting in his local café that he meets Marinela, a young Romanian woman who is studying photography at University. She chats to Jack and offers to come and take Bet’s photo at her 90th birthday party. From that chance encounter a lovely friendship springs up, especially between Bet and Marianela.
Bet doesn’t go out with Jack, her sight is deteriorating and she isn’t as steady on her feet as she used to be. Their son Tommy is adamant they should go into a home for their own safety, somewhere that will provide them with meals and round the clock care. But Bet especially doesn’t want to go – she still values her independence.
The blurb on this book and this beautiful cover made me desperately want to read this book. Every item on the cover is referenced in the book somewhere.
Married for 70 years? That is truly amazing but as we find out in this book, things haven’t always run smoothly for Jack and Bet. They have both kept secrets and Bet and Marinela realise they have quite a bit in common.
Marinela is just lovely. The friendship she gives to Jack and Bet is completely selfless. They remind her a little of her beloved grandmother who has died and she enjoys spending time with them, cooking and cleaning and just making their lives a little easier.
Told from the point of view of the three main characters, the relationships in this book are all wonderful. I love the idea of a book being based around a 90 year old couple, two people who still know their own minds. Even Tommy who could come across as a bad guy for wanting his parents to go into a home is handled sympathetically and I could easily see both points of view.
Tender and heartfelt, I absolutely loved my brief visit into the characters lives – this was a wonderful read. Five big fat shiny stars from me!
Jack visits the local shopping centre every day, just to get out and have some exercise. It is there while sitting in his local café that he meets Marinela, a young Romanian woman who is studying photography at University. She chats to Jack and offers to come and take Bet’s photo at her 90th birthday party. From that chance encounter a lovely friendship springs up, especially between Bet and Marianela.
Bet doesn’t go out with Jack, her sight is deteriorating and she isn’t as steady on her feet as she used to be. Their son Tommy is adamant they should go into a home for their own safety, somewhere that will provide them with meals and round the clock care. But Bet especially doesn’t want to go – she still values her independence.
The blurb on this book and this beautiful cover made me desperately want to read this book. Every item on the cover is referenced in the book somewhere.
Married for 70 years? That is truly amazing but as we find out in this book, things haven’t always run smoothly for Jack and Bet. They have both kept secrets and Bet and Marinela realise they have quite a bit in common.
Marinela is just lovely. The friendship she gives to Jack and Bet is completely selfless. They remind her a little of her beloved grandmother who has died and she enjoys spending time with them, cooking and cleaning and just making their lives a little easier.
Told from the point of view of the three main characters, the relationships in this book are all wonderful. I love the idea of a book being based around a 90 year old couple, two people who still know their own minds. Even Tommy who could come across as a bad guy for wanting his parents to go into a home is handled sympathetically and I could easily see both points of view.
Tender and heartfelt, I absolutely loved my brief visit into the characters lives – this was a wonderful read. Five big fat shiny stars from me!
April 15, 2021
Touching, sentimental, and bittersweet!
Jack & Bet is a heartwarming, affecting story that sweeps you away to London, England, and into a tale where long lives lived are pondered, a 70-year marriage is celebrated, friendships are developed and savoured, memories are cherished, secrets are unearthed, tears are shed, lives are remembered, and love is forged and shared.
The writing is smooth and heartfelt. The characters are sincere, genuine, and lovable. And the plot is a delightful blend of heart, hope, humour, nostalgia, drama, and emotion.
Jack & Bet is, ultimately, a story about life, love, loss, dreams, heartbreak, friendship, family, ageing, and finding happiness, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and in the end, it left me smiling.
Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Jack & Bet is a heartwarming, affecting story that sweeps you away to London, England, and into a tale where long lives lived are pondered, a 70-year marriage is celebrated, friendships are developed and savoured, memories are cherished, secrets are unearthed, tears are shed, lives are remembered, and love is forged and shared.
The writing is smooth and heartfelt. The characters are sincere, genuine, and lovable. And the plot is a delightful blend of heart, hope, humour, nostalgia, drama, and emotion.
Jack & Bet is, ultimately, a story about life, love, loss, dreams, heartbreak, friendship, family, ageing, and finding happiness, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and in the end, it left me smiling.
Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 2, 2022
An irritating slow burn that I kept expecting to pick up pace but never did. It felt a bit of a pointless read - not dramatic, not cosy - just a rehashing of two elderly people’s marriage.
Marinela constantly felt to me like her character was going to take a turn and deceive the old couple. Bet was selfish, unkind and unlikable as a character and I genuinely wanted to slap Tommy in the face with a dead fish, he was so loathsome and repulsive.
Definitely not a stand out read.
Marinela constantly felt to me like her character was going to take a turn and deceive the old couple. Bet was selfish, unkind and unlikable as a character and I genuinely wanted to slap Tommy in the face with a dead fish, he was so loathsome and repulsive.
Definitely not a stand out read.
February 27, 2020
This was such a lovely story but so sad. Getting old is so unfair. Well worth a read.
October 27, 2020
I loved it! Great characters, engrossing story and fabulous narration.
December 18, 2020
Tender, sad, hopeful and real - I loved it. Beautifully observed and heart warming.
March 13, 2023
This was a nice story, but I was waiting for something big to happen.
August 14, 2020
When you reach 90 do you just give up, move into a care home and let the world pass by? Jack and Bet were different, no care home for them, independence their mantra despite the efforts of their only son Tommy. Jack’s chance meeting with a young Romanian , Marinela and her involvement in their lives forced them to look back, to question decisions made and indeed their relationship, their seventy year marriage.
Butler opened up their world, the differences that sometimes seemed to force Jack and Bet apart, yet also pulled them together. Their marriage wasn’t perfect, it had its secrets, their personalities almost polar opposites, yet still they remained together. Was it because their generation didn’t believe in divorce or was it because they really loved each other, depended on one another, couldn’t quite imagine a life on their own?
I loved Butler’s tender narrative, never sloppily sentimental as their story unfolded, each chapter told in their own distinctive voices. What I found particularly clever was Butler’s use of Marinela, young and vibrant, with her own secret. You could see the similarities between herself and the young Bet, the desire for a little bit more in life than what they had. Marinela had her own story, her own struggles, but she had a heart, she made time for Jack and Bet, she cared for them, respected them. Bet insistence on helping her almost seemed like she was living the life that she could have had, but couldn’t quite bring herself to take when the opportunity arose. Marinela allowed Butler to show that just because your 90 you can still embrace change, enjoy what modern society had to offer.
I think I knew what would happen towards the end but that didn’t take anything away from the novel. It only cemented the whole feeling of the novel, that life doesn’t end when we reach old age, we can still learn, and adapt, just like the younger generation.
Ninety doesn’t mean care homes, no life, no feelings, the body may fail, but the mind, thoughts and determination are still strong, a lesson for us all.
A beautiful, wise novel, full of emotion, tenderness and resolve, and just lovely.
Butler opened up their world, the differences that sometimes seemed to force Jack and Bet apart, yet also pulled them together. Their marriage wasn’t perfect, it had its secrets, their personalities almost polar opposites, yet still they remained together. Was it because their generation didn’t believe in divorce or was it because they really loved each other, depended on one another, couldn’t quite imagine a life on their own?
I loved Butler’s tender narrative, never sloppily sentimental as their story unfolded, each chapter told in their own distinctive voices. What I found particularly clever was Butler’s use of Marinela, young and vibrant, with her own secret. You could see the similarities between herself and the young Bet, the desire for a little bit more in life than what they had. Marinela had her own story, her own struggles, but she had a heart, she made time for Jack and Bet, she cared for them, respected them. Bet insistence on helping her almost seemed like she was living the life that she could have had, but couldn’t quite bring herself to take when the opportunity arose. Marinela allowed Butler to show that just because your 90 you can still embrace change, enjoy what modern society had to offer.
I think I knew what would happen towards the end but that didn’t take anything away from the novel. It only cemented the whole feeling of the novel, that life doesn’t end when we reach old age, we can still learn, and adapt, just like the younger generation.
Ninety doesn’t mean care homes, no life, no feelings, the body may fail, but the mind, thoughts and determination are still strong, a lesson for us all.
A beautiful, wise novel, full of emotion, tenderness and resolve, and just lovely.
March 27, 2020
I loved this. I thought it would be a bit like one day, just focusing on the development of a relationship of two people throughout their lives. It absolutely isn’t. Sarah brilliantly links together different relationships, locations and plot lines. I am usually not a huge fan of new chapter, new person, but again it worked really well. A lovely read.
January 24, 2021
Sarah Butler reminds us we can live at any age, including when elderly. This is a poignant, realistic, sobering, humorous and moving story about a couple in their 90s, married for 70 years. Though Jack and Bet are set in their ways, change IS possible which partly comes in the way of a young Romanian woman Jack meets at a cafe. Marinela seems unusual in that she speaks to a person so much older than her, a person who is largely ignored. A friendship is formed and soon she spends time with the couple.
Jack and Bet live their mundane routine lives in their dull flat, both content yet not. They feel this is their lot. But memories and secrets are not forgotten and Bet's secret is a big one, a life-changing one. Marinela, too, has secrets. And Jack reflects on regrets and choices and remorse. Tommy, their son in his 60s, encourages his parents to move into a care home but they adamantly oppose as they are not yet "crippled". The casual book follows them through the ordinary and extraordinary bits as they wrestle with secrets and the decision to move. What and where is home?
Considering the topic, I obviously did not expect this book to be riveting and action packed. It developed slowly which was in keeping with the story (a good thing). However, something about it wasn't for me. It left me unfilled, wishing my connection with it was greater. Though I really liked the book I didn't fall in love with it but you very well might. It's appeal is great. One needn't be any particular age to read this as there is a span of generations in the characters.
My rating is 3.5 stars.
My sincere thank you to Pan Macmillan Picador and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this unique book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.
Jack and Bet live their mundane routine lives in their dull flat, both content yet not. They feel this is their lot. But memories and secrets are not forgotten and Bet's secret is a big one, a life-changing one. Marinela, too, has secrets. And Jack reflects on regrets and choices and remorse. Tommy, their son in his 60s, encourages his parents to move into a care home but they adamantly oppose as they are not yet "crippled". The casual book follows them through the ordinary and extraordinary bits as they wrestle with secrets and the decision to move. What and where is home?
Considering the topic, I obviously did not expect this book to be riveting and action packed. It developed slowly which was in keeping with the story (a good thing). However, something about it wasn't for me. It left me unfilled, wishing my connection with it was greater. Though I really liked the book I didn't fall in love with it but you very well might. It's appeal is great. One needn't be any particular age to read this as there is a span of generations in the characters.
My rating is 3.5 stars.
My sincere thank you to Pan Macmillan Picador and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this unique book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.
September 22, 2020
Quite a sweet story but it took me quite a while to get into it. It is a bit uneventful. Can’t say I’d overly recommend it to friends however there’s nothing specifically bad about it, just a little on the boring side but maybe that depends what you want out of a book.
December 6, 2022
Wish I never read it. Not much happens and the bit that does is depressing. Almost two storylines I hoped would be tied together with a smart bow towards the end but the parallels are too different to make an impact.
March 16, 2020
This is the story of four people who are changed and challenged by a marriage that has lasted for seventy years, and a London that is changing on a daily basis. As they move through this beautifully written story together, other people and the places in which they live have a huge impact. This is about the places people inhabit, the destruction of homes, and how the impact of rooms and memories affect people’s expectations. With characters of a great age there is always some sadness for past choices and limited futures, but there is still a lot here of hope, humour and opportunities. This story is written with keen insight into the lives of those on the edge; the elderly couple, the immigrant and the much married man trying to do his best in his opinion. I found it a lovely engaging read, full of genuine feeling for an elderly couple who are close yet each with their own views. I was so pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this gentle yet powerful book.
“Jack Chalmers was a man of few words, married to a woman of many”. He takes a daily walk to the Elephant and Castle shopping centre, leaving his wife Bet in their “new” flat in which they have lived for five years since their estate has been demolished. While Jack had fought against the destruction, he has been forced to accept it, like he did being in the army during the latter part of the Second World War, and other aspects of his life which will emerge later. Bet waits at home, having difficulty with the basics of life, but set on having a party to celebrate their seventieth wedding anniversary. Jack meets a young woman, Marinela, a student from Romania who is studying photography, and she happily offers to take photographsat the party. Meanwhile Tommy, their son, is keen to make changes in his parents’ lives. He wants them to go into a home where they could have continuous care, but they are reluctant to give up their flat and independence, even though they miss their old home with its views and memories. When Bet’s secret is revealed, Marinela has the opportunity to move from her uncomfortable room into a more spacious flat. She has a secret life working to support herself, and many memories of her family in Romania. When an old love surprises her, she has to rethink a lot about her life.
The characters that Butler has created in this contemporary novel are genuine and sincere. Jack and Bet have so many memories, and so many of them together, yet Bet in particular has a significant alternative story of choices made and roads not travelled. This is a book of kindness, but also the realities of contemporary life in London, with all of the squeeze on housing. It is about people making the best of what life offers them, and finding true love against the odds. Although tinged with sadness, I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a gentle read that reveals life in our cities with real impact.
“Jack Chalmers was a man of few words, married to a woman of many”. He takes a daily walk to the Elephant and Castle shopping centre, leaving his wife Bet in their “new” flat in which they have lived for five years since their estate has been demolished. While Jack had fought against the destruction, he has been forced to accept it, like he did being in the army during the latter part of the Second World War, and other aspects of his life which will emerge later. Bet waits at home, having difficulty with the basics of life, but set on having a party to celebrate their seventieth wedding anniversary. Jack meets a young woman, Marinela, a student from Romania who is studying photography, and she happily offers to take photographsat the party. Meanwhile Tommy, their son, is keen to make changes in his parents’ lives. He wants them to go into a home where they could have continuous care, but they are reluctant to give up their flat and independence, even though they miss their old home with its views and memories. When Bet’s secret is revealed, Marinela has the opportunity to move from her uncomfortable room into a more spacious flat. She has a secret life working to support herself, and many memories of her family in Romania. When an old love surprises her, she has to rethink a lot about her life.
The characters that Butler has created in this contemporary novel are genuine and sincere. Jack and Bet have so many memories, and so many of them together, yet Bet in particular has a significant alternative story of choices made and roads not travelled. This is a book of kindness, but also the realities of contemporary life in London, with all of the squeeze on housing. It is about people making the best of what life offers them, and finding true love against the odds. Although tinged with sadness, I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a gentle read that reveals life in our cities with real impact.
March 9, 2020
This is the first time I've read anything by Sarah Butler, and I was drawn to Jack and Bet by the blurb - although I had not expected it to be such a beautiful and emotional story.
Jack and Bet are both approaching ninety. After almost seventy years of marriage, they have only one son. There are no grandchildren. Their son, Tommy, is now in his sixties and has two divorces behind him as well as other failed relationships. Tommy is concerned for his parents and would like Jack and Bet to be safe and looked after. He is urging them to go into a residential care facility. Bet is not at all keen on this idea.
Jack and Bet live in a small flat in London. They used to live in a flat on an estate nearby, but it is being pulled down, and the area redeveloped. Bet doesn't go out much these days. Her mobility is not what it was, and she doesn't see as well as she used to, but won't admit it. Jack goes out every day. He walks past the demolition site and notes all the changes around him.
It is Jack's habit to have a coffee in a cafe before heading home to tell Bet what he has seen, but on this occasion the cafe is full and there is nowhere for him to sit. A young woman calls him over to share her table, and he reluctantly sits down. She initiates a conversation. She is Marinela, a Romanian student, living in student digs and studying photography. She left Romania to study photography in London after she discovered her married boyfriend was cheating on her. Jack warms to her and invites her take photos at his and Bet's seventieth wedding anniversary party. Marinela is delighted to do so, and here she meets Bet.
The story is told in the third person, from the perspectives of Jack, Bet and Marinela. Jack and Bet reflect on their distant past, wondering whether things could have been different. Marinela is thinking about today with an eye on her future. She is paying her own way through college. Her family are in Romania and would not approve of how she is earning her living. Bet, however, marvels at her courage. In Bet's day, she had been a hostess in a night club but had wanted to be a dancer. She just wasn't quite brave enough to try it.
As Bet gets to know Marinela, Bet sees a lot of herself in the young woman. Bet eventually comes up with a solution to their care and Marinela's housing needs. The arrangement works out well until Tommy finds out about it. All the while, Jack and Bet are getting older, frailer...
It was easy to became emotionally involved with the three main characters, especially Jack. Oh Jack! I have to admit that, at one point, tears were shed. I found Jack and Bet to be an engaging and moving read which tugged on my heart-strings. It describes areas of London I used to be familiar with in the 1970s, which made it all the more authentic for me.
Jack and Bet are both approaching ninety. After almost seventy years of marriage, they have only one son. There are no grandchildren. Their son, Tommy, is now in his sixties and has two divorces behind him as well as other failed relationships. Tommy is concerned for his parents and would like Jack and Bet to be safe and looked after. He is urging them to go into a residential care facility. Bet is not at all keen on this idea.
Jack and Bet live in a small flat in London. They used to live in a flat on an estate nearby, but it is being pulled down, and the area redeveloped. Bet doesn't go out much these days. Her mobility is not what it was, and she doesn't see as well as she used to, but won't admit it. Jack goes out every day. He walks past the demolition site and notes all the changes around him.
It is Jack's habit to have a coffee in a cafe before heading home to tell Bet what he has seen, but on this occasion the cafe is full and there is nowhere for him to sit. A young woman calls him over to share her table, and he reluctantly sits down. She initiates a conversation. She is Marinela, a Romanian student, living in student digs and studying photography. She left Romania to study photography in London after she discovered her married boyfriend was cheating on her. Jack warms to her and invites her take photos at his and Bet's seventieth wedding anniversary party. Marinela is delighted to do so, and here she meets Bet.
The story is told in the third person, from the perspectives of Jack, Bet and Marinela. Jack and Bet reflect on their distant past, wondering whether things could have been different. Marinela is thinking about today with an eye on her future. She is paying her own way through college. Her family are in Romania and would not approve of how she is earning her living. Bet, however, marvels at her courage. In Bet's day, she had been a hostess in a night club but had wanted to be a dancer. She just wasn't quite brave enough to try it.
As Bet gets to know Marinela, Bet sees a lot of herself in the young woman. Bet eventually comes up with a solution to their care and Marinela's housing needs. The arrangement works out well until Tommy finds out about it. All the while, Jack and Bet are getting older, frailer...
It was easy to became emotionally involved with the three main characters, especially Jack. Oh Jack! I have to admit that, at one point, tears were shed. I found Jack and Bet to be an engaging and moving read which tugged on my heart-strings. It describes areas of London I used to be familiar with in the 1970s, which made it all the more authentic for me.
November 11, 2020
Jack & Bet defied my expectations. I thought it would be a tale of long lasting, fairytale-esque love with the narrative straddling the past and the present.
I was wrong – and I am very happy to be so!
Yes, Jack and Bet have been together a long time. Seventy years long. But their lives are anything but a fairytale. Their marriage has been mainly a happy one, but they have secrets from one another that have been left to ferment. Events in the novel collide to bring them bubbling to the surface, all the while their son Tommy is intent on moving them both into a care home. Enter Marinela. A chance meeting in a cafe brings her into their lives, and a lovely friendship develops between the Marinela and Bet, who sees much of herself in the younger woman.
One of the most pleasant surprises was that the narrative stayed firmly in the present. Although Jack and Bet both revisit past memories and regrets, it is all done with the benefit of hindsight. They become a couple seeped in realism, their past plumping out their characters in the present, rather than the focus being the past. The split time technique would have been wrong here; it too often implies that the past is where the bones of a character lies, and the present becomes solely reflective. Yet here are two characters, elderly and yet full of life with their story very much needing to be told. Its a continuation of a lifetime, these characters are not to be separated from the decisions of their youth – they are older, they are wiser, but they are fundamentally still those same people.
Bet, in particular is brilliant. Flawed and complex, she’s made some questionable decisions and she’s a sum of her history. Her friendship with Marinela – which is the catalyst for many of the events within the novel – has maternal undertones and some of my favourite parts of the book were when these two women came together, where warmth and mutual respect emanated from the pages.
One of the biggest themes throughout is that of home. The couple were the victims of urban redevelopment and treated abhorrently by the council when their flat building was earmarked for development. The London of this novel is grimy, its past erring on the side of dodgy and I really enjoyed this view of London. Gritty and real – and yet it’s remarked upon fondly. Things don’t have to be perfect, shiny and new to be loved and this is a sentiment that is echoed in other areas of the novel.
Jack & Bet is a wonderfully charismatic read; tender and bittersweet with great characters, a fantastic sense of place and authentic relationships. There is much to love here, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I was wrong – and I am very happy to be so!
Yes, Jack and Bet have been together a long time. Seventy years long. But their lives are anything but a fairytale. Their marriage has been mainly a happy one, but they have secrets from one another that have been left to ferment. Events in the novel collide to bring them bubbling to the surface, all the while their son Tommy is intent on moving them both into a care home. Enter Marinela. A chance meeting in a cafe brings her into their lives, and a lovely friendship develops between the Marinela and Bet, who sees much of herself in the younger woman.
One of the most pleasant surprises was that the narrative stayed firmly in the present. Although Jack and Bet both revisit past memories and regrets, it is all done with the benefit of hindsight. They become a couple seeped in realism, their past plumping out their characters in the present, rather than the focus being the past. The split time technique would have been wrong here; it too often implies that the past is where the bones of a character lies, and the present becomes solely reflective. Yet here are two characters, elderly and yet full of life with their story very much needing to be told. Its a continuation of a lifetime, these characters are not to be separated from the decisions of their youth – they are older, they are wiser, but they are fundamentally still those same people.
Bet, in particular is brilliant. Flawed and complex, she’s made some questionable decisions and she’s a sum of her history. Her friendship with Marinela – which is the catalyst for many of the events within the novel – has maternal undertones and some of my favourite parts of the book were when these two women came together, where warmth and mutual respect emanated from the pages.
One of the biggest themes throughout is that of home. The couple were the victims of urban redevelopment and treated abhorrently by the council when their flat building was earmarked for development. The London of this novel is grimy, its past erring on the side of dodgy and I really enjoyed this view of London. Gritty and real – and yet it’s remarked upon fondly. Things don’t have to be perfect, shiny and new to be loved and this is a sentiment that is echoed in other areas of the novel.
Jack & Bet is a wonderfully charismatic read; tender and bittersweet with great characters, a fantastic sense of place and authentic relationships. There is much to love here, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
March 11, 2020
This review can be found at sarahsvignettes.wordpress.com
*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from the publisher*
I wasn’t quite sure what I was expecting from Jack & Bet but I didn’t anticipate it being so emotional. I feel like I should have realised it could be with two 90 year olds as the main characters but this one caught me. I really enjoyed it though.
Jack and Bet Chalmers are celebrating 70 years together. Their son, Tommy, wants them to move into a home but they want to stay in their flat in Elephant & Castle, London. When they meet Marinella, a student from Romania, Bet thinks they have found the perfect solution. However, for Bet, this means unearthing a secret that has long been buried.
The story is told from 3 points of view: Jack, Bet and Marinella. I liked how this gave the perspective of the past and the future. For a shorter novel, 256 pages, the depth of detail into each character’s story is impressive. It would have been good to have had some of the story from Tommy’s point of view though as I found it hard to warm to him.
Sarah Butler explores many themes in Jack & Bet including: long-term marriages, past lives, how we don’t always communicate with those we love when we have been with them for a long time, jealousy, society’s view of old people, how old people view the world, grief, loss, love, role reversal between parents and children, the relationship that we have with properties. The later one is an interesting one. Jack and Bet moved into their current flat after the block of flats they were in previously is being knocked down. They haven’t really settled into the new one, even though they have been there for a few years. Their old flat holds so many memories for them and both Jack and Bet are naturally reflective about it.
Jack & Bet is a heartwarming story with kindness at it’s core and I am glad that I got a chance to read it.
*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from the publisher*
I wasn’t quite sure what I was expecting from Jack & Bet but I didn’t anticipate it being so emotional. I feel like I should have realised it could be with two 90 year olds as the main characters but this one caught me. I really enjoyed it though.
Jack and Bet Chalmers are celebrating 70 years together. Their son, Tommy, wants them to move into a home but they want to stay in their flat in Elephant & Castle, London. When they meet Marinella, a student from Romania, Bet thinks they have found the perfect solution. However, for Bet, this means unearthing a secret that has long been buried.
The story is told from 3 points of view: Jack, Bet and Marinella. I liked how this gave the perspective of the past and the future. For a shorter novel, 256 pages, the depth of detail into each character’s story is impressive. It would have been good to have had some of the story from Tommy’s point of view though as I found it hard to warm to him.
Sarah Butler explores many themes in Jack & Bet including: long-term marriages, past lives, how we don’t always communicate with those we love when we have been with them for a long time, jealousy, society’s view of old people, how old people view the world, grief, loss, love, role reversal between parents and children, the relationship that we have with properties. The later one is an interesting one. Jack and Bet moved into their current flat after the block of flats they were in previously is being knocked down. They haven’t really settled into the new one, even though they have been there for a few years. Their old flat holds so many memories for them and both Jack and Bet are naturally reflective about it.
Jack & Bet is a heartwarming story with kindness at it’s core and I am glad that I got a chance to read it.
March 15, 2020
This was such a wonderful, heart-warming and moving read. I adored every, single page. Sarah writes beautifully. Her characters brought to life from the very first page. There there was something incredibly endearing and moving about Jack, Bet and the people who are part of their story. Even after 70 years a person can still surprise, heart and move you to tears. Their story is ordinary in many ways and yet so beautifully unique. I say ordinary but it made me realise that there really isn't any such thing as an 'ordinary life', we each have our own story to tell - no matter how much we feel it is the same old same old. I have always believed that we can learn something from our elders, their experiences, their mistakes and Jack & Bet only serve to confirm that. Watching them in the last years of their lives, after 70 years of marriage, I became very fond of them and there were times when I was moved to tears. They survived so much together, each hiding their own disappointments and frustrations - isn't that something we all do. One thing that touched me most was the way Jack still saw the beauty in Bet, exactly as she was there and then. She only sees wrinkles and an old, tired face but he sees the beauty in those lines, in the woman he loves - still, after all this time. It is often hard to let go of the past and Sarah portrays the mix of feelings perfectly. Older people often become invisible but inside them, just like Jack & Bet, there are stories of a life lived. Life and love is precious no matter how long it has been on this earth. Thankfully. there are always those, like Marinela, who take the time to stop and see them, to hear their stories.
This is one such beautifully told story and I don't want to give away their secrets, so do pay Jack & Bet a visit and read their story for yourself. It will be time very well spent indeed.
This is one such beautifully told story and I don't want to give away their secrets, so do pay Jack & Bet a visit and read their story for yourself. It will be time very well spent indeed.
April 16, 2020
Jack and Bet have been married for 70 years and both are approaching 90. They've never had much but enjoyed living in the area around the Elephant and Castle in South London but they're getting older and their son, Tommy, wants them to move into a home. Neither wants this and when Jack strikes up a conversation with a young Romanian student, Marinela, Bet realises a way to help them all get on with life. The only problem is that this reopens issues that Bet has tried to hide for over 60 years and they could change everything.
This is such a lovely book. Jack and Bet are the Darby and Joan for a different generation but Butler doesn't make everything rosy - Jack doesn't talk much and is set in his ways, Bet has a secret she must keep - the writing is so sympathetic that it never feels contrived or schmaltzy. There are a lot of contrasts/changes considered in the book, not just generational but also about families, feelings of home, relationships and modernisation, it's easy for the reader to read over them. However what Butler has created is a gentle story that entertains, does not have a perfect ending actually makes one think, a rarity in this genre.
This is such a lovely book. Jack and Bet are the Darby and Joan for a different generation but Butler doesn't make everything rosy - Jack doesn't talk much and is set in his ways, Bet has a secret she must keep - the writing is so sympathetic that it never feels contrived or schmaltzy. There are a lot of contrasts/changes considered in the book, not just generational but also about families, feelings of home, relationships and modernisation, it's easy for the reader to read over them. However what Butler has created is a gentle story that entertains, does not have a perfect ending actually makes one think, a rarity in this genre.
May 15, 2022
Jack and Bet's son, Tommy, is worried about his aging parents. They're about to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary. Bet has become home-bound and macular degeneration is making it really hard for her to see. That leaves most of the daily tasks up to Jack who is in his 90s. Tommy would like them to move into a senior living estate but they're not having it. A young Romanian photography student, Marinela, comes into their lives and in exchange for a place to live, she cooks and cleans for them. It turns out that Marinela and Bet both have things in their lives they would rather keep secret and these things parallel each other in many ways. Pasts are confronted, secrets come out, and things are resolved - for better or for worse. I don't know why but I thought this book was going to be funny. It was not. And urban renewal featured heavily in this novel as a social issue but I didn't think it made for a successful side plot. My lack of connection or the author's inability to make me connect? The narrator of the audio version, Margaret Cabourn-Smith is a genius at accents.
February 16, 2020
A good book, written from the point of view of 3 different characters which gives differents perspectives of the past and present.
Jack and Bet have been married for 70 years. There are parallels between the lives of Bet and Mariele., a young student from Roumania who Jack met in a cafe. I loved this aspect of the book, it gave depth to the decisions both women made in their lives.
I also liked the acknowledgment that we often do not discuss our feelings in a long term relationship(especially not the English).
The descriptions of the areas of London and the flats were very realistic, so you can picture the scene extremely well. I also thought that the characterizations were well described. I knew the people well and understood why tgey did what they did. Thanks also for not adding an epilogue.... I like being able to imagine how it ended up!
Thank you to Net galley, the publisher and author (a fellow ex ou student!) for an Arc in exchange for an honest review
Jack and Bet have been married for 70 years. There are parallels between the lives of Bet and Mariele., a young student from Roumania who Jack met in a cafe. I loved this aspect of the book, it gave depth to the decisions both women made in their lives.
I also liked the acknowledgment that we often do not discuss our feelings in a long term relationship(especially not the English).
The descriptions of the areas of London and the flats were very realistic, so you can picture the scene extremely well. I also thought that the characterizations were well described. I knew the people well and understood why tgey did what they did. Thanks also for not adding an epilogue.... I like being able to imagine how it ended up!
Thank you to Net galley, the publisher and author (a fellow ex ou student!) for an Arc in exchange for an honest review
April 12, 2020
"There was nothing special about their life. They were just Jack and Bet who lived in a place that didn't exist any more". Sarah Butler has created a special and tender story out of 'nothing special': finding the humanity and hope in an elderly couple moved out of their housing estate and how their lives briefly collide with Marinella, a Romanian photographer studying in London. The backdrop is a changing city and the impact of redevelopment and gentrification on the population. The novel also looks back at the early days of Jack and Bet's 70 year old marriage in the post-war years and the secrets that have stayed with them both. But the focus is tightly on the present and on the three central characters. With simple, unadorned prose and a lightness of touch, Butler tells a story full of empathy and compassion that I found deeply moving. Highly recommended.
November 23, 2020
☕This is such an unique romantic tale of a couple who are married since 7 decades and they have seen many ups and downs in their life. This is such a out of thr box kinda romance and a book that has melted my heart, once you read this book you will never be the same person again, you will look at love from a different perspective and love isn't just about being together for many years, it's also about the guilts and regrets one of the partner ever had, I loved the bond between the two women who share many similarities and this book reflects on many aspects of relationship, I was highly impressed by the plot because this tale of an elderly couple is more heart warming than any YA. I will definitely recommend it.
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Rating: 4🌟
January 1, 2021
I have it in me that I should write a book so I’m learning a lot about novel writing right now. I’m doing courses, listening to podcasts and reading furiously and what I’m realising is how hard it is to create characters that have their own voices and who are fully formed. (I’m also learning plot structure is trickier than I gave it credit for).
Sarah Butler obviously didn’t have this problem when she created the three main characters in this book, two of them in their 90’s and one of them in her 20’s. I love seeing older characters in books (which might suggest something about my age).
Jack and Bet left me feeling wistfully sad. It was poignant and beautiful and spoke of moving on in so many layers that I’m finding it quite hard to move on myself.
Sarah Butler obviously didn’t have this problem when she created the three main characters in this book, two of them in their 90’s and one of them in her 20’s. I love seeing older characters in books (which might suggest something about my age).
Jack and Bet left me feeling wistfully sad. It was poignant and beautiful and spoke of moving on in so many layers that I’m finding it quite hard to move on myself.
March 1, 2022
A bittersweet tale of a couple in their twilight years, highlighting the changing nature of a long marriage, and the sweeping changes people approaching ninety have seen in their lives. When their paths cross with a young Romanian woman, Bet sees a lot of herself in the younger woman and tries to change Marinela’s life for the better. The friendship that develops between the women is beautifully drawn. Jack, Bet and their son, who wants them to live in a care home, are all flawed characters, with many regrets. And despite the thread of sadness that runs through this story, it manages to be life-afirming too.
February 18, 2020
A lovely story, told from the perspective of the three main characters. I'll admit that I'd have liked the occasional chapter from Tommy as it'd have been nice to get a more rounded sense of him.
This was a veritable storm in a teacup, small and contained but full of depth and emotion. I did shed a tear or two.
This was a veritable storm in a teacup, small and contained but full of depth and emotion. I did shed a tear or two.
July 1, 2024
Jack and Bet have been together for seventy years. They still live independently but their son Tommy wants them to move into a home. When young Romanian woman Marienela enters their lives things change, and Bet has to face up to a secret she's tried to put behind her. a light easy ride set in London's changing world.
April 24, 2020
I loved this book. It tells the story of an unusual relationship and the complexities of feeling between a long married couple. Beautifully written, with great attention to detail. Each chapter is told from a different perspective which lends great depth to the characterisations. Highly recommend.
August 22, 2021
Beautiful book
A beautiful story of Jack and Bet, married 70 years. The story gives glimpses of the highs and lows of their life now, and past. The authors blending of the lives that surround them, works well. I definitely recommend this book, this review does not do it justice
A beautiful story of Jack and Bet, married 70 years. The story gives glimpses of the highs and lows of their life now, and past. The authors blending of the lives that surround them, works well. I definitely recommend this book, this review does not do it justice
March 22, 2020
A nice, simple story but in the end it did really go anywhereDespite that, I enjoyed the ride. The characterisation were good.
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