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The Wakes
'An insightful, emotionally intelligent writer . . . her book is like a warm embrace' The Times
'Heartfelt, funny, uplifting' The Australian Women's Weekly
'Few people can write about food and heartbreak like Nora Ephron - that was until Dianne Yarwood . . . comfort food for your mind' Harper's Bazaar
'An uplifting novel about how the joy of living can be found in the most unexpected places' The Guardian
'A delectable fusion of comedy, hope, loss, and great food' Weekend Australian
'Funny, moving, tender and wise' LIANE MORIARTY
This is a story about Clare, Louisa and Chris. And sometimes Paul, and less often, Beth. It is most certainly not about frittatas (a concession), and more to do with lemon tart (a perfection).
It is about what to do when your husband tells you that he doesn't love you anymore, or your wife leaves you after too many rounds of IVF. It's about helping your new friend with her catering business, and discovering that, sometimes, the most unlikely of pairings are the very, very best.
'Heartfelt . . . blends humour with poignant reflections on life and death' Better Homes & Gardens
'Full of wry, astute observations of the human condition . . . We are left with a sense of hope and a fierce consciousness of the preciousness of life' Living Arts Canberra
'A celebration of what it means to be alive, and the joy of finding friendship' JOANNA NELL
'Warm and profound. I can't wait for everyone to read it' SALLY HEPWORTH
'Immensely human and warm and satisfying' SHELLEY BURR
'Rich with wisdom, love, humour and a sparkling joy' KELLY RIMMER
'So warm and poignant and sweetly funny. I loved it' JACQUELINE MALEY
'Heartfelt, funny, uplifting' The Australian Women's Weekly
'Few people can write about food and heartbreak like Nora Ephron - that was until Dianne Yarwood . . . comfort food for your mind' Harper's Bazaar
'An uplifting novel about how the joy of living can be found in the most unexpected places' The Guardian
'A delectable fusion of comedy, hope, loss, and great food' Weekend Australian
'Funny, moving, tender and wise' LIANE MORIARTY
This is a story about Clare, Louisa and Chris. And sometimes Paul, and less often, Beth. It is most certainly not about frittatas (a concession), and more to do with lemon tart (a perfection).
It is about what to do when your husband tells you that he doesn't love you anymore, or your wife leaves you after too many rounds of IVF. It's about helping your new friend with her catering business, and discovering that, sometimes, the most unlikely of pairings are the very, very best.
'Heartfelt . . . blends humour with poignant reflections on life and death' Better Homes & Gardens
'Full of wry, astute observations of the human condition . . . We are left with a sense of hope and a fierce consciousness of the preciousness of life' Living Arts Canberra
'A celebration of what it means to be alive, and the joy of finding friendship' JOANNA NELL
'Warm and profound. I can't wait for everyone to read it' SALLY HEPWORTH
'Immensely human and warm and satisfying' SHELLEY BURR
'Rich with wisdom, love, humour and a sparkling joy' KELLY RIMMER
'So warm and poignant and sweetly funny. I loved it' JACQUELINE MALEY
274 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2023
72 people are currently reading
1347 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
March 13, 2023
This debut book tells the story of past friends and strangers bought together through death and the wakes that happen after them, come along and get to know Clare, Louisa, Chris and Paul and lots more characters, a little as they work their way through life and things that go with it, lots of different emotions, happy, amusing and sad.
Clare has just separated from her husband, she is stunned by this happening, and she needs to take time off her high pressured job and come to terms with it and work out the future.
Louisa has just moved to her new house and works mowing lawns and general gardening when she is asked to take on catering for wakes, this sounds good because she is a chef as well and she is willing to give anything a go.
Chris is a doctor and works in the emergency department and he and his wife have just separated after the stress of many unsuccessful attempts at IVF.
Paul works in advertising he is single and shared a flat with Chris and his brother Dan many years ago in London, his brother Dan is married to Beth the girl he introduced to them all those years ago
.
Clare agrees to help her friend and neighbour Louisa with a new business she has started catering for wakes this might have been a bit more than Louisa could handle but with Clare’s help the business is soon growing, this brings them in contact with many people including Chris and Paul
This story is heartwarming and with lots of laughter at times as they all tell their story in different ways, their troubles and the things that make them happy they are all very different with hugely different personalities and some will get on really well and some show tension between each other, I did very much enjoy getting to know them all and I did love the food they made for the wakes it is so much better than the normal sandwiches. A very interesting story.
My thanks to Hachette AU for my copy to read and review.
Clare has just separated from her husband, she is stunned by this happening, and she needs to take time off her high pressured job and come to terms with it and work out the future.
Louisa has just moved to her new house and works mowing lawns and general gardening when she is asked to take on catering for wakes, this sounds good because she is a chef as well and she is willing to give anything a go.
Chris is a doctor and works in the emergency department and he and his wife have just separated after the stress of many unsuccessful attempts at IVF.
Paul works in advertising he is single and shared a flat with Chris and his brother Dan many years ago in London, his brother Dan is married to Beth the girl he introduced to them all those years ago
.
Clare agrees to help her friend and neighbour Louisa with a new business she has started catering for wakes this might have been a bit more than Louisa could handle but with Clare’s help the business is soon growing, this brings them in contact with many people including Chris and Paul
This story is heartwarming and with lots of laughter at times as they all tell their story in different ways, their troubles and the things that make them happy they are all very different with hugely different personalities and some will get on really well and some show tension between each other, I did very much enjoy getting to know them all and I did love the food they made for the wakes it is so much better than the normal sandwiches. A very interesting story.
My thanks to Hachette AU for my copy to read and review.
July 11, 2023
Clare has just separated from her husband and she is still in shock and disbelief that this has happened. Clare needs a break from work, so when her neighbour, Louisa asks her to help her out with her funeral catering business she agrees as she could do with the distraction. When Clare sees what’s involved in the business she thinks she might’ve taken on more than she can handle.
The Wakes is a heartwarming and fun debut novel about friendship, love and loss. Recommended.
The Wakes is a heartwarming and fun debut novel about friendship, love and loss. Recommended.
February 26, 2023
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
The Wakes is an enjoyable Aussie debut by Dianne Yarwood who has a love for cooking and catering and it shows in this heartfelt and uplifting story.
The story focuses on life, love, jealously, new friendships and death in funny and sometimes sad ways. I loved the characters Clare and Louisa who find themselves in the business of catering at funerals and delivering the most delectable comfort food.
Clare, Louisa, Paul, Chris and Beth are all slightly damaged and middle aged, they’re also all connected in this unique tale through four wakes, where strangers fall in love…….funeral catering has never seemed so intriguing!
A beautiful and entertaining story about celebrating life, career changes and chicken sandwiches.
Note: This book is set to be adapted for TV, I’ll definitely be watching out for it!
Publication Date 01 March 2023
Publisher Hachette Australia
Thank you to the wonderful team at Hachette Australia for a copy of the book.
The Wakes is an enjoyable Aussie debut by Dianne Yarwood who has a love for cooking and catering and it shows in this heartfelt and uplifting story.
The story focuses on life, love, jealously, new friendships and death in funny and sometimes sad ways. I loved the characters Clare and Louisa who find themselves in the business of catering at funerals and delivering the most delectable comfort food.
Clare, Louisa, Paul, Chris and Beth are all slightly damaged and middle aged, they’re also all connected in this unique tale through four wakes, where strangers fall in love…….funeral catering has never seemed so intriguing!
A beautiful and entertaining story about celebrating life, career changes and chicken sandwiches.
Note: This book is set to be adapted for TV, I’ll definitely be watching out for it!
Publication Date 01 March 2023
Publisher Hachette Australia
Thank you to the wonderful team at Hachette Australia for a copy of the book.
April 20, 2023
I purchased this book because it sounded interesting and had many good reviews. Unfortunately, I did not particularly like it. Although it was written well, I found the storyline quite depressing, which was in stark contrast to so many reviews saying the book was warm, funny and uplifting. Quite a few times I almost decided to stop reading it, but I kept on going, mainly because the one thing I did like was the blossoming friendship between Clare and Louisa. I would give this book a miss, there are plenty of other books out there about living your life in the short time we have here on earth.
February 7, 2023
I loved this book which explores the themes of loss and love. It was touching, sad, uplifting, funny - and quite different to anything I’ve read before. I’ll remember it for a long time.
September 16, 2024
Wasn’t a book I couldn’t put down. Storyline was a little all over the place. Basically a story that was a tad boring. Had to finish it though.
September 20, 2024
Eh a bit nothingy
February 13, 2023
Thank you Hachette for sending us a copy to read and review.
Life is too short…….
A chain of life events connects everyone in strange circumstances.
Claire, Louisa, Chris, Paul and Beth’s lives collide together in the utmost detail.
They are to become intertwined without each knowing until it happens.
There’s funeral’s, marriage’s, friendships, food and lots of moments of tenderness.
A entertaining story of love, loss and what if’s.
With a fine tuned plot, a laugh here and there, heartwarming and heartbreaking and reminding the reader that life is for living.
A blend of lovely characters with their own issues, dilemmas and personalities which makes for an interesting story.
It’s believable, relevant, hopeful, wise, emotional and a delightful narrative of a solid book.
After finishing, I can say that the second half of the book I enjoyed more.
The dynamics between the cast is very engaging and helps drive the storyline to a satisfying ending.
Check it out when it gets released.
Life is too short…….
A chain of life events connects everyone in strange circumstances.
Claire, Louisa, Chris, Paul and Beth’s lives collide together in the utmost detail.
They are to become intertwined without each knowing until it happens.
There’s funeral’s, marriage’s, friendships, food and lots of moments of tenderness.
A entertaining story of love, loss and what if’s.
With a fine tuned plot, a laugh here and there, heartwarming and heartbreaking and reminding the reader that life is for living.
A blend of lovely characters with their own issues, dilemmas and personalities which makes for an interesting story.
It’s believable, relevant, hopeful, wise, emotional and a delightful narrative of a solid book.
After finishing, I can say that the second half of the book I enjoyed more.
The dynamics between the cast is very engaging and helps drive the storyline to a satisfying ending.
Check it out when it gets released.
June 2, 2023
This book is described as a book on the friendship between Louisa and Clare, wakes and their baking. Instead, I felt it was a book that gets lost and turns the side story into the main story with a hint of the wakes. I truly loved the portions with Clare, Louisa and the wakes, but felt like I was reading two different books every other chapter, almost as if the author couldn't decide which book they wanted to write. I also found the ending a very peculiar point considering it's 2023. It's a shame that a book that describes itself as 'life will always manage to break in to remind you of just how good it can be', and that's the ending the author chose to go with. So very predictable, safe and frankly old fashioned. Still worth a read but a lot of wasted potential in this one. 10/10 for the cover artwork
February 2, 2023
Absolutely loved The Wakes by @diannejyarwood !
This book covered so much! Two failed marriages. Four funerals. A new relationship. A beautiful friendship between two women who run an amazing catering company. And a reminder that life is so short.
It grabbed my attention from the very first page and although there were a few funerals it was so heart warming, fun and uplifting.
The characters were brilliant and the whole story was relatable and made you think. I won’t stop thinking about it!
Thanks so much to @betterreadingau for a copy in return for an honest review.
This book covered so much! Two failed marriages. Four funerals. A new relationship. A beautiful friendship between two women who run an amazing catering company. And a reminder that life is so short.
It grabbed my attention from the very first page and although there were a few funerals it was so heart warming, fun and uplifting.
The characters were brilliant and the whole story was relatable and made you think. I won’t stop thinking about it!
Thanks so much to @betterreadingau for a copy in return for an honest review.
December 27, 2023
The has been on my tbr pile for so long…not sure why I was waiting. I loved it.
Middle aged characters reflecting on their lives/lives/friendships. Nuanced insightful writing. Funny and heartbreaking.
It left me feeling reflective
And very grateful for my friendships
I think my book club pals will agree.
Middle aged characters reflecting on their lives/lives/friendships. Nuanced insightful writing. Funny and heartbreaking.
It left me feeling reflective
And very grateful for my friendships
I think my book club pals will agree.
January 1, 2025
I really wanted to like this book a lot, but I didn’t. It took me a month to read it, because it just didn’t capture my imagination or compel me to keep picking it up. I found the main characters a bit boring and the story was not new, or reimagined well. I’m sure lots of people will like it, but I’m afraid it wasn’t for me
April 2, 2023
4.5 stars. On a cold, stormy, and miserable Sunday, a book like this was just what the doctor ordered. Poignant, joyful, tragic, and lots in between. And a few tissues!
July 12, 2023
A good flowing book - a lot of interconnected characters and storyline’s were tougher to keep up with at the start. Thought provoking around being a present and good friend. Tear jerker throughout!
December 13, 2023
A great debut.
December 24, 2024
Too many characters
June 19, 2025
I genuinely do not understand the hype for this book. I don’t understand how anyone could read this and decide to make a show out of it. Reading the reviews, It felt like I was being gaslighted.
If this book is considered light-hearted because of how it talks about the odd friendship between two strangers (I’ll talk more about this later) then we might as well call it a book on entrepreneurship simply because they’ve decided to operate a funeral catering service.
The prose is wonderfully written but that's about the only good thing about this book. I specifically didn’t like:
How Beth was used as a plot device
For a woman who’s essentially evoked strong feelings from everyone around her and ruined the friendship between three men (two of those being brothers), we only ever see her perspective on one occasion: while she’s dying. The way she died was also very anticlimactic which I wouldn’t have a problem with if the story wasn’t so centered on her death. We never really get to know her as a person other than how she’s described by the people (mainly MEN) in her life. Because of this, she’s painted as this ethereal goddess used to launch the emotional arcs for Chris, Paul, Dan, etc. instead of being a real, raw human being. Writing this made me feel bad for her, how I wish we got to know who the real Beth was.
Chris’ arc is problematic and messy. The resolution to his character was confusing.
Chris was married to Sarah for two decades and when she couldn’t produce the supposed son he wanted, It ruined their marriage and was the driving force behind their divorce (among many things). Sometime after their divorce, He sees ‘the love of his life’ Beth for the first time, and old feelings come back (but this book makes us want to believe that it was never gone in the first place, that he essentially settled for Sarah when Beth went back to Australia). After Beth dies, he essentially moves onto Claire and the book ends with them presumably dating which doesn’t make ANY sense because Chris was always clear: he didn’t want to adopt and he wanted children of his own. Claire already has two children from her ex-husband, David. Unless she plans on getting pregnant to appease Chris OR Chris decides to accept her children as his own, I don’t see this relationship working. I suppose that’s one of the frustrating parts of this book, How it hinted at Claire and Chris’ romantic relationship yet we only see it in the last chapters of the book. It feels misleading to focus on their relationship dynamic when we only get a glimpse into their FIRST date just as the book ends.
Claire’s Underdeveloped Trauma Arc.
She is shaped by the trauma projected by her mother yet it’s pushed under the rug. Growing up, her mother caused her so much emotional damage. It changed her perspective on the world and on being a woman. The story was set up in a way that tells us there is trauma but doesn’t show us how she deals with it or heals from it (if she even does). In the end, we’re supposed to accept that she either dealt with it silently or continues to have the lens of trauma color her life.
Claire and David’s anticlimactic divorce.
Their marriage dissolves when David decides he’s been depressed/battling what seems to be depression for years now, without telling anyone, especially his Wife. We’re taken on a rollercoaster of emotions with Claire. Sometimes she has hope (har har) that he’ll come back and yet towards the end, she gives up altogether once she confronts him about Hope. The way she’s deduced that he’s been unfaithful felt a bit anticlimactic but I suppose at that point, she just wanted to be done with him for the last time. No conversation, no catharsis, no pain or confrontation. It robs us of emotional closure.
Claire and Louisa’s surface-level friendship.
Their friendship felt like the commonly used dynamic of the “quiet-and-chaotic” duo yet lacked sincerity and depth to work. It felt forced in some parts. It’s like the author wanted to desperately portray a female friendship yet it reminded me of the female friendships in my life that fell apart because, at its core, it was rooted in shallow-level interests instead of shared values.
Also, Claire felt so condescending towards Louisa. She’s mentioned to Louisa how she’d like to help in her catering business yet when asked by David, she says she’ll only help just that one time. And says it again and again when questioned, instead of firmly standing by her side. Towards the end, we see she’s weighing the pros and cons yet we never get her definitive, final answer. There was also a part in the book where she mentions that her job at the Pharmaceutical company is essentially of a higher quality compared to her friend’s business, where she’s helped a few times already at that point. If this book is to be believed and shows the beauty of female friendships, why is the other, ‘more put together’ person in this friendship looking down on her friend?
Paul’s underdeveloped addiction arc.
Beth, his family, cocaine, tinnitus. It had the potential to be a great story about healing and getting over the challenges dealt to us by life yet it came off like a side quest. Yet another satellite in Beth’s orbit.
The plot is messy and anticlimactic.
The book builds up on the tension. Funerals, secrets, and regrets but never discusses them in a way that feels satisfying. Everything felt like it was wrapped around in a giant ribbon towards the end. Where’s the transformation? The healing? The catharsis?
If this book is considered light-hearted because of how it talks about the odd friendship between two strangers (I’ll talk more about this later) then we might as well call it a book on entrepreneurship simply because they’ve decided to operate a funeral catering service.
The prose is wonderfully written but that's about the only good thing about this book. I specifically didn’t like:
How Beth was used as a plot device
For a woman who’s essentially evoked strong feelings from everyone around her and ruined the friendship between three men (two of those being brothers), we only ever see her perspective on one occasion: while she’s dying. The way she died was also very anticlimactic which I wouldn’t have a problem with if the story wasn’t so centered on her death. We never really get to know her as a person other than how she’s described by the people (mainly MEN) in her life. Because of this, she’s painted as this ethereal goddess used to launch the emotional arcs for Chris, Paul, Dan, etc. instead of being a real, raw human being. Writing this made me feel bad for her, how I wish we got to know who the real Beth was.
Chris’ arc is problematic and messy. The resolution to his character was confusing.
Chris was married to Sarah for two decades and when she couldn’t produce the supposed son he wanted, It ruined their marriage and was the driving force behind their divorce (among many things). Sometime after their divorce, He sees ‘the love of his life’ Beth for the first time, and old feelings come back (but this book makes us want to believe that it was never gone in the first place, that he essentially settled for Sarah when Beth went back to Australia). After Beth dies, he essentially moves onto Claire and the book ends with them presumably dating which doesn’t make ANY sense because Chris was always clear: he didn’t want to adopt and he wanted children of his own. Claire already has two children from her ex-husband, David. Unless she plans on getting pregnant to appease Chris OR Chris decides to accept her children as his own, I don’t see this relationship working. I suppose that’s one of the frustrating parts of this book, How it hinted at Claire and Chris’ romantic relationship yet we only see it in the last chapters of the book. It feels misleading to focus on their relationship dynamic when we only get a glimpse into their FIRST date just as the book ends.
Claire’s Underdeveloped Trauma Arc.
She is shaped by the trauma projected by her mother yet it’s pushed under the rug. Growing up, her mother caused her so much emotional damage. It changed her perspective on the world and on being a woman. The story was set up in a way that tells us there is trauma but doesn’t show us how she deals with it or heals from it (if she even does). In the end, we’re supposed to accept that she either dealt with it silently or continues to have the lens of trauma color her life.
Claire and David’s anticlimactic divorce.
Their marriage dissolves when David decides he’s been depressed/battling what seems to be depression for years now, without telling anyone, especially his Wife. We’re taken on a rollercoaster of emotions with Claire. Sometimes she has hope (har har) that he’ll come back and yet towards the end, she gives up altogether once she confronts him about Hope. The way she’s deduced that he’s been unfaithful felt a bit anticlimactic but I suppose at that point, she just wanted to be done with him for the last time. No conversation, no catharsis, no pain or confrontation. It robs us of emotional closure.
Claire and Louisa’s surface-level friendship.
Their friendship felt like the commonly used dynamic of the “quiet-and-chaotic” duo yet lacked sincerity and depth to work. It felt forced in some parts. It’s like the author wanted to desperately portray a female friendship yet it reminded me of the female friendships in my life that fell apart because, at its core, it was rooted in shallow-level interests instead of shared values.
Also, Claire felt so condescending towards Louisa. She’s mentioned to Louisa how she’d like to help in her catering business yet when asked by David, she says she’ll only help just that one time. And says it again and again when questioned, instead of firmly standing by her side. Towards the end, we see she’s weighing the pros and cons yet we never get her definitive, final answer. There was also a part in the book where she mentions that her job at the Pharmaceutical company is essentially of a higher quality compared to her friend’s business, where she’s helped a few times already at that point. If this book is to be believed and shows the beauty of female friendships, why is the other, ‘more put together’ person in this friendship looking down on her friend?
Paul’s underdeveloped addiction arc.
Beth, his family, cocaine, tinnitus. It had the potential to be a great story about healing and getting over the challenges dealt to us by life yet it came off like a side quest. Yet another satellite in Beth’s orbit.
The plot is messy and anticlimactic.
The book builds up on the tension. Funerals, secrets, and regrets but never discusses them in a way that feels satisfying. Everything felt like it was wrapped around in a giant ribbon towards the end. Where’s the transformation? The healing? The catharsis?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2025
Gosh, this was bleak. Not in the heaving tears and snotty nose way, but in a bone crushingly apathetic way.
The format and the way the narrative unfolded was rather nice. It felt like following a lazy river. The book opens in current time, and then dips back 4 years. Even within that 4 year retrospective there are moments when the author shifts even further back. Memories within memories. It was a pleasant way to reveal the character's interwoven lives.
Setting the story in the fancypants side of Sydney was nice. Ah, how the other half live! No sprawling suburbia to be seen in this book! Most of the characters have enough money that it frees them up to be apathetic and not trapped in marriages.
Now to the bleakness. The 2 couples going through divorce were hard to read. One of the gents couldn't even continue to pay attention to the things his wife was saying. Mid sentence he would fuzz out and be following some other train of thought about other women, or his own history. The other gent had a big messy speech and did the "what is love, really? Have we ever had it?" What a way to undo years of history with someone. It was devastating.
What also hit hard was the fact so many of these adult characters simply had no friend group. There were some work colleagues maybe on the cusp of friendship, but mostly it was the "mates from school way back" which were the lasting connections. And are they really true friends anyway? These characters lived such small lives that it was their direct family + their kids, and some old friends. A cautionary tale perhaps? And it turns out, some of the "friends" didn't even like each other. It was inertia keeping them orbiting together!
It's a short book, and a relatively easy read due to the smooth writing style. At some points it can be a little unclear if we are in present time or in 4 years ago time, but it's not too hard to reorient. But the absolute nothingness within the hearts of some of these characters was hard to stomach.
The format and the way the narrative unfolded was rather nice. It felt like following a lazy river. The book opens in current time, and then dips back 4 years. Even within that 4 year retrospective there are moments when the author shifts even further back. Memories within memories. It was a pleasant way to reveal the character's interwoven lives.
Setting the story in the fancypants side of Sydney was nice. Ah, how the other half live! No sprawling suburbia to be seen in this book! Most of the characters have enough money that it frees them up to be apathetic and not trapped in marriages.
Now to the bleakness. The 2 couples going through divorce were hard to read. One of the gents couldn't even continue to pay attention to the things his wife was saying. Mid sentence he would fuzz out and be following some other train of thought about other women, or his own history. The other gent had a big messy speech and did the "what is love, really? Have we ever had it?" What a way to undo years of history with someone. It was devastating.
What also hit hard was the fact so many of these adult characters simply had no friend group. There were some work colleagues maybe on the cusp of friendship, but mostly it was the "mates from school way back" which were the lasting connections. And are they really true friends anyway? These characters lived such small lives that it was their direct family + their kids, and some old friends. A cautionary tale perhaps? And it turns out, some of the "friends" didn't even like each other. It was inertia keeping them orbiting together!
It's a short book, and a relatively easy read due to the smooth writing style. At some points it can be a little unclear if we are in present time or in 4 years ago time, but it's not too hard to reorient. But the absolute nothingness within the hearts of some of these characters was hard to stomach.
January 31, 2023
Here we have such a lovely book. Be prepared with some tissues as you read.
We have two separate couples Chris and Sarah, who have no children and seven failed IVF treatments and Clare and David with two children. Also Elizabeth (Beth to Chris, Paul and Dan (brothers))
It’s about their marriage break ups and finding love after separation.
It starts off how they are attending Elizabeth funeral and how they met and fell apart.
Then we have Clare who is in the pharmaceutical business in the Regulatory Affairs Division who takes time off after her separation and meets up with Louisa.
Louisa has a friend Tim, who is a funeral director and needs a funeral caterer.
Louisa is looking for extra cash so she agrees to do one for starters. She has recently moved in across from Clare and they have become friends. IN that, that she asks Clare if she can help and agrees to help.
These are such beautiful friendships and yes, plenty of tears.
I would highly recommend this book and cheers to Dianne Harwood.
#BRPreview
@Goodreadsau
@Hatchetteau
@DianneHarwood
#The Wakes
We have two separate couples Chris and Sarah, who have no children and seven failed IVF treatments and Clare and David with two children. Also Elizabeth (Beth to Chris, Paul and Dan (brothers))
It’s about their marriage break ups and finding love after separation.
It starts off how they are attending Elizabeth funeral and how they met and fell apart.
Then we have Clare who is in the pharmaceutical business in the Regulatory Affairs Division who takes time off after her separation and meets up with Louisa.
Louisa has a friend Tim, who is a funeral director and needs a funeral caterer.
Louisa is looking for extra cash so she agrees to do one for starters. She has recently moved in across from Clare and they have become friends. IN that, that she asks Clare if she can help and agrees to help.
These are such beautiful friendships and yes, plenty of tears.
I would highly recommend this book and cheers to Dianne Harwood.
#BRPreview
@Goodreadsau
@Hatchetteau
@DianneHarwood
#The Wakes
October 14, 2023
I would describe this book as one about relationships and friendship.
How our lives are intertwined and the 6 degrees if separation is a real concept.
I loved the food references that ran throughout and I definitely want one of those chicken sandwiches...
I did get a little confused about who was who as we jumped to and from different time periods and situations.
It could have been sad to have a book about funerals, but really it was more a book about finding your passion and facing your future once you had settled your past.
Unanswered questions, emotions unexplored and life's unexpected turns. As Louisa and Clare discover a business catering for funerals, this opens up their own lives to questions about what really makes you happy.
How our lives are intertwined and the 6 degrees if separation is a real concept.
I loved the food references that ran throughout and I definitely want one of those chicken sandwiches...
I did get a little confused about who was who as we jumped to and from different time periods and situations.
It could have been sad to have a book about funerals, but really it was more a book about finding your passion and facing your future once you had settled your past.
Unanswered questions, emotions unexplored and life's unexpected turns. As Louisa and Clare discover a business catering for funerals, this opens up their own lives to questions about what really makes you happy.
December 13, 2024
I read this on a glowing recommendation, but man I struggled. It could have been the monotone of the narrator (I listened to the Audiobook) but I found it really difficult to keep up with all the characters and constantly had to rewind to see who was actually the focus on the chapter. I kind of needed to have a list of who was who and how they all worked in together because I kept forgetting
While parts of it was very well written, I found it dragged. I know it was about food but did we need a whole thing about water at the restuarant, or a detailed description of the food they ate? I could have skipped that whole section and it would have had no standing on anything.
While parts of it was very well written, I found it dragged. I know it was about food but did we need a whole thing about water at the restuarant, or a detailed description of the food they ate? I could have skipped that whole section and it would have had no standing on anything.
August 21, 2023
I think this is one of my favourite reads this year. It tells a story of two women who just meet in their street and how they work together to provide catering (really good catering) for wakes. The characters are so likeable and suprisingly are not defined by their children or their families. They take joy in creating delicious food and honoring the memory of the deceased. There aren't many characters and the plot is a gently moving one of people gathering around the dying and the grieving. And how that is a privileged position.
June 26, 2023
Brilliant debut novel taking you behind the scenes of midlife changes and unexpected wakes.
Clare and Louisa become fast friends and unexpected caterers for funeral services
It has made me want a delicious chicken sandwich and reflect on the beautiful services i’ve attended and the loved ones we lose too soon. Felt fitting my own father’s funeral song was included at a wake.
Well worth the read.
Clare and Louisa become fast friends and unexpected caterers for funeral services
It has made me want a delicious chicken sandwich and reflect on the beautiful services i’ve attended and the loved ones we lose too soon. Felt fitting my own father’s funeral song was included at a wake.
Well worth the read.
December 31, 2024
2.5
This book took me a long time to finish because it was just not compelling. The story was just a slice of life, which sometimes can be very emotional but I didn’t feel it with this book.
The ending is satisfying and predictable .. although I didn’t quite see the number of deaths and how quickly it happened.
The writing isn’t bad even though the characters feel under developed and pacing ever so slow. Might be an ok airport read to kill time with low stakes and nothing much to do.
This book took me a long time to finish because it was just not compelling. The story was just a slice of life, which sometimes can be very emotional but I didn’t feel it with this book.
The ending is satisfying and predictable .. although I didn’t quite see the number of deaths and how quickly it happened.
The writing isn’t bad even though the characters feel under developed and pacing ever so slow. Might be an ok airport read to kill time with low stakes and nothing much to do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2023
I enjoyed reading this book so much. It’s quirky but moving, and it didn’t occur to me until I finished it just how clever it is! Very impressive for a debut and I’ll be interested to read more from Dianne Yarwood
July 5, 2023
A beautiful story of life, love, relationships, friendships and death. Very human story about life that never goes as we plan.
June 28, 2024
Found it hard to get into at first, but it grew on me the more I read. Shed a few tears, had a few giggles
October 1, 2024
Loved this story!
April 25, 2023
3.5 stars. Sweet, easy read. Love loss and friendship.
January 16, 2024
This book was provided courtesy of Hachette Australia, with an accompanying interview with Dianne Yarwood featured on the literary podcast Date With A Debut in April 2023. I have not received any rewards or compensation for this review and therefore all views and opinions are of my own, the reviewer.
Mild spoilers below.
Four funerals. Two marriages. A once-in-a-lifetime friendship. Lemon tart. And sandwiches. Oh, the sandwiches!
There’s a reason this became a bestseller. Dianne Yarwood has crafted a cozy, delightful, and appropriately easy read about the most delightful of topics: divorce, funerals and death.
Following the characters in Clare, Louisa, and Chris (plus an occasional inclusion of Paul and Beth) over several months in Sydney’s northern beaches, Yarwood turns what might be a run-of-the-mill situation into a fascinating, sometimes melancholy story filled with twists and turns, humour, jealousy and more; and it’s a knockout that will see you fall in love with her brilliant characters.
Clare is in a strange place in her life, growing ever distant from her husband and finding her life lacking in purpose and meaning. That is, until her neighbour Louisa, offers her a chance to assist her with a funeral catering business. Coming as a surprise to herself as much as her family and friends, she decides to take up the offer.
Throughout the four wakes in the book, a friendship blossoms between the two women, becoming a place of understanding and respite to the challenges they both face at this point in their lives.
Sprinkled in with this story is doctor Chris, whose marriage with his wife is also on the rocks due to several unsuccessful attempts at IVF. When he suffers a mild heart attack, he also begins to question his present and his past, and his interactions with several friends across the book make for some of the most compelling parts of the story, especially when combined with the narration of his former flatmate, Paul, and their mutual connections to Beth.
The Wakes may be all in the present, but it is a story about the past, how it defines you now, and how to come to terms with the passing of time. It is a hilarious, heartwarming and sometimes sad examination of death, and in the end, how death is the thing that makes life most important.
4/5
BUY
Booktopia: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/nL1d7M
Angus & Robertson: https://angusrobertson.4tqiav.net/jr62VM
Date With A Debut Podcast episode with Dianne Yarwood: https://bit.ly/48P6PLK
Mild spoilers below.
Four funerals. Two marriages. A once-in-a-lifetime friendship. Lemon tart. And sandwiches. Oh, the sandwiches!
There’s a reason this became a bestseller. Dianne Yarwood has crafted a cozy, delightful, and appropriately easy read about the most delightful of topics: divorce, funerals and death.
Following the characters in Clare, Louisa, and Chris (plus an occasional inclusion of Paul and Beth) over several months in Sydney’s northern beaches, Yarwood turns what might be a run-of-the-mill situation into a fascinating, sometimes melancholy story filled with twists and turns, humour, jealousy and more; and it’s a knockout that will see you fall in love with her brilliant characters.
Clare is in a strange place in her life, growing ever distant from her husband and finding her life lacking in purpose and meaning. That is, until her neighbour Louisa, offers her a chance to assist her with a funeral catering business. Coming as a surprise to herself as much as her family and friends, she decides to take up the offer.
Throughout the four wakes in the book, a friendship blossoms between the two women, becoming a place of understanding and respite to the challenges they both face at this point in their lives.
Sprinkled in with this story is doctor Chris, whose marriage with his wife is also on the rocks due to several unsuccessful attempts at IVF. When he suffers a mild heart attack, he also begins to question his present and his past, and his interactions with several friends across the book make for some of the most compelling parts of the story, especially when combined with the narration of his former flatmate, Paul, and their mutual connections to Beth.
The Wakes may be all in the present, but it is a story about the past, how it defines you now, and how to come to terms with the passing of time. It is a hilarious, heartwarming and sometimes sad examination of death, and in the end, how death is the thing that makes life most important.
4/5
BUY
Booktopia: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/nL1d7M
Angus & Robertson: https://angusrobertson.4tqiav.net/jr62VM
Date With A Debut Podcast episode with Dianne Yarwood: https://bit.ly/48P6PLK
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