Growing Up Twice

by Rowan Coleman

They have been best friends since school. Their teenage years were spent drinking too much wine in the park, making wrong choices with men and thinking tomorrow was too far off to worry about. Eleven riotous years later, Jenny realizes that nothing much has changed. Here she is, still hung-over and about to make her most wrong choice of man yet. Then tragedy strikes, and it seems as if Jenny, Rosie and Selin can never be true friends again.

416 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2002

About the author

Rowan Coleman lives with her husband, and five children in a very full house in Hertfordshire. She juggles writing novels with raising her family which includes a very lively set of toddler twins whose main hobby is going in the opposite directions. When she gets the chance, Rowan enjoys sleeping, sitting and loves watching films; she is also attempting to learn how to bake.

Rowan would like to live every day as if she were starring in a musical, although her daughter no longer allows her to sing in public. Despite being dyslexic, Rowan loves writing, and The Memory Book is her eleventh novel. Others include The Accidental Mother, Lessons in Laughing Out Loud and the award-winning Dearest Rose, a novel which lead Rowan to become an active supporter of domestic abuse charity Refuge, donating 100% of royalties from the ebook publication of her novella, Woman Walks Into a Bar, to the charity. Rowan does not have time for ironing.

Reviews

[Juliana Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book pretty quickly thanks to a few long train journeys. I felt that the characters were fairly convincing and the friendship between them quite realistic - though I find generally i don't fall out with my friends quite so spectacularly and then make up with them again afterwards!

I think that some of the ending was quite predictable from early on in the book and certain major storylines felt a little underdeveloped but overall an enjoyable read and I might try more of her books, depending on the synopsis.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do friends deal with growing up, inappropriate relationships and tragedy? All of this is explored in Rowan Coleman's novel which had me laughing in places and crying in others.

This was a really enjoyable read - I felt that I really got to know Jen, the narrator, and shared in the turmoils of her life. The book was more involved than the average 'chicklit', tackling difficult subjects and mixing them with more light-hearted moments.

Highly recommended.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sweet yet, predictable “curl up on the sofa” straightforward little read based on three women nearing 30 and all the crisis’ that go alongside. This wasn’t mentally taxing nor “oh my god I can’t stop reading” but I did enjoy this.

[Rebecca Whelan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book to be a bit of a slow read, could have been because I was busy while reading it so it was a bit stop and start. The idea was good but i found that the ‘tragedy’ took a long time too happen and until then it was just Rosie and Jenny going back and forth with different guys. This should have been a book i would normally like so i will try Rowan Coleman again

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Even though it's essentially 'chicklit' it did have several serious issues in it - won't spoil it for others though! I found myself laughing out loud in places, and found myself reading late into the night!

[Anne Sofie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite book and one of only a few books, that I have read more than once. It was my first chicklit book and it turned me on to what is now one of my favorite authors, Rowan Coleman.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in a day on my holiday in Jersey.

[Phil Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fear I might be the basis for Rosie's husband.

[Lucy McLaurin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Took a little bit to get into but once in - I didn't really want it to finish!

[Stacey Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story with serious topics running throughout story