A Simple Life

by Rosie Thomas

Dinah Steward has a secret. Hidden beneath the comfortable family life she shares with her successful husband Matthew and their two sons lies a shameful secret that has haunted Dinah for fifteen years. She and Matt never speak of it or the impossible choice he forced her to make all those years they think the cracks have been papered over. But when a chance encounter brings the past into sharp focus once more, Dinah realises she can no longer deny the truth. She decides to risk everything - her husband, her sons, her perfect lifestyle, in order to claim what was always hers.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary

Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Janey King, née Morris was born on 1947 in Denbigh, Wales, and also grew up in North Wales. She read English at Oxford, and after a spell in journalism and publishing began writing fiction after the birth of her first child. Published since 1982 as Rosie Thomas, she has written fourteen best-selling novels, deal with the common themes of love and loss. She is one of only a few authors to have won twice the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association, in 1985 with Sunrise, and in 2007 with Iris and Ruby.

Janey is an adventurer and once she was established as a writer and her children were grown, she discovered a love of travelling and mountaineering. She has climbed in the Alps and the Himalayas, competed in the Peking to Paris car rally, spent time on a tiny Bulgarian research station in Antarctica and travelled the silk road through Asia. She currently lives in London.

Reviews

[Chris Waterford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, well written, well structured story that had me engaged all the way through it. The author seemed to capture the thoughts of husband and wife perfectly as they tried to deal with the secret from their earlier life.
8.5/10

[Joanne Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a long time since I’ve read a book in a day!! If ever… this one I couldn’t put down… loved the writing about the relationship struggles and growth in dealing with a long held secret..

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a ridiculous book! Mother gives Down's child up for adoption as her husband couldn't cope with "the small achievements this type of child would have". No attempt to persuade him otherwise. They go on to have 2 sons, and live the next 13 years in America, where he is a highly regarded prof., on the verge of winning the nobel prize. Mother then decides she "needs" to see the daughter with whom she has had no contact, so sneaks back to England to make contact. She arrives just as the daughter is bridesmaid to her elder sister-is seen, so makes contact. After meeting the family, she returns a while later-daughter standing by side of road as school bus has been in crash-so she abducts duaghter, spends some time in a squat which catches fire.......You get the idea? Big yawn, and huge thumbs down!

[Liesbeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this book, but was disappointed.
It's just not a believable story.
Sorry, but what mum would give up a baby, disabled or not, just because her husband wants her to, and doesn't ever fight the decision???
When the story moves to the Norfolk coast for the second time, it just turns rediculous.
I managed to finish it, but only just.

[Lynda]

A Simple Life... Materialistic family with a secret... that 14 years ago their first child and this. An unbelievable story of a child born with Downs Syndrome being put up for adoption because of the diagnosis; the Father deciding that he couldn’t cope with a child who would not achieve successfully as he had... And what a dreadful title ...

[Michaela Peeling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable Read

My first Rosie Thomas read .... I enjoyed every moment and now deciding on the next one .. Can't wait.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Took a bit to get into it but I thought the descriptions of the various emotions was excellent. The plot was different and pretty well done.

[Ian Mcnamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dinah Steward has a secret. Hidden beneath the comfortable family life she shares with her successful husband Matthew and their two sons lies a shameful secret that has haunted Dinah for fifteen years. She and Matt never speak of it or the impossible choice he forced her to make all those years they think the cracks have been papered over. But when a chance encounter brings the past into sharp focus once more, Dinah realises she can no longer deny the truth. She decides to risk everything - her husband, her sons, her perfect lifestyle, in order to claim what was always hers.

My comments:

This is a book I have read a number of times. It is a very emotional and sad story. Matthew is a successful scientist who has moved to America from England with his wife Dinah and 2 children Jack and Merlin. After moving to America Dinah starts to struggle with depression however when she meets the adopted child of a couple her and Matthew have befriended it makes her think about a secret she's kept for the last 14 years. The story is about Dinah's quest to gain closure and put her past to rest.

I liked the way both Dinah and Matthew faced the challenge and how they both grew. This is a story about how keeping secrets can explode when you don't expect it. I love rosie Thomas as an author, this was a difficult subject matter however the author handled it well.

[Pippa Catterall · Rating 3 out of 5]

We all may want a simple life, whatever that means, but it remains elusive. That’s one message of this book. Another is that family is what you make it, whether or not with blood-relatives. A third is that actions have consequences that you can’t control and collateral damage for others. And the silences and damage of the narcissistic central characters ripples out. They might get some kind of resolution, but not all those whose lives they touch are quite so lucky. Nor do they seem to learn much from their experiences. Avoid people like Matt and Dinah!

[Carol Pearman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dinah & Matt move to the US with their 2 boys. Matt settles well into his academic lie, but Dinah becomes increasingly obsessed by her need to make contact with the child they gave up for adoption 14 years ago. The book follows her search and unfolding relationships. An absorbing read, but parts of the plot seem a bit far-fetched.

[Janine · Rating 1 out of 5]

giving up your disabled child for adoption no questions asked, just because your husband can't deal with it? never talking about it? going off to England to go see the kid, without contacting the parents first, just turning up at their doorstep? Then a bus accident, an abduction, a fire.. sorry I'm not buying it.

[Joan Butler · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a waste of time..I was expecting some explanation when she went to England but then she meets a man, has a little fling, then kidnaps the daughter for a day..so totally ridiculous! I had this book for years and finally got to it. I wish I’d thrown it out years ago. It was my first book by Thomas, and will be my last.

[Adeline Kam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out good. But after reading it halfway, it gets boring and draggy. I don't know what I was reading in the second half of the book. Only the beginning of the story intrigued me. Maybe the story is too long too and there are no excitement or drama in between. My first book by this author and I think will be the last....

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely read with some fabulous characters in . It’s a difficult subject that the author has broached , but it worked well in the storyline .
It’s a story with many emotions experienced whilst reading it.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was sensitively written, with good insights into behaviours and what they truly reveal about a person. I will have a look at some of her other books. It was not a literary tour de force but not every book has to be that to be a book worth reading. IMHO.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, on many levels, interesting take on the “pulls” of family life, a book I couldn’t wait to pick up again. I love Rosie Thomas’ writing and The Kashmir Shawl is one of my all time favourites

[Anne Mcarthur · Rating 2 out of 5]

Someone said I needed to read this book. I didn't.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Liz Rolph · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read , little predictable

[Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am sorry, but I just could not read this book. I gave up. I tried again, just the other day, but alas, it was not for me.

[K Simmons · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good book until about 3/4 in when the author added an unnecessary storyline that just made me mad. I skipped it to read the last few chapters.

[Gill Stollery]

I really enjoyed this book.

[June Staff · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a while to get going, but once into the story it was good and you got pulled into the characters worlds - with bits to keep you wishing for a different outcome or opportunity :)

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

For three quarters of this book I was blissfully happy,perfect light reading to counteract the heavy sleep inducing articles and text books I am reading for an essay. There were lovely introspective thought processes the kind of thing a mother likes to read to ground herself. Dinah's "secret"is revealed an this adds an intriguing new dimension. Then wham! The plot just gets silly. For the next few chapters I felt irritated and annoyed at the dumb turn of events. Then a u turn back to the intelligent thoughtful musings about life and relationships.

I finished feeling a little dismayed at the whole story because it could have been so much more. Perhaps having a little action Rosie Thomas felt it would be more appealing. Who can know.

[Tim Corke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Simple Life is anything but simple. It's a beautiful story of human resilience and relationships and the complexities that they bring. It is raw and unashamedly honest capturing the psychological challenges surrounding adoption and the impact that it has on people.

Thomas has written a typically original and from-the-heart type of story that will make you stop and imagine how you might feel in the same position. It's difficult to read at time because of the sadness, humility and joy but you'll be a better person by reading it.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not one of Rosie Thomas' books. I picked this up in a charity shop (in hardback format despite GR stating there is no such thing!), and am pleased that I didn't pay more for it.

The premise is ok, couple give disabled baby up for adoption for their own reasons, mother decides to try to find her for her own reasons, chaos and breakdowns ensue, then -lo and behold - it's all sorted.

I won't go into detail because to do so would be to provide too many spoilers for future readers. Suffice it to say I'm taking back to another charity shop poste haste!

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dinah and Matt made a decision fifteen years ago that has haunted Dinah ever since.

Married, with two young sons, Matt's career as a scientist has flourished. Meanwhile, Dinah feels increasingly lost as Matt has refused to discuss the incident in their past.

This is an excellent read,, with really interesting characters and a solid storyline. Based on the book cover alone, I wouldn't have chosen the book because I don't feel it reflects the depth of the author's storytelling. Good job I always read the blurbs!

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this thinking I wouldn't enjoy it, but I was wrong. Dinah seems to have a perfect life, but she is harbouring a bitter secret - she had a daughter with Downs Syndrome, and her husband persuaded her to put her up for adoption. It's a good read and I'll definitely try some more of hers.

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was quite disappointed with this book - I had read Constance by Rosie Thomas, enjoyed that and thought I would give another one of her books a go. However, I foubd this one quite hard to get into. Then I started to be absorbed, but it was spoilt two thirds of the way through with the 'kidnap' which I found a little far fetched.

[Diane Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dinah and Matthew have a hidden secret. They never speak of the child they gave up 14yrs ago, until a meeting with an adopted child of friends plant the seed that Dinah wants to see her child again.

Easy read and deals with the emotions of giving up a child for adoption (a Down's syndrome baby).