Time for a Change

by Erica James

Hilary Parker is very happy. She has a kind, caring husband, David, two lively children, and she immerses herself in both family life and life of the village of Hulme Welford. Then one morning, her entire world is turned upside down—Hilary discovers David is having an affair. Whatever she decides to do, life will never be the same again. But even so, Hilary is completely unprepared for the startling turn of events that awaits her.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Womens Fiction, Chick Lit

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

With an insatiable appetite for other people's business, Erica James will readily strike up conversation with strangers in the hope of unearthing a useful gem for her writing. She finds it the best way to write authentic characters for her novels, although her two grown-up sons claim they will never recover from a childhood spent in a perpetual state of embarrassment at their mother's compulsion.

The author of nineteen bestselling novels, and the winner of the 2006 Romantic Novel of the Year Award, Erica divides her time between Suffolk and Lake Como in Italy.

Reviews

[Claire (Cem) · Rating 2 out of 5]

How is it that you can love and adore one book, and yet barely get through another by the same author?

I have loved some of Erica James's other novels, but this one I struggled with. For starters it switched around all the characters too fast for my tastes, and I kept feeling like there should have been a book before this one, introducing various people and all their connections. I kept getting confused as to who was who, and to whom!

Some of the characters were great, others were simply annoying and I could easily have done without them. It felt like too many different stories and none truly given enough time. Or explanation. I found the ending rushed and, for me at least, unsatisfying.

Still, I'll read others of Erica's books in the future I'm sure, but this was one I am happy to say goodbye to.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of Erica James' first novels and quite dated now! Hard to believe the characters would actually behave the way they do!

[Marion · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good story from Erica James. I knew from the start that the assumption made by the main character was wrong, but I didn't know until the end of the book what really happened and how it would play out. Some strong characters in this story, as are typical of Erica's writing. I enjoyed the story and will add this novel to my collection for future re-reads.

[Shivani · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book of this author. I had high expectations from this book because i was interested in its storyline . It is about a wife who comes to know that his husband is cheating on him. The book is about how she will respond to this situation and how her life will change. The book starts on pretty straight on her finding about her husband. But then it just gets too boring because three fourth of the book is all about her just lamenting on this fact. But she does nothing for it neither sher confronts her husband nor she does to change her own life. But still i went on reading because i wanted to know what she will do in the end. I thought she is gonna take some major step something is gonna change her life (as the title suggests). But in fact in the end we come to know that infact her husband was not cheating ,his business had failed thats why he was acting weird. I was quite disappointed with this ending.

[ANTC · Rating 1 out of 5]

0.5 stars. Terrible plot. Will likely not read this author again based on the choices she made in this book.

In the first couple pages of the book, the wife "finds out" her husband is cheating after hearing him say a woman's name in his sleep and that he feels guilty. She gets TERRIBLE advice from her neighbor that she shouldn't confront her husband about it but instead just ignore it and let him get it out of his system (I wanted to slap that bi*ch like wtf). Therefore, the wife doesn't confront the husband about the cheating until THE LAST COUPLE PAGES OF THE BOOK!!! So for 300+ pages your reading about all of her whining but she refuses to actually talk to her husband!!! And oh, what do you know, turns out it was one big misunderstanding!!!!!!!! Wow!! This was totally worth the read!!!! *eyeroll*. And don't even get me started on all the side characters and subplots that I skipped over because they were irrelevant.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading some reviews prior to reading this book I did get the impression this was not one of the most loved Erica James novels... and I can see why.

I found the story extremely slow moving. So slow in fact not much happened at all. The characters weren't likeable in the slightest and there were a hell of a lot of them to dislike.

I liked the book in the beginning, but as I read more and more I just wanted to get to the end so I could read something else.

I did however like the fact that the chapters were relatively short so I could constantly pick up and put down this book and not get lost along the way. Also, the last 3 chapters gripped me and I did enjoy the ending.

I will be reading more Erica James novels. I won't let this one disappointing read put me off reading more from her in the future.

[Ulrika Gustafsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jag vet inte riktigt när jag läste den här boken första gången, men jag har läst den flera gånger och tyckte lika mycket om den även denna gång.
Jag lärde känna Hilary Parker i den tidigare, fristående, boken En Nypa Frisk Luft, där hennes syster Charlotte har huvudrollen. Att jag skulle tycka så mycket om en bok med Hilary i huvudrollen hade jag aldrig trott när jag läste den. Hilary framställdes inte i någon särskilt positiv dager.
Men det fina med en god författare är att de kan få en att krypa under skinnet på en person från flera olika håll och med olika perspektiv! Det gäller även andra sekundära karaktärer från de båda böckerna.

Det är en både underhållande och inspirerande läsning och mycket handlar om just detta:
Är det du ser verkligen det du får?

[Sarah Hills · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed reading this book but as it is one of her earlier ones you can see how she has honed her craft over the intervening years.
It's good but her later books in my opinion, are better.
However, this does not mean this book has no merit, it certainly does.
A good story with some interesting characters if only our two main ones would talk to each other! But that is often the way with book, a lack of communication can often bring misunderstandings.
I feel this is worthy of a read, but it may not grab you as much as her later books which are excellent I might add.

[Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadful, dated,dross. Just awful. I have succumbed and have downloaded a book to my Kindle I really can't take any more of this chic lit rubbish. I am recuperating after surgery and a friend has lent me a load of books but enough is enough.

[Abby Nancarrow grimshaw · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wished I hadn't read this book. In the first book I didn't really like the sister to the main character and this book was her story. It was like watching paint dry but I persevered. It was a disappointment to say the least!

[Jenny Parris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and easy read, liked the basis of the story but found it quite predictable.
Not sure why some of the characters are in it as found it didn't flow well for me.
Would try another of this authors as did like the style.of writing.

[Lin Mundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the first chapter I realised I had read this book before, decided to carry on reading and it didn't disappoint! Great characters 😉 funny and thought provoking - always remember it's good to talk 😏

[Lynne Easy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this story a little slow and dated (think it was written a few years ago). An OK read.

[Chris Peace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Totally predictable, but padded out with village life and village people.

[Zahra Sohail · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wouldn't recommend it even if my life depended on it.

[Juliet · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did read all of this book but really struggled with it. I could only read maybe one or 2 pages at a time

[Julie Dunnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the usual village saga based around the affair of the husband. Although it does have that flavour. Not quite the trash of some of the 90 s books.

[Angela Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable and not a very nice story. Can't say that any of the characters were particularly admirable.

[Nichola Theobald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read better. Forgettable

[JenniferB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story, and I found it very readable, but a bit mawkish. Characters a little bit cliched. Lot of loose ends left, could be a sequel?

[Janet Linacre · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit dated ! Lot of skip reading !

[Shazyar latif · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is my first book of this author. I had high expectations from this book because i was interested in its storyline. It is about a wife who comes to know that his husband is cheating on him. The book is about how she will respond to this situation and how her life will change. The book starts on pretty straight on her finding about her husband. But then it just gets too boring because three fourth of the book is all about her just lamenting on this fact. But she does nothing for it neither sher confronts her husband nor she does to change her own life.
But still i went on reading because i wanted to know what she will do in the end and wanted to get to the end so I could read something else.
I thought she is gonna take some major step something is gonna change her life (as the title suggests). But in fact in the end we come to know that infact her husband was not cheating ,his business had failed thats why he was acting weird. I was quite disappointed with this ending.
I understand she THINKS her husband is having an affair, but either get over it and tell him, or just leave, stop twoing and frowing on the matter
I found the story extremely slow moving. So slow in fact not much happened at all. The characters weren't like-able in the slightest and there were a hell of a lot of them to dislike.

Rating: ⭐️/5
Recommendation: never

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was an easy read that I could put down when needed but pick up and it didn’t matter if I hadn’t read it for a few days because I just sank back into it. On occasion I did get confused with who was who with the characters initially but once I was into the book it was easy to read.

It was easy to connect with the characters especially Hilary who is the main character in it trying to decide what to do when she finds out her husband is cheating on her. The story has quite a few characters and I think there is someone relatable to everyone in it. As well as the main storyline there was other little back stories going on to help you understand and connect with the other characters.

I enjoyed how easy it was to read and how I felt part of the story for some of the characters and felt like I was on the journey with some of them feeling what they felt and dealing with the issues that they had. I like that it wasn’t just about the main character and their family but that you really felt like you was learning about village life. Other characters not necessarily central to the story were brought in and you got to know about them too yet it didn’t detract from the main thread of the story.

This is the 3rd book of Erica’s I have read and I haven’t been disappointed yet! Erica has a way of drawing you in with her book and you can read until the end and wonder where the day has gone. I highly recommend Erica as an author and if you can you should read her books.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time for a Change begins with a scene familiar to most readers of domestic fiction: the protagonist discovering apparent evidence of her husband's infidelity. In the course of the book, she will discover much about herself, her children, and even her husband; make new friends; and deal with the usual irritants of the tiresome in-laws, the snotty women of the PTA, etc. Set in a village in Cheshire, the book also has many other enjoyable characters and subplots ranging from a sister's upcoming wedding to an anti-smut campaign when the local newsagent starts a sideline in naughty lingerie. I've been reading Erica James for years (when I can get hold of one, they're easier to find in the UK than here) and have never been disappointed. Perfect January reading.

[Evelyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Right from the beginning I had an uneasy feeling about the conclusion the main character Hillary made based on her observations, as well as the very poor advice she had received and was determined to follow. As the story progressed, my feeling deepened to despair. At the end, my fear was realized - stupid woman, she caused so much pain. I have no patience for people like that.
However, as a redeeming quality, there were several other characters that I thoroughly enjoyed. Both Iris and Georgia were a breath of fresh air with their straightforward directness that was sometimes shocking. Tiffany, Becky and Chloe were strong-willed children, Nick was intelligent, and Derek, well, what can one actually say about Derek???

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sequel to 'A breath of fresh air'. Hilary suspects her husband David of having an affair, and the book features them and their neighbours from a new perspective. There are a lot of different storylines, nicely interwoven in a mostly gentle village-type story.

Some of the characters a bit stereotyped, and I found it hard to empathise with Hilary at times. But on the whole the book is well-written, and I found it enjoyable for a light read; good to re-read, too, as I have done twice.

Recommended.

Latest longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...

[Carol Peace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling story about life in a small village. The trials and tribulations of everyday life and the comical sabotage the ladies try to stop the newsagent selling a little bit more than top shelf magazines. They definately do not think lingerie is appropriate.
Hilary Parker seems to have it all until her husband slips up one night when he is talking in his sleep. She can not decide whether to pretend she doesn't know or confront him.Maybe she decides it would be a good idea to have a dalliance with the attractive newcomer.

[Laura Dobb · Rating 2 out of 5]

How can you love a book by an author and really dislike another book by the same author. This book has taken me over a week to read (I usually read a book in a day or two) but this book was so slow all the way through. I understand she THINKS her husband is having an affair, but either get over it and tell him, or just leave, stop twoing and frowing on the matter. I did finish the book, but I can honestly say, I will not be picking this book back up, and am now thinking 'the real Katie lavender' (the other book I liked and have read from this author) was maybe a fluke...def not for me

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally love Erica James, but this one was a miss for me. I felt every character was given a petty edge and for that reason I did not enjoy it. I normally feel her characters are so fleshed out and individual, but they felt indistinguishable. I however did enjoy the themes of small English village life and the dynamics of close-knit communities. It does explore human flaws and relationships and ultimately looks at how we respond to life challenges and for that reason many people may find it relatable.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whilst I still prefer 'A Breath of Fresh Air', this book (the only sequel James has done) is still enchanting, making you want to snuggle up in a duvet on a horrible February day. It is emotional, but perhaps not as much as James' later books, but you still feel deep sympathy with the main character's dilemma. The comedy aspect of this story, however, is brilliant! I think that is what makes the book so magical.