Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty: terrific comedy thriller

They say trouble always comes in threes. . .

For sisters Lyn, Cat and Gemma Kettle, the year they turn thirty-three is no exception.

Sensible Lyn is struggling to balance being a mother, wife and businesswoman without losing her mind. Cat, whose perfect marriage is the envy of all her friends, never suspects that her husband has been hiding a secret that will tear her life apart. Directionless Gemma changes jobs and boyfriends every few months and has just met a new man who could be the one to unlock her hidden past.

Through everything, the bonds of the sisters are strong enough to withstand whatever life throws at them. That is until the night of their thirty-fourth birthday dinner, when home truths are revealed and things are said that can't be taken back . . .

My mini review:

A great book with an excellent understanding of the tugs of love and hate that run through families and which are both appalling and highly amusing. The relationship between the triplets, Lyn, Cat and Gemma is excellent and I loved all three of them - both together and apart. They all had fabulous stories to tell, and the plot lines were gripping.

The only place I felt let down was the career resolution for Cat which is now so cliched (and totally unrealistic ...) that it makes my skin itch - another career should have been found and surely wouldn't have been too hard to do! Otherwise, a great 4-star read.

Anne Brooke Books

From Loneliness to Love: Daily Meditations from The Book of Ruth

I'm happy to say I have a new book out, especially for women. Because we're worth it!...

From Loneliness to Love: Daily Meditations from The Book of Ruth: a series of daily meditations from the Book of Ruth, written especially for women.

Each day focuses on a section of this incredibly moving story, highlights the main themes arising from the passage and ends with a prayer to help you grow closer to God.

Subjects for meditation and prayer include grief, hope, trust and love.

Buy the ebook at Amazon

It costs 99p as an ebook.

Buy the paperback at Amazon

It costs £2.99 as a paperback.

Happy reading!

Anne Brooke: Biblical Fiction

The Roundabout Man by Clare Morrall: a compassionate and gripping read

Who is the Roundabout Man? He calls himself Quinn, the name of a boy in a world-famous series of children's books. What he hopes no one will discover is that he's the real Quinn, immortalised as a child by his mother in her entrancing tales about a little boy's adventures with his triplet sisters.

My review:

It's always been an utter mystery to me why Clare Morrall isn't more widely known as she's one of the best living writers we have in the UK. Her books are always a joy to read and this one is no exception. Morrall dissects the convoluted life of Quinn gently and with great compassion, and his life, both as a child and an adult, rings clear and true.

It's a gripping and humane story, and I loved it. I'm already looking forward to her next book!

Anne Brooke Books

Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty: first-class psychological thriller

Yvonne Carmichael sits in the witness box. The charge is murder. Before all of this, she was happily married, a successful scientist, a mother of two. Now she's a suspect, squirming under fluorescent lights and the penetrating gaze of the alleged accomplice who's sitting across from her, watching: a man who's also her lover. As Yvonne faces hostile questioning, she must piece together the story of her affair with this unnamed figure who has charmed and haunted her. 

This is a tale of sexual intrigue, ruthless urges, and danger, which has blindsided her from a seemingly innocuous angle. Here in the courtroom, everything hinges on one night in a dark alley called Apple Tree Yard. 

Review:

It's a very different book from the recent TV series (which I also loved). This is far darker and more dangerous and deeper, and I much prefer it! I enjoyed the fact that the main character, Yvonne, is neither particularly likeable, nor particularly honest, but her voice is just so strong that she becomes an absolutely gripping character and I couldn't put the book down.

The writing is both detailed and precisely fitted both to the characterisation and the flow of the story which makes for a first-class read. Doughty is now on my reading list and I will definitely be getting more of her books.

Anne Brooke Books