Something a little bit different this time. The new book by Tom Winter is a sweet story and one that strikes a chord especially with the current focus on mental illness. Alice and Ben have a chance meeting in Grosvenor Square in London and don’t realise that the encounter will change both of their lives.
Both are in their early twenties and struggling to find their place in life. Alice is a lowly paid intern at a PR firm juggling a bitchy boss with a lecherous managing director. She’s a little on the cuddly side and they make her feel like a freak just for eating. Having Ben tell her that she is beautiful just about makes her year.
Ben was orphaned at the age of five and brought up by elderly grandparents who did their best for him. He’s supposed to take medication to control the voices in his head but as soon as he meets Alice this becomes less important as he is infatuated by her and imagines that he sees her in her yellow dress everywhere. A misunderstanding means that he decides to follow her up to Scotland – borrowing his flatmates’ fold up bike to make the journey to Glasgow.
It can take a little while to become invested in the characters but stick wIth it. Alternate chapters follow both Ben and Alice as they go about their lives. Lives that they are not enjoying. Alice is desperate to escape her mad landlady and find a job that will pay enough to consider buying her own flat.
Over the next thirty one days they soon realise that a change has been sparked in both of their lives. It might not be the outcome that they were expecting but things are changing for the better. If you are looking for something a bit different this summer holiday then give this one a go.
Supplied by Net Galley and Little Brown Book Group in exchange for an honest review.
UK Publication date: Aug 10 2017. 320 pages.
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Categories: 3 Stars Book Review
angelnet69
Prolific reader, enthusiastic theatre and movie-goer and ex-Olivier Awards judge who spent twenty years working in the music industry in London. Sharing my house with a gorgeous cockapoo called Harry who has taken over completely.
I love sharing my favourite books with friends - nearly always spoiler-free as I hate reading a synopsis of the whole book in other reviews.
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