Blurb:
‘Heartwarming and funny from an exciting new talent’ – Katie Fforde
She’ll do whatever it takes to keep this family together…
As the nanny to four quirky but loveable children, Charlie French has learnt that if there was ever a cement shortage Weetabix would be a viable substitute and that YouTube videos can go viral in seconds, much to her horror. But, most importantly, she's learnt that whatever happens you stick together as a family.
When tragedy strikes, Charlie is forced to decide whether it’s time to move on or fight to keep the children she loves. With the distraction of the children's gorgeous Uncle Felix and the chance of a holiday in stunning Antigua, she’s left wondering if turquoise seas can wash away their present troubles. Is the pull of white sand beaches too tempting to resist or will paradise fail to keep them all together?
A gorgeous summery beach read, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde, Carole Matthews and Jill Mansell.
Review:
First of all, thank you for using my quote in the quotes at the beginning! Very honoured 😊 And now to the review:
Charlie is the nanny to four children of varying ages. But the twist to this tale is that the parents of the children and been killed in a car accident. So, for the moment, Charlie is their sole carer.
The story follows the legal and emotional twists as Aunt Ruth and Uncle Felix are approached regarding guardianship. Ruth is a very cold unemotional fish and Felix has never really grown up and faced his own responsibilities, never mind those of his late brother.
The first half of the book really sets the characters in stone and we learn all about their personalities. Millie (3) is wonderful and Bella obviously had a lot of fun regressing to that age! She is funny and typical of a modern 3 year old. The first line of the book tells you so much about her! "Millie had forgotten her knickers again."
George (10) and Eleanor (8) come next. George is pushing his boundaries as only a pre-adolescent boy can and Eleanor is the quiet one - she is still suffering terribly with grief and has a very strong attachment to Wriggly, the Llaso Apso puppy, who never seems to be able to behave.
The oldest is Ted, who has a different father and, at 15, is trying to wear the mantle of head of the family, while still trying to come to terms with the situation.
Charlie had a hard childhood and this strongly influences her desire to protect the children. When it all seems impossible, she takes them off to Antigua for a four week holiday, previously booked by their parents.
I'm not going to say much more about the actual plot, as it would automatically contain spoilers. Bella's descriptions of the island are lovely, and made me want to jump on a plane. (Actually, I may volunteer to accompany her on any future fact-finding missions!)
Suffice to say approaches can be deceiving and one character goes through a real sea-change.
Wasn't so sure about Fleur - her story seemed a little superfluous but certainly served to show the difference in people can depend a lot on their upbringing. And I did admire her trying to change her life - with mixed results.
I cried at the beginning, I cried in the middle and I really cried at the last line. Which was embarrassing as I was on a packed plane!
Thank you Bella - enjoyed this book so much - you just get better and better!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows the legal and emotional twists as Aunt Ruth and Uncle Felix are approached regarding guardianship. Ruth is a very cold unemotional fish and Felix has never really grown up and faced his own responsibilities, never mind those of his late brother.
The first half of the book really sets the characters in stone and we learn all about their personalities. Millie (3) is wonderful and Bella obviously had a lot of fun regressing to that age! She is funny and typical of a modern 3 year old. The first line of the book tells you so much about her! "Millie had forgotten her knickers again."
George (10) and Eleanor (8) come next. George is pushing his boundaries as only a pre-adolescent boy can and Eleanor is the quiet one - she is still suffering terribly with grief and has a very strong attachment to Wriggly, the Llaso Apso puppy, who never seems to be able to behave.
The oldest is Ted, who has a different father and, at 15, is trying to wear the mantle of head of the family, while still trying to come to terms with the situation.
Charlie had a hard childhood and this strongly influences her desire to protect the children. When it all seems impossible, she takes them off to Antigua for a four week holiday, previously booked by their parents.
I'm not going to say much more about the actual plot, as it would automatically contain spoilers. Bella's descriptions of the island are lovely, and made me want to jump on a plane. (Actually, I may volunteer to accompany her on any future fact-finding missions!)
Suffice to say approaches can be deceiving and one character goes through a real sea-change.
Wasn't so sure about Fleur - her story seemed a little superfluous but certainly served to show the difference in people can depend a lot on their upbringing. And I did admire her trying to change her life - with mixed results.
I cried at the beginning, I cried in the middle and I really cried at the last line. Which was embarrassing as I was on a packed plane!
Thank you Bella - enjoyed this book so much - you just get better and better!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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