SOCIAL MEDIA

Review: Another Mother's Life


Rowan Coleman has written five novels (women’s literature) and is also the author of the Ruby Parker series for girls. Her new novel will be released early 2009, ‘The Accidental Family’. She lives in the UK with her husband and daughter.

After seeing Coleman’s books at the book store for the last year – I finally picked one up. This is an entertaining story about friendship, marriage, family and regret.

Alison and Catherine grew up best friends and never thought they would lead separate lives. At the age of seventeen, Alison and her boyfriend, James, runaway to build a life together.

The story begins 15 years later – Alison and her husband move back to her home town with their three children. Catherine and her soon to be ex-husband live in the same town. As the story unravels we learn that Alison stole Catherine’s true love, James. Catherine never recovered from this betrayal.

This is an interesting psychological character study of a woman who fails to let go of the big hurt that has shaped her relationships even with her husband who loves her.

There is only one review for this novel on BN.COM and I must say I agree with this review, the story has a lot of potential but something overwhelms to the story. I enjoyed the book, it wasn’t a favorite read for me. I will try another book to see if this is Coleman’s writing style or simply this novel.

Type: Fiction, pages, Trade paperback

Synopsis:
Can you ever mend a shattered friendship? From Rowan Coleman, author of the acclaimed bestseller The Accidental Mother, comes a deeply moving novel for every woman who was ever a teenager in love, a mother, or made a heartbreaking decision.

For wealthy Alison James, moving with her family to her hometown of Farmington presents more than a case of relocation jitters. Fifteen years ago, she fled town, eloping with her best friend's boyfriend. Now, blessed with three children, but uneasy in her marriage, she wonders if that decision led her away from the life she was meant to lead.

Catherine Ashley, broke, the mother of two and almost divorced, can't help but wonder the same thing. Although she's content with her children, she finds herself returning again and again to those few weeks fifteen years ago when she fell deeply in love, only to be betrayed by her most trusted friend.

Now, once more living in the same town, Alison and Catherine are about to find out just how different their lives could still be. But this time around they are adults, and while their own happiness is at stake, so is their children's.

Wise and warmhearted, Another Mother's Life will make you laugh and cry -- and think about what you would do when confronted by some of life's most difficult choices.

Reviews:
“An exceptional and touching read about loss and love.” - Booklist