Quiet and unassuming Carrie Hayes has a nice, steady life with long-term boyfriend Alan. But she’s been keeping a secret hidden for years. A whirlwind marriage to Hollywood superstar Richard Maddox when they were young and foolish and life was full of endless possibilities. Although no longer together when Richard went to fulfil his acting ambitions in America, they’ve never quite got a divorce.
And now a chance meeting in the paradise of the glamorous French Riviera is about to change Carrie’s summer, and entire life, for ever . . ."
Rating: 5/5
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Another read that I thoroughly enjoyed this summer was the new book from author Jules Wake. I have read several books by Jules now, and was lucky enough to get a copy of this through Netgalley this year. I have to complement the design team because I think this cover is absolutely stunning, and certainly is one of my favourite covers this year. Luckily, the story inside inside is just as good as expected, and I didn't want it to end.
Carrie is enjoying her life as a teacher, happy in her relationship with her boyfriend Alan, and helping to look after her sister and niece when the need arrives. However, when Alan proposes to her, she doesn't quite know how to break it to him that she is already married - to a Hollywood superstar nonetheless. Richard Maddox lives a life a million miles away from Carrie's and she knows its time the pair finally got a divorce... trouble is, she has to find him first! She hears that he is filming a new movie on the French Riviera so decides to take her sister and niece with her on holiday to hunt down her estranged husband...
First of all, I want to say how much I enjoyed reading Jules Wake's writing throughout the book. She crafts the story perfectly, everything from the setting to the characters is written beautifully, and I really enjoyed every aspect of the book. I haven't visited the French Riviera myself, but could easily imagine it in my mind as I was reading thanks to the picturesque descriptions and detail that Wake puts into the whole book. It sounds idyllic, and I loved the time that I spent there!
The characters in the book are brilliant too. I loved Carrie, who was truly stuck between a rock and a hard place, I felt really sorry for her and her situation. It wasn't really one of her own doing, and as her life went on, she just put it to the back of her mind. However, I enjoyed the change we saw in Carrie once she met up with Richard again, how she seemed to become more free and truly herself, how he brought that out in her. He was a great character to read too, he seems perfect in nearly every way and is still blatantly holding a candle for his wife. The relationship between the pair makes for great reading, and I loved the whole story around them. I really did enjoy reading it and was swept up in their love story.
Overall, this was a brilliant book from start to finish, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole read. Everything in this book comes together to create a great story, and I thought it was a very romantic, hopeful, escapist read that is perfect for the summer, but also for these chilly autumn nights when you need to escape in your mind to much sunnier climes! Jules Wake's writing is superb, and she crafts a wonderful novel here. I am now very much looking forward to her next book, hopefully sooner rather than later!
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