When I first started reading this book, I thought it was a little slow moving, but I soon realised I was wrong. It moves along at a good pace, but it’s very understated. It’s not your ordinary romance and what comes through the most is the emotional journey Tamsin is forced to embark on.
She’s a young woman who’s had a great time for the past three years studying, living away from home for the first time and having fun with her best friend, Liam.
It’s now time to move back home with her mum to start her adult life with all the responsibilities that entails. Without giving away any spoilers, her new life doesn’t quite turn out the way she’d hoped, and she’s having to grow up very fast in a very short time.
The emotional toll on Tamsin is high, and you sometimes wonder if she’ll get through the hard times, even with the help of Liam, a new job, and a new love.
This story tugged on the heartstrings on more than one occasion. The characters were so normal and well crafted they could be your neighbours, or your own friends and family. The settings were also nicely described and rich in details such as sounds, smells and colors.
At times, it was a difficult story to read, as pain and sorrow flowed off the pages in some parts, with great friendship and sweet love in others, and it felt as if it was a very personal story to the author.
Overall, it was a great read. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes a good romance and an emotional, reach-for-the-tissues story, filled with close knit family, deep friendships and the excitement of a new relationship — all of which gets tested to their limits — and I look forward to more from this writer.