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A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

The Clergyman’s Wife by Molly Greeley

In this Pride and Prejudice-inspired novel, not everyone has the luxury of waiting for love. Charlotte Collins knows this well . . .

Charlotte Collins, nee Lucas, is the respectable wife of Hunsford’s vicar, and sees to her duties by rote: keeping house, caring for their adorable daughter, visiting parishioners and patiently tolerating the lectures of her awkward husband and his condescending patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

Intelligent, pragmatic and anxious to escape the shame of spinsterhood, Charlotte chose this life: an inevitable one so socially acceptable that its quietness threatens to overwhelm her. Then she makes the acquaintance of Mr Travis, a local farmer and tenant of Lady Catherine.

In Mr Travis’ company, Charlotte feels appreciated, heard and seen. For the first time in her life Charlotte begins to understand emotional intimacy and its effect on the heart-and how breakable that heart can be. With her sensible nature confronted and her own future about to take a turn, Charlotte must now question the role of love and passion in a woman’s life, and whether they truly matter for a clergyman’s wife.

The Clergyman’s Wife by Molly Greeley is a debut fiction novel and retelling of Pride and Prejudice, shining the spotlight on Charlotte Lucas and what her life becomes after she chooses to marry Elizabeth’s cousin, Mr. Collins.

Though this work is entirely fictional, there are so many elements that ring true to the original work — the characters, relationships, atmosphere and setting. In Pride and Prejudice, Charlotte married Mr Collins not because she was in love with him (she hardly knew him) but because of security. She was almost thirty and had no other options for a companion. By marrying Mr Collins, she would stop being an embarrassment to her parents and could start her own life.

In The Clergyman’s Wife, Molly takes Charlotte beyond the pages of Pride and Prejudice and gives her a protagonist’s story. What if she does have the option of falling in love with someone but it’s too late?

“My skin prickles with mirth; I press my lips together to keep myself from laughing. Mr Travis meets my eyes and his lips tip up, just a little, at the corners; then he ducks his head and appears to focus entirely on the roses once more. I find myself gazing at the sun-browned back of his neck, the first knob of his spine just visible above his shirt collar, and have to force myself to look away.”

Charlotte Lucas is an incredibly intelligent character, but her life with Mr. Collins is — as readers expected — uninspiring and rather boring. Charlotte doesn’t have the sharp tongue or the brashness that her friend Elizabeth has, and she settles for what is comfortable. However, given that this book is set in the early nineteenth century, it’s entirely credible. She can’t afford to wait for true love.

When Charlotte meets Mr. Travis, she feels an instant connection. The two are alike in personality and Charlotte finds herself drawn to him. She starts to understand what emotional intimacy is and what it’s like to have someone else truly care about what you want in life. Mr Travis is kind and considerate and treats her with more respect that Mr Collins does. Charlotte finds herself wanting intimacy with Mr Travis, which is something she’s never experienced with her husband.

But, building a life with Mr Travis is something that no one in that time period would approve of. Charlotte struggles with what her head and her heart are telling her.

“When we reach the lane, I have to force myself to keep walking. Though there is no true impropriety, I suddenly feel that I cannot face William — or worse, Lady Catherine — seeing us walking together. But we reach the parsonage gate unobserved.”

Whilst the book is a little dry at times, the prose and dialogue are lyrical, poetic and true to the time period. The vocabulary and language is evocative and in tune with Pride and Prejudice, and so it’s not a stretch to think of The Clergyman’s Wife as a companion novel.

Recommended for fans of Pride and Prejudice, and other Jane Austen novels. Fans of romance and historical romance will also love this.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Clergyman’s Wife
Molly Greeley
December 2019
Allen and Unwin Book Publishers

The Christmas Party by Karen Swan

When Declan Lorne, the last remaining knight in Ireland, dies suddenly, an ancient title passes with him. But his estate on Ireland’s rugged south-west coast is left to his three daughters. The two eldest, Ottie and Pip, inherit in line with expectations, but to everyone’s surprise – and dismay – it is the errant baby of the family, Willow, who gets the castle.

Why her? Something unknown – something terrible – made her turn her back on her family three years earlier, escaping to Dublin and vowing never to return. So when Willow quickly announces she is selling up, her revenge seems sweet and the once-close sisters are pushed to breaking point: in desperation, Pip risks everything to secure her own future, and Ottie makes a decision that will ruin lives. It’s each woman for herself.

Before moving in, Connor Shaye, the prospective new owner, negotiates throwing a lavish party at the castle just days before Christmas – his hello, their goodbye. But as their secrets begin to catch up with them, Ottie, Willow and Pip are forced to ask themselves which is harder: stepping into the future, or letting go of the past?

The Christmas Party by Karen Swan is a joyous holiday novel about family, legacy, sisterhood, and long-held secrets.

After her father dies suddenly, Willow returns home to Ireland. Surprisingly, her father’s will reveals that Willow is to inherit the desired family castle. The sisters are surprised and disappointed, and their mother shocked.

But the castle doesn’t come without its complications. It’s expensive to run and the estate isn’t making enough money to sustain itself. The family are in a lot of debt and Willow makes the decision to sell the castle. This acts as a catalyst for the family, forcing them to face their tensions and their conflicts.

“If she sold Lorne, she’d be rich. She could go anywhere, do anything, be anyone. Wasn’t that worth the shame and the guilt that had been placed at her door? After all, her life had already changed anyway, the horrors of three years earlier, forcing her to move away from here and everything she had ever known and loved.”

Sisterhood is a strong element to the novel. The POV switches between Ottie, Pip and Willow, who are all trying to navigate their way through this new phase of their lives. Their dad has died, they’re mourning but they’re also trying to work out what to do with the estate, and the three sisters aren’t overly close. There’s an obvious wedge between each of them, and over the course of the novel they must learnt to understand and overcome their issues and move on as a family.

Ottie is the oldest sister and she expected she’d inherit the castle. She’s worked the hardest and the longest, and she was the most devoted. She sacrificed a lot to stay with her dad and help him with the estate.

Pip runs the trekking business on the estate. She’s a tomboy, loves horses, and struggles to trust others. She needs to learn to let others in, and forgive past mistakes.

Willow left home years earlier because of a secret she discovered. Now, she’s home and that secret is about to be unleashed.

“But if their love had started out as an accident, it had become a very deliberate secret and she, for one, was exhausted keeping it. Life was short, her father’s death at fifty-eight proved that. Surely they had to live for today and grab their tomorrows with both hands?”

Setting always holds a strong presence in Karen Swan’s novels, sweeping the reader into this grand tale of exotic, intriguing locations that we all fall into.

Additionally, Karen is really skilled at balancing plot and character, incorporating plenty of drama in her storylines but also delving deep enough into the character POVs that you fall in love with each of the main characters.

“The wind was punishing, pushing them back as they rode headlong into it on the quads. Ottie felt her eyes stream, her heart pounding fast as she tried to keep up. Bertie, driving just ahead, was like a man possessed…his reputation was on the line.”

A sweeping tale that explores familial responsibility and family legacy, sisterhood and relationships, and trusting your instinct.

I’ve read most of Karen’s novels and have enjoyed them all — Christmas is my favourite time of the year and most of her novels are heavily Christmas-themed. There’s plenty of romance, parties, and themed events. Recommended for romance readers.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Christmas Party
Karen Swan
November 2019
Pan Macmillan Publishers

Matters of the Heart by Fiona Palmer

A classic love story about manners, men and modern romance.

Western Australia, 2019: The Bennets are a farming family struggling to make ends meet. Lizzy, passionate about working the land, is determined to save the farm. Spirited and independent, she has little patience for her mother’s focus on finding a suitable man for each of her five daughters.

When the dashing Charles Bingley, looking to expand his farm holdings, buys the neighbouring property of Netherfield Park, Mrs Bennet and the entire district of Coodardy are atwitter with gossip and speculation. Will he attend the local dance and is he single? These questions are soon answered when he and Lizzy’s sister Jane form an instant connection on the night. But it is Charlie’s best friend, farming magnate Will Darcy, who leaves a lasting impression when he slights Lizzy, setting her against him.

Can Lizzy and Will put judgements and pride aside to each see the other for who they really are? Or in an age where appearance and social media rule, will prejudice prevail?

Matters of the Heart by Fiona Palmer is a modern-day retelling of Pride and Prejudice, set in farmlands in rural Western Australia.

Lizzy Bennet’s family have owned and run Longbourn for decades, and they’re not about to let a few rough years of drought force them to sell up and leave the town.

Charles Bingley, his sister Caroline Bingley, and his best friend Will Darcy soon arrive to the area after Charles buys the expensive neighbouring property Netherfield. If you’re familiar with Pride and Prejudice, you’ll know what comes next.

Despite the twenty-first century Australian setting, Matters of the Heart follows Pride and Prejudice pretty similarly. There are a few slight tweaks to the storyline, and some accelerations in pacing, but other than that, it’s pretty loyal to the original story. Any devoted fan of Pride and Prejudice – like me – will enjoy another fresh retelling of the classic tale.

“Ken Collins was shorter than Lizzy by half a head, and his hair was thick and black, resembling that of a Lego-man. He wore a leather belt with a shiny buckle as if he’d been a rodeo champ in his day. If you let him talk long enough he’d tell you about the time he rode a bucking bronco.”

The rural Australian setting was a nice touch to the story, and allowed us to see the Bennet family as a struggling but stoic unit. They’re supportive, compassionate, and they bond over the tough times they’ve had on the farm in previous years. The sisters are all vastly different – like in Pride and Prejudice – but they support one another and the older girls are a positive influence on the younger ones.

I did wonder if more creative liberties could’ve been taken, and if the storyline could’ve drifted a bit more from the original source. I love Pride and Prejudice, but I felt like I knew exactly where the story was going and so I didn’t feel a huge range of emotions when reading the book. I would’ve like a bit more of a difference between the book, and its source.

“You can’t save them all, her dad had said when she was six and saw her first mauled lamb. It’s nature; that lamb has fed a family of birds. It was a rough way to learn about the cycle of life, but in farming there was no shying away from it.”

This book showcases strong, independent women. Lizzie plans to take over Longbourn from her father and she is already running a lot of the operations on the farm. She’s capable, confident and she’s incredibly smart.

Lizzie is used to men assuming she doesn’t know what she’s doing. She’s used to being questioned about who will run the farm after her father passes. But she’s sure of herself, and she doesn’t let others sway her opinion. She’s feisty and she’s fun, and her romance with Will Darcy is really heartwarming. I enjoyed reading about their blossoming romance — their quirks and their clashes, and their respect for each other.

There are moments of humour scattered throughout the book. Ken Collins is ridiculous and clueless, just like his inspiration. Kitty and Lydia are overdramatic and self-centred, but they bring a smile to your face, and Will and Lizzie have incredible chemistry on the page that you can’t help but adore.

“The top envelope was addressed to Jane and Lizzy. The invitation was fancy, handmade with care, but Lizzy couldn’t imagine Charlie or Caroline making them. Probably paid someone to do them. Across the top it read Bingley Barbecue.”

I recommend this to Pride and Prejudice and Jane Austen fans, although be aware the story doesn’t venture outside the original plot-lines quite like I’d expected.

Fans of romance will enjoy this, as will any Australian reader interested in rural settings or books set amongst farmland. Matters of the Heart reminded me of McLeod’s Daughters — strong women showing men how capable they can be on their own.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Matters of the Heart
Fiona Palmer
September 2019
Hachette Book Publishers

If You Could Go Anywhere by Paige Toon

Angie has always wanted to travel, but at twenty-seven she has barely even stepped outside the Australian mining town where she was born. Instead, she discovers the world through stories told to her by passing travellers, dreaming that one day she’ll see it all for herself.

When her grandmother passes away, leaving Angie with no remaining family, she is ready to start her own adventures. Then she finds a letter revealing the address of the father she never knew, and realises instantly where her journey must begin: Italy.

As Angie sets out to find the truth – about her family, her past and who she really is – will mysterious and reckless Italian Alessandro help guide the way?

If You Could Go Anywhere by Paige Toon is a contemporary romance novel about a young girl’s desire to connect with her biological father, and travel the world.

Angie has been taking care of her grandparents for most of her life — she’s 27 years old and has never left her home town of Coober Pedy, in rural South Australia. She’s desperate to travel and see the world, but she’s also eager to find out more about her biological father. Her mother died shortly after giving birth to Angie, and her grandparents claim not to know any information about his identity. When Angie uncovers a letter with more information into her mother’s past, Angie is able to track down her father — Giulio — in Italy.

“He doesn’t really ask me much about myself, but he’s happy to talk and I do my best to listen. I hear about the time the mayor came into his restaurant, and another occasion when he met with the Pope, along with countless other anecdotes.”

The story itself will appeal to anyone who is a huge fan of romance novels, but for me, I didn’t overly enjoy the book. The story moves so fast in the beginning, that I never really felt connected to Angie’s character.

I never felt drawn to her or her motives — I felt like I was detached from her in some way. She finds out about her father and then meets him in such a short amount of time, it just felt incredibly unrealistic.

Additionally, there doesn’t seem to be much tension to the story. Angie finds the letter, tracks her dad down immediately, he welcomes her with open arms, and then Angie spends majority of the novel trying to form a friendship and/or relationship with Giulio’s adopted son Alessandro. It all feels a little too easy.

“My feet seem to have glued themselves to the spot, but my father steps forward and embraces me, squeezing me tightly. I could not feel more bizarre as I squeeze him back. He smells of cologne and wood smoke — sort of homely and welcoming — and for a split second, my senses are flooded with the memory of what my grandfather used to smell like.”

Angie is 27 but at times, she reads like a teenager. She has quite a juvenile dialogue — external and internal — and despite Angie and I being of similar age, I felt like I was reading a story from the POV of a high school student who has been set free in Italy without adult supervision.

If you’re a die-hard fan of romance novels, then you’ll love this book despite its flaws in pacing and believability. But if you’re like me and you only dabble in romance every now and then, I’m not sure that this book is for you.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

If You Could Go Anywhere
Paige Toon
May 2019
Penguin Random House Australia

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

Tiffy and Leon share a flat
Tiffy and Leon share a bed
Tiffy and Leon have never met…

Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but it’s the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.

But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly-imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven’t met yet, they’re about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window…

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary is a gorgeous, uplifting romantic comedy about two London flatmates who share a bed but have never met.

Leon is a palliative care nurse who works evenings and spends all his weekends at his girlfriend’s house. His brother is in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and Leon is using whatever money he has to pay his brother’s lawyer. Leon decides to advertise online for a roommate. The arrangement makes perfect sense — Leon would have the flat during the day, and the roommate would have the flat to themselves on the weeknights and weekends. They’d never even need to meet!

Leon chooses Tiffy to be his flatmate. She’s a quirky, upbeat book editor at a publishing house with a passion for reading and a habit of baking and cooking too much food. Her boyfriend Justin has dumped her for the girl he cheated on her with, and she needs a new place to live that doesn’t cost a fortune.

“I was so lucky to have him. Justin was always so…fun. Everything was a whirlwind; we’d by flying from country to country, trying everything, staying up until four in the morning and climbing on to the roof to watch the sunrise. Yes, we fought a lot an dI made a lot of mistakes in that relationship, but mostly I’d just felt so lucky to be with him. Without him I feel….lost.”
TIFFY

Leon and Tiffy slowly build a friendship in a most unconventional manner, bonding over post-it notes, text messages and leftover food. The book moves through the year quite clearly, consistently switching back and forth between Tiffy and Leon’s POV. Leon is shy, punctual, factual and to-the-point. He’s observant and logical and practical.

Tiffy is a chaotic person — hopeful, energetic, cheerful and always trusting. She worries a bit too much about things she shouldn’t need to worry about, and she’s caring and considerate towards her friends and colleagues.

Beth O’Leary has done a fabulous job of capturing Leon and Tiffy’s unique voices from their internal and external dialogue, and the various post-it notes that each characters leaves around the apartment.

“Letter is crumpled in trouser pocket. Tiffy asked me to read it before I send it on to Richie. But haven’t, yet. It’s painful. Feel suddenly sure that she won’t understand. That she’ll say he’s a calculating criminal, just like the judge did. Say his excuses don’t add up, that given his character and his past he’s exactly what we should all have expected.”
LEON

Admittedly, I felt there were a few flaws. It’s quite a long book and three-quarters of the way through the story I felt like it was a bit too slow. There are a lot of post-it notes and text messages, and a lot of chapters that felt like they were being dragged out.

There’s also a particular scene at the end of the novel involving Tiffy and her ex-boyfriend that felt unrealistic and quite cringeworthy. And the friendship between Tiffy and Leon’s brother, and her involvement in his appeal is all a little bit ‘Hollywood’ that is a bit hard to believe at times. It’s nice and pleasing, but I do think you have to stretch the imagination to go along with the story.

I recommend The Flatshare to readers of romance comedy, light-hearted and tender novels about family and relationships. It’s fun and cute, but it is also emotional and heartfelt. By the end, you’ll want to move in with Tiffy and Leon.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Flatshare
Beth O’Leary
May 2019
Hachette Book Publishers