An Almost Perfect Holiday…

About the Book:

Summer is here, and down in Cornwall Lorna’s holiday cottages are fully booked. The sun loungers are lined up beside the swimming pool, the sky is blue and a new set of arrivals are on their way…

Em’s planned the perfect break with her teenagers plus her new boyfriend, George… but now his difficult six-year-old is coming too. Will their romance survive the realities of parenthood?

Maggie’s hoping a seaside holiday will bring her and her daughter closer together, but when her ex makes a surprise reappearance, it changes everything. Can she trust the man who broke her heart?

Olivia has escaped the domestic grind, only for the past to catch up with her. Maybe the time has come to confess all – if she can find the courage…

Meanwhile, the teenagers are running wild and love is in the air. With friendship, heartache and secrets in the mix, will this holiday turn out to be a scorcher – or simply too hot to handle?

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My Thoughts:

I have enjoyed Lucy Diamond’s novels in the past but it’s been a couple of years since I last read one. An Almost Perfect Holiday truly hit all the right notes for me. It’s an absolutely perfect read if you’re looking for a novel that has a little bit of everything: humour, romance, drama, family issues, personal growth, mystery, friendship, grief, and love. There are a lot of characters and there’s a lot going on, but it all worked so well, making for a lively and entertaining read all round.

The four women whose stories each steer the novel were equally as interesting to me. Olivia and Lorna’s story was particularly moving, so much so, I cried twice while reading – it’s been a while since that’s happened! Maggie and Em’s stories were more amusing, and perhaps more relatable in terms of being a parent of teens like they were, but this was a good balance against the gravity of what was going on with Olivia and Lorna.

One thing I want to especially mention is the humour Lucy Diamond infused into this story. I’m finding a lot of late that the humour in these contemporary reads is a little over the top and forced, particularly when it comes to representing children. What Lucy Diamond has done in this story is a brilliant example of how to do it right, how to strike the right balance between genuine humour and realistic representation. I laughed out loud many times and smiled even more. And I never once despaired that a child or teen was over the top. Perfectly done!

I highly recommend An Almost Perfect Holiday. It’s a terrifically entertaining read that is filled with warmth, wit, and true meaning for women who are doing their level best to keep all of those balls juggling through the air.

☕☕☕☕☕

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Thanks is extended to Pan Macmillan Australia for providing me with a copy of An Almost Perfect Holiday for review.

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About the Author:

Lucy Diamond grew up in Nottingham and has also lived in Leeds, London, Oxford and Brighton. She now lives in Bath with her husband and three children.

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An Almost Perfect Holiday
Published by Pan Macmillan Australia
Released 31st December 2019