Rhoda Baxter (1)

Funny, sad and believable: ‘Girl in Trouble’ by Rhoda Baxter is the third in her Smart Girls series and, though some of the characters have cameo appearances throughout the series, can be read alone. Which is what I did, quickly, particularly enjoying the second half of the story. I was worried that the first chapter, in which we meet Olivia at a stag night, meant the book would be too chick lit for me but as the story progresses the themes become darker and complex.
Olivia is thirty, relationship-phobic and surrounded by friends. She is quite independent, thank you very much and does not need a man to look after her. She has never been in love, never allowed herself to be in love and knows this dislike/distrust of men can be traced back to her father who left her and her mother when she was a child. She also has a health issue that makes pregnancy a big risk, though to be honest I was a little in the dark about the specifics of this. Instead she is a serial one-night girlfriend. When she falls accidentally pregnant, Olivia thinks the decision to have an abortion is straightforward and sensible. Of course life gets in the way, in two ways. Firstly her absent landlord Walter, who lives in the upstairs flat, returns home and is hot and funny and makes her feel comfortable in a cosy sexy way; a first for Olivia. And then her absent father arrives on her doorstep.
This is a fast-paced well-written novel which runs the gamut of emotions from chuckles to tears to pain. Relationships within broken families, as the years pass, are not simple and Baxter explores the unresolved tension and anger of Olivia and her mother Liz towards her father Trevor. Graham, her stepfather, has been a calm and loving influence on Olivia since her teens, but she only starts to appreciate this once Trevor returns to the scene. The father/daughter theme is echoed also in Walter’s storyline. His divorced wife Charlotte is to remarry and take their daughter, Emily, to live in America. Walter, absent because of work through many of Emily’s baby years, realises what he has missed just as he is about to lose it.
If you like your girls to be girly then Olivia does not fit that profile. She keeps her thoughts to herself and is quite complex in her behaviour. She does not want children and, in discussions with her friend Ruchi, the for/against options for abortion are explored with Ruchi, at first, unhappy at her friend’s viewpoint. So although the cover design is bright and cheerful, ‘Girl in Trouble’ touches on some serious topics in a balanced and thoughtful manner. I would have liked to know more about Olivia’s work life as a solicitor though, in fact Walter’s career as a marine biologist is explained in much more detail.
If you’re going on holiday, or a long train journey, you will devour this. The first two novels in the series are ‘Girl on the Run’ and ‘Girl Having a Ball’, which I have not read.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/… (plus d'informations)

Intriguing, Entrancing and Inexplicable…

Sally Baxter and Peter Wesley had everything to look forward to on their idyllic wedding day. She has a husband who will provide money, a home and security. He has an outgoing, lovely, entertaining wife to spend his days with. Except…something happens on the way to the honeymoon that throws both of their plans awry. With both of their futures not panning out as they had hoped for and time required to figure out how to make things right the plot thickens over and over with twists and turns, a bit of the paranormal, some interesting people thrown into the mix and a happily ever after sought by all.

Since I am one of those peculiar reviewers that prefer not to give the plot away I will not tell you the plot. I will tell you that you should read this if you like a book that is well plotted with intriguing characters and a plot twist or two that keeps things interesting.

I would like to thank ChocLit and NetGalley for the copy of this book to read and review. It kept me up late last night reading and then thinking about it all throughout the day.… (plus d'informations)

Doctor January is romantic comedy with dark undertones. The dialogue is light and funny, but the main theme is about saving someone from emotional abuse. It also touches on the difficulties faced by women in science

That does say it perfectly. The book is light and I liked the banter. But the more I got to know Beth I could see why she acted the way she did and when her ex comes back it gets worse. He is emotionally abusive and more. What I think is Beth is not really Beth, that is just Beth trying to please everyone and hiding.

Right, back to the beginning. We got Hibs and Beth working in a lab (the author knows her science.) They are friends but maybe they could be more? If Beth was not still in love with her ex, and if that ex had not come back later. Arghhh I hated Gordon. A true idiot.

The book takes a darker turn when Gordon gets back, but that is why this is not contemporary romance. It's more about Beth trying to live her life.

There is drama, every day life, romance, and romance turned bad. All in one. And add some suspense too.

The cover is all wrong in my eyes, that and the title made me think this was some kind of spy novel. See James Bond and more. Nope.… (plus d'informations)