Book Review
On a Thursday night I was sent a book called Secrets of the River to read and review. I read the blurb, thought it was my kinda book and I’d be able to read it by the launch day, Monday.
Ha!
Oh how silly was I? I have a baby. A baby that doesn’t like to be put down at the best of times, but definitely not so I can read. I love reading, always have and I’m sure I always will. However, when you are trying to fit it into a baby’s nap time, it seems near impossible to read more than a couple of pages, never mind a whole book.
Challenge accepted!
**If you are reading the book DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER as I may spoil it for you! **
I think as I was trying to read in Alfie’s nap times I found the first couple of chapters hard to read, finding it slow and difficult to get into. But once I got further in, I didn’t want to stop. You want to keep reading to find out which way Isabelle’s love life will go and why she has escaped England.
Secrets of the River is tantalising from the get go. The main character, Isabelle, arrives under a thunder-cloud of a big secret, with snippets here and there with clues as to what that secret is.
We journey along with her as she gets to grips with her new life in Brantome. A picturesque village in France. She meets three men who catch her attention, in good ways and bad, finding out that they too have their own secrets to hide from.
As in real life, you instantly get a feeling as to which characters you like and dislike, and who is going to make things difficult. Every book has to have a goodie and a baddie!
relationships
The use of the children throughout the story makes it more relatable, most families have children running around, causing trouble and hiding things. It is lovely to see how Isabelle interacts with her niece and nephew and the love that grows in their relationship. Similarly, as the story goes on it is nice to see how Isabelle and her sisters, relationship grows. We see how they build bridges and work together.
As we get towards the end of the book, the relationships and the secrets start to bubble over. Tensions run high and you start to realise what is to come. Emotions will overflow as your opinions of some characters change dramatically. Your love for Isabelle and her man will grow.
You’ll have to read the book to find out who she ends up with!
Secrets of the River was a thoroughly good read. The perfect book for sitting by the pool reading. Whilst hopefully enjoying some sunshine! I know that’s where I would have liked to have been. Jess’s writing is wonderful, emotional and amazingly descriptive! I’ll be keeping my eye out for another novel by Jess McGlynn!
So if after reading this you want to give it a read, you can buy it from Amazon here!
Mummy Fox xx
