Lizzie has always been considered the reckless one in the family, the complete opposite of her twin brother Luke. While growing up she had definitely tested the patience of her parents, and even now in her thirties, Lizzie is still considered the wild card. But when she dumps her long-term boyfriend Simon, a firm favourite with her mum and dad, and becomes embroiled in a love affair with Curt, a married man, even her parents are shocked. And when her choices result in her losing her job, and moving back home to Suffolk to live with her parents, it really is a turning point for everyone.
Miserable, lonely, and longing to be back in London with the love of her life, Lizzie struggles to readjust. But she knows it is only short-term - Curt will leave his wife soon and they will be reunited. Unwilling to let her daughter sit around and wallow, Tess has organised for Lizzie to volunteer at a local care home. Lizzie begrudgingly sets about chatting to the residents, and helping out wherever possible. And that is when she meets Mrs. Clarissa Dallimore, a unique character in her nineties. As Lizzie and Clarissa strike up a friendship, Lizzie learns about Clarissa's full and varied life, which forces her to re-evaluate her own situation.
With plenty of family tension among Lizzie and her mother, and a strained relationship between the family and her sister-in-law Ingrid, emotions are running high in the countryside. But as Clarissa's life story unfolds, past and present begin to collide. And when things take an unexpected turn for Lizzie, maybe the time has come for her to grab life by the hands and take control? SONG OF THE SKYLARK by Erica James is a beautiful, poignant tale of life, love and the meaning of family, and I could not put this book down. The story moves from present to past as Clarissa relays her life to Lizzie, and this really adds to the flow of the book. It is very rich in detail and with so many engaging, quirky characters, the action jumps off the page. Lizzie's life has become a scattered mess as she struggles to pull herself together and figure out her future, and it was enjoyable to see her develop as a person. Mrs. Dallimore is my favourite character and her story shone throughout, as she took me on an emotional journey where I shed many a tear. But it is Clarissa's strength and fortitude to stay strong through her heartbreak, that will remain with me. The ending left me a little unsure as to whether we may hear more from Lizzie, and I really hope this is the case. SONG OF THE SKYLARK has everything a reader would need and I highly recommend it. BOOK RATING - 4+ Author Bio The author of nineteen bestselling novels, including her most recent, THE DANDELION YEARS, Erica now divides her time between Suffolk and Lake Como in Italy, where she strikes up conversation with unsuspecting Italians. Find out more at http://www.ericajames.co.uk, Twitter - https://twitter.com/TheEricaJames Comments are closed.
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WelcomeHi fellow bookworms. My name is Linda and I'm a reviewer & blogger, wife & mother who loves all things books! Currently ReadingUPCOMING BLOG TOURS
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