Having thoroughly enjoyed Rachel Joyce’ previous novel The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, I was anxious to read her new book. I could hardly put it down, it was so enthralling. The characters were bright and friendly, and Rachel does an amazing job of adding specific details to what would normally be casual everyday things, giving them a magical quality.

The narration switches back and forth between past and present. Byron and James are two young friends in 1972, boys that are gullible and will believe anything they are told. This causes Byron quite a lot of grief at different times; he can be quite the worrywart, with a sort of an “old soul” feel. In the present day narration, we are introduced to a new group of characters, ones who are discovering new love, and how to escape from pasts that haunt them.

This story has a slightly historical feel to it while keeping us firmly moored in the present day. I would recommend this book to almost any reader, as it is a light, enjoyable read that left me feeling hopeful that the perfect life we might strive for may not be as important as we think.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  5 mild obscenities; 11 F-word derivatives.

Violence/Gore:  A character on her bike is hit by a car, no blood or gore is described; a character is injured in a hit-and-run incident; a character is suspected to have committed suicide.

Sex/Nudity:  Adults are mentioned to kiss several times; a man and woman are mentioned to be intimate with each other, but no specific details are given.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death of a parent.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Adults smoke; adults drink alcohol.