S. Geological Survey, leading to “immediate suspension of the National Volcano Early Warning System,” and there’s always someone around looking to monetize the natural disaster and the sasquatch-y onslaught that follows. Portobello Book Blog is not responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web sites or media without its permission. The result was Poppy Day, the story of an army wife, whose incredible love for her husband gives her the courage to rescue him from hostages in Afghanistan. This on the day that she has just found out that her mother, who she has never known, has recently died denying her the opportunity to ever meet her. I really liked Rosie, even though she’s quite different from the enlightened woman with whom I normally identify.

No matter what you are going through there’s always something to smile about somewhere or unexpectedly.Another strong point of the novel for me, and probably one of my favourite parts of the novel was the dialogue of the children, and particularly their interaction with the adults in the story. The beginnings of fear and doubt begin to creep in and soon the rug is pulled from under her, all that she has known her security, her safety net is gone as Phil announces he is leaving and won't be back. The cast of characters were all realistic portrayals that most readers could relate to, and I thought they were all really well developed.

Money is perhaps a bit tight, so she has a job cleaning caravans in the local holiday park to supplement what husband Phil earns in his family’s building firm. I found myself turning the pages like a madman and I thought Gerri was such a great character - I love a subtle evil side to characters, and this really worked. The plot whizzes by incredible fast, packing so much trauma into the pages, but with the characters being one dimensional, I didn't have empathy for any of them. It's a shame there wasn't more exploration around feelings and mental health, and what could have been an opportunity for some body positivity was swept away, instead a flat tanned stomach seemed to be the goal to keep a man. I found this book a really compelling read, mostly because I found Rosie’s situation so convincing and I wanted to know how she could move on from the loss of all she held dear.Besides Lily and Ed and their less-than-blissful marriage, Corry introduces their neighbors across the hall, Italian immigrant Francesca Cavoletti and her 9-year-old daughter, Carla, who catches Ed’s eye as the perfect artistic subject. I'm always impressed when I feel so many different things when I'm reading a novel, which is where the beauty of this story lies for me.