Joanna Nell
Reviewed by Helen
This is such a great story it is funny, moving, emotional and so very heart-warming, make yourself comfortable for this one while you enjoy meeting the lovey seventy nine year old Peggy Smart and the highs and lows of living in a retirement village and aging with decorum and aplomb as best she can.
Peggy is widowed, she has two children David who is married to Mel they have two children Sam and Emily and Jenny who lives with her girlfriend and the alpacas, Peggy lives alone with her dog Basil, her little old man, yes she can be forgetful but the Webster’s pill packaging does help her with the days of the week, as does her colour co-ordinated calendar, she also loves checking one of the neighbours out, that would be Brian retired chartered accountant and treasurer of the residents committee the man that Peggy dreams of inviting for dinner one day, yes life is good for Peggy, but then Angie Valentine moves into the village and Peggy’s life is going to improve maybe?
Peggy and Angie met when they were eight years old, they went to school together and worked together for some time but Angie was always the out spoken one the one to go for what she wanted never lost for words and she went onto travel the world with her job and Peggy married Ted and settled down and now Angie is still the beautiful, vibrant person she was and she steps in to improve Peggy’s life but Peggy is unsure about all of this and worries a little. Meeting up with Peggy again for Angie was what she had wanted there is a secret that needs to be told and Angie will do anything for her friend Peggy
This one had me laughing out loud with tears running down my face as Peggy gets herself into a few scrapes but Angie is there and when the tables are turned Peggy is there for Angie. This is a beautifully written story with all of the emotional feels that will keep you turning the pages, the characters are rich, vibrant and alive, truly there is much laughter and there are tears as this journey of friendship and aging gracefully with fun, it is never too late to find love and enjoy life. This a must read. A story that I highly recommend, huge congratulations on a fabulous debut and I look forward to many more books from MS Nell.
5/5 stars for a fabulous story
Expected publication:
September 25th 2018
by Hachette Australia
