Flying the Nest
Rachael Johns
Reviewed by Helen
Another wonderful story from Rachael Johns, her story telling just gets better I love the way she can hear or read about something this time “nest Parenting” and turn that into a moving, captivating story filled with wonderful characters that are so easy to get to know. This was a subject I had heard of but didn’t really understand it and now I do thank you Rachael Johns, this story is a page turner and a must read.
Ashling Wood is a happily married woman with two great kids and all is running as it should, or is it, when suddenly out of the blue her husband Adrian drops a bombshell and suggests that they try nest parenting, needless to say Ashling is shocked and stunned she had no idea there was anything wrong but now finds herself only living in the family home with her kids Saxon and Payton every second week.
Ashling moves in with her sister-in-law and best friend Hayley on her kids free weeks but is not coping well, no matter what people think Ash is determined to get her family back the way it was, but when an offer comes her way to stay at and renovate an old beach shack at Ragged Point Ash jumps at the chance and the new friends she makes, make a very big change in Ash’s life.
Meeting Jedda who runs the café and the local paper brings new meaning to Ash’s life, oh she misses her kids terribly but soon starts to think about herself as well and when she meets her neighbour Dan Emerson she starts to feel even better. Life in Ragged Point is going really well and Ash is very at ease on her weeks there but things at home with the kids is starting to not be so good.
When tragedy happens and Ash needs to be back in Perth she struggles with the needs of her family and what lies ahead for her future, will they be happy living near the beach or will she need to leave the life and friends that she has found and now loves behind, or will she work out a way to have both and move forward into the future, happy and at peace with what has happened?
This is a story about families and what happens when they break down, people play the blame game and emotions are running high, people are hurting but out of the pain and hurt there can be happiness, new lives and a future even though different from the beginning a new life evolves, I am not sure if I am a fan of nest parenting but I am sure it suits lots of families. I loved this story so much and highly recommend it, Rachael Johns never disappoints and as always I look forward to her next one and looking forward to the subject it will be about.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.
5 stars
Published November 1st 2020 by HQ Fiction
