OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "High Hopes" by Sue Lilley.]

What if one drunken night resulted in a pregnancy? What if the sex happened to be with your oldest, best friend who then reconciled with, and married, his girlfriend? What if the child you secretly gave up for adoption tracks you down twenty years later? High Hopes by Sue Lilley is a romance novel about secrets and lies.

Grace Cavendish receives a letter from the now grown daughter she gave up, requesting to meet her. Grace decides she should tell Sam that they had a child together and travels to see Sam and his wife Dixie for the weekend. Did I mention that Sam’s wife Dixie has been Grace’s best friend since college? Of course, a romance novel wouldn’t be complete without a hunk to round out the cast of characters. In this case, it’s Danny, a twenty-something gardener who works for Sam and Dixie and befriends Grace.

I enjoyed this well-written book. The writing is intelligent and sophisticated without being dense. The author’s sharp observations and snappy dialogue are a joy to read. It’s a refreshing change from many romance novels where the writing is simplistic. However, the premise is not very original and has the feel of a TV soap opera storyline.

The story is told in third person from alternating points of view. This is an effective plot device although the POV switches sometimes interrupt the flow of the story. The plot isn’t all that cohesive as the central storyline is relegated to the back burner during long stretches. Still, I was kept interested with a few unexpected zigs and zags along the way.

The characters are sketched well with interesting backstories. Although the women are best friends, Dixie has long had mixed feelings about Grace. Jealous of Sam and Grace’s close bond, she is secretly glad that Grace lives far away. Dixie and Sam’s marriage feels realistic. They are at a crossroads and act awkwardly toward each other. Grace is a hot mess of drunk, impulsive, slightly slutty, and directionless at forty; she also has an on-again/off-again relationship with her ex-husband. Her character is well drawn, but I can’t say I liked her. Danny becomes a much-needed confidant for Grace and is an affable, layered character. Although their friendship/possible romance often veers the main plot off track, Danny sparkles in any scene he’s in.

The story is set in England, which was a nice bonus for me. There is something about the English culture and setting that immediately draws me into a story. I felt like I was transported to the rustic, fishing village of Perranstone. The dialogue sounds intelligent and proper, even when the characters are discussing the simplest things such as making ham and cheese butties (sandwiches).

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The crackling dialogue highlights this interesting tale of long-held secrets. There are a few pesky errors, but nothing that distracted from the story. Romance readers will find much to enjoy here, especially those who like stories told from alternating perspectives.

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High Hopes
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Like bookowlie's review? Post a comment saying so!

Sounds like a fun read overall. Thank you for the wonderful review.

Thanks Gali! It was a great book to curl up with the past few evenings.

This sounds like an emotionally charged book and a good one to read when I am in need of a book to curl up with on a Friday night with a glass of wine! You created a great review and I am looking forward to starting this book!

Thanks Lmoses and welcome to the forums! It was a very enjoyable read.

Another very well-written and insightful review. This book sounds like a lot of fun! Great job and congratulations to the author!

Thanks Bluemel for the nice feedback! The dialogue is often witty, but the central issues are explored in a serious, thoughtful way.

I enjoyed reading your review, bookowlie! I actually saw this somewhere and was trying to figure out where I'd seen the cover before. Too bad that the storyline isn't original and there are some errors, but I'm glad that it was still enjoyable! I might give it a read. Thank you for the great review!

Thanks! It's a very enjoyable read. I can't say I liked the main character, but that didn't affect my rating in any way.

Wonderful review as always bookowlie!

TrishaAnn, What a nice thing to say! I always try my best to give an honest, balanced view.

hsimone wrote:I enjoyed reading your review, bookowlie! I actually saw this somewhere and was trying to figure out where I'd seen the cover before. Too bad that the storyline isn't original and there are some errors, but I'm glad that it was still enjoyable! I might give it a read. Thank you for the great review!

Excellent Review

Vermont Reviews

Thanks VermontReviews for the feedback. Although I didn't like the main character, all of the characters were well developed and interesting.

Very nice review! I recently read and reviewed this and I did like it but for some reason, I felt like something was missing. I think I just have a hard time relating to her characters?? But yes, Danny was fabulous!

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! I also found it hard to relate to the main character.