‘What’s she doing to him?’

James is elderly, lives in the Cotswolds, and needs full-time help. His children, Phoebe and Robert, who live some distance from him in Wales and London, are concerned. The last few carer arrangements they’ve made for James haven’t worked out. Will Mandy be any better? Relieved of having to worry about James themselves, Phoebe and Robert are delighted when James and Mandy get on so well. They feel able to pursue their own interests without feeling quite so concerned.

Phoebe and Robert are a little surprised when their father starts taking an interest in television soap operas, and they start to be concerned when James’s conversation revolves around Mandy. What is going on?

In the meantime, Phoebe and Robert have their own lives, their own distractions. Life can be challenging whatever age you are. And then, part way through the novel, there is a twist. Phoebe and Robert discover that there is more to their father than they knew.

While aspects of this story were predictable, it was the telling of it that held my attention. The story unfolds in three parts, moving between present and past, involving a few different characters. And in the story, we are reminded that even our parents were young once and had separate lives.

I enjoyed this story: sad in parts, humorous in others.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

This one turns out to be a bit of an unexpected treat! It begins as another family drama with an elderly father needing care and two middle aged siblings who find themselves unable to give it. Along comes a carer who settles in well - maybe a bit too well - and the situation starts to spark. Just as you think you know where the story is going it turns right round and takes a different tack altogether. Very clever!

The author has a talent for writing sympathetic characters and for seeing two sides to every situation. No one in this book is really right or wrong, they are just being normal people leading their everyday lives. Maybe it is all a little bit too easy, a little bit idealised, but it makes for an enjoyable and entertaining read. Recommended to anyone who enjoys reading about family issues without too much drama and angst.