The Woman Who Ran Away From Everything is the nineteenth novel by British journalist and author, Fiona Gibson. Kate Weaver is in Scotland, quite a distance from her Buckinghamshire home, and she’s “assuming someone else’s identity and actually conning an older lady who’s shown me nothing but kindness”. When her husband Vince said, the previous night, at the impromptu party he was throwing, “Couldn’t you just knock up a buffet?”, it wasn’t quite the final straw, but close.

Having made a decent effort that is criticised, Kate climbed out the bathroom window and caught a bus. The further away from Shugbury she is, the more she realises just how much, and for how long, she’s been feeling taken for granted. She gave up the museum job she loved (assistant curator for childhood exhibits) to move away from London, her mother and brother, all her friends and an affordable flat in Bethnal Green.

Instead, she works part-time (reception at the Shugbury Spa Hotel, in uncomfortable heels), cooks, cleans, walks her absent step-daughter’s dog, manages Vince’s diary, handles admin and fends off trolls, and shapes his stream-of-consciousness notes into publishable form. His comedy appearances are handled by his agent but, somehow, Vince can’t lift a finger to help on the domestic scene.

Vince is really noticing her absence. Trouble is, Kate quickly realises from his texts, he’s missing her for all the wrong reasons. And while he acknowledges how well things run when Kate is around, he seems oblivious to his own shortcomings. Despite plenty of clues to on how to modify his behaviour, he misses every opportunity to save his marriage, only bemoaning his misfortune. Does his eventual epiphany come too late?

Meanwhile, at Osprey House, where she’s helping Alice get her late mother’s estate ready for sale, Kate’s deception hasn’t been uncovered: on the contrary, her efforts garner praise and appreciation. She falls in love with the rural Perthshire town, the same place her mother took Kate and her little brother for camping holidays, and finds the people genuinely welcoming, in stark contrast to her neighbours in Shugbury. Then there’s the delightful second-hand book shop, Off The Rails Books, lovingly curated by attractive, kind and thoughtful Fergus, who seems to be the polar opposite of Vince.

Gibson uses two narratives to tell the story, which takes a few unexpected turns before the final chapters. Her characters are appealing for all their very human flaws, and none is perfectly good or perfectly bad. Several of them have wise word to offer one another, and both protagonists discover support from surprising quarters. A moving and uplifting read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Avon Books UK

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

The book title and book cover had me intrigued. The story of a 50 year old woman and her pov was an interesting and different read.
A good reminder to take up space, today and not wait for another time, an older time or any other person!

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Kate is almost 50 and is fed up of being taken for granted by her husband. She comes home to an unexpected party and that is the final straw that makes her to run away. She scrambles out of the bathroom window with no plan on her next move. She decides to follow her heart after a chance encounter at Euston. She heads to Scotland where she finds a crumbling mansion and a handsome bookseller. Kate discovers that sometimes you need to put yourself first and find out who you truly are.

An interesting take on how a couple can live together for years, but not know each other, or recognise when something changes. A fun read, about a darkish subject. Never knew if she would return to her old life. Worth a read, nothing too heavy.

This was absolutely amazing!! I laughed. I cried and could so relate to what was going on with her as I figure most women can. This was a great book and I highly enjoyed reading it.

I found the cover and premise interesting. It was funny at times but , was a bit annoyed at the husband. I found it interesting to read through the lenses of older character. The pacing is a bit slow but found it heart warming sometimes.

Such a great, laugh out loud and thought provoking book. it's well written with great characters. Most importantly it's easy to follow and enjoyable.
Recommended.

Kate is sick of being taken for granted, so she runs away. Approaching 50 she asks herself if the life she has is really what she wants. She has managed everything for her husband for years, so helping her new friend, Alice, to sort out her house, while giving herself a chance to be herself for a while is just the ticket. A few chuckles while Vince discovers just how much he really does need his wife, plus a handsome bookshop owner, makes this a great holiday read. Very enjoyable.

I think quite a few of us can relate to Kate, lol.

Kate decides to run away from home one day, when she is 49. There were lots of reasons why, but she isn't sure that her husband will notice or care that she has left, and that is one of the issues.....

It isn't easy being a middle-aged woman. And when you feel a little adrift, and there are too many things that just aren't right in your world, something has got to give. So, Kate leaves. The how and why, I will not mention here because it is a very large part of the story and I do try not to put spoilers in my reviews.

I liked this book. Probably something to do with the fact that this is my demographic that the author is writing about and I understand the thinking behind Kate's actions. I liked Kate and I liked quite a few of the other characters too. It is a gentle story and not everything is tied up in a bow, and that is ok.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK.

This starts off as a cute light fluffy story but it has a deeper more emotionally part.

Kate has a people pleasing attitude, which her selfish husband takes advantage of until he runs her into the ground.

This book is multiple POV so we see both their perspective.

We see Kate grow at finding herself but also Vince finding his independence.

This book has some laugh out loud moments as well as some sad and heart tearing scenes.

Really recommend.

I enjoyed this book and read it over a couple of days, I am retired. From the review I had read I had expected the book to be funnier, having said that the storyline kept me enthralled throughout.

I did find this book relatable as I am in the same age bracket . It was just too slow and and the ending really disappointed me.

The Woman Who Ran Away From Everything.
By Fiona Gibson
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My review:
Did you ever think of running away from it all?
Well here is a bit of friendly, funny, lighthearted but some tugging in the heart strings, escapism in a book.

I was swayed on what I wanted the outcome to be!
The book takes you one way then somehow has you rooting for another outcome with the switch of a few paragraphs.

A great read.
I would recommend.

Fiona Gibson is fast becoming a favourite author of mine. Her writing style of hilarious, relatable storyline, with heartwarming characters, you always know you are in for a good read.

Really enjoyable book. The writing is palpable and you can feel the tension and frustration coming off the page. The story unfolds at a wonderful pace with several twists and turns, the dual telling is a great touch. There are lots of lovely characters (and some not as loveable) who all add their own colour to the overall book. A light, romantic read that I recommend.

Thank you Netgalley

A laugh out loud rom com about a woman taken for granted by her husband. Kate does everything for her husband Vince, from editing his book, to cooking, cleaning, taking care of his daughter, and other bits and pieces. In addition she has moved from her friends in London to a snobby area in a house that belonged to Vince’s parents. One day she comes home to a spontaneous party that she has to cater for and she escapes out the bathroom window. At the train station she takes another woman’s place as a companion to an elderly lady in Scotland.
I loved this story so much! Seeing Kate find herself again is both comical and satisfying. The dual pov with Vince is an excellent addition to the story and provides extra entertainment and depth to the story. The only part I didn’t like was the ending. I just wanted a little more romance and the focus was more on Kate’s journey of discovery. Great to see an older female main character who is not a stereotype.


Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for sharing this arc. All thoughts are my own.

I always get so excited for a new book from Fiona Gibson!

I loved this so much. Wonderful characters, humour and drama bring the story to life. I laughed, I crier, and I feel like I made a friend for life.

My thoughts




Narrative and Plot






The story of The Woman Who Ran Away from Everything reminded me of The Undomesticated Goddess barring a few fundamental differences. This is more about the self-discovering journey of a woman who finally learns to take up her space.


The narrative alters between first person and third person. While Kate's chapters are told from a first person perspective, Vince's are from a third person. I cannot tell if that is a reason we feel a disconnect with Vince's character or it is just because he is supposed to be an unlikeable character.













Characters and Conflicts









The beginning of the book felt like the perfect setting for a suburban thriller where murder ensues in this posh uptight community. Thankfully Kate runs away before anything like that could happen.



I've always enjoyed reading about a second innings in people's life. Kate seemed like she was on a journey of a lifetime. However, in an attempt to be realistic, Kate is shown to have a back and forth when it comes to her decision to leave. While that might be realistic, it dragged the plot a bit. It meandered towards where you keep wondering if something big would happen.


The book could have been shorter if the final conflict wasn't extended too much.
Also, towards the end, the way Kate treated Fergus and the way it resolved felt unrealistic. It seemed like one of those cases where the ideal male lead would never question the intentions of the female lead no matter how reckless she behaves.








Conclusion




Overall, this was an easy read. The first half was definitely better than the latter half. However, if you are looking for an entertaining journey of light-hearted journey of a protagonist's self-discovery on the countryside, give this one a try. For me, it was a onetime read.