Awesome collection of characters populate angsty 'blast from the past' romance
I read Fool for Love quickly over a weekend sitting for long periods of time to really immerse in the locations and surround myself with the characters. I loved the characters in this book and got caught up emotionally in the story for the last part of it which I did not expect to happen. The main and secondary characters are great, many of the secondaries like the kids and older mothers steal scenes thanks to their charm and the endearing antics you can so easily imagine; Amy's and Chloe's best friends are the kind you'd want on your side to both support and defend you as the situation required. There is a 'will they/won't they' question that permeates the story and does keep the reader guessing as to how it will end so you're in suspense until the end which is a welcome change from the lesfic stories I've read before this. If your only exposure to British village life stems from TV murder mysteries this story will be a refreshing change with the nosiness of locals offset by fierce community spirit and helping out those who need it however they can; there is a beautiful kindness that permeates the village where Amy's family lives. The contrast between the village and bustling London is highlighted but both places are shown in a mostly positive light rather than one being preferable over the other. There is humor that helps to keep the drama (from the past and present) from becoming too much and the suspense of wondering how it will end makes for a good balance and enjoyable read.
The ending may not satisfy all readers but I think it sets up the opportunity for the author to follow-up with city and/or village centered short stories featuring these characters, perhaps a sequel and/or another full-length novel which follows Chloe's best friend Naomi in her own developing relationship. I'd be keen to read any or all of these stories if and when they're published in the future.
(Reviewed November 2021)