Tess and Orla have been best friends throughout most of their adult lives. So when life gave them lemons and their loved ones let them down, they pooled their resources and bought a dressmakers shop on the corner of Penny Lane. And they’ve been doing just fine ever since.
But one day, while studying her tired eyes and shapeless figure in the mirror, sixty-two-year-old Tess realised that she doesn’t want her life to be just fine anymore. She wants it to be extraordinary. For as long as she can remember she’s put everyone else first. Now she wants to rediscover herself – and experience the kind of whirlwind adventure that will have the power make her smile when she’s confined to the armchair of a retirement home.
With the encouragement of fun-loving and quirky Orla, Tess joins an over-the-hill dating agency and the two friends book a singles cruise around the Mediterranean. And that’s when their adventure of a lifetime really begins…
My review
Everytime I see the cover of this book, I start humming the Beatles song. So, thank God it’s not an audio review. LOL. I would not want to put you through this. 😉
What I like about this author’s books is that she puts the more mature people in the spotlight. These people often have been through a lot and might have let themselves go for a while. But it’s not because you are over 50, 60 or older, you are doomed to be alone for the rest of your life or you don’t want to look your best.
Can they be as naive as someone much younger? Sure thing and there are always people, no matter their age who (try to) take advantage. Do you have to blame yourself for being taken advantage of? Maybe yes, you should be a little more critical, but it still does not give the other person the right to treat you the way they do (did).
Is it unusual to say oh, I really should not to this or that, but doing it anyway in the meantime? No, because when you take a moment you will probably realize you have done it yourself on one (or more) occasion(s).
Society often dictates things and you feel obliged to follow through, but there is nothing wrong with being selfish from time to time and do something you feel good about even though others might not agree.
Look for a new partner (or not), go on a diet (or not). It does not matter as long as you feel it’s the right thing for you, go for it. That the lesson I have learned here.
I enjoyed this book. Is it laughing out loud? Maybe not, but it made me smile nevertheless. Is it feel good? It certainly is. The road to happiness is a rocky and twisty one, but if you do not give up, you will reach your destiny. 5 stars.
Thank you, Dee MacDonald, Bookouture and Netgalley.
About the author
The Runaway Wife is Dee’s first (published) novel but in fact she wrote her very first book – at around seven years of age! This was a love story which she duly illustrated before sewing all the pages together up one side. Writing was what she ‘was good at’ in school and she won several essay competitions, but then life got in the way and she didn’t pick up a pen again until after retirement.
Dee left Scotland and headed for London at the beginning of the swinging sixties. After typing her way round the West End she became an air stewardess on long haul routes with BA (then BOAC) for eight years. After that she did market research at Heathrow for both the government statistics and for BA, she became a sales rep and was the receptionist at the Thames Television Studios in Teddington when they had the franchise.
She then ran a small B&B for ten years in Cornwall, where she lives with her husband. Dee has one son and two grandsons who live locally.
B for Bookreview 