Synopsis:
On the day that her youngest child leaves home, Alice Hatton discovers two disturbing truths in a matter of hours.
The Empty Nest cliche is true.
And she does not love her husband Peter at all.
Now in her fifties, Alice is appalled to realise that she is no longer considered her own person, but is instead defined by her relationships – mother to her adult children, wife to her husband. Horrified by the thought of spending another thirty years with Peter in their North London suburb, Alice decides to take matters into her own hands.
What follows is a triumphant and liberating breaking of all the rules. But when Alice must cope with loss for the second time in as many years, she discovers what even the most apparently ‘respectable ‘woman is capable of.
Join Amanda Brookfield as she revisits her first novel, Alice Alone, and rediscover how she got her well-deserved reputation for writing about women’s lives with humour and honesty. Includes a brand new forward from the author.
My Thoughts:
I didn't realize at first that this was a book originally published in the 1980s and set in that time period. I found it a little odd when she didn't have a cellphone but figured, hmm she is a woman in her 50s maybe she just didn't feel she needed one? Made more sense once I realized this was a different time period. Other things like the shock of her dying her hair and the weird views of her husband and other men towards her also made more sense.
It is a pretty quick and light read, and I could imagine it would be a reflection on middle age as well as time passed for readers who are a bit older than I am. I enjoyed all of the little moments where Alice made steps towards independence and having her say in situations. It definitely was a sweet but also empowering feeling to see her trying to make little changes in her life.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for giving me the chance to read this book and join another fun book tour!
Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/3ADVwaD
Amanda Brookfield is the bestselling author of many novels including Good Girls, Relative Love, and Before I Knew You, and a memoir, For the Love of a Dog starring her Golden Doodle Mabel. She lives in London and has recently finished a year as Visiting Creative Fellow at University College Oxford.
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Bookbub profile:https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amanda-brookfield