An Almost Perfect Holiday
by
Lucy Diamond
An Almost Perfect Holiday is a warm and witty novel about why, when it comes to holidays, getting away from it all can be just the beginning – and why sometimes you need to come apart before you can come together
Summer is here, and down in Cornwall Lorna’s holiday cottages are fully booked. The sun loungers are lined up beside the swimming pool, the sky is blue and a new set of arrivals are on their way . . .
Em’s planned the perfect break with her teenagers plus her new boyfriend, George . . . but now his difficult six-year-old is coming too. Will their romance survive the realities of parenthood?
Maggie’s hoping a seaside holiday will bring her and her daughter closer together, but when her ex makes a surprise reappearance, it changes everything. Can she trust the man who broke her heart?
Olivia has escaped the domestic grind, only for the past to catch up with her. Maybe the time has come to confess all – if she can find the courage . . .
Meanwhile, the teenagers are running wild and love is in the air. With friendship, heartache and secrets in the mix, will this holiday turn out to be a scorcher – or simply too hot to handle?
My Thoughts
The book is based around a complex of holiday cottages located in beautiful Cornwall and owned by Lorna and her husband Roy.
Although the location is stunning, and the cottages welcoming, things don’t go to plan for any of the families staying in the holiday rentals. Three women, all experiencing different stages of motherhood, find themselves connecting, sitting around the communal pool one evening. They look back at some of the mistakes they made with teenagers who test the boundaries and relationships which were not meant to be. They discuss how sometimes they forget to have fun, and feel invisible as the children become more independent.
The writing is warm with characters who are so believable, with relatable real-life problems that we have all faced at one time or another. I liked how not one of the women pretended to be ‘perfect’ mothers but they all genuinely cared deeply for their children. Mistakes are made, forgiveness is given, relationships strengthened and friendships formed.
A well-paced, insightful and life-affirming read from Lucy Diamond.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan (via NetGalley) for a copy of the book, which I have reviewed honestly.