Out of Play
By author: Joy Norstrom
Release Date: October 14th, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Blurb:
Gillian Campbell is out of patience.
Her husband is choosing his hobby over her. And the hobby in question? Live Action Role-Play, or ‘larp’. Larp involves dressing up as a character (be it medieval knight, banshee or centaur) and participating in imaginary battles for entire weekends.
Gillian is not impressed. She seeks professional advice and is surprised when her therapist encourages her to try larp. “Who knows? It may make you smile. It may make you laugh. It may even improve your sex life. How terrible could it be?”
The advice seems super sketch to Gillian, but she decides to don a costume and give it a go. If larp doesn’t work a marital miracle, Gillian will be able to walk away knowing she tried absolutely everything before giving up.
Will going on her own role-play adventure heal Gillian’s marriage, or will the game shed light on everything that is wrong?
Buy the Book:
About the Author:
Joy Norstrom is a Canadian coffee addict. She also happens to be the author of Out Of Play, a women’s fiction novel long on humour and short on romance. She enjoys hiking with family, wine with friends and reading late into the wee hours when she should be asleep.
A social worker by trade, Joy also writes short stories about lives in transition. Whether she is championing inclusion, parenting her kidlets or popping into the local coffee shop, she can generally be found engaged in conversation. Why? She believes human connection and laughter keep her grounded in a muddled world.
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My review:
Gillian finds sanctuary in yoga. She needs peace, time out away from how she feels about her husband and his Larping obsession, dressing up as a medieval knight or fantastical being of some sort for re-enactment weekends. She is acutely aware that Larping is not her definition of what normal people in a relationship do. Or anyone for that matter. Gillian is seeing a therapist to try to get her husband to change. Obvious mistake number one! She has great friends though, and coupled with yoga, she finds sanity and laughter right there.
The reader is introduced right in the thick of it – at Gillian’s first session with her therapist. Funny, poignant, heart-breaking; lots of things that resonate with any 40 something reader. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Things are never quite what they seem, and this book highlights that fact. It also knocks the friendship nail right on the head. I would recommend this book to any of my friends that have enjoyed Bridget Jones with me because laugh, love and laugh!
Visit all the stops on the Tour:
Jan 2nd
Hello Chick Lit – Book Excerpt
Jan 3rd
Steamy Book Momma – Book Promo Post
Jan 4th
Kristin’s Novel Café – Book Excerpt/Promo Post
Jan 5th
Jena Books – Book Review/Excerpt
Jan 6th
Chick Lit Central – Book Review
Jan 7th
Book Lover in Florida – Book Review/Excerpt
Jan 8th
Appletree Books – Book Review
Jan 9th
Grass Monster – Book Review
Jan 10th
ItaPixie’s Book Blogger – Book Review/Excerpt Post
Jan 11th
Pretty Little Book Reviews – Book Excerpt
My reviews can also be found on Amazon UK and Goodreads.
I would like to thank Hello Chick Lit for giving me the opportunity to join the blog tour for this funny, yet sensitive story by Joy Norstrum.
Appletree Books 