Synopsis via Goodreads:
When Mel hears from a long-lost friend in need of help, she doesn’t hesitate to invite her to stay. Mel and Abi were best friends back in the day, sharing the highs and lows of student life, until Mel’s unplanned pregnancy made her drop out of her studies.
Now, seventeen years later, Mel and Abi’s lives couldn’t be more different. Mel is happily married, having raised her son on her own before meeting her husband, Ben. Now they share gorgeous girls and have a chaotic but happy family home, with three children.
Abi, meanwhile, followed her lover to LA for a glamorous life of parties, celebrity and indulgence. Everything was perfect, until she discovered her partner had been cheating on her. Seventeen years wasted, and nothing to show for it. So what Abi needs now is a true friend to lean on, to share her grief over a glass of wine, and to have some time to heal. And what better place than Mel’s house, with her lovely kids, and supportive husband…
My reading experience:
Firstly I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for my free ARC.
Friendship is based on trust and respect, and respect is a feeling of deep admiration elicited by a person’s abilities, qualities or achievements – the stuff of competition, envy and revenge. Meet Mel and Abi. Friendship borne out of their formative years; the years when a person is growing and developing their personality, their intelligence, their values and beliefs. Both of our protagonists have gone on to different lives and for 17 years have discovered a life that they could never have dreamt of. But for Abi, this has also led to extreme disappointment and she decides to track down her old friend for a bit of moral support. At least that is what the reader thinks at first. Abi is delighted when Mel decides to invite her for a visit thinking she can revisit her youthful adventure, the only trouble is, how can Mel and her husband Ben get Abi to leave?
This is a flat out story of envy and revenge, of persuasion and manipulation, and the ultimate betrayal. You will not be disappointed. As a reader I found this story compelling and engaging.
Appletree Books 