"A beautifully balanced and gorgeous relationship story, where a family mystery reveals itself as best friends Alice and Ed travel to Italy."
Both heart warming and achy, how gorgeously unpredictable and wonderful is this! Secrets spill and emotions spin when best friends Alice and Ed fly to Italy to find out the truth about her mother. I think I stepped into this novel expecting a relationship story, I also found a beautifully balanced and convincing tale of family mystery and intrigue. Catherine Isaac gradually completed the intricate jigsaw surrounding Alice and Ed, ensuring my attention was well and truly snared while also allowing me to enjoy the gentle unravelling of the story. Italy unveils its charm as another tale travels alongside Alice and Ed’s journey, revealing hidden thoughts and feelings. I love it when I read a book and have absolutely no idea where the ending is going to take me. I ranged from apprehensive to enchanted and inspired, while an overall feeling of hope kept me company throughout. I absolutely adored the unexpected and delightful Messy, Wonderful Us and so was compelled to choose it as a Liz Robinson pick of the month.
| Primary Genre | Romance / Relationship Stories |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
Gripping family drama full of secrets.
Having read Catherine Issac's first book I was very keen to read her follow up. It did not disappoint.
Following the main character Allie and her friend Ed, they travel to Italy to try and discover the truth about Allie's mother's past.
The descriptions of Italy are beautiful and really make you feel as if you are there with the sun on your face.
The chapters are short and flow really well switching between Allie, Ed and Allie's Grandmother.... Read Full Review
From cover to cover, I read every word. A supreme holiday read, light and bright but quick moving, whether on a beach or giving yourself a day off to sit in your chair to read - this is the book!
When I opened the package and saw the cover of the book, I knew I would like it.
From cover to cover, I read every word. A supreme holiday read, light and bright but quick-moving, whether on a beach or giving yourself a day off to sit in your chair to read - this is the book!
A very clever plot, well written and it kept you guessing. The characters were believable and I could identify with them. Italy is a place I have never been, having read this book, I feel that I know parts of Italy now.
I am currently tracing my own family tree, Allie’s interest in finding out who her father was, resonated with me, I had to keep turning the page to find out who her father was too.... Read Full Review
I know you should never judge a book by its cover, but 'family secrets, hidden love and Italy 'was always going to be a winner.
I know they say you should never judge a book by its cover, but 'family secrets, hidden love and Italy 'was always going to be a winner and this book certainly did not disappoint. The blossoming of Allie as the book progresses, and her surprising revelations makes for an interesting, fast-moving story. As with many stories, it is tempting to predict the ending, but I loved the subtle twists in this storyline, which made it harder to do so. You want to will Allie's relationship with Ed to work, just as you don't want her relationship with her father to be built on lies.... Read Full Review
'An impossibly seductive love story, underpinned by a heart-breaking secret' Rosie Walsh
From Richard & Judy Book club author Catherine Isaac comes the emotional and uplifting story of love, loss, friendship and a letter that changes everything.
In late 1983, a letter arrives from Italy, containing secrets so unthinkable that it is hidden away, apparently forever. More than three decades later, it is found . . . by the last person who was ever supposed to see it.
When Allie opens an envelope in her grandmother's house, it changes everything she knows about her family - and herself.
With the truth liable to hurt those she loves most, she hires a private detective to find out what happened to her late mother in the summer before Allie was born. Taking leave from her job as a research scientist, she is led to the sun-drenched shores of Lake Garda, accompanied by her best friend Ed.
But the secrets that emerge go far beyond anything they were expecting. Now, Allie must find the courage to confront her family's tangled past and reshape her own future.
Messy, Wonderful Us features in the following genres: Books with reviews by our Reader Review Panel, Family Drama, Liz Robinson's Picks of the Month, Romance / Relationship Stories, Fiction, Recommendations
Messy, Wonderful Us is available in Paperback, , CD-Audio
Messy, Wonderful Us was written by Catherine Isaac and published by Simon & Schuster Ltd
Messy, Wonderful Us has 404 pages
£8.09
