I am loath to write a negative review, but was so disappointed by this collection of short stories, I feel I must. The title had me expecting something funky for ladies who are technically a bit too old for the real Chic lit generation.
I’m afraid I didn’t get into past the first few pages of the third story. Those I did read seemed formed from a wealthy, complacent ideology (I could do a literary analysis of why I think this, but don’t think I have any insomniacs reading this). I try to be aware of my own as I read and of course this coloured my reaction. However, the first story just didn’t work, the man who walks into the heroines life is unbelievable and that a dying man would accept his man as his replacement (that’s the presumption), just didn’t gel. Likewise in the second story when a woman is going to leave her unfaithful husband and then sleeps with him for several weeks before she leaves, even setting a date to go, just didn’t read plausible. In her new life,she conveniently takes up with the help. This and the unbelieveably unfaithful husband had me binning the book before I got any further.
I didn’t need to know about the writer and their achievements before I read their story either – that smacked of self-satisfaction.
This was such a chance to write some funky love stories but it was all the dreary round of divorce/death and meeting a second love , what a shame. I do apologise if I did miss something new and original and funky, but I think not.
Lady writers, being in love in your forties and fifties doesn’t always involve infidelity, death and angst. Think and get our of your boxes!
