Only One Life by Ashley Farley


☆☆☆
ebook, 298 pages
Expected publication: April 23rd 2019 by Lake Union Publishing
About the Book:
Julia Martin grew up wealthy, but it wasn’t until she met her husband, Jack, that she knew true happiness. He made her feel worthy and loved. Their marriage was also an escape from her sister’s bullying, her father’s scrutiny, and her chilly and enigmatic mother. But when tragedy strikes on the night she gives birth, Julia’s happiness is shattered. She has no choice but to return home to her family’s South Carolina mansion, where the grief and guilt buried in her mother’s past await her. As a young woman trapped in a bitter marriage, Julia’s mother, Iris, once needed her own means of escape. In Lily, she found a best friend. In the flower shop they opened, she discovered independence. Then came a transgression—unforgivable, unforgettable, and unresolved—that changed Iris’s life forever. Now, in Iris’s most desperate hour, her only hope is to regain the trust of the daughter she loves—and to share the secrets of the heart that could rebuild a family’s broken bonds.

I absolutely loved Nell and Lady by Ashley Farley so when I saw another of her books on Netgalley I had to have it. Unfortunately this one didn't live up to my expectations. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad book but it just fell a little flat for me and everything just came too easy for the characters. I didn't appreciate the light it shone on mental illness, how easy it was for one character to get better. It doesn't happen that way in real life.

I did really enjoy reading about Iris's backstory. Those chapters were my favourite part of the book. Only One Life under general women's fiction for me. It's told from 2 separate points of view and encapsulates the vulnerabilities, pride, and strength in each of the female characters. It holds a spark here and there of romance but in not in a way that they romance dominates the story or the characters. I enjoyed it and fans of women's fiction will too.

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Ashley Farley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

#OnlyOneLife #NetGalley

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman

Image
☆☆☆☆ .ePUB, 290 pages Expected Publication: June 8th 2021 by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine About the Book: Once a year, actors from across the globe descend on the smog and sunshine of Los Angeles for pilot season. Every cable network and studio is looking to fill the rosters of their new shows, enticing a fresh batch of young hopefuls—anxious, desperate, and willing to do whatever it takes to make it. Careers will be made, dreams will be realized, stars will be born. And some will be snuffed out. British star Mia Eliot has landed leading roles in costume dramas in her native country, but now it’s time for Hollywood to take her to the next level. Mia flies across the Atlantic to join the horde of talent scrambling for their big breaks. She’s a fish out of water in the ruthlessly competitive arena of back-to-back auditioning. Then one day she meets Emily, another actress from out of town and a kindred spirit. Emily is friendly and genuine and reassuringly doesn’t seem to b...
Read more

The One That Got Away by Charlotte Rixon

Image
💛💛💛💛💛 Print Length: 336 pages Expected Publication: 2 Feb 2023 By: Aria & Aries Goodreads | Amazon About The Book: Two years together. Twenty years apart. One day to change their story. 2000. Benjamin’s world is turned upside down the night he meets Clara. Instinctively, he knows that they are meant for each other, but a devastating mistake on their last night at university will take their lives in very different directions. 20 years later, Clara has a high-profile job and a handsome husband. But despite the trappings of success, she isn't happy, and she knows that a piece of her heart still belongs to Benjamin, the boy she fell in love with years earlier. The boy whose life she fears she ruined. When a bombing is reported in the city where they first met, Clara is pulled back to a place she tries not to remember and the first love she could never forget. Searching for Benjamin, Clara is forced to confront the events that tore them apart. But is it too late to put right w...
Read more

Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson

Image
My rating: 3.5 Stars A book about books and a girl who loves books? Yes please! Who could not love a premise like this? I loved the realistic characters and I felt for Nora, she captured my heart. I was really cheering a romance on for her but alas, it was not meant to be I guess. I appreciated that the author handled the mental health issues with sensitivity and care, who of us has not need to dig deep and make a hard decision based on what is best for us. It was very brave of the author to put working for a publishing house in a bad light and we all know this is fiction! Even though the book started off a bit slow for me it was a great way to spend a cozy Sunday afternoon and I found it very entertaining. With many thanks to NetGalley, Shauna Robinson and Sourcebooks Landmark for the giving of the ARC. View all my reviews
Read more