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A Sky Full of Stars by Fay Keenan #Review #PublicationDay

  Here we are on the outskirts of Bristol for a visit to the countryside with Fay Keenan . A Sky Full of Stars is published today by Boldwood Books on March 18th. Charlotte James prefers having her head in the stars to having her feet on the ground. Moving around for her job as an astronomical archivist gives Charlotte plenty of opportunity to avoid putting down roots. When she accepts a post in the idyllic Somerset village of Lower Brambleton to archive an old observatory before its demolition, all that is on her mind is a chance to preserve the treasures of this remarkable place and another summer without having to settle down. Tristan Ashcombe is managing the development of Observatory Field and as far as he’s concerned, the sooner the observatory is razed to the ground the better. The building holds complicated memories for him and his family, memories he’s ready to put behind him. But as Charlotte’s work begins to unravel mysteries from a complex past, she realises t...

The Good Enough Mother by Anoushka Beazley **Blog Tour Giveaway **

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour to celebrate The Good Enough Mother by Anoushka Beazley. If having read my review, you decide you'd like your own copy to read, there is a fantastic giveaway where 10 lucky people can win a signed copy of the book! Just follow the link at the end of this post.


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The Blurb


Gatlin - a leafy, affluent town: Chelsea tractors and ladies who lunch. However, all is not as it seems. Drea, a most unnatural mother, struggles to find private school fees for her step-daughter Ava after her boyfriend leaves her for another woman. Watching the yummy mummies she becomes inspired, hatching a daring and criminal plan...unleashing all hell in the quiet town of Gatlin. Can Drea survive the fallout and the wrath of the PTA? A satirical and hilarious black comedy about love, motherhood and the human condition.

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My Thoughts

    Once I had got the measure of the book and realised that, just as the blurb had promised, it was indeed a black comedy, I really enjoyed this read. Taking the plot with a pinch of salt, I learnt to suspend belief and take each point in the plot as it came.The humour in this book is what carries the reader along. Dry and sarcastic, the view of affluent Gatlin rings true as anyone who has driven through the leafy suburbs during the school run will testify.  Drea is an entertaining central figure but underneath, you realise that there is a lot of heartache which she is carrying with her in adulthood. Drea's view of herself as a mother is complex and leads you on to think about what makes a mother and what keeps a family together.

    Mental health issues are central to the story, with accounts of depression, suicidal thoughts and panic attacks. Drea gives us her inner thoughts in a straightforward and unselfconscious way and there is a great contrast between the humour of her observations and the inner feelings which she must have. Although there are some serious issues dealt with, the overall tone is never heavy or depressing. It is quite a feat to do this without the humour ever becoming jarring. 

In short: A book full of light and shade where dark issues lie beneath a humorous surface. 

The Author


 Anoushka Beazley has a film degree, an acting diploma and a masters in creative writing. She is a full time novelist, lives in North London with three little witches, a lawyer and a Maine Coon.

You can connect with Anoushka on Twitter
 Facebook  Goodreads and Instagram.  

Thanks to Jenny at Neverland Tours for a copy of the book and a place on the Blog Tour.
  

 Giveaway!

Would you like to win a signed copy of the book? There are ten lucky people who are going to do just that! Just follow the link below:

  a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

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