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Will You Stay Another Day by Samantha Tonge #Review

  I am delighted to join in the celebrations for the latest novel by Samantha Tonge . It was published on August 11th by Boldwood Books .    If you could spend just one more day with someone, who would it be? When Lili sends a jokey ‘knock-knock’ message to her best friend Em, she doesn’t expect to hear back. Because – as Lili notices the chill in the air, and the little robin in her garden – she realises Christmas must be just around the corner once again. A whole year since she last saw Em. But then this time someone replies. ‘Who’s there?’ It can’t possibly be Em, but Lili wants to believe it could be, and she hastily suggests meeting. However when she gets to the meeting place, there only one other person there waiting. A man. And not just any man. The most handsome man Lili’s ever seen, Dylan… And he is also waiting for someone he’s been missing. As the days get shorter and Autumn turns to Winter, will two lonely hearts spend another Christmas without their...
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Because of You by Dawn French #Review

 

Because of You by Dawn French has been longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction. It is published in paperback by Michael Joseph on April 29th and I am delighted to be on the first day of the blog tour to celebrate this heartwarmimg read.. 


Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock . . . midnight.

As the old millennium turns into the new, two very different women give birth to two very similar daughters.

Hope leaves with a beautiful baby girl.

Anna leaves with empty arms.

Seventeen years later, the truth of that night starts rolling, terrible and deep, toward them all.

A reckoning is coming. Lives will collide.

And mother-love will be tested . . .

Because Of You is Dawn French's stunning new novel, told with her signature humour, warmth and so much love.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed the opening of the novel and the contrast between the two pairs of prospective parents. Then I began to realise what was about to happen and the story took on quite a different complexion. This is a subtle look at motherhood and what it means. Can parental ties be created or are they innate bonds? Selflessness and self - absorption are nicely offset and ultimately, you find yourself thinking about forgiveness and whether guilt can be mitigated by good behaviour. It is a real mixture of humour and pathos, with some emotional moments and life affirming events.

    Hope dominates the story for me. Living with guilt as if it is a submerged friend. If she doesn't address it, it lies dormant but inevitably, as Hope knows, it will find its voice. I enjoyed the different aspects of the story, through the differing characters who I could ss so clearly. None more so than the odious Julius who was such a contrast to the men in Minnie's life, Lee and Quiet Isaac. Family and parental love are threaded through the story. Highly recommended.

In short: Warmth and wit in abundance.

About the Author


Dawn French has been making people laugh for thirty years. On purpose.

As a writer, comedian and actor, she has appeared in some of the UK’s most long running, cherished and celebrated shows, including French and Saunders, The Comic Strip Presents ..., Murder Most Horrid, The Vicar of Dibley, Jam and Jerusalem, Lark Rise to Candleford, and more recently, Roger and Val Have Just Got In.

You can follow Dawn here: Twitter

Book link: Amazon UK

Thanks to Dawn French and Keeley Rigden of Michael Joseph for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

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