The Summer We Ran Away

Julia has descended into a life of envy and copying her neighbours. She and her husband Charlie have over-extended themselves buying a house which they can't afford to redecorate to their own tastes. Their neighbours are yummy mummys who shop at Whistles, granite worktops, hot water taps and hot-tubs. In comparison Julia buys her clothes at H&M and TK Maxx, arguably she buys things that look just like their more expensive rivals but really she's just copying whatever the cool kids are wearing/doing. Julia thinks she's one of the gang, until a mix-up at a party with mobile phones shows that she is very much an outsider and some of her very personal texts get shared. This was such a sweet, fun, summer read. I think we've all felt a little like Julia, trying to fit in with the glamorous people and not realising that we have started ape-ing them a little too closely and have lost our individuality. When Julia flees the party she has no idea where she's going but her journey is emotional as well geographical. Can running away really help you discover what's real? Loved this, loved the characters, loved the plot, loved everything about it. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one - quite fancy running away for a weekend now! Julia and Charlie bought and moved into a 'do-er upper' in a road when the other side has much more upmarket houses - and the posh neighbours to go with them. So when they're invited to the summer party in the neighbourhood at Lexi's home, Julia dreams of a night of fun and glamour as a change from stripping wallpaper. But when one of her WhatsApp messages falls into the wrong hands, she can't get far enough away . . . I thought I would know how this one would play out, but I got that wrong. Not the romantic escapade I expected, this was much more fun! Once more I found myself lying in bed, desperately trying to giggle quietly and without disturbing my sleeping husband - I'm very lucky he's a heavy sleeper! There is a good, solid story in this novel and it's packed with laughs. A well-thought out tale with cracking characterisation and smoothly flowing writing, it kept my focus until the very end, and I closed my kindle with a smile and a lightness of heart. A terrific summer read, perfect for the back garden or, if things change, poolside or on the beach. Either way, it's definitely worth adding to your reading list - trust me, you'll feel better for it! Absolutely a 4.5* read.

This was a very enjoyable story about how being stuck in a bit of a rut, making a little mistake, and running away for a little while can change your way of thinking! Julia and her husband have fairly recently moved into Cedar Terrace and are slowly doing their house up, but struggling a lot with jobs/money/stress. Julia is part of a WhatsApp group for the people who live in Cedar Terrace, well only the 'right' people, mainly led by the 'Queen Bee' of the group who seems to by the 'perfect' one most of the group aspire to being, money/looks/Instagrams everything in sight. This 'Queen Bee' and her husband have a summer party every year which of course is the party of the year, everything to excess, and Julia is trying her best to keep up even though she can't really afford it. Julia did irritate me at first, all she seemed to be interested in was keeping up with the 'in crowd', dressing to fit in etc. when really it wasn't her at all. She was definitely a bit of doormat to start with. Her husband wouldn't conform to all this and couldn't understand why she was acting that way, I really liked him! He was just himself and wasn't impressed by the facade lots of the others were putting on. Then a few text messages Julia had sent a friend about fantasies she'd been having about the 'Queen Bee's' husband fall into the wrong hands and Julia is humiliated. But along comes Amber, the 'Queen Bee's' next-door antique dealer/decorator neighbour who again isn't interested in the group and is just herself, who rescues Julia and through various circumstances whisks her off to France on an antiques buying trip for the weekend, which is when the book got really good. Amber had her own issues going on, with her son and a sort of friend/partner, and was really the opposite of Julia, and definitely a bit of a loose canon! There were various little stories going on regarding relationships and jobs, and once they were in France it was never dull and really great fun! So I found the beginning slightly irritating, as I'm really not a try and fit in person either, you either like me as I am or not at all... and Julia was the opposite of that to start with, but once they got away to France the book was just wonderful and in the end all the good characters really came together to help each other out and there was a lovely ending. Very, very enjoyable.