I wavered between 2 stars and 3 stars for this book, but feel that 2, or 2 and a half is most fitting.
It isn't an awful novel, but neither is it particularly memorable, affecting or stunning.
The writer is obviously enjoying herself but I just felt that the style lacks something, even though, having read the
back cover and found out a little about the novel and writer, I had an idea of the sort of story I was expecting.
I somehow hoped it would still be a little deeper, and have more flow and development.
But I don't want to be completely negative about it. I did finish it, (albeit I rushed it a bit and kind of wanted to move on) and I was interested enough to want to know how it all turned out for all the characters. Certainly it improved in the second half of the book for me.
The main character, Ceri, is likeable and is independent and interesting, to an extent.
The surrounding cast somehow never quite become fully rounded characters though.
Ceri decides on a major change in her life, and moves from London to Leeds, and through the course of the novel we hear how her friends and acquaintances confide their deepest secrets in her, but she feels she has no one to really listen to her wants and needs. It transpires that love is happening all around her, often with her help, to everyone but her.
I have never watched the tv series 'Angel' so her frequently mentioned obsession with the lead male star was a bit lost on me! I have spent a lot of time in Leeds so it was nice to hear a lot of the old familiar areas mentioned in the novel and enjoyable to have something set there as opposed to London.
I am looking forward to something grittier again for my next read though.
