The Surprise Party [Kindle Edition]

I have never read anything by Sue Welfare, who also writes under the names Kate Lawson and Gemma Fox, so I was curious to see what her book would be like and hoped for the best! Luckily for me, the story inside was extremely readable and enjoyable overall. I quickly realised that the book wouldn't be moving outside of the party time frame, and initially that concerned me because I thought it might become a bit too stagnant and dull, but that certainly wasn't the case. Welfare begins by introducing us to the main characters, which are the sisters Liz and Suzie. They are polar opposites, with Liz loving the high life of being a TV presenter and using it as an excuse not to get her hands dirty whereas sister Suzie is a happily married mum of two who runs a small vegetable shop and is successful in her own right. The sisters disagree on a lot at the party but both want to make it a time to remember for their parents. Liz is quite dislikeable, although there is a desperate wanting to be liked within her, and wanting to be loved more than anything, and ironically she's jealous of Suzie for that. Suzie on the other hand is a lovely woman, juggling her responsibilities as a mother, wife and worker as well, and is certainly a character a lot of women will be able to relate to.

Immediately, Welfare deals us a huge secret that I certainly didn't see coming in a million years, neither will other readers which is what makes it particularly good. I liked that she was able to keep us in the dark, and the surprising revelations do continue throughout the book which is even better. I was worried that this book might be a tad predictable and while in some instances it was (as with most books in the genre), it certainly had its very surprising moments which I was glad of.Welfare also chooses to represent the age ranges across this book, with the sisters Liz and Suzie, Suzie's daughters Hannah and Megan, and then the recipients of the party Jack and Rose, and Rose's sister Fleur. They also have their own stories within the book, and I enjoyed their stories as much as the younger ones, despite the fact I couldn't so much relate to them. Fleur in particular was great, and I loved her attitude and persona through the book.

One area within the book I really enjoying reading about was the social life of Suzie's eldest daughter Hannah. She has got herself involved with a few young teenagers who aren't a good influence on her, and just to spite her mother she runs off with them and a stolen bottle of booze. I enjoyed how Welfare tackled the issue of teen drinking and the consequences, and also indirectly peer pressure and bullying which certainly added a new vein to the book. I felt that Welfare really connected well with these young characters, and did them justice in her representation of them throughout the story. She also represents Megan, the younger sibling, well too, stuck between wanting to be cool for Hannah and afraid of disobeying her parents, something I'm sure we all remember!

Overall, I thought this was a very enjoyable read and one I would be happy to recommend without a doubt. Despite my initial misgivings about the cover, I'm pleased to say that my fears were completely unfounded and the story within was very entertaining and kept me hooked right up until the last page. There is a lot going on with many different characters and storylines all inter-connected by this surprise party, but it wasn't hard at all to follow and was quite exciting as you keep wondering what secrets will be revealed next! Welfare's writing style is easy to get into and a pleasure to read, and the third person narrative worked perfectly for this book. I enjoyed every page and will certainly be picking up more of Welfare's book in the future. Recommended!

This is a lovely lazy afternoon read. Its easy to read, easy to laugh at and easy to enjoy. Its a pleasure to become involved in the ultimate surprise party with the likeable characters that inhabit this book. For anyone with a large family there will be no problem identifying with the sullen adolescents and the out of control extended family and friends. Entertain yourself on your next free afternoon with this lovely tale and a glass of wine - you'll be glad you did.

I think the title of Sue Welfare's latest great read 'The Surprise Party' actually underestimates its depth. A compelling and funny read with a dark edge - and I was so involved that I found it incredible that the majority of the action takes place over one day... great characters, well developed plot and a thoughtful premise all adds up to a book that I couldn't put down - I really recommend it!