Both Your Houses (Paperback)

Have a strong heart! Both Your Houses moves at a rather rapid pace and is based on the lives of two close-knit English families: the Armitages and the Blakes. The Armnitages are the older couple with three sons while the younger Blakes are blessed with two daughters and one son. Both couples offspring never socialise due to the vast age differences,but they are forever spoken of, and asked after when the adults meet regularly at their intimate little dinners at each others homes. Apart from their dinners, the men sometimes meet at Lords for cricket and lunch while the women engage in a little libation after work in London.

In this novel you'll meet Hester Blake, a newspaper columnist; Jonty Blake, a Public Director with an Environmental company; Ann Armitage, a Womens councellor; Bryon Armitage, retired; Rose Black, a university student; Giselle Blake the middle child who is antisocial, bad mannered and low on self esteem; Daniel a student; Sebastian Armitage, who works with a Youth group, Gavin Armitage who runs one of the most impressive and popular restaurants in London; and his younger brother Julian a Public School teacher.

At the head of the story is Giselle better know as Grizzle or Zelda and Gavin Armitage.

When the two meet under strange circumstances in Paris, the electricity is ripping between them so, it's only inevitable on returning to England that the relationship will continue. Gisele leaves her family home to go to London to live with him and their parents are so delighted as they think that this could be the beginning of good things to come. Perhaps a marriage between the two families? Gisele lightens up a lot and becaomes slightly sweeter causing Gavin to fall more heavily for her. But, but his high pressured job does not allow him the quality time he would like to spend with Giselle whose job at the Health store affords her evenings off.

Everything works for awhile until a bombshell is dropped on a family gathering, when Giselle annouces her pregancy. Both families are concerned wondering if she will keep the baby; whether they will tie the knot or what amongst other things. In the meantime Giselle loses her temper and her job, and finds herself with plenty of time on her hands and plenty of time to think.

This pregancy changes this couple as well as the relationship between the senior Armitages and the Blakes. But not wanting to give too much of the story away, may I encourage readers who,like family novels with great depth and have read some of Sarah Harrison's other work, make no hesitation on ordering this book soon. It'a a page turner and you'll be happy that you've read that right here at Amazon.com