I Invited Her In by Adele Parks
384 pages
Published by HarperCollins, HQ Digital
Publication Date: 20th September 2018
Genre: Women's Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers
Book Description:
When Mel hears from a long-lost friend in need of help, she doesn’t hesitate to invite her to stay. Mel and Abi were best friends back in the day, sharing the highs and lows of student life, until Mel’s unplanned pregnancy made her drop out of her studies.
Now, seventeen years later, Mel and Abi’s lives couldn’t be more different. Mel is happily married, having raised her son on her own before meeting her husband, Ben. Now they share gorgeous girls and have a chaotic but happy family home, with three children.
Abi, meanwhile, followed her lover to LA for a glamorous life of parties, celebrity and indulgence. Everything was perfect, until she discovered her partner had been cheating on her. Seventeen years wasted, and nothing to show for it. So what Abi needs now is a true friend to lean on, to share her grief over a glass of wine, and to have some time to heal. And what better place than Mel’s house, with her lovely kids, and supportive husband…
This dark, unsettling tale of the reunion of long-lost friends is thoroughly gripping exploration of wanting what you can’t have, jealousy and revenge from Sunday Times bestseller Adele Parks.
My Review:
Adele Parks has been one of my favourite authors of the last few years, so I was excited to be approved for an advance review copy of this, her latest book via Netgalley.
Melanie Harrison has a pretty ordinary life with husband Ben, a part time job and 3 children to keep her busy in their suburban life in Wolvney. A life that she loves. Until the shock arrival of her best friend from university days, Abigail Curtiz, makes her wonder if she is missing out on something more exciting. Life changed in an instant back at the start of Melanie's second year at uni when she found herself pregnant after a one night stand. Her hopes and dreams shattered in a moment of impulsiveness. Abigail was the first person she confided in after finding out, who didn't judge her actions or question her decision to abandon her studies and keep her baby. So why, after losing touch for many years, is Abi back in her life in glorious technicolour?
I love the contrast in the two women's lifestyles and characters featured in this book. Adele Parks is an excellent writer of people, the strengths and flaws that we all have. Her skilled observation of how diverse we all are - yet she never comes across as judgmental. Melanie is just like the majority of women in today's society; she has a job which she is happy doing which fits in nicely with her family's needs, a day to day routine of domestic chores and multi tasking skills to be proud of as she juggles the demands of three school age children and a working husband. Abi however is another breed: the successful career woman with seemingly no responsibilities and a glamorous appearance. Therein lies the problem as Melanie invites Abi to stay in her home, hoping to recreate the nostalgia of their earlier friendship. Abi is going through a messy divorce from her high profile TV producer husband Rob Larson, and Mel feels she owes Abi a place to stay while she sorts herself out. I did question why Mel felt such a strong debt to her friend when her only action back in the day was to offer a shoulder to cry on in Mel's hour of need - all was to become clear in time but not until Abi and her ulterior motives wreaked havoc in the Harrisons' lives.
The scenarios created by the author are sadly all too believable in our society where well-meaning, good-hearted people are cruelly used by others who have a sense of entitlement in their lives together with a nasty streak of revenge running through them. There were moments I wanted to give Mel a good shake to get her to open her eyes to what was going on in front of her eyes, and other moments where I wanted to kick Abi out and put her straight back on to the next plane to the States. Husband Ben was the one who was under no illusions and I think a stronger man would have put his foot down and reclaimed his home from Abi's clutches quite early into her stay but he was too nice, which kind of compounded the issues.
While I suspected where the final destination of the story would be, there were certainly strong plot detours along the way which I hadn't foreseen. This is a great book for a cold dark evening/weekend when you can settle in and wonder at how life can change so quickly and drastically when just one person decides to make waves. I would have loved to have been able to sit and read this in one sitting, snuggled up with the dog in my nice suburban, boring life with its regular routines. Maybe sometimes life's better that way, eh?
Adele Parks has been one of my favourite authors of the last few years, so I was excited to be approved for an advance review copy of this, her latest book via Netgalley.
Melanie Harrison has a pretty ordinary life with husband Ben, a part time job and 3 children to keep her busy in their suburban life in Wolvney. A life that she loves. Until the shock arrival of her best friend from university days, Abigail Curtiz, makes her wonder if she is missing out on something more exciting. Life changed in an instant back at the start of Melanie's second year at uni when she found herself pregnant after a one night stand. Her hopes and dreams shattered in a moment of impulsiveness. Abigail was the first person she confided in after finding out, who didn't judge her actions or question her decision to abandon her studies and keep her baby. So why, after losing touch for many years, is Abi back in her life in glorious technicolour?
I love the contrast in the two women's lifestyles and characters featured in this book. Adele Parks is an excellent writer of people, the strengths and flaws that we all have. Her skilled observation of how diverse we all are - yet she never comes across as judgmental. Melanie is just like the majority of women in today's society; she has a job which she is happy doing which fits in nicely with her family's needs, a day to day routine of domestic chores and multi tasking skills to be proud of as she juggles the demands of three school age children and a working husband. Abi however is another breed: the successful career woman with seemingly no responsibilities and a glamorous appearance. Therein lies the problem as Melanie invites Abi to stay in her home, hoping to recreate the nostalgia of their earlier friendship. Abi is going through a messy divorce from her high profile TV producer husband Rob Larson, and Mel feels she owes Abi a place to stay while she sorts herself out. I did question why Mel felt such a strong debt to her friend when her only action back in the day was to offer a shoulder to cry on in Mel's hour of need - all was to become clear in time but not until Abi and her ulterior motives wreaked havoc in the Harrisons' lives.
The scenarios created by the author are sadly all too believable in our society where well-meaning, good-hearted people are cruelly used by others who have a sense of entitlement in their lives together with a nasty streak of revenge running through them. There were moments I wanted to give Mel a good shake to get her to open her eyes to what was going on in front of her eyes, and other moments where I wanted to kick Abi out and put her straight back on to the next plane to the States. Husband Ben was the one who was under no illusions and I think a stronger man would have put his foot down and reclaimed his home from Abi's clutches quite early into her stay but he was too nice, which kind of compounded the issues.
While I suspected where the final destination of the story would be, there were certainly strong plot detours along the way which I hadn't foreseen. This is a great book for a cold dark evening/weekend when you can settle in and wonder at how life can change so quickly and drastically when just one person decides to make waves. I would have loved to have been able to sit and read this in one sitting, snuggled up with the dog in my nice suburban, boring life with its regular routines. Maybe sometimes life's better that way, eh?
About The Author:
Adele Parks was born in Teesside, NE England. She studied English Language and Literature, at Leicester University. She published her first novel, Playing Away, in 2000; that year the Evening Standard identified Adele as one of London’s ‘Twenty Faces to Watch.’ Indeed Playing Away was the debut bestseller of 2000.
Prolific, Adele has published nine novels in nine years, including Game Over, Tell Me Something and Love Lies, all nine of her novels have been bestsellers. She’s sold over a million copies of her work in the UK but also sells throughout the world. Two of her novels (Husbands and Still Thinking of You) are currently being developed as movie scripts. Young Wives’ Tales was short listed for the Romantic Novelist Association Award 2008. She has written numerous articles and short stories for many magazines and newspapers and often appears on radio and TV talking about her work.
Since 2006 Adele has been an official spokeswoman for World Book Day and wrote a Quick Read, Happy Families as part of the celebrations of World Book Day, 2008.
Adele has spent her adult life in Italy, Botswana and London, up until two years ago when she moved to Guildford, where she now lives with her husband and son.
Since 2006 Adele has been an official spokeswoman for World Book Day and wrote a Quick Read, Happy Families as part of the celebrations of World Book Day, 2008.
Adele has spent her adult life in Italy, Botswana and London, up until two years ago when she moved to Guildford, where she now lives with her husband and son.
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