This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Kay Brooks
Charley Summers leads a charmed life, spending her days
making ice-cream in her luxurious kitchen and shopping for expensive clothes.
Married to her childhood sweetheart who financially supports her and surrounded
by loyal friends, Charley doesn’t have a care in the world. When the business
goes bankrupt, the bailiffs take everything and she catches her husband with
another woman, Charley thinks it’s the end of the world. Things might not be as
bad as they seem though…
The front cover of the novel is not only beautifully whimsical and interesting, it shows Charley busy making ice-cream. There aren’t many modern novels which offer the reader an actual image of the main protagonist. This made for a welcome change. The ice-cream theme is part of the plot throughout and the delicious-sounding recipes gave the whole story a feel of decadence despite dealing with money issues.
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The story revolves around the lives of four women who meet up each week for food and chat. However, as they face various challenges, their lives become more intertwined as they provide support systems for each other. Three of the women are incredibly likeable but with Samantha, it was difficult to find any redeeming features for her. A lot of women’s literature has characters that have flaws but events throughout the plot help them to learn the errors of their ways and they emerge from the story as a ‘good egg’ in the end. It was truly refreshing to have a good villain and I found myself hoping that she got her comeuppance!
Charley’s predicament seemed especially relevant in the economic climate, when many people are having to learn to live without the luxuries they have been used to, but the storyline is far from depressing. There are plenty of feel good moments throughout. It makes you question what is important in life when you remove money from the equation, highlighting the importance of true friendship and family support.
At times, especially near the beginning, the dialogue seemed a little stilted, but it became more comfortable as the novel went on, and the characters more consistent and believable. There were also a few loose ends that could perhaps have been tied up more neatly. Despite this, it was difficult to find any fault with this novel. With over 400 pages, it is a substantial story, but it was such an enjoyable read, that I wanted it to continue for as long as possible!
The Desperate Wife’s Survival Plan was thoroughly entertaining.
9/10