Only Human

In my opinion...

It was so enjoyable to pick up something different to read other than my usual domestic noir or psychological thrillers, and it fitted in perfectly for a few days of relaxing in the garden, ready for today's stop on the blog tour

Diane Chandler is a writer who is passionate about her subject matter, as was seen in Moondance, and in Only Human once again the story feels both personal and real, and you can believe that this is about the family living next door.

The characters in it are very genuine, demonstrating many different types of love and lies. In particular Fred brings words of wisdom, an escape and structure to Anna's life. while the later scenes involving him are poignant.

For Anna this is a journey of self discovery at many different levels and is absolutely spot on for hitting the 'sod it' approach when a woman has discovered that her husband had an affair. Not only does she hit a crisis about herself, she also realises that she is not appreciated by her teenage daughter whom her life pivots around.

Dialogue is frequently entertaining, in spite of some of the deep issues being raised, and there are some toe curling moments!

I would have liked Anna to be a bit more of a sympathetic character, but her reactions and actions are totally credible and she does seem to have a sense of self awareness when she makes mistakes. As to how reliable she is as narrator, I would leave that with you & just suggest you read the final few paragraphs carefully!

Want to know more?

Every betrayal has a consequence... one family... one summer... one woman The Bonds are, seemingly, a tight family unit, until one fateful summer when the temptations of lust and love come for them all Tiger mum Anna, who gave up her career to build the perfect home life in London's leafy Chiswick, is shocked to the core when she discovers that her husband of 20 years is having an affair. Her daughter meanwhile is transforming into a tricky teen chopping at the apron strings. Then Jack walks into their lives. Sophie’s first boyfriend is a breath of fresh air for the whole family, and Anna gradually discovers new purpose for herself. But when more deceit creeps in, tensions soar, and Anna is propelled through a tangled web of secrets and lies towards a devastating climax. This tale of love & betrayal, by the winner of the 2016 People's Book Prize for Fiction and longlisted for The Guardian Not The Booker Prize 2020, is the perfect novel for you if you enjoy intelligent, elegantly-written, novels by authors like Jodi Picoult and Louise Doughty.

My rating...

A very big four glasses

Thank you Blackbird books for my ARC