After Isabella

After Isabella

When I was in Spain I got to catch up on some reading and enjoyed After Isabella, by Rosie.  The paperback book was published through Allen & Unwin yesterday.

After Isabella

Watching someone die of cancer is the most hideous thing, being there as they pass on, is something that never leaves you.  It something that I could really relate to as we meet the main character in After Isabella.  Esther lost her best friend Isabella to cancer, it was a devastating experience and still lives with her as we follow her story eight years later.

Esther receives a letter from Isabella’s sister, Sally, telling her that their mother has died and after eight years apart the two women are pulled together again.  Sally had been her sister’s main carer and Esther learns that after her death, their mother Joan’s dementia had worsened and Sally was once more thrown into the role of carer.  Her life has stood still, she is almost childlike in her reaction to the outside world.

I don’t won’t to ruin the entire plot for you so I’ll just share a bit of the storyline.  Esther is a middle-aged divorcee with a teenage daughter and an ex-husband who’s about to become a father again.  You can imagine the struggles that ensue – teenage angst, joining the dating game and so on.  Then throw in Sally, a woman who has spent her adult life caring for others and not living at all.  She wants a life, she wants fun and friendships.

After Isabella is beautifully written, poignant and not at all predictable in my opinion.  I really enjoyed reading this book and will be on the look out for other titles from this author.

I’ve included my Amazon Affiliate link in case you fancy reading it for yourself.

disclosure:  we were sent the item mentioned in exchange for an honest review

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