“But remember, before you rush to judgement, that all mothers are ultimately driven by the same engine, despite their differing makes and models. We are all just doing what we think is best for our children.”
― Postcards From a Stranger
I recently read a book about an adopted child, from the daughter’s point of view, so when I found this one, from the mother’s, it seemed an easy choice. I’m so glad I decided to read this book! Thanks to Netgalley for providing this book, free of charge, in return for an honest review.
About the Author (per bio in book)
Imogen Clark lives in Yorkshire England with her husband and children. She originally went to university to study law, but when she left her career to care for her children, she turned to writing. She returned to school, where she received a BA in English Literature. She has written 5 books total, and has been shortlisted for the Contemporary Romantic Novel award 2020.
Imogen’s books (click on image to be directed to Amazon US):
These links are affiliate links. They provide me a small commission, through no extra purchase on your part.
Synopsis
“And what she does may not be what she would choose to do in an ideal world; life is all about compromise, after all.”
― Postcards From a Stranger
Cecily, mother of 3 daughters, leaves town suddenly to travel to Greece. She and her husband alone know the reason. She has received a letter from someone in her past, and she feels it necessary to do what the letter says.
The story seems simple at first, but the family is large, so the author is able to create plenty of drama for the story to work. I had a hard time putting this book down even to sleep!
Excerpt
Cecily looked out of the window and across the wing of the plane. The sky beyond was the purest blue, but if she tilted her head to look below her all she saw was a thick blanket of grey. they truly were above the clouds. It felt a little bit magical, almost on par with being over the rainbow, a secret place where wonderful things might happen.
She wanted to tap on the arm of the woman in the next seat to tell her, too, but then she supposed that perhaps the stranger might see things differently and so she focused on the clouds instead, spotting which parts were thicker, which more fluffly-looking.
She must have been above the clouds before–this wasn’t the first time she had been in an aeroplane, after all–but somehow she had never noticed. The weather was a little disappointing, though. She would have preferred to peer down at a tiny world beneath them. Where would they be now–somewhere over France, perhaps, or Italy? Her mouth pulled itself into an involuntary little smirk. She was on her way to Greece. Then she remembered why, and a tiny wave of panic washed over her.
She wriggled herself down into her seat, trying to block out the sound of the whimpering child a few rows behind her, resulting in a twinge of guilt. By disappearing without a word, she had let Felicity down and her conscience was pricking her uncomfortably. Still, she felt sure that the problem of what to do with Hugo would have been sorted without too much difficulty. Norman was perfectly happy to look after him on his own and having his grandson in the house would keep his mind busy and stop him overthinking. Cecily hoped that that was what had happened, but there was little point in worrying about it now. She was on a plane 36,000 feet above the earth and her daughter’s childcare arrangements were no longer her concern.
She closed her eyes and tried not to think about the letter nestling in her handbag. In truth, she had thought of little else in the days since it arrived and it made her feel…she wasn’t entirely sure how, but it wasn’t pleasant. Still, there was nothing to be done whilst she sat on the plane. Everything would no doubt become clearer when she arrived at the hotel. She just had to be patient.
My Thoughts
I loved this book. The characters were so real, and the story told so well, that I had a hard time putting this book down. I haven’t read a book about this subject ever, so the points of view were really interesting. I’ve already said this book is about adoption, but it’s so much more than that. This book is about family, and learning to live with secrets when they force their way into the open.
Cecily is a wholly relatable character. I can’t say that if I were in her situation, I wouldn’t do exactly what she did. I would want to know everything I could about a person I never had a chance to know.
One thing that disappointed me, but was paramount to the story, is Cecily’s reaction to meeting Marnie. She constantly made excuses for her, and was willing to forgive almost anything for a chance to know her. When everyone around her was telling her one thing, she insisted on seeing the bright side, and refused to see the dark.
I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to give away the story. This book was really good, and told with such heart, that I can’t think of a single person that wouldn’t enjoy this book. I fully intend to check out her other books, and am looking forward to enjoying them too.
Conclusion
The Last Piece was really good, the characters so relatable, and each person had his and her own struggles, that I think anyone would like this book. I hope you check it out, and let me know what you think!
For more bookish fun, check me out on Twitter. Leave me a comment below, and subscribe for more updates!
Until Next Time, Friends!
