When Mallory receives some bad news regarding her health, she is determined to keep it a secret until she is ready to share the news on her own terms. She knows that she needs to get everything organised so that her daughter, Jilly, has all the support that she will need should the worst happen!
Penny is Mallory's cousin and best friend which is ironic seeing as their mothers, sisters Gigi and Rose, haven't spoken to each other for decades. Penny and Mallory really don't know what caused the estrangement. Now Gigi is a widow and Rosa probably needs to retire from her wedding dress shop in the small village of Saxby Green.
One day, Jilly comes home and shows Mallory a picture of a famous movie star from the 60s wearing the dress that Gigi wore for her wedding - a dress that the two sisters made together. What could have happened to cause such a rift between two sisters who used to be so close.
Mallory decides to spend some time in the village and Penny comes home from London to try and talk some sense into her mother, and to find out what is going on with Mallory. She knows something is just not quite adding up with her cousin and she is determined to find out the truth. And if a little well intended meddling could help reunite the estranged sisters all the better.
Gigi and Rose's story is interspersed throughout the book. Both of them have carried around the hurt of what happened for years, and as a reader you get to see both sides of the story. In some ways, some of the issues discussed about the past are very much of their time and yet still relevant in many ways, but the repercussions are felt through the years.
It did take me quite a while to get into this book, mainly because I had a bit of a book hangover from another book, but once I did immerse myself into it, I was very emotionally affected by it, and cried a couple of times. The way that the friendship between the two cousins, the fears that Mallory had for herself and her daughter were sensitively handled, and then there was a nicely nuanced romance that felt exactly right for the book!
I have read Helen Rolfe before. I really enjoyed her Skylarks series which was set in an air ambulance centre. If I'm honest, I was a bit disappointed that we weren't getting another book with that setting. However, I ended up really enjoying this one.
I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.
Rating 4/5
About the book
The Best Days of Our Lives
When Mallory receives life-shattering news, she decides to use this summer to make sure her family and friends are prepared for whatever might come.
But Mallory has a challenge when it comes to her mother, Gigi. Following the loss of her husband, Gigi is lonely. So when Mallory makes a shocking discovery that shows a new side to Gigi's relationship with her estranged sister Rose, she decides to intervene and make a last attempt to reunite them.
Returning to her mother’s quiet hometown, Mallory and her cousin Penny try to get to the bottom of a dispute that has lasted more than sixty years, involving a lost wedding dress and a heartbreaking secret. But with Rose and Gigi determined to ignore their daughters’ efforts, will Mallory be able to put her affairs in order before it’s too late?
Gorgeous and emotional new novel from Helen Rolfe, perfect for fans of Shari Low, Cathy Bramley and Lucy Diamond.
Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/bestdaysofourlives
About the Author
Helen Rolfe writes contemporary women's fiction and romantic fiction. She enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and relationships. Characters often face challenges and must fight to overcome them, but above all, Helen's stories always have a happy ending.
Helen loves creating village settings or places with a small-town feel and a big sense of community. Location has always been a big part of the adventure in Helen's books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries around the world. So far, locations have included Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Connecticut, Bath, Paris and the Cotswolds.
Born and raised in the UK, Helen graduated from University with a business degree and began working in I.T. This job took her over to Australia where she eventually turned her attentions back to the career she'd dreamt of since she was fourteen. She studied writing and journalism and wrote articles for women's health and fitness magazines. Helen began writing fiction in 2011 and hasn't missed the I.T. world one little bit... in fact she may just have found her dream job!
Social Media Links –
Facebook: @HelenRolfeAuthor
Instagram: @helen_j_rolfe
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Bookbub profile: @helenrolfe
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