The Sunday Lunch Club - by Juliet Ashton

Original Cover

My own copy

The blurb:

The first rule of Sunday Lunch Club is … don't make any afternoon plans.

Every few Sundays, Anna and her extended family and friends get together for lunch. They talk, they laugh, they bicker, they eat too much. Sometimes the important stuff is left unsaid, other times it's said in the wrong way. 

Sitting between her ex-husband and her new lover, Anna is coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy at the age of forty. Also at the table are her ageing grandmother, her promiscuous sister, her flamboyantly gay brother and a memory too terrible to contemplate.

Until, that is, a letter arrives from the person Anna scarred all those years ago. Can Anna reconcile her painful past with her uncertain future?

Juliet Ashton weaves a story of love, friendship and community that will move you to laughter and to tears. Think Cold Feetmeets David Nicholls, with a dash of the joy of Jill Mansell added for good measure.

My Opinion:

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

The Sunday Lunch Club has all I want in a book: a gorgeous title, a funny title and an intriguing blurb. After reading it, I can say it’s a fabulous story, full of great elements.

The story is based around Anna, who is 40 years old, divorced and is pregnant. The Sunday Lunch Club for her is a bit awkward, because she basically sits between her ex-husband and her new lover. They are joined by her grandmother, her sister and family and her gay brother and his family. And then there is this unresolved thing from her past… Not easy, but it calls for a very interesting story. And it definitely was.

I loved getting to know all the characters during their lunches, how they interacted with each other and also how they were always there for each other. I really liked that the other characters got to share their story as well. Juliet Ashton found a brilliant way to include them all and created a unique storyline.

I really wanted to be part of their family. Each Sunday was different and so much fun to follow. There were secrets revealed, drama caused and the way their family dealt with everything was great to see. The story has lots of funny moments, but also emotional details and scenes. I cried, because of sadness and joy and that’s all thanks to the wonderful writing. Juliet Ashton really knows, how to include feelings in a story and she makes a story special with her brilliant storyline, endearing characters, lots of feelings and drama.

I was hooked from the start and couldn’t put the book down. There were several twists in the plot and that just made it more exciting. I felt like being there with the characters and was actually sad when it all ended.

Rating:

Juliet Ashton on Twitter: @julietstories
Website: http://www.berniestrachan.com
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