Lucy Diamond's debut, Any Way You Want Me, was one of my favourite reads of 2007, so I was keen to get my grubby little mitts on her second, Over You.
Like Any Way You Want Me, Over You deals with infidelity, but in an entirely different way. When Josie heads to London for a weekend reunion with two old girlfriends, she has no idea of how different her life will be on her return. But during that weekend away, everything changes.
At first, Josie's not sure she can cope, but she has to go on for the sake of her two sons and, with the help of her friend, Nell, she does.
I hesitate to say that nothing much happens, but it *is* a very domestic story, if that makes any sense at all. But it's so beautifully and entertainingly written that I could barely put it down.
What I liked about it particularly was its relateability. In fact, for me, it was spookily relateable. As I sat on the beach in Norfolk watching my husband and son playing in the waves, I read about Josie's holiday in Cornwall, where she sat in the sand reading a novel, while her husband played in the waves with their sons! Josie also talks about the limbo between preschool and big school and how proud she was of her sons in their school uniform. I'm in that limbo and, now I'm back from holiday, the uniform must be bought (sniff!).
Any Way You Want Me was more exciting and dramatic (I shouted at the book, if you recall), but Over You is just as good in a different, more comfortable, way. Plus I've thought about Josie a lot since I finished reading, which is always the sign of a good book, in my opinion.
Rating: 4/5
Like this? Try Heartburn by Nora Ephron
