Fabulous Fiction Firsts #669

Sun, 05/20/2018 - 12:20pm by muffy

You Me Everything is British author Catherine Isaac’s first US debut. At the urging of her mother, Jess made the 825-mile drive from Manchester to Dordogne, to spend the summer at Château de Roussignol, a restored hotel run by her ex-boyfriend, Adam. Ever since Adam missed the birth of their son William, 10 years ago, Jess had kept him at arm's-length. But now, there is an urgent reason to make Adam fall in love with his own son.

Adam, ever handsome, charming, and unreliable, quickly bonds with William, while Jess wonders at her own jealousy toward Adam’s beautiful 22 year-old buxom receptionist/girlfriend. As they are joined by their old gang of uni friends, the summer becomes one of pool parties, soccer games, excursions, glorious French food and free-flowing wine. When news from home worries Jess, she must decide if she could share her secret with Adam, and whether she could follow her mother’s example - choose to live, with the time she has, and the people she loves.

“With the background of Huntington's disease, this novel draws comparisons to Lisa Genova's  Inside the O'Briens. Both heart-wrenching and romantic, this is a solid choice for book groups that appreciate stories of everyday people with ordinary failings who overcome adversity.” (Library Journal)   Suggested read-alike: One Plus One by Jojo Moyes.