Clare Swatman

As the story begins, we meet Beth, a newly divorced schoolteacher and mother of two, as she moves into an old cottage with her two children after her husband buys out her share of their family home. A fixer-upper in need of a lot of repairs, Beth has her hands full what with her children’s unhappiness, the unpleasantness between herself and her ex-husband and the lack of much of a support system in terms of friends or family. When she discovers a bundle of decades-old letters addressed to an “agony aunt” column (addressed to “Evelyn Wright") in an old magazine addressed”, she finds the process of reading about other’s problems (some similar to her very own ) cathartic and her curiosity about the real Evelyn Wright motivated her to not only attempt to find out more about the person but also start a blog/advice column of her own. We follow Beth as she discovers more about Evelyn, makes new friends, and gradually rebuilds her life.

I really liked the premise of The Lost Letters of Evelyn Wright by Clare Swatman. I loved the idea of finding old letters and how a character could be motivated to deal with her own troubles based on advice meant for other people (though Beth acknowledges some of the advice wouldn’t quite apply in today’s world, she was able to understand the wisdom behind the advice and relate to the same). I was sympathetic to Beth’s situation and hated her ex-husband (it's difficult not to) and could understand Beth’s resentment and pain. Unfortunately, I found little else to like about this novel. The pacing is on the slower side and the narrative suffers from repetitiveness. The search for Evelyn and her story was an interesting plot point but as the story unfolded several aspects of the plot felt contrived (more telling than showing) and the convenient coincidences soon took the joy out of the overall reading experience. Beth’s immaturity in dealing with her husband was off-putting, but I would have been willing to ignore this had she exercised better judgment in her personal life and made less questionable choices. The new relationship angle was poorly plotted, distasteful and cringe-worthy. I did like the characterization of Beth’s daughter and thought that the author was able to portray the seven-year-old’s confusion and her reaction to the situation between her parents realistically.

Overall, I can’t say that this was a satisfying read, but please do read other reviews as many readers have enjoyed this novel more than I did.

Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.… (mehr)

3.5⭐️


It has been eighteen months since Laura Parks left her home. A chef employed at a restaurant in London, her life was upended after an attack by a masked assailant one night near her home left her traumatized and agoraphobic. Her husband Jim, hoping that a change of scene would help her heal, moves them from London to Willow Crest, a charming cul-de-sac outside London. While Jim begins to interact with their new neighbors, Laura remains at home, turning to alcohol and limiting her interactions to just her husband and best friend Debbie, unable to step outside her home and content to watch the world outside from her window. One day, her husband doesn’t return home from work and Laura begins to panic. When the hours turn into days and weeks and the police seem unable to track Jim’s whereabouts, Laura is compelled to step outside her home and ask for help. Jim had no close family and having never met any of Jim’s work associates, she turns to her neighbors for any clue as to Jim’s state of mind and where he could have gone. As each of her neighbors begins to share seemingly insignificant details of their interactions with Jim, Laura begins to realize that the man she was with for seven years, might not have been completely honest about who he was. Laura begins to face her fears, deal with her trauma and find out what happened to her husband, embarking on a journey of healing and self-awareness and in doing so takes the first steps toward emerging a stronger person.

I have mixed feelings about The World Outside My Window by Clare Swatman. I loved the premise of this novel and the cast of characters in Willow Crest, the found family theme and the way the author writes about relationships, friendship, isolation, trauma and mental health, emotional manipulation and vulnerability. I did feel sympathy for what Laura endured and how it affected her life and mental health. The author also gives us a glimpse into the complexities of relationships, emotional dependence and vulnerability and how some could misinterpret control and manipulation for love and protectiveness.

However, seven years is a long time to get to know a person and while I can’t fault her for her dependence post her traumatic experience, from what we gather from the narrative that moves back and forth detailing the beginning of their relationship and the events leading to the present day narrative, there were quite a few red flags that should have aroused her suspicions much earlier on. The depiction of this aspect of the story and Laura’s cluelessness were a tad unconvincing. Parts of the past narrative are shared in the first-person PoV from Laura’s perspective and the remaining in the third person, which doesn’t quite make for a fluid reading experience. The narrative moves in a predictable direction and the reveal is not surprising (plenty of breadcrumbs that make it rather easy to pick up on). Overall, while I was invested in Laura's journey and did enjoy parts of the story, I wasn’t as taken with it as I had hoped.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.… (mehr)

At first glance of the cover and description, I was thinking I was going to get a nice second chance love story. Instead, I got something I avoid - an emotional rollercoaster book that made me cry more than once. If I hadn't agreed to review this book, I would have stopped reading it as soon as I had the feeling that things weren't going to be going in the direction I expected, but I had agreed to review so I forged ahead. I have to say that the writing was excellent. I had a hard time putting it down once I got going. I liked how the author interspersed joy amidst the difficult times the characters were experiencing. Yes, this is a love story, but I wouldn't classify it as a romance. I prefer a traditional happy ending, which this story does not have. I think there will be many people who will love this book and I will recommend it to them. I can't say I'm sorry I read it, but I will be avoiding sad books again for the foreseeable future. Solid 4 stars.

My sincere thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my unbiased opinion of it.… (mehr)

A heartwarming ‘slice of life’ story where age has no boundaries. It’s about the friendship between two women - Grace, a 94 year old widow, and Anna, a 39 year old carer. They go on quite a life changing journey together and learn lessons along the way. There is also a smattering of romance in the form of Tom, Grace’s great-nephew.

This story is beautifully written with some realistic, believable and likeable characters. I found it quite a slow burner initially, but soon found myself becoming invested in the lives of Grace, Anna and Tom. I did think it was a little padded out at times, but even so I was eager to pick the book up and read on. It’s not all sweetness and light - there are some sad and poignant moments. It’s a moving, uplifting and inspiring tale which touches on the importance of friendship and the art of forgiveness. Life sometimes throws us lemons but we must put our best foot forward and realise that it’s never too late to start again. I enjoyed it.… (mehr)