bezweifeln

Description: I really enjoyed this book! Clare Ashton has created characters that felt real enough and I felt very much involved and invested in their story, read almost entirely in one sitting. The story has a familiar theme of a true love character being reunited with someone she spurned a decade ago, when she was a late teen. There is much miscommunication, pain and wasting of time in the book, but the other little side stories, again with real characters mitigated the angst and tedium, as we all know where this is headed.

Bit of a complaint here: I think Clare Ashton writes well and I think I am well read with a good grasp of the English language, but I'll be damned if I wasn't required to have an online dictionary open in my computer's second screen as I read this story. Using the word "perspicacious" to describe a discerning guest at a wedding reception seems a bit much. Welsh language is sprinkled throughout the story so we never forget where we are but its a bit difficult to forget where we are when the entire story takes place in a small Welsh village. But, really, so I learned the meaning of a few Welsh words. No bother.

Some whining: So. We know the two ladies are bound to be together by the book's end but must we go through so much emotional torture before the HEA? I burst out with 'it' rather instantly, but then we would not have a book, would we.

An observation: The language used was a bit formal and read almost like Jane Austen in the last fourth of the book (which renders the subsequent love scene almost an intrusive segue).

Back to me: I jump around in book reviews. Maybe I will sort this or maybe I won't. I gave this book five stars as I felt something as I read this story. I have come to realize that this is a great gift from an author, when I truly, and strongly feel an emotional connection. I had tears come to my eyes on two occasions.

Praise: There were more than a few "laugh out loud" moments such as the playing on something said sounding more like female anatomy - much to the consternation of the speaker. There was a minor mystery which was not a mystery to the reader, but had one cheering for yet another character in the cast. All is not perfect in this little Welsh village.

Summation: I loved both halves of a whole represented in the two characters, the happy-go-lucky Poppy, and the misunderstood, darkly brilliant Rosalyn. The "best Man" speech given by Poppy & Rosalyn was a perfect illustration of the two halves concept and was a beautiful experience to read I wished they hadn't had such pain in their lives but was grateful they both found ultimate happiness. They felt a bit like family to me by book's end.