I’m delighted to host today’s stop on the blog tour for The Other Life of Charlotte Evans by Louisa George and share with you my review of this emotional story about love, family and finding a path to happiness.
Plus, there’s a giveaway with a chance to win a £25 Amazon giftcard (UK only).
To enter the giveaway click here.
About the Book
Would you sacrifice your future to understand your past?
Life is rosy for dance studio owner Charlotte Evans, who is about to marry beloved fiancé, Ben. But when Ben finds a lump in Charlotte’s breast, it sends her on a journey of self-discovery which she knows she must do alone. Because Charlotte is adopted, and she suddenly, desperately, needs to know who she is and where she comes from. Finding and reconnecting with her birth family, the life Charlotte could have had unfolds before her. As her wedding day draws closer, and her past merges ever more into her present, Charlotte must decide on the future she really wants…
Format: eBook (352 pp.) Publisher: HQ Digital
Published: 9th September 2017 Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk ǀ W H Smith
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme
Find The Other Life of Charlotte Evans on Goodreads
My Review
Charlotte seems to have the perfect life – a handsome fiancé (Ben), a successful dance studio business, a loving mother, great friends – and her future all planned out. First up, her wedding and then the life together she and Ben have all worked out, including starting a family at some point in the future. Discovering a lump in her breast starts Charlotte on a journey to find out more about her birth mother and family history. Where does she come from and why did her birth mother give her up for adoption?
However, those around her find it hard to understand how important this is to her and Charlotte finds it difficult to explain, afraid of causing them unnecessary pain. Her search starts a chain of consequences she could not have imagined and throws up difficult choices. ‘Life. So complicated all of a sudden.’ Secrets threaten the relationships with those closest to her and the plans she and Ben have worked out for their life together. ‘There were more secrets now. Ones she kept from her mum. One from her best friend. And now one from her fiancé. Was there no end to it?’
The author does a great job of exploring the emotional and psychological impact on Charlotte of the decisions she is faced with and the ripple effect of her actions on those around her. I’m sure any woman would sympathise with the situation Charlotte finds herself in and the agonising choices she faces although I did find her self-absorption began to grate a little and I didn’t completely connect with her. The Other Life of Charlotte Evans explores some difficult topics but in a way that keeps it from being maudlin or over-dramatic.
I received a review copy courtesy of Neverland Book Tours in return for an honest and unbiased review.
In three words: Emotional, moving, romantic
Try something similar…Holding on to Hurt by Charlotte Roth (click here to read my review)
About the Author
Award-winning author Louisa George has been an avid reader her whole life. In between chapters she managed to fit in a BA degree in Communication Studies, trained as a nurse, married her doctor hero and had two sons. Now, she spends her days writing chapters of her own in the medical romance, contemporary romance and women’s fiction genres. To date, she has 19 books available in ebook/print.
Louisa’s books have variously been nominated for the coveted RITA® Award and the NZ Koru Award (which she won in 2014 and 2016 for the Short Sexy Category) and she won the prestigious HOLT Medallion Award in 2017. Her books have been translated into twelve languages. She lives in Auckland, New Zealand and, when not writing or reading, likes to travel, drink mojitos and do Zumba®- preferably all at the same time.
Connect with Louisa
Website ǀ Facebook ǀ Twitter ǀ Instagram ǀ Goodreads
What Cathy Read Next... 