Published: 2016
Author: Debbie Johnson
Funny, romantic – a perfect pool read
I turned 40 a couple of months ago. Between Christmas and New Year I hit my fifth decade and you know what? It was fine. No trauma, no tears, no wailing about getting old. Just a lovely day with friends and family, lots of champagne and an absolutely fabulous cake. It was a much better 40th birthday than the one celebrated by Sally Summers, the heroine of Debbie Johnson’s latest novel The Birthday That Changed Everything
Sally is just about to turn 40 when her husband announces that he is leaving her and their two teenage children for his teenage, exotic dancer girlfriend. A holiday in Turkey brings new friends and a new outlook on life, but Sally isn’t sure if she’s ready for a new relationship with handsome single dad James or if she’s willing to give her marriage another go.
A dull, dreary February was made much brighter by reading this book. Sally is a great character who felt very real to me. She got drunk, she got angry, she wasn’t perfect but she was likeable and I was rooting for her to have a happy ending. I knew exactly which suitor she should pick and was frustrated every time she hesitated or dithered. I yelled at her teenage children, particularly the foul and obnoxious Lucy – I know Debbie Johnson likes the character, but honestly I think I’d have drowned her in the bright blue sea.
There was a great cast of supporting characters that Sally meets and becomes friends with while nursing her broken heart. I’m not sure if I’d want to know many of them in real life, but they were the perfect holiday companions for Sally and reading companions for me. The book had a nice balance of humour, heart-break and romance. There were also a few raunchy scenes that were both sexy and fun.
The Birthday That Changed Everything is great fun. Debbie Johnson has a lovely style which is eminently readable and fun. A perfect read to warm you up in the cold snap or to hold off and take on holiday and read by the pool.