Paper Swans by Jessica Thompson
Ben Lawrence has a charmed life it would seem. There’s the highly successful and lucrative career in PR, the fast car, and more girlfriends than he can possibly remember. However, despite all this, Ben is sad and lonely. He is scared to commit to any woman because of a tragic incident from his past. Even visiting his therapist does not seem to make a difference. Therefore, he is completely taken by surprise when, after meeting Effy Jones, the founder of the charity that Ben’s firm is sponsoring, he finds that he cannot stop thinking about her.
| Paper Swans by Jessica Thompson | |
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| Category: Women's Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Jo Heffer
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| Summary: Ben Lawrence and Effy Jones couldn't be more different. He has a high powered job and a flashy car whereas she is setting up a small overseas charity from the comfort of her kitchen table. It would seem that these two would have nothing in common; however, when they meet there is definitely a spark. Will they be able to bring out the best in each other and will Ben be able to move on from the tragic event many years before that has prevented him getting too close to anyone? | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 428 | Date: July 2014 |
| Publisher: Coronet | |
| ISBN: 978-1444776522 | |
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Effy could not be more different from Ben and there surely cannot be anything about him that she would be attracted to. Recovering from the breakup of a long term relationship, she has thrown herself into setting up the charity and making sure that it will be a success, and couldn't possibly entertain the idea of starting a new romance. Why is it then that she keeps finding herself thinking about Ben?
Against the odds, the pair start seeing each other and it looks all set for a happy ending. However, Ben is keeping a secret from Effy – something that is likely to rock their relationship to its new foundations. Once she knows, will it be make or break for their newly fragile romance?
Paper Swans is an extremely readable book with two very likeable main characters. The story is quite believable with lots going on once you get past the first twenty or thirty pages. I did find it a little difficult to get into at first but eventually was quite hooked and read the entire novel in a couple of days. I though reading about how Effy was setting up her charity, Dafina Kampala, and this made a very interesting backdrop.
The two characters' stories interweaved very well without being confusing. The author does tease the reader though as the tragic event from Ben's past is constantly referred to without much being given away for a long time. This adds a sense of intrigue to what is essentially a love story.
Overall, Paper Swans is a satisfyingly, enjoyable read and one that I would definitely recommend for a bit of light-hearted summer reading. This is the first book I have read from Jessica Thompson but I suspect it won't be the last.
If this appeals to you, why not take a look at A Perfect Proposal by Katie Fforde?
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