Changes

I’m not familiar with anything from Delinksy’s quite extensive back-catalogue, but the publishers seem to know she’s not the largest of names in the UK yet so have added the now quite popular ‘Fans of [[:Category:Jodi Picoult|Jodi Picoult]] will love this’ boast to the cover. I can see their point: with a complex family drama, a clear legal element, a north eastern the northeastern US setting is it bears all the hallmarks of Picoult’s work, and yet in my mind , they are very different. Told only from Emily’s point of view, this is a very personal story. It doesn’t drift off into recollecting the past as I thought it might, especially with Jude’s reappearance, though there are a few odd tangents that I didn’t think added much such as the coyotes which featured far more than was necessary in my mind, the metaphor having been hammered home early on. I also found some parts of the story didn't hang together or get explored fully, such as Jude's son or indeed his reappearance in town at this time.

That said, Delinsky is undoubtedly an accomplished writer, making the book a pleasure to read. The story flows smoothly, is well -paced and cuts from one line of thought to another at key moments to keep you hooked and anxious for a return to where you were – usually to Lee’s story in my case. Emily sometimes seemed a little older than her 32 years but it could just have been that she was weary, worn out from the rat race. I very much enjoyed the story though I think I’d have enjoyed it just as much if it had been 50 of or so pages shorter and towards the end , some of the descriptions, so pleasant at the beginning, began to grate as they got in the way of the meat of the story. Overall, though, a lovely summer book which may well make you want a holiday to Bell Valley, to see the waterfalls, play with the animals or eat some of Lee’s cookies, depending on where your passions lie.

For the story of another life which gets turned completely upside down, albeit in much more terrifying ways, we recommend [[Every Last One by Anna Quindlen]] though you'll need the tissues that went unopened for ''Escape''. You might also enjoy [[Blueprints by Barbara Delinsky]].