Written by Sharley ScottI loved it! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
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Having so enjoyed Sharley Scott's Devon Seaside Guesthouse novels, I could not wait to read her latest novel and meet her wonderful new characters.
I bought a digital copy of The Two Lives of Maddie Meadows on the day of publication for my review and read it during the #20BooksOfSummer20 Reading Challenge hosted by Cathy @746books.com.
Today, I am delighted to be able to bring you a guest post written by Sharley Scott about her inspiration for creating her title character, Maddie Meadows, as well as my review.
I bought a digital copy of The Two Lives of Maddie Meadows on the day of publication for my review and read it during the #20BooksOfSummer20 Reading Challenge hosted by Cathy @746books.com.
Today, I am delighted to be able to bring you a guest post written by Sharley Scott about her inspiration for creating her title character, Maddie Meadows, as well as my review.
The blurb:
Meanwhile, professional Madeleine balances a tricky day job, made worse by a jealous colleague. No one at work knows about her other life, and she needs to keep it this way: one of the bosses has made his feelings very clear about single parents and the people on her estate.
Thank goodness for her fun-loving and loyal friends - although Maddie wishes they’d believe her when she insists she has no time for love. Or so she tells herself as she fights to quell her hidden feelings for her gorgeous colleague, Oliver, who comes from the posh part of town.
But when her friends line up their ideal man for her – Sean, more beanstalk than Bean – Maddie wishes she’d told them the truth. Because it’s hard enough juggling two lives. The question is, if any more complications are added, will Maddie’s carefully created world come crashing down?
Women's Fiction
My thoughts:
I loved this novel, and can't wait for the next instalment.Maddie Meadows is a single mother, living with her two-year-old son, Josh, in a small Local Authority flat on an estate with a poor reputation. Her father and brother live in a similarly rented house on a nearby estate. Maddie's father, Alan, is a widower, currently unemployed, and having had treatment for cancer, is now being monitored by the hospital. Maddie's brother Will is two years younger than her. He has Down Syndrome.
Maddie has strong family ties and does what she can to help her father and brother, as well as juggle looking after Josh, and hold down a new and demanding job. As the story begins, Madeline - as she is known at work - has just started working for Holdenwell Council in the role of Neighbourhood Manager - a role coveted by colleague David who felt it was his by right.
The Two Lives of Maddie Meadows is told in the first person from Maddie's perspective. After a bit of a slow start, where the reader gets to know Maddie and understand her situation, I found I became intrigued and did not want to put the book down. Maddie is a very likeable and relatable character. She is not looking for love because she doesn't have time for a relationship - so she keeps telling herself. Her girlfriends, however, are eager to see her in a relationship with a good man, and are not beyond a bit of subterfuge to ensure she finds one!
Maddie's worklife - excuse me, Madeline's worklife is altogether different. She has a different persona at work. Maddie's job amongst other things involves attending meetings as a council representative, and finding funding for projects benefiting the community. However, she soon discovers that everyone has their own agenda, and the repugnant David is out to make mischief.
I found the story completely plausible, the characters are well drawn and realistic, and there's more than a grain of truth in how generalisations are made about people in different circumstances to ourselves. I loved the story line around 'The Flying Scotsman', the descriptive nickname given to the unruly tenant living above Maddie's friend Rachel in Windsor House. There are human interest stories too. Maddie's brother Will wants a girlfriend; her father Alan is depressed as well as unemployed and worried about cancer reoccurring; and the young adults with disabilities striving to make their way in life - my favourite being Tariq.
How Maddie manages her work and private lives, and finds love where she least expected, is elegantly told in this well-written, warm and funny story.
Walk a Mile in Maddie’s Shoes.
Many of the books I’ve written have been set in my own past and fictionalised. Not all though. Once I wrote a thriller about child grooming, but at the time I worked with teams who were able to advise me about the issues covered in the book.
In The Two Lives of Maddie Meadows, Maddie is a single parent who works full-time. I was that parent years ago, juggling childcare, work and a mountainous washing pile at weekends. I struggled by and did things that would have made bystanders roll their eyes at my parenting skills. Once I forgot I had a baby and left my son in a shop when he was just four weeks old! It wasn’t until I reached my front door that I realised he was missing. When I sprinted back into his shop in a panic, I found a bemused shopkeeper (thankfully he knew me) rocking the pram.
I feel for imperfect parents like me. My son has recently started dating a single mum of two children who are both on the autistic spectrum, which makes it incredibly tough (while rewarding) for her. After watching how hard she worked, he said that he can now see what a challenging time I must have had. I nodded but I didn’t need to say much more. He’s never been anything but supportive of me, but his eyes have been opened to the reality of being a parent: the fun, laughter, and the tears.
I didn’t want Maddie to be perfect, but she’s a better mother than my younger self. When my editor warned me that readers wouldn’t want a single mum to fall into bed with a relatively new boyfriend, I had to show the thinking behind her actions. This is a luxury that many people don’t have. No one can see the reasoning for a stranger’s behaviour unless they get to know them.
Maddie Meadows sees people judging her because of where she lives and because she is a single parent. This is behind her decision to hide her personal life from her work colleagues, while wrapping herself in the protection of loyal friends and family. In reality, not everyone has the luxury of a close-knit circle.
It’s why, as I’ve grown older, I’ve become less judgemental. I’m still that imperfect person – who can be critical of others – but I try to do my utmost to see what people are trying to achieve now, rather than their past mistakes. When I wrote The Two Lives of Maddie Meadows, I wanted to show that we don’t know the person inside and the unseen struggles people face. I hope I managed to do so.
| Author Bio – Sharley Scott |
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Sharley Scott is the author of the 'Devon Seaside Guesthouse' novels - Bedlam & Breakfastand B&Bers Behaving Madly. Her latest book 'The Two Lives of Maddie Meadows' was published in June 2020. The second in the series 'The Gift of a Rose' will be available in the autumn. Sharley is a guesthouse owner in South Devon. She is thankful to have been blessed with lots of amazing and kind-hearted guests, who are nothing like some of the characters featured in the Devon Seaside Guesthouse series. The Two Lives of Maddie Meadows is a fictional account, but Sharley has never forgotten how interesting life can be with a toddler. Some of the mischief Josh gets up to will be familiar to all parents. Sharley has carried out the threats she made to her son decades ago and now embarrasses him by telling tales to his girlfriend, although he gets her back by recounting stories about his mum. |
| Social Media Links – | |
| Web site | https://sharleyscott.wordpress.com/ |
| Facebook Author Page | https://www.facebook.com/SharleyScott3 |
| X | https://twitter.com/SharleyScott |
| Goodreads | Sharley Scott |
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