Written by Claire Calman⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
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I must first of all thank Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for the invitation to join this blog tour, and author Claire Calman and her publisher Boldwood Books for a free digital copy of A Second-Hand Husband to review.
The blurb:
A Second-Hand HusbandNatalie and Carl are newlyweds, but the honeymoon period is over already.
Carl has just announced he has bought their first home at auction without telling Natalie where it is, never mind showing her a picture of it.
Natalie is horrified to discover that the dream home is in Little Wyford, mere minutes away from Carl’s ex-wife Antonia. And to make matters worse, Antonia’s palatial country mansion has a fully-functioning roof (and a heated swimming pool!), unlike the ramshackle cottage Carl has bought for them…
Antonia is Little Wyford’s Queen Bee, mistress of the book club, organiser of the Christmas Fair and leader of the ladies-who-lunch. No matter how hard she tries, Natalie just doesn’t fit in, and when Antonia insists on referring to Carl as ‘Our Husband’, Natalie’s dreams of happily-ever-after take another nose dive.
Second-hand furniture has much to recommend it, especially when doing up a country cottage, second-hand clothes can be ever-so chic, but second-hand husbands are proving to be a very bad idea indeed… Can Natalie ever escape the label of Wife Number Two or is she destined to share her husband forever?
Hilariously funny, wickedly witty, but with a heart of gold and a warmth and wisdom that are all its own, A Second-Hand Husband is Claire Calman’s tour de force.
Women's Fiction
My thoughts:
I was in the mood for a light-hearted read when I chose to read A Second-hand Husband, and it certainly delivered, making me smile and shake my head in equal measures.
The story is told in the first person by the newly-married Natalie. She married divorcee and father of two Carl after a short romance. The couple live in London, while his children live with his ex-wife a couple of hours drive away in a tiny village in Kent. Natalie understands how important it is for Carl to be closer to his children and has suggested they move to be closer to his children. She wasn't expecting what came next. He bought a house without telling her where it is, and exactly how close it is to his ex-wife's home.
There are family dramas to resolve, a couple of large spider events, an idyllic setting and of course a rather unpleasant ex-wife who seems determined to put Natalie down at every opportunity. Carl's son, Max, appears to have accepted the divorce and welcomes Natalie into his life, while Carl's daughter, Saskia, in typical teenager fashion, is wary and abrasive. Natalie realises she cannot simply insert herself into Saskia's life, and slowly builds a relationship with her.
I found this story very entertaining and it lifted my mood. It is well-written, humorous, and engaging. I loved Natalie as a character but did not take to Carl at all; nor his ex-wife Antonia at first, although without Antonia, there would be no story.
| Author Bio – Claire Calman |
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Claire Calman is a writer and broadcaster known for her novels that combine wit and pathos, including the bestseller Love is a Four-Letter Word. She has appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Loose Ends. Her first book for Boldwood was published in June 2020. |
| Social Media Links – | |
| X | https://twitter.com/clairecalman |
| Newsletter | http://bit.ly/ClaireCalmanNewsletter |
| Bookbub profile | https://www.bookbub.com/authors/claire-calman |
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