Uninspiring…
The protagonists of Guy’s latest are two women who become embroiled in unhealthy behaviors while trying to deal with their personal issues. When the beautiful and wealthy Emma gets caught shoplifting and agrees to do community service at a local retirement village as a punishment, she meets Lucie, a young widow and Florrie and forms a lasting friendship with the two women. Guy’s characterization is average at the best: while Lucie’s frustration and exasperation is fairly palpable, it fails to evoke the feeling of empathy in readers’ hearts; Emma is unimpressive. The subjects of shoplifting and Lucie’s drinking problem, both of which stay at the heart of the story, are treated lightly. Emma and Lucie both undergo a surprising personal transformation by the end, but Guy fails to convince the reader to empathize with her two protagonists. The synopsis promises a suspense thriller, but the novel is more of a punishment-done-lesson-learned sort of preachy read. Seasoned readers will find it tedious.
