Never Greener by Ruth Jones @penguinRHUK @alisonbarrow #NeverGreener # RuthJones

Bantam Books Released – 5th April 2018

Book Description

The past has a habit of tracking us down.

And tripping us up.

When Kate was twenty-two, she had an intense and passionate affair with a married man, Callum, which ended in heartbreak.  Kate thought she’d never get over it.

Seventeen years later, life has moved on – Kate, now a successful actress, is living in London, married to Matt and mother to little Tallulah.  Meanwhile Callum and his wife Belinda are happy together, living in Edinburgh and watching the kids grow up.  The past, it would seem, is well and truly behind them all.

But then Kate meets Callum again.

And they are faced with a choice: to walk away from each other…or to risk finding out what might have been.

Second chances are a rare gift in life.  But that doesn’t mean they should always be taken…

My Review

A tragic love story spanning decades, with the author skilfully demonstrating that the grass is never greener!  A story about relationships and the ‘the one that got away’.  With a cast of likeable and engaging characters, some more flawed than others and some hiding more secrets than others.

At different points in this story I felt sympathy for all the main characters as they travelled along the path that is life.  Reflecting on choices made and the age old question about whether we choose who we fall in love with and the need then to resist temptation, or not.  By telling the story from various points of view the author provided insight into individual players, their motivations and anxieties which made for a pleasing read.  Spanning time periods then and now interspersed through the story provided context and detail, with the final product being a cautionary tale of Kate and Callum, their love and their lives.

This was an enjoyable read, but running at just over 400 pages it felt long for the story it held and while there were delightful traces of Gavin and Stacey dialogue and humour, overall despite a comprehensive plot, for me this story lacked something, a sharpness? a wit? I’m not sure what that magical ingredient is that moves a book from good to great!  And this was a good read, good characterisation making it easy to follow and a charming storyline make this book perfect reading material for relaxing on the beach.

About the Author

Ruth Jones is best known for her outstanding and award-winning television writing, and her portrayal of some of the UK’s best loved lead comedy characters including Nessa in Gavin and Stacey and Stella in the Sky 1 series of the same name.  She has also won acclaim for her performances in BBC dramas Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Little Dorrit and Hattie.

Thank you to Hayley Barnes at Penguin Random House for early copy of this book.