Days Like These

Welcome, fellow readers!  I hope everyone has had an enjoyable Sunday.  My daughter came over this afternoon for Sunday dinner. She was sweet enough to pick up dinner so I did not have to cook (always a treat).  Isn't it nice when someone does something special and unexpected for you?

Days Like These is the latest novel by author Sue Margolis.  Judy Devlin lost her husband, Brian to pancreatic cancer eighteen months ago.  Judy has not been able to move on since his death (still has Brian’s clothes in her closet).  Nicaragua recently suffered a devastating earthquake and badly needs doctors. When her daughter, Abby and son-in-law Tom ask if Judy will watch her two grandchildren while they are gone, and Judy agrees.  Abby and Tom are volunteering with MediGlobal and must agree to a six-week commitment (you just know that they will end up staying longer). Judy has watched her grandchildren on weekends, but this will be very different.  Judy is soon swept up into getting the kids off to school and their many after school (and weekend) activities.  In addition, Judy has her mother, Frieda living with her.  Frieda is a hypochondriac with excellent health for a woman her age (70s).  Taking care of her grandkid’s gets Judy out of the house and meeting new people.  Judy makes friends with Ginny, another grandmother with grandchildren at the private school the kids attend and makes an enemy of Claudia Connell (she thinks she knows everything about childrearing).  Then Judy meets Mike, Claudia’s father.   Is Judy ready for a new love interest?  Join Judy as she starts a new life without her husband in Days Like These.

Days Like These was satisfactory.  It is basically a romance novel in the end.  It starts out as Judy needing to overcome her grief, but, in the end, it read like every other romance novel I have ever read (and I have read hundreds of them).  The couple find each other, fall in love, have argument, break apart, and then get together in the end. Judy has to cope with her grandchildren arguing, crying, and needing transportation to their various activities (I am eternally grateful my daughter is grown up).  The children at the school are from rich families.  The parents and the kids all have attitudes (and cliques).  There are also the normal bullies.  I give Days Like These 2.5 out of 5 stars.  In order to enjoy a story, a reader needs to like the characters.  I was not fond of any of the people presented in this book.  The writing is okay and the book, for the most part, has a good pace.  There are slow parts and areas with the kids arguing that I skimmed through (arguing children is not pleasant).  This is a British novel so be aware that there are British terms and slang that we, as Americans, will not be familiar with.  I was hoping for a fun, humorous novel to read, but I was not laughing at the situations presented in the story.  

Thank you so much for visiting.  I am currently reading The Queen's Accomplice by Susan Elia Macneal.  It came out in October, but I could not fit it into my schedule until now.  I am off to relax for the evening. Tonight I will be watching The Librarian's and The Sound of Christmas (on Hallmark Movie & Mysteries Channel) with Robin Dunne and Lindy Booth (who also stars in The Librarian's).  May all of you have a delightful yet relaxing night.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader