Well, what a beautiful ending to an emotional, thought provoking and, at times, amusing story.
Caitlin is married to Patrick and they have two children, 10 year old Joel and 4 year old Nancy. Both are happy, outgoing children, but something changes in Nancy when Caitlin and Patrick hit a rough patch in their marriage and decide to separate. Patrick had been offered a job miles away, Caitlin didn't want to move from the comfort of the home her Nana left to her, but Patrick goes anyway. They feel like they're making each other miserable, but don't really know why, so it seems like the only option, but they do their best to keep things amicable.
When Nancy stops talking, no-one knows why, other than the obvious distress of Patrick moving out, but it soon becomes more than that and it terrifies them both. Caitlin is desperate to have her loud, bubbly little girl back, but has no idea how to make that happen.
When the children start to spend time at Auntie Eva's house, Nancy soon forms a special bond with her two pugs, Bumble and Bee. I think Bumble and Bee were my favourite characters, but I did really warm to Eva. Eva is almost 45 and already a widow, having been married to an older man, famous actor Mick, for 7 years. She has no children of her own and initially feels awkward with these little people in her home, but she soon bonds with them and they develop a lovely relationship.
As Caitlin and Patrick struggle to agree to terms of their divorce at the same time as trying to figure out what's wrong with Nancy they're faced with another trauma and it seems their only hope is Nancy and Bumble.
This is a very easy read, in the sense that it is beautifully written, although it does deal with sensitive subjects. It highlights how much children can be affected by adult relationships however much you try to shield them and also how younger children can take things completely literally.
It's a very believable story of family, love, marriage, marital problems, parenthood and how damaging a lack of communication can be, but also how it's never too late and there can always be a happy ending. It's full of likeable and very real characters who I found myself really caring about (Alex was another of my favourite characters) and wishing for that happy ending for them all.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for approving my request on Netgalley.

Modern day family life as it is in the 21st century.
This is a heart-warming story about a young family coping with the unexpected things life throws at them. Caitlin and Patrick are parents both dealing with inner demons and raising two young children; Joel, their son, to whom life is a stage and sweet; little Nancy who loves to sing and dance. After a visit to London to see Santa, Nancy suddenly stops speaking. There is physically nothing wrong with her but she cannot speak.
While working through everything that is happening in their lives Caitlin, Patrick and the children develop a relationship with his widowed sister Eva and her two pugs, Bumble and Bee, that they previously did not have and they are all enriched by it.
The book shows how important family is when you are going through tough times and how everybody is battling some kind of demon in their lives, even if they appear care-free to the rest of the world. What the book also brought home to me is how perceptions play an important role in our lives. Two people perceive the exact same situation in two completely different ways and if they cannot communicate then their perceptions can tear their relationship apart.
A very thought provoking and introspective read!
Saphira
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

This is a modern family saga. Eva age 45, recently widowed, finds her life lonely. Her brother Patrick and his wife Caitlin decide to separate. They have two children, Nancy age 4 and Josh age 10. Patrick gets a job 300 miles away and volunteers Eva's house as the weekend home for him and the children, as Eva lives only 70 miles from Caitlin. Eva finds her life changing as she gets to know the children. Nancy stops speaking, no one knows the real reason. Caitlin starts to enjoy weekend single life without the children and her husband. But is this the life they all want?

Fantastic storyline with amazing characters. This at your heartstrings

Brilliant, heartwarming, uplifting and fabulous . Had me reading into the early hours, a very satisfying read. Many thanks NetGalley.

A really lovely fluffy family read, with characters easy to love, a perfect read to curl up with

This was such a good read. I loved it. Great characters, and a great story.

I am a massive Lucy Dillon fan, and was thrilled when I got the opportunity to read her latest book All I Ever Wanted via Netgalley earlier this year. I love Lucy's emotional, heart-wrenching stories, and I had a feeling this one would be no different. This is the story of Caitlin, Patrick and their family, and how their actions affect everyone around them. Their marriage is in dire straits, and this has devastated their children, especially four year old Nancy, who stops talking after some traumatic events at home. The family try everything to persuade her to talk, but nothing is working. Patrick's sister Eva is getting over her own heartbreak, after suddenly losing her husband Mickey, and finding herself all alone, with only his pugs for company. Eva decides she needs to get know her brothers children better, and becomes part of Patrick's visitation agreement to see the kids, a time she surprises herself by enjoying. But Eva is very aware she's left it too late to have her own children, so she's determined to unlock whatever it is that has deeply upset her niece once and for all...

As you can see, this is certainly a very emotional book, and straight away you grow to love the two children at the centre of this book, particularly lovely Nancy. Her big brother Joel is a delight too, and I felt Dillon has hit the nail on the head with her depiction of young children, something I don't always feel is correctly portrayed in women's fiction. The relationship the pair have with their mother and father is close, but the pair are devastated by their parents separation. Of course, many families break-up, and this book strives to show a reality here, but I felt so sorry for the children here. Nancy is hiding a terrible secret, one which causes her to become a mute, and this was a devastating storyline. As things become unravelled near the end of the book, my heart broke a little bit as I read the reasons behind her choice to be a mute.

The main adult characters are all very interesting to read about. There's Caitlin, who has devoted herself to being a good mother, upset at the demise of her marriage, and unsure how to move forward without Patrick. He is portrayed as being a workaholic, someone who pays too much attention to his job and his phone, not to his family, but I somehow really wanted the pair of them to work it out and be a couple again. Caitlin was likeable, she was trying to the right thing by everyone, but feeling like she was failing on all accounts. I felt like we were meant to dislike Patrick, but I just couldn't - I personally felt he was caught between a rock and a hard place, and any working parent knows the guilt you feel constantly at trying to juggle all the balls and keep them all in the air.

Eva's story, however, was the most interesting. In her mid-forties, Eva thinks she has left it too late to have her own children, and the initial awkwardness between her and her niece and nephew was quite awful, she really didn't know how to be around them! As the book progressed and Eva finds out more about the past of her husband, the man she thought she knew inside out, she starts to doubt her own life and the choices she's made. She lives a comfortable life in a gorgeous home, with a couple of cute pugs to boot, but always feels there is something missing. I felt her story was a very realistic look at someone who has perhaps not realised what she truly wants until it is too late, and I very much enjoyed reading Eva's story.

This book has lots of different things going on within, from love and hope, to grief, closure and loss, it certainly isn't always an easy read. I found Nancy's story in particular hard to read, and as someone who works with young children, I know how tricky it can be to unravel these things, and I just wished I could reassure Caitlin and Patrick that Nancy would eventually be okay. Dillon has clearly done her research for the character of Nancy, and it was wonderful, and also heart-breaking to read. My emotions were all over the place - I felt sorry for Caitlin, then felt annoyed with her for being a bit flaky, and not taking responsibility for her actions; sympathy for Patrick, then annoyance at the way he had to take charge all the time. I loved that an author could evoke this many emotions in me for one book. This wasn't my favourite book from Lucy Dillon, but for me is still a must-read, and highly recommended. An emotional rollercoaster for sure.

Just finished this beautifully simple but cleverly written book and loved it! Bringing me to tears on more than one occasion the story tells an ordinary tale of family breakup, parents splitting up and the heart ache it can bring to them and their children. But instead of just telling a sadly too often told story, it lifted my heart as much as it made it drop with its witty writing and modern references. It had twists and turns but nothing too dramatic. I think it kept me reading because of its normality more than anything else. A lovely read, highly recommended.

Brilliant book what a beautifully written and heartwarming story

the description of this book is quite accurate, but would like to outline the different understanding of the book. My description of the book would be something like that: Caitlin, going through divorce from her controlling perfectionist husband. Their divorce really influenced their little daughter Nancy, who stopped talking after their separation. Eva is Caitlin’s sister in law, who, even after 2 years, still suffers from her husband’s death. The only company Eva has is her two pugs, Bumble and Bee. After visits to Eva’s house, Bumble becomes Nancy’s best friend, and helps her find her voice again.
It is a really nice story about two women in opposite situations. I really liked that, all the characters in this publication are really diverse personalities and they are really believable, like ordinary people. If you have children, you will absolutely understand how Caitlin is feeling. There is so much mother’s love in this book. You can really feel it when you go through the book. The problem is, as a person who is not very interested in kids, I found it too much for my liking. I really liked Eva’s character in this novel. She was interesting, and complete opposite of confused and clumsy Caitlin. However, there was so much moping about the same thing over and over again. I found it quite boring to read, because it just plods along, is very detailed and has only few turns in the story. I am great full though, that author gave voice to more than one character, which gave better feeling of the characters.
I liked that author discussed few really interesting themes in this book. She talked about how divorce influences grownups and well as children, the freedom feeling when your other half is not there to supervise you, as well as how it feels when you are in your forties, alone and know that it’s almost impossible to have a child of your own. It was very cute how the love for dogs author shared in the book with the readers, by putting two cute pugs with very detailed descriptions of their personalities and emotions. The ending of the book rounded everything up nicely, but was really predictable. So to conclude, if you have children and would like some comfort reading about family, love and cute kids, then this book is definitely for you.

A heart warming and lovely story that really struck a cord for me. Recommended

This is a wonderfully warm read about family life - with all the ups and downs which that involves. It's a very honest portrayal of a Mum and Dad struggling to be 'perfect' parents when each have their own idea of what perfection is and two children who, as children do, have a very small world and huge imaginations.

Lucy Dillon's characterisation is astounding ... so true to life and avoiding the temptation to over dramatise but keeping it in a setting which will ring bells (loudly) in any family's ears. Good things and bad things happen to all of us, it's the coping mechanisms we each employ which get us through those days. Caitlin and Patrick have very different styles of parenting but that doesn't make either of them more right - or more wrong, come to that.

This is a truly heartwarming read about REAL family life .. I feel as if I could turn the corner any moment and run into Nancy, Joel and their parents. And writing like this is a real gift .. well done author Lucy Dillon, can't wait to read more from you!

Thanks to NetGalley and to Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an ARC copy of this book that I voluntarily review.
This novel tells the story of a family, as unique as all families, and it starts seemingly at a point of crisis. What is supposed to be a fun trip to London for the kids, just ahead of Christmas somehow marks the beginning of the end for of Caitlin and Patrick’s marriage. In the aftermath of the separation between them, Patrick’s sister, Eva, who was widowed a couple of years ago, ends up becoming roped into the situation and making interesting discoveries about herself.
The story is told in the third person, mostly from the alternating points of view of Caitlin and Eva, although there are a couple of fragments from the point of view of little Nancy. This is a book dominated by the female perspective, although it is not chick-lit. Each character is very distinctive and the reader gets to share in their point of view, although the alternating voices help to give more perspective to the story and to create a fuller understanding and a richer picture. Whilst at times we might identify completely with the characters and share in their thoughts and feelings, they are not presented as perfect or always right. In fact, it is easy to feel annoyed and frustrated at times with some of the decisions they take, and we start questioning our alliances. But, as is the case with real human beings, nobody is perfect, and in this case, the story helps us understand their circumstances, why they behave as they do. By the end, we conclude that they all love each other, sometimes even if they are not aware of it, but they needed to work through their difficulties communicating and to get rid of the secrets they kept from each other.
The novel offers us two very different female protagonists, Caitlin, reckless, impulsive, disorganised, with a big heart, a fierce mother who’d do anything to protect her cubs, but less than perfect, and aware of her weak points, and Eva, a far more rational, business-like and determined woman. Both of them thought they’d found the perfect husband but they discover things aren’t quite as they think. As mentioned, we might feel closer to one or the other, but they both come through the pages as real people. We share their fears, hopes, puzzlement, even if at times we might not agree with what they do. The two children, Joel and Nancy are beautifully depicted, with their very different temperaments, and they also function well as stand-ins for children in similar situations, trying their hardest to cope and make sense of what’s going on around them. In a way, Nancy and her predicament, when she stops talking, is an embodiment of the difficulties between the adults, who are also keeping secrets and are unable to communicate effectively their feelings, even if they are still talking. The men in the story, although only seen through the perspective of the women, are neither knights in shining armour (no matter how hard they try), nor villains, but good people trying their best to be worthy of their partners and their families. And if you love pets, the two pugs, Bumble and Bee will melt your hearts, with their individual personalities, their ways of communicating and providing a safe haven to humans, and their winning ways.
This is a touching novel that makes us think about families (standard and alternative), about the impact of expectations and childhood experiences on our adult behaviour, and about the risks of trying to impose impossible standards on others. We need to remain true to ourselves to be the best for our families. The author invites us to become members of this extended family and we feel a bit orphaned at the end. I recommend it to anybody who loves a gentle story about families, with no scandals, major shocks, histrionics or extremes. A feel-good story with the heart in the right place.

I had never read anything by Lucy Dillon before this caught my eye on NetGalley, and I am thrilled that it did.

Caitlin is recently separated from Patrick, the man that came along and rescued her and young son Joel as their car broke down when Joel was small and Caitlin was bringing him up on her own. He provided her with stability, but for free spirited Caitlin it came with a heavy cross to bear, and Patrick seeing her as the perfect wife was too much for her to cope with.

He begins to take to children for weekends with his sister, Eva, who has been recently widowed and not completely child friendly in her shiny show home house that usually only houses her and her pugs (who have the most amazing voices that I was hearing mentally for days after finishing.)

Eva, and particularly Nancy who has been mute since Patrick left, form a close bond, helped by Bumble the pug, and Eva starts to question a lot about her marriage to actor, Mike. The introduction to her of his memoirs is another step into the journey of her questioning their life together, and a serendipitous meeting with his editor sparks an interesting friendship.

I truly haven't enjoyed a book as much as I did this for a long time. Dillon's voice is strong, funny and empathetic and tells a really good tale. I loved the characters, especially Joel who had me weeping and laughing.

It ended beautifully and has left me wanting to race through the back catalogue of Lucy Dillon's work.

An enjoyable and thought provoking read. Lovely characters who you want to know more about and you are willing them to solve their problems. In particular little Nancy, who has stopped talking and you can't help wanting to know why and for her parents, brother or Aunt to find a way to put things right for her.
I have read Lucy Dillon before - clearly a dog lover she always includes at least one in her novels and this is no exception with 2 pugs playing an important part in the story and becoming Nancy's best friends!

I will look out for Lucy Dillon again - thank you to Netgalley for an early read

After a series of rather complicated mystery murders and thrillers, Lucy Dillon was a comfort read.

Two parallel stories for me- one a four year old Nancy exuberant, talkative full of life who one day becomes silent, so surreptitiously that her mother and father have to be told the facts by their elder son a little boy of nine. Patrick and Caitlin are so immersed in their divorce, their own lives and how they are going to live that they do not realise what is happening closer to home. Joel who was always attention seeking now becomes worse and Nancy goes deeper and deeper into her shell.

We then have Eva, Patrick's sister who is roped in as a chaperone and a place where both parents would be comfortable to leave their children. Eva is 45 has been married to a famous actor, recently widowed and childless. How she is going to cope with two children in an immaculate house is something Patrick selfishly does not even think about. Eva despite her doubts how she is going to cope, rallies beautifully. The children and Eva develop strong ties of warmth affection and family and this was wonderful to see.

The selfishness of both Caitlin and Patrick was also apparent and though the end of the story brought them to their senses it indicates how quickly even adults can forget about their responsibilities and duties.

An interesting story, with good characters and a nice setting.


Goodreads and Amazon review up on 13/1/2017. Review on my blog mid May 2017

Patrick and Caitlin are trying to make their separation amicable by using a mediator and not involving lawyers. They are struggling to tell their children, Joel and Nancy, of their separation and keep putting it off. I found myself getting quite irritated by their constant excuses for not being honest with the children who were showing visible signs of distress about the separation.

As Patrick's new job is in Newcastle and too far for the children to travel to see him at weekends he asks his sister, Eva, to help out by hosting him and the children every other weekend when he has access. Eva's still struggling to comes to terms with the death of her husband Mick, a well known film and TV celebrity.

I found the book somewhat slow at times as it followed the stories of both Caitlin and Eva making friends with one another and both embarking on new relationships. I can't say that I identified sympathetically with any of the characters with the possible exception of Eva. Early on in the book Eva is presented with diaries that Mick left wanted them to be part of a biography. The catch is that Mick also left diaries for his first 2 wives and all three have to agree to publish for it to happen.

The children play a large part in the story as do Eva's pugs, Bee and Bumble. The 10year old boy, Joel, is very noisy and loves acting out dramas in front of anyone who'll give him attention. I couldn't stop thinking of the middle child, Ben, in the TV sitcom Outnumbered whenever Joel appeared. He seemed to be exactly the same character.

It was well written but for me the characters seemed to act out of character from time to time and I found it all distracted me from the storyline. I found it hard to believe that Eva, who was the sort of person who kept a low profile and was private would so easily agree to the publication of Mick diaries without a much tighter contract and editorial control.

I had never read any of Lucy Dillon’s work before I picked this one up and I’ll be sure to read more of her books now. I certainly went though a lot of emotions whilst reading this book. It is a calming story about a family going through a rough patch in their lives.

At first I thought this story would follow Caitlin and Patrick’s life but it is through Caitlin that we learn about Eva, who is Patrick’s older sister. This was an unexpected bonus for me. This really made the story more complex and interesting by adding layers and depth.

What Lucy Dillon does perfectly in this story is she doesn’t let the reader feel pity or anger with one particular character for a long time. She quickly changes tracks making the readers opinion change too. At first I really didn’t like Patrick because of how patronising he was but later on in the book I did change my opinion of him. I liked Caitlin’s character as even though she was going through a really hard time in her life she kept going. My favourite character was Eva, I instantly got caught up in her story and her feelings.

Each of Lucy Dillon’s characters have deep and complex personalities. Nancy reminded me of my younger sister when she was Nancy’s age. Always talking, singing and laughing. I really couldn’t imagine if my younger sister stopped talking altogether. Nancy’s story is a heart-breaking one. I saw a little of myself in Joel with how clumsy he is which is just like me.

This book touches on so many issues, divorce, anxiety, hiding your secrets and the biggest issue being family life. This book definitely approaches all of these issues incredibly.

This book is a slow burner though. Due to this I felt uncertain about it at the beginning. I didn’t think the book was for me as I usually like fast-paced books. But as the story slowly developed I got into it a whole lot more. Although it is a slow burner it has to be this way in order to have the many layers it has to slowly peel off.

Overall, I would recommend this books to anyone who wants a fiction story that tackles a lot of issues and wants to read a heartwarming story. I will definitely be reading more Lucy Dillon books in the future.

Thank to Lucy Dillon, Hodder Paperbooks and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an excellent novel about Caitlin and Patrick, whose marriage is going through a stale patch. Patrick is working away all week, and Caitlin and the two children(Joel, and Nancy) are missing him, and struggling with their mother in his absence.
Caitlin feels that she is being taken for granted, and wants to return to her footloose and fancy-free days before she married and had children. Patrick cannot understand this, and tries to involve his sister, Auntie Eva into the arguments that follow.
Bumble and Bee are her dogs, who are all that remains of her late marriage to an older man, who had already been married twice, and who didn't want to have any more children. However, he didn't ever ask what Eva wanted, and now she is widowed and alone with her dogs.
However she has some wonderful friends, including Alex, who is trying to persuade her to allow her husband's diaries to be published. She has read them, and realized she didn't really know her husband that well. However, when his first two wives are included in the discussions, things start to come apart at the seams.
Eva tries to come to terms with her childlessness, whilst trying to help her brother, and her sister-in-law look after the children.
Nancy is so traumatized by her parents inability to stay together, becomes selectively mute, and only talks to Joel, and her aunts' dogs.
In trying to get professional help for her, her parents realize that they are closer than they thought.
Thank you for the chance to read and review this book to Net Galley, and the publisher.