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Book Review - By Your Side By Ruth Jones

  By Your Side By Ruth Jones Genre - Women's Fiction My Rating - ★★★★★ I had the incredible chance to dive into an advance copy of Ruth Jones's, By Your side, thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers. Due to be released on 22nd May 2025   This is the third book that I have read by Ruth Jones and it really did not disappoint.   Synopsis Linda and Levi will never meet. But they’re going to change each other’s lives. In her role at the council’s Unclaimed Heirs Unit, Linda Standish investigates the lives of those who’ve died alone and tracks down any living relatives. She’s been a friend to the friendless for the past thirty-three years. And now she’s looking forward to an early retirement. But before she hangs up her lanyard, Linda takes on one last case – that of Levi Norman – a Welshman who made his home on a remote Scottish island for the past five years. What brought Levi here? And who did he leave behind? Obliged to travel (by hear...
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Book review - The Second Child by Caroline Bond






By Caroline Bond 

My rating: ★★★★☆
Goodreads: 3.96/5
Genre: Modern and Contemporary fiction

This is Caroline Bond's Debut novel. Published in March 2018. Selected for radio 2 book group.

Synopsis 

Why do you love your child? Is it because they're a straight A student, a talented footballer? Or is it simply because they're yours?

Sarah and Phil love both their children, James and Lauren. The couple have the same hopes and aspirations as any parent. But their expectations are shattered when they discover that their perfect daughter has been born with a flaw; a tiny, but life-changing glitch that is destined to shape her future, and theirs, irrevocably. 

Over time the family learn to adapt and even thrive. Then one day a blood test casts doubt on the very basis of their family. Lauren is not Phil's child. Suddenly, their precious family is on the brink of destruction. But the truth they face is far more complex and challenging than simple infidelity. It tests their capacity to love, each other and their children, and it raises the question of what makes - and what breaks - a family.

My review 

I received The Second Child through a book subscription, which I received in July. Its an author I had never heard of but I loved the cover and was definitely intrigued to read.
After reading chapter one i could not put it down. It was a compelling, emotional and heartbreaking read. The way in which it is written, allows a deeper understanding of what everyone is going through. Several characters perspective are put forward, allowing all sides of the story to be told. 
This book for me highlights a families trust, love and loyalty and the disarray that can be caused if the family life balance is broken.  
Everything was going well until the last chapter.  I read the last paragraph and then turned the page expecting more only to find it had ended. The abrupt finish surprised me. I found it a little disappointing. After taking time to reflect I can see what the author wanted to achieve by finishing there, but I personally think it needed to just round things up a little more and end with a chapter set couple of years later. There are a lot of outcomes that could happen to both families and I feel that the story has not been concluded.

Overall this book is a real page tuner, it was well written and at times even thought provoking. You certainly are left thinking what would I be doing in that situation. Would I do things differently.


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