A Song Of Me & You

 

A Song of Me & You by Mike Gayle -contemporary fiction

There’s something rather special about reading a Mike Gayle book and I’ve read a few. Each and every one has taken me to a special place. One where within a few chapters I most certainly feel as if I'm amongst friends and willing and wanting the best things to happen for them. It's strange isn't it how fiction can make us feel? A sense of camaraderie and almost belonging. Books that I long to keep reading whilst all the time not wanting them to end. Mike is a truly gifted author and if you are looking for a comfort read, a pick-me-up perhaps, they could be just the tonic- each one stands alone (not a series). 

In this one, Helen has split from her husband when she found out about his affair and his subsequent moving in elsewhere. He and his girlfriend have taken over what should have been their family holiday- the last one before their eldest goes off to university. There’s a knock at the door as Helen recovers herself from being parted from her two children and the general upset of it all.. She is surprised to say the very least to find a man she hasn't seen for decades- Ben- someone she used to go out with in her teens. Ben is now a huge success as a rock star but there’s something about him that tells her things aren’t quite as they seem. It appears that they both have secrets. What on earth is he doing in Manchester when he lives in the states after all these years and why come to her?

A treasure, a pleasure and an honour to read this. I was moved beyond words and I'm smiling as I write this. A life affirming read that there is good in the world and sometimes to reach out a hand can mean so much to someone in need. A rare gem of a book.

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