Single All The Way is a well-written festive novel that successfully fuses family drama and food for thought about choices we make in life and how they impact our dear ones. I didn’t stumble upon any lengthy portions despite the fact that the action unfolds over a long period of time, which made for a pleasant reading session.

I found the general plot idea brilliant and refreshing. Both mother and daughter find themselves single around Christmastime, but for very different reasons. Basically, the novel is about couplehood, an intricate relationship made up of compromises, sacrifices, ups and downs. The stakes were deep and interesting and all perspectives were factored in, which allowed for a complete view of the origin of the issues at hand.

From the start, there’s a small suspense about why Meg and Oliver decided to end their marriage. I must admit I figured it out right away. If you don’t want to know what it is, then stop reading. But, honestly it’s not a major spoil. The book is about much more than that. So, there it goes: the fact that Oliver doesn’t share Meg’s willingness to have children was the trigger of their breakup (and he took his sweet time to make up his mind, leading Meg on about the prospect of making babies!). Having such diverging goals in life is obviously a make or break situation. However, I was slightly disappointed that the author chose the well-trodden path of “childhood trauma” to explain why Oliver doesn’t wish to become a father. At the end the author explained she found inspiration in a testimony about a man in a similar situation, so it all made sense. But it is such a stereotypical reason that some people tend to forget that you don’t need some kind of trauma to long for a different way of life, aka child-free. I’ll grant that childhood trauma makes for narrative tension in the storyline. And the resolution between Meg and Oliver felt natural, unforced. A bit conventional, but still satisfying.

My favourite character is definitely Sally, a deeply conflicted retiree who feels at odds between her sense of duty to her husband and family, and her yearning for freedom and world-travelling. She’s a very endearing, touching character who will certainly resonate with many female readers of her age (or not, after all, I’m definitely closer to Meg’s age). I enjoyed reading about Sally’s inner turmoil and how she navigated this difficult tipping point in her personal life. It echoed Meg’s issue because it sort of forebodes what could happen to her, depending on her decisions. I would surely love to read about Sally’s adventures in some sort of sequel.

All in all, I had a great time reading Single All The Way. It deserves being called « unputdownable ». I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a different, deeper Christmas read. You’ll have it all, the family drama, the romance and the feel-good.

***I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Karen King and Bookouture.***

2.5 stars

Single All the Way, by Karen King, is a story about the breakdown of 2 marriages. Meg leaves her husband after she finds out a devastating secret. At the same time, she finds out her mother, Sally, is leaving her dad. The 2 get a cottage together to figure out how they feel and whether or not they can salvage their relationships.

I wish I could say I enjoyed this book. It was, in many ways, a real look at the breakdown of a relationship, all of the what-ifs and regrets and introspection. Unfortunately, it was also a story of assumptions, lack of communication and jumping to conclusions. At first, I didn’t feel very warmly toward Oliver or Ted, though I did warm to them eventually. I liked Meg and Sally, but I think the story leaned a little too heavily on the women’s sides of the stories. I liked the way things turned out, but I didn’t enjoy the journey to get there in terms of the characters. The setting was quaint, and the villagers were warm and caring. The bulk of the story was Meg and Sally figuring out what they wanted, or distracting themselves from how they were feeling. The whole thing just felt a little disjoint.

This was a great book. As someone who is close to their mother, I loved that this storyline was about a mother and daughter who are trying to pick each other up after heartbreak. I also loved that this book was set in Cornwall. This book I think is perfect for a bookclub and I'll be recommending it to ours as their festive read.

I was very unfortunately disappointed by this book. I love winter set books but this just didn't do it for me