Review: An Accidental Life by Chelsea Cannon
Rating 3 stars

When Margaret accepts Williams proposal at 17 years old, she never imagines her life turning out the way it does. Dutifully following in the footsteps of the women in her life before her, she raises children and is the doting housewife. It isn't until years later she starts to examine herself, and what she truly wants. When Margaret surprises herself and pursues a personal goal, she finds herself stuck between two lives, one safe and comfortable, the other completely the opposite.

This was a quick and easy read for me. I thought that the writing flowed really well, even though the contents of the plot wasnt necessarily my cup of tea! I would have loved some more inner monologue moments from Margarets character as i love an indepth character driven plot. Ive already recommended this to a couple of friends as i know they'd enjoy it.

Thank you so much Netgalley for the copy of the book!

Amazing read. Powerful and thought provoking and just spectacular! Margaret and William marry young and the direction their lives take will lead you on a journey of love, loss and finding who you are and where you need to be. This book is well written and the characters come alive on the pages, waiting for you to discover what waits for them around the corner. Such a great read. Could not put it down.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Chelsea Cannon and Matcha Publishing for hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

The blurb is nothing like the book! I almost didnt request this because I thought it was going to be a typical fiction book but there are so many layers that pull you in

This is a story for anyone who's ever wondered 'what if. The characters are relatable and this is a fun ride.

In this book, Margaret agrees to a proposal based on the fact that there are no other alternatives open to her.
Then, 15 years on, she is presented with the opportunity to follow her aspirations under a secret identity. She then finds herself facing a new dilemma. Does she come clean, or does she continue living life with her second identity.

I really liked Margaret, and found the way in which the author portrayed her to be authentic and realistic, allowing readers to see her as a person they can relate to at times.

The story was written beautifully and took us through a range of emotions throughout. An enjoyable read from start to finish.

Margaret does like a lot of women in her time and sets her life aside to marry and start a family. She knows it is not enough, but lives as best as she can this way. When a class is offered for screenwriting, she decides it is time to take a chance on herself for once. The class ends up helping her live again and helps her meet a man that will change everything. There was such intense emotion and great dialogue in this book. I think a lot of women wonder about the path not taken and what that could look like. I really liked the writing style and thought it was really well written. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Matcha Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of this debut novel by Chelsea Cannon - 4 stars!

Margaret was 17 years old when William Hill asked her to marry him. She had planned on going to college to be a nurse but that wasn't her passion; reading and literature were but her family would never pay for an education to study those subjects. Margaret said yes to William and put the rest of her dreams in the past. Life was good as long as she fell into her role as housewife and mother to their two children, but Margaret never felt complete. When she had the chance to take a college course in literature, it changed her life in ways she never could have imagined and put her in a position of keeping secrets from her family. But secrets always come to light.

Full disclosure - I requested this book from NetGalley solely because it takes place in Saratoga Springs NY where I live - who doesn't love to read a book with such a familiar setting? I didn't have high expectations but was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to get lost in this book. In begins in the 1970s when women were still not as free to explore options other than marriage and babies, especially when that's all they ever knew. But denying your hopes and dreams is never a good plan and can only lead to heartache. I enjoyed watching Margaret mature and own her life.

This book was a delight, it is short, sweet, and with just enough story to help engage with the characters. My initial thought was that there was room to add 50-100 pages to expand on some of the character development, however, once I completed reading, I think it would take away from the light nature of the story, loved the ending too.

Thank you to Matcha Publishing and NetGalley for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.

Its been a while since I read a book that wasn't a thriller, mystery or YA and I was on the fence about reading this book, but I'm glad I took the chance. I wasn't sure how I felt about the main character having to take on a secret Identity in order to fufill her dreams but I was glad she was able to!

I loved the characters and the story that leaves us with some reflections on our own life’s decisions.

Margaret has recently found herself feeling trapped by the every day monotone of her life as a homemaker. She was married at only 17 and has realised that she doesnt want to keep playing her assigned role in her husband’s life but to be the lead in her own.

I didn't like any of the characters in this story and felt like not finishing this book


Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for An Accidental Life ARC!

#AnAccidentalLifedebutnovel #NetGalley

I loved this book. My heart ached for Margaret for not being able to step up and live the life she has always wanted. This debut book is not to be missed. A strong solid plot and characters that just stay with you will have you flipping pages to find out what Margaret does. Happy reading!

Thank you to Netgalley, Matcha Publishing and Chelsea Cannon for this advanced reader's copy in return for my honest review. Definitely a fast read, I read it in three sittings. I found Margaret to be a relatable character that I enjoyed getting to know. Entertaining and light story.

This wasn't exactly what i expected from it. The blurb undersells it and it does not display the full potential the book has and the deeper meanings. The blurb makes it seem a shallower and lighter read but this had moments of depth and clarity that belong in deeper and more literary texts. I liked Magaret as a character and thought she had an interesting arc overall. I wished that other women had been featured more prominently as it seemed as those they were not present in her life or they were just underdeveloped and could have been done a bit better. This was a highly readable book and it was one i was glad i picked up as it focused on societal issues that are still being discussed and still important today.

Margaret Wilcox dreams of studying literature at college but with disapproving parents, who refuse to pay for a course which they believe has no purpose, Margaret's aspirations for college are short-lived. When William Hill asks Margaret to marry him at the age of seventeen Margaret says yes as she doesn't see an alternative life. William's job allows her to stay at home, giving her time to read, and she remains a home maker and brings up their two children Michael and Emily.

Fast forward 15 years, and an opportunity arises for a screenwriting course. Margaret is desperate to sign up but the class is full. However, an opportunity arises which allows Margaret to sit the course, but it involves the need for her to live a double life. We all know lies don't last forever and always have consequences- but what does this mean for Margaret?

At first I wasn't sure what to make of this book! I loved it and hated it all at the same time! It was an easy, light and, but at times found the story predictable and unrealistic. I found that the novel touched upon some great themes such as identity, being true to oneself and following our own passions in life, but I think the lack of depth let it down. There were areas where not enough attention was given to and the story seemed to skip out important bits, such as when Charles was born. What were William's reactions at the time? And many other questions which I won't state as I don't want to give away spoilers.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of An Accidental Life in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely easy read in the time of Covid. An Accidental Life is the story of Margaret and the decisions she makes and the secrets she keeps as a younger woman return and change her life in ways she couldn't have imagined.

This book is definitely a fast read but a very pleasant one. In my opinion, I sometimes felt that the characters were not as strong which makes the reader not as attached to the story. Even tho it is a bit obvious what the ending would be I can say that there is a small part that I did not see coming in the end. I think the ending, literally the last couple of pages, were so strong that it closed the book incredibly good. I was lacking something throughout the whole plot and while I was reading it I keep searching for that something...and let me tell you the ending was great and brought that something. The last couple of pages make the story come alive and feel so personal. I do recommend it because it is a fast read, entertaining, and with a good ending. It might seem slow or that it might be missing something but stick with it and the ending won't let you down.

Margaret says yes to a proposal based on other alternative being available to her. Fifteen years later, she has an opportunity to partake in her aspirations using a secret identity. She is able to do this and sees no way to escape. So, she has to decide whether to come clean or to continue living the secret identity. I found the struggles of Margaret to be relatable, as many women question the paths their lives have taken once they reach middle age. The author captured the emotional journey of Margaret realistically and beautifully.

I really struggled with this book. Even from the get go I found it hard to attach to any of the characters and found them 2d and pathetic. From seeing these reviews I am glad that others feel the same.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the novel and the story line. I felt that the characters accepted disappointment in life unrealistically graciously, but it is a good novel.