Member Review

Andy Topic moves back to Rookery Cove in Tasmania, her parents passed away four years ago, and she’s been offered a teaching job at the local college and with a possibility of a promotion. Addy’s a very mixed up person, who uses alcohol and one night stands to cover up her pain. She reluctantly becomes involved in the community choir, her mum’s best friend Brenda convinces her to join and so much for keeping a low profile while in town!

Stephanie Gallagher moves to Rookery Cove with her husband Henry and young son Monty for a sea change and to live life at a much slower pace. Stephanie desperately wants to have another baby and Henry has a teenage daughter Zoe who lives with her mother in Melbourne. The dynamics in the house changes when thirteen year old Zoe starts living with them full-time, Stephanie feels she’s doing everything for both children and she's overwhelmed. Stephanie decides to join the newly formed choir, it will give her a break from being at home and hopefully she will make some much needed friends.

When Brenda Lambeck's husband Glen suddenly passes away, and she decides to still build their retirement home in Rookery Cove. Marilyn boards with Brenda, she’s a teacher at the local school and she thinks it’s a great idea to start a choir? Brenda’s has three adult children, Colin, Courtney and Richard and she’s a proud grandmother and sees her grandchildren every week. Brenda’s been keeping a big secret for years, if it's discovered, she knows the one person who will make her life difficult and judge her very harshly will be her daughter Courtney.

All hell breaks loose when someone blabs about Brenda's private life and it has a domino effect. Andy, Brenda and Stephanie are all forced to face the problems and challenges in their lives and can they make to changes to save their troubled relationships and friendships? The story highlights very common issues that women and teenage girls face in today’s world, sexism in the work place, gas lighting, using alcohol to cope, imbalance of parenting and running a household, teenage girls being bullied at school and how it changes their behavior, and the difficulties of coming out to your family and friends.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review, Fiona Lowe’s narrative tackles subjects that most women can relate to and will have experienced during some stage. Using music, singing and being in a choir creates a bond between the characters, shows the importance of being part of a group and the community can help a persons mental health and self-esteem. I highly recommend reading A Family of Strangers and five big stars from me.