Beautiful Day by Kate AnthonyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Time taken to read - 2.5 days
Publisher - Penguin
Pages - 384
Source - Realreaders
Blurb from Goodreads
Rachel is looking for her beautiful day. She's worried about everything: being a good mother, money and starting a new job.
Philip is a lost soul in the world and he could do with a friend.
They are just about to meet and when they do everything will change. Rachel and Philip don't know it yet, but they each have what the other needs. They can save one another, and not in the way you might expect.
This is a story about finding happiness and love in all their forms. And how sometimes you can find them in the most unlikely of places.
My Review
Rachel is finding life challenging to say the least. She is starting a new job as a resident care assistant working with vulnerable adults. Her children and her are trying to adjust to the new routine of her being out the house, her husband has left them and he has a new lady. The live in au pair is a nightmare and thats just the start of it. When Rachel is flung in at the deep end with a new resident, Philip, Rachel finds herself out of her depth but determined to help and stick at it.
The story covers a lot of ground, a failed marriage, trying to cope with the aftermath, learning to do the mum thing without an active partner. Her job is challenging, fulfilling and she loves the residents but people in the job aren't quite as helpful as one might have hoped.
The book presents many challenges, achievements, tears, upsets and a beautiful relationship with Philip and Rachel. It also demonstrates how actions can impact on another persons life. I really enjoyed this book, for a debut novel it is very well executed. Anthony draws on her experience as a residential social worker which I think adds to the realism of the story. The characters are very well portrayed as you switch emotions, especially with Rachel, as you learn more about her as see her behaviors and actions.
I could have read this in one go I think, had life permitted as it's an engaging tale where you want to see how the characters and plot develops. This is my first time reading this author and I would definitely read her again. I hope she gives us more care based stories and maybe follows up with Rachel. 4/5 for me this time, thanks so much to RealReaders for providing me with an ARC of this book. You will be able to get your own copy from 10th April 2014 from all good retailers.
