The Real Liddy James
The perfect summer holiday read
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
'Zippy, smart, well-written ... it manages to be both delicious escapism and refreshingly real' Sunday Times Ireland
Everyone who meets her thinks they know Liddy James.
A single mother, immaculately dressed, she is one of New York City's top lawyers and seems to juggle her complicated life with ease. Despite her all-consuming work, her devastating divorce, and her two sons to look after, here she is - on top of the high wire.
But after a catastrophic incident on prime time TV, Liddy realises the act is over. She decides to take some time off with the boys and retrace her family's history in Ireland. But being marooned in the Celtic countryside is no instant fix, and it is not until Liddy has encountered a stormy neighbour, an unorthodox wedding and a very surprising guest, that she remembers how to be The Real Liddy James.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Casey (No One Could Have Guessed the Weather) continues to probe the complexities of 40-something women's lives in her latest novel. Liddy James is one of New York's most successful divorce lawyers. Having literally written the book on how to have a healthy divorce, Liddy maintains a cordial, even friendly, co-parenting relationship with her ex, Peter, and his new partner, Rose. But when Rose's unexpected pregnancy coincides with teenage son Matty's behavioral problems and a divorce case that hits a little too close to home, it's clear that Liddy is just one step away from a breakdown. A return to her native Ireland may be exactly what she needs to remind her what's really important. Liddy's manic success, fueled as much by fear of failure as by ambition, offers rich potential for both humor and sympathy. Readers will enjoy spending time in her tumultuous company; they may even find themselves thumbing past the excessive sections devoted to Rose's less compelling quandaries, mostly stemming from her insecurities and lack of academic motivation. Liddy repeatedly asserts that she does not, in fact, know who she really is, which gets tiresome and a bit on the nose; nevertheless, readers will be rooting for this human manifestation of drive and blind determination to stop leaning in and start breathing in. And out. Slowly.
