Synopsis: Behind every successful man is a woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
Sophie Mayhew looks like she has the perfect life. Wife of rising political star John F Mayhew, a man who is one step away from the top job in the government, her glamour matches his looks, power, breeding and money. But John has made some stupid mistakes along the way, some of which are threatening to emerge. Still, all this can still be swept under the carpet as long as Sophie ‘the trophy’ plays her part in front of the cameras.
But the words that come out of Sophie’s mouth one morning on the doorstep of their country house are not the words the spin doctors put in there. Bursting out of the restrictive mould she has been in since birth, Sophie flees to a place that was special to her as a child, a small village on the coast where she intends to be alone.
But once there, she finds she becomes part of a community that warms her soul and makes her feel as if she is breathing properly for the first time. Sophie knows she won’t be left in peace for long. Now she must decide: where does her real future lie?
STAR RATING: 5/5
My Review: The last MJ book I read I think I ended up either not finishing of feeling disappointed with which is highly unusual. However, when scrolling through my endless to read list I noticed this one and decided my last attempt must have been a one off, and I am thrilled that I was right.
Sophie Mayhew is our main lady and she is married to John who is a rising political star. It’s totally clear from the first few chapters that John Mayhew and the whole family (including Sophie’s) are just vile people that only care about John’s rise to fame. Sophie on the other hand is a woman that you can just adore, and it’s very clear that she is the backbone of what John has built. When sordid secrets hit the press of course the spin doctors working for John plan what they all need to say and Sophie is due to stand alongside her husband as his pillar of support. Sadly for all of them they had just no idea of what was going to happen, and it seemed neither did Sophie.
As she stood on the steps with all the cameras facing her she did the complete opposite of what was expected of her and subsequently flees from John and the rest of the family. She ends up in a small village near the sea close to the School she once loathed as a child. This story is pure warmth from your head to the very tip of your toes. Sophie is a wonderful character, as are the people she meets when she moves away and is in hiding. This whole story was an absolute joy to read and everything about it made me want to make sure I had no other hidden gems from this author lurking in my unread pile.
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