‘Having grown up on the quiet island of Guernsey, Betty Dean can't wait to start her new life in London. On a mission to find Clara Pickle - the mysterious beneficiary in her grandmother's will - she arrives in grungy, 1990s Soho, ready for whatever life has to throw at her. Or so she thinks...In 1920s bohemian London, Arlette - Betty's grandmother - is starting her new life in a time of post-war change. Beautiful and charismatic, Arlette is soon drawn into the hedonistic world of the Bright Young People. But less than two years later, tragedy strikes and she flees back to Guernsey for the rest of her life. As Betty searches for Clara, she is taken on a journey through Arlette's extraordinary time in London, uncovering a tale of love, loss and heartbreak. Will the secrets of Arlette's past help Betty on her path to happiness?’
Betty has spent years putting her own dreams on hold whilst looking after her elderly grandmother, Arlette, in a big, old house on the island of Guernsley. When Arlette dies, leaving a mystery London-based benefactor some money in her will, Betty heads to Soho, determined to fulfil her grandmother’s wishes and more than ready for her life to truly begin. What Betty discovers will change everything she thought she knew about her grandmother, and possibly herself as well.
‘Before I Met You’ seamlessly flits between 1920s and 1990s London, and I loved reading about both periods, although the 1920s scenes did hold a particular fascination for me. Lisa must have had so much fun researching the music and clothes of the era! One brilliant addition to the tale was the use of genuine historical facts about the Southern Syncopated Orchestra, a group who toured the UK during 1919-1921. The information is very cleverly weaved into the story, which was not only extremely interesting, but resulted in the culmination of Arlette’s time in London being all the more poignant.
I adored both of the story’s heroines. Betty was so caring to Arlette and so brave going off to London all by herself, especially when she’d had so little experience of cities or even renting a flat as she’d been stuck on Guernsey for so long. She doesn’t let anything get her down for long, and meets some fascinating characters along the way. The choices she faces are tough, and I had almost as hard a time as she did trying to decide what she should do for the best.
As for Arlette, her London life starts off just as life for a 1920s girl about town should – she’s pretty, has fabulous clothes and plenty of friends to ‘gad about with’! When circumstances go against her it just seems so unfair because she really is the last person to deserve such bad luck! She has a wonderful dignity throughout, which I found very engaging and made me warm to her.
Lisa Jewell has proved again and again that she’s one of the finest writers of women’s fiction around, and with ‘Before I Met You’ she’s produced another very good read. She’s an author whose new novels I eagerly anticipate and she immediately goes to the top of my ‘to read’ pile. She’s going to have a hard time topping this with her next offering!
4 and a half stars
Betty has spent years putting her own dreams on hold whilst looking after her elderly grandmother, Arlette, in a big, old house on the island of Guernsley. When Arlette dies, leaving a mystery London-based benefactor some money in her will, Betty heads to Soho, determined to fulfil her grandmother’s wishes and more than ready for her life to truly begin. What Betty discovers will change everything she thought she knew about her grandmother, and possibly herself as well.
‘Before I Met You’ seamlessly flits between 1920s and 1990s London, and I loved reading about both periods, although the 1920s scenes did hold a particular fascination for me. Lisa must have had so much fun researching the music and clothes of the era! One brilliant addition to the tale was the use of genuine historical facts about the Southern Syncopated Orchestra, a group who toured the UK during 1919-1921. The information is very cleverly weaved into the story, which was not only extremely interesting, but resulted in the culmination of Arlette’s time in London being all the more poignant.
I adored both of the story’s heroines. Betty was so caring to Arlette and so brave going off to London all by herself, especially when she’d had so little experience of cities or even renting a flat as she’d been stuck on Guernsey for so long. She doesn’t let anything get her down for long, and meets some fascinating characters along the way. The choices she faces are tough, and I had almost as hard a time as she did trying to decide what she should do for the best.
As for Arlette, her London life starts off just as life for a 1920s girl about town should – she’s pretty, has fabulous clothes and plenty of friends to ‘gad about with’! When circumstances go against her it just seems so unfair because she really is the last person to deserve such bad luck! She has a wonderful dignity throughout, which I found very engaging and made me warm to her.
Lisa Jewell has proved again and again that she’s one of the finest writers of women’s fiction around, and with ‘Before I Met You’ she’s produced another very good read. She’s an author whose new novels I eagerly anticipate and she immediately goes to the top of my ‘to read’ pile. She’s going to have a hard time topping this with her next offering!
4 and a half stars
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