I knew it wouldn’t be easy for my kids to adjust when we moved to a tiny village where they didn’t know a soul. But after the death of my husband, we needed a fresh start.
Suddenly, we’re outsiders. I know the only way we’ll be accepted is if I throw myself into my new life, so when my son joins a local club, I volunteer to help along with the other parents.
Before moving here, I didn’t know people like this really existed; their lives seem too perfect to be real. Although my own life couldn’t be more different, they welcome me into the fold. For the first time since my husband died, I feel like I made the right decision for my family…
That is until I overhear something that tells me these other parents aren’t as perfect as they seem. Something that turns my world upside down again.
My secret has already ruined my life once. I thought the truth had died with my husband… I should have known that it wouldn’t be buried for long.
Review
I’m on the fence a bit about The Parents. While it was indeed full of juicy secrets, the ones the story concentrated on were not the most interesting. The story is told from two viewpoints, Patti and Alex. For the most part, Alex is generally likeable and the hints about her secret are intriguing. It’s also interesting to see the other characters from the perspective of a newcomer to a tight-knit village. On the other hand, I found Patti to be rather annoying. While she is made out to be kind and caring, although not without her own faults, I found her to be rather fake and too eager to be in with the people she regarded as important. Also, I feel like her secret was much more than local gossip and should have been dealt with with more care ask detail.
There are plenty of other secondary characters in The Parents, and you do come to grips with who’s who over time. Although I know there wouldn’t have been space to cover everyone equally, I would have liked to have seen some of these characters more developed. Their secrets were pretty interesting and would maybe even be worth of a full book.
I did think that The Parents was a good insight into small town life. While everything may seem idyllic on the outside (and the Kent setting was truly beautiful), quite often we see competition, pettiness and backstabbing.
Sounds interesting? You can get The Parents here.
Joyful Antidotes 