This was the first Cathy Kelly book I've read and I really enjoyed it will definitely be picking her novels up in future. Chic lit is such a wide genre now that some stories are repetitive same old same old but this was definitely different. Set in 3 countries across two different eras and with the focus of the story being on several different women and their perspective on dealing with adultery it really gave different sides to the the time old story. Lilly is old in her 90s and looking back on life after Jodi a young Australian woman comes to live in her village and decides to dig up a story on the old manor house in the village she asks Lilly for her help with the story but Lilly has a stroke before she can tell what she knows. Lilly's mind however continues to reminisce about the time she worked as a nurse in London during the war and despite her strict catholic upbringing found herself having an affair with a married man. Izzie is Lilly's granddaughter whom she bright up after the death of Izzie's mum Izzie has moved to New York where she is currently having an affair with a married man whom she believed to be on the edge of divorce she is also trying to set up her own business for models of normal size and shape upon hearing the news of her grandmothers stroke she must return to Ireland and face up to her own actions after seeing the way adultery affects others. Annelise is Lilly's daughter in law, wrapped up in her own depression she doesn't realise her husband has been carrying on with her best friend until it is too late and he has left her for said friend. Annelise is devastated by the affects adultery has on her and her family and tries to kill herself only to be rescued and saved in more than one way. Love, heartbreak, family and history what more can you want from a truly decent and rarely seen chic lit novel? Ms Kelly is a master of her art. I have to say that this book wasn't as cliched and predictable as I thought it was going to be. It didn't have the typical nice, happy endings for everyone that most books in this genre tend to have, which I liked. I also liked the 1940s story interwoven through it. Although it was still a fairly easy and light read, it was not as "fluffy" as some of this author's other offerings and I must admit to being pleasantly surprised by it. I'd give it a 3.5 if possible.
What do You think about Blijf Bij Me (2008)?
I was disappointed. This was one of the very few books that didn't leave me wanting to turn pages.
—korsi
Great read! Sometimes I just want to read a Cathy Kelly book and this one delivered!
—Eve
