Stuck in Second Gear by Carmen Reid
Stuck in Second Gear by Carmen Reid
Divorced, Re-wedded. Survived....
Lucie Marshal is absolutely furious! How did she go from being a successful wife and mother to divorced, teetering on bankruptcy, and barely speaking to her grown-up daughter? Even worse, she’s just heard that her moronic ex-husband Miles is marrying a much younger woman in an influencer-style wedding in France #blessed #theone
Lucie will absolutely NOT be going. To hell with Miles, his new teeth, new hair and new wife! She’s perfectly fine...In fact, Lucie feels lost and angry almost all of the time. Just what happened to her younger, freer wild child self, who used to live life to the full?
But then pregnant daughter Zoe needs a lift... and eccentric nephew Deva needs a lift too and now Lucie has somehow agreed to drive her Dad’s beloved old Jag all the way across France to take them to her ex-husband’s wedding.
With a pitstop in Paris, a breakdown, unexpected passengers, and miles of open road, all set to Deva’s showtunes soundtrack – could this be the journey Lucie needs to find a way back to herself?
 |
| Stuck in Second Gear by Carmen Reid |
My review
It is an emotional time for Lucie as the joy at preparing to welcome daughter Zoe’s baby is tinged with the sadness of knowing that her beloved Dad is nearing the end of his days, and her ex-husband is staging a wedding to rival an A-list celebrity, set in the south of France.
Oh my! Poor Lucie, but this book was just what I needed. A story to escape into, a wise Dad with spot on advice, a Mum who needed guiding as much as her pregnant daughter and a handful of other characters who made me smile or laugh out loud. Having fallen in love with Carmen’s writing with her personal shopper series starring Annie Valentine, I should have guessed this book would also have French fashion twist. Enter Deva, her nephew and probably one of my favourite characters. He was unique, interesting and entertaining, and thanks to him I certainly know more than before about the extraordinary life of Coco Chanel.
 |
| Stuck in Second Gear by Carmen Reid |
There were many surprises in this book, as Lucie valiantly embarks on an unforgettable drive across France with Zoe and Deva, and each situation they find themselves in is more eye-opening and thought-provoking than the last. This might not be a Christmas novel, set during the summer in the south of France, but there is no denying that the message of Peace on earth, Goodwill to Men came across to me as loudly and clearly as if Deva had been singing a Christmas carol.
I was more than happy to get stuck into this book, so much so, towards the end, putting it down and popping back into the real world became rather tricky. I loved it all, but it was her dad’s positivity, courage and support from the sidelines that will stay with me for a long time.
Purchase links
French Village Diaries is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk at no extra cost to you.
Carmen Reid
Author Bio
Carmen Reid is the bestselling author of numerous woman’s fiction titles including the Personal Shopper series starring Annie Valentine. After taking a break from writing she is back, introducing her hallmark feisty women characters to a new generation of readers. She lives in Glasgow with her husband and children.
Social Media
Here is my review of a previous novel by Carmen Reid, also set in France:
 |
| Stuck in Second Gear by Carmen Reid |
I hadn't read any Carmen Reid books before I read this one, but I loved it! I have now bought a couple of her books and will be working my way through her backlist!
ReplyDelete