Isla Dewar's books are wonderful. They're like sitting in a snuggly sofa with a glass of wine and some chocolate. You immerse yourself in a family which is normal and quirky and argumentative and above all deeply loving. I wish I knew them. ( )

An easy light read. I enjoyed the characters. ( )

I love this book! It reminded me of "Behind the scenes at the Museum". It's a story about a family and their complicated and interwoven relations. I got the impression that every character in the book was presented in the worst possible light with all their faults, weaknesses and foolishness exposed. I smiled and laughed a lot during the little bickerings and fights that happened because they were so very well observed and I liked the writing style: contrasting the dialogue/fight with their feelings. Despite what I found out about Lily, Marie, Rory, Mattie and John I really liked them and rooted for them. Which reminds me of my favourite quote from the book (although I'm not a romantic person):
Art: "I think love is knowledge. You only love someone once you know them. Then the more you know them the more you love them."
Lily: "Sometimes the more you know somebody the less you love them."
Art:"Then you didn't really love them in the first place."

While I enjoyed the setting and the writing, I found it hard to like any of the characters in this novel. So many of the characters were selfish and quirky in an intolerable way. ( )

A pleasant, comforting story whose focus is the members of an extended family, all of whom are struggling with disappointments in their own lives and envy over the lives of other members. The result is a slice of life novel with well-drawn characters, interesting stories, and a large dose of humor. I particularly liked that Ms. Dewar could take the most banal of events, such as giving a cheese sandwich to the wrong person, and fashion a situation whose emotional content I immediately understood. If you're looking for an uncomplicated, make-you-feel-good sort of book, I enjoyed this one. ( )