A Town Called Solace

I just finished A town called solace by Mary Lawson and here is what I thought.....

Rose is gone. She packs a bag and flees the home she cannot stand, leaving her little sister, Clara waiting at the window every night for a message that never comes.

Clara's friend, the old lady next door, Mrs Orchard, needs her to feed her cat while she is in hospital. The cat is the only reason Clara stops her vigil every night.

Mrs Orchard has left the house to a man, Liam, newly divorced and unemployed, he decides to fix the house up to sell. As the story unfolds, we find all three of these people are all uniquely linked and secrets always have a way of coming out no matter what you do.

I found the book to be a little slower paced than I normally like but the writing was so lovely that the pace of the book wasn't really a factor in my enjoyment. I found the storyline to be very strong and weaving of the three POV was done so well. I was a little distraught at how things worked out in the end. It wasn't a happily ever after for anyone but a slightly better future definitely came from it.

I felt Clara's parents didn't understand her and that was rather sad and her sister who was her stability in that house, left because she couldn't stand to live there. Worst part, even when we find out what happened to Rose, nothing will be the same again for any of them. The book touches on some interesting topics and does a really solid job of bringing those things to light. My heart really did ache for Liam. His mother was cold and indifferent and I truly believe that had things turned out differently, he would have been a very different man in the end.

I would have liked a little more excitement, something more to keep the pages turning but I think this book really had something special in the gentle way it weaves its story around you.

4 stars.

Thank you to @penguinrandomhouseca for my review copy.