Poppy’s Dilemma
Reviewed By Ian Banks February 7, 2014
Author Karly Lane
Distributor:
ISBN: 9781743311615
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Release Date:
Website: http://www.allenandunwin.com
Career girl Poppy Abbott’s life is in a mess; a gone wrong office love affair simply won’t go away and is making her life a misery. In a moment of nostalgic reflection she sorts through a box of her beloved Nana’s photo’s finding amongst them a diary with Maggie Abbott handwritten on the front cover, along with a number of very old letters tucked in amongst the pages.
Taking a peek at one of them the date is set during the First World War, and these are obviously love letters.
Accepting life as it was being lived now was becoming far too complicated Poppy considers taking a break away from work and the city life and return to Warrial, former the home of her Nan. Along with the uncomfortable work situation, she is discovering Maggie’s diary and the story that was unfolding was rapidly becoming an obsession which was starting to interfere with just about everything else in her life.
A number of the pages of the diary are missing, torn out, and this coupled with other issues makes her feel it is time find out more about Maggie Abbott and what happened to her so many years ago. It also makes her decision to return to Warrial, on a temporary basis become a reality.
Once back in her Nan’s home town, she settles into country life finding out that the sense of community and a slower pace of life is really what life, her life, should be all about. She also has time to research and discover the life of Maggie Abbott and the family tragedy that had remained buried for many years.
While doing her best to adapt to country life she meets her grandmother’s neighbour single father Jim Nash and his precocious teenage daughter Lacey. Jim and Poppy develop a friendship which is beginning to move towards something a bit more intimate, something that perhaps they can both look at as a fresh start in their lives.
When Poppy’s past turns up on her doorstep and Jim overhears the conversation the budding romance is nipped in the bud. It is not until the two decided to perhaps try again over a dinner date, which inevitably leads to some home truths being told and a lot of sorting out on both sides, in the romance department begin to get back on track.
But unlike Maggie Abbott’s life, Poppy’s life is destined to go down another pathway altogether as she and Jim fall deeper in love, despite town gossip, teenagers and all the other bits and pieces life enjoys throwing in the way.
Comfort romance reading at its best, with an interesting storyline resulting in an unexpected ending.