From this Moment On is the story of Lynn a once confident young woman who must rebuild her life after a horrible work harassment case has left her without a job and feeling rather bruised by life. Once her case is settled it would seem that Lynn has it all a kind and considerate boyfriend a loving family and great friends but her fear and depression are holding her back and as the family she once worked for are the most powerful family in town its hard to rebuild her life when the past is all around her and the repercussions of her ordeal are still reverberating. Can she make a fresh start or will the secret she is keeping destroy her?
Based purely on the cover of this book I would never have picked this book up in a shop. There is nothing wrong with the cover it has a perfectly pleasant landscape scene with two chairs in the foreground but it screams one thing to me "Chick Lit" which is a concept and a way of pigeon holing women writers which I despise. Originally "chick lit" was coined to refer to books about young women living in the city and looking for love. However soon every woman who wrote contemporary or romantic novels was swept up into this group and while some readers are delighted that the kind of books that they like are easily recognisable in a bookshop or supermarket I feel that the whole thing did women as readers and as writers a disservice. I admit I judge books by their covers I can't help it, it is a reader's first impression of the book and as a bookseller of twelve years I know it's what all readers do and it's a habit I won't be able to break. So why would I not pick up Colette's book in a shop, because the cover is too safe, too wishy washy.
However I am certainly glad this book was sent to me to review because there is nothing safe or wishy washy about this novel. This is contemporary Ireland in glorious techniclour; from the commuter towns of Meath to the bright lights of Dublin from luxury hotels staffed by Polish and Latvian beauties to dodgy property deals done on a handshake. From feuding families in small towns to minor celebrities and oddball literary wannabes. Colette Caddle is a worthy successor of the mantle of Maeve Binchy with all the wit of Marian Keyes and the warmth of Cathy Kelly.
Thanks to Sharon at Gill Hess for sending this out to me. From this Moment on is out now from bookshops nationwide
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