I need to start this post with the saying "never judge a book by it's cover" which I really know is a good way to live your life, and then I need to follow up by confessing in this case I did. I picked this book up cheaply from somewhere (although this isn't uncommon! This is pretty much how I get all my books) and sort of wrinkled my nose up.
I am glad I bought it! "Sheer Abandon" is the story of three girls - Martha (a high powered corporate lawyer beginning a career in politics), Clio (a doctor married to a domineering surgeon) and Jocasta (a newspaper reporter). They meet briefly while traveling straight out of high school, swear everlasting friendship and then, of course, don't keep in touch. Sixteen years later their lives overlap again and also overlap with a girl called Kate. Kate was born in an airport 16 years prior and abandoned. One of them is her mother.
The story is brilliantly written. I admit I worked out who was the mother before the book revealed, but it certainly wasn't a give away. There are twists and turns and clues and dead ends before the answer is given. The story doesn't end here however. Each of the main characters is shown in many levels. A classic case of "don't judge a book by its cover".
Stories of their own past. Relationships with partners, parents and friends. Heartbreak of infertility. The torn emotions of adoption, both for the child and the parents who have to deal with the fact their child is trying to find their birth family. Struggle of balancing life and career with love and family. Old scars of the past. Hope for the future. Infidelity. Choices. Spur of the moment decisions and waiting too long to make decisions. In the background featured is the "glamorous" worlds of fashion, politics and the media and there are many references to contemporary world events.
I highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to hunting up more of Penny Vincenzi's novels.
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