Hadley and Grace

I've been a fan of Suzanne Redfearn's for many years and thoroughly enjoyed her previous three books -  Hush Little Baby, No Ordinary Life and In An Instant (a seriously 'you've gotta read this' kind of book!). In her latest book, Hadley and Grace, featuring gorgeous cover art, Redfearn tells a story about resilience, an unlikely friendship and the personal growth of two moms. 

Tired of being mistreated by their husbands, Hadley and Grace unwittingly find themselves paired up as they attempt to escape the men in their lives. They take off on a 'Thelma and Louise'-esque adventure with kids in tow to make better lives for themselves and their children. 

The book deals with issues of family, forgiveness, friendship, and perseverance and while there are darker issues, they are handled with a surprisingly light hand. I had expected the issues of addiction in Grace's family and Hadley's abuse from her husband to take a more relevant role in the story but was surprised when they didn't have a larger impact. Despite these darker issues, this was a lighter read filled with misadventure which required me to suspend disbelief outside my comfort zone. I enjoyed the character development and general premise but would have liked to have felt more invested in the story.

Hadley and Grace is a story about two women who've simply had enough and decide to take back control of their lives in order to give themselves and their kids a better future. There is a fair bit of misadventure, so I'd go into this book expecting a lighter read that touches on some bigger topics. Suzanne Redfearn continues to be one of my favourite authors and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next!

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the author for this complimentary advanced copy given in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Suzanne Redfearn

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: Trade Paperback from author

Pages: 347

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

First Published: January 19, 2021

Opening Line: Her watch ways 12:52, which mean eight minutes 

remain to get the cupcakes. Plenty of time, yet Hadley feels her pulse ticking.

Book Description from GoodReads: The author of In an Instant delivers a heart-pounding and emotional roller-coaster ride of self-discovery in the tradition of Thelma and Louise.

Needing to escape her abusive marriage, Hadley flees with her two kids, knowing it might be her only chance. A woman who can’t even kill a spider, Hadley soon finds herself pushed to the limits as she fights to protect her family.

Grace, new mother of baby Miles, desperately wants to put her rough past behind her for good, but she finds it impossible when her path crosses with Hadley’s, and her quest for a new start quickly spirals out of control and turns into a terrifying flight for survival.

Stronger together than apart, the two find their fates inextricably entwined, and as the danger closes in, each must decide how much she is willing to risk for the other.

A powerful story of self-discovery, Hadley and Grace is the heart-racing tale of two women facing insurmountable odds, racing to stay one step ahead of the trouble that is chasing them, and discovering new kinds of love and family along the way.