A child falls into the river.
A stranger jumps in to rescue him.
And four lives are changed for ever . . .
On a perfect summer's day in Paris, tourists on the river watch in shock as a small boy falls into the Seine and disappears below the surface. As his mother stands frozen, a stranger takes a breath and leaps . . .
From the internationally bestselling author of Since I Don't Have You comes a spellbinding story of passion, heartbreak and destiny - an unforgettable novel about mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the extraordinary ways that life and love intersect.
Review: Although she has written a few books since this was published, this was my first story by Louise Candlish. I listened to the audiobook version, mainly while sitting in the garden enjoying our amazing summer. It was lovely to be transported to Paris right at the start of the book, floating gently along the Seine, although what followed was anything but peaceful.
Ostensibly, this is a story about a young boy falling into the Seine and the stranger who jumps in after him and saves his life. However, there is a lot more going on. The consequences of the stranger's heroic action are far reaching in the extreme, especially for the boy's mother, Holly, and the stranger (James) himself. Holly and her son are in Paris on a short break with Holly's mum, Joanna, in an attempt to alleviate Holly's post-natal depression. Miraculously jogged out of her depression, it is as if James has saved Holly's life as well as her son's. Holly's and James's actions after that fateful day affect many people around them.
This was a story that drew my attention and had me returning to it hungrily each day. There was an interesting mix of the present and past in the narrative and hints of excitement to come in subsequent pages. The anticipated activity didn't always materialise, but the storyline was consistently strong. I was at no time sure how the whole saga would end, which I appreciated; so often one can predict the ending only a short way into a book. I am now looking forward to reading some of Louise Candlish's more recent stories.
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