Beneath the Apple Blossom - Kate Frost

4.5 Stars!

ABOUT THE BOOK -

Four women, linked by blood ties, friendship, betrayal, loss and hope, struggle with the choices they’ve made and the hand that life’s dealt them.

All Pippa’s ever wanted is marriage and kids, but at thirty-four and about to embark on IVF, her dream of having a family is far from certain. Her younger sister Georgie has the opposite problem, juggling her career, her lover, a young daughter and a husband who wants baby number two. 

Pippa’s best friend Sienna has a successful career in the film world, and despite her boyfriend pressurising her to settle down, a baby is the last thing she wants. Happily married Connie shares the trauma of fertility treatment with Pippa, but underestimates the impact being unable to conceive will have on her and her marriage. 

As their lives collide in a way they could never have predicted, will any of them get to see their hopes realised? 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -

Kate Frost has wanted to be an author ever since she wrote her first novel during the long months she spent off school following open heart surgery when she was seven. The novel was called London's Burning and was a time travel story set during the Great Fire of London. Over the years Kate has worked in a cinema, a bookshop, a factory and at NHS Direct. She's also worked as ground staff at Edgebaston Tennis Tournament, as a Virgin Vie consultant and as a Supporting Artist in the films Vanity Fair, King Arthur and The Duchess. Kate has a MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University and has also taught lifewriting to Creative Writing undergraduates there. She has had articles and short stories published in The London Magazine, New Welsh Review and QWF. Kate's debut novel, The Butterfly Storm, was published in 2013. Kate lives in the UK with her husband, her young son and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. 

MY THOUGHTS -

Wow, this book got into my head! I have to be honest, I wasn't so sure at first. It started real slow for me and I didn't think I was going to like it. Then 1/3 of the way through it did a full 180. I think I read the whole last half without stopping. I didn't think it would be possible to base a whole book only on pregnancy - but Kate Frost not only did it but successfully kept it interesting.

You have three women (well 4 really). One disparately wanting to have a baby and going through IVF (several times) along with another woman she meets online. Another so desperately trying not to have a baby or relationship. And yet another who gets pregnant after giving up on her marriage and is now unsure who the father is. So much stress and drama! To me this was like a season of Mistresses! The good news - I love Mistresses!

Excellent character development. I really liked all the women. There wasn't one that I didn't like and yet they were all so different. And I could really understand what they were going through. I sympathized with one. They were all trying to do what was right for them. Wanting a baby or not wanting one isn't right or wrong - it is different for everyone.

This story was very heartfelt. I loved  sharing in these women's stories. I'm glad I got to know them.
This is a very emotion driven story. It did focus a lot on pregnancy but also was about marriage, love, friendships, and just finding out who you are and what you want in life.

I do hope I get to read the next book in the series!
Thank you Kate for sending me a copy of your book for my honest review!

Get your copy from amazon - HERE