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Female characters that cross over many generations always makes for a great read, and in this novel from Ruth Jones, her latest that is no exception. All families have their problems. And most of them get resolved. But Grace’s problem is thirty years old. And she doesn’t have time on her side. Is it too late for her to make peace? Or is reconciliation still within reach? Grace doesn’t want a traditional celebration for her birthday, but her granddaughter Elin has other ideas. She’s determined that Grace’s big day will be celebrated, her own daughter, Becca is slightly mortified by her mother’s quest to party, much preferring to spend quality time with her great grandmother.
To heal the rifts she must first locate her daughter Alys. which will risk betraying granddaughter Elin. Elin is far less forgiving of the past rifts and may not be as ready as others. For Grace time is running out to solve the family rifts that have been going on for the last thirty years. I really enjoy reading Ruth Jones novels, they make such a refreshing change from the gritty thrillers I also enjoy. Her novels are full of wonderful characters and the stories so well written, much in the same vein as Graham Norton.For Alys, Grace’s daughter, Elin’s mother she has been constantly running from herself and has come close throughout her life to time running out. Estranged from all of her family, blaming Grace for what has happened to her, it seems ironic that she suddenly reappears in all their lives. Finally, Beca, sixteen years old, artistic and musical but not good at lessons, constantly at odds with perfectionist Elin who sees education as a gateway to the world, she knows she is about to fail all her GCSEs and disappoint her mother, again. There’s a lot of warmth and comfort that comes with reading your work. Maybe I’m being biased because I’m Welsh…
Ruth Jones: Not too much; like I mentioned, New Quay is a physical place that was quite an inspiration, and when I was writing about Dylan’s Quay, I would imagine that place quite a lot in my head. There’s little things that happen in the book that I’ve drawn from – there’s a particular story I’d taken from Justin Davies who played my son in Stella. Sometimes you collect things like a magpie and you think “Ooh, I’ll keep that!” Australia Box Office for Barcelona: A Love Untold (2016)". The Numbers . Retrieved October 30, 2016. Thirty years ago Alys and Grace had an almighty row and Alys disappeared, never heard of again. But Grace has recently received a postcard with a picture of Welsh hills on the front, painted by Alys Meredith. Is she strong enough to reach out to her wayward daughter, now seventy years old, and heal the rift? But what will her fifty-one year old grand-daughter Elin think about it? Elin has told everyone that her mother is dead, including her own daughter Beca. A respected head teacher at the local school, Elin couldn't bear anyone to find out the truth about her mother. Elin is busy organising a surprise birthday party for Grace and as usual it has got completely out-of-hand, exasperating both her husband Greg and Beca.Ruth Jones: Yes, I like that. I really do. I’m glad that it comes across; I do try, and it makes me feel better about life when I write in that way. I think there’s enough nastiness in the world as it is, and I don’t want to add to it! So yes, my writing is pretty gentle, I guess. I tend not to have villains, and I still believe in the whole thing that there is a little bit of good in the worst of us and a little bit of bad in the best of us.
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