Another Mother's Life

by Rowan Coleman

Book Overview

Can you ever mend a shattered friendship? From Rowan Coleman, author of the acclaimed bestseller The Accidental Mother , comes a deeply moving novel for every woman who was ever a teenager in love, a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416583025
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.3" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

British Chick Lit worth a read...

I just finished reading this book and I loved it! I had gotten it quite some time ago, and just didn't have the time to get to it...I am so mad I waited all this time to read it! Once I got started, I just didn't want to put it down... The story centers around the lives of two women, who were best friends since grade school...one of the girls makes a stupid decision, that costs her her friendship and eventually, the respect of her oldest son. I love books that are based in England...I am fascinated with their culture, slang and traditions, and yet, as an American, I can still relate to the feelings of both women. It reminds me of the stupid mistakes I made as a teenager, and how I felt invincible and had such a short term view of life. I guess that's what most teenagers do! I would thoroughly recommend this book and author.

First Love and the Damage of Betrayal...

Best friends Catherine and Alison shared everything - back when they were children and then teenagers - until one fateful summer. Now Catherine has a secret, one she holds close to her, reveling in its special glow. Because she knows that if she tells Alison, her beautiful, blond best friend, it will no longer be hers alone. But then one day, they all meet - Catherine, her new love Marc, and Alison - and the secret is out. Before the day has ended, their lives will tilt in a whole new direction. For Alison has decided that she must have Marc James for herself. She seduces him. They begin their own love affair. And within weeks, the two of them run off together. Fifteen years later, Alison and Marc James are returning to Farmington, a village outside of London, with their three children and their wealthier lifestyle. For Marc has succeeded financially. They move into a huge, gorgeous house, and almost immediately, Marc insists on a splendid party for all of his new business associates and their new neighbors. But behind closed doors, their marriage and family life is crumbling. Alison has discovered that the man she had to have is nothing but a superficial shell - and he has cheated on her over and over. She is hanging in there, but doesn't know if she can maintain the façade much longer. Meanwhile, Catherine has had her own secret pain for all these years, revealed only to the man she eventually marries - Jimmy Ashley - who, incidentally, was Alison's first crush before she decided she must have Marc. They have two daughters, but are currently separated. Catherine has never been able to fully give herself over to this man. A part of her still belongs to Marc. Is each woman living "another mother's life"? And what will happen when they finally come face to face at the party of the summer? As the story unfolds, many layers are revealed, including the damage that one summer of foolish choices has wrought on each of them. They struggle, they cast aside some of the pain and vengefulness, and finally reach a place of understanding...Can they find true happiness at last? An intriguing story of first love and the damage of betrayal,Another Mother's Life depicts how people, no matter how flawed, can finally learn from their mistakes and rebuild their lives.

A Poignant Look at "What Could Have Been"

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for several reasons. Firstly, it was very well written and easy to read. The plot moves along smoothly and all the loose ends are neatly tied into pretty little bows. Secondly, I found the plot to be interesting and creative. Something similar happened to me in high school, which probably means I was somewhat biased before I even started reading this book, but that doesn't change the fact that this was a terrific story. Thirdly, the characters were all very well rounded and believable. I got a huge kick out of "Kirsty" and her crazy antics and I would absolutely LOVE to come across her in a future book. I wanted to strangle Alison, but I guess that makes her a well-written character as well, otherwise she wouldn't have irritated me so much. Fourthly, the book ended the way I was really hoping it would. I won't give anything away, but the ending was sweet and exactly what I was wanted. This book gave me a bittersweet trip dowm Memory Lane and I truly enjoyed the ride!

Life sometime does give you what you deserve!

Another Mother's Life - by Rowan Coleman Alison James and Catherine Ashley were best friends in school; until Alison broke the "best friends" rule and ran away and eloped with Catherine's boyfriend. Now after 15 years Alison has come back to town. She is now wealthy and still married to the "stolen" boyfriend. Catherine, on the other hand is broke, the mother of two and estranged from her husband. They meet again at a party thrown by Alison's husband and both start wondering - what if? What would their lives had been like had things gone the way they had envisioned them 15 years ago? They are both unhappy with their lives now and both learning how to cope with the hands they were dealt . Now living in the same town once more, and drawn to each other, they are about to find out if they each got the life the other should have had. Written with well thought out main characters, emotional and very realistic dialogue, sometime getting overly bogged down with so much emotion but never for long. The secondary character of Kirsty, with her optimistic take on love, her over sexed character flaws, and comedic antics, is the perfect foil for what could have been a very depressing read. And Alison's eldest Dominic has just the right amount of rebelliousness and angst to balance the sometimes overly sweet aspects of the little girls of both mothers. I loved this book and I loved learning that sometimes life does give you what you exactly what you deserve. Love. You just have to be smart enough to recognize it and have the guts to grab onto it with both hands.

LOVED THIS BOOK...................!!!!!

Classic story of the most popular girl befriending the class outcast....Alison and Catherine, respectively, become best friends in grade school and remain so as young adults on the threshold of womanhood. When Cathy suddenly becomes secretive, Alison decides to find out what her friend---who should have no secrets from her---is hiding. What she discovers is that her best friend has a boyfriend...and that he is quite possibly the most beautiful being she has ever seen. What happens next is the ultimate betrayal...leaving Cathy with nothing, and possibly damaged forever. Twenty years go by, with no contact between the women...and then Alison moves back to the town of her childhood, with her family....and old wounds, barely healed, are completely reopened. A novel of love, family, life and the joy of friendship; told with exactly the right mixture of drama and humor. A delightful tale throughout...with the saddest part being that it does in fact come to an end. An A+. DYB