3.5 stars

Rose and her 7-year old daughter, Maddie, show up at a B&B in a small town in the middle of the night. It turns out Rose has – on the spur of the moment – left her abusive husband. Rose’s own father left when Rose was only 9, and her mother died when she was 17. It was not long after, she met and married the older doctor, Richard. Unfortunately, now, Rose doesn’t know where to go, so she follows a picture on a postcard to this small town.

The postcard came from Frasier, a man she met once at her door when she was pregnant. Frasier was looking for John, Rose’s father and an artist, as Frasier was an art dealer. But he was a nice man and such a bright spot in Rose’s dreary day, home alone, long estranged from her own friends, that he’d become a fantasy for her over the following years. To Rose’s surprise, though she was following the postcard in hopes of finding Frasier, she also found her father, whom she hadn’t heard a word from since he’d left.

This was good. The bulk of the story revolves around Rose’s new life (though there are flashbacks to find out what exactly happened with Richard), her new friends in Millthwaite, and her emerging relationship with her father. I quite liked many of the secondary characters, particularly Jenny, the owner of the B&B. ( )

This was my first Rowan Coleman book but certainly won't be my last. I'm not sure why but I had always perceived her books to be light and fluffy however this book couldn't be further from that. It's well written fiction which deals with some deeper issues such as abandonment and domestic abuse.

The book begins when Rose and her young daughter Maddie turn up in the middle of a rainy night at a B&B in the wilds of Cumbria. They are not made particularly welcome by the landlady, Jenny, however her husband takes pity on them and allows them to stay. Little by little we learn of the events that led them to Millthwaite and why Rose has chosen that particular place to escape to.

Fate, love and forgiveness play a huge part in this book. It's an emotional read at times but it's also uplifting and there are two lessons to be learnt - one, that you should never give up on your dreams and secondly that there are times when people do deserve a second chance.

There is a well written and believable cast of characters. The main one being Rose. When we first meet her, she is a shell of her real self. She is the product of a dysfunctional family and having spent many years having her spirit crushed has no self-worth. Will she find the strength she needs to protect herself and her daughter? Maddie was an absolute delight to get to know. She is an unusual child, only 7 years old but old beyond her years. She has no social graces and because of her direct manner finds herself friendless most of the time. At first I thought she was on the autistic spectrum but as the book unfolds, we understand more of the reason for her behaviour. Maddie was my favourite character and I thought she was adorable in spite of her unusual ways.

Some other characters who play a big part in Rose's new life include her best friend Shona, who has her own troubled life to cope with but nevertheless brings humour to the story, the B&B landlady Jenny, whose bark seems to be worse than her bite and Jenny's son Ted, a flirty young barman with an eye for the ladies who figures in much of the story.

My only one very slight disappointment with the book was towards the end when I found the storyline somewhat rushed and to my mind, partly unexplained, but having said that it was a fabulous read and one that I would definitely recommend. I look forward to reading more by this author. ( )

The Runaway Wife by Rowan Coleman tackles a number of important issues, ranging from domestic abuse to alcoholism, suicide, and finding new life amidst the rubble. Rose Pritchard, the main character, is dealing with the fallout of disappointment from those all around her: her mother, her father, and her husband. She struggles to understand a daughter that is different, although it's never fully explained why, and all of these things add up, finally leading her to take the path of running away.

Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on Nov. 24, 2013. ( )

Review first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-runaway-wife.html

As the book begins, Rose Pritchard and her seven year old daughter Maddie arrive at a B&B in Millthwaite in England's Lake District. The reader gets glimpses that Rose is escaping from a bad marriage - the details emerge throughout the book.

Rose is also searching for someone from her past - someone she met once but whom she feels might be her future. What she finds is another, unexpected aspect of her past. All the pieces come together along with a myriad of local characters to fill out Rose's story.

This book takes on the difficult issue of domestic abuse and about having the courage to get out and rebuild her life. As such, Rose is portrayed as courageous and determined. Yet, that element of the story appears as a undertone to the entire book rather than the main focus.

What rings less true is the fact that she comes to Millthwaite looking for Frasier McLeod - a man she has met once but feels might be the love of her future. She bases her entire search on one meeting and one letter. She find him and more that she did not expect. She finds her estranged father, whom she hasn't seen since her childhood. What follows is a rebuilding of relationships, new relationships, and a new life free from fear and abuse.

This book is a quick read and an easy read. Not bad, not great.

*** Reviewed for the GoodReads First Reads program *** ( )