The Women of Primrose Square by Claudia Carroll

 

Publisher: Bonnier Books

On Sale Date: August 1 2019

Pages: 432

This is a review of a book that I bought

In The Women of Primrose Square, we meet three remarkable main characters; Frank Wood lives at Primrose Square with his wife and two teenage children, and is working at a Dublin office, and is exctited for his 50th birthday party that he is about to organise. Only non of his friends and co-workers or his own family is showing any interest in his invitations, and all say they can't come. Devastated, on the night of the cancelled party, he is going to do what he always wanted since he was a kid; dress up as a woman, because he always felt as a woman. When he arrives home in his dress, something happens that he didn't expected; all his family, friends and coworkers shout 'surprise!!'' in apparently a surprise birthday party. They didn't expect to see Frank in his new 'me'' there, and the party ends as abrubtly as it started. From then on, everybody gossips about Frank, who is divorcing his wife, and his children want nothing to do with him anymore, he is starting to live at a room on Primrose rented out by Violet Hardcastle, and is soon undergoing gender transition, and renames himself Francesca. Violet is an elderly women who lives at the house at Primrose Square. Due to a troubled past, Violet hasn't left her home for many years. In need of money, she rents out two bedrooms, one to Frank, and one to Emily Dunne, a former alcoholic with also a troubled past, and who is just out of rehab. Franks becomes a beloved renter at Violet's house, and Frank and Emily become good friends. Violet comes to terms with her troubled past, Emily starts to work with her sponsor on her new life and tries to make peace with her estranged family. The three women of Primrose Square are connected together forever and their lives are changed forever.

I had this book on my ereader for years, and I found it a very fun and entertaining read!! Sometimes you need a book truly for some escape and entertainment, to curl up on the couch on a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea. if you are looking  for a book like this, this is the one to choose! I found the storyline and the characters both fantastic. Frank, Violet and Emily are three characters that don't know each other, but whose lives got connected, all three due to a troubled past. The story is ligthearted and very entertaining, and I loved the cast of side character too, for example, Franks ex-wife Gracie, who also tries to find her way to make peace for her and her teenage children now their father is still there, but different then before. 

I truly loved this heartwarming book, and I recommend reading it!