The Darling Girls: Emma Burstall

Cat had only been with Leo for a little over a year, but it was the most passionate relationship she has ever been in. Attending his funeral she has to face the other parts of his life though. Victoria, who Leo had two children with a 17 year old and an 8 year old. Victoria was for all purposes Leo’s wife yet he never would marry her. There is also Maddy, who is also the mother of Leo’s youngest, and also Leo’s mistress. These women all seemed to kind of know about each other, though Cat is news to Maddy at first, but hadn’t meet each other before. Through together to figure out how each of them are going to survive without Leo, who they all seemed to depend on in a way especially financially. Piecing together how they fit into Leo’s life and maybe each other lives now.

The narrative rotates between focusing on each of the women, Cat, Victoria and Maddy. How each of them are effected by not only the change and lose of Leo, but also these new other women who all seem to find themselves becoming a part of each other’s lives and depended on each other in way they never would have thought possible before. Victoria goes about learning about Leo and more of his past that she feels compelled to share with the others. Maddy is finding that Ralph, Victoria’s oldest, is seeking comfort from the change in situation with her and his youngest half-sister. With changes in financial situation and growing closer to Ralph, Maddy finds herself walking a fine line of what she wants to do and what might be appropriate. Cat is just trying to tread water and figure out what direction to go. With these new women in her life she is getting help that she didn’t exactly ask for, but with her own Mother having checked out maybe it is just what she needs.

I enjoyed reading this book. I liked how all the characters were individuals yet there stories are woven together. I personally felt that I could relate to the character of Cat a bit more, maybe because she was closer to my own age, but at the same time I felt connected to the other women too. It felt a bit like Little Women in that way to me, where different readers feel the book is about  a particular character based on who they related too. The flow between character here and how they each grew, learned and help each other is what really appealed to me on this book. I would give it 4 stars and would suggest it to others. This was a great book to start the new year with.

This review is part of chick lit plus blog tours.

I was provided a copy of the book for review, but the summary and thoughts on the book are mine.