Wendy Mason – Not Exactly Chaucer

‘Not Exactly Chaucer’ by Wendy Mason is a book that is a contemporary ‘twist’ on Chaucer’s ‘The Canterbury Tales’.

The setting is a three-week escorted tour of Australia. Bailey, the tour manager, struggles to discover who is a threat to her career, while the 21 travellers each tell their stories, make new relationships and find out things about themselves that will change their lives forever.

A book this unique doesn’t come around very often. 21 different characters all having a tale or excerpt of their own gives us plenty of variety. I must now highlight the fact that with this many characters and the amount of tales to tell, Wendy Mason has had her work cut out for her. Happy to report that she has done it brilliantly.

I liked Bailey, she is such a hardworking, genuine and caring woman. Hers is the story that is the main part of the plot. Her relationship with Miller, the mystery man had my mind working overtime. I really felt for her at times with the way she was treated in her work but that’s the norm in the tourism industry. The tales of the guests really drive the story onwards and kept me reading longer than I planned. Every story raised emotion whether it be laughter, getting mad or even shedding a tear or two.

I loved the description of the settings they took me far away from home in rainy Oldham and I was daydreaming of being in Australia basking in the warmth of the sun. The cherry on the top was the cocktail recipes!

In conclusion; a highly entertaining and well-crafted book written by an author who is clearly very skilled in her writing. Another book by The Conrad Press that is a highly original read.

Thanks to Random Things Tours and The Conrad Press for the copy of the book.