Today, I am on the Rachel’s Random Resources blog round for The Not So Golden Oldies by Loz Davies. Thank you to both Rachel and Liz Davies for my place on the tour and the copy of the book.
When retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be…
Meena Fisher is a middle-aged medical secretary with a husband, two grandchildren, a house to run, and more hobbies than you can shake a stick at. She is perfectly happy with her life just the way it is.
Her husband, Oscar, is a middle-aged workaholic who spends his days either in the office or on the golf course. With his wife looking after both him and the house, he gets on with the business of making money. He is also perfectly happy with his life just the way it is.
They share a house, and they sometimes eat dinner together if they can both manage to be in the same place at the same time. Aside from that, their paths rarely cross. The arrangement suits them both.
But when Oscar is forced to take early retirement and decides it’s only fair that he takes over the running of the house, both their previously happy lives are turned upside down.
The question is, can they find a way to live together with the new status quo? And, more importantly, do they want to?
A novel that is in one way a light, feel good read and in another one that will make the reader actually think.
We meet Meena and Oscar, who are happily married. Oscar does his own things, work, golf, etc. Meena never sits still, between her work, kids, hobbies, and running the house. The day comes when Oscar has to take early retirement, and all hell breaks lose in the Fisher household as he decides it’s only fair he should take over the reins of running the house.
A story that’s all too relatable, a couple getting stuck in a rut, but it also shows a marriage slowly crumbling. Both Oscar and Meena are both too stubborn to see what’s in front of their faces. The change within the household roles creates a vortex that seems unsurmountable at one point. I was mentally begging them both to see past the little things and remember the positives in their marriage. Liz Davies has drawn a vivid picture of domesticity and the roles of male and female within and how difficult it can be to accept change.
This is also a story that brings that feel-good feeling, too. The holiday Meena and Oscar go on to try to bridge their difficulties and get the closeness they used to have is a joy to read. Liz Davies gives us the full picture by showing us both Meena and Oscars’ points of view of their issues.
We are all guilty in some way of taking for granted how daily lives run, and this is a brilliant depiction of what can go wrong. I myself know that when my husband does something I would usually do, I am on his shoulder near enough, and if he comments, I could do it a better way than I do. I feel almost insulted. So I could relate to Meena in plenty of ways.
Liz Davies has created a story that sensitively handles the serious things and brings the story to a heartwarming and definitely uplifting conclusion. A story about accepting change and communication is key, as we all know, but never do! A great book with characters I felt for and real issues dealt with perfectly.
Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/GoldenOldies
Author Bio
Liz Davies writes feel-good, light-hearted stories with a hefty dose of romance, a smattering of humour, and a great deal of love.
She’s married to her best friend, has one grown-up daughter, and when she isn’t scribbling away in the notepad she carries with her everywhere (just in case inspiration strikes), you’ll find her searching for that perfect pair of shoes. She loves to cook but isn’t very good at it, and loves to eat – she’s much better at that! Liz also enjoys walking (preferably on the flat), cycling (also on the flat), and lots of sitting around in the garden on warm, sunny days.
She currently lives with her family in Wales, but would ideally love to buy a camper van and travel the world in it.
Website: https://lizdaviesauthor.wixsite.com/home
Social Media Links
Twitter https://twitter.com/lizdaviesauthor
Facebook: fb.me/LizDaviesAuthor1
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