This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
India Knight is a journalist with the Sunday Times and has written many novels. If you have already read My Life on a Plate and, Comfort and Joy you will already be familiar with her heroine Clara Hutt. I however have not but this book appealed to me as Clara, like me, is well ensconced in the second half of her life, says ‘oof’ when she sinks into a chair and no longer attracts the attention of young waiters! She is now single with three children and her ex still in her life however she is not happy with the way a deep line has appeared on her forehead and when her great friend, Gaby, arrives from the US, surgically enhanced from every angle she is made to feel even worse about her own body’s shortfallings.
The visit to the Harley Street cosmetic surgeon are treated with equal disrespect and humour as her own love life and subsequents dates.You won’t be made to feel worse about your increasing years, wrinkles and waist line, in actual fact the whole subject is met with such self-deprecating humour that you finish the book feeling invigorated as it is down in black and white that aging can be enjoyable if you are prepared to embrace the funny side.
The other aspect that I liked about this book is that the writer makes one feel that it is family and close friends that, in the end, colour your life and keep you grounded and indulged in love and happiness. This book certainly indulged my schoolgirl humour and was the exact balance of life that we all have, laughter, tears, disappointments & great achievements – all to be proud of.