Review: The Little Pieces of You and Me

Title: The Little Pieces of You and Me

Author: Vanessa Greene

Publisher: 21 April 2016 by Hachette Australia - Sphere

Pages: 320 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: womens fiction, contemporary

My Rating: 3 cups

Synopsis:

Best friends Isla and Sophie made each other a promise a long time ago: to never let life pass them by. Years later, Isla is in love, living abroad and fulfilling her dreams. But for Sophie, things haven't turned out the way she was expecting and she hasn't achieved any of the things she and Isla talked about.

And then, in one sudden moment, life irrevocably changes for both women.

Isla and Sophie have hard decisions to make but above all else they must face up to the uncertainty that lies ahead. It's only when they realise that this is easier together, two friends standing side by side, that each woman can embrace whatever the future holds for them.

Emotional, poignant and uplifting, The Little Pieces of You and Me is a story about old friends, new beginnings and what happens when being strong is your only choice. It will take your breath away.

My Thoughts

"Life was no longer about the little pieces of her, of him - of anyone. It was about the big picture - about what happened when those pieces fell together into a whole."

Having read a Vanessa Greene book before, I was eager to dive into another of her famous female orientated stories.  With yet another tea cup on the front cover - reading and tea ... the two just go together so naturally, don't you think - I was ready to pour a cup myself and sit down to read. 

With Greene's tales you are guaranteed some good female leads, beautiful settings and just an all round feel-good ambiance. Friends coming together to battle some antagonism and never giving up hope.  This particular story focuses on two firm friends and, although there are the obvious relationship dramas, I particularly enjoyed the health aspect twist to this one. If you are looking for a read on genuine friendship and fresh starts, then this is the book for you.

However, I have to confess that although I very much enjoyed my first Greene book, I found this story to be lacking somewhat, I found myself wanting that little bit more, that extra something. Overall it did not really work for me and I think the problem was that things all seemed a bit contrived and too convenient. The potential was there, however, there was not enough depth to evoke real sympathy. For example, personally, I found the whole saga with Sophie hypocritical - just as she herself labelled it - so there went my true sympathies out the window.

This was a 'nice'/3 star/average read. I wanted to like it so much more, but it was just a bit too simple for me. Perhaps it needed more tea included and not just the lone cup on the cover. 

"Life can be complicated - but those complications don't make it any less worth living - in fact, sometimes they're the very things that make it worth living. Those little pieces are what make you, you , and me, me". 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.