Review: Table for Eight

Title: Table for Eight

Author: Tricia Stringer

Publisher: 24th September 2018 by Harlequin Australia, HQ & MIRA

Pages: 400 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: contemporary fiction

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

A cruise – no matter how magical – can't change your life. Can it…? Clever, charming dressmaker Ketty Clift is embarking on her final cruise from Sydney before she must make serious changes in her life. Supported by the ship's all-powerful maitre d' Carlos, she has a mission: transform the lives of those who join her at her dining table every evening. Not only can Ketty turn Cinderellas into princesses with her legendary style–eye, but she has a gift for bringing people together. But this trip is different. As the glamour and indulgence of the cruise takes hold, and the ship sails further away from Sydney towards the Pacific Islands, it becomes clear that her fellow travelers – a troubled family, a grieving widower and an angry divorcee determined to wreak revenge on her ex – are going to be harder work than usual. As Ketty tries to deal with her own problems, including the unexpected arrival on board of her long-lost love, Leo – the man who broke her heart – as well as troubling news from home, she begins to realize this might be the one cruise that defeats her…

A witty, warm and wise story of how embracing the new with an open heart can transform your life.

My Thoughts

“What would life be like without the anticipation of another cruise?”

Table for Eight by Australian author Tricia Stringer is a most enjoyable read, especially for those of you who have any interest in cruising - either been or wishing to venture on one. Having cruised myself, I simply adored reading about so many aspects that were familiar to the cruising holiday. Everything from the running of the ship, to activities (both on and off board), to the people you would meet. I felt so many happy memories come flooding back, so for that reason alone, it is worth the read. Alternatively, if you have ever contemplated cruising then this will provide you with great insight into how things might look and feel.

“You two should walk up to the little church at the top of the hill,” Ketty said. “The church is interesting and the view amazing.”

(Lifou - New Caledonia)

On this particular cruise, you follow all the members from one particular dining table, thus, ‘Table for Eight’ and what they encounter on their South Pacific adventure. Each of them are there for a variety of reasons and it turns into far more than just a holiday. Through their interactions with each other, many may find their lives upturned and ultimately changed.

What you have here is a really moving tale: strangers (some not so) who find themselves placed together with the trials and tribulations and really, the baggage that they bring with them, and how the insights of these other strangers and the circumstances they find themselves in, may shed new light on their life story. Most of the characters belong to an older generation and that is where the baggage comes into (pardon the travel pun - unintentional). They have lived through so much and this may be their opportunity for a second chance.

This truly was a delightful read that left me with that feel good, happy sigh. If you are looking for light and easy escapism (maybe a cruise to the South Pacific?) then be enticed by this tale of love and laughter, trauma and tears, reflection and resolution.

“They both stared out into the night, cocooned in the warm tropical air and lulled by the soft sounds of the waves against the hull.”

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.