Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for my gifted copy of A Postcard from Paris by Alex Brown in exchange for an honest review.

Annie’s life is simple and enjoyable until her best friend moves country and her grown up children start their lives leaving Annie alone. Her elderly neighbour Joanie has always been a part of Annie’s life so when she inherits an apartment in Paris, it is no surprise that she asks Annie to explore it on her behalf. This mystery inheritance reveals a deep connection between the previous owner Beatrice and Joanie, as Annie makes great discoveries.

This is a fantastic piece of historical fiction. I have been really enjoying this genre lately and Brown’s narrative is absolutely stunning. The author easily achieved the dual narration from past and present and executed the entwining of the stories in a marvellous way. The reader follows different time periods and I thoroughly enjoyed reading both sides, especially during WWII. I definitely found myself favouring the chapters surrounding the past as Brown conveyed such a powerful and emotional read. Any story that is set around that time period is sure to break your heart and I absolutely loved the originality that Brown had. The concept was unique and captivating. The modern narrative was also fascinating and both allowed for vivid and beautiful descriptions of Paris. I was transported to Paris at every scene and this exemplifies the incredible talent Brown possesses.

Beatrice was a remarkable character and I loved learning the link between her and Joanie. This provided such a great surprise and heartwarming yet heartbreaking read. All the characters that Brown write are brilliant and are equally explored to provide the reader with some great accounts. They provide such emotional involvement and were realistic to read. I am definitely convinced to read more from this author!

The pace of the novel was a soft and fluent one to begin with. The finding of the clues were revealed with good timing and the connection to the dual narratives provided a succinct and thoughtful story. I really appreciate the effort Brown must have went through to achieve such a great impact to the reader in presenting an honest and important book. However, the ending did feel a little rushed in comparison to the rest of the novel. It kind of felt like a bit of information dumping and I would have loved more devotion to the ending.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and was delighted to have received a copy. I will certainly be recommending this to all fans of historical fiction.

This review was posted on my blog 26/4/21: https://fortheliterature.wordpress.com/2021/04/26/book-review-a-postcard-from-paris-by-alex-brown/

Annie is rather dissatisfied with her life, her children have flown the nest and are treating her as some elderly woman who is about to croak her last. In fact Annie is in the prime of her life and she is worried she is letting it pass her by,

When her definitely elderly neighbour Joanie, inherits and apartment in Paris, Annie offers to go across and investigate this legacy and try to piece together how a lady with no relatives has been left an apartment in Paris above what looks to be an old fashioned shop.

Annie discovers the story of Beatrice ‘Trixie’ Crawford who left to be a nurse in First World War, through the Roaring Twenties and into the depths of occupied Paris in the Second World War. Told through letters or diary entries throughout the present day story we piece together who Trixie was and why it comes that Joanie is her sole benefactor.

As Annie discovers Trixie she discovers herself as well. Making friends with a loud brash American, Kirsten and widow Maggie who runs the place where Annie is staying they all discover that love can come in many forms. Of course being in the most romantic city in the world there has to be a touch of romance, and that was provided in bucket loads by the gorgeous Etienne.

This is a great introduction to historical fiction if it isn’t your normal choice of book. For me I would have liked more in the past and perhaps less of the present day story which was not really relevant to the story. That said, it was there to give an understanding to the character of Annie but could easily have been removed for more pages dedicated to Trixie and her story, which fascinated me more. This book holds your attention as you discover how everyone is related and get swept into the beauty of Paris, from the hidden streets and banks to the wonder of the Eiffel Tower all lit up.

A book which will take you away not just to the past but also to Paris without you even leaving your home. Perfect holiday reading at any time of the year.

Having read and enjoyed all of Alex Brown’s other books I was looking forward to Postcards from Paris, It was nice to see the plot with reference to characters in the other books set in Tindledale and Carrington’s too. The references back to WWII were nicely written and well balanced within the modern story. Overall another heartwarming throughly enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to Alex’s next book around Christmas.

„Postcard from Paris“ introduces us to Annie, forty – something single mother of two already grown – up children. She’s actually happy with her life, but then her best friend, following an exciting career opportunity, moves to the other half of the world and the children have their own lives and Annie starts to feel alone. But then her elderly neighbour finds herself inheriting unexpectedly and surprisingly an apartment in Paris and as she herself is not able to travel, she asks Annie to go there and have a look. Annie jumps at the chance – she’s been always dreaming about travelling and Paris is the best start, right? What she doesn’t know is that she’s going to find something in the flat, something that will connect the previous owner Beatrice to her neighbour Joanie.

I really like to go back and forth between past and present in books, but sadly, not all of the authors can write this way. Alex Brown can. This dual time aspect gives you a real sense of this story and she has brilliantly captured the modern times and the past and it has never felt like reading two separate storylines. The story of Beatrice was engaging and realistic, heart – breakingly poignant, and her diaries, describing her life through the Roaring Twenties and Second World War, were absolutely brilliant, giving a great insight into the woman’t life that was full of pain, tears and happiness. The diary entries were a part of a mystery, an element that I truly loved, with Annie trying to piece together the events from the past. Alex Brown has really masterfully plotted it and I sat comfortably, enjoying how she decided to unfold it, to peel the layers off. It was full of sad and poignant moments and the author truly knows how to write them so that they tug at our heart - strings.

The characters, as usual in Alex's books, are so well fleshed out, full of emotions and feelings, it simply looks as if she gets into her characters' heads, and they're written in such a way that we can easily relate to them, understand them and their motives.

What didn’t sit so well with me, right from the beginning, was the subplot of Phoebe, Annie’s daughter. I’m sorry, but it was a no from me and I couldn’t agree with her being so controlling, trying to force Annie to do things that she didn’t want to do or was not ready for yet. The way she was and was trying to achieve her will was annoying and irritating. However, luckily, the more her story was developing, the more sense the things started to make and in the end you can really see the whole picture and appreciate this subplot as well.

Alex Brown’s writing style is beautiful. Yes, it is very descriptive but those descriptions are simply gorgeous and very vivid. Bringing the characters and their worlds to life. She writes sensitively and almost lyrical but there is also wit and humour in her dialogues. The descriptions of Paris were stunning, and yes, I admit, I was a little scared that it’s going to be another story that reads like a travel – guide but it was not the case, it was rather like being whisked away and seeing the city afresh and new through Annie’s eyes.

I loved the brief mentions of Tindledale. The story actually started there, in 1916, with 18 – year – old Beatrice Crawford, following the suffragettes who were then campaigning for women’s rights and longing to take more active role in the war. Of course, despite her family’s wishes, she finds herself working in a field hospital and I found it a brilliant beginning to this beautiful and surprising story.

The story flows smoothly, changing points of view and locations but thanks to the lovely writing and clear writing style it’s easy to keep track. It’s multi – layered and it was a real joy to be able to unpeel one layer after another, following the enthralling and colourful subplots. I personally think that Beatrice’s story was this much more exciting and interesting, although please don’t get me wrong, Annie’s story was also brilliant, I loved seeing her developing and becoming stronger and self - confident. Nevertheless, it was the past that stole the show for me and I’d love to hear more about it than the present, to be honest – but I still loved it, no worries!

It was a real page turner and it was not easy to put the book away, so be prepared that you may want to read in one sitting – it was so compelling and interesting. I loved the element of uncertainty, of not being sure what’s going to happen and what has happened in the past – the author has done it brilliantly. „Postcard from Paris“ is another winner from Alex Brown. Gentle, vivid and with a great plot, it will keep you company for a few brilliant hours. Highly recommended!

A brilliant story that I loved from the very start, with good characters that worked so well with the story. This is a book you can pick up and get straight back into. Loved the hidden places where things from the war turned up the writing about the setting was so clear you could almost visualise being there. Another best seller for Alex.

This is a wonderful book by Alex. It is written both in the present and in the past, mainly centred around the war.in two time settings; It is a lovely story of how Joanie receives an unexpected solicitors letter explaining that she has been left a property in Paris. As an orphan, Joanie has no idea who the lady Beatrice is. Due to her health she is unable to visit Paris herself so asks her neighbour and very good friend Annie to go in her place. Annie goes to Paris to see exactly what has been left to her friend as well as to try to find out who this lady is. Annie upon entering the city of lights, not only shines bright but strips the heavy layers of Annie’s heart. Never in a million years did she expect a three week holiday to change so much to herself and others around her. A wonderful story of love, hope, gratitude and friendship.

It feels like we have been waiting forever for the next book in the Postcard series from Alex Brown but at last I had the absolute pleasure of reading A Postcard from Paris. I’ve always loved Alex’s writing ever since her debut and look forward enormously to each book that she publishes. I love that with her last few books that she has begun to weave some elements of the past into a modern day story. I feel she is only getting into her stride with regard to this as this was the only minor issue that I found with this story. I found that I wanted more of it to feature in the past and to hear more from Beatrice’s viewpoint not just through recounts in the form of diary entries invaluable though they proved to be. I found myself searching for more sections directly featuring Beatrice as there were long periods that focused on the present. The balance between past and present was just ever so slightly off for me but it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. I hope with her next book that Alex will include even more from a character in the past perspective if writing in a similar vein to this book.

Pushing the only little issue I had with this book aside, I found the book to be a page turner and it’s a story that you will want to read in one sitting if at all possible as you will be swept away to the city of lights. Our main character Annie Lovell is asked to complete a task and in doing so she goes on her own personal journey. It’s not one she had until that point realised that she needed to take but arriving in Paris sees her shedding her old self. She became like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. A new and improved Annie, one who was more open began to see the light of day and it would never have happened if her elderly neighbour had not inherited an apartment in Paris which has remained unchanged since the day its long term resident left the building.

The opening takes us to a familiar setting for long term fans of this author, that of Tindledale, which really holds a special place in my heart as the books set there were absolutely brilliant. It’s 1916 and Beatrice Crawford is 18 and she craves adventure, clearly wanting to break away from the confines of the small rural village and find her place in the world. It was a time when the suffragettes were campaigning for women’s rights and women were taking a more active role especially in their desire to do more for the war effort. Despite the misgivings of her family, as they would much rather she marry someone her father has selected for her, Beatrice soon finds herself on the western front working in a field hospital. Beatrice knows her own mind and is in charge of steering her own destiny but the war and its consequences will have far reaching repercussions for her and it will truly alter the course of her life.

I felt like Beatrice was an enigma for most of the book and that we only got to know her through what Annie discovers. The opening was strong and we got to know a good bit about her, what she wanted to achieve and why she felt the need to do this but then I felt this dropped off and it’s only through the diaries that Annie discovers hidden in the apartment that we got glimpses into her life post war. The clues and hints dropped throughout were tantalising and as Annie inched ever to closer to the truth I was just desperate to know what exactly was going on and what kind of life did Beatrice lead which ultimately led some of her neighbours to believe she was a collaborator with the Germans. Surely from what we read of her through letters and diary entries that was not the kind of person she was.

I was confused but in a good way as I found my thought process behind the entire story focusing on Beatrice veering off in so many directions with endless possibilities. I love when a book really takes you on a journey and you are never sure until that very last moment of reveal what exactly will happen. It’s even more enjoyable when you are left reeling in shock when all the little hints join together to make brilliant connections that you had never even contemplated. All the while whilst reading, I kept trying to figure out what was the connection between Joanie and Beatrice and I was very far off the mark when the moment of truth came around. As with Alex’s last book, I found the twists and turns to be brilliant although slightly rushed as we neared the end. It felt at one point even though I thought said twists were just genius that they were coming just slightly too thick and fast in order for me to absorb their consequences and to connect them with what I had read throughout the story. I found myself having to reread several pages towards the end just to make sure I had comprehended everything correctly. But still I thought they were brilliant even though perhaps a little fleshing out was needed.

As for the more modern day aspect of the book, I loved Annie as a character. I thought she went through such a genuine and worthwhile transformations throughout the book. She really ventured out of her comfort zone and tried new experiences casting her old life aside and she was all the better for doing this. Annie has been on her own ever since her husband Mark left when her two children were young. She works as a bookkeeper in the accounts department of a solicitors and likes to spend her time at home focusing on decorating and interior design. But Annie is lonely now that her best friend and confidant Beth has left to work in Australia. She doesn’t like putting herself out there either socialising or dating and to be honest what’s wrong with that if you are comfortable with what you are doing?

But maybe deep down although she won’t admit it to herself Annie needs a change. She regularly visits her neighbour Joanie and on one of those evenings they spend together, Joanie breaks the news she has inherited an apartment in Paris that she knows nothing about nor who is the Beatrice that has left it to her in her will. Joanie is elderly and not able to travel so Annie accepts her offer and will travel to Paris to take care of everything on Joanie’s behalf. Little does Annie realise this trip will be a turning point in her life with many surprises along the way.

The descriptions of Paris were just stunning and so vivid and having never been there and with the current pandemic halting all thoughts of travel, it was brilliant to be whisked away to whole new city and to see it from Annie’s viewpoint. Instantly you could see when she landed in France that there was a spring in her step and that with time she would gain her confidence back. She had always wanted to travel but slipped too far into her comfort zone and now was the opportunity she had needed to be a little braver. Phoebe was Annie’s daughter whom I found to be very overbearing and pushy. She made demands on her mother which seemed unreasonable and in my mind it was almost as of she was trying to make her old before her time. It’s only as the story develops that my opinion of Phoebe did a complete 360 and things made so much more so sense. This aspect of the plot was dealt with very well with great sensitivity and tact but still strongly getting the message across. It fitted in well with the overall development of Annie both as an individual and as a mother.

I loved the café where Annie met Maggie and Kirsten. Initially I thought they formed an unlikely trio as they had such varying emotional complexities but as they navigated their way through uncovering all the secrets the apartment had to offer up, their bond became strong and it really felt like they were there for each other. The descriptions of the apartment were just so beautiful and it was like time had stood still. When Annie discovers some hidden diaries it becomes clear there was a lot going on at the apartment all those years ago and we are taken on a whirlwind of a story that has you desperately trying to join the dots. There are lots of similarities between Beatrice and Annie and as Annie uncovers more and more secrets hidden for so long she starts to come to terms with the fact that her life has been basic and she had gotten herself stuck in a rut. She needs less reserve and more openness. She never thought doing a favour for Joanie would lead to such changes and discoveries but accepting a task and doing the right thing leads her on a journey of friendship, love and one which uncovers remarkable bravery.

Alex Brown is definitely on top form with A Postcard from Paris. Old and new readers will be very pleased and I would definitely recommend it. I just hope she doesn’t leave as long until her next book is published because reading anything by this wonderful author is always such a treat.

I loved this from the very start. Such a captivating brilliant emotional story. It was wonderful seeing Annie grow in confidence though the story- her friendships with Kristen and Maggie were so supportive, emotional and heartwarming - I wanted to join them on their discovery of Beatrice. The historical details show the amount of research Alex Brown must have conducted and this shines through the storyline, with the beautiful backdrop of Paris making the story so real. A beautiful read I’ll be recommending time and again.

I enjoyed this book, the change between time frames flowed really well, usually that puts me off a book but it worked with this one perfectly. The characters were described perfectly and you very quickly became invested in there journey and I read the whole book in just over 24 hours

I am a fan of Alex Brown's books, so I was delighted to receive an early preview copy of this book from Netgalley and the Publisher.
This book is set both in the modern day, with Annie, and France from 1917 onwards with Beatrice. There is also a link to Tindledale, the location of many of Alex Brown's books.
The book moves smoothly between each character and locations. It is easy to understand who is narrating. I loved
discovering Beatrice's story, it was also nice to see Annie's character developing and becoming stronger when she was in Paris.
I really did not like Phoebe at all. I found her character to be unrealistic with her achieving such a successful business at her young age. While it is definitely not impossible, it is unusual. Her treatment of her Mother, especially at the beginning of the book was also unrealistic for someone of her age. I felt that her story was unnecessary, and I would have much preferred hearing more about Beatrice.
Apart from Phoebe, I really enjoyed reading this book. There were lots of unexpected twists which kept me interested and I wanted to keep reading, to see what happened next.

With gratitude to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest opinion. Gosh what can one say but fantastic in so many ways. This being a book with many layers,some in my opinion only distracted from the main story.
I found the book a bit to busy, I think there was an awful lot going on that detracted from the Paris saga, I found phoebe to be very annoying and rather self-centered and was actually very unnecessary in the saga as joanie's story was utterly amazing and how Annie had gone to paris to help her out and try and find her families background,with helping joanie, Annie is actually helping turn round her own life. Beatrice was one amazing young lady and all that she had done during the great War, I found I would have liked a bit more depth in Beatrice 's story and found it rushed at the end because of phoebe's story none the less a brilliant book.
I would have given 5 🌟 but phoebe's story pulled it down for me so it's a 4 🌟

This is an absolutely stunning book by Alex. It is written in two time settings; present day and during the war. It is similar to a jigsaw in word form as we learn the events that happened during the war that has lead the the events of the present time. Thank you Alex for a lovely book.

Given I'm not a fan of history, based on the blurb I was to be honest reluctantly intending to pass this book by, despite being by one of my favourite authors, as I really wasn't sure I would enjoy it. but then I was invited onto the blog tour and the publicist must have caught me in a daring mood, as skipping an Alex Brown book never fully sat right with me, and so I agreed to read and review.

What I can say instantly is that I am so thankful Jen Harlow gave me the opportunity to be a part of this tour, as the book is totally amazing, and there was plenty to keep my interest and have me hooked.

Although initially the first chapter I would have perhaps been set in the present day, it did give us a wonderful introduction to Beatrice Crawford, who the more we get to know her throughout the book, the more impressive this lady becomes.

She was living in France, and then more importantly Paris itself during both World Wars, and we get glimpses of her life from 1916, through the roaring twenties, and into mid 40s, where well I can't tell you, but just wow.

Beatrice though has left her apartment to Joanie, who is Annie's neighbour and friend, but no one knows why, so Annie goes to Paris to find out about this inheritance for Joanie, and in doing so alters the course of her own life too.

Annie's daughter Phoebe initially was against the trip and a few of their early exchanges had me rolling my eyes and laughing out loud at just how Phoebe was trying to portray her mother. Annie also on her first night in Paris, makes 2 new friends and they become a fabulous trio who are all invested in trying to discover the truth about this apartment.

A lot of Beatrice's story is told within various diary entries, drip fed to the reader as and when needed, and what was evident to me is just how much research Alex Brown must have done to make these diary entries as authentic as they seemed. Even though I'm clearly more of a fan of present day plots, I was fascinated by the life Beatrice was living in wartime France, and found myself with great admiration for the woman.

Oh and I was also happy to see how Tindledale fitted into the story, the village from some of the authors previous books, that I've always enjoyed!

I didn't guess the outcomes on any of the mysteries, and I feel as though I definitely learnt things too.

What this has said to me, is don't judge a book by its blurb, always trust a favourite author will have your back and tell you a story that you want to hear, and that this is one seriously impressive book. I should never have had doubts in the first place, but I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this book, its so well written and really did capture my attention from early on, and found it was compelling to read as normal.

Thank you to Jennifer Harlow at Harper Collins for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,.

This story is mainly about how Annie travels to Paris on a mission for her elderly neighbour Joanie who has unexpectedly inherited an apartment and shop in the city, to try and find out why and by whom.
While there Annie meets two other women, Maggie who owns the B&B where she is staying and the delightful café downstairs and American divorcee Kristen. Although these three women are very different they share resilience and bond that makes for great friendships. Together they uncover hidden secrets into the life of the previous owner Beatrice while also discovering more about each other and themselves.
I found the English and French history in this book fascinating as is the link to Tindledale, which is always a joy to revisit.
My thanks to Net Galley and publishers Harper Collins for the ARC. This review is my own opinions of A Postcard From Paris.

What a beautiful and immersive read this was. The storylines cross between present day to the great war , the roaring twenties and Nazi occupied Paris .
When Annie Lovell is asked by her aging neighbour to go to Paris on her behalf , to inspect an apartment she has recently inherited from a mystery benefactor, she jumps at the chance to broaden her horizons. Her grown up children have left the family home now and she finds a new lease of life and makes some new aquantancies on her trip .
Beatrice Crawford had lived in Paris from the 20's onwards and during the Nazi occupation had owned a perfumery in a little courtyard . She had lived there in the apartment for most of her adult life and upon her death had left it to Annie neighbour. There is a mystery about who Beatrice was and we learn more about her life from diaries Annie discovers hidden behind a secret door in the perfumery .
This was a very poignant read and thought provoking at times. I really enjoyed it and thoroughly recommend it.

Annie feels like she's missing that spark to get her through her days. Her best friend has moved away, and her two children have grown up and flown the nest. When her elderly neighbour, Joan, inherits a Paris aparment, Annie is given the chance to go on a journey to the French capital, and she takes it. Joan has no idea of the connection between herself and the owner, and Annie goes to Paris to find out.

She finds some diaries hidden in one of the walls, and our story really begins, as Annie discovers the story of Beatrice Crawford, and English nurse who went to France to help with the wounded soldiers during the great war. With the help of some new friends, Annie eventually finds out the truth about the connection between Trixie and Joan.

I thought this was a really lovely story, and I loved the fact that our main protagonist wasn't a spritely 20 something. It was interesting to see Beatrice's story unfolding, and watching the peices fit together. The only thing I really didn't like was Phoebe's behaviour towards Annie - she behaved like her mother was as elderly as Joan and at times came off as controlling.

But all in all, I'm really glad that I got a chance to give this book a read, and would like to thank Netgalley and Harper Collins for introducing me to Alex Brown's work, and to Annie and Trixie's stories.

I’ve always been a fan of Alex Brown’s books and I adored reading her latest novel, A Postcard from Paris.

Annie wants to put the spark back in her life and when her elderly neighbour Joan inherits an apartment in Paris, Annie is given the opportunity to head to Paris to find out more information. After finding a bundle of diaries hidden in one of the walls, Annie’s interest is piqued as she’s taken on a journey from the Great War through the twenties and onto WW2 following the story of Beatrice Crawford who volunteered in 1916 to help the soldiers in the French fields. Slowly with the help of a couple of new friends, Annie starts to piece together the life of Beatrice and realises not everything is as it seems.

I found this book a joy to read and impossible to put down. Set mainly in present day but with some chapters from Beatrice’s time just add to the wonderful enchanting story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and the author for the chance to review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

After a long time Annie wants the spark back into her life that she once had.

So when her neighbour inherits an apartment in Paris, she goes in her place to find out more about it and why her neighbour has been left it. On reaching the apartment she cones across some letters, about the life of Beatrice who was a voluntary nurse in 1916.

She follows Beatrice’s journey through her letters/diaries during the two wars. It seems that there’s a lot that happened in her time and Annie has to put all the links together if she’s to know why the apartments been left to her neighbour.

The ending was not what I was expecting at all.

I thoroughly recommend it.

Annie is 49, not old by any means but she is bored with her life. Her two children have left home and after Annie has a fall at home her daughter Phoebe phones her telling her to sell her house and move nearer her so she can pop in and keep an eye on her. This enraged Annie and she wonders why her daughter is trying to control her life.
At the right moment her elderly neighbour and friend Joanie asks her to go to Paris to look at an apartment and shop which she has inherited. It's a real mystery because Joanie can't find a connection between her and the woman Beatrice who has willed her the apartment.

It takes courage for Annie to travel abroad on her own but it is also exciting. She quickly makes friends with the owner of the Band B , Maggie, and they become friends with Kirsten another holiday maker. Together they go to view the apartment and this leads them into finding diaries from the Great War and onto WW2 and Beatrice's life.

I have read all of Alex's books and they just keep getting better and better. This dual storyline works well and it really is the last few pages before you find out the answers to all the questions you will have.
Beatrice had an amazing life and I'm glad that Annie and her friends were able to set the record straight about her and give her the recognition she deserved.
Another great read from the pen of Alex Brown.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Annie's life, a middle-aged single mother from London whose children have grown up. Her best friend has moved away for an exciting career opportunity, leaving Annie alone in a tedious job and lonely life. When Annie’s elderly neighbour mysteriously inherits an apartment in the heart of France, Annie jumps at the chance to inspect the property and go on vacation in Paris.

Beatrice owned the apartment (or Trixie), an English woman who left England in 1916 to work as a nurse in World War I and returned to France I'm the 1920s until she died at the age of 102. Annie finds Trixie’s diaries of her life through the Roaring Twenties through to the Second World War and works to piece together Trixie’s involvement in the Second World War and her connection to Joan - a British war orphan.

The only part I'd eliminate is Annie’s daughter Phoebe. Phoebe is abusive and controlling, trying to force her mother to retire and sell her home to move north so Phoebe can “check-in” on her like she's elderly... Not 49... And then it ends up being a cover for Phoebe’s own personal issues, which she also lied about and then blamed her mother for. It felt so strange and pointless to the plot.

Sidebar: what 22 years old owns her own thriving business but can leave it for months to escape Australia because they have a “manager” to run it for them? None.

I love Annie’s and Trixie’s storylines as they encounter love, loss, and friendship and want more details of Trixie’s life.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️M