Series: Cornish Country Hospital #2
Publication Date: 26th March 2024
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
3 Stars
One Liner: Couldn’t vibe with it
Esther Hamilton is getting her life back together after splitting with a horrible ex. She works as a nurse at the Cornish Country Hospital, where her best friend Danni is a doctor. She loves her new job and new life and has no intention of falling in love. Danni’s brother Joe Carter is newly single and arrives in the town. He is a friend Esther wouldn’t want to lose. But with Joe being there for her at the hospital and when navigating her parent’s troubled marriage, Esther has to make some tough decisions.
Caroline, Esther’s mom, is going through a difficult phase. She wants to make the most of her life, but her reliable and rock-solid husband has other ideas. Moreover, Caroline can’t help but think their marriage has fizzled out. Soon, she finds her life and marriage spiraling out of control.
The story comes in the third-person POV of Esther and Caroline.
My Thoughts:
Here’s another new author I wanted to tick off my list. The premise (the official blurb doesn’t mention Caroline’s POV) felt like a feel-good novel with romance, so I gave it a shot.
I didn’t expect the book to have two full-fledged stories and the mother and daughter’s tracks in parallel. Though it could be off-guard, I managed to adjust my expectations and see where it would lead.
The info dump on Caroline’s POV (second chapter) didn’t help either. And the very instant the other (third-party) character was introduced, my brain screamed a red flag. It only got worse. Moreover, there’s too much repetition (about her thoughts, her wants, her desires, etc.). I empathized more with her situation when I wasn’t reading her POV. Go figure!
Esther’s track also has repetition. Still, it involves other characters and has some decent banter. Esther’s friendship with Danni is really well done. Oh, this book possibly has spoilers for the first in the series. I didn’t read that, so can’t say for sure.
There really isn’t much romance in this one. I would classify it as contemporary fiction. Esther and Joe’s relationship doesn’t come alive on the page. There is too much focus on Caroline, and each time I get a little into Esther’s track, there’s a POV shift, taking me back to what Caroline wants. Not that I support Patrick (I don’t agree with it). His arc wasn’t compelling, either.
Another issue was how the other character pretty much vanished after the crucial incident. We never know their intentions or how the whole thing affected that person (if it did). I don’t want to wait for another book to know that (if it will even be tackled). The same goes for Lucas, though at least there’s a single-line brush-off to justify his sudden absence.
The major good thing about the book is how Esther cared for her patients. That also got into her trouble, but she refused to treat them as mere patients. She’s the kind of nurse one would want to have if they went into a hospital in an emergency.
The book also deals with dementia, personal loss, misunderstandings, mental health issues, taking chances, aspects of infidelity, second chances, etc. And oh, there is a mention of suicide.
To summarize, Finding Friends at the Cornish Country Hospital has its moments, though it didn’t work for me. It should have, but somehow, it didn’t. Do check the other reviews before you decide.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC.
#NetGalley #FindingFriendsattheCornishCountryHospital
No comments:
Post a Comment