London Holiday

Margo, Les and Julia had grown up together in their Missouri town, been inseparable in high school, then gone their own ways. Julia had married a wealthy local boy and quickly divorced him, which provided her with the means to go to school, then New York, where she became a successful interior designer. Margo married the intellectual Reg, which meant putting her own dreams of academic success aside to work as an elementary school teacher and help pay for his schooling while raising their daughter. Les married into another wealthy family and twenty years later finds that she fills her calendar with charity meetings in order to have something to do, while Margo's husband has now divorced her and their daughter hates both her parents. show more Julia has money and status but thinks of nothing but her work. Through the years the friends have kept in touch, but when Margo is shot, the three decide to take a break from their lives by spending ten days in London. What was supposed to be a time for the three to have fun and forget their unhappy lives for a bit is ruined from the start by Margo bringing along her horrible teenage daughter.
Though each woman has a distinct personality and her own problems, I still found this to be a little superficial. Not bad at all, I just didn't feel that the author created people I cared about, with the exception of Mrs. Smith-Porter, the owner of the London B&B the women stay at. Towards the end, Julia's storyline even devolves into standard chick-lit cliches, complete with aristocracy. show less

A chick lit read in which 3 women who were childhood friends take a vacation trip to London after one of them, a teacher, has 2 tramatic life experiences. She divorces and within a year is shot in her classroom. The trip to London becomes a life altering trip for all three. It's a light read, one of those that is unrealistic but a good escape.

There was a gap in my reading this one as books that required reviews or book group books took precedence. I was able to pick up and remember everyone's story. A nice relaxing escape from the crazy world. I enjoyed spending time in this place and with these people. My first of Richard Peck's adult books. I am again sorrowed by our loss of this wonderful author. Glad to find there are titles of his that I have missed. Look forward to reading them all.

Three women who were childhood friends reunite after 1 is shot, to spend time together in London. Their lives are dramatically changed by their time there & the landlady at their bed-and-breakfast.

A fun, light read.