I must confess, I bought this novel while wandering through my local used bookstore because I liked the author's name. I read the blurb on the back and found nothing that dissuaded me from buying it. So I did.
That being said, I was confused when I started reading the novel because the book's summary gave a false impression of the story. In fact, one of the key pieces of information it gave about the story was either blatantly misleading or flat out wrong.
And that confusion continued throughout the book. Often, I had to go back to check on things -- because some details changed significantly enough that it had to be an error rather than a change of perspective. In other places, lots of extraneous details were brought up -- some seemingly important at the time -- but not explored further. Actions of some of the characters took an abrupt turn without explanation. While the start of the book placed equal emphasis on the two families profiled, one turned out to get far more attention. In several places, I thought a careful editor could have tightened the story and cleaned up minor problems.
Still, I liked the book. It tells the story of two families -- both with a husband, wife, and two moody children -- who are having difficulties and need a break. They sign up for a home swap, and the Irish family takes a vacation in Manhattan, while the New Yorkers ship off to visit mom's birthplace of Limerick.
The novel's format is to tell the tale from the perspectives of the four adults -- how they got into the mess they are in, provide some expository details, along with their thoughts and backgrounds. For the most part, this works. It tries to get a little thillerish near the end, but not enough to get annoying.
But it really has an unsatisfying ending, as it leaves one hanging. I found myself asking "Why?" and "What happened to ...?"
But please, don't take this as a negative review. Except for the niggling details, it's a fine book, well written, and a good story. I recommend it.
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