When you’re heading off on a warm and sunny holiday, there’s no better feeling than knowing you’ve got a really good book to read when chilling by the pool or on the beach. I love to read, but finding the time to do it at home isn’t always easy, so I really try to pack in as much holiday reading as I can.
I recently spent 10 days in sunny Lanzarote, so a few days before I went, the search was on to find the perfect poolside book. I couldn’t believe my luck when I walked into my local charity shop and spotted a copy of Table For One by Emma Gannon, which was only published in April, for just £1. Despite being very new, I’d seen some amazing reviiews online – and after reading it, I can absolutely understand why.
Fans of the book on Goodreads claimed they ‘devoured it in one day’ with one reviewer saying: “It’s the best book I’ve read in ages.”
This sounded perfect for holiday reading, so I eagerly took the copy away with me and got started. And after finishing it, I raved about it so much that my mum and auntie also ended up powering through it after me, and agreed.
The story follows 30-something year old Willow, who unexpectedly finds herself splitting up from the man she expected she’d spend the rest of her life with. Trying to navigate a break-up is never easy, but when you’ve also co-founded a company with your ex, it’s even more difficult and messy.
Despite feeling like her life is over at first, Willow seeks the help of her closest friends and her auntie Carla – but it soon becomes apparent that, like everyone, they have their own heartbreaking problems going on. I really found that it captured that stage in your life where everyone seems to be doing different things – some getting married, some having children, and some simply having to start all over again.
This is a romance novel, but not as you know it. Of course, there are some hilariously difficult instances where Willow tries to ‘get back out there’ in the form of online dating, which is totally new to her. But ultimately, this book is about taking a step back and realising how lucky you are with what you have, rather than what you’re missing.
It’s also about the beauty of female friendships and self-love, with the breakup pushing Willow to pick up her old passion of journalism, forming an unlikely alliance with a social media influencer who is a strong feminist and believer that staying single is the best course of action that you could possibly take in life. At first, her character immediately reminded me of Chidera Eggerue – aka The Slumflower – but it was quickly revealed that this woman had her own internal battle to fight as well.
Think Bridget Jones but with less focus on finding the perfect man, and more focus on finding true happiness within yourself. I found this a pure delight to read – maybe a little predictable at times, but with enough twists and turns that kept me entertained until the very end.
Table For One by Emma Gannon is available to buy on Amazon for £14.19.