M. A. Meadowcroft

WTH?! Meadowcroft meshed 'The Windsurf Girl' together in a tale of family, responsibilities and infidelity; with each character being introduced and braided into the tale seamlessly. The writing had its charm with British mannerisms and saying that lent to the story, but it lacked a depth that kept the reader on the surface, waiting for the plunge. It never came. What did, however, was a hint at incest between the main character and her lover, which nearly led me to put the book down. I wasn't offended by the possibility, but by the lack of plausibility of that choice by the author. It seemed utterly ridiculous, especially as it never came to fruition, and I felt a bit cheated as a result. Not recommending this one, sorry!… (más)

Where I got the book: purchased at an author signing.

I picked up The Windsurf Girl at a local author signing—local, that is, to an area of the UK with which I have a connection. We did, as it turned out, buy each other’s books, but nothing was said about reviewing—you’re getting an honest opinion.

On to the plot: When she finds out about her husband Malcolm’s infidelities, Fran flees to the Suffolk marshes, where she owns a beach hut because she’s loved the area since childhood. Her parents also own a cottage there, and her brother Simon, sister-in-law Annabel, and her sister Lydia all come down to the country to try to make Fran change her mind about Malcolm. In the meanwhile Fran’s friend Elisabeth gets a job as an escape from her responsibilities to her vicar husband’s parish, and finds herself in a position to make some (slightly unethical) revelations. Fran is attracted to Tom who, like her, loves windsurfing, Lydia is just after some casual sex, and Annabel finds the local vet strangely appealing.

I’ve got to say I don’t usually go for this kind of novel, with marital infidelities all round, because they make it sound so easy to just drop out of a relationship that’s soured. With a new, perfect love just around the corner, it seems to say, why bother with the old marriage that’s turned out not to be the great love of your life? Working at a marriage is so yesterday…and the author appears to be providing Fran and Annabel with ready-made excuses by making their husbands pompous, self-centered, materialistic, lying shits without any redeeming qualities, whereas Fran, in particular, is sweet and wonderful and blameless. The other men…well, they’re simple souls, even the too-good-to-be-true Tom.

And yet I enjoyed the story, despite the feeling that the characters could have benefited from a whole lot more complexity. I kept finding myself picking up the novel to find out what happened next. It reminded me of the Jilly Cooper novels I enjoyed in my early twenties, with the contrast between the shallow, materialistic world of London and the authenticity of those who find their home in the countryside. The plot had a couple of nice twists and the ending, although rather too convenient, was satisfying. The writing shows strong storytelling ability, a natural feel for dialogue and a good command of language—this writer could make the decision to keep her characters fairly two-dimensional and aim for the beach read market, or beef up her weaker points and make a play for a more demanding audience. Either strategy would be promising, and I hope there’ll be more novels based on the marshes.… (más)

This is a very pleasant and easy read. It's centred around Fran, a woman whose marriage is on the rocks. She returns with her baby daughter, Grace, to Watercolour Cottage in Suffolk, a place she visited as a child. Fran is a windsurfer and the sea in Suffolk offers not only decent conditions but a fellow windsurfer called Tom to whom she finds herself increasingly drawn. There is also a supporting cast of characters from London and Suffolk, most lovely but some thoroughly unpleasant.

This is a short read and I really enjoyed it. The blurb mentions escapism and there was a bit near to the end when I thought wistfully of such blissful conditions. I found myself rooting for Fran and Tom and enjoying the romance between them. It's not the most exciting or in-depth novel, but a nicely put-together story with lovely descriptions of the Suffolk village.

Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to review this book through Netgalley.… (más)