#BookReview ~ Under One Roof by Samantha Tonge @SamTongeWriter @BoldwoodBooks @rararesources #ContemporaryFiction

I’m delighted to share my thoughts on Under One Roof by Samantha Tonge for the blog tour organised by Rachel’s Random Resources

Robin, recently made redundant, is persuaded by her Uncle Ralph that her mother, Faye, needs help after a bad fall. Robin and Faye have been estranged for a long time and they haven’t seen each other for eighteen years—since Robin’s daughter, Amber was born. Faye had never been a motherly sort, scathing and harsh, and she and Robin often clashed. Robin’s dad always acted as mediator but after he died Robin ran away with her boyfriend.

The atmosphere in the present is as tense as it’s ever been between Robin and Faye, only eased slightly when Amber needs somewhere to stay. Amber and Faye have never met before, so Amber has no preconceptions regarding her grandmother and the two of them get on well together.

‘Why are you really here, Robin? Money, is it? Somewhere free to stay?’ Faye’s tone sounded as cold as the sneer on her face.

Robin bit her lip.

“Oh, hit the nail on the head, have I?’

They needed Dad here. Without him neither of them held back. They used to have outbursts but knowing he’d always be home at six somehow reined them both in, it helped them navigate their difficult relationship and for his sake, as much as they could, keep it civil. Unless he was away on a job, then Robin would do her best to keep out of the house.

Tensions run high as the three generations try to get along, not always successfully, but the last treasure hunt clues left by Robin’s father help bring them together and allow them to begin to face the past. They all had much to learn about each other, as well as the past, and why it still resonates.

Under One Roof is the story of these three women, thrown together due to circumstances, and each learning that the way they see, and react, to each other needs to be re-evaluated and taken into consideration.

The characters are defined well. Initially I felt for Robin. She couldn’t seem to do anything right, but gradually things begin to make sense. Sensitive and believable topics are covered with empathy and insight, along with some humour. I loved the nostalgic look back at the 80s…brought back a lot of memories.

One forgotten discovery will change three women’s lives for ever…

Robin hasn’t been home for decades. After running away to London, she never expected to see her cantankerous mother, Faye, again. But when Faye has a fall, the two women are thrown together once more.

The years apart have not made their hearts grow fonder and the ground between them is unsteady. Then Robin finds an unopened scroll – the last of the treasure hunts her much-missed father used to take them on every Sunday. A hunt he believed might change everything. 

Yet, not even this gift from her beloved father can smooth the way until Robin’s daughter, Amber, arrives to meet her grandmother for the first time.  Amber is determined that the decades-old mystery be solved.

Can a 30-year-old treasure hunt really ‘change everything’?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3r7hoHi

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK and studied German and French at university. She has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris as part of the Opening Crew, and has travelled widely. She enjoys family time, baking and walking and always knew that one day she would write. Samantha finally took the plunge seriously in her late thirties, and hasn’t stopped since. Under One Roof will be her sixteenth book and she has also sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.

Samantha’s uplifting stories are about identity and self-discovery, about friendships and communities. She enjoys creating diverse characters and writing about relatable issues that make the reader feel it’s not just me. Her books have hit the AmazonUK overall chart Top Ten position twice and she has won two awards.

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