A fantastic, small-town saga with all the expected drama but none of the expected outcomes. A must-read!
I am usually wary when reading a debut novel as the reading experience can go either way, but I needn't have worried in the case of Not Bad People. The characters were so real, I had a new set of best friends from page one and couldn’t get to the end of the book fast enough. A superb first release from Brandy Scott.
A fantastic, small-town saga with all the expected dramas but none of the expected outcomes, the twists kept coming. The character arcs were fantastic. I thought I had a read on business entrepreneur Melissa, single mother Lou and caring mother and wife Aimee, and had chosen my favorite, but by the end of the novel, the depth of the women’s experiences and personalities changed my opinion entirely—the sign of a good story indeed.
Written from multiple perspectives, Scott draws us into the three friends' thoughts, fears, and dreams. Every moment of joy and shattering heartbreak, we were there with them. And for male readers, the male characters in the book were rich and varied—despotic fathers, vineyard owners, pilots, police, investigators and fathers and sons with complicated relationships. And a toyboy, but who's judging?
The writing style was short and punchy, weaving the story without weighing the reader down with unnecessary wordage. Many a retort had me laughing, and the scenes were set with vivid imagery.
I was sad to see the novel end. Please, Brandy Scott, bring us a sequel!
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