Kate Galley’s debut plays out like a perfect Christmas movie – an entertaining drama full of humour, love, enough sorrow to bring Scrooge to tears and a big, heart-warming finale. Recently widowed, 76-year-old Evelyn Pringle embarks on a Christmas ‘turkey and tinsel’ coach tour to the Isle of Wight. She has a life-changing letter to deliver to a stranger and she’s not prepared to let her anxieties, or well-meaning sister, stand in her way. What starts out as a simple, solo mission quickly develops into a life-affirming adventure with two new friends – and a chance for Evelyn to reflect on the hurt that she’s carried around with her years. The chemistry between Evelyn, Cynthia and Joy is beautifully crafted; although developed over only a few days, the relationship between the three ladies never feels forced. Even after the final page has turned, you can still picture them sitting at the bar in The Retreat, laughing, crying and sharing a few glasses of festive fizz! The Second Chance Holiday Club won’t take you long to read, but it will leave an impression. It will remind you that there’s always hope, even in the dark moments, and that no matter what your stage of life, there’s always time to make new memories … and new friends. A joyful read for the winter season.
It's never too late to change the habits of a lifetime...
Evelyn Pringle isn't the sort to make rash decisions. Or any decisions, really – she's always left that sort of thing up to her husband. But he's been found dead, wearing his best suit, with a diamond ring in his pocket that doesn't fit her. When Evelyn finds a letter addressed to a woman on the Isle of Wight, she decides to deliver it. By hand.
So begins a very unusual holiday, and an adventure no one could have predicted – least of all Evelyn herself. With the help of some unexpected new friends, and a little effort on her part, Evelyn discovers that it's never too late to have a second chance at life and forge friendships that are well-worth living for.
The Second Chance Holiday Club is a heartwarming and funny later-life uplit for fans of Judy Leigh, Hazel Prior and Maddie Please.
Kate Galley is the author of The Second Chance Holiday Club. She lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, children and Meg, their Patterdale Terrier. Much of Kate's inspiration comes from the many varied lives of her clients as a mobile hairdresser.
