Welcome, book-clubbers, to another thrilling (for me, at least) book review!

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*cue fanfare* 📯

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As we venture further into April, AKA the Month of Chocolate in my calendar, so too comes a real treat of a book and just in time to enjoy in the extra time off.

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Better Days by Claire Zorn is a beautifully written, entertaining and absorbing story of identity, love, relationships, family and the transportive power of music that pulls at the heartstrings the only way an excellent book (and Dolly Parton) can.

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University student Grace is a headstrong, independent and avid music-lover with no clear direction in her life except to rebel against the wishes of her anxious mother, Dorothy. Enter the scene, Trent, a sensitive boy with a guitar (kryptonite for some of us under age 25) and Grace falls head over heels the only way you can in the rush of first love.

 

However, events take a turn, and Grace finds herself on a solo impromptu trip to London, utterly heartbroken and intent on not speaking to Trent or Dorothy for the foreseeable future (classic air sign behavior).

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Crashing with an old friend, Grace lands a job in London’s music industry as a PA for managing local bands and artists which gradually evolves into a glamourous career (we love to see it) rubbing elbows with the uber talented at awards shows and looking after a rising star with the talent of Adele and Amy Winehouse (RIP) combined. In time, Grace meets Ed, a talented artist, and decides to give love a second chance.

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Fast forward to the present day and Grace is returning to her parents’ house with her two children and a cheeky dachshund in tow (so three children really) without Ed and a whole lot of problems. Her situation is made slightly more complicated by the sudden re-appearance of Trent and the question of what could have been…

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Better Days is, quite simply, a phenomenal read. Shifting from the present day to the past years, we’re treated to a layered and complex perspective of Grace’s world as she struggles to fulfill the dual responsibilities of her career and motherhood, and the sacrifices she must make for both. Claire Zorn explores sensitive subjects with both empathy and humor, and, through Grace, the old cliché of ‘having it all’ is put at odds with the reality of balancing your old life with new priorities without losing yourself in the process.

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There are brief chapters from both Dorothy and Ed’s perspectives, both of which offer new insight into their characters outside of Grace’s scope. Dorothy’s revelations are especially heartfelt and her strained relationship with Grace changes significantly through their shared experiences as parents.

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Better Days is a wonderful blend of love, humour, heartbreak and growth with characters that catapult you into their world with alarming force. Claire Zorn is clearly at the top of her game and this book is a marvelous addition for any book club.

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Five out of five sausage dogs. 🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕     

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