Like We Used to Be

I stumbled upon this extraordinary book, first published in 1989, quite by accident, and was struck but its sophisticated and worldly tone--one that differentiates it a great deal from the usual cozy UK romance novel. "Like We Used to Be" spans 15 years, from 1953 to 1968, in the lives of two upper-middle-class British sisters. Zoe, whose fairytale wedding we attend on the very first page, is a housewife and mother contending with a marriage she refuses to acknowledge is horrible. Leila (Lulu), her younger sister, is a beatnik-free spirit, an artist whose constant rebellion against the way things are masks an essentially lonely life. As these two very close but very different women live their lives against the backdrop of intense societal change, we see things from their perspective--and it is absolutely fascinating. The front cover of the copy I picked up has a blurb from Rosamunde Pilcher. Unlike Rosamunde, Stubbs has an acerbic tone that is different and interesting. But like Rosamunde, she can tell a story that completely draws the reader in. This is a book to order and read!

If you enjoy the works of Rosemunde Pilcher and Maeve Binchy, this book is an excellent choice. It is witty and funny and touching. I love this book, and is one of the few I keep it to re-read time and time again. Give it a try. It is a winner.