Your Roots Are Showing

In a nutshell: Lizzie Buckley sent a ranting email to the wrong person. It was supposed to go to her sister; instead, it went to her husband. Doesn't really sound all that bad, does it? Unfortunately, the rant was about him. Finding herself suddenly alone with two small children and facing a divorce, she must come to grips with her own internal battle with postpartum depression. Easier said than done. My opinion: Well, what can I say that hasn't been said already? Not much. This is a wonderfully written, nicely flowing tale of love with all the glories and pitfalls. Told entirely from Lizzie's third-person POV, the reader is a given a glimpse of life after children when the world should be bright and shiny but, as sometimes happens, is dreary and dull instead. I think Ms Chidley, although admitting that she has not experienced full-blown postpartum depression herself, has aptly captured the essence of this state of mind. She successfully conveyed Lizzie's feelings yet kept the tone light and humorous so as not to overwhelm the reader. There were times, however, where I found my eyes tearing up and times when I laughed out loud. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Lizzie Buckley didn't have the perfect life but she did live a happy one with her husband James and her twin children. One thing Lizzie never imagined she would experience is depression...postpartum depression to be specific. Before Lizzie can even say one... two... three, she finds herself moving to the country with her children and living in a run down cottage. James has left Lizzie and it's all her fault. Lizzie accidentally sent an email to James. Some of the items written in the email were really hurtful. Do you know just how hard it is to take care of two children, deal with your marriage; all while trying to put yourself back together? That is the million dollar question that Lizzie will try to find an answer to. I thought Your Roots Are Showing was a simple but sweet book about love, sadness, joy, freedom and cherishment. This book just goes to show you that writing what you know can produce great results. Though I can't say I can relate to Lizzie, I do know that I felt like I really connected with her and her family from the first moment I met them. I dare you to put this book down and walk away from it; you will find yourself having a hard time doing so. For anyone who is looking for a new and fresh voice to read then you have got to check out Elise Chidley's debut novel Your Roots Are Showing.

I really enjoyed Your Roots Are Showing. I thought it was entertaining and funny, and the characters were very well written. The main character Lizzie was easy to sympathize with and she actually seemed like a real person. She didn't always make the best choices for herself, but who does? Lizzie's bad choices weren't used as a foil for the plot, however; she wasn't binging on food or acting irrationally because something needed to happen in the book. Instead, it became very clear exactly why Lizzie made the choices she did and where her insecurities stemmed from. I liked that occurrences in the book happened for a reason, rather than just to move the story forward. One thing I really appreciated about Your Roots Are Showing was that it started with the premise of the book already in place, meaning Lizzie was already moving out of her home with her children when the book began. The reader is told the story of the errant e-mail making its way to Lizzie's husband James through a flashback. I liked this for two reasons. First, it is clear what happens from the summary on the back of the book. There's no need for it to be rehashed in the first pages of the book, when the author is trying to "hook" the reader. Second, it puts aside that dread that you usually have in the bottom of your stomach when you read a book and know something bad is about to happen. I really liked this approach. The ending was a little surprising. Though I enjoyed it (and I won't say any more here), it seemed to come out of the blue. Still, it wrapped the book up very well as a nice neat package complete with a bow on top. At 384 pages, Your Roots Are Showing is longer than your average chick lit book. However, the story flies by and by the end, the reader doesn't even notice the length. This is a book I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys chick lit, and/or new mothers (or those thinking of becoming mothers!) 4 and a half stars rounded up to 5

I actually read the British version of this book (title there is Wrong Sort of Wife?) and was thrilled to discover a new favorite author. You are drawn in from the beginning when the main character does something most of us have done before-- sent an email to the wrong person. Lizzie is a well-developed character that mothers (and non-mothers, too!) will relate to easily. The writing is witty and fast-paced. I laughed out loud too many times to count. My only complaint was a lack of sleep for a couple of days due to some late night reading. Can't wait for the next novel from Elise Chidley!

This book will touch the heart and soul of anyone who is a mother. The ups and downs a woman goes through before and after marriage added with the complexity of emotions of a stay-at-home mom with young children are so real. I could not put the book down and belly-laughed more than once at the girl-humor the author infuses throughout the love story. For her first novel, Elise Chidley hit it spot on, and I can't wait to see what she pens next!