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Book review: The Bridesmaid Pact by Julia Williams
Can a childhood pact made between four very different girls survive the adult turmoil of cruel betrayal, hidden secrets, failed love and bitter regrets?
Julia Williams’ clever and compelling new novel is a refreshingly-honest and grittily-grounded tale of friendship, adversity and loyalty.
As four eight-year-old youngsters watch the fairytale wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981, the big occasion brings out some secret desires and ambitions.
Doris (Dorrie) has arrived at their north London school from America and seems like an exotic creature from another planet to the other suburban girls.
Blonde Sarah often feels at a disadvantage because the others are quicker and brighter, Caz is always spoiling for a fight and peacemaker Beth is a firm believer in happy endings.
But they are a gang – the Fab Four, ‘all four one and one four all’ – and they make a pact, sealed with locks of their hair, to be bridesmaids at each other’s weddings.
It’s an oath that can never be broken...or is it?
Fast forward to 1995 and things are looking very different – Charles and Di have separated and the friends are also finding that the old ties that bind them together are starting to rapidly unravel.
Sarah is getting engaged to Steve and Caz, much to Sarah’s anger and dismay, is convinced that she’s making the biggest mistake of her life.
And if that wasn’t enough, Caz did the dirty on them by marrying in Vegas without a single bridesmaid in sight. By the time the rest of the gang found out about the wedding, the brief but disastrous marriage was over.
Fast forward a few more years and it’s Dorrie’s turn to get married...she is harbouring a terrible secret and Beth seems mysteriously out of sorts, but the hen weekend at Euro Disney must go ahead come what may.
Caz, who seems to constantly leave behind her a trail of misery and carnage, has not been part of the ‘pact’ for years after a bitter betrayal which tore apart her friendship with Sarah.
But that’s not going to stop Dorrie inviting her to the pre-wedding bash and persuading them all that her madcap plan for a kiss-and-make-up reunion is not as hopeless as it might at first seem...
Williams brings her special brand of warmth and wisdom to all her novels and The Bridesmaid Pact packs in a few home truths as well as an entertaining story.
A super summer read...
(Avon, paperback, £6.99)
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Tuesday 07 February 2012
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