I’m thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for The Last Laugh by Tracy Bloom today. I’ve never read anything by Tracy before but after reading a lot of crime/psychological thrillers I thought it was time for a chance of genre. Once I read the blurb I decided that this could be just the book I was looking for. . . and I wasn’t wrong.
Imagine finding out that you’re terminally ill and when you go to your husband’s office to share the devastating news you find him in a compromising position with a leggy, blonde colleague. That’s exactly what happens to Jenny. Throw into the mix two teenage children, a father with dementia, a taxing mother, a brother who rarely makes an appearance and a job at the local care home and you’ve got Jenny’s life.
You’d think that Jenny would be wallowing around in self-pity, but with some guidance from Maureen, a resident at the care home where she works, she does some soul searching and makes an important decision.
Through flashbacks to 1996 we find out how Jenny met and fell in love with husband Mark. Life was obviously very different for Jenny then and she has lots of fond memories of that time in her life which is why she wants to reconnect with long lost friends.
This is the first book I’ve read by Tracy Bloom and I can honestly say that I was impressed with her writing style. The fact that she can take a sensitive subject like cancer and produce a story that’s sprinkled with humour and written with great sensitivity, shows just what a talented writer she is. I quickly warmed to Jenny’s character and found that as I was reading I was putting myself in her shoes and asking what I would do if I was in her position.
The Last Laugh is one of those books that will make you take stock of your own life. It’s thought-provoking, funny and poignant all at the same time. If you’re looking for something a little different to read then I’d recommend that you give this little beauty a try.
Check out the rest of the blog tour with these fabulous blogs
With kind thanks to Kim Nash at Bookouture for the review copy.
Great review Neats, sounds a bit different from our usual reads. xx
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