Review: 'Where Love Lies' by Julie Cohen (2014)

Lately, Felicity just can’t shake a shadow of uncertainty. Her husband Quinn is the kindest person she knows and loves her peculiarities more than Felicity feels she deserves. But suddenly it’s as if she doesn’t quite belong.
Then Felicity experiences something extraordinary: a scent of perfume in the air which evokes memories that have been settled within her for a long time, untouched and undisturbed. As it happens again and again, the memories of a man Felicity hasn’t seen for ten years also flutter to the surface. And so do the feelings of being deeply, exquisitely in love . . .
Overwhelmed and bewildered by her emotions, Felicity tries to resist sinking blissfully into the past. But what if something truly isn’t as it should be? What if her mind has been playing tricks on her heart?
Which would you trust?
Earlier this year I was incredibly lucky to get an invite to attend the launch party for Julie Cohen's latest release, 'Where Love Lies', on the 24th of July, organised by Transworld. I always feel really honoured when receiving invites like this one and hope I will be able to actually hop on a plane and attend one someday in the near future! Unfortunately, this time I couldn't make it, but I did receive a review copy of Julie Cohen's new book, which was released as hardback on the 31st of July and the paperback version will follow in February 2015. I was already familiar with Julie's writing after reading her successful novel 'Dear Thing' last year, so I started the book with high hopes!
Felicity Bloom leads a good life together with her husband Quinn, who loves her to the moon and back and is willing to do everything it takes to make Felicity happy. Together they live in a beautiful cottage in a small town, close to Quinn's family, and they've settled in very nicely. Then one day Felicity starts to smell the sweet flowery scent of frangipani in the air, a smell that immediately brings back memories of her ex-boyfriend and first love, Ewan. Felicity starts to smell the distinctive scent more and more often and it is somehow combined with deep feelings of love. But love for whom, Quinn or Ewan? Felicity finds herself starting to doubt everything in her life and she knows she will have to take a step back into the past to discover what it is she is feeling.
I read Julie Cohen's 'Dear Thing' last year, which was an intriguing and really well-written novel filled with emotions, and ever since I'd been looking forward to Julie Cohen's next release, hoping it'd be just as compelling. Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed. 'Where Love Lies' is a unique story and I can honestly say I've never read anything quite like it before. I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but the book deals with some quite serious and fascinating topics and Julie Cohen's writing is simply wonderful; so captivating and descriptive, easily bringing the story to life with her writing style. I was intrigued by mainly Felicity's character from the first few pages and was really curious to see what would happen to her and how things would eventually work out for her and her husband Quinn.
While reading, I had mixed feelings when it came to Felicity. One moment I really felt for her and kept my fingers crossed for a happy ending for her, but at other times she made me quite angry with the decisions she made. Quinn is a simply wonderful husband and I think many female readers will develop a little crush on him, just like I did. I really cared about the two of them as a couple and I can't even start to imagine what it would be like if something like this would happen to someone I love. Once again, Julie Cohen has managed to treat us to a thought-provoking, original and heart-wrenching read; a book that comes highly recommended if you're looking for your next compelling women's fiction read! Rating:

8/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.