I was really engrossed in this book from start to finish and the only reason I hesitated over the 5 star/favourites rating was the overall tone of this book. It's gritty. Depressing may not be the right word but it is very personal and well, not an entirely uplifting story.

This book essentially deals with the impact of the previous book’s (Long Live the Queen) traumatic events, and not just how they affected Meg, but also the fractures created in her family as a result. So it’s not always an easy read, but it was incredibly well-written and, I think, realistic – I felt as though I was there with Meg and I loved her wry sarcastic voice (I have to say at times, I was reminded of Ms White’s very different “Romance is a Wonderful Thing”). I closed the book believing Meg would triumph, partly because she (and her parents, brothers, and friends) had started to heal – but also because I had to, the alternative would have been too difficult to imagine.

Part of this review originally posted on my blog: http://bookdaze.wordpress.com/2011/05/28...