Thank you to Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read The Marriage Sabbatical by Gemma Johns.
Sophie, Charli, and Alice are the Wilson sisters.
Sophie is married to her high school boyfriend. They have been together for 30 years. She is a busy lady as a mum to four children, and a career as a doctor. She has very little time to herself. She had always thought that once the kids became teenagers she could reclaim her time, but she has more demands, not less.
Charli has a management role and is happily married to Monique. They have been married for 23 years and have two girls who are close to leaving home. Monique has just been promoted.
Alice, a journalist is married to Jason. They have been married for 5 years. Alice hasn’t yet decided if she would like to have children. Jason is devoted to her, however, she is questioning if he is the one for her “forever”.
Monique is handed 12 months away from her normal work…a sabbatical…to do research.
Charli’s world is turned upside down when it turns out that Monique plans to do her research in Europe and on her own. She wants to take time to “really focus on me and find out what would my potential have been if I wasn’t married and had kids”. In fact, Monique suggests to Charli that she also take a “sabbatical” herself! To take her own discovery time.
A year out of their marriage? How would they ever come back from that?
Charli shares her “ Marriage Sabbatical” news and announces that she herself now plans to spend time in Queensland.
Alice makes a decision to join her. And when Alice’s boss hears about this unusual “Marriage Sabbatical”, he signs her for a book deal. She is to write a book on her experiences!
With the two sisters making plans and then leaving, Sophie is quite envious. Shortly after Phil suggests that she join her sisters. “To get back to the old you”.
Throughout their journeys, we really get to know the sisters and their families. They are lovely and relatable characters.
What escapades do the ladies get up to while they are away? What did they discover about themselves? Will any of their marriages survive?
I thoroughly recommend this book. Firstly, for the engaging story of the three women on their journey of self-discovery.
Secondly, this book is actually two books. Another book within the book. Cleverly, Alice’s research for her book is entwined in the story. Twelve excellent and valid tips on relationships and life. So you’re actually reading a self-help book without realising it.
Thirdly, this book has been written by a Beauty and Lace Club member, who has had the courage to be herself and follow her dream of becoming a writer. I know we will be reading many more of her books in the future.
Congratulations Gemma Johns on your success.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club members are reading The Marriage Sabbatical by Gemma Johns. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
I love to read, any book on any topic. I now love ebooks as they are easier to store, I was running out of bookshelves! My other interests are family, gardening and our beautiful King Charles spaniel dog who is my reading companion.
Thank you for your lovely review, Anne. I am pleased you liked it!
The Wilson sisters! Sophie, Charli and Alice embark on a 6 month sabbatical which was prompted by Charli’s wife Monique who was on a 12 month sabbatical of her own. They decided to search within themselves to find self discovery and return to their families after feeling refreshed.
What happens in this time has to be read about to know taking time out doesn’t mean taking time out from everyday life. Things happen and you still have to deal with them. Relationships change, family issues happen and heart ache occurs. All sisters get on well but have different reasons for taking the sabbatical.
Will this work for them?
A refreshing read which creates thinking as you do. Very likeable characters too. I’d actually really like a follow up story. See where it takes them, especially for Sophie!
Thank you for your lovely review, I’m pleased you enjoyed it! I hadn’t thought of a follow up story… now you have me thinking!
Thanks for giving me the chance to read this book.
I found it very easy reading. It was something different than the usual.
The sisters all had different reasons for taking a sabbatical but all were worried they were doing the wrong. It was interesting to see how it all worked out.
Thank you for your nice review, I’m glad you enjoyed the book!
The Marriage Sabbatical by Gemma Johns
Sophie, Charlie and Alice are sisters leading happy but busy lives. When Charlie’s wife Monique is offered a sabbatical from her job as a University professor she decides she would like to take a year in Europe to discover herself, leaving behind her wife and two daughters.
After Charlie gets over the initial shock of Monique’s decision she starts to think about how she might like some time away too.
This leads to a conversation with her sisters. Convincing Alice to join her is easy, although Alice’s husband of only 5 years isn’t too thrilled.
Sophie on the other hand can’t even dream about leaving her husband, four teenagers and her Doctor’s practice, although she is very jealous of her sisters.
When things start to get tough at home Sophie’s husband suggests she should join her sisters.
For the next five months the girls live together in Queensland and with the help of their gorgeous Great Auntie go on a quest to ‘find themselves’
This is a lovely book about family life – good and bad and the close bond(most of the time) of sisters that had me wishing for some time out in sunny Queensland too!
Thanks to Beauty and Lace and Gemma Johns for the opportunity to read The Marriage Sabbatical
I’m glad you enjoyed the book. I think Aunty Carole was one of my favourite characters, so I’m pleased you enjoyed her, and the setting in Queensland, too!
Thank-you Beauty & Lace for giving me the chance to read & review ‘The Marriage Sabbatical’ an e-book by Gemma Johns.
Three sisters living happy but busy lives turn their worlds upside-down when they each decide to take a ‘marriage sabbatical’ for 5 months to find themselves again and to really understand what and who is important in their lives. Initially it is an adventure to leave all their ordinary lives behind, but the time spent together as sisters re-establishes their bonds with lots of fun and laughter.
However, life does move forward creating a few hiccups in the way, ultimately changing the way they all look at their relationships and how things are to progress into the future. I really enjoyed reading this book and seeing the characters grow. Thank-you ‘Beauty & Lace Bookclub’ for the opportunity to read ‘The Marriage Sabbatical’ an e-book by Gemma Johns.
Thanks for your review, Donna. I’m pleased to hear you enjoyed the book, and the adventures of the sisters!
The Marriage Sabbatical by Gemma Johns is the story of three sisters Charli, Sophie, and Alice Wilson. All sisters lead very busy lives in very different ways. Charli’s wife Monique wants takes up the offer of a sabbatical from her job and to take a year in Europe leaving behind her family to try and rediscover herself. The idea is a big shock for Charli, but she eventually comes around and she thinks of what she too can do for herself while Monique is away.
After thought and discussions with her sisters Charli comes up with the idea that they too could go away. Convincing Alice to go was easy but her husband is not too happy. Sophie who is married with four children, a busy job as a doctor is not so easily convinced. Charli and Alice head off for time away leaving Sophie behind at home but its not long before Sophie joins her sisters. The sisters stay at the apartment of their Auntie as she is spending time in care. This gives the sisters the opportunity to travel around Queensland and to try rediscover themselves.
Not all goes smoothly for the whole time away with Sophie having to return home after an incident with one of her children, but once things settle, she makes the decision to return to the sisters.
After the sisters time away is over, they return to their everyday lives but not all is rosy, and things have certainly changed for one sister.
A great read I would be especially interested if there was a sequel to see what happens in the next chapter of the sisters’ lives.
Thank you for your lovely review. I’m pleased you enjoyed the book. I hadn’t thought of a sequel but some other people have mentioned them, too. Leave it with me!
“The Marriage Sabbatical” revolves around an interesting premise and a credible plot. However, flat characters and unemotional writing made it a bit of an effort to engage with.
The interesting premise will pique the interest of anyone who’s been in a long term relationship. Having set three sisters in very different life situations and relationships, Johns has given herself a lot of possibilities to explore.
Unfortunately, I found the novel unengaging. The writing style is flat and unemotional. There’s a lot of detail, and a lot of exposition. I found the narrative distant. Neither did I feel any of the emotional struggles the three experienced. They were described so flatly that I simply didn’t engage.
The three women don’t really come to life. I understood and empathised with their different situations. However, they all seemed quite two dimensional, and I didn’t feel involved with any of them or their lives.
I did not find this particularly enjoyable. Yes, the premise was interesting and the set up had considerable potential. The writing style soon sapped my interest, however, and the flat characters couldn’t revive it. However, readers who prefer this kind of writing style are likely to be drawn in by the premise and find it more enjoyable.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the book, but thank you for reading it and leaving a review – I appreciate it!
Thanks to Beauty and Lace and Gemma Johns for the opportunity to read and review The Marriage Sabbatical.
For many of us in long term relationships the idea of having some time off is probably very appealing, but if your partner announced they had been given the opportunity to have a years sabbatical from work, and thought it would be a good idea to take it overseas, without you or the children, most of us would be wondering if this meant there was something wrong in the relationship.
This is precisely the situation that Charli is faced with when her wife of 20 plus years decides that for her years sabbatical from work she is heading over to Europe, without Charli and thinks it would be good if communication for the year is kept to a minimum. Charli is understandably confused and wonders what it means for their marriage. Although Monique insists that their marriage is sound, she just needs some time away from ‘family’ Charli is left wondering what the future holds.
Charli then convinces her sisters Alice and Sophie to join her on a 6 month sabbatical, just the three of them. Sophie is a highly driven doctor with four children, and a lack of communication with her husband Phil, Alice is in a relationship with Jason, but not sure if she wants to be.
The time away gives all parties a chance to consider their relationships, what they want out of them, and even if they want to be in them.
Thanks for reviewing ‘The Marriage Sabbatical’, Marcia! 🙂
The Marriage Sabbatical by Gemma Johns is an amazing book from start to finish
The sisters Sophie Charlie and Alice are such likeable characters
The sabbatical comes about when Charlie’s wife Monique is offered a year off from her job and decides to go to Europe
Hence the 3 sisters decide that they will also take a marriage sabbatical leaving behind husbands and children
The sisters really are a joy, they laugh cry and have fun together
I would recommend this book it was wonderful
Thank you Beauty & Lace and Gemma Johns, for the opportunity to read this book, ‘The Marriage Sebatical”
I absolutely loved it, and binge read it in 1 night, as I couldn’t put it down.
The 3 sisters grow and evolove subtly but profoudly in all of their relationships as their sebatical takes place, especially within themselves, which I found so beautifully written.
The changes within themselves, and their normal every day lives, and reading how their sebatical not only changed their lives, but dramatically changed those of the familiies they left, made for an intersting mix of characters. With some sad, funny, and laugh out loud moments, it was the closest to real life sisters I have read in a long time.
I highly recommend this fabulous read.