Birds of a feather is Tricia Stringer’s fourteenth book that I found heart-warming and hard to put down. The characters, the location, and the storyline felt incredibly real and just so relatable. Intrigued by the cover and the blurb, straight away I had a good feeling about this book.
The first chapter opens with a bang. You are taken back to 1988 where you meet Eve Monk and are given a glimpse into her background. When she and her husband Rex had two young boys and were partners in Wallaby Bay’s prawn fishing fleet with their friend Spiro.
The story then comes back to the present day, the pandemic is easing and Eve is now 70 years old. She still lives in Wallaby Bay and is still partners with Spiro in the prawn business.
You meet her friend Gert who has started to act strangely and her archnemesis Audrey who seems to be determined to make Eve’s life as miserable as possible. You also meet the other two main characters Julia (who is Eve’s goddaughter) and Lucy, a new arrival in town.
By this point I was totally absorbed in the book and it was only the third chapter! I like Eve who is a straight talker and was curious to know what Audrey has said and done to virtually ostracise Eve from her own town.
Julia is a researcher in Melbourne in a confusing relationship who comes across as a loner but also as lonely. When the research company gets closed down she decides to return home to Wallaby Bay and surprise Eve.
Lucy is a mum to two kids with a husband Alec who works on a FIFO basis. She used to be a nurse but is currently not working and so they have come to Wallaby Bay as it is where he grew up and his parents still live there.
When Eve damages her shoulder her independence is sorely tested and she suddenly needs to rely on others to help her. Lucy is hired to become Eve’s carer despite her reluctance to return to work and then Julia arrives to stay so she can think about what she wants to do next. It becomes an interesting trio as they are all prickly, don’t seem to trust easily, and don’t like to depend on others. On top of this, Eve starts being pressured by Spiro to sell the business.
Everyone thinks at her age it is a smart idea and along with her shoulder operation recovery, she starts to feel old, vulnerable, and very alone.
I absolutely loved this book and found it really easy to read. I enjoyed that in each chapter you would find out a little more about each character’s back story and this allowed me to really get invested in each character. Why doesn’t Lucy want to go back to work and why is she so overprotective even paranoid about the children?
Why is Julia so unsure about her relationship and what exactly happened between Audrey and Eve? Can these three women stop looking at the past to start moving forward and finally get along? Put this all together and it makes for a compelling story that I found really satisfying.
Thank you to Beauty and Lace and to Harlequin / Harper Collins for the generosity and opportunity to read this fabulous book!
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club members are reading Birds of a Feather by Tricia Stringer. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
Birds of a Feather is the new novel from bestselling Australian author Tricia Springer. Ms Springer is well known for her novels featuring strong women, their friendships and how they adjust to major changes in their lives. Her novels are often moving and easy to relate to.
I found this to be the case with Birds of a Feather. The novel features three women, all struggling with various issues within their lives. The central character is Eve, a widow who has been a partner in the local fishing fleet for decades but now her partner wants to sell. Eve’s always been a strong character within the local community and when suddenly she is incapacitated and finds herself having to rely on others she feels lonely, useless and old.
Lucy, new to the area of Wallaby Bay where the story is set, becomes Eve’s companion and carer, she moves into Eve’s home with her children when her rental home is damaged by a storm. Lucy is a nurse who had to deal with COVID 19 issues early in the pandemic and she’s now incredibly nervous about nursing again and worried for her children. The third strong lead woman in the story is Eve’s goddaughter Julia, she’s a medical researcher but just been made redundant and like Eve is at a crossroads in her life.
These three women have very strong personalities and they don’t always get on – particularly there is friction between Lucy and Julia. As the story develops we discover exactly what happened to Lucy with COVID and also why Eve has stopped being involved with community events. The author addresses some of the issues of a small community, how the community can quickly turn its back on someone if fed lies and misinformation, how something small can suddenly become huge to everyone closely involved.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel (as I have other Tricia Springer novels) and was keen to find out what happens to these women. Currently I do appreciate new novels addressing the pandemic, it’s changed our world and it would be inappropriate not to address it and some of the issues it’s caused.
Thank you to Harper Collins and Beauty & Lace Book Club for the opportunity to read this enjoyable novel which I thoroughly recommend.
Although Stringer has written many books, ‘Birds of a feather’ was my first encounter and won’t be my last.
Wallaby Bay, South Australia, long time home for patriarch Eve, now in her 70’s; new address for Lucy aged in her 30’s alongside her young family: and a return trip from the big smoke finds Julia, Eve’s goddaughter alongside.
The problems and issues these 3 strong independent women face together are intertwined through Tricia Stringer’s wonderful writing. It’s the story of taking chance and being open to possibilities. No matter how scared one may be as a result of past hurts this novel demonstrates that through lending oneself to vulnerability and trust, doors can open and life long ties formed.
Set in a picturesque quaint coastal town known for its part in the prawn fishing industry, this is a book about companionship, ageing and family. A highly recommended book I didn’t want to put down from beginning to end. A magnificently engaging and exceptionally well written Australian novel.
Thank you to Harlequin Enterprises and Beauty and Lace Club for my copy.
This is my second Tricia Stringer novel, Table for Eight being my first. I enjoyed Table for Eight slightly better than Birds of a Feather, but Birds of a Feather was a really good read.
I found it took me a little while to warm up to the characters but then something clicked and I devoured this book quite quickly.
The book is set in the fictional coastal town of Wallaby Bay in South Australia, but is based on the real town of Wallaroo. It’s a fishing and prawning town that sounds like an idyllic place to live. Small town dynamics are at play and there are the usual busy bodies that know everyone’s business.
The story is set in 2021 with some flashbacks to 2020 and the pandemic features throughout the story. It’s mentioned a few times but mostly how people’s lives have changed and how they have had to adapt.
The story centres mostly around three women, Eve, Julia and Lucy.
Eve is the oldest at 70 and owns a fishing fleet.
Julia, 45 is Eve’s goddaughter, lives in Melbourne and goes to live with Eve after losing her job. Lucy is the youngest, a nurse but working as a cleaner and has only been in town for around a year with her Fifo husband and two children.
All three are strong women, but also quite prickly and abrasive at times. I liked all three women and found Julia hilarious at times.
Due to circumstances all three women find they need each other for different reasons and have to find a way to get on while all living under the same roof.
At the end of the book there are acknowledgements which is worth reading, especially finding out more about the famous Balfour frogs. There are also some book club questions. A thoroughly engaging read and I wanted it to keep going. I will definitely be reading more of Tricia’s book.
4 Stars
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read Tricia Stringer’s Birds of a Feather – I found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable read with very relatable main characters, Eve, Julia and Lucy spanning across generations and even throw in the current Covid world. All in all it was a great read and I will be hunting thru my TBR pile for more of Tricia’s books that I have on my shelf ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely loved this book! My kids bought it for me for my birthday and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the friendships that developed between the three ladies and I also loved the way that the book covered aged care in a covid environment. After having a grandparent pass in aged care during covid, I could really felt that the way this was handled in the book was true to life – the nursing staff in these environments are angels. Thank you for a great read.
Birds of a Feather is a book that hooks you in straight away! The first chapter is a flashback to the past and then the story is told in the present tense.
The three main characters were all very likeable with their own interesting back stories.
Eve is involved in the prawn industry, Julia is Eve’s goddaughter and Lucy is a newcomer to town who ends up being Eve’s nurse after shoulder surgery. Julia and Lucy get off to a rocky start but over time as they learn more about each other a friendship forms.
The book also touches on Covid-19 making it relevant.
The book is heartwarming and a page turner.
Thanks Beauty and Lace and Harlequin Enterprises for the opportunity to read Tricia Stringers latest book!
I purchased Birds of a Feather by Trish Stringer as the synopsis grabbed me and I had to read it!
I am happy to say that wasn’t disappointed – Birds of a Feather is an interesting and enjoyable book about strong women. Interestingly the three main characters Eve, Julia and Lucy each represent a different age group but come together perfectly in supporting and helping each other. I didn’t want to put this book down I enjoyed it so much!
Also as a (former) South Australian I holidayed as a child on the beautiful Yorke Peninsula so this bought back happy memories of the glories of life in a small coastal country town in the region.
I am happy to recommend Birds of a Feather to anyone looking for a great book this summer – or anytime really.
Birds of a Feather written by Tricia Stringer was a thoroughly enjoyable book. The characters were realistic and relatable, and the story line was intriguing. I found that since it was set early in the Covid-19 pandemic, and we are still grappling with border closures etc, it made it all the more relatable.
I enjoyed the book particularly as it was about strong women and how they overcame adversity. There was some romance in the story but it wasn’t central to.
I will definitely be reading more books by Tricia Stringer in the future.
Birds of a Feather by Tricia Stringer focus’s on the relationships of three strong women. The books starts off in 1988 where you learn about Eve Monk and her family. In 2021 Eve is 70 years old, and the story looks back at 2020 and the impact of Covid 19.
A really enjoyable read. Thanks Beauty and Lace for the opportunity.
Eve is a stalwart of the prawn industry in Wallaby Bay. Along with her business partner Spiro, she has headed one of the most successful trawler operations in the region and is known for her hard work, philanthropic acts and no nonsense attitude.
A newcomer to Wallaby Bay, Lucy is struggling to find her place in town, with two small children and a husband who works FIFO. When an accident brings Lucy into Eve’s life, then an unexpected visit from Eve’s god-daughter Julia throws all the women together, at first things are prickly between them.
It’s not long however, before these three women realise they are more alike than they first thought, all hiding secrets and insecurities from everyone around them. A gradual deconstruction of the walls around their hearts shows them that they can be of help to one another and are stronger as a team. As the saying goes, birds of a feather (should!) flock together.
A light hearted yet inspiring read which explores intergenerational friendships and how strong women can be when life gets tough. I found the writing style easy to read and the conversations between the women refreshingly realistic. It was nice to have three main characters who were all accomplished, smart women in their own ways, who still managed to have the same insecurities we all feel at times, and a bonus that it was set in Australia. Many thanks to Beauty and Lace and to Harlequin / Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review this book. Definitely recommended!