TELL ME SOMETHING by ADELE PARKS

TELL ME SOMETHING

BY ADELE PARKS

THE BLURB:-

When Elizabeth and her Italian husband Roberto decide to leave London for romantic Italy and his family business, Elizabeth hopes the change in lifestyle might help boost her chances of conceiving their longed-for child. But the idyll shatters as her wily mother-in-law seems bent on destroying her marriage, and Roberto's beautiful, significant ex is a constant unwanted presence. Unwanted by Elizabeth, at least.

Is Elizabeth's ferocious hunger for a baby enough to hold a marriage together or is it ripping it apart? And what about the gorgeous American stranger who's suddenly walked into her life?

THE REALITY:-

I've read a couple of novels by Adele Parks, many moons ago. Game Over was brilliant and Playing Away was shite. I'm aware that I'm dipping into the dreaded genre of “chick lit” and maybe have to concede that well-executed chick lit is perhaps okay.

The novel is called Tell Me Something and the byline on the cover is One Word Was All That Mattered- neither of which made any sense. Who is needing to be told what? I'm assuming that Elizabeth, the lead character is the one who needs telling something, but what is the one word? Is it a yes to the question of a) whether Roberto is having an affair with Ana-Maria (his gorgeous ex-girlfriend) or not or b) the nod to go forward and look into IVF treatment? I fear that the person putting the cover together has, sadly, not read the novel (something that royally annoys me- a little continuity would be nice). Either that or I'm missing something entirely.

Whilst other critics have lambasted Elizabeth for her lack of direction in sorting out a career for herself and instead just drifting as a waitress- and for not having actually gone back to visit Italy since her first wonderful visit aged fourteen, and also not even bothering to learn the language- I find her all too believable. She's typical of many young women who just drift, and who put finding a husband and having children above all else. I liked her. I also loved the way her attempts to conceive a baby were discussed in often glorious technicolour detail. I sometimes wanted to kick her for being overly obsessed with the whole fertility ritual.

The Italian side of the story paints a vivid picture of a place unlike Elizabeth's expectations and shows Roberto up to be a bit of a turd when it comes to his cow of a mother, Raffaella. He can see no wrong with this evil dragon and comes across as a right mummy's boy. It's interesting watching that relationship develop, as the novel starts with him having had a family row (we never find out over what) and leaving for London, then getting married and, following redundancy, making up with Raffaella with all animosities forgotten. Hmm. I've always thought that relationships between mothers and sons can be extremely unhealthy (I have personal experience of witnessing this, both in my own home with my mother and brother and there have also been incidents with boyfriends and their mums). This was a part of the book that holds up well. I came to hate Raffaella, and it was indicative of how much Elizabeth wanted her marriage to work (or, more so, wanted someone to make babies with) that she put up with Raffaella treating her like dirt- until she found her balls and stood up to this evil witch.

The end chapters became rather convoluted and messily written and between all this you wanted to shake Elizabeth for her silliness. But I'm glad she got her happy Italian ending with her American hunk, Chuck. I've always thought it quite obvious that some couples are more compatible than others when it comes to baby-making and I'm glad the story ended with her having his baby!

A likeable read.