Mum's Monday: High Tide by Veronica Henry

High Tide is a book that shows life isn’t always greener on the other side. This book follows the lives of three main characters Kate, Sam, and Vanessa, leaving it on a slightly ambiguous note setting up the next chapter.

After the death of her mother Kate returns to her home town of Pennfleet to attend the funeral and sort out her mother’s affairs. Kate has built herself, what she believes, is a glamorous lifestyle in New York, and the population of Pennfleet sees it as just that, but Kate discovers that she still belongs where she grew up. Instead of a glamorous life, it’s an unhealthy one, as she has been taking sleeping tablets for a while. She realises that her roots and personality is best suited in her home town.

There is one problem, her boss is on her back about work, even contacting her on the funeral day, which leads Kate to make the decision and quit at the very last minute, so she can stay in Pennfleet. This is good as Kate has to be true to herself, however, this is a brave decision to make. Some may say irresponsible and backwards, but if a job and/or life style is turning you into a person you don’t want to be, it is best to get out if and when you can.

Debbie, her old school friend is married with kids but after seeing her friend seemingly having this glamorous life style, she is jealous of Kate. Except, Kate is jealous of Debbie, because Debbie is settled and has kids, and Kate doesn’t due to the pressures from her lifestyle.

Debbie sees Kate running the risk of selling her mother’s house to a holiday rental company run by an old school flame of Kates, Rupert. Debbie is angry as she and her family would like the chance to buy the house; to live in the town and not be priced or bought out and left on an estate on the out-skirts. This book highlights the dilemma people have when living in a tourist heavy area. Where there is money to be made, locals get pushed out to where the tourists don’t see, although, Kate returns to live in her mother’s house.

Kate’s story ends after she has settled in Pennfleet, getting re-acquainted with her old flame, Rupert and where she has decided to take Debbie back to New York with her where she has to tie up a few loose ends, such moving out of her apartment. This is a really nice gesture and shows how their friendship is still strong after all that has happened to them over the years since leaving school. From what we have learnt of their lives we would know what would happen in New York, but it still leaves us intrigued to see if Kate isn’t tempted to be swept back up by her old life, however, Debbie will remind her of what she really wants in Pennfleet.

We learn about Sam’s life when Kate walks into his Deli. The chemistry between the two made me believe that they would get together. Sam who has lost his wife and is now a single dad to their 2 children Daisy and Jim, and is liking his new life. His kids have other ideas though. The kids intervene and sign him up to a dating website without his knowledge. We don’t see how it would work, but we don’t need to, as Daisy is dating Oscar and his mum is single so they set up a blind date. This is well written as it is done on the pretence ‘that we kids are dating and it is a parents-get-to-know-each-other-meeting’. It is nice to see the pair start dating afterwards, the kid’s plan has worked.

Another funeral on the same day as Kate’s mum’s one was Vanessa’s husband, Spencer. It wasn’t a happy marriage and although she has to get used to Spencer not being around she slowly realises that her life is now her own and she is free. Inappropriately, on the same day, Vanessa asks Nathan, the driver of the funeral Mercedes, to take her to the pub because Vanessa couldn’t face the family and Spencer’s ex-wife. Nathan having too much to drink, sharing a kiss with Vanessa and leaving the Mercedes at the pub till the next morning, probably wasn’t his best or finest day’s work. Nathan is I feel unfairly fired. It was the wishes of the widow to go for a drink and what happened was initiated by Vanessa. Unfortunately, Mr. Malcolm Toogood (Nathan’s Boss) is old fashioned and thinks that everything should be as it should. Vanessa, on finding out about Nathan losing his job, points out to Malcolm what happened and that the expensive funeral hasn’t been paid for yet and Nathan is re-hired. It is good to see justice won out, even if she did have to resort to blackmail. Although a little harsh sometimes a slight nudge in whatever legal form is a good thing to achieve a nice outcome.

This is a good book but as you get near to the end there still seems a lot of story left and the pages are running out. However, all the ends are tied up ready for the next chapter in the character’s lives. It doesn’t need to be written it is clearly seen what is going to happen next. This book is cleverly written to make this happen and well worth a read.