3 Choices.
But which one is Jamie going to choose?
Jamie returns home from a 10 month trip, after going away after the death of her mother who she did not know was ill until it was too late. Her journey back to see her before the end was too late. Jamie blames her father, Jack for many things, and as the story progress we learn about Jamie’s mother, Louisa and that perhaps Jack was covering more than Jamie realises.
Jamie’s is trust back into her past, with former friends and loves. They are all there to help her move on with her life and by accident deal with and put to rest past ghosts. Rod Deacon is the son of a family who are known for their family traits and their rather dubious unlawful behaviour. Rod is the exception, and a teenage romance was ended by Jamie after something she hears. This affects all future relationships.
Olivier is the son of friends of her parents, and their parents friendships flourished so much that they all went on holiday together, until something happened when Jamie was around fifteen and the friendship changed between the parents, and there was no consideration of the friendship of Jamie’s and Olivier which looked to be progressing further.
Christopher is a friend who has also moved back to the local area around the same time as Jamie. He brings his entire family to look after the family business, an estate agent due to his father falling seriously ill. However, Christopher wonders if he has done the right thing as his wife, Zoe seems unable to settle and Jamie’s settles immediately into any role with ease which infuriates Zoe.
Each of these male characters, have issues which they are trying to learn to overcome and deal with the past so they can then deal with the future effective. Rod, Olivier and Christopher bring their own tales to the book and have backgrounds which also are followed throughout. Rod is trying for a baby with his wife, but a chance discovery seems that there may be something wrong with one of them and all the secrets come tumbling out. Olivier has a rival in his car race where he drives and races a Bugatti. Claudia wants to prove something to be the best and she and her father will try anything to ensure that there is a victory. But sometimes winning is not everything. Christopher whilst trying to please Zoe learns something about his business and wonders how faithful some women can be.
This is a hefty book with over 500 pages but it is pure escapism and pure chick-lit. It goes along nicely, you have a feeling where it is going to end up and in that respect it does not disappoint. However I found it rather lacklustre and I have read better novels than this. Worth it if you want to lose yourself in a book which will not be stay with you once you have read the final page.
I did not see the relevance of the title ‘Wild Oats’ and could not relate it to the actual plot line. Loosely perhaps it was the fact that Jamie could have been out there sowing her wild oats with all these men but I think perhaps the author was aiming it at another character, who I will not reveal because although lacklustre I would not want to spoil it for any potential reader. Perhaps I am completely wrong and missed something fundamental about this book.
This is the second novel I have read by this author, the first I read was The Beach Hut back last October, and I did in that post want to read more by the author. And so I have, and I think for pure escapism I could quite easily read more and not expect too much from them. There are times when you need to read that sort of book.
The Book Jotter 