The Borrowed Boy by Deborah Klée

Release:August 1st 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Sherman House
Source: Rachel’s Random Resources
Find it at: Amazon, Kindle, Books2read

A borrowed boy, a borrowed name and living on borrowed time.

What do you put on a bucket list when you haven’t done anything with your life? No interesting job, no lovers, no family, no friends. Believing she has only weeks left to live, Angie Winkle vows to make the most of every minute.

Going back to Jaywick Sands, is top of her bucket list. Experiencing life as a grandmother is not, but the universe has other plans for Angie. She goes to the rescue of Danny, when the four-year-old gets separated from his mum on the tube. She tries to return him to his mum but things do not go exactly as planned and the two of them embark on a life-changing journey.

Set in Jaywick Sands, once an idyllic Essex holiday village in the 70s, but now a shantytown of displaced Londoners, this is a story about hidden communities and our need to belong.

About the Author:

Deborah has worked as an occupational therapist, a health service manager, a freelance journalist, and management consultant in health and social care.

Her protagonists are often people who exist on the edges of society. Despite the very real, but dark, subject matter her stories are uplifting, combining pathos with humor. They are about self-discovery and the power of friendships and community.

Shortlisted for the Deviant Minds Award 2019 was her Debut novel The Borrowed Boy.Her second novel Just Bea is due for publishing in 2021.

Deborah lives on the Essex coast. When she is not writing she combines her love of baking with trying to burn off the extra calories.

Website | Twitter | Instagram

The Borrowed Boy Review:

When I started reading this story, I certainly did not expect the roller-coaster ride that was awaiting me. There is SO much in this story that the author has put together so well. The book takes you on a whirlwind ride of emotions. It has a bit of everything to make a reader of any genre enjoy it. Even though the underlying theme of the book is finding love and being accepted, it also has romance, mystery, suspense and drama, with elements of kidnappings and false identifies set in an idyllic setting.

Moreover, I loved how the author changes the plot of the story-line in an unexpected manner. Right in the middle of the story, the author suddenly shifts gears, and the characters shift focus, where some people who you thought were devious, turn out to be helpful. The plot also moves in a completely new direction once Angie and Nikoleta meet in person. So, while I was invested on Angie’s story-line in the first half, I was hooked to Nikoleta’s story in the second half.

Angie is adorable in the lead. I loved her bond with Danek and the lengths she goes through to be with him. Danny is so sweet and the highlight of the book. Nikoleta is also a very interesting character. Moreover, the supporting characters, and residents of Jaywick Sands, like Josie, Peggy Sue, Bill, Zoe etc. all add well to the story. Probably the only thing that threw me off was the romance between Angie and Tomasz. It felt a lot like ‘insta love’, where the characters instantly fall for each other right after they meet. I would have preferred if they remained friends.

Overall, “The Borrowed Boy” borrows from various genres and gives you a wonderful story with heart-warming characters.