The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward
Release: March 3rd 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Source: Amazon
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When seventy-year-old Charlotte Perkins submits a sexy essay to the “Become a Jetsetter” contest, she dreams of reuniting her children. Lee, an almost-famous actress; Cord, a handsome Manhattan venture capitalist who can’t seem to find a bride; and Regan, a harried mother who took it all wrong when Charlotte bought her a Weight Watchers gift certificate. Charlotte yearns for the years when her children were young and she meant everything to them.
When she wins the cruise, the family packs all their baggage—literal and figurative. They spend ten days traveling from sun-drenched Athens through glorious Rome to tapas-laden Barcelona on an over-the-top cruise ship, the Splendido Marveloso. As lovers join the adventure, long-buried secrets are revealed, and the family is forced to confront the choices in their lives. Can four lost adults find the peace they’ve been seeking by reconciling their childhood aches and coming back to each other?
In the vein of The Nest and The Vacationers, Ward has created a delicious and intelligent novel about the courage it takes to reveal our true selves, the pleasures and perils of family, and how we navigate the seas of adulthood to cruise—we can only hope—toward joy.
About the Author
Amanda Eyre Ward is the critically acclaimed author of seven novels, including How to Be Lost, Close Your Eyes, The Same Sky, and The Nearness of You. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her family.
Author Website: amandaward.com
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The Jetsetters Review:
I read this book as part of the Book of the Month in a group and felt extremely disappointed! You know those stories which start off so well, and promise so many things? Suspense, revenge, secrets, drama? And in the end, they don’t deliver anything and keep you hanging? That is what Jetsetters did for me.
What was the point of the book? 101 on being a dysfunctional, emotionally dead, selfish family? Is the story set to be dramatic? Comedy? Suspense? I have no idea. The plot is so bland that eventually you start disliking the characters as well.
Charlotte wants to reconnect with her family, but focuses on her sex life instead. Its no wonder that even her children are in their own world and don’t want to give affection, but still expect it in return. Regan’s character turned out to be the biggest disappointment. When she hires some PI and plots her revenge on Matt, I was waiting for something sensational to happen. I am still waiting for that after finishing the story.
But that isn’t to say that the book is completely bad. It did have its moments. I actually enjoyed Cord and Lee’s character and thought they were the saving grace of the story. Lee is a complex character who still fights her battles from witnessing a tragic death in the family. Cord also faces difficulties with his sexuality and trying to please everyone at the same time. Additionally, I also loved the backdrop of the Malta, Barcelona and other places the family tours. It made me want to go on a cruise and experience them all.
Overall, I hate to give critical reviews but this story did not live up to my expectations.
