An unconventional love story, packed with heartache, humour and hairdressing!
About the book…
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Published: 1st July 2016
Pages: 400 Pages
The Blurb
Henry and Zoe have more in common than they realise. For a start, they both have pasts they’d rather leave behind.After jilting his childhood sweetheart on the eve of their wedding in the small town where they both grew up, Henry runs away to London, planning to reinvent himself and start afresh.
Zoe has her own healing to do and so she plans to leave London, travel the world, and figure out just what it is she wants out of life. She doesn’t know where she’s going, but she is determined to go there alone.
If Henry and Zoe had met one year ago, perhaps things could have worked out differently. But that’s not the way it works; they meet seven months after their worlds have been turned upside down. And four months before Zoe is due to climb on a plane…
Purchase the book: Amazon UK | Book Depository
The Review
Last year, I read Andy’s debut The Two of Us and loved every second, so when I saw The Trouble with Henry and Zoe on the shelf, I knew I needed it in my life.
As you may have already guessed, the story is all about Henry and Zoe. The first thing you learn about the pair is that Henry has left his girlfriend on their wedding day, and Zoe’s boyfriend Alex is killed in an accident – they are separate stories.
Given that Henry cannot stay in his hometown, he embarks on his ‘London Adventure’, becomes a dentist and hairdresser (family business), and meets Zoe unexpectedly. Automatically the alarm bells were ringing in my head because no way was I going to accept Henry and Zoe getting together straight away, but I was pleasantly surprised. The only relationship that they did have was that of hairdresser and client – Henry was an expert at cutting, or should I say trimming, Zoe’s hair. Ok, so they do eventually have a relationship, but they’re not boyfriend and girlfriend. It’s a bit of a tricky one, they’re not ‘together’, but they don’t want to be with anyone else. Plus, with Zoe’s departure in less than a few weeks (she’s going travelling) there’s no chance of anything permanent.
Many reviewers and readers have described their relationship as ‘unconventional’ and I would have to agree. They fail to tell each other about their pasts, which messes with their emotions, as well as their minds. I understand that keeping ‘secrets’ from one another is a no-no, but if you’re not ‘officially’ together, why should you tell? Zoe seemed to take it more to heart after hearing about Henry’s disappearing act and Henry, well I guess he felt like he had to compare to Alex all the time.
Out of the two characters my favourite would have to be Henry. I didn’t like how he left his ex-girlfriend before they got married, but other than that he was a nice guy. I think he just wanted to live and easy life and not have to worry about the small stuff. I love that his Mum and Dad were like a comedy duo and I’m glad they were a part of his life.
The Trouble with Henry and Zoe is a refreshing romance, with no predictable cliché scenarios.
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