Unexpected Lessons in Love

Reviews / Votes

This is one of the most enjoyable books I've read in years. I found it completely gripping. The carefully but unobtrusively structured plot (involving adoption, DNA and paternity) is domestic but with a wide reach; it is played out against a backdrop of world events. On reflection, I have never before read a book which confronts a serious and almost unmentionable illness with such lightness of touch. It's happy and it's cheering, with a beautiful warmth to it, achieved without a moment of sentimentality. I loved it * Margaret Drabble * 'A remarkable, immensely readable and warm-hearted book' * <i>Sunday Express</i> * 'A refreshingly candid, unexpectedly witty and ultimately moving tale' * <i>Candis</i>, Jan 2013 * 'A charming, playful novel' * <i>Red</i> * 'Bishop treats a fearful subject with an extraordinary lightness of touch; her humour and her emotional wisdom make this a delightful and humane novel' * <i>The Times</i> * This novel, wise, sharp and startlingly frank, distils a lifetime of reflection on the rules of attraction, affection - and family life. From confused youth to the ordeals and confusions of old age, her wry insights delight' * <i>Independent</i> * 'A wonderful novel, one of those rare books which leaves the reader with a deeper understanding of the human heart . . . This is an author of exceptional intelligence, subtlety and warmth. Expect to hear the name Bernardine Bishop when the lists for the Costa and Man Booker prizes are compiled later this year' * <i>Spectator</i> * 'This novel should appeal to Joanna Trollope fans . . . Bishop is a fine, intelligent writer, capable of handling moral and philosophical themes with a light touch' * <i>Sunday Telegraph</i> * 'This is a vibrant and even welcoming novel . . . it offers such a rich range of pleasures' * <i>Observer</i> * 'This is the sort of story which grabs you, pulls you in and won't let you go - but in a very gentle way. The characters are superb. It's wise and it's witty. It's sublimely well-written, not with flowery literary devices but in the sort of prose that leaves you surprised when you realise that you've read a hundred pages and you've no intention of giving up just yet. On a cold winter's day I was left with a warm glow when I finished reading' * <i>Bookbag</i> * Effortlessly graceful writing * Sunday Times * Bishop wanders rich fictional ground * <i>Times Literary Supplement</i> * It's impossible to recommend the late Bernardine Bishop's wondrous book too highly . . . You will not be so afraid of cancer after reading this book * Guardian * Full of humour, kindness and gentle irony, this is a richly satisfying read * Sunday Mirror * Considered and reflective, humorous and entertaing, this is a surprising and moving novel * Good Book Guide * This . . . novel, written in illness, is full of vitality and happiness - a sort of miracle -- Margaret Drabble * Guardian Blog * Exquisite, funny and sad * TLS * A tender and acerbically witty tale of two women who survive cancer and become friends * Sunday Mirror *