4 out of 4 stars
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Small Change by Keddie Hughes is a contemporary novel about a woman who is at a crossroads in her personal life. Set in Glasgow, Scotland, it can be categorized as general fiction. Forty-one-year-old Izzy Campbell volunteers at the Citizens’ Advice Bureau while attending college part-time. She contemplates leaving her alcoholic husband Jim as their son is almost ready to go off to college. At her job, Izzy meets Sean, a journalist who is investigating a football team for financial corruption. She becomes involved in the case, mainly due to her flirty infatuation with him and a thirst for a little adventure. Adding to the mix is Jim’s company is vying for an alarm contract with the same team.
This book captured my attention right from the first few pages. All of the characters are well drawn, even the supporting crew. Izzy is a very relatable character who is weary of her husband’s behavior and yearns for something more in life. Although Jim is a sympathetic character at times, he is still a drunk who bumbles through his work and home life. It’s pretty clear that Izzy would love for her husband to basically disappear. In contrast, Sean is utterly charming. My favorite line in the book is when Sean says, “But the loveliest thing about you, Izzy, is you have no idea how lovely you are.”
The author is able to juggle various parts of the story with ease, including revealing conversations between Jim and his therapist (for his drinking problem). Snippets of these therapy sessions appear at the end of each chapter and give additional insight into Jim’s character.
The author does a good job of weaving the subplots together without veering the story off track. One exception, however, is the small political plotline involving Izzy’s friend Bridget. Although their close friendship adds depth to the book, the subplot about Bridget running for political office feels awkwardly thrown in since the character disappears from the story for very long stretches.
The casual, breezy writing style moves the plot along at a steady pace. There is just the right amount of detailed description without bogging down the story. I spotted a few errors (not capitalizing the first word in a sentence, a missing apostrophe, incorrect use of plural vs. singular, and a missing word). The errors surprised me, given the otherwise high quality of the writing.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is an absorbing story that is sure to keep you curled up on the sofa for hours. I would recommend it to anyone who likes character-driven novels and a mix of themes. I hope the author decides to write more books about Izzy as she is an unforgettable character.
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Editor's Note: This review is based on an advanced pre-publication copy. The few minor errors noted by the reviewer were corrected before the book was published.
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Small Change
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I found the summary difficult to write because the plot was a little busy. Even though the author did a good job weaving the different plot points, genres, and themes together, it was hard for me to explain the plot without rambling on.
