Family Baggage

This is the kind of book to read when you need something light, interesting and entertaining. The story revolves around the comings and goings of an extended family whose members are sometimes happy and sometimes sad, just like real life. I very much enjoyed the romance between Harriet and Patrick and smiled a lot at the wacky members of the tour group. This would make an excellent beach read for the Christmas holidays!

4.5 stars. Another great read from Monica McInerney. I seriously wonder why she's not a more well-known author, at least not in the US. Her books are so sweet, full of heart, and incredibly engrossing. <br /><br /><i>Family Baggage</i> deals with the Turner family. The three Turner siblings, along with their adopted sister, have grown up working for the family's travel agency in Australia. Now that the siblings are all grown up and in their 30's, they are scattered across the globe. Harriet Turner is tapped to lead a tour group around England, highlighting the locations where an old TV show was filmed; the tour is filled with seniors who are almost obsessed with the cheesy show that ran for two seasons fifteen years ago. Harriet's adopted sister, Lara, is supposed to be a tour guide as well, but Lara never shows up, nor does she respond to any attempted communication, prompting Harriet to get in touch with her two brothers and set off a hunt for Lara's whereabouts. There are hidden family secrets, changing familial relationships, and romance as the book goes on. <br /><br />The narration jumps around between the various characters, but it wasn't confusing at all; each was introduced sufficiently with plenty of backstory that made a definite impression and kept me from confusing them with each other. I loved the way the siblings' relationships were portrayed, and the author did a great job hinting at secrets that would be revealed later. Each character had something different going on that needed to be overcome or addressed, and although each problem was unique, they all tied together quite nicely. The setting of the book was also great; I could just imagine a group of seniors on a trip to follow in the footsteps of some long-ago TV show. The settings were described beautifully, making me want to go to the locations and see it for myself! I felt happy when I finished the book, as the resolution was quite nice, leaving just enough loose ends to be believable. I'd definitely recommend this book to others.

I like Monica Mc Inerney’s books. This is typical Monica McInerney – warm, fun, sad in parts but with an added touch of mystery. It shows a close family though not without their squabbles, jealousies and differences. The Turner family run travel agency specialising in tour guides.<br />Harriet has had problems of her own in the past after the death of both parents a couple of months apart and a grudge she is holding from around that time. When she is asked to suddenly take on a tour with Lara after James breaks his leg and cannot do it, she agrees even though she has her doubts about her ability to cope after a meltdown the previous year. <br />When she arrives in England Lara, her foster sister who joined the Turner family as a child, is missing and no-one knows where she is or how to locate her. Harriet is left to manage the tour on her own with 12 elderly people from her town of Merryn Bay, all avid fans of the TV show Willoughby, and Patrick Shawcross who played the main character in the series. <br />I thoroughly enjoyed this book, though I was left wondering about why James was in hospital for so long. Broken leg is not usually that much of a drama. But that is a minor quibble in what was a hugely enjoyable read.<br />

Never having read any of Monica McInerney's books before, I didn't know what to expect with Family Baggage. I have to say, the first chapter kept me only mildly interested. However, the further I read, the more I enjoyed the story. For anyone interested in the dynamics of a large extended family, this book will provide a fun, interesting read. The characters really grew on me - none were stereotypes and I particularly enjoyed the Patrick Shawcross character. Although I suspected the truth about the main area of conflict pretty early on, that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story and how it unfolded. Any book that can make me both laugh out loud and get teary-eyed certainly gets my appreciation. My only complaint - no hospital would have kept James there for so many days!!! <br /><br />I will certainly be checking out Ms. McInerney's other books.

I've always enjoyed reading books by Monica McInerney and this one is no different. Lovable characters set against a beautifully described backdrop; I fell headfirst into this book and can't wait to read more by her.

Loved this one so much.

A really good book - easy to read, touches on many themes and leaves you smiley and teary!

I really enjoyed Family Baggage by Monica McInerney. I enjoyed her mix of characters, they were nicely fleshed out and the plot in general was well-paced and each storyline came together in a well-crafted way. I especially liked the way chapters focused on different members of the family, which gave some insight into each of them. Gloria and her husband Kevin were a lovely couple to read about, and I particularly enjoyed the way McInerney wrote the young Harriet's chapters. They were very touching and spot on for a young girl. I will definitely be on the look out for more of McInerney's books. <br /><br />

Why? This has sat on my actual TBR shelf for quite a few years! I was wondering about what to read next and saw there is a bit of a romance in this book while the couple are travelling. Perfect for the Better World reading challenge I thought! Besides I have never read Monica McInerney, but seen noted many good things about her books.<br /><br />Plot. This is a book about a family! A grown up family who are in the Travel business. There are two men, two women - one of whom came to the family when she was eight - Lara. As a travel tour around Cornwall and Devon is to take place centred on an old TV show, Lara goes missing. Harriet is leading the tour and is worried about Lara as is Austin one of the brothers. So there is a little romance, (Harriet and the star of the TV show) a mystery, secrets and family relationships in the mix.<br /><br />What Appeals to me? I found it a little slow, but the variety of characters was fun, the mystery and secret kept me going and the whole family aspect with its exploration of loss and grief was interesting. Plus how we often make judgements about others that is quite far from the actual truth.<br /><br />And so... At some point in time I will be happy to venture into reading another Monica McInerney book .

Monica McInerney knows how to tell a good story with lifelike characters. She provides tension to keep readers reading on to find out what happens.