Good Eggs - Rebecca Hardiman

It's such a treat to read the first chapter in a book - and know you're going to love every page that follows. Such is the case with Rebecca Hardiman's debut novel Good Eggs.

A good egg: a kind person, someone you're fond of. Of course there is the flip side....a bad egg: a disappointing or unpleasant person, a corrupt or unreliable person, a rogue. (And I remember my own Gran using this phrase!)

The good eggs in this books are the seven members of the Gogarty family. The book is told from three points of view (and three generations) - octogenarian Gran Millie, her son Kevin and his daughter Aideen. The bad egg? Well, I won't say as I don't want to spoil the story for you.

Oh my gosh, I adored Millie! We meet her as she is shoplifting a greeting card that she doesn't even need. She's feisty, optimistic, loves her family - but is dreadfully lonely. And the first signs of dementia are there. Kevin's solution? Bring in a carer who can help as well as keep an eye on her. Kevin himself has lost his job and is now looks after his four children as his wife travels for work. I must admit, I didn't like Kevin at all in the beginning, but as the book went on I warmed up to him. His solution? Hmm, you can guess right? He is definitely having a middle age crisis. And then there's Aideen. She's the one who doesn't conform like her three siblings and her temper gets her in trouble quite often. Kevin's solution? Boarding school.

Uh huh, lots that could wrong here for sure. And it does - in spades. But there's so much that is right as well - this is a family who love and care for each other. They just seemed have to lost their way a bit. The journey to finding their way again makes for a rollicking read. I loved the ridiculousness of some of the plot - most of that is down to Millie. I did laugh out loud more than once. Millie reading a racy novel in a senior's home was priceless. There are some serious turns as well for all three of the main characters. The one that happens to Millie made me quite angry as it's something that happens often. (Sorry, I'm being deliberately obtuse as I don't want to spoil the tale for you)

You just can't help but be behind the Gogartys - especially Millie, with Aideen being a close second. The Gogartys are a bit cracked, but are pretty good eggs. And their story was a light-hearted, entertaining read that let me escape. I'll be watching for Hardiman's next novel.