The Borrowed Boy
The Borrowed Boy by Deborah Klée
Published August 1st 2020 by Sherman House
A borrowed boy, a borrowed name and living on borrowed time.
What do you put on a bucket list when you haven’t done anything with your life? No interesting job, no lovers, no family, no friends. Believing she has only weeks left to live, Angie Winkle vows to make the most of every minute.
Going back to Jaywick Sands, is top of her bucket list. Experiencing life as a grandmother is not, but the universe has other plans and when four-year-old Danny is separated from his mum on the tube, Angie goes to his rescue. She tries to return him to his mum but things do not go exactly as planned and the two of them embark on a life-changing journey.
Set in Jaywick Sands, once an idyllic Essex holiday village in the 70s, but now a shantytown of displaced Londoners, this is a story about hidden communities and our need to belong.
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My thoughts about The Borrowed Boy ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)
First line—"It was the boy's curly blond hair that caught Angie's attention, distracting her from the goblin thoughts that had plagued here since she received that letter from the hospital."
Angie is a good woman, with a big, gracious, and giving heart. She just sometimes lets things in her life get out of control When she sees a little boy get separated from his mother, she steps in to rescue him. But then she justifies keeping him for a little bit as she takes him on an adventure to check off one thing on her bucket list. And then the fun begins.
As Angie steps into her different life, she finds the lies that she needs to tell to fit into that life start to come easier and easier for her. After all, she's only trying to do the right thing. As more people come into her new life, she starts to realize that she is not alone. I came to love Angie right along with the others, even with all of her faults.
This was a fun, fast paced story with plenty of quirky and entertaining characters, with plenty of drama and intrigue mixed in to keep me interested. The Borrowed Boy is a great read if you are looking for a feel-good story with a memorable cast who will touch your heart.
I received a copy of The Borrowed Boy and this is my honest opinion.
About the author
Deborah has worked as an occupational therapist, a health service manager, a freelance journalist, and management consultant in health and social care.
Her protagonists are often people who exist on the edges of society. Despite the very real, but dark, subject matter her stories are uplifting, combining pathos with humour. They are about self-discovery and the power of friendships and community.
The Borrowed Boy, her debut, was shortlisted for the Deviant Minds Award 2019. Just Bea, her second novel will be published in 2021.
Deborah lives on the Essex coast. When she is not writing she combines her love of baking with trying to burn off the extra calories.
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