"Emily’s Algarve Escape" by D.C.R. Bond

 

"Emily’s Algarve Escape" by D.C.R. Bond follows the life of a wealthy London couple, Emily, a housewife, and Mark, a senior banker. One day, out of the blue, Mark whisks them off to Portugal, and they try to make the best of it. Emily has to think of original ways to keep them afloat while keeping mum about the reason for the move from their left-wing son and their friends.

On the surface, it sounds good, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. While I liked the settings, the neighbors' antics, and the writing, I wasn't enamored with any of the characters, nor did the plot keep me fully engaged. They were complex characters, and I liked the change they went through, but that was it. If it wasn't an ARC, I would have DNF'd it.

First, "Emily’s Algarve Escape" by D.C.R. Bond belongs to the General Fiction genre and not to the Mystery/thriller genre as advertised. Second, it was described as "a fast-paced family drama set in the Algarve, Portugal; A gripping beach read with a delicious twist". However,  it is rather a slow-paced family drama, and, unfortunately, it failed to grip me. Lastly, I found the main characters quite annoying. Most of the action revolved around the ups and downs of their life, and they kept doing the same errors over and over.  Additionally, there were too many discussions about legislation and tax evasion.  Also, there was a sharp transition between scenes without space in between, which was confusing at times.

Emily is portrayed as a privileged, shallow, and spoiled woman who only cares about finding ways to spend money, devoting her days to volunteer/charity work, and indulging in unnecessary expenses, while her housekeeper handles all the hard work. Mark comes across as arrogant, overbearing, and dishonest. Mary, Emily's best friend, isn't any better and pokes her nose where it doesn't belong. The 22-year-old son is a Socialist who takes the high moral ground but lives at the expense of his parents. I liked Emily's two dogs better than any of them and didn't like Mark's attitude toward them. Mark should have been more open with his wife and shown more appreciation for her efforts, while she should have been more supportive and less hard on him. In fact, they deserve each other.

Another issue that bothered me was the use of the word Shylock in place of moneylender (Loc 2638). This word is derogatory, and the author should replace it with a less offensive term. If you don't know, Shylock was the Jewish usurer and antagonist of Antonio in Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice', and the word is considered an antisemitic slur.

As for the themes, the book tackles themes such as loss, infidelity, family, morality, and how a situation could bring out the best and the worst in people. Upon reflection, I rate it 2  out of 5 stars. It wasn't all bad; it just wasn't for me.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Emily’s Algarve Escape"