Books Read: Blueprints by Barbara Delinsky

Everything was perfect on paper...

Jamie MacAfee's life is almost perfect. She's sure she loves her fiancée, even if she hasn't quite worked out why she won't set a wedding date and she certainly adores her job, working as an architect on their family home renovation show. Meanwhile, her beloved mother Caroline has built up her confidence after a painful divorce, working closely alongside her daughter as the very successful host of Gut It!. Everything is going to plan, until the lives of both women are changed overnight.

When the TV channel plan to replace Caroline with Jamie as the show's host, Caroline is left feeling horribly betrayed - and old in the eyes of the world. Then tragedy strikes, leaving Jamie guardian to her small, orphaned step-brother and fiancée to a man who doesn't want the child.

Who am I? Both women ask, as the blueprints they've built their lives around break down. While loyalties shift, decisions hover, and new relationships tempt, it's time to find out what they really want - and where their future lies...

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Barbara Delinsky is a renowned American author who has written numerous books, although I have to admit I've only read a few including Escape and Sweet Salt Air which I have reviewed previously.  Her latest book Blueprints is a drama filled story revolving around the McAfee family, in particular mum Caroline and daughter Jamie, whose close relationship is turned upside down by proposed changes at work but can an unforeseen tragedy that changes the course of Jamie's future bring them back together...  

Although we don't actually get to read about life on the TV show as they're in between filming it's an interesting concept for a building firm to be involved in the whole process.  Normally you'd have hosts presenting the show and then contractors doing the work whereas the McAfee's were involved in everything from purchasing the properties, drawing up plans for the renovations and then being involved in the TV show doing the work and presenting. 

Caroline was such a strong, integral character who is a central figure in the family business even though she's no longer married to her ex Roy but I have to admit I felt a little aggrieved on her part when it came to the subject of her being replaced due to her age!  Sadly it is all too common nowadays for woman in the media which is potentially why Barbara Delinsky included this element into the storyline as a talking point.

Although I did respect Jamie for picking up the pieces when life threw her a curveball, I have to admit there was one element of her storyline which made me think whoa slow down a minute as there were so many changes happening in her life all at once and I was questioning whether it was grief that was making her act so spontaneous when she appeared to be a more methodical person who would normally think things through for all eventualities.

Blueprints was just the book I needed to kickstart me out of my reading slump, it's a beautiful story featuring strong characters who have a lot to overcome but ultimately shows us that love and family is the key, not necessarily blood related but those we invite in to be part of ours. 

If you like the sound of Blueprints as I received a second copy so am offering it as a prize for a follower of the blog. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below, the winner will be selected at random and contacted for their postal address to enable me to post the book to you.  N.B. Please do not add details of this giveaway to other sites without my permission. 

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