Just Words on a Page

I read Hugo & Rose by Bridget Foley last week (sadly this isn't about Ron and Hermione's kids)  and I didn’t have very high expectations (nothing against this book, just not my normal genre) and I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed this book- it wasn’t a page-turner but it did keep my attention and I did was fascinated by the intricate (yet not) plot.  Rose, a wife and mother, is disappointed with her life. She feels ordinary- especially compared to her extraordinary life she leads in her dreams. Every night, Rose dreams about an adventurous island she shares with Hugo- a boy who she’s grown up with in  her dreams. BUT when she accidently meets him in real life, what happens when dreams and reality collide? “Their chance encounter begins a cascade of questions, lies, and a dangerous obsession that threatens to topple everything she knows. Is she willing to let go of everything she holds dear to understand their extraordinary connection? And will it lead her to discover who she truly wants to be?” (From Amazon)


I struggled figuring out whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars. I ultimately landed on 3.5 and only because I related to Rose so much- I may not have kids but I’ve been in the position where I’ve questioned my life decisions and if I was who I was supposed to be, if I’ve ended up where I was meant to be or if I’ve taken a detour and this (encounter, issue, person, job, school, major, etc.) is supposed to get me back on track. Its something everyone deals with and this novel depicts it perfectly. Rose struggles with her decisions, she loves her family, but she’s not happy with herself. She’s unfulfilled and doesn’t feel satisfied in her decisions - so when her “what if” comes along, it throws Rose for a loop and she starts to question her life. I may not have enjoyed every aspect of this novel but overall, it was a good story and very relatable. Every person (woman or man) can relate to Rose and her situation (even if you’re not a wife/mother/homemaker)- if you’re not satisfied in your life and wondering what would happen if something changed or if it was meant to be different- Rose embodies these feelings perfectly.



Overall: 3.5


SRP Goal: 9/20