“What a mess, she thought now . . . what a bloody, unholy mess the whole family has got itself into.”

It’s been 25 years since Gus and Monica left England to start a new life in Spain, building a vineyard and wine business from the ground up. However, when Gus suffers a stroke and their idyllic Mediterranean life is thrown into upheaval, it’s left to their three grown-up children in London to step in . . . Sebastian is busy running his company with his wife, Anna, who’s never quite seen eye-to-eye with her mother-in-law. Katie, a successful solicitor in the city, is distracted by the problems with her long-term partner, Nic, and the secretive lives of their three daughters. And Jake, ever the easy-going optimist, is determined to convince his new wife, Bella, that moving to Spain with their 18-month-old would be a good idea. As the children descend on the vineyard, it becomes clear that each has their own idea of how best to handle their mum and dad, as well as the family business. But as long-simmering resentments rise to the surface and tensions reach breaking point, can the family ties prove strong enough to keep them together?

Review:

Sophisticated, genuine, and perceptive!

In this latest novel by Trollope, Mum & Dad, she transports us to the hillsides of southern Spain and into the lives of the Beacham family who after their patriarch unexpectedly suffers a debilitating stroke must begin to confront, accept, and heal all the past grievances that seem to have been weighing them down and learn to finally lean on and move forward together as a loving, united family.

The prose is smooth and fluid. The characters are complex, overwhelmed, and authentic. And the plot is a heartfelt, compelling tale of life, love, support, communication, understanding, integrity, introspection, familial dynamics, marital strains, and mental health.

Overall, Mum & Dad is an honest, raw, domestic drama that delves into the intricate relationships and dynamics between family members, spouses, and in-laws and exposes the different psychological and emotional struggles each generation has. 

This novel is available now.

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