By Beth Morrey
Coming soon on January 30, 2024
(4 / 5)
Clover Hendry’s Day Off was something a little different from other books I’ve read, but also something I could really relate to. The book follows Clover Hendry for one day that is anything but ordinary for her. Usually, Clover is the type of person that doesn’t speak up, who always says “yes” even when she’d rather say “no”. But she’s also overwhelmed and burnt out in her roles as wife, mother of twin teens, and producer of TV shows. So, for one day, Clover has decided she’s had enough, and she’s going to put herself first. Of course, this leads to quite a chaotic day of crazy antics. I don’t necessarily approve of everything she does over the course of the day, but there were definitely some laugh out loud moments along the way.
As we follow Clover through her day, there are also introspective moments as she recalls events in her life that she feels have shaped who she is today. Some of these memories are happy, like recalling the day she met her husband, but others are not so happy, like her wedding being a disaster. I think those moments where she really took a close look at herself, realizing how she has always put everyone before herself, how anxious she is, how she lacks a sense of self-confidence, how exhausting being a mother is… that was the true meaning behind the story that led to immense character growth. I don’t think I’ve ever highlighted so many passages in a book as I did in this one, but there were so many times I felt as if this book was providing me advice for my own life.
There were some times that I had trouble following Clover’s train of thought in her cluttered mind, but overall the writing was good, and I seemed to be able to follow better as the book went on. Being American, I was a bit tripped up by the British dialect at times too, but could still understand the context.
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the free advanced copy of Clover Hendry’s Day Off. The opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.
