Book Review: Unexpected Events by Judith Cuffe

Let there be room in your heart for the unimaginable – serendipity has a way of showing itself just when you feel like giving up.

Nikki Rowe

At one time, happily married to Frenchman André, and running a wine shop in Ballycross, County Cork, Seren’s world feels small yet perfectly formed.

Things can change fast. In the aftermath of a devastating unexpected event, Seren loses all faith in life and her future. Tired of letting fate dictate, she takes matters into her own hands and soon learns that fate and faith are two very different things.

The discovery of an email destined for her husband shatters her world further. In order to decipher the mystery behind it, Seren leaves behind her comfortable life in Ballycross, to travel to France. Unwittingly she places herself into a dangerous game that she never even knew existed – one where the winner is already determined.

Four women. One man. Four very different stories: greed, revenge, love, loss. But who is telling the truth? Just how far is she willing to trust the man she loves? Till death, or beyond the unexpected? (Source: Goodreads)

The book begins with Seren’s life in Ballycross and has a slow start. The pace of the book is too slow for my taste. While the author has taken considerable efforts in setting a foundation for the plot, I felt too many chapters are dedicated to Andre and Seren’s life in Ballycross. It seemed like I was waiting for the story to begin till almost halfway through the book.

Once the story picks up the pace, the author throws twist after twist at the reader. The story is intriguing but failed to captivate me for long. The climax felt hurried, and it seemed that the author had used up valuable real estate for the characters’ lives in Ballycross rather than the climax.

I have given the book 3/5 stars. The story left me craving for more, and the pace was slow for a thriller.