Book Review: Kate & Olivia by Annie Murray

“Ah, but being in love made you mean and crazy. Love made you act like a fool even when you knew you were acting like a fool and couldn’t help yourself from acting like a fool.” 

— Sandra Brown

Birmingham Friends is another name for this novel, an extraordinary, moving book that eloquently depicts the complex closeness of female relationships.

Synopsis from Amazon...

Anna has always been exceptionally close to her mother, Kate and as a child, was captivated by the stories her mother would tell of her childhood in Birmingham with her best friend, Olivia. Olivia and Kate seemed to have a magical friendship.

But when Kate dies, she leaves her daughter a final story, one that this time tells the whole truth of her life with Olivia Kemp. As Anna reads, she is shocked to discover how little she really knew about the mother she felt so close to. With Kate's words of caution ringing in her head, she goes in search of the one woman who can answer urgent questions about her mother's life, and about her own.

My reaction to this novel...

I purchased this book because I was attracted to its cover. The illustration is beautiful, and the two women on the cover are lovely. I felt that it somewhat relates to the past or the World War era. While reading the synopsis, I discovered that my guess was correct just by looking at the book cover. The book cover is simply beautiful. I also learned that the title of this book was changed to Birmingham Friends, but for me, the title Kate and Olivia is better because it has more impact. It's my first time reading a book by Annie Murray, so I really have no idea what genre it falls under or how she writes, but it's alright; I am excited to start reading her book because I also really enjoy reading historical fiction.

This book provides a detailed account of a close connection that lasted from early years into maturity.  Despite its strange beginning, the novel is about how you may love another person so much that they become your only concern.

This narrative is endearing and has a lot of unexpected turns.  One of the primary characters dies in the beginning.  Her life narrative is then told to us using details she left for her daughter to learn.  This narrative takes the form of a journal, presenting several perspectives on Kate and Olivia's feelings on many facets of their life.  Because it jumps back and forth between the girls' narratives, this is a complex story that demands the highest level of concentration.

I truly enjoy this book because of the two major characters, however the tale quickly shifts to Anna, Kate's daughter, who we know nothing about as she grows up.  Furthermore, it is absurd and unexplained why she would have such a strong desire to know a lady who her mother knew thirty years prior.  This addition, this dull change to an otherwise amazing novel, truly disappointed me. 

I had a really hard time with Kate's life, like how much pain she went through during her first heartbreak up to what happened to her as a married woman. The story was great, and I totally got hooked on it, so I recommend it to readers who love historical fiction set during the World War. Anyone who reads it will really enjoy and appreciate it.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4/5)