The Other Side of Beautiful

The Other Side of Beautiful by Kim Lock. Harlequin Australia

Mercy Blain’s house burns down and her life is totally u[ended. In the best of situations, this would be a seriously difficult situation but it’s not the only problem for Mercy. She hasn’t been out of her house in the past two years and now she is outside and exposed to the world. She is taken in by her ex-husband Eugene who lives with his current partner, Jose. This is a truly uncomfortable arrangement so when a neighbour offers to sell his old Hilux to her, she accepts and begins a journey of discovery and healing with her beloved dog, Wasabi. She just starts driving from Adelaide and by a certain amount of chance heads north.

This was truly a lovely story and even before we know the reasons for Mercy’s isolation, we can feel her pain as she tries to navigate a terrifying world in these difficult circumstances. This journey takes her through the middle of Australia, meeting, often reluctantly, many colourful characters along the way. Through her many experiences, she finds ways of letting go of a past that has caged her for two years and learns to reengage with life. As a reader, I was right there with her all the way and could feel her pain and her triumphs as she found her way to the top end.

There is nothing rushed about this story. It just ambles along, just like the Hilux she is driving. And that’s just fine because it needs the time it takes for change to occur. It’s not even about stopping to smell the roses but to just be in the world. Again, this was a great read and I highly recommend it.

I’ve giving this 4.5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for sharing an advance reader copy for free. I am providing this review voluntarily.