An A to Z of English history (Medieval to Regency)
Novel set somewhere in SPAIN / BALEARICS
22nd September 2026
All In by Claire Powell, novel set somewhere in Spain / Balearics.
What a joy this novel was to read, it is well structured and winds its way to a conclusion that makes for a satisfying ending (and how often can you say that, these days?).
Dave and Jo are married and life feels challenging for them at the moment. They have had several rounds of IVF, Dave is secretly in significant financial debt and they are going through the motions. Dave’s brother Teddy has invited the couple to join him and his current girlfriend Kayla for an all-inclusive long weekend in Spain, along with their father Alan. All expenses paid, as Teddy lives in Dubai and is the stereotypical wealthy expat.
This is a family weekend with all the fractious, off beat drama that accompanies a disparate group of people who ‘ought’ to get on. The author has nuanced observation of dynamics and motives, and the story bowls along at a good pace with subtlety and ingenuity as the characters move around the hotel stage. I smiled so often at the pert rendering and the great storytelling. The novel is not without poignancy, it is emotionally astute and I was keen to know how the whole picture would pan out. The ending, to my mind, brought the story together, it demonstrated low-key style and complemented the narrative.
The setting is well rendered, unspecified, somewhere in the Balearics and I think anyone who has been to an all-inclusive resort in Spain will find familiarity with the narrative.
A real thumbs up for this one.
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