I’m delighted today to be joining the blog tour and sharing my review of The Three Loves of Sebastian Cooper by Zoë Folbigg. Published by Boldwood Books on 27th September, it’s now available as an ebook (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. Many thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
Although I see she’s written four previous novels, I haven’t read anything by Zoë Folbigg before. It does rather look like I’ve been missing out – the reviews are just wonderful, and they all look like books I’d really enjoy. But never mind – I’m here now, and I could tell this was the book for me as soon as I read about it…
As the crowds gather for charming and charismatic Seb Cooper’s funeral, three women sit in the congregation, mourning his loss.
First there is Clair, Seb’s wife and partner of twenty years, and mother of his two children. Furious at Seb for dying and leaving their children without a father, Clair isn’t sure of her place, and has been left baffled and bemused by the conflicting stories of Seb’s last days.
Then there’s Desiree, the woman Seb left Clair for. Heartbroken, self-conscious, and wondering if she made a mistake coming today.
And the third and noisiest mourner of all is Noemie – Seb’s lover and the last woman to see him alive.
Three women who loved Seb in their own different ways.
Three women whose lives have changed forever.
But only one woman knows what really happened at the end…and only one truly had his heart…
Bestseller Zoë Folbigg returns with a utterly compelling and page-turning tale of love, betrayal, family and unlikely friendships. Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Celeste Ng and JoJo Moyes.
From the very beginning, I could tell this book was going to be something different – but I also knew it was one I was going to love.
Sebastian Cooper’s family and friends are gathered for his funeral, after – although we know nothing about the detail until far later in the book – what has evidently been his untimely death. And among a substantial cast of characters, every one of whom plays their part in the story, we are introduced to the three women in his life. Clair, now on the verge of her second marriage, was his wife for twenty years, the mother of his two children; Desiree was his mistress, and the catalyst for the end of his marriage; Noemie was his most recent girlfriend (perhaps not one of his wisest choices… although she’s certainly grief-stricken), and the last of them to see him alive. The book is essentially the story of Seb’s life – from his teenage years in Jersey, the experiences that shaped him, through his successes as an architect (and his failures as a husband, father and life partner) and his personal life choices, through to its unexpected end – told from multiple perspectives, with the story circling back to the day of the funeral with the past and present woven together, the relationships with and between the different characters becoming ever clearer, along with the mess he left behind.
The characterisation in this book is simply wonderful – entirely real people, some of whom you really like, others who you might rather prefer to avoid. Seb himself is particularly complex, and my sympathy for him constantly ebbed and flowed – he behaves badly at times, and he has his reasons, but his choices and decisions are sometimes so flawed that he drives you to anger and despair. It’s a story about the complications of family relationships, of romance and betrayal – and it engages on a wide spectrum of emotions, from the moments of complete joy, through the times of confusion, and into the depths of anguish and sadness. The writing is absolutely superb, every emotional note perfectly hit, the book’s whole construction extremely clever, the different threads deliciously tangled – and it’s a really cracking story that engaged and enthralled me from beginning to end. And, I must say, what an ending – it rather broke my heart, but everything about it was absolutely right.
I’ll look forward to reading more from Zoë Folbigg – an exceptionally talented writer with a particularly special touch. I loved this one – a five star read from beginning to end, and very highly recommended.
About the author
Zoë Folbigg is the bestselling author of four novels including the chart-topping The Note. She had a broad career in journalism, writing for magazines and newspapers from Cosmopolitan to The Guardian and Sunday Times Style, plus a weekly column in Fabulous magazine. Previously published by Aria, her first book for Boldwood will be published in September 2022. She married Train Man (star of The Note) and lives with him and their children in Hertfordshire.
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