The Perfect Present

Rather long winded, and I found Laura annoying. Enjoyed reading about the locations, especially the skiing. When Laura's history becomes clear it somewhat makes up for her being rather pathetic initially.

The story line twists and turns - there are clues as to what is behind the story line but everything only falls into place in the final pages. I had to stop myself leaving what 'needed' to be done to sit and read. Is Laura really who she seems to be? Why is she so dependent on Jack and Fee, and why is she so alone?Enjoy!

I enjoy all Karen Swan books and this is an intriguing and enjoyable read...

A captivating romantic novel, with twists & turns throughout, which left me wanting to read on & on. I am not a fan of sequels, but with this book I could be a tempted into a second chapter of Laura's life.

An easy read & predictable. Fabulously beautiful, talented women,ruggedly handsome men, successful wealthy characters, lots of snow & exotic locations & a happy ending. Sometimes it's just nice to pick up a book that is relaxing & uncomplicated.

One of my favourite Karen Swan books. Keeps you hooked right to the end. This is definitely a keeper.

Every book by Karen Swan is a jewel.

Loved this book, excellent read. Was enthralled from start to finish. Totally thrown thought something completely different was going to happen.

I've given this two stars, rather than one, as there was a mystery involved, so I kept skim-reading (three or four words from each page) until I found the answer. I don't waste time on poor literature - why do people insist on finishing awful novels 'because they never leave a book unfinished'? - but one way or another I did make it to the end, hence two stars.Most of it was dire. The characters were unlikeable, save perhaps for the handsome, gay guy called Orlando, who only played a very small role. I mean really unlikeable, people you wouldn't want in your life. The characterization was so poor that you couldn't know anyone. There was someone called Sam. I kept forgetting if it was a man or a woman. She was particularly unpleasant and I couldn't tell you why she was there at all.So the story basically runs like this: Laura earns a poor living hand-making gold charms; she lives with Jack, and has one friend, who tries, unpaid, to help her with her business. Laura appears to want to be invisible, wearing only Jack's cast off clothes and is even described somewhere as having grey hair. One day Rob Blake, handsome but objectionable, walks into her studio and demands that she stops making all commissions and concentrates on making a charm necklace for the wife he adores. Laura refuses, but later changes her mind for financial reasons, and agrees to make charms representing seven relationships with people from his wife's past or present, including a previous love interest(?!). So, although she has no time to spare to get everything made by the deadline, she has to drive around interviewing people and then agrees to go on a short skiing trip where she can meet the others. She goes ostensibly as Orlando's plus one, which no-one seems to find strange.Always in the background is this hint of a former life. There is even some sort of unexplained fit or seizure. On the skiing trip, it transpires that this grey, dull woman is something of a skiing ace, and is happy to jump from helicopters and go snowboarding or whatever, doing everything exceptionally well, and punching the air in excitement. One of the men makes a beeline for her, despite his fiancee being present. She is lent an evening dress, has her hair and make-up done and, voila! Cinderella moment!The author appears to be trying to insert humour, and there is a lot of giggling (yes, giggling!) amongst the ladies, but it isn't funny. At times it's cringe-worthy. Laura has a habit of not locking bedroom or bathroom doors, so obviously people walk in at inconvenient moments. In one scene, she is taking a bath in someone else's house, a small child walks in declaring she needs "a pooh" (direct quote) and proceeds to perform, with mother coming in and wiping bottom, etc. Seriously! I'm embarrassed simply commenting on it.And it was boring. So much stuff irrelevant to the story! And people paying thousands of pounds for charms? Really? I thought the fad with charms had died out in the sixties and seventies, and they were boring even then.The book seems to go on and on, and would have been much improved if it had been literally half its length. Or a third. The mystery, when it's finally solved, was actually quite interesting, Laura's former life is explained and what you expect by this time to happen does happen.I would only recommend this if you have time to waste and can't find anything else to read.

This was a wonderfully written story that had me reading until I finished it - even through a pounding, stuffy head - well into the wee hours of the morning (which did nothing for the pounding head!!).To be honest there was only one thing that really annoyed me, and it had to do with the naming of so many stores (WH Smith, Costa Coffee, Accessorize, Dorothy Perkins amongst other things) mentioned all in the space of a few paragraphs in chapter Five. I don't mind reading a few names thrown in here and there, but when an entire paragraph (or two) is taken up by it, it can get rather tedious and more to the point, it can throw you off. Luckily, it was only that one small part otherwise I would have had to dock a star!I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone. The absolute human-ness of the characters is something that you simply don't encounter in many books.

This a book that will not disappoint anyone. I am careful when recommending books to friends as everyone tastes are different but this book is just a great storyline. It has the romance, surprise, tension of all sorts, intrigue etc. Karen swan is a great author and her descriptions allow you to feel you are right there. This is a must for anyone who wants to get lost in a fab world where you will not stop reading until you finish it and then be sad that the book has come to an end. Get it👍👍👍

Firstly - it was a necklace that was commissioned -not a bracelet( proof reader see page 474 !!) also I see one of your reviewers seemed to think it was a bracelet too ! I enjoyed half of this book but the story revolved around great wealth which in fact became quite vulgar and pointless . Not my favorite Karen Swan book - a strange choice of subject for such an imaginative and caring writer.

I have enjoyed nearly all of Karen Swan's books so far. I bought this a few weeks ago and read it, not quite picking up all the social undercurrents (there is a large cast!) and so read it again this week.The book opens with a heartbreaking letter from a mother to her twin daughters and moves on to follow Laura Cunningham's commission to make a piece of jewellery for a rich man's wife. The rich man is astoundingly handsome, as expected and Laura's job is to interview his wife's friends and make charms reflecting their relationship with Cat, the wife.It's an interesting progression, that whilst Laura is an enigmatic stranger, with a commission to fulfil, she becomes an enigma to herself as well. As for Cat's friends, they welcome her into the group and Laura shows that not everyone is what they appear to be - especially Laura herself.It could have been so easy to depict Cat as a spoilt and shallow person, but Karen Swan has managed to make Cat and her friends as realistic as possible. No one is flawless in this world.I would have liked to know more about Laura's sister and what her life was really like - I don't want to give the plot away.Karen Swan writes great action sequences. She's growing as an author, each book has been better than the last and I'll definitely buy her next as soon as it's released.