Book Review: All is Fair by Lynda Page

AD* | Through highs and the lows, good times and the bad, life on the fair is unforgettable
Julie and Dicky Otterman arrive at Grundy’s fair with an extraordinary new act: the motorcycle extravaganza, The Wall of Death. This seemingly happy couple is the talk of the town, but all is not as it seems, and Dicky’s dark and violent nature means Julie lives in constant fear.

There's always plenty happening at Grundy’s fair: Gemma knows Velda's secret. Renata is finally with Donny. New member, the well-spoken Tom, catches the eye of Jenny, the Grundy’s lost daughter, returned to the fair very recently...

Meanwhile, Sonny is away, angry and plotting. Amidst all the challenges the most worrying of all is betrayal from those closest to you. One thing is for sure: life on the fair is never simple.

The second book in the Grundy Family series, All is Fair is a classic historical saga novel. 

The book is set in the first half of the 1900s, just as the world changes following the horrors of the two World Wars. It's a time when women are becoming more than just housekeepers and child-bearers, when new technology and innovations are coming to the forefront, and when the traditional way of life for millions of people is on the cusp of being lost forever.

Grundy's fair is a traditional travelling fairground community of rides, stalls, and attractions aplenty. The story features multiple narratives, each following a different member of the community. Whether it's the Grundy family themselves or one of their newly arrived workers, each individual has a role to play in keeping the fair open for business. 

The story follows the events of All the Fun of the Fair, the first book in the series. It's designed to be read as a standalone, but I think it's important to read the books in order to fully understand why certain events happen, and why certain people behave as they do. 

I enjoyed All is Fair more than the first book in the series. It was better written, with a developed cast of characters and several intriguing threads of plot. Overall, this is a strong story with plenty of potential for a longer-running series. I hope the author will return to the Grundy family fair for a new instalment at some point in the future!

Rating: 3 stars

All is Fair is available to buy now.

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* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Will you be reading the book? Let me know in the comments below!