A Spanish Lover: A Novel

Lizzie and Frances are twins, and as such, have always been close although they have chosen different paths in their lives. Lizzie has four children, an art gallery, and a grand house for entertaining. Frances is single and runs a successful travel agency. When Frances announces she won't be joining the family for Christmas, instead going to Spain to look at some new hotels, Lizzie is devastated and feels like Frances is trying to escape the family.

Both sisters have reached a turning point in their lives where they are re-evaluating what it means to be happy and fulfilled. Lizzie is running into financial difficulties and Frances meets a man in Spain who may lure her from her solitude.

I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book and never felt strongly for either Lizzie or Frances, both who I found a little obnoxious. I enjoyed the Spanish scenery but never found myself completely wrapped up in the story or sympathizing with the characters. It picked up at the end though and would be a good airplane/beach read.

I have to warn you I am going to give away the end. Joanna Trollope is a good writer ...I read another book ( can't remember which one ) and liked it so picked this up at the library. So one twin is married and has 4 kids...nobody knows about zero population growth in this book. The other twin Frances is unmarried at 38 and feels some what unfulfilled. She falls in love with a married Spanish guy. Her life is transformed. And guess what she finally finds fulfilment by getting pregnant by the guy( without him agreeing to said pregnency ) Oh give me a break. Too trite...I read the end so I knew what happened and then I quit reading the book. Maybe I'm too unconventional but the idea bored me. A woman only finding fulfilment through birth of a child? So if you aren't unconventional you might like it. This is especially appalling as she goes on and on about the machismo of the Spanish men.
At one point they talk about how sensibilty once ment having emotional consciousness, awareness of ones senses(interesting)....they might have sensibility but not political awareness. I will try some other books of hers though.

The plot is simple. Twins are born. The first twin gets married and has four children. The other does not. Second twin goes to Spain and has an affair with a married man. She gets pregnant and has a child. The first twin in shocked. The end. The author thinks in 1950's style stories. I mean, is Spain so exotic to the people of the British Isles? It has been one of the most overcrowded destination for the people of the United Kingdom for ages. Kind of a silly story. Read something worth your time, unless you think that having a friend from Spain will make a woman wear gold hoop earrings in her ears instead of pearls. (This was in the book.) I kept wondering when the real story would begin. It didn't.

well written story - especially if you are a twin