By Deb Barwick

Cover Blurb:

The Waiting Room is a delightful romp with three women who meet in the waiting room of a doctor’s office and grow to become life-long friends. After Allison’s roommate goes missing and later is found dead, the man they identify as a suspect stirs up trouble for them. Fortunately, life has its way of making things right, and so it was left to the three women to see things through to the end and correct a wrong. Years later, when the friends gather, they realize the waiting room they’re now in is actually the space between here and there – a timeless space where you choose how to live your remaining years. Humorous, honest, and tender, The Waiting Room will steal your heart and hold it captive long after you finish turning the last page. It’s a book worth sharing with others, especially with those you love.The Waiting Room is a delightful romp with three women who meet in the waiting room of a doctor’s office and grow to become life-long friends. After Allison’s roommate goes missing and later is found dead, the man they identify as a suspect stirs up trouble for them. Fortunately, life has its way of making things right, and so it was left to the three women to see things through to the end and correct a wrong. Years later, when the friends gather, they realize the waiting room they’re now in is actually the space between here and there – a timeless space where you choose how to live your remaining years. Humorous, honest, and tender, The Waiting Room will steal your heart and hold it captive long after you finish turning the last page. It’s a book worth sharing with others, especially with those you love.

The Waiting Room by Author J. S. Peck – Book Review

A straight-forward and reader-friendly book that explores the inner core of a 3-way friendship between 30-something ladies living in 80’s Boston, USA. The main protagonists are likeable, with plausible back stories, and each demonstrates their own strengths, weaknesses, foibles and hang ups. I would, however, have welcomed more in this respect. I never really got to know any of them deeply.

A little distracting was the author’s use of incorrect names several times, from confusing Allison and Susan, to getting Jeremy and James (two of the ladies’ husbands) mixed up, to calling Marianne ‘Melissa’. This did pull me out of the story more than once. However the Author is aware and has since confirmed that she has addressed the issues.

The premise in this novel was more about the relationships of the main characters than the commendable plot centring firstly on women’s rights, and later the “Me Too” cause. This being the case, I felt occasionally that the author moved on to the next topic or chapter a tad too soon rather than lingering to allow the reader to get to know the characters better.

The author’s subtle inclusion of energetic and spiritual aspects – delicately achieved – and the sensitive approach to 1980’s racism and outdated opinions, were both handled deftly although, again, more depth would have been appreciated – especially in respect of Bella, a doctor dealing with race related challenges both personally and professionally.

A great deckchair read for those who enjoy character-led novels.

I award, The Waiting Room, 3 stars.

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