Reviewed by Wendy Lipke
After fifteen years of marriage to Noah, August is not happy. Their life together has lost its connection. She was getting up each morning at 3am to go to the bakery which she had bought without any consultation with Noah. The same with their house purchase. This had been her dream and now they had two mortgages. Noah loved his football and music while August had once dreamed of showing her paintings. Noah believed he would become famous through his song writing. None of these things had happened and maybe a bit of resentment had crept in.
August wondered if their years of familiarity had buried Noah in his own Pharoah’s tomb, with her lying beside him in the tomb (40).
One day she told Noah that their co-habiting was not working so he moved out into a unit.
Although their marriage had become stale and bad habits had crept in, they still loved each other but couldn’t live together.
While getting used to their new situation each had time to once again visit their earlier goals. Noah became more energetic and finally did write the song that made him famous. August found time to return to her painting so she could have her showing. And during this time, they realised that they still loved each other.
Other authors and books came to mind while I was reading this story. August and Noah did not have any children, by choice, and so a member of the pottery class August attended decided that for a woman of twenty-five she must be in need of something to nurture so gave her a dog. (Shades of Pride and Prejudice). So, they adapted to this new member of the family, but August did not return to pottery classes. Noah insisted on calling the dog Jarvis while August chose to call it Rex, and neither would budge. So, this dog ended up with two names depending on which adult was involved. It must have been confusing for the dog, though he seems to have taken the situation in his stride.
The descriptions of their household before the split put me in mind of the book, Men are from Mars, Women from Venus.
There are other characters who play a significant role in their lives. Noah’s friend Adam is diagnosed with cancer and loses his battle; August has a loving admirer in Jasper who visits her bakery every day, yet it is Noah who becomes his friend after he has been hit by Jasper while out running.
There is a lot of humour in this story as well as sadness. It is a story which has a lesson for all married couples. At first, they appear to act as individuals with little discussion and no compromise. There is a self-centredness in their actions. With the enforced break they become more aware of their own shortcomings and act to overcome them.
The story emerges through the thoughts and actions of the two main characters, where they often question their own thoughts – ‘three suits, all varying in how they no longer fit his body. Or did his body no longer fit him?’ This could become a bit repetitive in the overall story. When opening the book, the first page of the story carries the words ‘THE END’. Quite a surprising beginning. A statement on the back cover probably sums up the story in this book- ‘What if the adult version of settling is being with someone you love but you might not be in love with them’. This was August’s question.
Kimberley Allsopp has worked in bookselling and publishing since 2008. She has had her work appear in various publications and she co-hosts the rom-com podcast, Meet Cute. Her first novel, Love & Other Puzzles was published by HarperCollins in 2022.
I enjoyed reading this story and watching the main characters sort out their lives.
Rise and Shine
(2025)
by Kimberley Allsopp
Harper Collins
ISBN:978-0-9992-3204-0
$34.99;320pp