The Club by Jacqueline Kang - Book Review

Book Review for The Club by Jacqueline Kang

The Club by Jacqueline Kang

Ireland Jacobson is desperately trying to survive the death of her fiancé, one day at a time, one breath at a time, while working for her cold, controlling mother. When a shocking secret about Ireland’s father comes to light, she makes an impromptu trip to find answers. But rather than finding answers, Ireland stirs up painful complications with the man’s current family. Ireland returns home and attempts to resume life as it was before. With her job and security on the line, she must make difficult choices, rely on people she has just met and hurt those she has known for years in order to heal, forgive and find her own personal inner strength.

Book review:

A well-crafted tale of life’s ups and downs, The Club by Jacqueline Kang, is a moving domestic drama. Captivating and touching this is a remarkable family mystery that’s well worth a read and worthy of 5 big stars.

Ireland, and her twin sister Collette, have the misfortune of having a coldhearted, money orientated mother. Cynthia Jacobson’s journey through heartache and abandonment left her determined to be self-reliant and wealthy. Unfortunately, during her push to be independent her feelings became muted and she became calloused. A single, controlling, over-powering mother means the twins grew up lacking in parental love. This background, however, has not hardened the sisters, and both their hearts are open and caring. With Collette married and having two children of her own, and Ireland about to walk down the aisle it seems that love has arrived to whisk the sisters into the loving family environment they have always desired.

Fate steps in and Ireland’s fiancée is killed in a plane crash leaving her crushed and bereft. The beginning of the book captures the heartache of loss in a genuine and heart-warming way, and we are drawn into Ireland’s life and unable to walk away until we know what happens to her. Trying to push through her grief, Ireland continues working at the spa owned by her mother, not an easy task when no sympathy or compassion is forthcoming. At the funeral a reporter hints that the story of their father’s death is not all they have been told. Soon the secrets of the past are revealed, and as the twins start seeking the truth of what happened to their father, they miss the real drama that is evolving right in front of them. This book crescendos to an ending that is thoroughly moving, focusing on the gains of life and not the losses. With well-developed relatable characters and an engrossing storyline and plot, this book held my attention and kept me fully captivated from start to finish.

The Club is an engaging tale about moving past historical events and treasuring the moments in front of us. Jacqueline Kang has a lovely quality to her story telling, making this a treasure of a read. This gripping family drama comes highly recommended by Chick Lit Café Book Reviews. Book Reviewed by T N Traynor for Chick Lit Café

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