1990: In a hot, humid Hong Kong summer, three young singers are loving life, performing to packed crowds every night in a swanky hotel bar. Twenty-three-year-old Scottish songbird, Moira Chiles is living the dream alongside Carina Lloyd and Lisa Dixon. They work hard, play hard, and always stick together… until one day Moira has to make a choice that changes everything.
Fast forward to…
2025: In a wet, chilly, Glasgow summer, Moira has just retired after singing in Glasgow pubs and Caribbean cruise ships for three decades. Now she’s ready for a new adventure – one that takes her to Hong Kong to revisit a world she left behind. Moira hasn’t seen Carina or Lisa for over thirty years, but will an invitation to join her on a holiday of a lifetime rekindle the friendships that changed her life? Or will stepping back in time expose secrets that could break their hearts? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)
I first learned about Moira in One Day and Forever (reviewed here), another book by Shari Low. Moira appeared to be a very magnetic character, so I’m so glad her background story has been provided and fleshed out even more in One More Day of Us. I knew that Moira was a singer and enjoyed entertaining, but had no idea that her roots started in Hong Kong as a tribute singer with two of her closest friends. I loved the concept of a reunion between Moira, Carina and Lisa, particularly after a long thirty year hiatus, and it was great to get the throwbacks to their experiences in the 90s, then back to the present, so we can see what sort of evolution each character has had over the past three decades.
There is a pretty big twist right from the get go, pertaining to Lisa. It sets the tone and pace going forward. Then there’s a huge revelation for Carina, too, which I kind of saw coming but had wished it hadn’t and wouldn’t. There is a lot of purpose and reason behind the reunion trip to Hong Kong, with everyone in attendance looking for ways to reconnect and find who they were when they were younger and felt more carefree, when the demands of life seemed to be so much more simplistic. It was also sweet to see a few romantic connections, particularly for Moira, who had left someone behind in Hong Kong and doesn’t know if finding that kind of love again could even be achievable.
Throughout the book, there are a few nods to Moira’s present life with her son, Ollie, who is also in One Day and Forever. I felt like those scenes provided a little grounding, especially when it seems as though Moira has her head in the clouds by way of revisiting her youthful haunts–a really nice sentiment, but through Ollie, she doesn’t forget the life she’s lived and who she is. It was also nice to see the evolution that Carina has. She’s always felt like she has to live up to certain expectations that have been placed on her, but in Hong Kong, she finds her voice. There is the introduction of Stevie, Lisa’s daughter, and it was a nice viewpoint to show the juxtaposition between who Moira and Carina knew Lisa to be, and how Stevie views Lisa.
I appreciated the long lasting friendship connections the most. I love when friendships can last decades or a lifetime, and I really felt that for all three women, and Stevie, too. It was a five-star experience!
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.
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