Review: While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax

Title: While We Were Watching Downton Abbey   

Author: Wendy Wax 

Published: April 2013, Berkley Trade 

Format: Paperback,  384 pages

Source: Personal copy  

FROM THE AUTHOR OF TEN BEACH ROAD AND OCEAN BEACH, A NEW NOVEL OF FOUR FRIENDS—AND A SHARED PASSION THAT COULD CHANGE THEIR LIVES.

When the concierge of The Alexander, a historic Atlanta apartment
building, invites his fellow residents to join him for weekly screenings
of Downton Abbey, four very different people find themselves connecting with the addictive drama, and—even more unexpectedly—with each other…

Samantha Davis married young and for the wrong reason: the security of
old Atlanta money—for herself and for her orphaned brother and sister.
She never expected her marriage to be complicated by love and
compromised by a shattering family betrayal.

Claire Walker is
now an empty nester and struggling author who left her home in the
suburbs for the old world charm of The Alexander, and for a new and
productive life. But she soon wonders if clinging to old dreams can be
more destructive than having no dreams at all.

And then there’s
Brooke MacKenzie, a woman in constant battle with her faithless
ex-husband. She’s just starting to realize that it’s time to take a deep
breath and come to terms with the fact that her life is not the fairy
tale she thought it would be.

For Samantha, Claire, Brooke—and
Edward, who arranges the weekly gatherings—it will be a season of
surprises as they forge a bond that will sustain them through some of
life’s hardest moments—all of it reflected in the unfolding drama,
comedy, and convergent lives of Downton Abbey.

My thoughts: What a charming, fun book! I picked this up back when it first came out (last April) and it got relegated to the piles on my bookshelves. Wanting to read one of my “own” books when it came to choosing my ‘First Book of 2014,’ as soon as I saw this one, I knew it had to be the one, and with Season 4 premiering here in the United States tomorrow night, I thought the timing would be perfect!

Being a huge fan of Downton Abbey, I admit that the title definitely drew me to this book. I have read a few of Wendy Wax’s other books, and enjoyed them, so I figured this would be a treat and I was definitely right. I loved the concept of this book – three women of varied backgrounds coming together and bonding over a much-beloved television show. They learn to let down their guards and let others in while at the same time learning that friendship is a two-way street – not only can you offer support to your friends, but you have to let your friends offer support to you when needed. But I also loved that the book did not take center stage.

I found it very to relate to all three of the main characters, partly because at times I could see myself in them. And I just adored Edward – oh how he reminded me so much of Mr. Carson on Downton Abbey. I loved that he got the women of the apartment building together each Sunday to watch the television show as a way to foster community and then made them promise not to cheat and watch the episodes in advance! 

Of course, me being me, I had to go find the quiz he had the group take. If you’re interested, you can find the Masterpiece Downton Abbey Personality Quiz here. I got Anna Smith, head housemaid of Downton Abbey – one of my favorite characters!!! If you take the quiz, share who you get!

This was the perfect read to get me in the right mindset for the premiere of Season 4 of Downton Abbey on Sunday night. I only wish I had a group of people to watch the show with like the group Edward got together at the apartment building – watching shows like this is always more fun in a group than watching it solo!

***Be sure to check out the guest post by Wendy Wax that I posted yesterday – there are 3 copies of this book up for grabs!!!

You
are Anna Smith, head housemaid of Downton. You are basically the best
employee ever. Competent, practical and tough, you can handle anything
life throws at you – whether it’s rude colleagues, secretive romantic
partners or surprise dead bodies in the workplace. Your kindness and
loyalty are to be admired, and that Bates fellow should really recognize
what a catch you are. – See more at:
http://www.weta.org/tv/program/downtonabbey/quiz/done?sid=20951&token=a9db00aee5d9bd76d609c9496655bf64#sthash.9nadZDSC.dpuf

You
are Anna Smith, head housemaid of Downton. You are basically the best
employee ever. Competent, practical and tough, you can handle anything
life throws at you – whether it’s rude colleagues, secretive romantic
partners or surprise dead bodies in the workplace. Your kindness and
loyalty are to be admired, and that Bates fellow should really recognize
what a catch you are. – See more at:
http://www.weta.org/tv/program/downtonabbey/quiz/done?sid=20951&token=a9db00aee5d9bd76d609c9496655bf64#sthash.9nadZDSC.dpuf

You
are Anna Smith, head housemaid of Downton. You are basically the best
employee ever. Competent, practical and tough, you can handle anything
life throws at you – whether it’s rude colleagues, secretive romantic
partners or surprise dead bodies in the workplace. Your kindness and
loyalty are to be admired, and that Bates fellow should really recognize
what a catch you are. – See more at:
http://www.weta.org/tv/program/downtonabbey/quiz/done?sid=20951&token=a9db00aee5d9bd76d609c9496655bf64#sthash.9nadZDSC.dpuf