Michelle Herbert reviews Expectation by Anna Hope…
In Expectation, we meet three women – Lissa, Hannah and Cate – who have been friends forever. In 2004 they are still living together at the age of 29, knowing that the rest of their lives are still ahead of them. When the book then jumps forward to 2010 the three friends’ lives are very different from what they were, and this is where the story really kicks in.
Cate is married and seems to be very unhappy; she has a small baby and isn’t coping well with the changes this has made to her life. Hannah, who has worked so hard on her career, is married but now desperately wants a baby, whereas Lissa just wants the acting career that she has always strived for. While Hannah is trying IVF, Lissa feels that other people can say things to her about her life that they think are harmless, and yet she can’t comment on their lives in the same way.
The book flits between the past and the present, giving snapshots of important events in each of these women’s lives. We get to see how Hannah and Lissa met, as well as how Hannah and Cate met their husbands. We also get to see the events that lead Hannah, Lissa and Cate to slowly grow apart. As their expectations of where they are in their lives do not always match their realities.
This book is an easy read, and the characters feel relatable in certain aspects. There are also some heartbreaking moments. This book focuses on finding out what you want from life, even if that isn’t the same thing as your friends, and being true to yourself when things aren’t working the way you think they should. Some boundaries are crossed as each of the friends feels betrayed by events they have no control over.
Expectation is interesting, as it not the kind of book I would usually choose to read. The characters are well rounded with their wants, desires and needs, and this is reflected in both the happy moments, as well as those that are more tragic. It is also one of those books where you don’t want to mention specifically about any given moment, as it is a tightly written book where knowing too much would spoil it for new readers.
Michelle Herbert
