Allison Winn Scotch is the author of seven books and I just recently discovered her work when The Hollywood Reporter posted on Twitter an interview with her about her latest book, Between Me and You. I do enjoy many different genres but there’s a soft spot in my heart for fiction written by women about women (otherwise known as women’s fiction). So I’m very happy to have found another writer in this genre to keep tabs on and I immediately put in a request for Between Me and You at my library. In the meantime, I picked up her sixth novel In Twenty Years.
In Twenty Years centers on a group of college friends who shared a house back in their college days. Their ringleader, Bea, passed away and that spilt the group up for several years. Even through they’re mostly estranged from one another, the remaining five reluctantly gather at that same house from college on what would have been Bea’s 40th birthday. And with it, grudges, secrets and regret all come to the forefront while they’re forced to confront the past to move forward with their lives.
I enjoy stories centered on college friends reuniting and I had high hopes for the Netflix show Friends From College, which shared a similar premise to this book and featured a great cast but parts of that show fell a little flat for me.
In Twenty Years is a better take on that concept with some twists and unexpected humor along the way.
When I read contemporary fiction, I always consider the fact if the characters actions feel real and authentic. Whenever there’s a fantasy or thriller aspect, there’s more of a liberty to maybe go outside the box but in the end if I’m reading about everyday people, I expect their actions and reactions to feel somewhat realistic even if I don’t always agree with the choices they make. What I admire with Allison is that she was able to effectively intertwine six different perspectives, both male and female, and make it distinct and feel like real people for the most part. Something though to keep in mind, two of the group members become extremely famous and successful – one a rock star and the other a HGTV/Martha Stewart type – so that aspect of it was not exactly relatable but I think the concept for friendships changing over time (but yet some things remain the same) is one that she successfully conveyed.
