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Joanna Trollope
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Balancing Act: an absorbing and authentic novel from one of Britain’s most popular authors Kindle Edition

by Joanna Trollope (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 4,813 ratings
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Family and business, husbands and wives, parents and children. It's always a balancing act... In this emotional and thought-provoking novel, multi-million copy bestselling author Joanna Trollope expertly weaves a study of familial relationships with a lightness of tone and real sense of compassion. Fans of Elizabeth Noble, Erica James and Amanda Prowse will not be disappointed.

'To be relished.' -- The Times
'Joanna Trollope's evocations of human relationships are, as ever, penetrating and engaging.' -- Daily Express
'A joy to read' -- ***** Reader review
'A great read, very engrossing and hard to put down' -- ***** Reader review
'A real page-turner' -- ***** Reader review
'Sublime' -- ***** Reader review

********************************************************************************************

WHEN EVERYTHING YOU'VE WORKED TO ACHIEVE SUDDENLY FEELS PRECARIOUS, YOU'LL DO WHAT IT TAKES TO KEEP IT STABLE...

Four strong women. All working in a family business. But what happens when they begin to want different things? And what about the men - and the children - in their lives?

Susie Moran has always been the breadwinner in her family. Her husband was the one who was there for their three girls. But now he wants something of his past back - the life he had before Susie's career took off, before they had children. And those children don't see their mother's business the way she has always seen it, thereby threatening the balance she has worked so hard to achieve.

And then, amidst the simmering tensions, someone significant from the past, someone almost forgotten, turns up. The problems of the past, the present, and the future all become challenges to the stability of both family and work. Which relationships - if any - will survive?

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  1. Print length
    436 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Transworld Digital
  4. Publication date
    27 Feb. 2014
  5. File size
    1.9 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product description

Review

"Trollope is an extremely assured writer, with a brilliant eye for detail and a finely tuned emotional intelligence ... she writes absorbing, wise stories that dramatise the dilemmas we face. In Balancing Act, she has done it again." (Sunday Times)

"Trollope writes about family relationships with intelligence and clear-eyed sympathy, and the outcomes of this terrific novel are always believable as they are surprising. To be relished." (The Times)

"Joanna Trollope, whose evocations of human relationships are as ever penetrating and engaging." (Daily Express)

"Nobody writes about family tensions better than Joanna Trollope." (Good Housekeeping)

"With her compassion for her characters, Trollope cuts to the quick of family life, and the difference between men and women. I loved it." (Fanny Blake Woman & Home, Jan 14)

From the Inside Flap

Family and business
Husbands and wives
Parents and children
It’s always a balancing act…

Susie Moran is a success. She founded and runs her own pottery company, and now her three daughters are all involved in what has become a highly profitable family business. Susie is justly proud of her family and her achievement – and has no intention of letting things change.

But nothing can stay the same for ever. Susie’s daughters find themselves increasingly at odds with their wonderful, creative, determined mother. And when Susie’s estranged father arrives to build bridges with a family he has never known, their lives are turned upside-down.

Everything is changing and Susie’s world will never be the same again. In wanting to preserve her business, will she lose something much more precious?

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00FAXJJBS
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Transworld Digital (27 Feb. 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.9 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 436 pages
  • Customer reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 4,813 ratings

About the author

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Joanna Trollope

Joanna Trollope

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Joanna Trollope has been writing fiction for more than 30 years. Some of her best known works include The Rector's Wife (her first #1 bestseller), A Village Affair, Other People's Children, and Marrying the Mistress. She was awarded the OBE in the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honors List for services to literature. She lives in England.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
4,813 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoyed the book and found it insightful into family and business life. They found the writing style accessible and well-written, with believable characters. However, opinions differed on the storyline - some found it engaging and well-constructed, while others felt it jumped around between characters without developing the plot.

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EnjoymentWriting styleInsightEmpathyTrollope qualityStorylineCharacter developmentCharacterisation
173 customers mention ‘Enjoyment’135 positive38 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it a nice, gentle read with a sensitive insight into family and business life. The book is described as a good way to empty their heads of worries and get lost in another's world.

"...In contrast, this book really delivers. Joanna Trollope is a wonderful writer with a clear insight and a deep understanding of modern families,..." Read more

"...Although excellently drawn and flawlessly handled, they were just not particularly likeable...." Read more

"...A good read" Read more

"This book was not particularly exciting. The ending was rather a flop and disappointing. I wouldn't recommend it." Read more

72 customers mention ‘Writing style’64 positive8 negative

Customers find the writing style accessible and enjoyable. They appreciate the well-drawn characters and the author's analysis of family relationships. The book is readable and perfect for bedtime reading. It focuses on a family business created by one woman.

"...In contrast, this book really delivers. Joanna Trollope is a wonderful writer with a clear insight and a deep understanding of modern families,..." Read more

"...I was strangely disappointed, however. The writing is as good as ever, with the usual excellent syntax, but on consideration I feel that the..." Read more

"...It focuses on a family business, created by one woman, as her three daughters and their significant others begin to jostle for the reins and want..." Read more

"This novel centres around a family china business...." Read more

23 customers mention ‘Insight’23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and entertaining. They say it reflects real-life experiences, with believable details and a good storyline. The book tackles everyday human problems with empathy and insight. Readers enjoy the different points of view and confidence development of both female and male characters.

"...You can’t help but feel an attachment with the formidable and ambitious women in this book as well as their supportive male counterparts, as they..." Read more

"...Such an amazing story about men, women and life, not your typical tale or family...." Read more

"...This particular book is about a family but also very interestingly about a factory and business as well so really absorbing, particularly if you..." Read more

"...I live in Stoke and the local knowledge exhibited by the book is impressive...." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Empathy’8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the empathy and emotional involvement in the book. They find it tender and comforting, though predictable. The writing is beautiful and absorbing.

"...supportive male counterparts, as they all evolve and emotionally develop throughout the story...." Read more

"...The characters are real and sympathetic, even when you don't agree with them. The brief look into the pottery business is fascinating." Read more

"...of Morris was the least believable but never mind, it was a good, gentle, absorbing read...." Read more

"...good analysis of the complexity of family relationships and emotional involvement. Loved the book...." Read more

7 customers mention ‘Trollope quality’7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it a reliable and enjoyable read with strong women characters. The book has typical Trollope elements like family dynamics, personal growth, and fun.

"Joanna Trollope is always reliable...." Read more

"Typical Trollope, family dynamics, personal growth and fun." Read more

"Joanna Trollope is a tonic. Just when I needed to escape along comes Balancing Act. Not only a good read one to make you think a bit" Read more

"As usual this book didn't disappoint, Joanna Trollope at her best. Looking forward to her next title. Roll on plea" Read more

72 customers mention ‘Storyline’48 positive24 negative

Customers have different views on the storyline. Some find it engaging and well-constructed, with believable characters that come to life on the page. They describe it as a light read about deeper issues of family life. However, others feel the story lacks depth, jumping from character to character without any real story development, and predictable at every turn.

"...So many books have an interesting storyline but you never really feel any connection with the characters. In contrast, this book really delivers...." Read more

"Another insightful novel from Trollope one with which every woman regardless of color or creed can identify with...." Read more

"This book was not particularly exciting. The ending was rather a flop and disappointing. I wouldn't recommend it." Read more

"...I enjoyed the book very much. The story was engaging, and it seemed to move at the right pace...." Read more

66 customers mention ‘Character development’41 positive25 negative

Customers have mixed views on the character development. Some find the characters believable and sympathetic, with realistic portrayals of children. Others find them one-dimensional and lacking depth. The storyline jumps around between characters, leading to confusion.

"...thread in this captivating story and it was a pleasure to explore such fascinating characters." Read more

"...excellent syntax, but on consideration I feel that the problem lies with the characters...." Read more

"...The characters are real and sympathetic, even when you don't agree with them. The brief look into the pottery business is fascinating." Read more

"...All of the characters were well-drawn and human...." Read more

10 customers mention ‘Characterisation’0 positive10 negative

Customers find the characterisation dull, unoriginal, and unrealistic. They also say the dialogue is pretentious and stereotyped, lacking in action. The characters are described as dull, smug, and not particularly likeable.

"...Here though, they all seemed a little too spoilt, a little too self obsessed; dare I say it? -..." Read more

"...How wrong I was! This novel is extremely slow and dreary...." Read more

"...Two of the sisters are completely dull, and interchangeable - I could not tell one from the other. The men also are so dull and passive...." Read more

"...This book however, was a tedious account of mundane, dreary and only slightly testing family situations and the endless, uptight conversations of..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Renae Lucas-Hall
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very enjoyable book!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 May 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I’ve just finished reading Balancing Act and I loved it! So many books have an interesting storyline but you never really feel any connection with the characters. In contrast, this book really delivers. Joanna Trollope is a wonderful writer with a clear insight and a deep understanding of modern families, relationships and the human mind. The story is most definitely compelling, especially in the last one hundred pages. You can’t help but feel an attachment with the formidable and ambitious women in this book as well as their supportive male counterparts, as they all evolve and emotionally develop throughout the story. The writing is intimate yet universal and sympathetic but at the same time realistic. One part I really enjoyed was towards the end when Susie uses gentle persuasion to get her granddaughter Maisie to put on a blue dress rather than a pink princess costume for a photo shoot – this was a beautifully written and very tender moment. I really liked the way Joanna Trollope connected each thread in this captivating story and it was a pleasure to explore such fascinating characters.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Keith Evans
    4.0 out of 5 stars Not as engrossing as usual.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 July 2019
    Verified Purchase
    As an avid fan of Joanna Trollope,I was really looking forward to this book. I was strangely disappointed, however.
    The writing is as good as ever, with the usual excellent syntax, but on consideration I feel that the problem lies with the characters. Although excellently drawn and flawlessly handled, they were just not particularly likeable. Usually with a writer of this high standard I can find someone to empathise with. Here though, they all seemed a little too spoilt, a little too self obsessed; dare I say it? - a little too snobbish for me to actually care what happened to them. I felt they all needed a jolly good shaking and didn't really deserve to be written about so well.
    Maybe it's just me or maybe we warned supposed to like any of them very much but I still feel that this isn't one of her best.
    One person found this helpful
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  • fonty
    3.0 out of 5 stars Complexities of family life
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 August 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Another insightful novel from Trollope one with which every woman regardless of color or creed can identify with. I enjoyed the novel which took me some time to complete as I didn't want it to finish too quickly. A good read
    One person found this helpful
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  • K. R. Norton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Balancing Act by Joanne Trollope
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 April 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Balancing Act is one of the latest novels by Joanna Trollope. It focuses on a family business, created by one woman, as her three daughters and their significant others begin to jostle for the reins and want to be heard. When a catalyst arrives, in the form of the business woman's absentee father, the characters' relationships, both personal and business, are shaken up and changed. The novel is a great read, very engrossing and hard to put down. The characters are real and sympathetic, even when you don't agree with them. The brief look into the pottery business is fascinating.
    Helpful
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  • Jeanne
    4.0 out of 5 stars Well written and engagine
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 March 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I am a huge fan of Joanna Trollope, and was surprised at the lukewarm reviews I've seen here. I enjoyed the book very much. The story was engaging, and it seemed to move at the right pace. All of the characters were well-drawn and human.

    Perhaps I related to the theme more than others because of where I'm at with my life: my children are now grown and making their own way in the world, while I'm in the process of figuring out how to be an adult without direct responsibility of day-to-day parental duties.

    I look forward to more stories from her.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Little Bird
    2.0 out of 5 stars Dull
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 May 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This novel centres around a family china business. I believe that the author's inspiration for the novel was the successful business woman Emma Bridgewater. I love EB china which was my reason for reading this novel. I did not expect the novel to be her life story, I knew it was fiction, but I thought such a business may be an interesting backdrop. How wrong I was!

    This novel is extremely slow and dreary. The daughters of the main character had no substance (none of the characters did), I couldn't really distinguish one from another until I was around 70% through the story. I got sick of reading about 'Ma' and then a little further on in the book 'Pa' - who on earth continually addresses their parents as ma and pa, or is so involved in the day to day lives of their parents? The ungracious, sulky granddaughter of the main character was also an unwelcome addition to the story.

    The references to the manufacture of china seemed out of place and clumsy - they added nothing to the story, and despite the author's references to her research at the EB factory, I feel she could have learnt about the production process from an on-line encyclopedia.

    The only other novels I have read by Joanna Trollope, some years ago, are The Rector's Wife and The Choir which were very good, this novel is a pale comparison to her earlier work. I don't like to be so negative, but this book really had nothing going for it.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • S. GREEN
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not a Page Turner
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 March 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This book was not particularly exciting. The ending was rather a flop and disappointing. I wouldn't recommend it.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 December 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Just finished the book, and have already made a note to reread it in a couple of weeks. Such an amazing story about men, women and life, not your typical tale or family. There is no right or wrong, no end and no beginning- it's all constructs that we choose and can reframe many times in our lives. Based on my recent life changes, it's exactly what I need to hear. Highly recommend reading.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • P.
    1.0 out of 5 stars Dull
    Reviewed in India on 15 January 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Read so many good reviews and praises that was sure it is gong to be a great read.... BUt it was just dull... I gave up half way through.
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  • Diana White
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in France on 12 April 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Joanna Trollope never fails to please me. Her characters are so interesting and the storie very believable. Would recommend this book.
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  • annapetroica
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read, excellent character development
    Reviewed in the United States on 11 December 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Good read, excellent character development. Joanna Trollope understands family relationships very well. This family is very much like many modern families when a new entrant the estranged father comes back and throws the whole family off balance. Well written as always, easy read and good insight into family dynamics.
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  • Rachel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Never fails to satisfy.
    Reviewed in Canada on 15 June 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I have been reading Joanna Trollope for years and can truly say that she is one of my favourite authors. She hits elements of daily life accurately and her "people" are so real to me. She makes me think of Anne Tyler, not so much in the writing style but in the ability to project her reality.
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  • del rowan
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read.
    Reviewed in Australia on 23 November 2015
    Verified Purchase
    At the end of the book I felt that I knew all the characters who were part of the story. I like a story that doesn't fill a third of the book with sex gymnastics. I really enjoyed reading this book. I was really disappointed when it came to an end.
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