My TBR pile has been steadily increasing over the last few weeks. Firstly, I took a week out from reading, but didn’t stop buying books. Secondly, I booked myself a holiday and am attempting to prioritise a specific pile for pool days.

I was getting things on track when my mum finished reading The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephanie Butland. She insisted I read it before it needed to be returned to the library. Challenge accepted, apologies TBR pile.

The story is set in Edinburgh, which I will be visiting for the first time next week in a turn of serendipitous timing. Ailsa has been sick since the day she was born. On receiving a lifesaving heart transplant*, she needs to learn how to live, and who she is when she’s not ill. She runs a popular blog which she uses to make decisions about her new life, and the narrative follows her journey.

In hindsight, this book would actually have been a great choice for the poolside pile. If you’re looking for an easy-going, cosy-up-in-a-chair read, with a romance thrown in for good measure, this one has it in spades.  There is frequent variation in form throughout the book, from emails, blog posts, newspaper articles and past and present tense chapters, which moves things along nicely. On reflection I could see this book appealing to a wide female readership from all ages YA and upwards.

* It goes without saying, the book is a strong reminder to speak to your loved ones about organ donation and your wishes around this area.