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The Other Side of Beautiful
Lost & Found
meets The Rosie Project in a stunning break-out novel where a vulnerable misfit is forced to re-engage with the world, despite her best efforts.
Meet Mercy Blain, whose house has just burnt down. Unfortunately for Mercy, this goes beyond the disaster it would be for most people: she hasn't been outside that house for two years now.
Flung out into the world she's been studiously ignoring, Mercy goes to the only place she can. Her not-quite-ex-husband Eugene's house. But it turns out she can't stay there, either.
And so begins Mercy's unwilling journey. After the chance purchase of a cult classic campervan (read tiny, old and smelly), with the company of her sausage dog, Wasabi, and a mysterious box of cremated remains, Mercy heads north from Adelaide to Darwin.
On the road, through badly timed breakdowns, gregarious troupes of grey nomads, and run-ins with a rogue adversary, Mercy's carefully constructed walls start crumbling. But what was Mercy hiding from in her house? And why is Eugene desperate to have her back in the city? They say you can't run forever...
Exquisite, tender and wry, this is a break-out novel about facing anxiety and embracing life from an extraordinary new talent.
Meet Mercy Blain, whose house has just burnt down. Unfortunately for Mercy, this goes beyond the disaster it would be for most people: she hasn't been outside that house for two years now.
Flung out into the world she's been studiously ignoring, Mercy goes to the only place she can. Her not-quite-ex-husband Eugene's house. But it turns out she can't stay there, either.
And so begins Mercy's unwilling journey. After the chance purchase of a cult classic campervan (read tiny, old and smelly), with the company of her sausage dog, Wasabi, and a mysterious box of cremated remains, Mercy heads north from Adelaide to Darwin.
On the road, through badly timed breakdowns, gregarious troupes of grey nomads, and run-ins with a rogue adversary, Mercy's carefully constructed walls start crumbling. But what was Mercy hiding from in her house? And why is Eugene desperate to have her back in the city? They say you can't run forever...
Exquisite, tender and wry, this is a break-out novel about facing anxiety and embracing life from an extraordinary new talent.
368 pages, Paperback
First published July 7, 2021
171 people are currently reading
5,170 people want to read
About the author
Kim Lock
5 books138 followersKim Lock is an internationally published author of four novels, including The Other Side of Beautiful (2021). Her writing has also appeared in Kill Your Darlings, The Guardian, Daily Life and The Sydney Morning Herald online, among others. She lives in regional South Australia with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 711 reviews
June 23, 2021
After hiding away from the world in her home in Adelaide for two years Mercy Blain is thrown back out into the world when a fire totally destroys her house. With no where else to go her not quite ex-husband takes her in, but faced with his new lover also living there, Mercy knows she has to move on, which is how she finds herself embarking on a road trip to Darwin in an ancient campervan with her only her sausage dog Wasabi for company.
This is a wonderful tale of a woman rediscovering herself and learning to enjoy life again. As a woman suffering PTSD and panic attacks after a traumatic incident at work, Mercy finds it tough to be back in the world having to navigate simple things like going into a shop. Along the way she slowly starts to unwind as the journey and the beauty of the land around her start to work their magic. She also offered support from strangers making the same journey, although it takes some time for her to allow them in. Great writing and lovely characters. I really enjoyed taking this journey with Mercy and cheering her on as she took baby steps to reclaim her life. 4.5★
With thanks to Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for a copy to read
This is a wonderful tale of a woman rediscovering herself and learning to enjoy life again. As a woman suffering PTSD and panic attacks after a traumatic incident at work, Mercy finds it tough to be back in the world having to navigate simple things like going into a shop. Along the way she slowly starts to unwind as the journey and the beauty of the land around her start to work their magic. She also offered support from strangers making the same journey, although it takes some time for her to allow them in. Great writing and lovely characters. I really enjoyed taking this journey with Mercy and cheering her on as she took baby steps to reclaim her life. 4.5★
With thanks to Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for a copy to read
June 11, 2021
I was drawn to this book because it is set in Australia, but also because the main character, a doctor called Mercy Blain, suffers from crippling anxiety. She has panic attacks just thinking about leaving her house. I suffered panic attacks decades ago as well and I know how frightening and debilitating it is so Mercy was instantly relatable. Thankfully my case was a lot less serious than hers. I should add the author wrote this after own journey with anxiety.
So poor Mercy has had this problem for two years. She doesn’t leave the house, she shops online and has online friends. Her only real companion is the adorable little dachshund, Wasabi. One night her house catches fire. She doesn’t leave, it is her refuge. Luckily a neighbour, whom she hadn’t met due to being housebound, rushes in when he sees the fire and drags her out. Wasabi, of course, is only too keen to get outside! Already she is stressed just being outside and surrounded by emergency services personnel. Luckily (again) her not-quite-ex husband, Eugene, arrives and whisks her to his place which he now shares with young barista, Jose.
Mercy’s house is a write off and she can’t quite bring herself to go into a serviced apartment which would be covered by her insurance. It is all too much. At the same time, Jose is clearly not happy having her there and is telling Eugene to get rid of her. By a fluke of fate and literary license an old man is just putting a for sale sign on an old camper van across the road. In a fit of daring Mercy dashes across the road and has a look. The man starts his sales pitch but mistakes her conversational reticence for haggling so she finds herself the owner of a heavily discounted old and ratty camper van and no clue where to go.
Mercy and Wasabi find themselves heading north from Adelaide, she has no plan, no essential supplies and no clue, but that’s the best part. Soon Mercy decides to go all the way to Darwin, an epic trek through the outback. And this is the story - along the she picks up some new friends and discards some of her hang-ups. After all we can only carry so much. It wasn’t all roses however, she had many challenges to face along the way but good people and desperation have a way of sorting things out. This was a heartwarming journey. The people Mercy met were mostly very friendly and surprisingly non-judgemental. Outback folk generally are this way, salt of the earth and all that. With no one fussing over her or thinking she is nuts, the natural beauty of the landscape and slow pace of the journey soon lulls Mercy into a sense of, if not calm, certainly less anxiety inducing.
She is able to put her problems into some sort of perspective and realise it wasn’t all her fault, after all she was hit with three tragedies in one week two years ago. She needs to suddenly head back to Adelaide for legal reasons and the old panic rears it’s head again but she finally realises she is okay. While Mercy could have been an annoying character she was also very thoughtful and understood her condition well enough to reason with herself when she had to. Her journey was very brave though. I couldn’t have done when I was having my problems. So all in all I really enjoyed story and I can happily report that the little dog had a great time and came to no harm. I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
So poor Mercy has had this problem for two years. She doesn’t leave the house, she shops online and has online friends. Her only real companion is the adorable little dachshund, Wasabi. One night her house catches fire. She doesn’t leave, it is her refuge. Luckily a neighbour, whom she hadn’t met due to being housebound, rushes in when he sees the fire and drags her out. Wasabi, of course, is only too keen to get outside! Already she is stressed just being outside and surrounded by emergency services personnel. Luckily (again) her not-quite-ex husband, Eugene, arrives and whisks her to his place which he now shares with young barista, Jose.
Mercy’s house is a write off and she can’t quite bring herself to go into a serviced apartment which would be covered by her insurance. It is all too much. At the same time, Jose is clearly not happy having her there and is telling Eugene to get rid of her. By a fluke of fate and literary license an old man is just putting a for sale sign on an old camper van across the road. In a fit of daring Mercy dashes across the road and has a look. The man starts his sales pitch but mistakes her conversational reticence for haggling so she finds herself the owner of a heavily discounted old and ratty camper van and no clue where to go.
Mercy and Wasabi find themselves heading north from Adelaide, she has no plan, no essential supplies and no clue, but that’s the best part. Soon Mercy decides to go all the way to Darwin, an epic trek through the outback. And this is the story - along the she picks up some new friends and discards some of her hang-ups. After all we can only carry so much. It wasn’t all roses however, she had many challenges to face along the way but good people and desperation have a way of sorting things out. This was a heartwarming journey. The people Mercy met were mostly very friendly and surprisingly non-judgemental. Outback folk generally are this way, salt of the earth and all that. With no one fussing over her or thinking she is nuts, the natural beauty of the landscape and slow pace of the journey soon lulls Mercy into a sense of, if not calm, certainly less anxiety inducing.
She is able to put her problems into some sort of perspective and realise it wasn’t all her fault, after all she was hit with three tragedies in one week two years ago. She needs to suddenly head back to Adelaide for legal reasons and the old panic rears it’s head again but she finally realises she is okay. While Mercy could have been an annoying character she was also very thoughtful and understood her condition well enough to reason with herself when she had to. Her journey was very brave though. I couldn’t have done when I was having my problems. So all in all I really enjoyed story and I can happily report that the little dog had a great time and came to no harm. I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 25, 2021
The Other Side of Beautiful is about Dr Mercy Blaine’s breakthrough following two years of self-isolation due to a nervous breakdown.
The novel was inspired by the author’s own challenges with anxiety and panic attacks.
Lock did a great job showing the many intricacies of anxiety, panic attacks, depression and everything in between, including agoraphobia. But this is not a depressing novel. After her house burns down, Mercy finds herself on a literal journey in an old Daihatsu van with only Wasabi, her sausage dog, for company. Traveling through the middle of Australia, she comes across the grey nomads – retired people, who love to travel around Australia in their caravans.
A road trip + a cute dog - yes, please.
This was a lovely novel, with a realistic plot. The characters were well fleshed out. There were a few sweet moments, sans the melodrama, so I expect many will enjoy and appreciate The Other Side of Beautiful. I certainly did.
I’ve received this novel from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
The novel was inspired by the author’s own challenges with anxiety and panic attacks.
Lock did a great job showing the many intricacies of anxiety, panic attacks, depression and everything in between, including agoraphobia. But this is not a depressing novel. After her house burns down, Mercy finds herself on a literal journey in an old Daihatsu van with only Wasabi, her sausage dog, for company. Traveling through the middle of Australia, she comes across the grey nomads – retired people, who love to travel around Australia in their caravans.
A road trip + a cute dog - yes, please.
This was a lovely novel, with a realistic plot. The characters were well fleshed out. There were a few sweet moments, sans the melodrama, so I expect many will enjoy and appreciate The Other Side of Beautiful. I certainly did.
I’ve received this novel from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
July 5, 2022
The Other Side of Beautiful is a beguiling and gentle tale of a woman's search for self-fulfilment and a way forward in her life, as she drives from one end of the Australian continent to the other in a beat-up Daihatsu campervan.
Mercy Blain is a thirty-something woman who lives in Adelaide, South Australia. Since suffering three separate life-changing traumatic events in the space of a single week two years ago, Mercy has barely left her home. It's not classic agoraphobia, but it's been completely debilitating to her social life, career and self-confidence. So, it comes as a pretty rude shock to Mercy when her home catches fire one night, she's rescued from the flames by a neighbour and must rely on the goodwill of her soon-to-be-ex-husband Eugene for a roof over her head.
Feeling unwelcome in the home of Eugene and his self-centred boyfriend, Mercy makes a spur-of-the moment decision that might just change her life. Seeing a somewhat dilapidated but classic Daihatsu HiJet campervan, emblazoned with the message "Home is where you ARE" on its flanks, advertised for sale on the nature strip opposite Eugene's, she buys the van and with her loyal dachsund Wasabi in the passenger seat, starts driving north...
Having relied largely on on-line shopping for the past two years, Mercy finds tasks such as buying food at a local supermarket, or filling up her van with petrol anxiety-inducing, but she grits her teeth and over time, these mundane tasks become easier. Upon inspecting the van's amenities when she first sets up camp for the night, Mercy also discovers an unexpected additional travelling companion, a box of human ashes (cremains) labelled "Jenny Cleggett" hidden in a cabinet under the van's bench seat. Rather than treating the ashes with superstition or revulsion as many would, Mercy comes to embrace the unknown "Jenny Cleggett" as a silent companion and sounding board.
Spending her nights in camping grounds along the Stuart Highway, which links Australia's southern coast at Port Augusta with its north in Darwin, Mercy and Wasabi encounter some of the outback's most legendary landscapes. They also make the acquaintance of several other travellers headed in the same direction, including gregarious "grey nomads" Bert and Jan, always keen to share "happy hour", and attractive Scotsman, Andy Macauley, travelling solo in a hired van.
Mercy is dismayed to also encounter a particularly unwelcome fellow traveller, social media "journalist" Ann Barker, who's making the trip north in a huge van as a family holiday, accompanied by her husband, toddler and two teenaged daughters. It was Ann who stirred up a maelstrom of community backlash against Mercy, in the wake of an incident that occurred at her work, an experience that has significantly exaccerbated Mercy's trauma. In addition to the other anxiety-inducing challenges she faces, Mercy must now also attempt to avoid Ann, who's yet to recognise her, as they travel in the same direction between the limited number of campgrounds and caravan parks that line the Stuart Highway. The two woman face an inevitable confrontation that occurs in the communal bathrooms at the Midland Caravan Park in Elliott, NT, a gloriously empowering moment for our heroine.
Meanwhile, Mercy continually crosses paths with Andy, and they develop a growing rapport and understanding, in light of challenges they both face in their lives "at home". Andy proves to be a practical and resourceful fellow to have around, in addition to being a sympathetic listener, and we see the buds of romance begin to bloom.
A phone call from Eugene pulls Mercy suddenly back to her obligations in Adelaide, providing the impetus for a rollicking final adventure, in which Mercy is aided by several of her new friends, including grey nomad "Party Animals", Pete and Jules - whose reputation precedes them - and discovers in the warm waters of the Arafura Sea that she might just be on the way to becoming whole again...
I found The Other Side of Beautiful a joyful experience to read, in spite of the occasionally dark subject matter. Mercy's experience with multiple trauma and resulting mental illness is sensitively and intuitively handled by author Kim Lock. Her incorporation of the outback landscape into the narrative also makes this a compelling read for armchair adventurers. The gradually developing romance between Mercy and Andy is well integrated into the story, bringing touches of awkwardness and wry humour that ensures the narrative never runs the risk of becoming overly maudlin.
I'd enthusiastically recommend The Other Side of Beautiful to readers who enjoy narratives of personal catharsis, and/or flawed and vulnerable characters who demonstrate reserves of inner strength. It also joins the cannon of great "travelogue" fiction, offering readers the opportunity to vicariously experience the unique and timeless landscape of central Australia.
Mercy Blain is a thirty-something woman who lives in Adelaide, South Australia. Since suffering three separate life-changing traumatic events in the space of a single week two years ago, Mercy has barely left her home. It's not classic agoraphobia, but it's been completely debilitating to her social life, career and self-confidence. So, it comes as a pretty rude shock to Mercy when her home catches fire one night, she's rescued from the flames by a neighbour and must rely on the goodwill of her soon-to-be-ex-husband Eugene for a roof over her head.
Feeling unwelcome in the home of Eugene and his self-centred boyfriend, Mercy makes a spur-of-the moment decision that might just change her life. Seeing a somewhat dilapidated but classic Daihatsu HiJet campervan, emblazoned with the message "Home is where you ARE" on its flanks, advertised for sale on the nature strip opposite Eugene's, she buys the van and with her loyal dachsund Wasabi in the passenger seat, starts driving north...
"And that is how Mercy Blain's view of the world changed from all she could see through her living-room window, to the world she could see through a windscreen ... She had absolutely no idea where she was going, or what she was going to do." (p.31)
Having relied largely on on-line shopping for the past two years, Mercy finds tasks such as buying food at a local supermarket, or filling up her van with petrol anxiety-inducing, but she grits her teeth and over time, these mundane tasks become easier. Upon inspecting the van's amenities when she first sets up camp for the night, Mercy also discovers an unexpected additional travelling companion, a box of human ashes (cremains) labelled "Jenny Cleggett" hidden in a cabinet under the van's bench seat. Rather than treating the ashes with superstition or revulsion as many would, Mercy comes to embrace the unknown "Jenny Cleggett" as a silent companion and sounding board.
Spending her nights in camping grounds along the Stuart Highway, which links Australia's southern coast at Port Augusta with its north in Darwin, Mercy and Wasabi encounter some of the outback's most legendary landscapes. They also make the acquaintance of several other travellers headed in the same direction, including gregarious "grey nomads" Bert and Jan, always keen to share "happy hour", and attractive Scotsman, Andy Macauley, travelling solo in a hired van.
Mercy is dismayed to also encounter a particularly unwelcome fellow traveller, social media "journalist" Ann Barker, who's making the trip north in a huge van as a family holiday, accompanied by her husband, toddler and two teenaged daughters. It was Ann who stirred up a maelstrom of community backlash against Mercy, in the wake of an incident that occurred at her work, an experience that has significantly exaccerbated Mercy's trauma. In addition to the other anxiety-inducing challenges she faces, Mercy must now also attempt to avoid Ann, who's yet to recognise her, as they travel in the same direction between the limited number of campgrounds and caravan parks that line the Stuart Highway. The two woman face an inevitable confrontation that occurs in the communal bathrooms at the Midland Caravan Park in Elliott, NT, a gloriously empowering moment for our heroine.
Meanwhile, Mercy continually crosses paths with Andy, and they develop a growing rapport and understanding, in light of challenges they both face in their lives "at home". Andy proves to be a practical and resourceful fellow to have around, in addition to being a sympathetic listener, and we see the buds of romance begin to bloom.
A phone call from Eugene pulls Mercy suddenly back to her obligations in Adelaide, providing the impetus for a rollicking final adventure, in which Mercy is aided by several of her new friends, including grey nomad "Party Animals", Pete and Jules - whose reputation precedes them - and discovers in the warm waters of the Arafura Sea that she might just be on the way to becoming whole again...
I found The Other Side of Beautiful a joyful experience to read, in spite of the occasionally dark subject matter. Mercy's experience with multiple trauma and resulting mental illness is sensitively and intuitively handled by author Kim Lock. Her incorporation of the outback landscape into the narrative also makes this a compelling read for armchair adventurers. The gradually developing romance between Mercy and Andy is well integrated into the story, bringing touches of awkwardness and wry humour that ensures the narrative never runs the risk of becoming overly maudlin.
I'd enthusiastically recommend The Other Side of Beautiful to readers who enjoy narratives of personal catharsis, and/or flawed and vulnerable characters who demonstrate reserves of inner strength. It also joins the cannon of great "travelogue" fiction, offering readers the opportunity to vicariously experience the unique and timeless landscape of central Australia.
February 14, 2022
For most people seeing flames billowing out of their house and having emergency services surrounding their house would be shocking and most upsetting, but it seems Mercy Blain had bigger problems. This was the first time Mercy had been outside her home in almost two years and she was terrified.
It didn’t take long to work out the cause of the fire was the electric toaster on the kitchen bench. Flames caught what appears to have been a hanging towel on the overhead cabinets which then got into the roof cavity. All Mercy wanted to know was when she could return to her home, but she was told because half the walls were missing and had caved in it was unfit for habitation.
Staying in a spare room of her ex-husband's house, Mercy had no idea what she and her dachshund dog, Wasabi would do next as they were homeless. What she decides to do next takes the reader on a journey unlike any other. Aussie author Kim Lock has written a beautiful story which I thoroughly enjoyed. With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended.
It didn’t take long to work out the cause of the fire was the electric toaster on the kitchen bench. Flames caught what appears to have been a hanging towel on the overhead cabinets which then got into the roof cavity. All Mercy wanted to know was when she could return to her home, but she was told because half the walls were missing and had caved in it was unfit for habitation.
Staying in a spare room of her ex-husband's house, Mercy had no idea what she and her dachshund dog, Wasabi would do next as they were homeless. What she decides to do next takes the reader on a journey unlike any other. Aussie author Kim Lock has written a beautiful story which I thoroughly enjoyed. With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended.
May 20, 2021
The best type of book for me is when I learn a little more than just the story on the pages; I love a back story. In this novel reflected via Mercy, the lovely protag, are the likenesses to the author’s life and personal story. This lived experience adds an extra depth to Mercy’s story, I was left feeling in safe hands that the emotional waves Mercy experienced were real. The writing flows, small chapters meaning I could enjoy the story in small parts, which I love to be able to do. Mercy’s journey of rediscovery was simply lovely. Her life imploding after a traumatic work incident, finding solace in isolation and departing the outside world, literally shutting herself off inside her home. This comes to a jarring holt as her home burns to the ground in the most deafening way; ending with the massive discomfort of no belonging as the smoke still billows. Separated from her husband who left her for a man, she has no choice but to stay with them. This does not work, and she is in flight mode. A new day dawns, an eccentric old man sells her an old campervan and thus Mercy sets off. Who knows where and for how long. But she is running with the wind, headed on a haphazard Aussie road tip where Mercy learns renewal and possibly the hope of landing on the other side of normal.
Thanks, Better Reading Magazine for my awesome ARC copy to read and review, which was a pleasure. It was nice meeeting a new Aussie author.
Thanks, Better Reading Magazine for my awesome ARC copy to read and review, which was a pleasure. It was nice meeeting a new Aussie author.
July 6, 2021
This book opens with Mercy Blain’s house burning down, a house that she hasn’t been able to leave for 2 years. Dealing with grief, anxiety, panic attacks and more, she escapes it all by buying a run-down old van and taking off up the highway. Leaving Adelaide she decides she wants to reach the other side, Darwin! In the end I found this story quite moving. As she travels through the outback, gradually all of Mercy’s problems are revealed. The other travellers she meets, mostly grey nomads add some light relief and it’s definitely not all fear and anxiety. An interesting read.
March 9, 2022
Four and a half stars
Mercy Blain has just watched her house burn down. This is a disaster, as she has not been out of her house for two years, because of several events happened in a short space of time to change her life. After her house burns down she is forced to stay with Eugene her ex husband and his on again off again boyfriend, Jose. The situation is far from ideal. But where else can she and her canine friend Wasabi go?
In an attempt to confront her fears, Mercy buys an old camper van and sets off on a trip across Australia with her sausage dog Wasabi. There is also a surprise occupant in the camper van. What will Mercy do?
Events that shaped Mercy's life are gradually revealed as the book progresses. Despite problems, fears and difficulties Mercy travels on her way, confronting her fears, meeting people who help her and one who brings the horror of the past right back.
Mercy is very easy to like and sympathise with. There are some other lovely characters including Scottish Andy and the grey nomad Bert, among others. The setting is visual and well depicted as are the issues associated with panic attacks. It definitely has the ring of authenticity. I would highly recommend this engaging read. It certainly kept me involved throughout. There was some use of the f word. Despite that, this book is a joy to read and one that will tug at the emotions. I am so glad I read it.
Mercy Blain has just watched her house burn down. This is a disaster, as she has not been out of her house for two years, because of several events happened in a short space of time to change her life. After her house burns down she is forced to stay with Eugene her ex husband and his on again off again boyfriend, Jose. The situation is far from ideal. But where else can she and her canine friend Wasabi go?
In an attempt to confront her fears, Mercy buys an old camper van and sets off on a trip across Australia with her sausage dog Wasabi. There is also a surprise occupant in the camper van. What will Mercy do?
Events that shaped Mercy's life are gradually revealed as the book progresses. Despite problems, fears and difficulties Mercy travels on her way, confronting her fears, meeting people who help her and one who brings the horror of the past right back.
Mercy is very easy to like and sympathise with. There are some other lovely characters including Scottish Andy and the grey nomad Bert, among others. The setting is visual and well depicted as are the issues associated with panic attacks. It definitely has the ring of authenticity. I would highly recommend this engaging read. It certainly kept me involved throughout. There was some use of the f word. Despite that, this book is a joy to read and one that will tug at the emotions. I am so glad I read it.
July 4, 2021
This is a brilliant story it is filled with so many emotions, all of the emotions rolled into a story that I found very hard to put down I loved getting to know Mercy Blain and feeling her struggles as she journeys on a road trip to find the other side, the side she used to be on before everything happened.
Mercy’s house has just burnt to the ground, what on earth is she going to do now she hasn’t left it for two years, there is just her and her sausage dog Wasabi, her anxiety levels are rising and fast when her sort of ex-husband arrives, Eugene takes her to his house but that is uncomfortable and staying there is not possible.
A chance to purchase a small very old rusty campervan jumps up and Mercy takes it this can be her and Wasabi’s home till her house is re-built but no, Mercy decides on a trip to Darwin, she discovers the cremated ashes of an unknown person in the back and they all start their journey north and what a journey it is. There are so many people along the way that offer assistance and slowly Mercy starts to let the fear and anxiety go, she is opening up and talking about what happened and doing things she has not done for two years, even meeting up with the last person you think of seems to see her strength grow a little.
This is a beautifully written story that takes in anxiety and fear there are so many fabulous characters in it that MS Lock has bought to life. Mercy really showed strength in what she did on that trip on her own it something I would never be able to do and she found the other side the beautiful side and I was cheering her on so much, there were some really fun parts in this story, so many ups and downs it is adventurous, witty and moving and yes a few tears from me and a story that I would highly recommend, really a must read.
My thanks to Harlequin AU and Netgalley for my copy to read and review
Mercy’s house has just burnt to the ground, what on earth is she going to do now she hasn’t left it for two years, there is just her and her sausage dog Wasabi, her anxiety levels are rising and fast when her sort of ex-husband arrives, Eugene takes her to his house but that is uncomfortable and staying there is not possible.
A chance to purchase a small very old rusty campervan jumps up and Mercy takes it this can be her and Wasabi’s home till her house is re-built but no, Mercy decides on a trip to Darwin, she discovers the cremated ashes of an unknown person in the back and they all start their journey north and what a journey it is. There are so many people along the way that offer assistance and slowly Mercy starts to let the fear and anxiety go, she is opening up and talking about what happened and doing things she has not done for two years, even meeting up with the last person you think of seems to see her strength grow a little.
This is a beautifully written story that takes in anxiety and fear there are so many fabulous characters in it that MS Lock has bought to life. Mercy really showed strength in what she did on that trip on her own it something I would never be able to do and she found the other side the beautiful side and I was cheering her on so much, there were some really fun parts in this story, so many ups and downs it is adventurous, witty and moving and yes a few tears from me and a story that I would highly recommend, really a must read.
My thanks to Harlequin AU and Netgalley for my copy to read and review
October 23, 2022
Oh heck this was an adventure in a half. After Mercy Blains house burns down she wonders where she is going to live next. Well you would think that this would be easy, normal infact, but nothing was normal or easy for Mercy. A chain of calamity events happens, now we must remember here, she hasn't stepped foot outside her house for two years, yeah I know! ... two years! .... so her anxiety levels was as high as a rocket. To begin with her ex husband who lived across the road offered comfort, but, well you know, that isn't going to work out, so she finds herself a clapt out old campervan and decides to randomly drive parts of Australia, encountering an adventure within an adventure that is hilariously funny, I mean who calls a sausage dog, Wasabi? Who cuts their hair with a knife? Who drives a van with no exhaust or muffler? I'm not a mechanic, but you get my drift? anyway who drives it that way so the whole highway can hear it?
.
Thankfully the book provides a map so we know where Mercy goes, because I'm lost when it comes to directions, north, south, whatever, it means nothing to me.
.
This is a new author to me and she sure does give you a ride for your money! Very witty. Although in the genre of Womens fiction, I would put it under contemporary fiction as well. This book is about anxiety, pain and grief and how this woman deals with it.
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I want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for allowing me to read the ARC which is due to be published on 7 JULY 2021.
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ISBN9781867214908 PRICE A$29.99 (AUD)
The Other Side Of Beautiful- Kim Lock
.
Thankfully the book provides a map so we know where Mercy goes, because I'm lost when it comes to directions, north, south, whatever, it means nothing to me.
.
This is a new author to me and she sure does give you a ride for your money! Very witty. Although in the genre of Womens fiction, I would put it under contemporary fiction as well. This book is about anxiety, pain and grief and how this woman deals with it.
.
I want to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for allowing me to read the ARC which is due to be published on 7 JULY 2021.
.
ISBN9781867214908 PRICE A$29.99 (AUD)
The Other Side Of Beautiful- Kim Lock
April 28, 2023
This is the story of Mercy, a woman who has not left her house for two years and now it has burned to the ground. What to do? Buy a 40 year old camper van and start driving from Adelaide to Darwin with her beloved sausage dog Wasabi.
The presentation was not quite up to the premise of this often entertaining road novel. Lots of interesting and mostly likeable characters, mostly grey nomads travelling the roads of Australia in their retirement. It takes a while for Mercy's story to come out, why she was living alone in isolation for over two years, but it does reveal itself with her faithful Wasabi by her side. 3.5 stars.
The presentation was not quite up to the premise of this often entertaining road novel. Lots of interesting and mostly likeable characters, mostly grey nomads travelling the roads of Australia in their retirement. It takes a while for Mercy's story to come out, why she was living alone in isolation for over two years, but it does reveal itself with her faithful Wasabi by her side. 3.5 stars.
August 19, 2021
Somehow I seem to have affixed the adverb "just" to the term "panic attack", as in "it was justa panic attack". Being fortunate to never have had a panic attack I had the impression it was a bit of a scare, a period of discomfort, maybe an inflated heart rate for a few minutes and then it passed. I would, of course, have been wrong about that as I now know thanks to the terrific book The Other Side Of Beautiful. Author Kim Lock opened my eyes and my mind to the reality of panic attacks, the intensity, the severity, and the debilitating impacts they may have on a person. This was no dry, medical tome however. It was a tremendously readable, highly engaging novel and was one of those where I was conflicted between wanting to rush to finish it to see how it ended whilst wanting to slow down so I got to stay in this story for longer.
The story opened with Mercy Blain being attended to by paramedics outside her home which was being ravaged by flames. We soon learn Mercy had been housebound for two years but the reasons for this are only gradually revealed as the story progresses. At first we get just a hint - a few words that intrigue rather than inform. Each hint becomes a little more expansive, and as we get to know snippets of Mercy's life it all comes together. I'll refrain from touching upon this aspect as the book does this so well and I'd hate to spoil it for other readers.
There were many themes running through the book. Naturally panic was up there but another strong theme was grief. Relationships another - parents, partners, relationships that ended suddenly, friendships that were thrown away and the tentative steps into developing new ones, and let's not forget the gorgeous Wasabi her companion dog. There was also some very pointed commentary worked in about online commentators, opinion writers who sensationalise issues, incite readers without any regard for the facts nor the way their words might harm others. The Australian Outback was the backdrop to all of this and Kim Lock painted a magnificent picture and I loved her inclusion of the cast of Aussie retirees, aka Grey Nomads, hitching up vans to their vehicles and setting out to see this great country of ours.
I haven't mentioned the writing but I absolutely appreciated it and found myself highlighting great chunks of text. Kim Lock wrote with a truly authentic, contemporary Australian voice and her Author Note at the start of the book set the tone perfectly. She wrote with such candour about her own nervous breakdown, acknowledging this term is no longer used but that she believed it perfectly described the physical and emotional experience of it: a breaking. She so clearly wrote what she knew and I thank her for incorporating those feelings and experiences into a fabulous story with Mercy at its centre.
My thanks to Kim Lock, HQ Fiction andNetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.
The story opened with Mercy Blain being attended to by paramedics outside her home which was being ravaged by flames. We soon learn Mercy had been housebound for two years but the reasons for this are only gradually revealed as the story progresses. At first we get just a hint - a few words that intrigue rather than inform. Each hint becomes a little more expansive, and as we get to know snippets of Mercy's life it all comes together. I'll refrain from touching upon this aspect as the book does this so well and I'd hate to spoil it for other readers.
There were many themes running through the book. Naturally panic was up there but another strong theme was grief. Relationships another - parents, partners, relationships that ended suddenly, friendships that were thrown away and the tentative steps into developing new ones, and let's not forget the gorgeous Wasabi her companion dog. There was also some very pointed commentary worked in about online commentators, opinion writers who sensationalise issues, incite readers without any regard for the facts nor the way their words might harm others. The Australian Outback was the backdrop to all of this and Kim Lock painted a magnificent picture and I loved her inclusion of the cast of Aussie retirees, aka Grey Nomads, hitching up vans to their vehicles and setting out to see this great country of ours.
I haven't mentioned the writing but I absolutely appreciated it and found myself highlighting great chunks of text. Kim Lock wrote with a truly authentic, contemporary Australian voice and her Author Note at the start of the book set the tone perfectly. She wrote with such candour about her own nervous breakdown, acknowledging this term is no longer used but that she believed it perfectly described the physical and emotional experience of it: a breaking. She so clearly wrote what she knew and I thank her for incorporating those feelings and experiences into a fabulous story with Mercy at its centre.
My thanks to Kim Lock, HQ Fiction andNetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review which it was my pleasure to provide.
July 30, 2021
The Other Side Of Beautiful is the fourth novel by Australian author, Kim Lock. The day after her thirty-sixth birthday, two days after her house has burnt to the ground, Mercy Blain leaves: “In a tiny beat-up van that was almost as old as she was, with her Dachshund beside her and the wind in her hair, Mercy’s whole world was rattling north along a rural South Australian highway, with only the borrowed clothes on her back, cheap thongs on her feet and adrenaline pulsing through her veins. She had absolutely no idea where she was going, or what she was going to do.”
Her not-quite-ex-husband had come to her immediate rescue with a place to stay, as she stood on the nature strip in front of the fire but, despite his undeniable care for her, remaining in his house is intolerable. The Daihatsu HiJet with its hand-painted epithet (Home is wherever you ARE) presents a solution: “For two years Mercy had not left her home but now she had a home she could carry with her. Like a hermit crab. Or more accurately, given her speed on the road, a snail.”
Driving with a vague aim to reach the country’s northern shores, when she discovers a box of cremains (Jenny Cleggett) in the sparsely outfitted van, Mercy decides to return to Adelaide, but a certain huntsman spider spoils that plan; she continues northwards, appreciating the company of her loyal dog, Wasabi, and encountering quirky Grey Nomads, intimidating road trains, a rather attractive touring Scot, and a certain journalist who contributed to her pain two years earlier.
While the unenviable circumstances of her marriage break-up might have been to upset anyone’s equilibrium, and it certainly destabilised her, this wasn’t the sole impetus to withdraw from the world, but Mercy scrupulously avoids discussing, and even thinking about, what happened, so the reader pieces the story together bit by bit as Mercy eventually opens up to the kindness of strangers.
Mercy’s lack of preparation will have the heads of veteran nomads shaking, but provide amusement, as do Mercy’s haircut with a paring knife, escape through a toilet window, drunken phone call, beer-garden dancing and much of the dialogue:
“‘What’s the collective noun for a group of caravans?’
Andy pondered it. ‘A swagger.’
‘A gloat?’
‘A boast.’
‘A grandstand.’
Andy asked, ‘What’s the opposite of an apology? A confession?’
‘A flagrant?’
‘An entitlement?’
This went on for a while, back and forth, until Andy finally suggested, ‘An ostentation. An ostentation of caravans,’ at which Shiraz came out of Mercy’s nose and the subject was settled.”
Lock manages to cover some potentially sensitive topics with humour and insight, and wraps them all in marvellous descriptive prose. Her portrayal of panic attacks is both highly credible and informative, as “moments of fear strung together like beads on a wire of anticipation” and “Besides the terror, the sense of doom and the pounding heart, one of the things she found most trying about panic attacks was how tiring they were” illustrate. Funny, heart-warming and uplifting.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and HQ Fiction.
Her not-quite-ex-husband had come to her immediate rescue with a place to stay, as she stood on the nature strip in front of the fire but, despite his undeniable care for her, remaining in his house is intolerable. The Daihatsu HiJet with its hand-painted epithet (Home is wherever you ARE) presents a solution: “For two years Mercy had not left her home but now she had a home she could carry with her. Like a hermit crab. Or more accurately, given her speed on the road, a snail.”
Driving with a vague aim to reach the country’s northern shores, when she discovers a box of cremains (Jenny Cleggett) in the sparsely outfitted van, Mercy decides to return to Adelaide, but a certain huntsman spider spoils that plan; she continues northwards, appreciating the company of her loyal dog, Wasabi, and encountering quirky Grey Nomads, intimidating road trains, a rather attractive touring Scot, and a certain journalist who contributed to her pain two years earlier.
While the unenviable circumstances of her marriage break-up might have been to upset anyone’s equilibrium, and it certainly destabilised her, this wasn’t the sole impetus to withdraw from the world, but Mercy scrupulously avoids discussing, and even thinking about, what happened, so the reader pieces the story together bit by bit as Mercy eventually opens up to the kindness of strangers.
Mercy’s lack of preparation will have the heads of veteran nomads shaking, but provide amusement, as do Mercy’s haircut with a paring knife, escape through a toilet window, drunken phone call, beer-garden dancing and much of the dialogue:
“‘What’s the collective noun for a group of caravans?’
Andy pondered it. ‘A swagger.’
‘A gloat?’
‘A boast.’
‘A grandstand.’
Andy asked, ‘What’s the opposite of an apology? A confession?’
‘A flagrant?’
‘An entitlement?’
This went on for a while, back and forth, until Andy finally suggested, ‘An ostentation. An ostentation of caravans,’ at which Shiraz came out of Mercy’s nose and the subject was settled.”
Lock manages to cover some potentially sensitive topics with humour and insight, and wraps them all in marvellous descriptive prose. Her portrayal of panic attacks is both highly credible and informative, as “moments of fear strung together like beads on a wire of anticipation” and “Besides the terror, the sense of doom and the pounding heart, one of the things she found most trying about panic attacks was how tiring they were” illustrate. Funny, heart-warming and uplifting.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and HQ Fiction.
July 25, 2021
Mercy Blain’s story is wonderful and heart-felt, one of overcoming fear and finding home wherever you are. Lock’s alarmingly accurate depictions of Mercy’s physical experience of anxiety were a little triggering, to be honest, but the wonderful rhythm of her writing carried me through the discomfort. This is one of the best books I’ve read this year.
My full review of The Other Side Of Beautiful is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of The Other Side Of Beautiful is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
August 27, 2021
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*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
The Other Side of Beautiful by Kim Lock. (2021).
**Thank you to Harlequin Australia for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review; published 7 July 2021**
Meet Mercy, whose house has just burnt down. Unfortunately this is made worse by the fact she hasn't been outside the house in 2 years. Flung out into the world, Mercy is forced to go to her not-quite-ex-husband Eugene's house. But it turns out she can't really stay there. So begins her unwilling journey. After the chance purchase of a cult classic campervan (tiny, old, smelly), she sets off north from Adelaide to Darwin with her sausage dog Wasabi and a mysterious box of cremated remains. On the road, through badly timed breakdowns, troupes of grey nomads, and run-ins with a rogue adversary, her walls start crumbling. But what was she hiding from and why is Eugene desperate for her return? They say you can't run forever...
Mercy is the type of character that you find yourself rooting for, you just want her to have her happy ending and life be a bit easier for her. We are introduced to Mercy as her house is burning down, which is a traumatic enough event for anyone, but when you haven't left that house in 2 years I can only imagine how horrifying that would be. Over the course of the novel we gradually learn the events that happened which lead to Mercy feeling unable to leave her home; unconnected events which occurred in the same week, each would have had an affect by themselves but together it proved too much for Mercy. I think it was a good demonstration of just how easily life can change for any of us. I liked that while there were some emotional scenes, scattered throughout were humorous moments to counteract which made the book feel not too heavy. Shoutout to Wasabi who sounded adorable!
Overall: I would happily recommend this contemporary story that looks at facing your fears and anxieties in order to move on with your life and find some peace.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
The Other Side of Beautiful by Kim Lock. (2021).
**Thank you to Harlequin Australia for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review; published 7 July 2021**
Meet Mercy, whose house has just burnt down. Unfortunately this is made worse by the fact she hasn't been outside the house in 2 years. Flung out into the world, Mercy is forced to go to her not-quite-ex-husband Eugene's house. But it turns out she can't really stay there. So begins her unwilling journey. After the chance purchase of a cult classic campervan (tiny, old, smelly), she sets off north from Adelaide to Darwin with her sausage dog Wasabi and a mysterious box of cremated remains. On the road, through badly timed breakdowns, troupes of grey nomads, and run-ins with a rogue adversary, her walls start crumbling. But what was she hiding from and why is Eugene desperate for her return? They say you can't run forever...
Mercy is the type of character that you find yourself rooting for, you just want her to have her happy ending and life be a bit easier for her. We are introduced to Mercy as her house is burning down, which is a traumatic enough event for anyone, but when you haven't left that house in 2 years I can only imagine how horrifying that would be. Over the course of the novel we gradually learn the events that happened which lead to Mercy feeling unable to leave her home; unconnected events which occurred in the same week, each would have had an affect by themselves but together it proved too much for Mercy. I think it was a good demonstration of just how easily life can change for any of us. I liked that while there were some emotional scenes, scattered throughout were humorous moments to counteract which made the book feel not too heavy. Shoutout to Wasabi who sounded adorable!
Overall: I would happily recommend this contemporary story that looks at facing your fears and anxieties in order to move on with your life and find some peace.
September 11, 2021
In recent years there have been a handful of wonderful, idiosyncratic novels about broken women forced by circumstance to re-engage with the world. Think Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Lost Property, to name just two examples. The Other Side of Beautiful is their equal, and proves beyond any doubt that this type of story can work in an Australian setting just as well. Where this one is slightly different though, is that the trauma (or, I should say one of the main traumas) that led to the main character's withdrawal from society, was quite specific to her work, giving the reader the option of involvement or detachment. I chose detached empathy, but the story still worked beautifully for me.
We first meet Mercy Blain as she stands outside in the middle of the night while her house burns down. She's been rescued from the house by a neighbour, many of whom stand around watching the spectacle. Mercy doesn't seem to know them, nor they her. Because, as it turns out, Mercy has not left her house for two years. Thrust back into the world with no option to retreat, Mercy finds herself buying a vintage campervan and heading north from Adelaide with her adorable little assistance dog, a Dachshund named Wasabi.
The roadtrip element of the story is really special. Anyone who has spent time on the Stuart Highway will appreciate the authenticity and attention to detail that the author brings to Mercy's journey. Watching Mercy gradually come out of her shell as the kilometres pass is a sheer joy, and the opportunity for a gentle friendship/romance with a Scottish tourist is an added bonus.
Anyone stuck in lockdown, or unable to get away for any reason at all, is sure to enjoy this uplifting story of an iconic Australian journey.
We first meet Mercy Blain as she stands outside in the middle of the night while her house burns down. She's been rescued from the house by a neighbour, many of whom stand around watching the spectacle. Mercy doesn't seem to know them, nor they her. Because, as it turns out, Mercy has not left her house for two years. Thrust back into the world with no option to retreat, Mercy finds herself buying a vintage campervan and heading north from Adelaide with her adorable little assistance dog, a Dachshund named Wasabi.
The roadtrip element of the story is really special. Anyone who has spent time on the Stuart Highway will appreciate the authenticity and attention to detail that the author brings to Mercy's journey. Watching Mercy gradually come out of her shell as the kilometres pass is a sheer joy, and the opportunity for a gentle friendship/romance with a Scottish tourist is an added bonus.
Anyone stuck in lockdown, or unable to get away for any reason at all, is sure to enjoy this uplifting story of an iconic Australian journey.
July 6, 2021
I have to say I really struggled with this one and I actually didn't finish it as I found it boring, predictable and it was a bit uninteresting.
I could see how it may appeal to some people as the subject could have made it a more exciting book to read but it just dragged on and didn't really go anywhere or bring anything different to a story that seems to be the norm in this day and age.
I didn't draw me in, it didn't make me want to keep reading but there were some interesting characters and liked the Australian places as I have been to many and they were familiar which is nice when reading as you can place the story in these places.
I could see how it may appeal to some people as the subject could have made it a more exciting book to read but it just dragged on and didn't really go anywhere or bring anything different to a story that seems to be the norm in this day and age.
I didn't draw me in, it didn't make me want to keep reading but there were some interesting characters and liked the Australian places as I have been to many and they were familiar which is nice when reading as you can place the story in these places.
July 17, 2021
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘The air was dry and war. Birds screeched. The last of the cloud had burnt off and the sky was a smooth pale blue, the afternoon sunlight coming in bright ribbons through the leaves. Maybe, she thought, in another life-one without existential terror-it could be beautiful.’
I would give The Other Side of Beautiful by Kim Lock five big stars just for the cute canine companion in this tale, Wasabi. As a proud sausage dog owner, it was great to see my favourite breed featured heavily and accurately in a book. Sausage dogs aside, I have to say that Kim Lock’s latest is just amazing. I have a huge glowing report to deliver in this review! The Other Side of Beautiful is a story of life, loss, grief, trauma, health, wellbeing, anxiety, acceptance, travel, friendships, recovering and starting over. It is poignant, moving and oh so splendid.
Mercy Blain is a woman who suffers from a major setback when her home burns down. For this two-year agoraphobic, this latest disaster sends her in a spin. Mercy is forced to take refuge with her ex-husband, but Mercy knows she cannot make this her permanent residence. This situation influences Mercy’s snap decision to buy an old campervan. Mercy sets off on an adventure that will see her travel north of her Adelaide home, to the top end. With her lovable sausage dog Wasabi in tow, along with a set of ashes that came with the campervan, Mercy bravely takes on this road adventure to Darwin. Along the way Mercy encounters mechanical problems, unexpected friends, foes and some breathtaking landscape. In getting back to the raw and simple things in life, Mercy begins to develop a changed world view. But a call back to the city forces Mercy to put an end to her road trip. Mercy must confront her past to move on with her future in The Other Side of Beautiful.
Kim Lock made quite the impression on me back in 2018 when I interviewed the talented writer for the release of her novel at the time, The Three of Us. After reading The Three of Us swiftly after our interview, I noted that Lock produced a rousing novel that was able to strike at the very core of human relationships. On a similar note, Lock’s latest release is another striking novel that delves into the human psyche. Exposing the effects of grief, trauma and crippling anxiety, The Other Side of Beautiful is an eloquent tale that will speak for many readers out there.
It is extremely brave for an author to bare their soul and infuse some of their own experiences in written form. In the case of The Other Side of Beautiful, Kim Lock injects her direct and first-hand experiences of mental health into her latest novel. Although The Other Side of Beautiful is a fictional presentation of a woman’s experiences of fear and anxiety, there is a strong sense of realism to this story. I’m sure many readers will be able to relate to this embracing slice of fiction, inspired by real life experiences. Lock’s approach to her lead’s anxiety issues is knowing, intuitive, informative, insightful and sensitive. Lock provides us with an deep insight into the pure terror, strong emotions and rollercoaster feelings of a person who suffers from anxiety. I appreciated Mercy’s reflections on many facets of life in general and her personal experiences as the novel progressed, it helped me to better understand the devastating impact of anxiety. The Other Side of Beautiful is described by the publisher as a ‘break-out novel’ and I honestly feel as though we need more stories out in the publishing realm like Lock’s latest to help us better understand mental health issues.
I really loved the structure of The Other Side of Beautiful. This unforgettable story is relayed over forty-five engrossing chapters and it also features a countdown in distance travelled from Mercy’s starting point in Adelaide, through to her journey on a whim to Darwin. Along the way we receive distance checkpoint updates, which works to provide the reader with a sense of anticipation for what is to come, but it also gives us a sense of the sheer length of this road adventure. I also loved the side cast of this tale, from the whacky grey nomad caravanners, to other loveable fellow travellers and of course my favourite by far of the lot, dear Wasabi, Mercy’s animal travel companion. What struck me about the people Mercy encountered on her road trip was their kindness, generosity and embracing attitude. Although I was fearful like Mercy of the possible stranger danger situation, the people Mercy meets on her travels offer one big gulp of fresh air thanks to their entertaining and quirky ways!
With a stunning and iconic map preceding the story, this image spread sets the tone for this unforgettable page-based adventure. I would love to be as fearless and brave as Mercy, purchasing a van to take on a road trip of a lifetime! I would also dearly love to travel to both Adelaide and Darwin, visiting some of the picturesque sites Mercy encounters along the way. Many of the locales featured in The Other Side of Beautiful took my breath away thanks to Kim Lock’s situational prose. I promise after reading this book, you will be enticed to book your own Australian road trip.
What I appreciated the most about The Other Side of Beautiful was the subtle written message about the power of the damaged human spirit to heal thanks to the landscape, fresh air and open roads. Although Mercy is a fragile woman when we meet her, unable to step any further than her own backyard, she takes on an experience that would test any individual. I enjoyed the transition Mercy makes from a vulnerable, fragile and lost individual full of doubt, to a woman who learns to embrace life again. We can all learn something from Mercy’s dash across the outback.
Redolent, compassionate, heartfelt and accepting, The Other Side of Beautiful by Kim Lock is fully deserving of a five-star rating, sitting firmly on my list of exceptional and all time favourite reads of 2021.
*I wish to thank Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Other Side of Beautiful is book #66 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
‘The air was dry and war. Birds screeched. The last of the cloud had burnt off and the sky was a smooth pale blue, the afternoon sunlight coming in bright ribbons through the leaves. Maybe, she thought, in another life-one without existential terror-it could be beautiful.’
I would give The Other Side of Beautiful by Kim Lock five big stars just for the cute canine companion in this tale, Wasabi. As a proud sausage dog owner, it was great to see my favourite breed featured heavily and accurately in a book. Sausage dogs aside, I have to say that Kim Lock’s latest is just amazing. I have a huge glowing report to deliver in this review! The Other Side of Beautiful is a story of life, loss, grief, trauma, health, wellbeing, anxiety, acceptance, travel, friendships, recovering and starting over. It is poignant, moving and oh so splendid.
Mercy Blain is a woman who suffers from a major setback when her home burns down. For this two-year agoraphobic, this latest disaster sends her in a spin. Mercy is forced to take refuge with her ex-husband, but Mercy knows she cannot make this her permanent residence. This situation influences Mercy’s snap decision to buy an old campervan. Mercy sets off on an adventure that will see her travel north of her Adelaide home, to the top end. With her lovable sausage dog Wasabi in tow, along with a set of ashes that came with the campervan, Mercy bravely takes on this road adventure to Darwin. Along the way Mercy encounters mechanical problems, unexpected friends, foes and some breathtaking landscape. In getting back to the raw and simple things in life, Mercy begins to develop a changed world view. But a call back to the city forces Mercy to put an end to her road trip. Mercy must confront her past to move on with her future in The Other Side of Beautiful.
Kim Lock made quite the impression on me back in 2018 when I interviewed the talented writer for the release of her novel at the time, The Three of Us. After reading The Three of Us swiftly after our interview, I noted that Lock produced a rousing novel that was able to strike at the very core of human relationships. On a similar note, Lock’s latest release is another striking novel that delves into the human psyche. Exposing the effects of grief, trauma and crippling anxiety, The Other Side of Beautiful is an eloquent tale that will speak for many readers out there.
It is extremely brave for an author to bare their soul and infuse some of their own experiences in written form. In the case of The Other Side of Beautiful, Kim Lock injects her direct and first-hand experiences of mental health into her latest novel. Although The Other Side of Beautiful is a fictional presentation of a woman’s experiences of fear and anxiety, there is a strong sense of realism to this story. I’m sure many readers will be able to relate to this embracing slice of fiction, inspired by real life experiences. Lock’s approach to her lead’s anxiety issues is knowing, intuitive, informative, insightful and sensitive. Lock provides us with an deep insight into the pure terror, strong emotions and rollercoaster feelings of a person who suffers from anxiety. I appreciated Mercy’s reflections on many facets of life in general and her personal experiences as the novel progressed, it helped me to better understand the devastating impact of anxiety. The Other Side of Beautiful is described by the publisher as a ‘break-out novel’ and I honestly feel as though we need more stories out in the publishing realm like Lock’s latest to help us better understand mental health issues.
I really loved the structure of The Other Side of Beautiful. This unforgettable story is relayed over forty-five engrossing chapters and it also features a countdown in distance travelled from Mercy’s starting point in Adelaide, through to her journey on a whim to Darwin. Along the way we receive distance checkpoint updates, which works to provide the reader with a sense of anticipation for what is to come, but it also gives us a sense of the sheer length of this road adventure. I also loved the side cast of this tale, from the whacky grey nomad caravanners, to other loveable fellow travellers and of course my favourite by far of the lot, dear Wasabi, Mercy’s animal travel companion. What struck me about the people Mercy encountered on her road trip was their kindness, generosity and embracing attitude. Although I was fearful like Mercy of the possible stranger danger situation, the people Mercy meets on her travels offer one big gulp of fresh air thanks to their entertaining and quirky ways!
With a stunning and iconic map preceding the story, this image spread sets the tone for this unforgettable page-based adventure. I would love to be as fearless and brave as Mercy, purchasing a van to take on a road trip of a lifetime! I would also dearly love to travel to both Adelaide and Darwin, visiting some of the picturesque sites Mercy encounters along the way. Many of the locales featured in The Other Side of Beautiful took my breath away thanks to Kim Lock’s situational prose. I promise after reading this book, you will be enticed to book your own Australian road trip.
What I appreciated the most about The Other Side of Beautiful was the subtle written message about the power of the damaged human spirit to heal thanks to the landscape, fresh air and open roads. Although Mercy is a fragile woman when we meet her, unable to step any further than her own backyard, she takes on an experience that would test any individual. I enjoyed the transition Mercy makes from a vulnerable, fragile and lost individual full of doubt, to a woman who learns to embrace life again. We can all learn something from Mercy’s dash across the outback.
Redolent, compassionate, heartfelt and accepting, The Other Side of Beautiful by Kim Lock is fully deserving of a five-star rating, sitting firmly on my list of exceptional and all time favourite reads of 2021.
*I wish to thank Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Other Side of Beautiful is book #66 of the 2021 Australian Women Writers Challenge
September 1, 2021
Love, love, Loved it!!
Quirky and at times laugh out loud funny, this book, like its protagonist, is a whole lot more complex than first appearances might suggest, it might bring the reader to ponder on the notion of chance, and its random, lasting effects on our lives.
Mercy Blain is an intelligent, professional 36 year old woman living in Adelaide, Australia, who’s life has taken more than its share of sudden serious blows.
In fact, two years ago she had come to such a critical point in her life where she’d had one blow too many in such quick succession that it forced her to retreat into her shell, so much so, that she hadn’t left her house in those two years…until now.
Mercy had inadvertently become a recluse, doing all of her shopping and essential business online and with only a minimum of contact with her…“almost-ex-husband.” She managed her days in the company of her sole companion…her beloved little Dachshund sausage dog, Wasabi.
When her house suddenly catches fire one night and is burnt to the ground, fate literally forces Mercy back out into the world…clutching her little dog to her chest…the prospects are immediately terrifying and Mercy is paralyzed with fear.
With only her beloved Wasabi and the clothes she is standing in, Mercy is left floundering like a fish out of water in the dark street amongst inquisitive neighbors, fire, and ambulance people.
On the verge of disintegrating into a full blown panic attack she has no choice but to accept the help of her “almost-ex-husband” who offers short term accommodation.
Almost immediately Mercy finds her new situation unbearable…not least because of the new living arrangements which her “almost-ex-husband” now enjoys with his new young partner…but her very nature and lifestyle are dictated by her anxiety and cannot be controlled in such circumstances as these.
Every minute here seems charged with anguish about what she is going to do now, without a home to go back to and no other options, her problems seem insurmountable.
In a moment of suffocating panic, Mercy finds herself out in the street again, this time in the broad early morning daylight.
Spinning around in full flight mode, she suddenly finds herself momentarily distracted by a for sale sign on the windscreen of a classic old campervan across the street.
She is inexplicably drawn to it and finds herself looking closely at it when a voice startles her from behind.
The owner is an old man who chattily tries to convince Mercy of the virtues of this quaint old vehicle, and how she appears to be the perfect candidate for its purchase… beneath a row of tiny painted flowers on the side of the van were the words…“Home is wherever you ARE.”
Before she’d made a conscious decision either way Mercy suddenly found herself driving onto the highway out of Adelaide in a vintage campervan of questionable roadworthiness, her only tangible baggage being the borrowed clothes she was wearing, her phone, and her beloved Wasabi…and with the words “Home is wherever you ARE” looping a rhythm in her head.
Nobody, least of all Mercy herself, knew where she was headed…or even that she’d gone.
Here begins an eventful journey like no other.
This is a gem of a story which gives some truly insightful glimpses into the debilitating torment and anguish that are a way of life for sufferers of anxiety and panic attacks.
Hopefully readers will find a new measure of understanding and compassion for such people.
I’d love to know more about the origins of this story, it is just so credibly incredible.
I loved it so much and look forward to reading more from this author, Kim Lock.
5⭐️s
*Many thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy to read and review
Quirky and at times laugh out loud funny, this book, like its protagonist, is a whole lot more complex than first appearances might suggest, it might bring the reader to ponder on the notion of chance, and its random, lasting effects on our lives.
Mercy Blain is an intelligent, professional 36 year old woman living in Adelaide, Australia, who’s life has taken more than its share of sudden serious blows.
In fact, two years ago she had come to such a critical point in her life where she’d had one blow too many in such quick succession that it forced her to retreat into her shell, so much so, that she hadn’t left her house in those two years…until now.
Mercy had inadvertently become a recluse, doing all of her shopping and essential business online and with only a minimum of contact with her…“almost-ex-husband.” She managed her days in the company of her sole companion…her beloved little Dachshund sausage dog, Wasabi.
When her house suddenly catches fire one night and is burnt to the ground, fate literally forces Mercy back out into the world…clutching her little dog to her chest…the prospects are immediately terrifying and Mercy is paralyzed with fear.
With only her beloved Wasabi and the clothes she is standing in, Mercy is left floundering like a fish out of water in the dark street amongst inquisitive neighbors, fire, and ambulance people.
On the verge of disintegrating into a full blown panic attack she has no choice but to accept the help of her “almost-ex-husband” who offers short term accommodation.
Almost immediately Mercy finds her new situation unbearable…not least because of the new living arrangements which her “almost-ex-husband” now enjoys with his new young partner…but her very nature and lifestyle are dictated by her anxiety and cannot be controlled in such circumstances as these.
Every minute here seems charged with anguish about what she is going to do now, without a home to go back to and no other options, her problems seem insurmountable.
In a moment of suffocating panic, Mercy finds herself out in the street again, this time in the broad early morning daylight.
Spinning around in full flight mode, she suddenly finds herself momentarily distracted by a for sale sign on the windscreen of a classic old campervan across the street.
She is inexplicably drawn to it and finds herself looking closely at it when a voice startles her from behind.
The owner is an old man who chattily tries to convince Mercy of the virtues of this quaint old vehicle, and how she appears to be the perfect candidate for its purchase… beneath a row of tiny painted flowers on the side of the van were the words…“Home is wherever you ARE.”
Before she’d made a conscious decision either way Mercy suddenly found herself driving onto the highway out of Adelaide in a vintage campervan of questionable roadworthiness, her only tangible baggage being the borrowed clothes she was wearing, her phone, and her beloved Wasabi…and with the words “Home is wherever you ARE” looping a rhythm in her head.
Nobody, least of all Mercy herself, knew where she was headed…or even that she’d gone.
Here begins an eventful journey like no other.
This is a gem of a story which gives some truly insightful glimpses into the debilitating torment and anguish that are a way of life for sufferers of anxiety and panic attacks.
Hopefully readers will find a new measure of understanding and compassion for such people.
I’d love to know more about the origins of this story, it is just so credibly incredible.
I loved it so much and look forward to reading more from this author, Kim Lock.
5⭐️s
*Many thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy to read and review
June 25, 2021
The Other Side of Beautiful is a Lovely Book set in Australia, about a woman’s journey out from the prison of crippling anxiety, on a road trip from Adelaide to Darwin in an aged campervan with only her beloved dachshund for company. I was invited to read this by the publisher via NetGalley, which was fortunate as I probably wouldn’t have found it on my own and it was a welcome break from all the thrillers. I loved the combination of wacky travel adventure, heartwarming emotional recovery and sweet love story.
Mercy Blain is dragged out of her burning house - that she has not left in two years after simultaneous crises ended her career and triggered a severe nervous breakdown - having saved only her dog and her phone. Her ex-husband Eugene takes her in, but his new boyfriend makes it clear she can’t stay. With nowhere to go and no one else in her life to help, she is talked into buying a grubby old Daihatsu van by an elderly neighbour, and sets off on an aimless drive out of the city with absolutely no preparation. Thanks to the beauty of the Outback, the quirky oddballs (and handsome Scotsman) she meets along the way, and by managing to survive a series of near disasters, Mercy comes to realise that she can actually cope with life and that the world is not so scary after all.
In the foreword the author explains that this book was inspired by her own history of mental illness and subsequent recovery. The heroine is a doctor who despite all her insight and knowledge, has fallen victim to panic disorder, through a combination of events beyond her control. It’s a long way into the book before we learn what these were - this aspect was drawn out a bit too far in my opinion, as there were plenty of hints, so the eventual reveal wasn’t a surprise. Mercy’s road to recovery is rapid by most standards, but doesn’t happen overnight, and there are certainly bumps along the way. I thought the well-signposted romantic subplot would annoy me, as I don’t like the idea that all it takes to cure all forms of distress is the love of a hunky stranger, but this isn’t actually the message here - Mercy does actually heal herself and the hot Scotsman is more of a bonus.
The writing here is gorgeous, with vivid descriptions of the dramatic scenery and weather as Mercy crosses the continent from bottom to top, through sweltering heat and frigid nights. There are funny moments and some near-scary bits too, (the Huntsman spider in the car brought back a similarly traumatic experience when I first arrived in Sydney!) and various interesting characters. I could picture the Grey Nomads in their mansions on wheels, obsessed with Happy Hour - a trip like that is on my bucket list, but I would never do it on my own!
Recommended for fans of Eleanor Oliphant, but certainly no copy-cat, I’m happy to round this up from 4.5. I received a free ARC and am posting this review voluntarily. The Other Side of Beautiful is published on July 8th.
Mercy Blain is dragged out of her burning house - that she has not left in two years after simultaneous crises ended her career and triggered a severe nervous breakdown - having saved only her dog and her phone. Her ex-husband Eugene takes her in, but his new boyfriend makes it clear she can’t stay. With nowhere to go and no one else in her life to help, she is talked into buying a grubby old Daihatsu van by an elderly neighbour, and sets off on an aimless drive out of the city with absolutely no preparation. Thanks to the beauty of the Outback, the quirky oddballs (and handsome Scotsman) she meets along the way, and by managing to survive a series of near disasters, Mercy comes to realise that she can actually cope with life and that the world is not so scary after all.
In the foreword the author explains that this book was inspired by her own history of mental illness and subsequent recovery. The heroine is a doctor who despite all her insight and knowledge, has fallen victim to panic disorder, through a combination of events beyond her control. It’s a long way into the book before we learn what these were - this aspect was drawn out a bit too far in my opinion, as there were plenty of hints, so the eventual reveal wasn’t a surprise. Mercy’s road to recovery is rapid by most standards, but doesn’t happen overnight, and there are certainly bumps along the way. I thought the well-signposted romantic subplot would annoy me, as I don’t like the idea that all it takes to cure all forms of distress is the love of a hunky stranger, but this isn’t actually the message here - Mercy does actually heal herself and the hot Scotsman is more of a bonus.
The writing here is gorgeous, with vivid descriptions of the dramatic scenery and weather as Mercy crosses the continent from bottom to top, through sweltering heat and frigid nights. There are funny moments and some near-scary bits too, (the Huntsman spider in the car brought back a similarly traumatic experience when I first arrived in Sydney!) and various interesting characters. I could picture the Grey Nomads in their mansions on wheels, obsessed with Happy Hour - a trip like that is on my bucket list, but I would never do it on my own!
Recommended for fans of Eleanor Oliphant, but certainly no copy-cat, I’m happy to round this up from 4.5. I received a free ARC and am posting this review voluntarily. The Other Side of Beautiful is published on July 8th.
August 8, 2021
3.5 stars
The one minute Mercy is a respected and highly sought-after obstetrics doctor and the next she is standing outside her house watching it burn to the ground. Something happened 2 years ago that changed the trajectory of her life.
Now, her impulse purchase of an old rickety camper van has her driving from Adelaide to Darwin with her dog Wasabi, a huntsman spider and the cremated remains of an unknown woman.
Mercy is forced to deal with her crippling anxiety while she navigates the lonely roads, grocery shopping and all those pesky campers that just want to chat at each pitstop.
But this is nothing compared to the looming court case Mercy just cannot think about right now.
I was all set to give this a satisfying 3.5 stars but I think because the book brought back memories of caravan camping as a kid and the fact that Mercy grew on me I am rounding this up to 4 stars.
If you like cross country road trips, sausage dogs and a whole lot of Australian outback dust then this delightful read is for you.
The one minute Mercy is a respected and highly sought-after obstetrics doctor and the next she is standing outside her house watching it burn to the ground. Something happened 2 years ago that changed the trajectory of her life.
Now, her impulse purchase of an old rickety camper van has her driving from Adelaide to Darwin with her dog Wasabi, a huntsman spider and the cremated remains of an unknown woman.
Mercy is forced to deal with her crippling anxiety while she navigates the lonely roads, grocery shopping and all those pesky campers that just want to chat at each pitstop.
But this is nothing compared to the looming court case Mercy just cannot think about right now.
I was all set to give this a satisfying 3.5 stars but I think because the book brought back memories of caravan camping as a kid and the fact that Mercy grew on me I am rounding this up to 4 stars.
If you like cross country road trips, sausage dogs and a whole lot of Australian outback dust then this delightful read is for you.
June 22, 2021
What a thoughtful and beautiful representation of acute anxiety this turned out to be. Life has conspired to give Mercy Blain more than anyone could possibly cope with. Because of all that she hasn’t left her house for two years when we first meet her, and oh that house is currently on fire! Like so many great female protagonists before her, Mercy runs. And so begins a road trip recovery narrative that respectfully acknowledges the Indigenous history of the land it traverses. So much care was taken with every aspect of this book and it shines through. I was deeply touched by it. It’s on the lighter end of the scale but doesn’t make light of its serious subject matter as so many similar books do. The prose is just lovely. I’m now desperate for some #vanlife!
March 29, 2023
Thank you Harlequin and Kim for sending us a copy to read and review.
Mercy Blain is a successful doctor but for the last two years she won’t leave her house as she suffers chronic anxiety.
When a fire burns down her house she has no other choice but to return to the world after hiding away for so long.
After an offer from her ex husband and his new lover to temporarily stay, Mercy finds it too hard and uncomfortable and knows she must move on.
After a shaky start and an impulse purchase, Mercy finds herself on a road trip to Darwin in an old decrepit camper-van with her trusting furry friend, Wasabi.
Along the way she learns to break down her secure walls, meet strangers who help in the most touching ways, grasp love, understand the world over and heal from the past as she confronts it.
A story of an adventure to rediscover yourself and enjoy and embrace life again.
Mercy is a heroine who could be anyone we know, real, raw, brave and very likeable.
As we go on a journey of the map of life with Mercy we explore and identify why Mercy is the way she is, her progression and solving her personal issues while feeling for her and admiring her strength.
There seems to be a trend for these type of written characters on paper and I’m here for it all, it’s called reality.
A story that tackles the confronting issues that’s told in a compassionate, believable and emotional way.
Kim uses her own experiences to make the storyline more authentic and make readers aware of the issues.
Heartfelt, warm, fun and funny.
A quirky and honest read.
Mercy Blain is a successful doctor but for the last two years she won’t leave her house as she suffers chronic anxiety.
When a fire burns down her house she has no other choice but to return to the world after hiding away for so long.
After an offer from her ex husband and his new lover to temporarily stay, Mercy finds it too hard and uncomfortable and knows she must move on.
After a shaky start and an impulse purchase, Mercy finds herself on a road trip to Darwin in an old decrepit camper-van with her trusting furry friend, Wasabi.
Along the way she learns to break down her secure walls, meet strangers who help in the most touching ways, grasp love, understand the world over and heal from the past as she confronts it.
A story of an adventure to rediscover yourself and enjoy and embrace life again.
Mercy is a heroine who could be anyone we know, real, raw, brave and very likeable.
As we go on a journey of the map of life with Mercy we explore and identify why Mercy is the way she is, her progression and solving her personal issues while feeling for her and admiring her strength.
There seems to be a trend for these type of written characters on paper and I’m here for it all, it’s called reality.
A story that tackles the confronting issues that’s told in a compassionate, believable and emotional way.
Kim uses her own experiences to make the storyline more authentic and make readers aware of the issues.
Heartfelt, warm, fun and funny.
A quirky and honest read.
January 12, 2025
OBSESSED!!!
Might just buy a sausage dog and go on a road trip around Australia!!
Also I read this all in one day despite having an absolute mountain of uni work I should be doing oops
Might just buy a sausage dog and go on a road trip around Australia!!
Also I read this all in one day despite having an absolute mountain of uni work I should be doing oops
July 6, 2021
Sometimes a book finds you at the right time and so it was with me and The Other Side of Beautiful. There was so much in this one that I could relate to, on a very deep level, just as there was so much more to Mercy Blain that what appeared on the surface. We meet Mercy Blain as her house is burning down, a significantly traumatic event for anyone. As the story unfolds and we gain insight into how Mercy’s been living and why, we also reach a point where we see just how desperate Mercy was right before her house caught fire. To say my heart hurt in those moments is an understatement.
From the point of crossing the South Australian border, the road trip Mercy takes is one I took myself about 8 years ago. I wasn’t in a clapped out campervan, nor was I alone, and I didn’t have a gorgeous dog with me, but the roads travelled were the same and the landmarks familiar, generating a lot of nostalgia within me. Mercy’s observations of her fellow travellers, the grey nomads, and their travel routines were highly amusing. I could relate to her instinctive refusal of their hospitality but also relished their kindness and persistence in the face of it. Mercy had a fragility about her that was likely apparent to all who met her. She wasn’t a rude person, she just wasn’t in a good place, and those who mattered seemed to recognise that. It’s not easy to put yourself back together after breaking and I loved this novel all the more for intricately demonstrating this.
The Other Side of Beautiful is an exquisite blend of heartache and hope. Life affirming and bittersweet, this novel is like a breath of fresh air. A celebration of the kindness of strangers, taking on life moment by moment, and discovering the beauty of just being present. I loved this novel, in all its glorious pain and pleasure. Remember the name Kim Lock. You’re going to want to read all of her books.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy.
From the point of crossing the South Australian border, the road trip Mercy takes is one I took myself about 8 years ago. I wasn’t in a clapped out campervan, nor was I alone, and I didn’t have a gorgeous dog with me, but the roads travelled were the same and the landmarks familiar, generating a lot of nostalgia within me. Mercy’s observations of her fellow travellers, the grey nomads, and their travel routines were highly amusing. I could relate to her instinctive refusal of their hospitality but also relished their kindness and persistence in the face of it. Mercy had a fragility about her that was likely apparent to all who met her. She wasn’t a rude person, she just wasn’t in a good place, and those who mattered seemed to recognise that. It’s not easy to put yourself back together after breaking and I loved this novel all the more for intricately demonstrating this.
The Other Side of Beautiful is an exquisite blend of heartache and hope. Life affirming and bittersweet, this novel is like a breath of fresh air. A celebration of the kindness of strangers, taking on life moment by moment, and discovering the beauty of just being present. I loved this novel, in all its glorious pain and pleasure. Remember the name Kim Lock. You’re going to want to read all of her books.
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy.
September 13, 2021
This just didn't do it for me. It's been compared to Eleanor Oliphant, and I can see why because of the similarities between the protagonists, but Mercy is not quite...relatable. I found it quite repetitive, and ended up skimming the last third of this book just to get through.
A lot of things were told not shown, which annoyed me a bit. Also the whole thing about the hot scottish guy also doing the same trip who she keeps running into was a bit cliché and predictable. The whole book was kinda predictable actually.
I also didn't quite buy that someone who had anxiety to the degree that they hadn't left their house in two years could do what she had done and go on this random road trip. I know anxiety is different for everyone, but it just didn't feel very relatable or realistic.
A lot of things were told not shown, which annoyed me a bit. Also the whole thing about the hot scottish guy also doing the same trip who she keeps running into was a bit cliché and predictable. The whole book was kinda predictable actually.
I also didn't quite buy that someone who had anxiety to the degree that they hadn't left their house in two years could do what she had done and go on this random road trip. I know anxiety is different for everyone, but it just didn't feel very relatable or realistic.
August 1, 2021
In The Other Side of Beautiful Kim Lock takes the reader on a journey. Not only a vividly described journey by land from Spalding, South Australia to Darwin, Northern Territory (over 3000 kms) but also a journey of self discovery.
The reader takes this eventful ride right along side Mercy and her pet dachshund, Wasabi.
Inspired by the author's own experience with acute anxiety Mercy Blain is a true to life character and her crushing fear felt very real.
The Other Side of Beautiful shows how a series of tragedies, one after another, can trigger anxiety and lead to a breakdown. How easy would it be to just hide in your house! That's exactly what Mercy has been doing for the last two years and the book opens with Mercy's home burning to the ground.
This all sounds a bit depressing but the story isn't at all depressing as Kim Lock has sprinkled the storyline with humour and quite a few scenes had me laughing out loud. We get to cheer Mercy on as she fights her irrational dread and wild imagination and starts a trip, a bit by accident and a bit on purpose, to prove to herself that she is more than her fear.
Along the way she will face quite a few dramas, some mini meltdowns, an old nemesis and make new friends.
The Other Side of Beautiful is rich in humour and vivid imagery of outback Australian roads, towns and landscapes. This is a sensitive, honest, insightful and heartfelt story, not to be missed.
*I received a copy from the publisher
The reader takes this eventful ride right along side Mercy and her pet dachshund, Wasabi.
Inspired by the author's own experience with acute anxiety Mercy Blain is a true to life character and her crushing fear felt very real.
The Other Side of Beautiful shows how a series of tragedies, one after another, can trigger anxiety and lead to a breakdown. How easy would it be to just hide in your house! That's exactly what Mercy has been doing for the last two years and the book opens with Mercy's home burning to the ground.
This all sounds a bit depressing but the story isn't at all depressing as Kim Lock has sprinkled the storyline with humour and quite a few scenes had me laughing out loud. We get to cheer Mercy on as she fights her irrational dread and wild imagination and starts a trip, a bit by accident and a bit on purpose, to prove to herself that she is more than her fear.
Along the way she will face quite a few dramas, some mini meltdowns, an old nemesis and make new friends.
The Other Side of Beautiful is rich in humour and vivid imagery of outback Australian roads, towns and landscapes. This is a sensitive, honest, insightful and heartfelt story, not to be missed.
*I received a copy from the publisher
August 15, 2021
What an utterly compassionate, heartbreaking, heartwarming, wise, witty, and captivating book this is.
It’s been a long time since I was so caught up in a book. And I can’t remember the last time I didn’t want a book to end, caught as we are these days with finishing books so we can pile up our reading stats on Goodreads and proclaim to the world how erudite we are.
Kim Lock has written a beautiful novel about mental health, tracing the terrors of anxiety with love and care. Some parts of the book reminded me of my own journey across the Camino de Santiago: how the act of running can sometimes be an act of running toward everything we are scared to confront.
This is a book all of us can relate to, if we are honest. Because in the end, we are all broken camper vans, hurtling around with malfunctioning mufflers, trying our best to struggle, and to survive our fears in our most humbling, disastrous, wonky, loving ways.
It’s been a long time since I was so caught up in a book. And I can’t remember the last time I didn’t want a book to end, caught as we are these days with finishing books so we can pile up our reading stats on Goodreads and proclaim to the world how erudite we are.
Kim Lock has written a beautiful novel about mental health, tracing the terrors of anxiety with love and care. Some parts of the book reminded me of my own journey across the Camino de Santiago: how the act of running can sometimes be an act of running toward everything we are scared to confront.
This is a book all of us can relate to, if we are honest. Because in the end, we are all broken camper vans, hurtling around with malfunctioning mufflers, trying our best to struggle, and to survive our fears in our most humbling, disastrous, wonky, loving ways.
March 23, 2022
Mercy Blane is one of those characters you meet in a book and wish that you knew her in real life. She's a broken woman when we meet her at the beginning of this book, but as this story unfolds Mercy finds peace and rebuilds herself.
There is a great deal of heart in this book, Mercy, so tragic, she hasn't left her house in months, something terrible has happened to change her utterly, we don't really find out what that was until near the end, but as her house burns to the ground at the beginning of the book we already know that this isn't the first bad thing to happen to her.
I so enjoyed this book, a big escape from the world around us at the moment, a road trip, I love a road trip book, and in a camper - as a camper enthusiast I'd like to travel as light at Mercy but that is aspirational rather than practical. So much richness, so much thoughtfulness, such great writing. This is a gem.
There is a great deal of heart in this book, Mercy, so tragic, she hasn't left her house in months, something terrible has happened to change her utterly, we don't really find out what that was until near the end, but as her house burns to the ground at the beginning of the book we already know that this isn't the first bad thing to happen to her.
I so enjoyed this book, a big escape from the world around us at the moment, a road trip, I love a road trip book, and in a camper - as a camper enthusiast I'd like to travel as light at Mercy but that is aspirational rather than practical. So much richness, so much thoughtfulness, such great writing. This is a gem.
June 24, 2021
NOTE: Publication date 7/7/201
‘Mercy Blain’s house was on fire, but that wasn’t her biggest problem.’
Mercy has been in hiding for two years, rarely venturing outside the safety of her house. What will she do when it burns down? After a brief stay with her ex-husband Eugene and his current partner Jose (it is complicated), Mercy and her dachshund Wasabi head off into the unknown.
So, how does a woman afflicted by agoraphobia, and subjected to crippling anxiety and panic attacks handle a road trip from Adelaide to Darwin? Slowly, and one step at a time. Slow is easy in the elderly Daihatsu Hijet Mercy bought on impulse. But it is the journey here that is important, rather than the destination. Mercy learns how to re-engage with the world by disengaging from the past and future, and by living in the present. And we learn why Mercy has been in hiding.
I must admit, it takes more courage than I have to set off on such an adventure. Ms Lock drew me in from the beginning and held my attention to the end. I worried about Mercy, sometimes shaking my head but mostly just cheering her on. I found the descriptions of life on the road fascinating, especially Mercy’s encounters with the grey nomads and others in the caravan parks where she stayed.
This really is a lovely story, which Ms Lock writes was inspired by her own experience with anxiety and panic attacks. There are a couple of twists which make Mercy’s achievement even more enjoyable.
‘All she had to do was be.’
Recommended.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
‘Mercy Blain’s house was on fire, but that wasn’t her biggest problem.’
Mercy has been in hiding for two years, rarely venturing outside the safety of her house. What will she do when it burns down? After a brief stay with her ex-husband Eugene and his current partner Jose (it is complicated), Mercy and her dachshund Wasabi head off into the unknown.
So, how does a woman afflicted by agoraphobia, and subjected to crippling anxiety and panic attacks handle a road trip from Adelaide to Darwin? Slowly, and one step at a time. Slow is easy in the elderly Daihatsu Hijet Mercy bought on impulse. But it is the journey here that is important, rather than the destination. Mercy learns how to re-engage with the world by disengaging from the past and future, and by living in the present. And we learn why Mercy has been in hiding.
I must admit, it takes more courage than I have to set off on such an adventure. Ms Lock drew me in from the beginning and held my attention to the end. I worried about Mercy, sometimes shaking my head but mostly just cheering her on. I found the descriptions of life on the road fascinating, especially Mercy’s encounters with the grey nomads and others in the caravan parks where she stayed.
This really is a lovely story, which Ms Lock writes was inspired by her own experience with anxiety and panic attacks. There are a couple of twists which make Mercy’s achievement even more enjoyable.
‘All she had to do was be.’
Recommended.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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