If you enjoy books that take real life issues and tackle them head on then this is the book for you. Beneath the Apple Blossom features 4 women who are all bound together by what is going on in their lives. The person I related to most was Pippa with her heartbreaking journey through the maze of IVF treatment. Whilst my own experiences were not as difficult as Pippa's, I felt that Kate Frost had perfectly captured the emptiness and heartache of not being able to conceive and all the stress that goes with it. Yes there are quite a few bits of jargon to get through associated with infertility but Kate has very thoughtfully provided explanations for all the abbreviations used. I did smile at how easily Pippa and her friend Connie fell into the infertility language and how it became such a part of their everyday norm. Both women tied by their heartbreak, effecting them in ways they could never have imagined before embarking on trying to conceive. 

While Sienna and Georgie appear to have the perfect lives, all is not rosy for them either. Despite having the 'perfect family,' Georgie is restless and unfulfilled, marrying too young and hastily regretting it. Motherhood and marriage is not all that she expected it to be. She is frustrated with her life and seeks excitement and passion and is too easily tempted by a work colleague. The added pressure of her husband wanting a second child when Georgie can hardly cope with the child they have, all push Georgie to her limits.

Sienna appears to have the ideal high flying life, travelling all around the world with her job and a sexy boyfriend on tap, her perfect set up is about to come crumbling down around her ears with her boyfriend wanting more commitment than Sienna is prepared to give. She is a thoroughly modern woman who is career driven and is fiercely wanting to hold onto her independence. But, at what cost? She must try to strike a balance between holding onto her boyfriend and not losing her own identity in his desire to settle down. A struggle many women face.

Kate Frost has written such a good and emotive story showing how each of these women appears to want what the others have. No one is happy in their lives and things have not worked out how each woman had envisaged. It's almost as though each of the women has been born into the wrong life and this is cruel and ironic. But, real life is like that and that's why I loved this book so much. The book moves along and a good pace and the writing is superb. Each of the characters is interesting, complex and although at times the reader may not agree with their actions, we become very emotionally invested in the outcomes for each. A great book and right up there on my highly recommended list!