Thirty-eight-year-old Courtney Downey, a divorced mother of one, has found herself in somewhat of a rut.
As the Big 40 approaches, she realizes she has a teenager daughter who does nothing but fight with her, an ex-husband who has happily set up shop with his younger beautician girlfriend, a severe lack of a sex life (or any interest in having one) and a career she is afraid to take to the next level. The opportunities are there for change but is Courtney willing to take them?
For as long as she could remember, Courtney was obsessed with having children. Once she reached her early twenties and met her future husband David, she pounced on the opportunity to become pregnant. She devoted her whole life to raising their daughter Susan (Sue-Sue) who was the centre of her universe; however since the divorce, things have never been the same. With each passing day, Susan grows more and more distant from her mother - unlike Sue-Sue’s blossoming relationship with David’s girlfriend Mar-nee 'who just gets (her)', all of Courtney’s conversations with her teenage daughter end in arguments.
Whether by good fortune or fate, it is at this juncture in her life that Courtney finds herself faced with an exciting career opportunity - the chance to move to the Idyllic coastal town of Cornwall for the summer, which just so happens to be the home of seductive builder and developer Tony Becker. But with Susan point blank refusing to even contemplate the move, Courtney is torn about what to do. Does she accept the summer position and leave Susan with her father? After so many years doting on others, does she finally put herself first? This is a choice not only between family and career, home and abroad, but ultimately between Courtney’s past and future.
Cassidy’s characters are bubbly and full of energy, and it’s always nice to meet a protagonist with an appreciation for good food and wine. The novel's relationships and plot, on the other hand, are not so easy to digest. The rate and speed at which stubborn characters appear to suddenly open up about their emotions and do a complete 180 turn is pretty miraculous.
Likewise, the plot is very predictable, and its twists and turns are all bit over the top, such as the spontaneous restaurant scenes - you’ll know them when you reach them. I wasn’t blown away by The Importance of Being Me and I wouldn’t be in a rush to recommend it, but at 300 pages it’s an easy and light-hearted read to dip into. Sweet characters, but a sour plot.
