Claudia's Big Break

I was lucky enough that Lisa Heidke, the author, sent me a copy of Claudia's Big Break that should be available commercially in March 2012. I really enjoyed Stella Makes Good, which I read last year, and is now available. Claudia's Big Break had the same great pace, and candid humour that I enjoyed in Stella Makes Good. It was such a great read whilst on holiday, or if you just want to relax the brain for a while.

The blurb: Seeking time and space to think about new possibilities in her life, Claudia Taylor jets off to glorious Santorini with her two best friends, Tara and Sophie.
   Sophie and Tara also hope a break from the daily grind will help them make some major life decisions. Sophie, a former high-flying career woman turned mother of one, is no longer sure what the future holds. And Tara is toying with the idea of leaving her less-than-satisfying job to try and realise a long-held ambition to be a writer.
   Claudia's Big Break is a funny, thoughtful novel about friendship, romance, laughter and loyalty. It's also a breezy account of three women taking stock of their lives - with a bit of drunken karaoke thrown in.
   For Claudia and her friends, life will never be the same after their much-needed holiday in paradise.


Lisa Heidke is a brilliant character-developer. The three ladies in Claudia's Big Break are so real, they jump off the page. The reader can see part of themselves in each of the women (or at least someone they know). For me, I have Tara's fashion sense, Claudia's feeling that I'm still a silly young girl in an adult world, and I'm terrified that I will be like Sophie if I have a child.
   This novel is a bit more of a romance than Stella Makes Good. It is not as powerful in some ways, but much more engaging in others (I love indulging in a good romance novel sometimes).
   Claudia's Big Break has also found me at a time in my life when I am reassessing where I live, and my career choices, just like the women in this novel. I'm inspired that the women are strong enough to make decisions about their future that will change their lives. At the moment, I feel stuck. If only we were all in a financial position that we could decided to study something else and pursue a different direction. If only I could get my novel finished ...