Tess spots well-known socialite Kate King in tears standing on a Dublin bridge but her offers of help are shrugged off. Two years later, Tess is called up for jury duty - she’s desperate to be excused from it because she is far too busy organising her wedding to older academic Bernard. Meanwhile it emerges that Kate’s marriage to tech billionaire Damien is over and she is to front court for refusing to return a Rembrandt painting. The real strength of this story were the parts focussed around the jury - the banter, the generational gap, the stodgy food. I was primed for some real courtroom drama but the secret of the painting ended up being rather underwhelming. Overall though, the story was an enjoyable one, centred around two very different women – one with her happily-ever-after in tatters, the other about to embark on married life. Tess, in particular, was a breath of fresh air with plenty of funny moments.
All She Ever Wished For, by Claudia Carroll, is a story about chance meetings and unexpected friendships. The summary says: "Tess Taylor is gearing up for a wedding day to remember. And nothing is going to get in her way. That is, until an unexpected summons arrives completely out of the blue for jury service. With a million jobs still to do, the timing couldn't be worse. Meanwhile Kate King, celebrity socialite, is going through a very public divorce. As if the heartache wasn't enough to deal with, Kate now has to face a high-profile case as she goes head to head with her ex-husband. On the surface, the two women couldn't be more different, but their worlds collide as the courtroom drama unfolds. And lessons in love and friendship await them both ..." All She Ever Wished For is out in April 2016.