Divorce, death, alcoholism… these are women’s real stories about what lies beneath the Facebook veneer of life abroad. They may be a harsh wake-up call in many cases, but their stories are also refreshing, uplifting and beautifully told.

As an expat living in Spain for 14 years, this book resonates in a way that other accounts don't. It speaks to the slices of life, good and bad, that people don't think or talk about enough, when they envision living abroad and it hit home in a very powerful and real way.

As well as their positive experiences, there is a real sense of how each one has been affected by events in their personal lives, Brexit and COVID-19. Their resilience through their struggles and their determination to continue in the lives that they have chosen really come across.

These true-life tales reveal what life is like behind the rose-tinted (sun)glasses. Warts and all. You can only admire their openness and honesty. It made me want to meet all of them over a long, sun-soaked lunch somewhere, to hear more! A great lockdown read.

The issues of drinking culture, loneliness, grief, setting up a business abroad, following a partners career with children in tow and integrating into the local community are all covered. I wish a book like this had been available when I first moved away from my homeland, as it would have offered so much comfort.

As an expat myself, I was nodding and feeling all the feels while reading some of the stories as well as learning how other brave souls have managed to turn their lives around in a foreign environment. If you're not an expat, and think the life is always better on the other side – well, this will give you real insight into the highs and lows of a "lucky" life away from home