I have not laughed this much while reading a novel in a while. You know the kind that makes you feel you are about to pee yourself?  Oh my, Brake Failure by Alison Brodie had me in a laughing frenzy, and by the end, I was all smiles.

The story began with a law enforcement officer suffering from a gunshot wound and the last name on is lips before he lost consciousness was Ruby. I was curious to know why her name would be on the wounded officer’s lips. Was she the one who shot him? The story rewinds sixteen weeks earlier providing me with the opportunity of meeting Ruby and getting the answers to the questions on my mind.

Ruby, a hypochondriac, is originally from England. She grew up living in the shadow of her stepsister. Everything with her was a competition, which led to their relationship being less than sisterly. As a result, Ruby felt like an outsider and saw herself as the one to least likely to succeed. At least according to her stepsister.  She dreams of one day having the confidence her stepsister exudes and living her life. The opportunity for her to achieve this arose when her husband’s job would require him to move to Paris. Now she would have the life her stepsister dreamed of having. However, where Ruby is concerned things have a tendency not to go as planned. Instead of moving to Paris, she ended up relocating to Kansas.

I enjoyed tagging along with Ruby on her journey as she learns to adapt to life in Kansas. She appears to be making inroads. Slowly she transformed from a woman who had no confidence to one who was confident in her own skin. I saw a different side to her.  She was funny and sassy. She takes on new challenges, which sees her leaving her comfort zone and embracing her inner vixen. She became a woman her husband could not relate to, and one whom men found attractive. She became sociable and made friends for the first time in her life. Her interactions with whom she came in contact in her new surroundings was delightful and fun. I especially enjoyed her interaction with Hank, a police officer/bull rider.  Even though I may not have agreed with all her actions, I loved her.  I could not wait to see the effect the choices she made would have in the end.

The story featured an eclectic mix of characters, which made it rich and vibrant. The characters were relatable and well developed and I enjoyed meeting them all. My least favourite of which was Claire, Ruby’s stepsister. I honestly do not know how Ruby survived her all those years.

The story, which moved between the past and the present, is set in the time leading up to Y2K. There is romance, but it was not the focus of the story. This is not a story I can go into detail without introducing spoilers. All I will say is this; it is funny, engaging, well written and fast paced.

Conclusion/Recommendation

If you are in the mood for a life changing adventure that will keep you laughing as you flip the pages, then Brake Failure is the book for you.