REVIEW: The Swiss Affair by Emylia Hall

In The Swiss Affair by Emylia Hall, Hadley gets the chance to attend college in the beautiful Swiss town of Lausanne by a twist of fate, leaving her family behind in England for a year to do so. She longs to turn her year abroad into a memory she can hold onto forever and feel like for once she actually was free to live her life as she truly wanted.

‘Hadley liked the idea that whatever happened that year, Lausanne would remain hers.’

Hadley likes her roommates but doesn’t bond with anyone until Kristina moves in to the room next door. They immediately connect and become the best of friends, sharing stories and exploring the picturesque town together. When the unthinkable happens and changes their lives forever, Hadley is left to fight her way through the grief that follows. No one understands her focus on finding out the details of that tragedy except for her professor, Joel, and a local retired writer, Hugo, both of whom have very different opinions about the situation.

“You never let the grief go, but somehow it begins to let go of you. Just a little, just enough. Enough to let you live again.”

Joel becomes someone Hadley feels she can confide in as he helps her deal with her grief. Only Hadley finds that her crush on him is not just one-sided and an already complex situation becomes further muddied. Through her search for the truth, she discovers secrets and lies hidden by more than one person and everyone’s motives become questionable in her emotional eyes.

“You’re the kind of girl a man looks at and sees the worst of himself looking back. No one’s good enough for you, Hadley. Least of all me.”

The Swiss Affair is a poignant coming-of-age story that delves into deep emotions, sometimes dark and sometimes upbeat, but not necessarily with a HEA.

Emylia Hall has written a piece of women’s literature that examines twenty year old Hadley’s year abroad in Lausanne and the events that will forever change her life. Her year was supposed to be full of new found freedom and exploration. She certainly did have some wonderful adventures with her friends and her fledgling romance, but it was tarnished by the death of a friend and Hadley’s ability to come to terms with that loss. There are many layers to this complex story that I found intriguing and also a bit shocking as I put the pieces together. Not everyone was as forthcoming as they initially seemed.

There was a quiet strength in Hadley that I admired. She was willing to stand up and question the events that happened when no one else would, instead of sweeping things under the rug. Her confusion was understandable as she moved forward with her life, and seeing her go through the stages of grief was heart-wrenching but very important to the story. Hadley’s involvement with the other characters was integral to the plot, and this was written in such an intentional manner that it felt like every conversation could hold clues to the truth.

As I said before, there were definitely moments filled with joy and love. Not everything focused on loss and pain, of course, or the tone of the book wouldn’t be quite the same. Ultimately, to me, this felt like a story of personal growth, first love, a search for answers, and new beginnings. This may not have a traditional HEA by any means, but it is a lovely story with powerful emotions that is well worth the time.

Book Info:

Publication: January 28th 2014 by Harlequin MIRA

From the highly acclaimed author of The Book of Summers comes a tale of love, lies and innocence lost.

For Hadley Dunn, life has been predictable and uneventful. But that is before she spends her second year of college abroad in Lausanne, a glamorous Swiss city on the shores of Lake Geneva. Lausanne is imbued with the boundless sense of freedom Hadley has been seeking, and it is here she meets Kristina, a beautiful but mysterious Danish girl. The two bond quickly, but as the first snows of winter arrive, tragedy strikes.

Driven by guilt and haunted by suspicion, Hadley resolves to find the truth about what really happened that night, and so begins a search that will consume her, the city she loves, and the lives of two very different men. Set against the backdrop of a uniquely captivating city, The Swiss Affair is an evocative portrayal of a journey of discovery and a compelling exploration of how our connections with people and with places, make us who we are.