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With All My Love
A heartwarming novel about a shocking discovery that forever changes the lives of three generations of women.
When Briony McAllister takes a trip to visit her mother, Valerie, she uncovers a letter from her long-lost grandmother, bringing to light a nearly unforgivable act her mother has kept secret for decades. Having always believed that her grandparents didn’t want to see her, she finds that the opposite is true: her grandmother had been seeking her out all along, and it was her own mother who willfully kept them apart.
Devastated that her past has come back to haunt her, Valerie realizes that her daughter’s anger might cause their troubled family history to repeat itself in a new generation. Rich with emotion and featuring magnificent descriptions of Ireland, With All My Love deftly weaves the stories of the past and present to take us into the heart of a family at war. As the truth is revealed, so too are the complex yet enduring bonds between mothers and daughters.
When Briony McAllister takes a trip to visit her mother, Valerie, she uncovers a letter from her long-lost grandmother, bringing to light a nearly unforgivable act her mother has kept secret for decades. Having always believed that her grandparents didn’t want to see her, she finds that the opposite is true: her grandmother had been seeking her out all along, and it was her own mother who willfully kept them apart.
Devastated that her past has come back to haunt her, Valerie realizes that her daughter’s anger might cause their troubled family history to repeat itself in a new generation. Rich with emotion and featuring magnificent descriptions of Ireland, With All My Love deftly weaves the stories of the past and present to take us into the heart of a family at war. As the truth is revealed, so too are the complex yet enduring bonds between mothers and daughters.
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
149 people are currently reading
1605 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Scanlan
71 books399 followersPatricia Scanlan was born in Dublin, where she still lives. Her #1 bestsellers include Apartment 3B; Finishing Touches; Foreign Affairs; Promises, Promises; Mirror, Mirror; City Girl; City Woman; City Lives; and Francesca’s Party. She has sold millions of books worldwide and is translated into many languages. Patricia is the series editor and a contributing author to the award winning Open Door literacy series, which she developed for adult literacy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
June 12, 2023
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
I enjoyed this book to begin with, but found the feuding women to be quite irritating and this just dominated the narrative throughout, leaving a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.
I enjoyed this book to begin with, but found the feuding women to be quite irritating and this just dominated the narrative throughout, leaving a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.
March 26, 2013
Briony and her young daughter Katie are helping her mother Valerie settle into her new home in Spain. Valerie has moved there to try and find peace in her ageing years after suffering much heartache as a young woman. While sorting through things Briony uncovers an old photo album and a letter falls out addressed to her, it is from her paternal grandmother Tessa begging her to get in touch when she is an adult. She has fond memories of her grandmother and is devastated to discover Valerie has denied her a vital part of her childhood. Briony in anger vows never to speak to her mother again and begins to source flights home.
Valerie wants to explain to her daughter what led to this bitter separation and begins to question her judgement all those years ago. But will Briony listen or even understand? This is a novel that deals with the complex relationships often found in families.
The book is written in a way that draws you in making you feel like you are right there with them, in fact while memories were being explored and when we are brought back to the present I found myself shocked at how deeply I felt involved . The chapters dealing with the present are short and to the point whilst those delving into the past are more descriptive and explain each of the cleverly woven together characters and their impact on each other.The characters that stood out for me were in fact not the central ones but Lorcan (Tessa's husband) and Lizzie ( Valerie's best friend) who both remained the voice of reason throughout the story.
There were scenes that I personally could identify with and the emotion the words carried actually brought a tear to my eye at times showing how well researched these parts were.
I found the fact that the prologue covered an event from the middle of the book a refreshing change and the epilogue left me feeling warm and reiterating my personal beliefs.
This is a novel to take your time with and to savour every single word and moment. Another hit from this author!
Many thanks to Lindsay for letting me review this for her blog.
Valerie wants to explain to her daughter what led to this bitter separation and begins to question her judgement all those years ago. But will Briony listen or even understand? This is a novel that deals with the complex relationships often found in families.
The book is written in a way that draws you in making you feel like you are right there with them, in fact while memories were being explored and when we are brought back to the present I found myself shocked at how deeply I felt involved . The chapters dealing with the present are short and to the point whilst those delving into the past are more descriptive and explain each of the cleverly woven together characters and their impact on each other.The characters that stood out for me were in fact not the central ones but Lorcan (Tessa's husband) and Lizzie ( Valerie's best friend) who both remained the voice of reason throughout the story.
There were scenes that I personally could identify with and the emotion the words carried actually brought a tear to my eye at times showing how well researched these parts were.
I found the fact that the prologue covered an event from the middle of the book a refreshing change and the epilogue left me feeling warm and reiterating my personal beliefs.
This is a novel to take your time with and to savour every single word and moment. Another hit from this author!
Many thanks to Lindsay for letting me review this for her blog.
August 11, 2013
Two and a half stars. This was my first Patricia Scanlan novel and sad to say I didn’t like it much as I expected I would. I expected to love it given the theme. Maybe I expected too much? My problem with it stemmed largely with the attitudes and behaviour of the characters. I could have willingly have got hold of the main characters, Valerie and Tessa, and knocked their heads together. I found them selfish and manipulative. The author gives reasons for why they behave as they do, but while I accepted the reasons, I wasn’t convinced. I was interested enough to keep reading but never found the story compelling.
Jeff, Valerie’s boyfriend was weak. I didn’t mind Lizzie, Valerie’s friend and godmother to Briony. My favourite character of all was Tessa’s husband and Jeff’s father, Lorcan. All in all this story of three women, Tessa, Valerie, and Briony seemed too long winded and repetitive and then the ending wrapped up a little too easily enough for my liking. Maybe it was my frame of mind at the time, but it just didn’t involve me and make me feel for the characters. Mostly what I felt was anger at their behaviour. Others may react differently. Only way to find out is read it yourself and make up your own mind.
Jeff, Valerie’s boyfriend was weak. I didn’t mind Lizzie, Valerie’s friend and godmother to Briony. My favourite character of all was Tessa’s husband and Jeff’s father, Lorcan. All in all this story of three women, Tessa, Valerie, and Briony seemed too long winded and repetitive and then the ending wrapped up a little too easily enough for my liking. Maybe it was my frame of mind at the time, but it just didn’t involve me and make me feel for the characters. Mostly what I felt was anger at their behaviour. Others may react differently. Only way to find out is read it yourself and make up your own mind.
November 17, 2017
About ten years ago I inhaled some of this authors books. I absolutely loved them. I was hoping she would captivate me again but unfortunately not. I just didn’t click with the characters.
Having said that I’ll certainly be reading more from this author.
Having said that I’ll certainly be reading more from this author.
September 18, 2013
This is a book that is hard to love, not because the book is bad, but because the characters are so downright human. These are real people and real problems, and 80% of the characters are unlikable, including the main characters. Oh and if you think Briony is one of them, she really isn't. She really feels more like a catalyst to get the story moving.
With All My Love is Valerie and Jeff's story for the most part. Even after Briony finds the letter from her Grandma, the story isn't told to her, the reader is shown it through Valerie and Tessa's eyes. Tessa is just a unlikable lady from the start. She's overprotective of her son, Jeff and she's really nasty to Valerie for no good reason.
The letter from Tessa is discovered on the anniversary of her father's death. The letter brings back pain and heartbreak and a whole lot of anger.
Valerie is a typical teenage girl from the early 80s. She wants to have fun. Enter an overbearing and controlling father and you have a recipe for disaster. I loved the references to Charles and Diana's wedding and all the Mills and Boon books Valerie read.
Valerie does a lot of things that make you dislike her, but at the same time, you really feel sorry for her. She loved Jeff and losing him at such a young age was devastating and with a young daughter too.
This book really details the power struggle between a girlfriend and a mother. As the story goes on, you really see how similar these two women are. Both were trying to escape a bad family life, though Valerie does have a close relationship with her own mother who longs to break free from her own bad marriage.
Jeff is written like every young man who found himself with a pregnant girlfriend. His actions are more than believable. You feel sorry for him, but at times, you want him to be a man and not a mouse.
There are a lot of struggles between Val and Jeff too. Typical fights between couples really. I liked the reality of the story, though I hated the actions of both Valerie and Tessa. Their behavior towards each other was deplorable.
You will find yourself loving and hating many of the characters throughout the book. Valerie's father is one of them. He's a tough one, worried about appearances and wanting what's best for everyone. I didn't agree with his discipline of the young Valerie, but I felt terribly sorry for him and I didn't like how little emotion was spent when he died.
My favorite characters were Lorcan, Jeff's father, who was a true gentlemen and Valerie's best friend Lizzie. I also loved Val's mom.
The ending tied things up a little to neatly for me for all the angst that this story contained.
This was very emotional read and though parts of it were extremely frustrating it was hard to put down.
With All My Love is Valerie and Jeff's story for the most part. Even after Briony finds the letter from her Grandma, the story isn't told to her, the reader is shown it through Valerie and Tessa's eyes. Tessa is just a unlikable lady from the start. She's overprotective of her son, Jeff and she's really nasty to Valerie for no good reason.
The letter from Tessa is discovered on the anniversary of her father's death. The letter brings back pain and heartbreak and a whole lot of anger.
Valerie is a typical teenage girl from the early 80s. She wants to have fun. Enter an overbearing and controlling father and you have a recipe for disaster. I loved the references to Charles and Diana's wedding and all the Mills and Boon books Valerie read.
Valerie does a lot of things that make you dislike her, but at the same time, you really feel sorry for her. She loved Jeff and losing him at such a young age was devastating and with a young daughter too.
This book really details the power struggle between a girlfriend and a mother. As the story goes on, you really see how similar these two women are. Both were trying to escape a bad family life, though Valerie does have a close relationship with her own mother who longs to break free from her own bad marriage.
Jeff is written like every young man who found himself with a pregnant girlfriend. His actions are more than believable. You feel sorry for him, but at times, you want him to be a man and not a mouse.
There are a lot of struggles between Val and Jeff too. Typical fights between couples really. I liked the reality of the story, though I hated the actions of both Valerie and Tessa. Their behavior towards each other was deplorable.
You will find yourself loving and hating many of the characters throughout the book. Valerie's father is one of them. He's a tough one, worried about appearances and wanting what's best for everyone. I didn't agree with his discipline of the young Valerie, but I felt terribly sorry for him and I didn't like how little emotion was spent when he died.
My favorite characters were Lorcan, Jeff's father, who was a true gentlemen and Valerie's best friend Lizzie. I also loved Val's mom.
The ending tied things up a little to neatly for me for all the angst that this story contained.
This was very emotional read and though parts of it were extremely frustrating it was hard to put down.
April 5, 2013
The 18th novel by best selling women's fiction author Patricia Scanlan, With All My Love is a moving story of betrayal and forgiveness as three generations of women attempt to repair their shattered bonds.
Though the memories are hazy, Briony recalls the loving care and attention her grandmother, Tessa Egan, lavished upon her as a small child and how desperately hurt she was when her mother, Valerie, told four year old Briony that Gramma didn't want to see her anymore. Thirty years later, while helping her mother to settle in Spain, Briony is devastated to learn that Valerie lied and deliberately excluded her deceased father's family from her life.
For Briony, discovering the letter from her Gramma is a painful reminder of her childhood grief and she is furious with her mother's deception. Confronted with her daughter's anger, Valerie is forced to reexamine the circumstances that led to her decision to cut Tessa and her family out of their lives. As the novel unfolds, Scanlan delves into the complicated bond between Valerie and Tessa with stunning insight into the fraught tensions of such a relationship.
Scanlan masterfully reveals the conflict between Valerie and Tessa, exposing their hidden jealousies and insecurities, creating believable characters that garner both scorn and sympathy. Valerie and Tessa are complex characters with motives that are simultaneously sound and irrational. Tessa believes she is protecting Jeff when she opposes his marriage to Valerie and Valerie believes she needs to protect Briony from Tessa's controlling nature when she forbids contact after Jeff's sudden death. It is much easier to empathise with Valerie whose difficult home life leaves her vulnerable and who is genuinely heartbroken by Jeff's refusal to marry her. Tessa is difficult to like as she is often demanding, self centered and refuses to accept any responsibility for the rift. Yet Scanlan is careful to show how both women contributed to the consequences for Briony.
A compelling, poignant examination of relationships, motherhood, secrets, betrayal and the unbreakable bond of family, All My Love is brought to an eminently satisfying conclusion as the women seek forgiveness. This is a wonderful novel sure to hit the bestseller list.
**unfinished**
January 26, 2014
I had never heard of Patricia Scanlan until a wonderful friend, Anita that I met on Goodreads told me about her. Our library system had only two of her books but Anita had found two more and shared them with me. I am grateful! I have enjoyed her stories so much. She has obviously become much more popular in the US as I was able to purchase this book in BJ's Warehouse! It was a trade paperback.
In this novel, a young mother, Briony finds a letter from her grandmother which says that now that she is older she hopes that they can get together. Her mother had told her long ago that her grandparents didn't want to see her and now she knows that her mother lied about this. Logically, you then start to wonder what other lies have been told. Briony and her mother have always had a close relationship but this news has shaken her to the core. Could it be that history is going to repeat itself?
The story has emotionally rich characters and you see their strengths as well as their weaknesses. You come to know humans with all their flaws and see first hand how people can reach out to seek revenge and hurt one another. You also see how the past shapes what you are in the future and that the love of family and the ability to forgive are equally important parts of life. It was a story well told.
In this novel, a young mother, Briony finds a letter from her grandmother which says that now that she is older she hopes that they can get together. Her mother had told her long ago that her grandparents didn't want to see her and now she knows that her mother lied about this. Logically, you then start to wonder what other lies have been told. Briony and her mother have always had a close relationship but this news has shaken her to the core. Could it be that history is going to repeat itself?
The story has emotionally rich characters and you see their strengths as well as their weaknesses. You come to know humans with all their flaws and see first hand how people can reach out to seek revenge and hurt one another. You also see how the past shapes what you are in the future and that the love of family and the ability to forgive are equally important parts of life. It was a story well told.
February 15, 2015
Let me start off saying that I love this authors books. But just because an author now is a best seller and has a huge following, doesn't mean that all their books are gonna be GREAT and this is sadly one of them. It frustrated the hell out of me that the characters didn't talk! I know things can happen, I an aware that emotions get in the way when someone dies, but this was one blown out of proportion topic that I found hard to believe even though its fiction.
I really find it hard saying this as I love her so much.
I would like to thank Simon and Schuster UK Fiction via Net Galley for the chance to read and give my honest take on this book.
August 20, 2014
I have always enjoyed Patricia Scanlan's writing and this novel was no exception. A contemporary read with plenty of heartbreak and love along with flawed characters. Most enjoyable from the first page to the last, I have already recommended this read to friends who I know will love it every bit as much as I did. I can't recommend it highly enough.
September 25, 2020
Women's fiction novel by prolific author Patricia Scanlan. If you like stories featuring family, secrets, and learning about each other, then this is the book for you.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy.
March 7, 2015
Emotional, wise and uplifting. I love Patricia Scanlan!
September 23, 2018
Time take to read - 2 days
Pages - 464
Publisher - Atria Books
Source - book shop
Blurb from Goodreads
A heartwarming novel about a shocking discovery that forever changes the lives of three generations of women.
When Briony McAllister takes a trip to visit her mother, Valerie, she uncovers a letter from her long-lost grandmother, bringing to light a nearly unforgivable act her mother has kept secret for decades. Having always believed that her grandparents didn’t want to see her, she finds that the opposite is true: her grandmother had been seeking her out all along, and it was her own mother who willfully kept them apart.
Devastated that her past has come back to haunt her, Valerie realizes that her daughter’s anger might cause their troubled family history to repeat itself in a new generation. Rich with emotion and featuring magnificent descriptions of Ireland, With All My Love deftly weaves the stories of the past and present to take us into the heart of a family at war. As the truth is revealed, so too are the complex yet enduring bonds between mothers and daughters.
My Review
When Briony visits her mother on a trip with her daughter she discovers an old letter, addressed to her from her grandmother. Everything she thought she knew is turned upside down, causing a huge rift between her and her mother. The story goes from present day pre and post discovery to the past with Valerie, Briony's mum, giving us an insight into her behaviour, past and why she hid that letter.
The story is hugely family focused, relationships, romance, family dynamics, secrets and revelations. The jumps from past to present took me a wee bit to settle to and I think had they been earmarked even with the year it would have been less distracting for me personally. Once I got into it though I enjoyed it, there is so much sadness, loss, hurt, aggression, love and the old actions and consequences play a huge part of the story. A bit of a journey for a few of the characters and the realisation of how one decision can have a lasting and rippling effect on others. I have read Scanlan before and I will read her again, she tackles some tough subjects and gets the reader invested in the characters almost always from the get go, 3.5/5 for me this time.
Pages - 464
Publisher - Atria Books
Source - book shop
Blurb from Goodreads
A heartwarming novel about a shocking discovery that forever changes the lives of three generations of women.
When Briony McAllister takes a trip to visit her mother, Valerie, she uncovers a letter from her long-lost grandmother, bringing to light a nearly unforgivable act her mother has kept secret for decades. Having always believed that her grandparents didn’t want to see her, she finds that the opposite is true: her grandmother had been seeking her out all along, and it was her own mother who willfully kept them apart.
Devastated that her past has come back to haunt her, Valerie realizes that her daughter’s anger might cause their troubled family history to repeat itself in a new generation. Rich with emotion and featuring magnificent descriptions of Ireland, With All My Love deftly weaves the stories of the past and present to take us into the heart of a family at war. As the truth is revealed, so too are the complex yet enduring bonds between mothers and daughters.
My Review
When Briony visits her mother on a trip with her daughter she discovers an old letter, addressed to her from her grandmother. Everything she thought she knew is turned upside down, causing a huge rift between her and her mother. The story goes from present day pre and post discovery to the past with Valerie, Briony's mum, giving us an insight into her behaviour, past and why she hid that letter.
The story is hugely family focused, relationships, romance, family dynamics, secrets and revelations. The jumps from past to present took me a wee bit to settle to and I think had they been earmarked even with the year it would have been less distracting for me personally. Once I got into it though I enjoyed it, there is so much sadness, loss, hurt, aggression, love and the old actions and consequences play a huge part of the story. A bit of a journey for a few of the characters and the realisation of how one decision can have a lasting and rippling effect on others. I have read Scanlan before and I will read her again, she tackles some tough subjects and gets the reader invested in the characters almost always from the get go, 3.5/5 for me this time.
May 17, 2018
We volgen Valerie, die tijdens haar jeugd een liefdevolle relatie heeft met Jeff. Op een ongelukkig moment raakt Valerie zwanger, voordat ze getrouwd is met Jeff. Iets wat ze maar al te graag wilt. Jeff heeft twee liefhebbende ouders, waarvan Tessa (zijn moeder) bazig en opdringerig kan zijn. Valerie heeft een liefhebbende moeder maar een moeilijke vader. Door de zwangerschap krijgt Valerie meer te maken met de ouders van Jeff, wat niet ten harte gaat. Er zijn veel ruzies. Door de jaren heen weten deze ruzies zich uit te pakken tot een moment waarin Valerie de contacten verbreekt met ieder die bij Jeff hoorde.
Ik vond het verhaal traag in het begin, erg langdradig en te gedetailleerd. Ik snapte niet waar het heen ging. Doordat er sprake is van meerdere personages, wordt er regelmatig geswitched maar niet op een duidelijke manier. Pas later, werd tijdens het lezen duidelijk welke personage sprak.
Tegen het einde toe begreep ik het verhaal en vond ik het mooi uitgewerkt. Familieruzies waarin een hoop geschiedenis speelt worden vertaald/uitgelegd.
Ik heb dit boek niet van harte gelezen omdat het grotendeels traag was, ik zal het ook niet zo gauw aanraden.
Ik vond het verhaal traag in het begin, erg langdradig en te gedetailleerd. Ik snapte niet waar het heen ging. Doordat er sprake is van meerdere personages, wordt er regelmatig geswitched maar niet op een duidelijke manier. Pas later, werd tijdens het lezen duidelijk welke personage sprak.
Tegen het einde toe begreep ik het verhaal en vond ik het mooi uitgewerkt. Familieruzies waarin een hoop geschiedenis speelt worden vertaald/uitgelegd.
Ik heb dit boek niet van harte gelezen omdat het grotendeels traag was, ik zal het ook niet zo gauw aanraden.
April 5, 2020
There are so many bad clichés and repetition that it makes this book annoying to read. The entire plot is faulty and the characters talk is the weirdest way that is unnatural at times. The main character was unbearable and contradicted herself a lot. There are so many negatives that the only positive I can think of is that the premise was interesting, but the execution fell flat.
February 25, 2022
Don't be off by the title. This is not a sloppy romance but a really good family story. I have read quite a few Patricia Scanlan books and have enjoyed them all. This one is every bit as good as her others. I really enjoyed it.
January 29, 2018
A story of heartbreak and misunderstanding. I loved this book and look forward to reading more by this author.
January 25, 2025
Akıcı ilginç üç kuşak bir aile dramını gayet eğlenceli ve o ölçüde duygusal İrlanda kütürüne yakışan amma bir çoğumuzun hiç de yabancı olmadığımız konuları anlatan içerikli nefis bir romandı çok sevdim.Kesinlikle tavsiye ederim.
September 2, 2013
I won this book through First Reads.
I give this book 3 stars because I would not put it into the classic category (5 stars) and I think the author could have produced a better ending. She is a talented writer with a great talent for telling a story.
This book has all the makings of a Hallmark or Lifetime movie. A conflict between a young woman, Valerie, and her daughter's paternal grandmother, Tessa, result in Valerie keeping her daughter from her grandmother. Valerie raises Briony to believe her grandparents didn't want to have anything to do with her. As a young woman with a daughter of her own, Briony discovers the truth.
I liked the main part of the story. The characters were well developed. The author gave us enough background information about the two women to help us get to know them and understand what drove them to make the decisions they did. The book was well-written. What I didn't like was the ending. Everything seemed to wrap up quickly and a little too nicely. The majority of the book was about how Valerie and Tessa came to despise one another. It progressed nicely until what I will call the culminating event that forced Tessa to take Briony away from her grandparents. The last part of the book starts with Briony as a grown woman and discovering the truth. From that point on, the book progressed very quickly and everything was wrapped up nice and neat with a happy ending. I would have preferred to see more conflict and turmoil in bringing these three women together. The author could have done a great job with exploring the emotional turmoil and struggles the women went through to find a resolution and peace with one another. People just don't forgive and forget that easily. It was all a little to sappy for me. It seemed to me that the author thought the book was long enough (it's 447 pages) and felt forced to wrap it up quickly. I might read another book by the author just to see if quick, happy endings are her style. If so, she is not the author for me. But if you are a fan of Hallmark or Lifetime stories, you will definitely enjoy this book and I strongly recommend it for you!
I give this book 3 stars because I would not put it into the classic category (5 stars) and I think the author could have produced a better ending. She is a talented writer with a great talent for telling a story.
This book has all the makings of a Hallmark or Lifetime movie. A conflict between a young woman, Valerie, and her daughter's paternal grandmother, Tessa, result in Valerie keeping her daughter from her grandmother. Valerie raises Briony to believe her grandparents didn't want to have anything to do with her. As a young woman with a daughter of her own, Briony discovers the truth.
I liked the main part of the story. The characters were well developed. The author gave us enough background information about the two women to help us get to know them and understand what drove them to make the decisions they did. The book was well-written. What I didn't like was the ending. Everything seemed to wrap up quickly and a little too nicely. The majority of the book was about how Valerie and Tessa came to despise one another. It progressed nicely until what I will call the culminating event that forced Tessa to take Briony away from her grandparents. The last part of the book starts with Briony as a grown woman and discovering the truth. From that point on, the book progressed very quickly and everything was wrapped up nice and neat with a happy ending. I would have preferred to see more conflict and turmoil in bringing these three women together. The author could have done a great job with exploring the emotional turmoil and struggles the women went through to find a resolution and peace with one another. People just don't forgive and forget that easily. It was all a little to sappy for me. It seemed to me that the author thought the book was long enough (it's 447 pages) and felt forced to wrap it up quickly. I might read another book by the author just to see if quick, happy endings are her style. If so, she is not the author for me. But if you are a fan of Hallmark or Lifetime stories, you will definitely enjoy this book and I strongly recommend it for you!
October 13, 2013
With All My Love is one of the saddest stories that I've read in a very long time. It's not full of sad events (although there are a couple of real heart-breakers), but it is a story of sadness. Sadness that is caused by secrets, by long-held grudges, and by strong women that cannot forget, or forgive.
The story begins with a prologue that sets the scene for the remainder of the book. The reader is then taken to modern-day Spain where young mother Briony is spending some time with her small daughter Katie and her mother Valerie in the villa that Valerie has bought. Briony and Valerie's life change suddenly when Briony discovers a letter addressed to her. A letter from her much-loved Grandmother Tessa who she hasn't seen or heard from in over twenty-five years. When Briony realises that Valerie had purposely blocked Tessa and her husband Lorcan from their lives all those years ago, Briony is distraught.
The story nips back to the 1980s - when Valerie was a young girl, madly in love with Tessa's son Jeff and planning a life together. The reasons why Valerie made the life-changing decision that she did are revealed throughout the story. Patricia Scanlan effortlessly portrays life in the 1980s through the fashion, food and music of the era.
This is Valerie and Tessa's story, two strong-willed, often overpowering and selfish, and startlingly similar to each other. At times both of these characters are incredibly difficult to empathise with. Scanlan has created a couple of realistic female lead characters, their story is powerful and really precisely told. There is bitterness, there is compassion, and there are some heartbreakingly moving scenes which kept me reading until well into the night. Some of the accompanying cast of characters really shone for me, not least Valerie's best friend Lizzie and Tessa's husband Lorcan.
Personally, I think that this is one of Patricia Scanlan's very best novels. It delivered everything that I wanted, and a little bit more. A fabulous read that both existing fans and new readers will enjoy.
The story begins with a prologue that sets the scene for the remainder of the book. The reader is then taken to modern-day Spain where young mother Briony is spending some time with her small daughter Katie and her mother Valerie in the villa that Valerie has bought. Briony and Valerie's life change suddenly when Briony discovers a letter addressed to her. A letter from her much-loved Grandmother Tessa who she hasn't seen or heard from in over twenty-five years. When Briony realises that Valerie had purposely blocked Tessa and her husband Lorcan from their lives all those years ago, Briony is distraught.
The story nips back to the 1980s - when Valerie was a young girl, madly in love with Tessa's son Jeff and planning a life together. The reasons why Valerie made the life-changing decision that she did are revealed throughout the story. Patricia Scanlan effortlessly portrays life in the 1980s through the fashion, food and music of the era.
This is Valerie and Tessa's story, two strong-willed, often overpowering and selfish, and startlingly similar to each other. At times both of these characters are incredibly difficult to empathise with. Scanlan has created a couple of realistic female lead characters, their story is powerful and really precisely told. There is bitterness, there is compassion, and there are some heartbreakingly moving scenes which kept me reading until well into the night. Some of the accompanying cast of characters really shone for me, not least Valerie's best friend Lizzie and Tessa's husband Lorcan.
Personally, I think that this is one of Patricia Scanlan's very best novels. It delivered everything that I wanted, and a little bit more. A fabulous read that both existing fans and new readers will enjoy.
March 18, 2014
On a crystal clear Mediterranean day, Briony McAllister sits playing with her four-year-old daughter, Katie, while she waits for her mother, Valerie, to join them. Valerie has recently moved to a picturesque town in southern Spain to finally leave behind her turbulent past and find a peace that has always eluded her. Briony has no idea that in a few moments' time her relationship with her mother will change irrevocably.
As Katie plays, Briony pulls from her bag an old photo album, found in a box in her mother's new home. As she begins to study the faded photos, a letter falls to the ground. It is addressed to her.
My Darling Briony, it begins …
Patricia Scanlan is a new author to me, and I was pleasantly surprised because from the cover I feared it might have been a bit too “Romantic” for me. The novel does have a romantic element as the central theme is the relationship between Valerie and Jeff. However just as important is the impact that their relationship has on their immediate family. When Valerie discovers she is pregnant it has far reaching consequences, in particular on her already failing relationship with her father and on her relationship with Jeff’s mother Tessa. This is complicated by the fact that this occurs in the 1980’s in a small, conservative and predominantly catholic village in the Republic of Ireland.
The novel explores the complex relationships between mothers, daughters and granddaughters, as well as mothers and sons. It exposes how the secrets and lies within both families have far reaching consequences across the generations. It serves to emphasise that often it is what is not spoken, that is as damaging as what is. The characters are not always likeable, but then that is what makes them more human and real, although at times I wanted to shout at them, I was drawn into what is an enjoyable read.
I received a copy of this book in return for a fair review.
As Katie plays, Briony pulls from her bag an old photo album, found in a box in her mother's new home. As she begins to study the faded photos, a letter falls to the ground. It is addressed to her.
My Darling Briony, it begins …
Patricia Scanlan is a new author to me, and I was pleasantly surprised because from the cover I feared it might have been a bit too “Romantic” for me. The novel does have a romantic element as the central theme is the relationship between Valerie and Jeff. However just as important is the impact that their relationship has on their immediate family. When Valerie discovers she is pregnant it has far reaching consequences, in particular on her already failing relationship with her father and on her relationship with Jeff’s mother Tessa. This is complicated by the fact that this occurs in the 1980’s in a small, conservative and predominantly catholic village in the Republic of Ireland.
The novel explores the complex relationships between mothers, daughters and granddaughters, as well as mothers and sons. It exposes how the secrets and lies within both families have far reaching consequences across the generations. It serves to emphasise that often it is what is not spoken, that is as damaging as what is. The characters are not always likeable, but then that is what makes them more human and real, although at times I wanted to shout at them, I was drawn into what is an enjoyable read.
I received a copy of this book in return for a fair review.
June 30, 2013
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book on Netgalley from the publisher in return for an honest review*
Author
Patricia Scanlan was born in Dublin, where she still lives. While working as a librarian she started to write, and now has a full-time career as a bestselling author.
Review
I felt like hitting the main characters of this book. Both Valerie and Tessa deserved it in my eye even though it would not have helped. If you cannot find a place to talk after a person you love dies it is sad. There were so many situations in the story that could have been avoided if people would have been honest with one another that it started to become a struggle to read them. As said I was ready to hit one of them. Jeff was not much of a help either in the relationship. Even without marrying her he could have done so much more to make it clear to Valerie that he loved her. Lorcan and Briony are really the people that make the story bearable. I think Lorcan was a real hero only saying something when needed though but he did not give Tessa a free reign in her behavior and he is a saint that he did not get angrier with her after losing Briony due to her actions. I got really tired with Tessa repeating her problems with her emotions due to her age and the thing she missed out on. In the end the book was a bit to long for me but I did enjoy the read. As said Lorcan and Briony make up for a lot and I do like stories where family secrets unravel.
Author
Patricia Scanlan was born in Dublin, where she still lives. While working as a librarian she started to write, and now has a full-time career as a bestselling author.
Review
I felt like hitting the main characters of this book. Both Valerie and Tessa deserved it in my eye even though it would not have helped. If you cannot find a place to talk after a person you love dies it is sad. There were so many situations in the story that could have been avoided if people would have been honest with one another that it started to become a struggle to read them. As said I was ready to hit one of them. Jeff was not much of a help either in the relationship. Even without marrying her he could have done so much more to make it clear to Valerie that he loved her. Lorcan and Briony are really the people that make the story bearable. I think Lorcan was a real hero only saying something when needed though but he did not give Tessa a free reign in her behavior and he is a saint that he did not get angrier with her after losing Briony due to her actions. I got really tired with Tessa repeating her problems with her emotions due to her age and the thing she missed out on. In the end the book was a bit to long for me but I did enjoy the read. As said Lorcan and Briony make up for a lot and I do like stories where family secrets unravel.
June 3, 2014
I give this book a 2.5. It's a story about a difficult relationship between a Mother and Daughter in Law.
I liked the idea for the story, however felt it a little too long winded in places. The author also liked to make conversations a little to literal, they didn't really flow.
The author does a good job of telling two sides to the story, so you do become involved in the story.
Particularly liked the character, Lorcan. I did not like the epilogue and wish id have finished elf re that point. Overall, something was just missing for me with this book. It hasn't encouraged me to read more of the authors work unfortunately.
I liked the idea for the story, however felt it a little too long winded in places. The author also liked to make conversations a little to literal, they didn't really flow.
The author does a good job of telling two sides to the story, so you do become involved in the story.
Particularly liked the character, Lorcan. I did not like the epilogue and wish id have finished elf re that point. Overall, something was just missing for me with this book. It hasn't encouraged me to read more of the authors work unfortunately.
November 16, 2016
Overall this is a good read. The story is told in mostly flashback and the main characters are not very likable. Tessa is an overbearing mom and Valerie a troubled girl who thinks she deserves what she wants because of her crappy family life. I can empathize to some extent when it comes the the mother son dynamic and how Tessa felt, but the actions are still inexcusable. The ending comes with a nice bow wrapped around it, and for some can be seen as the ideal if you were in the same situation. But a happy ending doesn't always happen so it might have been interesting to see a different way of ending the story.
September 10, 2017
I highly recommend this book to everyone. I have never read such a good story for a long time already. This book is beautifully written. Each and every characters are amazing...read it and you will know what I meant. It brought tears to my eyes and a big smile at the end. I will definitely read this book again. Thank you Patricia for writing this amazing story. This book deserves more than 5 stars. Kudos!
August 8, 2020
I really enjoyed this one!
Family secrets have a way of making their way to the surface and can sometimes cause a great deal of heart-ache.
Valerie (as an adult) finds a letter from a long-lost grandmother which her mother had kept hidden.
She always thought that her grandmother had not wanted to see her .... however she discovers that this is not the case.
The fireworks that follow are interesting and spell-binding!!!!
Family secrets have a way of making their way to the surface and can sometimes cause a great deal of heart-ache.
Valerie (as an adult) finds a letter from a long-lost grandmother which her mother had kept hidden.
She always thought that her grandmother had not wanted to see her .... however she discovers that this is not the case.
The fireworks that follow are interesting and spell-binding!!!!
March 20, 2017
This book was WAY too wordy, every character had the same conversation with every other character and everything was mentioned repeatedly - the amount of times Valerie was upset that Briony was taking Katie away from her the way she had taken Briony away from Tessa was mentioned was off the scale. Really prefer Patricia Scanlan's older books and would recommend them over this one.
August 18, 2013
This was a 3.5 for me, but it was so beautifully written I'm rounding up this time. There is definitely a lesson to be learned in this novel, and a good one at that. I just wish the road to understanding hadn't been so utterly heartbreaking! I very much enjoyed the ending, and most especially the epilogue. It softens some of the devastating blows my poor heart received during reading!
July 14, 2015
A wonderful story that pulls you in from the first page to the last word. Loved every minute.
November 3, 2013
A nice story but a bit drawn out for me.
June 27, 2015
Aile bağları aile sırları...Guzeldi.. 3.5 dan 4 puan aldı..Yazarı kalemi güzeldi ancak yer yer okurken sıkıldım...
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