Knowing Me, Knowing You

by Brian Finnegan

1983 - an unforgettable summer of rebellion, first love and shared secrets for four teenage friends and ABBA fans. Three decades on, and much has changed . . . Devoted wife and mother-of-two Maggie Corcoran can barely recall the freedom of those halcyon days, as she comes to terms with some life-shattering news - alone. Reclusive ex-pop star Daniel Smith is reluctantly back in the super trouper limelight, and problems close to home are challenging his desperate need to hide away. Dee, now a successful businesswoman, has come a long way since her wild youth. But while she's every bit a force to be reckoned with in the boardroom, her marriage tells a different story. And for the once shy and retiring Charlie, life has changed in ways the four could never have imagined. But personal happiness has come at a heart-breaking price. When Maggie decides to reform the old crowd for an ABBA reunion concert in Stockholm, old memories are reawakened, good and bad. And each discovers that to lay the past to rest, sometimes you've got to take a chance on the future . . .

Genres: Fiction

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2013

About the author

I am the author of two novels, 'The Forced Redundancy Film Club' and 'Knowing Me Knowing You', which have been bestsellers in Ireland. The latter has just been translated into Norwegian, with other translations pending.

My third novel will be published by Hachette in June 2017.

By day I'm a magazine editor and newspaper columnist.

Reviews

[Monica Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this book during my work day - a nice lady called Anne was holding it and as I looked at the title of the book, I immediately thought of ABBA. Back in the day, my best friend Helen and I used to pretend to be Agnetha and Frida and all these years later I am still a major fan, so I just HAD to get my hands on this book and read it too.

Despite the lines of ABBA songs all the way through it, and a storyline about a lady who really wants to see ABBA reunite in Stockholm, this book is not light and fluffy, it has far more depth than that. It is more of a book about four friends who have gone their separate ways since school and whose lives couldn't be more different if they tried. It is about how hard the teen years can be for some people and the directions people's lives have taken. It is about family, love, respect (for yourself and for others) and many other things. It doesn't shy away from the hard stuff either.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I really did. There were lots of "oh yes, I can really relate to that" moments all the way through it. It is probably because I am a similar age to the characters and that I have had my share of trials along the way; whatever it is, there is a good reason that I read this book in one day :)

A highly recommended read from me, 4.5 stars.

I voluntarily reviewed this book, all opinions are my own.

[Ita · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I thought this book was written about me: a forty-something Abba loving library officer, but that is where the similarities end. Even though this novel deals with some serious subjects, overall it is a fun read, especially if you like Abba, and who doesn't have a favourite Abba song?

[Lik C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this at a book sale out of curiosity to balance my other more serious books. It’s a story about four fans of ABBA who separated, and lived their different (but unhappy) lives over the years. They reunite in time for an ABBA concert, and rekindle their friendship.

Perhaps it’s more enjoyable for ABBA fans, with each chapter’s story related to one of the band’s songs.

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

4/10

[Janet Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a great time with this novel and was in total suspense to see if Maggie would get her reunion concert - it became very important to me as I became more and more invested in these four characters' stories and lives. There are a lot of dark themes here: cancer, domestic abuse, bullying, discrimination. But in describing the book I'm still reaching for words like 'positive', 'uplifting', 'romantic', 'fun'. Maybe it was the soundtrack, or just the conviction that a happy ending had to be on the way. My favourite bits were a one-eyed cat named 'Benny' and a scene of family callousness that had me swearing out loud on the plane.