Jumping in Puddles: A Heartwarming Tale of Second Chances, Scandal, and the Unlikely Bonds

by Claire Allan

When Detta O'Neill returns to Rathinch - a village in Donegal - she is determined to make a difference. Bringing together four lone parents for a support group which has the old biddies of the village scandalised, she tries her best to build bridges and forge friendships among her charges. Niamh Quigley's dream of a perfect life in the country was cut cruelly short with the death of her husband Seán. A woman on the verge of meltdown but with a kitchen island you might just kill for she has to find her way again without the man she never thought could hurt her. Ruth Byrne was left high and dry when her husband ran off with a younger woman. But could his desertion have been a blessing in disguise for Ruth and her children? Liam Dougherty doesn't think so. His wife is the younger woman in question and he would do anything to win her back ... or would he? Which leaves teen mum Ciara Boyle. Everyone is just dying to know who the father of her child is, but does she have a good reason for keeping her secret to herself? Apart from being parents, can the group find anything in common? Can they find happiness and confidence again? And can Detta really make the difference she wants to make?

Genres: Chick Lit, Womens Fiction, Fiction

520 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Irish author Claire Allan has become one of my favorite writers. In this book set in a small Irish village her writings are humorous ironic and insightful. I certainly recommend it

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this my first by this author

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun story which is a bit of a twist on chick-lit, given that although it features a support group for single parents, one of the parents is a man, and another is a 17 year-old single mother. Despite their differences, they form a tight bond, and truly do support each other as the young widow discovers her late husband was having an affair with her best friend, one of the women turns out to be a battered spouse, and the teen mother has to face down the father of her baby who has threatened to tell everyone she slept around rather than face up to his responsibilities. The setting in Ireland adds another fun aspect, although you do have to be willing to learn a few new vocabulary words (fortunately understandable from context). I liked the characters and the small town Ireland setting and found the ending satisfying.

[Ms. Carol Anne Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book

What can l say l just love your books your characters all have separate ldenities but are very much interlocked together i look forward to your next book i think l must have read them all

L

[Barbara Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is a good story teller.

[Kris Kuebel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

An unlikely group with some very interesting characters make for a good read. You can almost taste the Builder' s and biscuits .

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

[Maureen Storch · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book by this author and look forward to reading more of Ms Allan's book. What an excellent story teller. Enjoyed it from beginning to end. Highly recommend reading this book

[Salma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, the smallest steps in the right direction end up being the biggest steps of your life.”

Jumping in Puddles is exactly the kind of read you didn’t know you needed until you’re halfway through and realising you’ve been grinning like a fool. Set in the charmingly meddlesome village of Rathinch, Donegal, it’s a story about starting over, navigating the wreckage of failed relationships, picking up the pieces, and occasionally kicking off your shoes for a good old puddle jump. It’s got all the warmth and familiarity of a cosy tea break, but just enough bite to keep you from slipping into the syrupy-sweet territory.

The star of the show is Detta O’Neill, who is basically a walking embodiment of "let’s fix everything, then make scones". She gathers a group of single parents for a support group that’s less about heartfelt chats and more about stirring up a bit of friendly chaos, tea and biscuits included. Each character brings something vital to the table: Niamh’s raw grief, Ruth’s quietly heart-wrenching story of rejection, Liam’s quiet strength, and Ciara’s youthful fire. The gang’s dynamic is messy and real in the best way.

Claire Allan’s writing excels at dialogue; it’s sharp, dry, and never tries too hard to be anything it’s not. The emotional moments hit just right, and while a few twists felt predictable, the beauty of the characters and their relationships more than make up for it. It’s not about shock value; it’s about reminding you that there’s joy to be found, even when the weather’s a bit rubbish. Jumping in Puddles will make you laugh, maybe tear up a bit, and most importantly, want to jump in a puddle or two.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of 4 lone parents in a small village in Ireland, each have their own troubles and when Detta returns from Dublin she sets up a support group for people like them. Niamh has been recently widowed after achieving her dream of moving into the perfect house and now struggles to come to terms with her loss and raising her small twins. Ruth's husband has ran off leaving her with three older children and a different set of problems but she doesn't seem to be missing him too much. Liam's wife has left him for Ruth's husband leaving him the sole carer of their daughter Poppy and he will do anything to get Laura back and Ciara, 17 and a mummy to the little dote Ella is still trying to hide who the father is and cope with the shame of being a teenage mum.

The group sets them all up as a set of very unlikely friends and as the story progresses their tales of woe are not always what they seem at first. Can these four move on with their lives and what is Detta's secret she is hiding? A well told tale of how friendship helps to overcome barriers and achieve integration into a community. The only disappointment was when Detta's secret was revealed, I can't understand how no one in the village knew it already considering it appeared to have been her home before her move to Dublin. This could have been expanded better as I felt Detta took on a modest role in the book and I would love to have seen her story padded out more. All in all another enjoyable read from this wonderful author from home.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love your chick-lit with a bit of a twist, I suggest you get your hands on a copy of Jumping in Puddles. The writing is warm and easy to read, there is a bit of light humoured dotted through which lifts the mood of what could have ended up being a quite depressing book, and it is a real heart warmer. It shows that you can be friends with anyone, regardless of age and circumstance, and the characters felt like friends by the end of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed every page, and I think Claire Allan is just getting better and better with every book! An excellent read, and highly recommended from me.

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[MISS Char · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

Loved this book & really didn't want it to end. I have read nearly all of Claire Allan's books and I have enjoyed every single one immensely. She is up there on my top author watch list!
The characters come into their own and they are believable & likeable too. I love that although Claire Allan features strong women and emotional difficulties there is always a little humor injected too for good measure. This and Maybe Baby are firm favourites for me. Can't wait to read Claire's new book!

[Aileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this book on order with my Library for a few months, I am
glad to say this book was definitely worth the wait. I couldn’t put the
book down, although there is a lot of Characters in the book, it is
very easy to follow, I would definitely recommend.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, so easy to read

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally fantastic

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to sit down with each of the characters to have tea and a scone with them, I loved them so much!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring story

A great read with some laughs tears and happiness. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more by this author.