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The Life Daisy Devlin Designed : An Ex-Boyfriend, A Dream Project, A Perfect Storm
'Fans of Beth O'Leary and Marian Keyes will love this.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
First Loves, Big Dreams, and Hidden The Reunion That Changed Everything!
Daisy Devlin seems to have it all. A successful business redesigning other people’s homes, a best friend who runs the company with her, and a long-term boyfriend, James.
When her ex-boyfriend, Matt Deveraux returns from America and buys Wicklow’s historic Granary House, Daisy pitches for its re-design. But Matt was Daisy’s first love – and Daisy had hoped he’d be her happy-ever-after. So, while Granary House might finally land her a prestigious industry design award, she desperately wants to know why Matt walked out on her five years ago
Meanwhile, as James fights to hold on to his job in the company he helped start, his and Daisy’s relationship grows increasingly strained, and Daisy finds the lines blurring between her professional and personal life.
But, unknown to Daisy, the reasons why Matt left are mired in misunderstanding, secrets and lies.
How much can she risk before she loses the life she’s designed?
First Loves, Big Dreams, and Hidden The Reunion That Changed Everything!
Daisy Devlin seems to have it all. A successful business redesigning other people’s homes, a best friend who runs the company with her, and a long-term boyfriend, James.
When her ex-boyfriend, Matt Deveraux returns from America and buys Wicklow’s historic Granary House, Daisy pitches for its re-design. But Matt was Daisy’s first love – and Daisy had hoped he’d be her happy-ever-after. So, while Granary House might finally land her a prestigious industry design award, she desperately wants to know why Matt walked out on her five years ago
Meanwhile, as James fights to hold on to his job in the company he helped start, his and Daisy’s relationship grows increasingly strained, and Daisy finds the lines blurring between her professional and personal life.
But, unknown to Daisy, the reasons why Matt left are mired in misunderstanding, secrets and lies.
How much can she risk before she loses the life she’s designed?
377 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2024
10 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Black
5 books11 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.
Sharon Black is an Irish writer of warm, witty women’s fiction at Poolbeg Books, with whom she has three romantic comedies, 'Love like the (Real) Reel Thing', 'The Life Daisy Devlin Designed', and ‘The Last Saturday in July’. All are available from Amazon as print and e-books.
A recovered journalist, she is a member of Writing.ie, has published short stories in women’s magazines and has placed in various short story competitions. She is a member of Writing.ie, Writers Ink, and the Romantic Novelists' Association. She is a Curtis Brown Creative alumna.
When she’s not writing, she reads, walks, sees friends and drinks a lot of Italian coffee. She is an active member of a long-running book club in her village, where books and wine are consumed in roughly equal amounts. She loves theatre, old Hollywood films, every romantic comedy ever made and edgy stand-up.
In recent years, she has developed an unnaturally close relationship with Google Maps, thanks to her appalling sense of direction. She is highly allergic to shopping. Except for bag shopping.
Sharon lives in a Dublin coastal village, with her husband and family.
Find out more about Sharon at sharonblackwriter.ie
Sharon Black is an Irish writer of warm, witty women’s fiction at Poolbeg Books, with whom she has three romantic comedies, 'Love like the (Real) Reel Thing', 'The Life Daisy Devlin Designed', and ‘The Last Saturday in July’. All are available from Amazon as print and e-books.
A recovered journalist, she is a member of Writing.ie, has published short stories in women’s magazines and has placed in various short story competitions. She is a member of Writing.ie, Writers Ink, and the Romantic Novelists' Association. She is a Curtis Brown Creative alumna.
When she’s not writing, she reads, walks, sees friends and drinks a lot of Italian coffee. She is an active member of a long-running book club in her village, where books and wine are consumed in roughly equal amounts. She loves theatre, old Hollywood films, every romantic comedy ever made and edgy stand-up.
In recent years, she has developed an unnaturally close relationship with Google Maps, thanks to her appalling sense of direction. She is highly allergic to shopping. Except for bag shopping.
Sharon lives in a Dublin coastal village, with her husband and family.
Find out more about Sharon at sharonblackwriter.ie
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 31, 2026
Full disclosure, I have read Ms Black’s first book, this one is even better.
This little gem started with a wham bam here’s your man coming to wreak havoc and I loved it.
I don’t know if this was the plan or if I am just struggling getting older, but I really did feel like a thirty-something reading this so for that alone Sharon Black I am grateful.
It is impossible to discuss this book without giving away spoilers and if I did gIve any away you would be raging, I promise, so I won’t, however……... I will say the following which I have cleverly put in bullet points for your convenience - no need to thank me:
1. It’s very funny, that’s the first thing. It really is. The sister cracked me up and the bit about the Daddy at the party…..very lovely altogether.
2. There are moments that are so relatable they are slightly embarrassing to read (that could just be me and I mean in a good way!)
3. It moves at a great pace with very little time to get bored. I thought I might have to do a speed read through some of the interior design bits but thankfully Sharon Black didn’t do the usual diatribe fillers of lovely curtains and lovelier carpets. We knew her job was imperative to the storyline and that was enough. No feng shui was introduced to fill pages or images of dachshunds on cushions discussed, thankfully (and before anyone says a word I have two dachshund cushions).
4. Ms Black does a good and proper row with normal people brilliantly, not rom-commers, just normallers which I loved. She does the character thing terrible well, so she does. The bitesize horoscope storyline is genius.
Just so you know what it’s about without telling you too much, it’s a story about a woman who had a man and he broke her heart and then another man came along and he might break her heart but the first man comes back and he might break her heart again and then there’s the house, which is going to break someone’s heart and her sister….who breaks everyone’s heart on a daily basis.
That’s all you are getting because, and here is the winner winner chicken dinner part ……. It’s really clever. I mean that. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the books cleverness is what makes it so enjoyable.
This is not your usual happy every after and it all works out exactly as you thought (since chapter two in most cases) story. Its smart and it’s well thought out and it’s just not what you expect.
If I say another word it will spoil if for you and I really think that nothing should spoil Daisy Devlin’s life, it’s too good.
This little gem started with a wham bam here’s your man coming to wreak havoc and I loved it.
I don’t know if this was the plan or if I am just struggling getting older, but I really did feel like a thirty-something reading this so for that alone Sharon Black I am grateful.
It is impossible to discuss this book without giving away spoilers and if I did gIve any away you would be raging, I promise, so I won’t, however……... I will say the following which I have cleverly put in bullet points for your convenience - no need to thank me:
1. It’s very funny, that’s the first thing. It really is. The sister cracked me up and the bit about the Daddy at the party…..very lovely altogether.
2. There are moments that are so relatable they are slightly embarrassing to read (that could just be me and I mean in a good way!)
3. It moves at a great pace with very little time to get bored. I thought I might have to do a speed read through some of the interior design bits but thankfully Sharon Black didn’t do the usual diatribe fillers of lovely curtains and lovelier carpets. We knew her job was imperative to the storyline and that was enough. No feng shui was introduced to fill pages or images of dachshunds on cushions discussed, thankfully (and before anyone says a word I have two dachshund cushions).
4. Ms Black does a good and proper row with normal people brilliantly, not rom-commers, just normallers which I loved. She does the character thing terrible well, so she does. The bitesize horoscope storyline is genius.
Just so you know what it’s about without telling you too much, it’s a story about a woman who had a man and he broke her heart and then another man came along and he might break her heart but the first man comes back and he might break her heart again and then there’s the house, which is going to break someone’s heart and her sister….who breaks everyone’s heart on a daily basis.
That’s all you are getting because, and here is the winner winner chicken dinner part ……. It’s really clever. I mean that. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the books cleverness is what makes it so enjoyable.
This is not your usual happy every after and it all works out exactly as you thought (since chapter two in most cases) story. Its smart and it’s well thought out and it’s just not what you expect.
If I say another word it will spoil if for you and I really think that nothing should spoil Daisy Devlin’s life, it’s too good.
November 14, 2024
This is unputdownable! I read it in three days. The characters leap off the page and it's so well written. All the strands come together at the end but it will keep you guessing until then. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys romance and, even more, if you enjoy browsing property sites.
March 8, 2025
I don’t usually read romance but I met Sharon through Writers Ink and was intrigued! It’s a fun fast paced book with lots going on, and the end was quite the twist! It’s inspired me to continue with my own work in progress. Very grateful for my new community of brilliant writers.
April 20, 2025
This novel is great fun to read. The characters jump off the page, and the storyline is deftly handled. It's perfect for your summer reading list.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews