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Finishing Touches
Three school friends, Cassie, Laura and Aileen, shared their secrets and dreams as young girls. Now they are together again, sharing their aspirations, as Cassie launches her interior design business, with a legacy that is to bring out the worst and the best in her family and friends. Finishing Touches is an engrossing story of schoolmates and soulmates, of shared secrets and desires - and how one young woman dared to make her impossible dream come true.
656 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 1992
120 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Scanlan
71 books402 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 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 7, 2019
Family and friendship, friendship and family. A wonderful story about sacrifices for family's sake and realizing one's dream amidst the hardship.
February 17, 2013
Cassie, Aileen and Laura have been friends since their school days, the prologue covers Cassie's dream of opening her interior design shop "Finishing Touches" and hoping that the rest of her siblings make it to the opening.
The book is divided into different era of their lives, the first covers the friends lives at school and their careers choices and home life. The second their working life, relationships and coping with older parents and the last brings you up to date with what is currently happening in their life.
A gem of a read and while big at almost 700 pages you don't see the time go by. I loved the three friends and some of the other characters, it was easy to hate Barbara ( Cassie's sister) and her husband and at one point in particular I wanted to hit her, obnoxious, cruel and conceited, her character was well thought out.
Cassie is such a such a loveable person, caring, compassionate she gives her all to her mother, family and friends and as the novel progresses my heart went out to her.
A fantastic read covering, friendships, sibling rivalry, death , illness and of course love.
The book is divided into different era of their lives, the first covers the friends lives at school and their careers choices and home life. The second their working life, relationships and coping with older parents and the last brings you up to date with what is currently happening in their life.
A gem of a read and while big at almost 700 pages you don't see the time go by. I loved the three friends and some of the other characters, it was easy to hate Barbara ( Cassie's sister) and her husband and at one point in particular I wanted to hit her, obnoxious, cruel and conceited, her character was well thought out.
Cassie is such a such a loveable person, caring, compassionate she gives her all to her mother, family and friends and as the novel progresses my heart went out to her.
A fantastic read covering, friendships, sibling rivalry, death , illness and of course love.
May 18, 2022
The book follows the lives of Cassie, her family and friends from the 70s to the 90s (from Cassie's teenage years to adulthood). The prologue is a glimpse into 1991, then the story begins in 1969 and ends with the epilogue back in 1991.
The prologue slightly overwhelmed me with all the names and characters, but also made me totally curious about the background and the whole story behind it - the "why is it the way it is". And it was a great story. If you haven't figured it out yet, you'll learn it here at the latest: Probably EVERYONE has some family problems, dramas etc., some more, some less. I'm glad I don't have the same ones as Cassie.... in her place I would have strangled Barbara long ago 🤣. It was nice to see that life had so many wonderful things in store for Cassie at the end of the book, she's really put up a good fight over the years (my utmost respect!) and really deserves it!
The prologue slightly overwhelmed me with all the names and characters, but also made me totally curious about the background and the whole story behind it - the "why is it the way it is". And it was a great story. If you haven't figured it out yet, you'll learn it here at the latest: Probably EVERYONE has some family problems, dramas etc., some more, some less. I'm glad I don't have the same ones as Cassie.... in her place I would have strangled Barbara long ago 🤣. It was nice to see that life had so many wonderful things in store for Cassie at the end of the book, she's really put up a good fight over the years (my utmost respect!) and really deserves it!
November 6, 2017
Will family and friends help Cassie Jordan follow her dreams - or hinder her?
Meet Cassie Jordan as she launches the dream venture she fought so hard to create: her own interior design business, named Finishing Touches.
What I liked:
The book was well written
The main character develops a bond with all of the other character
The characters shown are believable.
What I didn't enjoy:
Too many characters involved.
The story does drag on for a while
Most of the story is based on what happened in the past and while the characters are growing.
Meet Cassie Jordan as she launches the dream venture she fought so hard to create: her own interior design business, named Finishing Touches.
What I liked:
The book was well written
The main character develops a bond with all of the other character
The characters shown are believable.
What I didn't enjoy:
Too many characters involved.
The story does drag on for a while
Most of the story is based on what happened in the past and while the characters are growing.
August 5, 2022
I have long been a fan of Patricia Scanlan's writing. I never hesitate to buy her books.
She has a knack of taking every day lives and turning them into great reads.
Her writing is down to earth; I never find myself correcting her sentence structure in my mind as I read and I always finish one of her stories with a contented 'that was a good read' feel.
Finishing Touches is another successful write for Scanlan.
If you are looking for a light read, a modern day, well written story that doesn't cause you angst or to feel tension, this is the book for you.
She has a knack of taking every day lives and turning them into great reads.
Her writing is down to earth; I never find myself correcting her sentence structure in my mind as I read and I always finish one of her stories with a contented 'that was a good read' feel.
Finishing Touches is another successful write for Scanlan.
If you are looking for a light read, a modern day, well written story that doesn't cause you angst or to feel tension, this is the book for you.
December 7, 2024
A story of 3 friends from school age to their thirties. A long book (actually 656 pages) but it certainly doesn't feel like it.
It show how important friendship is especially at testing times & how families don't necessarily stay close just because they're family. I can certainly relate to that.
I always go back to Patricia Scanlan books and re-read them,she has a way of writing where no chapter is dull,you finish one then start the next one. It's hard to stop but then you're sad because you've finished a great book. Highly recommended.
It show how important friendship is especially at testing times & how families don't necessarily stay close just because they're family. I can certainly relate to that.
I always go back to Patricia Scanlan books and re-read them,she has a way of writing where no chapter is dull,you finish one then start the next one. It's hard to stop but then you're sad because you've finished a great book. Highly recommended.
September 1, 2020
Purchase Finishing Touches here for just $10!
Following the lives of three friends, who have been tight since school, Finishing Touches is a long but rewarding novel. Scanlan covers family, career and current life in depicting three well-rounded, believable and fascinating women.
Elisa - The Book Grocer
Following the lives of three friends, who have been tight since school, Finishing Touches is a long but rewarding novel. Scanlan covers family, career and current life in depicting three well-rounded, believable and fascinating women.
Elisa - The Book Grocer
January 18, 2026
I stumbled on this book at a library book sale. It was long and the price was cheap so it was a perfect combination to take a risk on an author I never heard of. I am glad o took the chance as I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It well written and an engaging story. I will definitely read more books by this author.
November 25, 2019
Slightly cheesy
I have read a lot of Patricia Scanlan’s books and enjoyed them. I did enjoy this but found it slightly cheesy in places. Too many exclamation marks and ending with ‘For she’s a jolly good fellow?’ - it was a bit cringy.
I have read a lot of Patricia Scanlan’s books and enjoyed them. I did enjoy this but found it slightly cheesy in places. Too many exclamation marks and ending with ‘For she’s a jolly good fellow?’ - it was a bit cringy.
June 9, 2018
Didn't finish this book. Sadly I just couldn't get into it. I think the characters just didn't strike a chord with me.
August 27, 2018
Love a Patricia Scanlan book - a pleasure to read! 😊
January 21, 2019
Enjoyable saga about a trio of friends in Ireland from the 70's to 1990
June 22, 2019
Nice one time read. The author takes you through the life of Cassie very smoothly and you almost feel as if you are watching the events unfolding in her life.
November 18, 2020
love Patricia Scanlans books, read this years ago, and decided to reread it,, it was just as wonderful as the first time, loved it
September 10, 2021
A very slow start, but good in the end
December 27, 2021
Read this book when I was a teenager and it's stated with me ever since. I love to come back j to this whenever I get into a bit of a slump.
December 9, 2022
I was stuck in a reading slump and decided to re read this one. A wonderful easy read that I really enjoyed.
December 31, 2022
It’s a 1.5 star or less - the characters are either all-wonderful or all-evil, the plot is predictable, and the book was 200 pages too long. Lots of opportunities to skip pages.
February 7, 2016
Irish families and friendship
Wonderful story of friendships and family. The family troubles that a lot of families face especially in Ireland keeps you turning the page. I was happy when Barbara got her come uppence and Cassie after all her sacrifice's got her ever after. I enjoyed this book and could relate to it.
Wonderful story of friendships and family. The family troubles that a lot of families face especially in Ireland keeps you turning the page. I was happy when Barbara got her come uppence and Cassie after all her sacrifice's got her ever after. I enjoyed this book and could relate to it.
February 21, 2016
Fantastic
From you start reading this book, it draws you into it. You feel you know the characters and get mixed into their lives.
This is definitely a book that should be made into a movie
From you start reading this book, it draws you into it. You feel you know the characters and get mixed into their lives.
This is definitely a book that should be made into a movie
Read
May 22, 2010superb
January 20, 2026
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11562284
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11562284
January 24, 2016
Great
Great book full of emotion and laughs couldn't put it down
Love the description of places I know in Ireland
Great book full of emotion and laughs couldn't put it down
Love the description of places I know in Ireland
April 16, 2016
Good uplifting story.
October 31, 2016
Extra long book following three women from teens to adults. The usual good comfort read Patricia does so well.
June 16, 2014
I enjoyed this book. A sacrifice made and then rewarded.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews