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This is Now
An ordinary day. An ordinary bank. An ordinary street in an ordinary town. Nothing ever happens, until, one day, a shocking robbery turns life upside down for five people:
Cillian, a police detective,
Martha, the woman he thought was the life of his life,
Tobias, who came to Ireland after WWII and now lies in a coma, shot in the bank robbery,
Roman, the young Polish teenager who is suspected of pulling the trigger
and his mother Rosa, the cleaner, who dreamed of a better life for herself and her son . . .
. . . and things will never be ordinary again.
Ciara Geraghty's writing has that rare ability to make you laugh out loud as well as cry. She combines tangled human relationships with humour, romance and warmth to create something truly special.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2016
20 people are currently reading
310 people want to read
About the author
Ciara Geraghty
16 books201 followersCiara Geraghty is an Irish bestselling author. She lives in Dublin with one husband and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
May 26, 2018
This Is Now by Ciara Geraghty is my favourite book so far by her. I personally liked it because the author put a scene of crime in the opening. The story starts off very scary with a bank robbery on an ordinary Monday. There was no way that anyone would have known that something like that could happen in just an ordinary town. The three gunmen had their faces hidden behind a balaclava. They told everyone the bank workers and customers in the bank that they had disabled the panic-button system before they arrived. We are taken through more about the bank robbers and how the frightening ordeal being held at gun point, in to how it effected some of the characters.
May 15, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this novel. The characters were interesting and made me want to keep reading :) I felt waves of excitement, anxious for what would happen to each character and was taken on each of their journey.
This book was worth the read!
This book was worth the read!
August 9, 2016
Dear reader,
This light but strangely compelling story is centred around the lives of four characters who become intrinsically linked in the aftermath of a bank robbery.
Martha,a freelance journalist,who insists she has an 'unhealthy relationship with alcohol' while not being an alcoholic,goes to the bank to help her pal Tara tell her sister a home truth that may be unpalatable.
Also in the bank is one Mr Hartmann, accompanied by a carer,Rosa,and a young teenager Roman,repaying a debt for past misdeeds.
However when the robbery doesn't go to plan,one person lays grievously injured,one flees the scene,unsure whether the guards or the gang pose more danger to him,a mother is left wondering what will befall her son and one remembers the itemised list of why she no longer drinks.
Enter stage left one Cillian Larkin,the detective charged with finding out 'who dun it' and who slips down memory lane remembering happier times with the one person that captured his heart.
This is a really nice story,one that I found myself eager to finish as I wanted to see how the different situations would resolve themselves.
I must admit that I liked Martha,she felt very earthy and real and her direct,no nonsense approach to life brought a smile to my face.
I thought each characters' back story was well told and quite interesting.
Overall I would recommend this book if you're looking for a light,low angst read, which is something we should all treat ourselves to from time to time!
This light but strangely compelling story is centred around the lives of four characters who become intrinsically linked in the aftermath of a bank robbery.
Martha,a freelance journalist,who insists she has an 'unhealthy relationship with alcohol' while not being an alcoholic,goes to the bank to help her pal Tara tell her sister a home truth that may be unpalatable.
Also in the bank is one Mr Hartmann, accompanied by a carer,Rosa,and a young teenager Roman,repaying a debt for past misdeeds.
However when the robbery doesn't go to plan,one person lays grievously injured,one flees the scene,unsure whether the guards or the gang pose more danger to him,a mother is left wondering what will befall her son and one remembers the itemised list of why she no longer drinks.
Enter stage left one Cillian Larkin,the detective charged with finding out 'who dun it' and who slips down memory lane remembering happier times with the one person that captured his heart.
This is a really nice story,one that I found myself eager to finish as I wanted to see how the different situations would resolve themselves.
I must admit that I liked Martha,she felt very earthy and real and her direct,no nonsense approach to life brought a smile to my face.
I thought each characters' back story was well told and quite interesting.
Overall I would recommend this book if you're looking for a light,low angst read, which is something we should all treat ourselves to from time to time!
February 10, 2017
Since reading Ciara Geraghty's last novel "Now That I've Found You" I was waiting impatiently for her new release - yes, as you probably guessed I totally adored this book and wanted more, more, more from this author. The excitement was on a very high level when my review copy of "This is Now" finally arrived at my doorsteps, with its gorgeous sparkly cover and very promising synopsis. It is a deeply moving story with believable characters. The author really knows how to write a captivating, thought - provoking story and she has this great talent to make you chuckle and in the next moment to bring you to tears. She's not afraid to test her characters and to make them full of flaws, but she can also capture them in a way that have you rooting for them, wanting all to go well for them. What I also liked is the fact that you can't say that this story is predictable - it could go in many ways and it really at the end that you see how the characters' lives turned out and what happened to them.
But it was not like this that I didn't have issues with this book, guys. It took me much longer to get into this story as expected and it was probably because... well, yes, I like when the characters have something in common, when their stories intertwine - and this novel was telling stories of some very different characters, who - on the surface - really didn't have anything in common, it was just a coincidence that they were at the same time at the same place. Also, the stories were mostly sad, difficult and I also couldn't get used to the way they were told. The chapters were set in present but each of them also told us stories from the past, introducing us to the characters' previous lives, their stories, their background, and generally I wasn't sure what this book wants to be about - because it was like having four different books in one.
The characters are maybe not the most likeable ones (at least not all of them) but they are realistic and they are this kind of characters that you, as a reader, quickly fall for. We have Martha, a freelance journalist insisting on having an "unhealthy relationship with alcohol" while in fact she's an alcoholic, although over one year dry. But she still has her demons and it is an everyday battle for her and her addiction. There is also Tobias Hartmann, teaching Rosa English, as she and her son Roman are the immigrants for Poland who hoped to make a better life in Ireland and while at the beginning it looked really well for them, it then went belly up. They all find themselves at the bank when the robbery takes place. In the due course more characters are being introduced to us, among which Cillian Larkin is the most significant one - he is responsible to find out what happened at the bank, who did it and whose history we are also to get to know, as he reminds happy times with the person who has captured his heart.
The characters go through ups and downs, highs and lows, and we make this journey together with them. I can't say I had a favourite character because they were all down - to - earth, realistic people. Yes, I can say that my heart went mostly to Rosa and Roman, and there is a very simple reason - it was great to read about immigrants from Poland, who, even though I think they were a tad too stereotyped by the author, were introduced in a good light, and it was a great joy to see that all the names of the characters and the places were spelled in a right way. Moreover, Rosa and Roman could be my neighbours, shall I still live in Poland, in Gdansk. I also liked Martha, her no - nonsense approach to life and not bothering about what other think about her and she lived her life just like she wanted to. They all were brought to life very well, I think.
However, I had a feeling there is too much said and too less done. I didn't feel a part of this story. I think I also haven't expected this book to be rather on the heavy side - I of course don't mind but it took me somehow by surprise but of course I am not judging the book on my expectations. The pace in the story is relatively slow but I think we shouldn't expect it to be quicker, as the individual stories and layers needed time to be unfolded. It is told in alternating chapters by the four main characters so we really have a lot of time to get to know them and their background.
I wanted to love this book, I truly did. In the end I can say that I liked and enjoyed this story and I for sure wanted to see how this tangled web of chances and events is going to resolve. "This is Now" is a story about dealing with the past, about dealing with a dramatic situation and its side effects. I wouldn't say that it was the easiest read however I still enjoyed it and there is a lot of depth to it. I am in two minds about it, to be honest, because on the one hand we have the well developed characters and on the other their stories that actually don't lead to a satisfying for me conclusion. But one thing is for sure - Ciara Geraghty can write, oh guys, how well can she write! Her writing style is captivating, inviting and she for sure can describe feelings and emotions. Also, there is so much and so great research done, every aspect of this book - no matter if it is wartime Dresden or nowadays police department - it feels realistic and genuine. She also exactly knows when and where add some humorous touches to defuse the situation and tension. So when it was not my favourite read by this author, she's still at the top list of my favourite authors and I already looking forward to her next release.
Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
October 4, 2017
The cover artwork of this novel is beautiful; the landscape against the silouhette of two figures holding hands is so classic but still eye-catching and so I saw it on a shelf and put it on my 'to be read' list. I have no regrets about this, because this book was quite literally, action packed. From the get go we as readers are introduced to a range of characters through a crime; more specifically, a bank robbery. Martha is an ex-alcoholic who struggles wit her overly whilst been dry for over a year; Roman is a young and impressionable teenage Polish immigrant who is desperate to protect his mother, Rosa after his Uncle's death. To complicate matters, Cillian is the detective on the case and coincidentally Martha was once the love of his life and Tobias (Mr Hartmann) is another immigrant who came from Germany after WWII and helps Rosa to improve her English. There are so many characters in this book, all with different stories that somehow intertwine, but these are the characters who provide the main sources of information throughout and give honest perspectives on a variety of situations. This is the first novel I've read by Ciara Geraghty and it wasn't a disappointment; the way that she writes is beautiful.
One of the many reasons that I enjoyed this book was that the main event shaped the whole novel fairly early on; the bank robbery was so detailed and cleverly written, with the introduction of Martha and her best friend Tara going to the bank to meet Tara's sister Katherine. Mr Hartmann and Rosa are there too and all of their lives change forever after the robbery and ultimately, the shooting that takes place. Roman also makes an appearance by paying for past troubles, he arrives with the robbers but is unmasked so naturally is the person who takes the blame and ends up in a prison cell after managing to escape from the robbers outside of the bank. Martha is undoubtedly the best character in my opinion as although she has her own flaws, she's honest and incredibly astute, more than able to describe the whole robbery in perfect detail, making the police investigation a lot easier. She struggles with staying dry, as although she has already managed over a year sober it feels like a trial, not an achievement for her which is made even more difficult when Cillian comes back into her life via the police investigation. The cover artwork is fairly deceiving as you could assume it'd be chic lit but this novel is anything but; it's a very multi-faceted and layered plot with some interesting characters who all have flaws but overall they do mean well.
Roman and Rosa are the two characters who you really do feel unbelievably sorry for; they came to Ireland with the promise of a better life, but unfortunately some things don't go to plan and they end up in a series of difficult situations due to their brother (uncle) being involved with some dishonest and dodgy groups of men And one of the difficult situations is the bank robbery, which results in the majority of the characters having issues with Roman and he ends up with a stint in prison. This novel certainly unpredictable with some excellent snippets of Tobias' wartime past thrown in amongst his thoughts on the present day; arguably Rosa and Tobias are some of the strongest characters due to unfortunate cards that life dealt them. Due to the majority of the characters being insanely unlikeable, it is easy to find favourites among them but I also liked the fact that this novel was realistic in the sense that you saw all walks of life, it was much more intense than I expected. It was a very modern novel with a range of themes running through it including love, relationships, sexuality, crime, death and alcoholism, all of which were discussed in length at various points throughout.
Overall, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. The linguistic technique suited the variety of backstories that surrounded each character, although I must admit my favourite character was definitely Martha. It's always nice to read a novel that describes a character so throughly they begin to feel like someone you know and Geraghty's book is a case in point of this. Rosa and Roman were beautifully portrayed and it was lovely to see immigrants shown as nice people that want to succeed, I definitely had a soft spot for their mother and son relationship, the way that they continuously looked out for one another even in the hardest of times. Similarly, I loved the friendship between Rosa and Mr Hartmann, the way that he encouraged her to improve her English and create the beginnings of a better life, something which is long overdue for Rosa. The only issue I had with the storyline is that the unlikeable characters were too easy to dislike, it was a case of polar opposites which although that is understandable in a sense, in another it was fairly irritating as sometimes it's good to have more of a grey area to work with. However, I did love how the individual stories shaped themselves and it is always lovely to witness multiple happy endings and the loose ends neatly tied up; I'm still unsure of what I expected from this novel but my expectations were well and truly exceeded.
One of the many reasons that I enjoyed this book was that the main event shaped the whole novel fairly early on; the bank robbery was so detailed and cleverly written, with the introduction of Martha and her best friend Tara going to the bank to meet Tara's sister Katherine. Mr Hartmann and Rosa are there too and all of their lives change forever after the robbery and ultimately, the shooting that takes place. Roman also makes an appearance by paying for past troubles, he arrives with the robbers but is unmasked so naturally is the person who takes the blame and ends up in a prison cell after managing to escape from the robbers outside of the bank. Martha is undoubtedly the best character in my opinion as although she has her own flaws, she's honest and incredibly astute, more than able to describe the whole robbery in perfect detail, making the police investigation a lot easier. She struggles with staying dry, as although she has already managed over a year sober it feels like a trial, not an achievement for her which is made even more difficult when Cillian comes back into her life via the police investigation. The cover artwork is fairly deceiving as you could assume it'd be chic lit but this novel is anything but; it's a very multi-faceted and layered plot with some interesting characters who all have flaws but overall they do mean well.
Roman and Rosa are the two characters who you really do feel unbelievably sorry for; they came to Ireland with the promise of a better life, but unfortunately some things don't go to plan and they end up in a series of difficult situations due to their brother (uncle) being involved with some dishonest and dodgy groups of men And one of the difficult situations is the bank robbery, which results in the majority of the characters having issues with Roman and he ends up with a stint in prison. This novel certainly unpredictable with some excellent snippets of Tobias' wartime past thrown in amongst his thoughts on the present day; arguably Rosa and Tobias are some of the strongest characters due to unfortunate cards that life dealt them. Due to the majority of the characters being insanely unlikeable, it is easy to find favourites among them but I also liked the fact that this novel was realistic in the sense that you saw all walks of life, it was much more intense than I expected. It was a very modern novel with a range of themes running through it including love, relationships, sexuality, crime, death and alcoholism, all of which were discussed in length at various points throughout.
Overall, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. The linguistic technique suited the variety of backstories that surrounded each character, although I must admit my favourite character was definitely Martha. It's always nice to read a novel that describes a character so throughly they begin to feel like someone you know and Geraghty's book is a case in point of this. Rosa and Roman were beautifully portrayed and it was lovely to see immigrants shown as nice people that want to succeed, I definitely had a soft spot for their mother and son relationship, the way that they continuously looked out for one another even in the hardest of times. Similarly, I loved the friendship between Rosa and Mr Hartmann, the way that he encouraged her to improve her English and create the beginnings of a better life, something which is long overdue for Rosa. The only issue I had with the storyline is that the unlikeable characters were too easy to dislike, it was a case of polar opposites which although that is understandable in a sense, in another it was fairly irritating as sometimes it's good to have more of a grey area to work with. However, I did love how the individual stories shaped themselves and it is always lovely to witness multiple happy endings and the loose ends neatly tied up; I'm still unsure of what I expected from this novel but my expectations were well and truly exceeded.
January 27, 2019
This was an easy read and much better than I was expecting with some interesting characters.
December 22, 2024
This book was alright but I do love a good epilogue!
November 9, 2018
This is Now written by Ciara Geraghty for me was a great read which I am very happy to recommend. The main reason I loved this book was how well the characters were developed with each chapter that passes, each character had their own story to tell.
The story begins with a bank robbery and as each character narrates their own views of the bank robbery, as a reader I was able to understand how a horrible moment in time can change the lives of a few people, what made these characters special was how different they were to each other, and how the bank robbery changed each of them forever. The first main character for me was Martha who was not only coping with the bank robbery but also the addiction to alcohol and I really do admire how the author brought this across and I fully understood how and why Martha had this addiction but it took a bank robbery to awaken her senses to the world around her and the one man she only every loved. The man she loved just happened to be the Detective who was investigating the bank robbery and it was great to read how this duo really connected with each other, and Martha's one-liners were so funny at times even when they were not to be. These are only two of the characters, there are a few more which really add to the storyline and their personalities really added to the storyline.
This is Now written by Ciara Geraghty is one excellent read which I am happy to recommend.
The story begins with a bank robbery and as each character narrates their own views of the bank robbery, as a reader I was able to understand how a horrible moment in time can change the lives of a few people, what made these characters special was how different they were to each other, and how the bank robbery changed each of them forever. The first main character for me was Martha who was not only coping with the bank robbery but also the addiction to alcohol and I really do admire how the author brought this across and I fully understood how and why Martha had this addiction but it took a bank robbery to awaken her senses to the world around her and the one man she only every loved. The man she loved just happened to be the Detective who was investigating the bank robbery and it was great to read how this duo really connected with each other, and Martha's one-liners were so funny at times even when they were not to be. These are only two of the characters, there are a few more which really add to the storyline and their personalities really added to the storyline.
This is Now written by Ciara Geraghty is one excellent read which I am happy to recommend.
June 10, 2016
Really good book, something for everyone, funny, crime, romance and heartwarming. Really enjoyed it.
July 26, 2018
First of all I just want to mention how unexpected this book was. At every chapter it surprised me and I grew increasingly fond of each of the characters, in particular Martha and Cillian with whom I was invested in from the very beginning. Only an author such as Ciara Geraghty can create intricate characters such as Martha as well as include so many characters in a short(ish) book. Geraghty certainly has a way with words, her writing is eloquent and sophisticated and she knows just what the reader wants and delivers it to them flawlessly. I’ll admit I did not expect to enjoy this book, it was merely a impulsive buy due to the stunning cover. However, whilst the cover can be seen as a little misleading, the story is itself is amazing and has captured part of my heart. I was quickly lost in the tumultuous world of the characters. I love that the chapters aren’t labelled by name as most multi perspective books are. I think it gives the book a sense of authenticity and it ensures that the characters stories blend seamlessly together. Finally, I’ll mention what an absolutely stunning epilogue that is contained in this book. Having thought the initial ending, though a tad bit rushed, beautiful, I was pleasantly surprised when the epilogue almost bought tears to my eyes. It is written so beautifully and uniquely, each characters future is wrapped up in such a way that the readers heart bursts with contentness and joy. I immensely enjoyed ‘This is Now’ and I’m incredibly grateful that I picked it up. I look forward to reading more of Ciara Geraghty’s books.
August 31, 2023
I started this book with great enthusiasm but after all the excitement at the beginning, the pace slowed and I didn't engage with the characters and put the book aside for a while and read a different book. However, I enjoyed the style of writing which was amusing at times. It was that, that made me pick the book up again and persevere until I was hooked into wanting to know what happened.
An ordinary day. An ordinary bank. An ordinary street in an ordinary town. Nothing ever happens, until, one day, a shocking robbery turns life upside down for five people:
Cillian, a police detective,
Martha, the woman he thought was the life of his life,
Tobias, who came to Ireland after WWII and now lies in a coma, shot in the bank robbery,
Roman, the young Polish teenager who is suspected of pulling the trigger
and his mother Rosa, the cleaner, who dreamed of a better life for herself and her son . . .
. . . and things will never be ordinary again.
Ciara Geraghty's writing has that rare ability to make you laugh out loud as well as cry. She combines tangled human relationships with humour, romance and warmth to create something truly special.
An ordinary day. An ordinary bank. An ordinary street in an ordinary town. Nothing ever happens, until, one day, a shocking robbery turns life upside down for five people:
Cillian, a police detective,
Martha, the woman he thought was the life of his life,
Tobias, who came to Ireland after WWII and now lies in a coma, shot in the bank robbery,
Roman, the young Polish teenager who is suspected of pulling the trigger
and his mother Rosa, the cleaner, who dreamed of a better life for herself and her son . . .
. . . and things will never be ordinary again.
Ciara Geraghty's writing has that rare ability to make you laugh out loud as well as cry. She combines tangled human relationships with humour, romance and warmth to create something truly special.
July 16, 2017
still not as tight as the first novel I read from this author, but I enjoyed it. It was a nice blend of stories. I think Martha's story was the most arresting in the end, just because it felt the most authentic - when I was trying to remember which book I read last, I was getting confused and thinking the bank robbery and Martha's story were two different novels completely.
She (author) also has a strange thing about always having a very tall, big boned woman in her books (and usually with wild untamed hair). All three books so far. Not complaining, it's nice to have a protagonist who isn't petite, it is such a recurring theme though and the way she describes them is so similar (physically) that I keep getting the girls mixed up from book to book!
I'm not sure what I would change about this novel.... maybe it would have been nice for the not-Martha girlfriend to be a touch more likable. Just a touch. It was just hard to really see her as a threat when no one liked her or found anything pleasant about her from the first page she showed up on
She (author) also has a strange thing about always having a very tall, big boned woman in her books (and usually with wild untamed hair). All three books so far. Not complaining, it's nice to have a protagonist who isn't petite, it is such a recurring theme though and the way she describes them is so similar (physically) that I keep getting the girls mixed up from book to book!
I'm not sure what I would change about this novel.... maybe it would have been nice for the not-Martha girlfriend to be a touch more likable. Just a touch. It was just hard to really see her as a threat when no one liked her or found anything pleasant about her from the first page she showed up on
June 15, 2017
This is a novel of many parts and many characters all of whom have their voices heard and are interwoven into a wonderful story.
A bank robbery, a shooting, bad things happening to good people.
Martha's life is complex and full of past troubles but she is getting her life together and is on a good path. Due to the robbery and her being in the bank she becomes a witness and when a policeman knocks on her door her whole world is thrown. It's not just any old policeman it's her ex boyfriend.
In amongst all the story of the bank robbery and all it's after effects is a story of two people living life after a bad relationship. Now that they have reconnected what will happen.
This novel is about what ifs and what could have been and what will be.
A bank robbery, a shooting, bad things happening to good people.
Martha's life is complex and full of past troubles but she is getting her life together and is on a good path. Due to the robbery and her being in the bank she becomes a witness and when a policeman knocks on her door her whole world is thrown. It's not just any old policeman it's her ex boyfriend.
In amongst all the story of the bank robbery and all it's after effects is a story of two people living life after a bad relationship. Now that they have reconnected what will happen.
This novel is about what ifs and what could have been and what will be.
May 1, 2020
I can always depend on Ciara Geraghty to give me complex characters, to put them in ordinary or complicated situations & to make them shine, to make me want to hug them or hurl them to a faraway place. This Is Now is an entertaining story about ordinary people caught up in an unexpected situation. I loved Tobias and his memories, his lost loves, his whole story. Martha, Tara & Cillian share their lives with us over pages of both commitment to each other & doubt about themselves. Rosa and Roman's relationship and problems are beautifully drawn and of course the Irish setting always makes a cracking read for me. I can see all the places the story takes us and I just love Ciara's writing.
September 4, 2019
This was the first book I have ever read in English. Really, really good one I would say. In the begging i thought it will be boring but after I started reading it I couldn’t stop till the end of the story. It’s just one of these books that keep your interest the whole time and make you feel eager to know what will happen and how things will end up. I can say a lot more but I don’t wanna make comments and spoil anything. I enjoyed reading it a lot and highly recommend it. It made me feel relieved
November 20, 2021
I may have given this as much as 4.5 stars, but Martha’s chapters are such a pita after the first. Besides one bit of action at the start and an “I know a guy” moment towards the end, she doesn’t contribute to the story despite taking up perhaps the largest portion of the book. The end is also somewhat anticlimactic and there are gaps in the story that left me wondering if there was a fifth pov that got cut.
Tobias, Rosa, and Roman are the best of the book, and I’m very disappointed they didn’t receive the same attention that Martha & Cillian did.
Tobias, Rosa, and Roman are the best of the book, and I’m very disappointed they didn’t receive the same attention that Martha & Cillian did.
January 8, 2018
This didn't appeal to me at all, I'm afraid. What started off as a fast paced page turner very soon turned into a slow, jumbled and disorganised story. I didn't like the 'jumping back and forth in time' randomly and I wasn't overly keen on the writing style here. One of the characters "Martha" was so unbelievably vile, I just got fed up with reading this and gave up very near to the end. Not great.
March 13, 2018
I liked the writing, nice and simple. However, the book just was not for me. I found myself bored reading it. And reflecting back, nothing happened about the bank robbery. Roman was arrested, but the other guys...nothing. I would have preferred a point of view from them as well.
And the ending was a bit...underwhelming. It was like “ok then.” Nothing was really...concluded, I feel. Like the last few chapters were rushed. It left me feeling, meh.
And the ending was a bit...underwhelming. It was like “ok then.” Nothing was really...concluded, I feel. Like the last few chapters were rushed. It left me feeling, meh.
March 28, 2020
I really liked the characters and the writing style, although it felt like there were maybe a few too many characters and storylines. There were a lot of hard-hitting issues and it felt like some of them were glossed over a bit and not dealt with in enough depth. Particularly Roman's story seemed to be resolved very simply, it was almost a sude-issue that was slotted in alongside the main will they/won't they romance plot. I did enjoy reading the book though. 3.5 stars rounded up.
April 30, 2020
There wasn't much to dislike about this book. The characters were well developed an relatable, the story line was good and there was no confusion considering the story is based around four main characters.
My only down side is I personally felt the ending was maybe, slightly rushed. I'd have liked more drama toward the end of the case that the book is based around.
But definitely a good read and one I shall be recommending.
My only down side is I personally felt the ending was maybe, slightly rushed. I'd have liked more drama toward the end of the case that the book is based around.
But definitely a good read and one I shall be recommending.
July 26, 2017
Lovely story with good themes and characters but I somehow didn't feel quite as connected to the book as I would have liked. Each character had a good story but maybe there were too many characters in the one book...? I would've liked a more in depth story on a few of them. Well written & would definitely read another of her books.
October 10, 2019
Magic stuff, excellent plot, beautiful, concise writing and the award for the most unpronounceable Christian names since James Joyce....actually, come to think of it, I have absolute no idea how to pronounce the author’s name, either. Nevertheless a marvellous book and I can’t wait to read the rest of her novels. Highly Recommended by Me. X
November 10, 2019
A nice story - not what I quite imagined - I wasn't sure if it was going to be a crime, love or day to day story about peoples lives intermingling but it turned out to be all three. I find most Irish writers have an uncanny knack of making you feel the emotions as they ebb and flow and this was no exception - a well written and warming story
October 24, 2020
I could see what the author was trying to do with having many different story lines and tying them altogether but it is very difficult to do, and when it isn't done that well the story can be confusing and hard to understand where everything ties together, which I feel as though is what happened in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2017
A bit of a mess. Serious commentary about crime, the hard lives of immigrants, alcoholism and loss , or a lightweight romcom? No, we fall painfully and unconvincingly in between. A like able character would have improved it.
August 31, 2018
This was a bit different from what I expected (after reading another book by the same author, just before this one), but again, very realistic characters! I was a bit annoyed, though, that the character whom I would have liked to reshape with a hammer, had my first name ('_')
January 26, 2022
Didn't love it. Skimmed read the last few chapters so I could get reading a new book. The epilogue was weird, all the narrators seemed to have a closing chapter except the one character I actually gave a shit about... Roman?
May 11, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the characters in this book. This is the first time I've ready a book from this author and I'll be seeking out others.
December 30, 2017
Four and half stars from me-once again a believable story with characters that are just that little bit out of the ordinary . The author's skill made me relate to each of the characters in turn and the plot was sufficiently unpredictable to keep me entertained.
May 5, 2018
Another great story. I think she is becoming a fav author for me. Stories are quick based, humerus but still deal with real life problems. This book did not differ. Recommend to others
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