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Where She Belongs
Roisin has had enough. After the recession hit Spain, her husband, Javier, has fallen into an abyss of depression and is threatening to drag her down with him. In order to save them both, she leaves Spain and does something she has always dreamt of doing. To live by the sea. She wants to gain control of her life, make a new start and finally follow her dreams.
With a mixture of sadness and anticipation, she moves back to Ireland, rents a house by the sea, and has a fortuitous meeting with Maggie who runs a craft boutique.
At first everything runs smoothly. Maggie offers her a job and people are more than kind. Too good to be true? The last thing on her mind is another man. But then she meets Tom, the irresistible Irish man. When Javier follows her and tries to woo her back, confusion sets in. After perfect beginnings, where she meets some of the helpful and colourful characters who live there, things begin to get complicated. The first cracks appear on the façade. Why is her old neighbour, Mrs. Walsh, being threatened? What is she afraid of? And why are people suspicious of Maggie, her new friend and boutique owner?
With a mixture of sadness and anticipation, she moves back to Ireland, rents a house by the sea, and has a fortuitous meeting with Maggie who runs a craft boutique.
At first everything runs smoothly. Maggie offers her a job and people are more than kind. Too good to be true? The last thing on her mind is another man. But then she meets Tom, the irresistible Irish man. When Javier follows her and tries to woo her back, confusion sets in. After perfect beginnings, where she meets some of the helpful and colourful characters who live there, things begin to get complicated. The first cracks appear on the façade. Why is her old neighbour, Mrs. Walsh, being threatened? What is she afraid of? And why are people suspicious of Maggie, her new friend and boutique owner?
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 19, 2016
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 1, 2016
Where She Belongs is a slow burner of a debut novel from author Liz Doran. Many of the best authors in the world hail from Ireland, where this book is set. It follows the ups and downs of Roisin, who (in a paradoxically shift of pace in the early chapters) has her life literally turned upside down an decides she has had enough of Spanish beau Javier.
Reading this from the male point of view may actually garner interest in this book. You see, I felt Javier had been hard done by. He’s not the model husband, and he does something that is practically unforgivable, but as this happens early on in the story, we haven’t learned enough to form a strong opinion as to whether he is the bad guy or not.
Clearly Roisin acts at first with her heart and then her head. The time lapse is not that long, and soon enough Roisin has decided to get out from the relative comfort of her life and start over again.
I applaud the author for taking this decision. It’s a woman’s story written for women, but that shouldn’t prevent male readers from reading Where She Belongs. It would have been an interesting angle to see Roisin stay post-the-event but that would have taken the story on a whole different direction.
The pace is steady. There’s a lot of information in the story that from the male perspective is less interesting but I can understand why it is in there, as the book would fall under women’s fiction.
Roisin’s journey through Ireland is strongly depicted and if you have never been to the country, the author makes you fall in love with the place. Everyone knows that one person’s paradise is another’s idea of hell, and despite the brave new world Roisin chooses to go after, not everything falls into place. That would be too easy, and the author does not give us a cop out ending.
That said, whilst Roisin began to find herself and a new meaning to her life, it was only a matter of time before Javier popped up again. He’s not a one-dimensional psycho dumped husband like Patrick Bergin in Sleeping With the Enemy, and again, I was grateful for how the character was drawn.
Where She Belongs is an interesting debut novel that demands the readers’ attention. In some ways it is a very easy read, at other times, it is heart wrenching and touching.
A strong debut from Liz Doran.
Reading this from the male point of view may actually garner interest in this book. You see, I felt Javier had been hard done by. He’s not the model husband, and he does something that is practically unforgivable, but as this happens early on in the story, we haven’t learned enough to form a strong opinion as to whether he is the bad guy or not.
Clearly Roisin acts at first with her heart and then her head. The time lapse is not that long, and soon enough Roisin has decided to get out from the relative comfort of her life and start over again.
I applaud the author for taking this decision. It’s a woman’s story written for women, but that shouldn’t prevent male readers from reading Where She Belongs. It would have been an interesting angle to see Roisin stay post-the-event but that would have taken the story on a whole different direction.
The pace is steady. There’s a lot of information in the story that from the male perspective is less interesting but I can understand why it is in there, as the book would fall under women’s fiction.
Roisin’s journey through Ireland is strongly depicted and if you have never been to the country, the author makes you fall in love with the place. Everyone knows that one person’s paradise is another’s idea of hell, and despite the brave new world Roisin chooses to go after, not everything falls into place. That would be too easy, and the author does not give us a cop out ending.
That said, whilst Roisin began to find herself and a new meaning to her life, it was only a matter of time before Javier popped up again. He’s not a one-dimensional psycho dumped husband like Patrick Bergin in Sleeping With the Enemy, and again, I was grateful for how the character was drawn.
Where She Belongs is an interesting debut novel that demands the readers’ attention. In some ways it is a very easy read, at other times, it is heart wrenching and touching.
A strong debut from Liz Doran.
June 17, 2016
I shouldn’t say I liked this one because it’s technically a romance, but hey sometimes you have to put your hands up. This isn’t a good book, it’s a really good book. Honestly I’d probably give this four stars as I struggle with romance. However, given the fact that it engaged me so much and it is a genre that I am unfamiliar with I feel I need to bump it up to five to be fair to the author. I am Irish so I connected often with simple things in the book. Clearly an Irish writer here who can give a sense of the place and people with ease, I was completely engaged by the narrative. Roisín (with or without a fada - an Irish thing - should result in some imaginative pronunciations for the reader) is a superb character and throughout the story, Liz Doran demonstrates a confident style and guile that for me makes this book stand out. There is nothing like a talented writer being able to create, develop and measure a captivating story. Pick up this one, you won’t regret it.
June 10, 2016
The cover was the first thing to grab my attention. I was a little hesitant because I saw the category, Romance which is one of my least favourite genre. However, it did promise mystery so I took a gamble and so glad I did.
The main character, Roisin is a well drawn one - a woman who has her own flaws, dreams and aspirations. Liz Doran makes her believable and I would imagine most women will be able to relate to/with her. The other characters who appear in Where She Belongs are also believable, interesting, and complex. Each play a crucial part in the sub-plots and each are developed enough to make you love of loathe.
The author moves the story forward through narrative and dialogue - not to mention the hopes and wishes of Roisin. The descriptive narrative about her surroundings portrayed by the author makes you feel as if you are there in the little house in Ireland. Some women won't or don't take the chance to leave a relationship and be independent, both financially and emotionally. Roisin finds the strength and move her life onwards.
Apart from the romance - which wasn't too heavy and I enjoyed it - I really enjoyed the plot concerning the crime/mystery aspect.I feel Liz Doran could have made a lot more of this but hopefully in a further title?
All in all a solid read, well written and enjoyable.
The main character, Roisin is a well drawn one - a woman who has her own flaws, dreams and aspirations. Liz Doran makes her believable and I would imagine most women will be able to relate to/with her. The other characters who appear in Where She Belongs are also believable, interesting, and complex. Each play a crucial part in the sub-plots and each are developed enough to make you love of loathe.
The author moves the story forward through narrative and dialogue - not to mention the hopes and wishes of Roisin. The descriptive narrative about her surroundings portrayed by the author makes you feel as if you are there in the little house in Ireland. Some women won't or don't take the chance to leave a relationship and be independent, both financially and emotionally. Roisin finds the strength and move her life onwards.
Apart from the romance - which wasn't too heavy and I enjoyed it - I really enjoyed the plot concerning the crime/mystery aspect.I feel Liz Doran could have made a lot more of this but hopefully in a further title?
All in all a solid read, well written and enjoyable.
April 17, 2016
Interesting and thoughtful novel about Roisin Delaney, a woman from Ireland whose marriage in Spain to Javier turns sour when the construction bubble bursts. He changes and she runs away with the help of her sister in Ireland. The book has beautiful prose and works through some great themes and reflections for ex-pats: the feelings of belonging to family, partners, country, professions and love. Old versus familiar.. the belongs from the title stayed with me for a long time.
Roisin is a complex and well crafted character I could often identify with. Deservedly 5 stars
Roisin is a complex and well crafted character I could often identify with. Deservedly 5 stars
October 16, 2016
A new page, a fresh start and a great book.
The initial independence which follows your youth often comes with a price of unwanted commitments & responsibilities. Roisin Delaney is one of the few that takes a leap of faith to leave everything behind and restart over, a new page and a new life. She returns to her roots but as an independent woman still in her prime seeking to establish a new life by following her own instincts and rules. Her odyssey takes her to an west coast of Ireland, settling in a cottage beside the sea. The area is an uncut jewel of natural environment and things quickly fall into place for her, a home, a job, a friend and a new romance. Change brings complications, though. The life she left behind has caught up with her. Roisin's jilted husband pursues her and tries to rekindle her affection for him. She will have to make a decision to reaffirm her new life and love or refresh her prior one. Then she finds out that some people are not really who they seemed to be. This touch of mystery and slight menace add to a very good story which is all about change and transformation and how a woman deals with it. Above all, the writing style is very polished and flows well. A touch of warm-hearted descriptive Irish narrative runs throughout and makes this book a lovely read. This is a fantastic debut novel from a skilled author.
The initial independence which follows your youth often comes with a price of unwanted commitments & responsibilities. Roisin Delaney is one of the few that takes a leap of faith to leave everything behind and restart over, a new page and a new life. She returns to her roots but as an independent woman still in her prime seeking to establish a new life by following her own instincts and rules. Her odyssey takes her to an west coast of Ireland, settling in a cottage beside the sea. The area is an uncut jewel of natural environment and things quickly fall into place for her, a home, a job, a friend and a new romance. Change brings complications, though. The life she left behind has caught up with her. Roisin's jilted husband pursues her and tries to rekindle her affection for him. She will have to make a decision to reaffirm her new life and love or refresh her prior one. Then she finds out that some people are not really who they seemed to be. This touch of mystery and slight menace add to a very good story which is all about change and transformation and how a woman deals with it. Above all, the writing style is very polished and flows well. A touch of warm-hearted descriptive Irish narrative runs throughout and makes this book a lovely read. This is a fantastic debut novel from a skilled author.
July 10, 2025
Roisin’s decision to leave her husband in Spain brings her back to her roots. A small village by the sea. A heart harrowing for me, I grew up in a small town by the sea on the other side of the channel, in Brittany. At first, I wasn't impressed by the story, romances are far from being my passion. Chapter 3 was the one that hooked me. Where she belongs is a well-written and constructed story. Starting over is a big step, Dorian does it as if second nature. She now reaffirms a new life, love, and surroundings. Although people might not be what they want to project. The writing style is very polished and flows well. The ending is not haphazardly marooned, it makes sense. Great story!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews