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Familjehemligheter
A romantic holiday in sunny Rome. A happy marriage strong enough to last forty years. Three children, now adults, who've grown up secure in the knowledge that they know everything about their mum and dad, and each other.
But they don't.
On the day of the surprise anniversary party Steffie and her brother and sister have arranged for their parents, there's a shock in store, for all of them. Especially for Steffie.
It's definitely going to be a day to remember...
But they don't.
On the day of the surprise anniversary party Steffie and her brother and sister have arranged for their parents, there's a shock in store, for all of them. Especially for Steffie.
It's definitely going to be a day to remember...
441 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2015
369 people are currently reading
1709 people want to read
About the author
Sheila O'Flanagan
95 books1,201 followersAs you can see, a Dubliner all my life. My parents owned a grocery shop in the Iveagh Markets, in the Liberties area of the city and I guess city blood runs through my veins.
As a child I enjoyed reading and telling stories and everyone thought that I end up in a job which had something to do with books and literature. But though I applied for a job in the library all of the job offers I got were in commerce.
I turned down lots of them before my mother accepted one for me (I was on holiday at the time). It was in the Central Bank of Ireland and that’s how my career in financial services began.
I started out in administration and then moved jobs until finally I was working as a dealer in a commercial bank. Eventually I was promoted to Chief Dealer (the first female CD in the country). I traded lots of different things – foreign exchange, swaps, options, bonds…all of the kind of things you read about in the papers and that sound very technical and difficult. Of course once you’re doing it, it’s not half as technical as it sounds.
But I still loved reading and writing (which I did in my spare time) and I desperately wanted to write my own book. I guess I never quite got over the fact that I was never offered the library job! In my thirties I decided that it was now or never and I sat down, stuck Chapter 1 on a page, and started. I wrote the whole thing before sending it off.
I was offered a publishing deal (with no advance) by an Irish company but only if I wrote a different book! So back to the drawing board, I started again. It was another two years before it was published. It wasn’t until I’d written a few books and was offered a contract (this time with an advance!) from another publisher that I felt able to give up my trading job and write full time. So, even though it took a long time, I eventually realised my dream of being a full-time writer.
And now I also write a business column for the Irish Times.
When I’m writing a book I want to do three things:
* Tell a good story
* Make the reader feel like they know the characters
* Make each book better than the last
I don’t write for any particular audience but I suppose I must have people like me in mind – people who have busy lives and who like to escape into someone else’s for a while.
I love writing books. I hope you enjoy reading them.
As a child I enjoyed reading and telling stories and everyone thought that I end up in a job which had something to do with books and literature. But though I applied for a job in the library all of the job offers I got were in commerce.
I turned down lots of them before my mother accepted one for me (I was on holiday at the time). It was in the Central Bank of Ireland and that’s how my career in financial services began.
I started out in administration and then moved jobs until finally I was working as a dealer in a commercial bank. Eventually I was promoted to Chief Dealer (the first female CD in the country). I traded lots of different things – foreign exchange, swaps, options, bonds…all of the kind of things you read about in the papers and that sound very technical and difficult. Of course once you’re doing it, it’s not half as technical as it sounds.
But I still loved reading and writing (which I did in my spare time) and I desperately wanted to write my own book. I guess I never quite got over the fact that I was never offered the library job! In my thirties I decided that it was now or never and I sat down, stuck Chapter 1 on a page, and started. I wrote the whole thing before sending it off.
I was offered a publishing deal (with no advance) by an Irish company but only if I wrote a different book! So back to the drawing board, I started again. It was another two years before it was published. It wasn’t until I’d written a few books and was offered a contract (this time with an advance!) from another publisher that I felt able to give up my trading job and write full time. So, even though it took a long time, I eventually realised my dream of being a full-time writer.
And now I also write a business column for the Irish Times.
When I’m writing a book I want to do three things:
* Tell a good story
* Make the reader feel like they know the characters
* Make each book better than the last
I don’t write for any particular audience but I suppose I must have people like me in mind – people who have busy lives and who like to escape into someone else’s for a while.
I love writing books. I hope you enjoy reading them.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
January 18, 2016
Two and a half stars.
Organising a surprise party can always be fraught with danger. But Roisin feel she has all bases covered in the organisation of a surprise 40th wedding anniversary party for her parents, Jenny and Pascal. She enlists help from Steffie, her youngest sister, and even manages to ensure their brother, Davie, gets home from overseas with his Danish girl Camilla.
Steffie has her doubts about the wisdom of the surprise party, but she is easily overruled by the domineering Roisin. It sounds like everything is organised to perfection but of course that is not what happens. There are some surprises that Roisin, Davey and Steffie never saw coming, although I feel readers will. I certainly did.
I went into this book expecting it to be a light read about relationships and it was. So much so that at times if felt rather like watching a soapie unfold. In my view the two secrets were predictable and flagged a mile away. So why did I keep reading? At times I wondered that myself. But I couldn’t quite put it aside either. In the end I think it was because my previous read had been one I savoured and thought a lot about, so this time I wanted something that didn’t require me to think.
The characters to me were rather predictable. Roisin is the bossy older sister, Steffie the somewhat vague creative one and Davey the one who is removed from most events. There are a lot of extended family like aunts and cousin invited to the party as well and they create diversions and conflicts of their own. Even though I wasn’t a fan of this book there will be plenty of other people who will eat it up. It just wasn’t for me.
Organising a surprise party can always be fraught with danger. But Roisin feel she has all bases covered in the organisation of a surprise 40th wedding anniversary party for her parents, Jenny and Pascal. She enlists help from Steffie, her youngest sister, and even manages to ensure their brother, Davie, gets home from overseas with his Danish girl Camilla.
Steffie has her doubts about the wisdom of the surprise party, but she is easily overruled by the domineering Roisin. It sounds like everything is organised to perfection but of course that is not what happens. There are some surprises that Roisin, Davey and Steffie never saw coming, although I feel readers will. I certainly did.
I went into this book expecting it to be a light read about relationships and it was. So much so that at times if felt rather like watching a soapie unfold. In my view the two secrets were predictable and flagged a mile away. So why did I keep reading? At times I wondered that myself. But I couldn’t quite put it aside either. In the end I think it was because my previous read had been one I savoured and thought a lot about, so this time I wanted something that didn’t require me to think.
The characters to me were rather predictable. Roisin is the bossy older sister, Steffie the somewhat vague creative one and Davey the one who is removed from most events. There are a lot of extended family like aunts and cousin invited to the party as well and they create diversions and conflicts of their own. Even though I wasn’t a fan of this book there will be plenty of other people who will eat it up. It just wasn’t for me.
June 24, 2015
“The trouble with secrets, she thought, is that they start to take over our lives. They take on a life of their own. They change us. They make us change to keep them. And that’s not always a good thing.”
My Mother’s Secret is the twentieth novel by Irish author, Sheila O’Flanagan. Roisin, the eldest of the Sheehan siblings, is insisting that they hold a big surprise garden party for the fortieth wedding anniversary of their parents, Jenny and Pascal, at their Wexford home in Aranbeg. Extended family from both sides are invited. Her brother, Davey is bringing his new girlfriend, Camilla, from Copenhagen, and Roisin’s younger sister, Steffie can easily do quite a bit of work: she doesn’t have a husband and three kids to organise, and running her graphic design business from home isn’t a proper job, after all. Roisin likes to maintain tight control over these affairs (someone has to), managing them with something akin to military precision, and even though Steffie doubts that Jenny will be thrilled about the surprise, she and Davey acquiesce: it’s easier to go along than to argue with Roisin.
But this time, not everything goes according to plan: cousin Carl, currently “on a break” from Bernice, his girlfriend of eight years, attracts the ire of both his mother and Roisin when he brings Summer, a buxom, young aspiring model with cocktail-making talents; the morning’s clear blue sky begins to fill with ominous black clouds; Bernice, invited before the “break”, decides to take up her invitation; as a lightning strike sets fire to a nearby chestnut tree, Roisin’s daughter, Poppy falls out of the apple tree, requiring a dash through the now-flooded roads to the hospital emergency room. As if that’s not enough, Jenny then drops her bombshell.
O’Flanagan gives the reader a believable plot that manages to include extreme weather, a lost engagement ring, a nude model, an apostolic benediction, childhood infatuation, jealousy, resentment, anger, several unplanned pregnancies, a broken arm, more than one big secret, and a twist or two at the end. Her characters are realistic: none is wholly good, and their flaws make them all the more appealing. The exception, perhaps, is Pascal: a more perfect husband is hard to imagine. She gives her characters natural dialogue and some insightful observations: “We all think, Alivia mused, that the older generation lead much duller lives than us, but the truth is that everyone has their own crisis to deal with”
This is a novel with humour and heartache and a believable ending. While the astute reader will have Jenny’s first revelation sussed early on, this does not detract from the enjoyment of the journey. Fans will not be disappointed, and newcomers to O’Flanagan’s work will want to seek out her earlier novels. Heart-warming, entertaining and very enjoyable.
With thanks to The Reading Room and Hachette for this copy to read and review.
My Mother’s Secret is the twentieth novel by Irish author, Sheila O’Flanagan. Roisin, the eldest of the Sheehan siblings, is insisting that they hold a big surprise garden party for the fortieth wedding anniversary of their parents, Jenny and Pascal, at their Wexford home in Aranbeg. Extended family from both sides are invited. Her brother, Davey is bringing his new girlfriend, Camilla, from Copenhagen, and Roisin’s younger sister, Steffie can easily do quite a bit of work: she doesn’t have a husband and three kids to organise, and running her graphic design business from home isn’t a proper job, after all. Roisin likes to maintain tight control over these affairs (someone has to), managing them with something akin to military precision, and even though Steffie doubts that Jenny will be thrilled about the surprise, she and Davey acquiesce: it’s easier to go along than to argue with Roisin.
But this time, not everything goes according to plan: cousin Carl, currently “on a break” from Bernice, his girlfriend of eight years, attracts the ire of both his mother and Roisin when he brings Summer, a buxom, young aspiring model with cocktail-making talents; the morning’s clear blue sky begins to fill with ominous black clouds; Bernice, invited before the “break”, decides to take up her invitation; as a lightning strike sets fire to a nearby chestnut tree, Roisin’s daughter, Poppy falls out of the apple tree, requiring a dash through the now-flooded roads to the hospital emergency room. As if that’s not enough, Jenny then drops her bombshell.
O’Flanagan gives the reader a believable plot that manages to include extreme weather, a lost engagement ring, a nude model, an apostolic benediction, childhood infatuation, jealousy, resentment, anger, several unplanned pregnancies, a broken arm, more than one big secret, and a twist or two at the end. Her characters are realistic: none is wholly good, and their flaws make them all the more appealing. The exception, perhaps, is Pascal: a more perfect husband is hard to imagine. She gives her characters natural dialogue and some insightful observations: “We all think, Alivia mused, that the older generation lead much duller lives than us, but the truth is that everyone has their own crisis to deal with”
This is a novel with humour and heartache and a believable ending. While the astute reader will have Jenny’s first revelation sussed early on, this does not detract from the enjoyment of the journey. Fans will not be disappointed, and newcomers to O’Flanagan’s work will want to seek out her earlier novels. Heart-warming, entertaining and very enjoyable.
With thanks to The Reading Room and Hachette for this copy to read and review.
April 18, 2018
received this via Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review. 😊
---
Mistakes, she thought. Everyone makes them. Even the people you think never do. And everyone needs forgiveness. Everyone has the power to forgive.
I'll just get this off my chest right now and say that this was a mixed bag for me throughout.
Now, I did enjoy it but before the big reveal my main thought after "Ireland!" and "I like Jenny and Pascal so far... Steffie not sure about yet" was "So glad Roisin isn't my sister!"
Roisin drove me nuts for at least half of this book (though in a couple parts I could understand why she was reacting like that) before redeeming herself (for me) near the end. Her comments about marriage/kids/sibling's lives had me gritting my teeth and wanting to smack her.
If we had been related, I would have been either gagging my mental self or eventually shouting at her at some point... we would have NOT mixed.
Anyways, the beginning was a bit rough... more telling than showing. I was intrigued but not sure if I wanted to continue... half thinking I would give it until the party part was over to throw in the towel.
Then Jenny dropped her bombshells.
Yup, two of em.
Pretty sure my jaw was hanging open and it was a good thing I was at home and not in public.
Yes, the secrets are nothing new in fiction but... holy crap!
I felt so bad for I was just wanted to wrap this person in a huge hug and feed them cookies and help them hide away.
Davey grew on me more than his girlfriend did... I liked her and all but wish we would have more from their perspective.
Colette creeped out at first and then I wanted to punch her. After certain revelations... those feelings lessened and I was happy she worked herself out but still mentally distanced myself from her.
Sarah and Lucinda: Same with Camilla (Davey's girl). Except I wanted to kick them more than once but still wish we had gotten to know them more.
Carl: Want to kick his behind from here to Tuesday. Even with certain things revealed, his attitude made it hard to sympathize with him most of the time.
Bernice: Loved her and would love to see what happens to her next.
Liam: Same as Bernice and I wish him all the happiness in the world. Despite his shorter appearance, he felt "real." Too bad his restaurant isn't a real place.. .that food sounded delicious!
Steffie: She was the one of of the Sheehan siblings I could see myself being friends with. Hers was my favorite POV besides Jenny's to read.
Jenny and Pascal: Pascal is a good man and him standing by Jenny and them being together still (yes bad grammar, oh well :-P) was heartwarming. His narration felt awkward at times, like he was nervous/unsure about telling his story to the audience... not being in first person narration didn't help either.
Despite what Jenny did and kept it from her family, I felt for her. No it isn't right that they kept it from everyone for so long but the quote about secrets taking on a life of their own and the lie being easier to go along with (not the words from the book, forgot to mark that quote) fit perfectly.
The narration mostly felt like the family was recalling their story to someone who thought this was the best way to tell the tale. Not criticizing it, but that was my personal take on it. It didn't feel as personal as it could have, for me anyway.
Another thought I had: "Yeesh, and I thought my family had Drama!" The Sheehan clan certainly had some cards up their sleeve.
All in all, a good read... been awhile since I had a good Family type tale. Would recommend.
---
Mistakes, she thought. Everyone makes them. Even the people you think never do. And everyone needs forgiveness. Everyone has the power to forgive.
I'll just get this off my chest right now and say that this was a mixed bag for me throughout.
Now, I did enjoy it but before the big reveal my main thought after "Ireland!" and "I like Jenny and Pascal so far... Steffie not sure about yet" was "So glad Roisin isn't my sister!"
Roisin drove me nuts for at least half of this book (though in a couple parts I could understand why she was reacting like that) before redeeming herself (for me) near the end. Her comments about marriage/kids/sibling's lives had me gritting my teeth and wanting to smack her.
If we had been related, I would have been either gagging my mental self or eventually shouting at her at some point... we would have NOT mixed.
Anyways, the beginning was a bit rough... more telling than showing. I was intrigued but not sure if I wanted to continue... half thinking I would give it until the party part was over to throw in the towel.
Then Jenny dropped her bombshells.
Yup, two of em.
Pretty sure my jaw was hanging open and it was a good thing I was at home and not in public.
Yes, the secrets are nothing new in fiction but... holy crap!
I felt so bad for I was just wanted to wrap this person in a huge hug and feed them cookies and help them hide away.
Davey grew on me more than his girlfriend did... I liked her and all but wish we would have more from their perspective.
Colette creeped out at first and then I wanted to punch her. After certain revelations... those feelings lessened and I was happy she worked herself out but still mentally distanced myself from her.
Sarah and Lucinda: Same with Camilla (Davey's girl). Except I wanted to kick them more than once but still wish we had gotten to know them more.
Carl: Want to kick his behind from here to Tuesday. Even with certain things revealed, his attitude made it hard to sympathize with him most of the time.
Bernice: Loved her and would love to see what happens to her next.
Liam: Same as Bernice and I wish him all the happiness in the world. Despite his shorter appearance, he felt "real." Too bad his restaurant isn't a real place.. .that food sounded delicious!
Steffie: She was the one of of the Sheehan siblings I could see myself being friends with. Hers was my favorite POV besides Jenny's to read.
Jenny and Pascal: Pascal is a good man and him standing by Jenny and them being together still (yes bad grammar, oh well :-P) was heartwarming. His narration felt awkward at times, like he was nervous/unsure about telling his story to the audience... not being in first person narration didn't help either.
Despite what Jenny did and kept it from her family, I felt for her. No it isn't right that they kept it from everyone for so long but the quote about secrets taking on a life of their own and the lie being easier to go along with (not the words from the book, forgot to mark that quote) fit perfectly.
The narration mostly felt like the family was recalling their story to someone who thought this was the best way to tell the tale. Not criticizing it, but that was my personal take on it. It didn't feel as personal as it could have, for me anyway.
Another thought I had: "Yeesh, and I thought my family had Drama!" The Sheehan clan certainly had some cards up their sleeve.
All in all, a good read... been awhile since I had a good Family type tale. Would recommend.
July 31, 2022
I read this a while ago. Forgot to add my review.
I’ve been reading this authors books for many years. This one fell short for me though it was very middle of the road and oh so predictable.
It happens even with favourite authors.
Won’t stop me reading more that are published though!
I’ve been reading this authors books for many years. This one fell short for me though it was very middle of the road and oh so predictable.
It happens even with favourite authors.
Won’t stop me reading more that are published though!
July 29, 2015
A boring book, in my opinion. The characters are not engaging and the narrative doesn't make me want to read more. It's not often that I don't finish a book, but this time I felt it would have been a waster to read on.
August 31, 2015
This review was originally posted on [Between My Lines]When a book title hints at covert family secrets, then that’s a book that I HAVE to read! Secrets are my kryptonite and family secrets even more so.
First Line of My Mother’s Secret by Sheila O’Flanagan:
"A tiny bead of perspiration rolled along Steffie's eyebrow, gathering momentum as it slid down her cheek before landing with a plop on the enormous cardboard box she was carrying."
My Thoughts on My Mother’s Secret by Sheila O’Flanagan:
When it comes to reviews here, my aim is always to be 100% open and honest in my opinions. Sheila O’Flanagan is an author I admire and respect and some of her previous books have been 5 star reads all the way for me. However with this one, I enjoyed it, it entertained me but I wasn’t blown away by it.
It is a very solid 3 star read. The characters are fully fleshed and captured the feel of a contemporary Irish family. There were lots of different personalities and lots of different story strands and they all meshed together well. In particular I really enjoyed the main character – Steffie – as she is independent, a little bit quirky and a little lacking in confidence. I could identify with her and I enjoyed her growth during the book.
I also appreciated the romance element of the book. It didn’t sizzle but it felt real and genuine and good humoured. The main theme of the book is the celebration of Steffie’s parents fortieth wedding anniversary and it was heart-warming to see how love this couple still were after decades of the normal ups and downs of everyday family life. It felt sweet but still sexy and sensual which I loved as I feel older couples can often be overlooked in romance books.
The setting is in Ireland and the language and flow of the book felt very Irish. I love reading about familiar settings and this book like all of Sheila’s other books was a winner in this aspect.
I did feel the book was a bit predictable and in a book about secrets, I would have preferred if the secret was harder to guess. I do thinks it’s more of a character driven book than a plot driven book and I’m giving a huge thumbs up to the characters but a half hearted wave to the plot.
Overall an engaging book that would make for a enjoyable beach read. It might not be wow but it is very readable and good fun if you like family drama and happy-ever-afters.
Who should read My Mother’s Secret by Sheila O’Flanagan?
Fans of Sheila’s previous books will find entertaining characters here just as in all her previous books. I’d also recommend this to you if you enjoy quick, easy reads that make you feel all the emotions and that make you care about the characters. Fans of authors such as Patricia Scanlan, Emma Hannigan and Rachael English should also enjoy.
Thanks to Bookbridgr and Headline for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest unbiased review.
First Line of My Mother’s Secret by Sheila O’Flanagan:
"A tiny bead of perspiration rolled along Steffie's eyebrow, gathering momentum as it slid down her cheek before landing with a plop on the enormous cardboard box she was carrying."
My Thoughts on My Mother’s Secret by Sheila O’Flanagan:
When it comes to reviews here, my aim is always to be 100% open and honest in my opinions. Sheila O’Flanagan is an author I admire and respect and some of her previous books have been 5 star reads all the way for me. However with this one, I enjoyed it, it entertained me but I wasn’t blown away by it.
It is a very solid 3 star read. The characters are fully fleshed and captured the feel of a contemporary Irish family. There were lots of different personalities and lots of different story strands and they all meshed together well. In particular I really enjoyed the main character – Steffie – as she is independent, a little bit quirky and a little lacking in confidence. I could identify with her and I enjoyed her growth during the book.
I also appreciated the romance element of the book. It didn’t sizzle but it felt real and genuine and good humoured. The main theme of the book is the celebration of Steffie’s parents fortieth wedding anniversary and it was heart-warming to see how love this couple still were after decades of the normal ups and downs of everyday family life. It felt sweet but still sexy and sensual which I loved as I feel older couples can often be overlooked in romance books.
The setting is in Ireland and the language and flow of the book felt very Irish. I love reading about familiar settings and this book like all of Sheila’s other books was a winner in this aspect.
I did feel the book was a bit predictable and in a book about secrets, I would have preferred if the secret was harder to guess. I do thinks it’s more of a character driven book than a plot driven book and I’m giving a huge thumbs up to the characters but a half hearted wave to the plot.
Overall an engaging book that would make for a enjoyable beach read. It might not be wow but it is very readable and good fun if you like family drama and happy-ever-afters.
Who should read My Mother’s Secret by Sheila O’Flanagan?
Fans of Sheila’s previous books will find entertaining characters here just as in all her previous books. I’d also recommend this to you if you enjoy quick, easy reads that make you feel all the emotions and that make you care about the characters. Fans of authors such as Patricia Scanlan, Emma Hannigan and Rachael English should also enjoy.
Thanks to Bookbridgr and Headline for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest unbiased review.
February 23, 2025
Een heerlijk boek. Net het type boek waar ik zin aan had. Ik had hiervoor twee oorlogsverhalen en twee thrillers gelezen, dus ik was wel toe aan een feelgood en dat is precies wat dit boek is. Ook al heeft het ook een serieus tintje. Het boek eindigde voor mijn gevoel wel wat abrupt, omdat ik nog niet helemaal aan het einde van het boek was. Dat komt omdat er nog reclame voor een ander boek van Sheila O’Flanagan wordt gemaakt. Maar daardoor had ik het einde nog niet verwacht. De personages in dit boek zijn leuk en het is ook leuk dat het verhaal vanuit verschillende personages verteld wordt. Daardoor leer je de verschillende personages goed kennen. Een aanrader voor als je op zoek bent naar een heerlijk, luchtig verhaal.
August 4, 2015
Firstly I'd like to thank the publisher (headline) for an ARC of this book via netgalley, in return for an honest review.
Being a fan of Sheila O'Flanagan books and having read them all I was delighted to get an ECopy of this one. However I thought this book was just OK. Certainly not one of her best. It was predictable and tedious in places. It did not take me long to finish it and I was able to predict what was going to happen next. I was disappointed with this book.
Being a fan of Sheila O'Flanagan books and having read them all I was delighted to get an ECopy of this one. However I thought this book was just OK. Certainly not one of her best. It was predictable and tedious in places. It did not take me long to finish it and I was able to predict what was going to happen next. I was disappointed with this book.
September 3, 2015
Just when you think your family is normal.....
My nan used to read two books a day sometimes. She devoured Mills & Boon books along with any gentle tale of life in the country or a family saga. My nan would have loved this book. It's not a bad book, just a quick look at all the red stars on Goodreads tells me there are plenty of people who loved this quiet, suburban tale. A tale centred around an Irish 40th anniversary surprise party and the bombshell announcements which follow from good old mum; the person you would least expect to have secrets.
It just didn't grab me. The characters weren't really that interesting and I didn't care enough about them. The father seemed to be extremely weak with no story of his own and the fact that the ending wrapped up so neatly and happily just didn't sit right. I'm told from the book jacket that there were witty moments to be found inside, but I didnt find them, however, there were some heartwarming andn touching ones. I think it could be a cultural or generation gap for me; bombshell part one, really wasn't that much of a big deal, which gave me another reason to feel distant from the story and the characters. I found myself skipping pages and slipping away from the story completely.
What I can say though, is that i'm pretty sure my nan would have loved it, so Maureen, I send this tale up to you in the heavens!
2 stars for me - Skipping pages is never a good sign.
Copy given to me for honest review by Hachette Australia.
Follow Duffy @duffythewriter or Facebook.com/duffythewriter
My nan used to read two books a day sometimes. She devoured Mills & Boon books along with any gentle tale of life in the country or a family saga. My nan would have loved this book. It's not a bad book, just a quick look at all the red stars on Goodreads tells me there are plenty of people who loved this quiet, suburban tale. A tale centred around an Irish 40th anniversary surprise party and the bombshell announcements which follow from good old mum; the person you would least expect to have secrets.
It just didn't grab me. The characters weren't really that interesting and I didn't care enough about them. The father seemed to be extremely weak with no story of his own and the fact that the ending wrapped up so neatly and happily just didn't sit right. I'm told from the book jacket that there were witty moments to be found inside, but I didnt find them, however, there were some heartwarming andn touching ones. I think it could be a cultural or generation gap for me; bombshell part one, really wasn't that much of a big deal, which gave me another reason to feel distant from the story and the characters. I found myself skipping pages and slipping away from the story completely.
What I can say though, is that i'm pretty sure my nan would have loved it, so Maureen, I send this tale up to you in the heavens!
2 stars for me - Skipping pages is never a good sign.
Copy given to me for honest review by Hachette Australia.
Follow Duffy @duffythewriter or Facebook.com/duffythewriter
March 10, 2018
Can you say d r a m a t i c?
Won this through Goodreads and it started off ok enough, but as the story went on, the more I couldn't get into it. I think it lost steam for me around the part we find out A lot of characters each with their own side plot can be interesting, but it can take away from diving deeper into the motivations of the main characters (i.e. Steffie, Jenny & Pascal)...which is ultimately what the book is about.
Also, it unnecessarily dramatic at times and I just wanted everyone to chill out.
2.5/5
Won this through Goodreads and it started off ok enough, but as the story went on, the more I couldn't get into it. I think it lost steam for me around the part we find out A lot of characters each with their own side plot can be interesting, but it can take away from diving deeper into the motivations of the main characters (i.e. Steffie, Jenny & Pascal)...which is ultimately what the book is about.
Also, it unnecessarily dramatic at times and I just wanted everyone to chill out.
2.5/5
April 13, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I felt I could totally identify with the main character and quickly became absorbed in the story. Well written and great storylines filled with warmth and romanticism.
August 31, 2015
A predictable read where all the characters regardless of their flaws live happily ever after.
September 15, 2018
Il Segreto di mia madre comincia sotto un’inaspettata ondata di caldo di fine estate. Oppressa da una cappa di calore che avvolge tutto e tutti con le sue spire afose, Steffi ha il compito di ultimare alcune incombenze relative alla festa a sorpresa che sua sorella maggiore Roisin ha deciso di organizzare al fine di festeggiare il quarantesimo anniversario di matrimonio dei genitori Jenny e Pascal. Steffi non è convinta che sia una buona idea, nutre seri dubbi circa l’elemento sorpresa della festa, ma tutti gli invitati l’hanno trovata un’idea geniale e non vedono l’ora di partecipare. Forse la sensazione spiacevole che nutre fin dall’inizio è interamente dovuta alla calura di quel giorno. Quando finalmente gli amici e parenti arrivano, il bel giardino della casa di Wexford, che declina dolcemente verso un piccolo ruscello, risuona del dolce tintinnio dei bicchieri e delle risate festose. Guardando con più attenzione però, non si può fare a meno di cogliere il lieve sentore di disappunto che affiora su Roisin quando si rende conto che alcune situazioni impreviste stanno funestando un evento che aveva cercato di organizzare in modo maniacale. Cose di poco conto, in realtà. Come per esempio una zia che si presenta con un vestito simile a quello di sua cugina Sarah; tanto basta, però, alla sua natura perfezionista per sentirsi indispettita. Non avrebbe di certo immaginato che di lì a poco avrebbe rimpianto certe minuzie: sua madre Jenny sta per fare una rivelazione che lascerà tutti a bocca aperta!
La lettura di questa settimana riflette la mia esigenza di perdermi tra le pagine ovattate, leggere e rassicuranti di un bel romanzo romantico. Viviamo un’esistenza frenetica e talvolta inevitabilmente drammatica. Leggere storie d’amore può rappresentare, in alcuni momenti, un rifugio dalla routine. Inoltre, la confortante certezza di un finale rincuorante, dove tutto si collocherà al posto giusto e i protagonisti dopo accettabili peripezie si godranno le giuste ricompense, distende e rilassa i nervi.
La trama del romanzo è gradevole. Dopo un incipit poco incisivo e qualche trascurabile luogo comune, si fa perdonare quasi subito con una storia frizzante, fresca, interamente giocata intorno ad un segreto a lungo celato. La curiosità del lettore viene stuzzicata per molte pagine lungo le quali si è portati a formulare mille congetture per cercare di far luce su cosa potrà mai essere successo alla dolce Jenny di così riprovevole da dover essere tenuto gelosamente nascosto per quarant’anni. Le menzogne sono così, s’ingarbugliano a tal punto alle vite di ciascuno che, ad un certo punto, diventa difficile separarle dalla verità. Quando l’aria afosa di quelle giornate viene spazzata dalla violenza di un’alluvione, la famiglia Sheehan e i suoi ospiti si ritrovano bloccati in casa. La vicinanza forzata, la mancanza di elettricità, la rivelazione di un inconfessabile segreto e l’utilizzo smodato di cocktail alcolici preparati dall' intraprendente Summer, faranno emergere sentimenti a lungo repressi che travolgeranno con la stessa violenza dell’alluvione.
I personaggi principali sono ben delineati e rispecchiano il canovaccio consueto dei romanzi romantici. L’autrice ha una scrittura delicata, scorrevole e a tratti divertente. La lettura è amabile, sebbene talvolta indugi un po’ troppo a lungo sulle situazioni. La storia è cucita intorno alla famiglia e si dipana sulle trame di rapporti conflittuali e dinamiche ambivalenti che spesso sviluppano al suo interno. Il finale, tradizionale.
www.ilviziodileggereblog.wordpress.com
La lettura di questa settimana riflette la mia esigenza di perdermi tra le pagine ovattate, leggere e rassicuranti di un bel romanzo romantico. Viviamo un’esistenza frenetica e talvolta inevitabilmente drammatica. Leggere storie d’amore può rappresentare, in alcuni momenti, un rifugio dalla routine. Inoltre, la confortante certezza di un finale rincuorante, dove tutto si collocherà al posto giusto e i protagonisti dopo accettabili peripezie si godranno le giuste ricompense, distende e rilassa i nervi.
La trama del romanzo è gradevole. Dopo un incipit poco incisivo e qualche trascurabile luogo comune, si fa perdonare quasi subito con una storia frizzante, fresca, interamente giocata intorno ad un segreto a lungo celato. La curiosità del lettore viene stuzzicata per molte pagine lungo le quali si è portati a formulare mille congetture per cercare di far luce su cosa potrà mai essere successo alla dolce Jenny di così riprovevole da dover essere tenuto gelosamente nascosto per quarant’anni. Le menzogne sono così, s’ingarbugliano a tal punto alle vite di ciascuno che, ad un certo punto, diventa difficile separarle dalla verità. Quando l’aria afosa di quelle giornate viene spazzata dalla violenza di un’alluvione, la famiglia Sheehan e i suoi ospiti si ritrovano bloccati in casa. La vicinanza forzata, la mancanza di elettricità, la rivelazione di un inconfessabile segreto e l’utilizzo smodato di cocktail alcolici preparati dall' intraprendente Summer, faranno emergere sentimenti a lungo repressi che travolgeranno con la stessa violenza dell’alluvione.
I personaggi principali sono ben delineati e rispecchiano il canovaccio consueto dei romanzi romantici. L’autrice ha una scrittura delicata, scorrevole e a tratti divertente. La lettura è amabile, sebbene talvolta indugi un po’ troppo a lungo sulle situazioni. La storia è cucita intorno alla famiglia e si dipana sulle trame di rapporti conflittuali e dinamiche ambivalenti che spesso sviluppano al suo interno. Il finale, tradizionale.
www.ilviziodileggereblog.wordpress.com
July 27, 2015
Also on http://chicklitpad.blogspot.co.uk
My Synopsis
Imagine This: You are happy for your parents! Forty years! That’s a big deal! Forty years of love, forty years of setting the best example for you to follow. Though, really, let’s face it, they set the bar really high when all you’ve been able to handle is some non-serious friends-with-benefits uncomplicated relationships. A few months of orgasmic fun, that is!
Anyway, you are very much sure your parents would love to have a quiet time together. But your older unbearable sis is having none of it. She wants to throw a surprise party for them, inviting friends, family and neighbours. And you’d rather help than have a rolling pin whacked against your head, really. Besides things look like they’d turn up just alright because nobody seems to be complaining. (But perhaps, maybe they are not teetering around town with three tiers of cake or climbing skyscraper ladders to fix up banners).
Except your mum has decided to release a long-kept secret(s). So things are not exactly going to be booze, cutting cake and making speeches.
Roll out your tissues! It’s going to be one heck of a stormy summer party.
Steffie’s life summed up for your delight.
My Review
I liked this book!
Great storyline. A family book you could get cosy with this summer. So Woman decides on her fortieth anniversary, she can no more live a lie she’s kept for years, and decides she cannot wait another day (why? Why?) to reveal it to everyone during the time her children want to throw her the biggest surprise. During the same time her son is bringing in a girlfriend from Denmark to coax her into marrying him seeing just how happy his parents are. A star!──
★
A fun multiple character-read! As with all other family books, you’d find yourself scrutinizing, turning over each character finding who you best relate with. You would find your inner, dreamy, lovechild in Steffie. You would find your inner bossiness and unbearable nature in Roisin. You might also find your inner-unsettled and fussy nature in Jenny, the mother. A star.── ★★
Other characters make this book great as well. There’s Summer the cocktail-mixer who’s a bit of a hit amongst the older men of the family. There’s Colette, the cousin who’s dumped three men at the altar. There’s Dave, the brother who’s searching for a right moment to propose. You’d also love the meddling aunts who can’t stand how happy Jenny and Pascal are.── ★★★
OMG Moments would make this a great read for you. OMG Moments you’d really find yourself giggling at. A star.── ★★★★
I liked this book. But I really, really wished I could have loved, loved it. I wanted less predictability, more surprise. On a general note, it a good book.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants a family read to enjoy this summer. Anyone who wants a multiple-character read which doesn’t make all the characters look the same, sound the same, be the same. Anyone who wants a title with lots of heart, warmth and love should look no further than this.
My Synopsis
Imagine This: You are happy for your parents! Forty years! That’s a big deal! Forty years of love, forty years of setting the best example for you to follow. Though, really, let’s face it, they set the bar really high when all you’ve been able to handle is some non-serious friends-with-benefits uncomplicated relationships. A few months of orgasmic fun, that is!
Anyway, you are very much sure your parents would love to have a quiet time together. But your older unbearable sis is having none of it. She wants to throw a surprise party for them, inviting friends, family and neighbours. And you’d rather help than have a rolling pin whacked against your head, really. Besides things look like they’d turn up just alright because nobody seems to be complaining. (But perhaps, maybe they are not teetering around town with three tiers of cake or climbing skyscraper ladders to fix up banners).
Except your mum has decided to release a long-kept secret(s). So things are not exactly going to be booze, cutting cake and making speeches.
Roll out your tissues! It’s going to be one heck of a stormy summer party.
Steffie’s life summed up for your delight.
My Review
I liked this book!
Great storyline. A family book you could get cosy with this summer. So Woman decides on her fortieth anniversary, she can no more live a lie she’s kept for years, and decides she cannot wait another day (why? Why?) to reveal it to everyone during the time her children want to throw her the biggest surprise. During the same time her son is bringing in a girlfriend from Denmark to coax her into marrying him seeing just how happy his parents are. A star!──
★
A fun multiple character-read! As with all other family books, you’d find yourself scrutinizing, turning over each character finding who you best relate with. You would find your inner, dreamy, lovechild in Steffie. You would find your inner bossiness and unbearable nature in Roisin. You might also find your inner-unsettled and fussy nature in Jenny, the mother. A star.── ★★
Other characters make this book great as well. There’s Summer the cocktail-mixer who’s a bit of a hit amongst the older men of the family. There’s Colette, the cousin who’s dumped three men at the altar. There’s Dave, the brother who’s searching for a right moment to propose. You’d also love the meddling aunts who can’t stand how happy Jenny and Pascal are.── ★★★
OMG Moments would make this a great read for you. OMG Moments you’d really find yourself giggling at. A star.── ★★★★
I liked this book. But I really, really wished I could have loved, loved it. I wanted less predictability, more surprise. On a general note, it a good book.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants a family read to enjoy this summer. Anyone who wants a multiple-character read which doesn’t make all the characters look the same, sound the same, be the same. Anyone who wants a title with lots of heart, warmth and love should look no further than this.
June 30, 2017
I was looking forward to this.. but it was hopeless.
there was no excitement from the get go.
as soon as I started reading I knew what the secret was. I didn't see Jenny's secret regarding Steffi coming mind, but the whole storyline seemed very lack lustered.
the way in which the situations were handled, the way in which Steffi totally disengaged herself from the whole family, acting like a spoilt child didn't feel real or in tune with normalised emotions. I found out at 18 that my dad wasn't my 'real' dad I expecting to be able to connect with the characters which I didn't!
I found most of the characters personalities confusing, and the amount of different family members irritating.
I did like Davey's character and his storyline was the only believable one.
I didn't find Steffis character t all independent or exciting like I expected. she had a business that almost didn't take off, a rubbish unexplored love life, and the strangest relationship with her sister. she did as she was told by all members of the family. the storyline with Liam was rubbish. She started with a 1 night stand and was totally in love in their next meeting!! in real life it doesn't happen so again I was unable to connect emotionally to it.
overall a terribly written, emotionless story. tried to get too many characters with big personalities.
there was no excitement from the get go.
as soon as I started reading I knew what the secret was. I didn't see Jenny's secret regarding Steffi coming mind, but the whole storyline seemed very lack lustered.
the way in which the situations were handled, the way in which Steffi totally disengaged herself from the whole family, acting like a spoilt child didn't feel real or in tune with normalised emotions. I found out at 18 that my dad wasn't my 'real' dad I expecting to be able to connect with the characters which I didn't!
I found most of the characters personalities confusing, and the amount of different family members irritating.
I did like Davey's character and his storyline was the only believable one.
I didn't find Steffis character t all independent or exciting like I expected. she had a business that almost didn't take off, a rubbish unexplored love life, and the strangest relationship with her sister. she did as she was told by all members of the family. the storyline with Liam was rubbish. She started with a 1 night stand and was totally in love in their next meeting!! in real life it doesn't happen so again I was unable to connect emotionally to it.
overall a terribly written, emotionless story. tried to get too many characters with big personalities.
October 23, 2015
This book was so predictable and cliched that I could and did predict the conclusion myself. While 'prediction' is an activity we give to children as a way of engaging with reading, I think adults are a little too sophisticated for that. Of course the first 'secret' was going to be no surprise and the second one was just a little too cliched. Even the wedding could have been a surprise - maybe one of the other couples, but no, it was exactly who we expected. Having just finished a much earlier novel by this author, I thought it would be interesting to see how far she had progressed, but, apart from a natural progression in terms of the flow of the writing, the plot was thin and uninspired.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2017
I read previous books by this author, before I knew what reviews were or how important reviews are to authors. Back in the day when I didn't have a kindle and was buying paperbacks :)
Sheila O'Flanagan was one of those authors that as an irish reader I would certainly be reading her books.
Roisin gets the help from her sister Steffie and her brother Davie to organise a surprise 40th wedding anniversary party for their parents. Nothing goes to plan with obstacles to overcome and a bombshell being dropped.
Lovely easy read in an Irish surrounding... of course I was gonna enjoy it.
Sheila O'Flanagan was one of those authors that as an irish reader I would certainly be reading her books.
Roisin gets the help from her sister Steffie and her brother Davie to organise a surprise 40th wedding anniversary party for their parents. Nothing goes to plan with obstacles to overcome and a bombshell being dropped.
Lovely easy read in an Irish surrounding... of course I was gonna enjoy it.
September 17, 2018
I found this quite slow and hard to get into at first, almost wasn't going to bother. However it then started to flow about five chapters in. The secret wasn't so major and then the next secret although quite a thing was dealt with swiftly, shame as I would have liked it to have been developed. This book was ok but not one that I would say is a must read.
June 15, 2017
Ho hum.
May 22, 2020
Loved this book for me a 4.5/5
Patricia has such an easy writing style along with great characters (even some that are slightly irritating; which I think is intentional). I shall definitely be reading more of hers.
Patricia has such an easy writing style along with great characters (even some that are slightly irritating; which I think is intentional). I shall definitely be reading more of hers.
June 22, 2020
Di sicuro non è la festa il vero colpo di scena.
Tra intrighi familiari, affetti e cose non dette si conosce la famiglia e i segreti che tengono nascosti.
Una lettura piacevole che sa di vita quotidiana.
Peccato per la presenza di alcuni errori sparsi per tutto il volume.
Tra intrighi familiari, affetti e cose non dette si conosce la famiglia e i segreti che tengono nascosti.
Una lettura piacevole che sa di vita quotidiana.
Peccato per la presenza di alcuni errori sparsi per tutto il volume.
August 17, 2020
I really liked this book. A lot went on and there were a lot of characters so in some instances it was hard to keep up.
A good easy read that helped distract me from the outside world.
A good easy read that helped distract me from the outside world.
February 24, 2022
Okay, total fluff! Got it at my used bookstore, since it was an Irish author, but not my thing with all the happy endings. Guess Dostoevsky is still on my brain. 1.5 stars.
July 2, 2017
Good chick read
June 14, 2018
what a fantastic book.grest characters great story
August 29, 2018
http://www.esmeraldaviaggielibri.it/i...
Recensione di Veronica – Il segreto di mia madre di Sheila O’Flanagan, edito Leggereditore, pubblicato in agosto.
Steffie, Davey e Roisin decidono di organizzare per l’anniversario dei loro genitori grande festa in famiglia, per celebrare questa unione meravigliosa. Pascal e Jenny sono ormai spostati da 40 anni, la coppia più longeva di tutta la famiglia, tutto ebbe inizio durante un viaggio a Roma, quando lui le chiese di diventare sua moglie tornando così in Irlanda come una coppia sposata. La veritàè che Jenny al tempo era rimasta incinta di Roisin, tornare a casa, con una gravidanza inaspettata e senza marito sarebbe stata una cosa sconveniente. Ma Pascal e Jenny si amavano, lei solare, artista e gioiosa come sua figlia Steffie, lui più pratico e pragmatico come i suoi figli Roisin e Davey. Nulla vietava loro di restare uniti per sempre.
Roisin e Steffie poi non possono essere più diverse. La prima ha bisogno di avere sempre tutto sotto controllo e organizzare ogni cosa nei minimi dettagli, di aiutare gli altri in ogni occasione e quando non può farlo si sente persa. Ha quarant’anni, un marito e tre figlie, ma è talmente seria e disciplinata, che quando si tratta di divertirsi è a zia Steffie che tutti pensano. Lei è solare, allegra, un’anima artistica proprio come la madre, infatti fa la grafica pubblicitaria e ha da poco avviato la sua azienda anche se fa fatica a decollare. Non ha ancora trovato l’uomo con il quale voler formare una famiglia e forse non è del tutto sicura di volerlo trovare, impegnata, ora come ora, ad avviare la sua attività.
E’ però Steffie, essendo la più libera, che deve occuparsi di raggiungere casa dei suoi genitori ad Aranbeg, e preparare il tutto mentre Roisin li tiene impegnati. Tuttavia Steffie conosce bene sua madre e sa che non è una che ama le sorprese, senza contare che, come dice Davey “Ogni volta che ci riuniamo, succede qualcosa di inaspettato”
Così quando Jenny e Pascal rientrano a casa, la ritrovano piena di amici e familiari, pronti a celebrare la loro meravigliosa unione. Ma Jenny nasconde alcuni segreti e tutto l’affetto che viene dimostrato a lei e suo marito, quel voler festeggiare la loro unione, le belle frasi su quanto siano di esempio per ognuno di loro, la mettono in difficoltà e al momento del taglio della torta, in un impeto di esasperazione confessa a tutti ciò che lei e Pascal hanno tenuto nascosto tanto a lungo.
Il problema, pensò Jenny, era che le cose di cui non aveva parlato diventavano segreti. E i segreti prendevano una vita tutta loro. Il che significava che quando alla fine venivano alla luce, la gente poteva giudicare erroneamente i motivi per cui erano stati nascosti.
La tensione tra gli invitati è alta, c’è chi cerca di fuggire per evitare l’imbarazzo e chi ancor peggio si sente tradito. Ma Jenny in realtà deve affrontare lo scoglio più grande. Sua figlia Steffie. Infatti c’è ancora una cosa che quest’ultima deve sapere. Ormai non serve a nessuno indugiare oltre e così, anche l’ultima verità viene svelata. Ora si tratta solo di accettare , perdonare e andare avanti perché, semplicemente, tornare indietro non è possibile.
«Suppongo che tutti facciano almeno un errore tremendo nella loro vita» disse Sarah.
«Il trucco sta nell’imparare dagli errori e io non penso di avere ancora imparato abbastanza.»
«Non puoi tornare indietro, non puoi cancellare i tuoi errori, non puoi ricominciare; tutto quello che puoi fare è andare avanti e vivere con essi.»
In realtà questo romanzo non ci racconta solo la storia di Jenny e sua figlia Steffie. Parla di famiglie e di crescita, di scelte e risultati. E’ uno spaccato di vita sulla storia di una famiglia intera. Conosceremo Steffie, Roisin e Davey, ma scopriremo anche perché la cugina Colette continua a rompere i suoi fidanzamenti, capiremo perché Carl, ha deciso di prendersi una pausa da Bernice, amata da tutti, portando alla festa degli zii una nuova ragazza che nulla sembra centrare con lui. Conosceremo Liam, il fratello bruttino e cicciottello della amica di infanzia di Steffie, che ha fatto una notevole trasformazione ed oggi è il bravissimo e affascinante chef proprietario del Cody’s, ristorante di lusso di Aranbeg. Non solo, ci saranno Lucinda e Sarah le sorelle di Jenny che l’hanno sempre presa ad esempio e ancora oggi vivono il confronto tra il suo matrimonio perfetto e il loro fallito, e poi c’è Camille, fidanzata danese di Davey, che si ritrova per la prima volta all’interno di questa famiglia numerosa e a quanto pare, molto disagiata, ma in realtà anche Camille non viene certo da una famiglia perfetta e ha qualche problema con i sentimenti.
Insomma, ne vedrete delle belle, la curiosità vi travolgerà. Il romanzo ha uno stile scorrevole e anche se è scritto in terza persona, ogni volta il punto di vista passa da un protagonista all’altro facendoci cogliere ogni sfumatura.
L’autrice non propone nulla di artefatto o romanzato, nessuna scena da “ma questa cosa succede solo nei romanzi”, eppure, vi sembrerà di essere all’interno di un telefilm di cui non vedete l’ora di vedere la puntata successiva.
La storia ci racconta una realtà che è non è così difficile da trovare. Una famiglia, fatta di persone normali, con una vita normale, con i dubbi e le paure tipici di ogni persona che è passata su questa Terra. Uno sguardo agli errori passati e alle seconde possibilità e poi, quella che è la domanda che mi è ronzata in testa per tutta la lettura: E’ giusto mentire per amore? Certo, non è stato facile per Jenny custodire i suoi segreti così a lungo, sapendo che in un modo o nell’altro avrebbe ferito le persone che più amava, forse avrebbe potuto gestirlo in modo diverso, o forse no. Il punto è che si trattava della sua vita, davvero anche altri dovevano sapere? E poi senza dubbio, alcune rivelazioni, avrebbero creato situazioni non piacevoli che avrebbero procurato la sofferenza di molte persone. Ma ancora una volta ci viene dimostrato che l’amore è in grado di superare ogni cosa, col tempo certo, ma non c’è ostacolo che non possa essere aggirato, basta solo essere capaci di perdonare e ricominciare, forse anche più forti e uniti di prima.
E voi, avete mai mentito per amore? A volte non dire qualcosa, eludere la verità, può aiutare le persone ad accettare meglio una situazione… e allora è così grave? Siete per le bugie bianche o la verità sempre e comunque?
Errori, pensò. Ognuno li fa, anche le persone che pensi non ne fanno mai, e tutti hanno bisogno del perdono. Ognuno ha il potere di perdonare.
Recensione di Veronica – Il segreto di mia madre di Sheila O’Flanagan, edito Leggereditore, pubblicato in agosto.
Steffie, Davey e Roisin decidono di organizzare per l’anniversario dei loro genitori grande festa in famiglia, per celebrare questa unione meravigliosa. Pascal e Jenny sono ormai spostati da 40 anni, la coppia più longeva di tutta la famiglia, tutto ebbe inizio durante un viaggio a Roma, quando lui le chiese di diventare sua moglie tornando così in Irlanda come una coppia sposata. La veritàè che Jenny al tempo era rimasta incinta di Roisin, tornare a casa, con una gravidanza inaspettata e senza marito sarebbe stata una cosa sconveniente. Ma Pascal e Jenny si amavano, lei solare, artista e gioiosa come sua figlia Steffie, lui più pratico e pragmatico come i suoi figli Roisin e Davey. Nulla vietava loro di restare uniti per sempre.
Roisin e Steffie poi non possono essere più diverse. La prima ha bisogno di avere sempre tutto sotto controllo e organizzare ogni cosa nei minimi dettagli, di aiutare gli altri in ogni occasione e quando non può farlo si sente persa. Ha quarant’anni, un marito e tre figlie, ma è talmente seria e disciplinata, che quando si tratta di divertirsi è a zia Steffie che tutti pensano. Lei è solare, allegra, un’anima artistica proprio come la madre, infatti fa la grafica pubblicitaria e ha da poco avviato la sua azienda anche se fa fatica a decollare. Non ha ancora trovato l’uomo con il quale voler formare una famiglia e forse non è del tutto sicura di volerlo trovare, impegnata, ora come ora, ad avviare la sua attività.
E’ però Steffie, essendo la più libera, che deve occuparsi di raggiungere casa dei suoi genitori ad Aranbeg, e preparare il tutto mentre Roisin li tiene impegnati. Tuttavia Steffie conosce bene sua madre e sa che non è una che ama le sorprese, senza contare che, come dice Davey “Ogni volta che ci riuniamo, succede qualcosa di inaspettato”
Così quando Jenny e Pascal rientrano a casa, la ritrovano piena di amici e familiari, pronti a celebrare la loro meravigliosa unione. Ma Jenny nasconde alcuni segreti e tutto l’affetto che viene dimostrato a lei e suo marito, quel voler festeggiare la loro unione, le belle frasi su quanto siano di esempio per ognuno di loro, la mettono in difficoltà e al momento del taglio della torta, in un impeto di esasperazione confessa a tutti ciò che lei e Pascal hanno tenuto nascosto tanto a lungo.
Il problema, pensò Jenny, era che le cose di cui non aveva parlato diventavano segreti. E i segreti prendevano una vita tutta loro. Il che significava che quando alla fine venivano alla luce, la gente poteva giudicare erroneamente i motivi per cui erano stati nascosti.
La tensione tra gli invitati è alta, c’è chi cerca di fuggire per evitare l’imbarazzo e chi ancor peggio si sente tradito. Ma Jenny in realtà deve affrontare lo scoglio più grande. Sua figlia Steffie. Infatti c’è ancora una cosa che quest’ultima deve sapere. Ormai non serve a nessuno indugiare oltre e così, anche l’ultima verità viene svelata. Ora si tratta solo di accettare , perdonare e andare avanti perché, semplicemente, tornare indietro non è possibile.
«Suppongo che tutti facciano almeno un errore tremendo nella loro vita» disse Sarah.
«Il trucco sta nell’imparare dagli errori e io non penso di avere ancora imparato abbastanza.»
«Non puoi tornare indietro, non puoi cancellare i tuoi errori, non puoi ricominciare; tutto quello che puoi fare è andare avanti e vivere con essi.»
In realtà questo romanzo non ci racconta solo la storia di Jenny e sua figlia Steffie. Parla di famiglie e di crescita, di scelte e risultati. E’ uno spaccato di vita sulla storia di una famiglia intera. Conosceremo Steffie, Roisin e Davey, ma scopriremo anche perché la cugina Colette continua a rompere i suoi fidanzamenti, capiremo perché Carl, ha deciso di prendersi una pausa da Bernice, amata da tutti, portando alla festa degli zii una nuova ragazza che nulla sembra centrare con lui. Conosceremo Liam, il fratello bruttino e cicciottello della amica di infanzia di Steffie, che ha fatto una notevole trasformazione ed oggi è il bravissimo e affascinante chef proprietario del Cody’s, ristorante di lusso di Aranbeg. Non solo, ci saranno Lucinda e Sarah le sorelle di Jenny che l’hanno sempre presa ad esempio e ancora oggi vivono il confronto tra il suo matrimonio perfetto e il loro fallito, e poi c’è Camille, fidanzata danese di Davey, che si ritrova per la prima volta all’interno di questa famiglia numerosa e a quanto pare, molto disagiata, ma in realtà anche Camille non viene certo da una famiglia perfetta e ha qualche problema con i sentimenti.
Insomma, ne vedrete delle belle, la curiosità vi travolgerà. Il romanzo ha uno stile scorrevole e anche se è scritto in terza persona, ogni volta il punto di vista passa da un protagonista all’altro facendoci cogliere ogni sfumatura.
L’autrice non propone nulla di artefatto o romanzato, nessuna scena da “ma questa cosa succede solo nei romanzi”, eppure, vi sembrerà di essere all’interno di un telefilm di cui non vedete l’ora di vedere la puntata successiva.
La storia ci racconta una realtà che è non è così difficile da trovare. Una famiglia, fatta di persone normali, con una vita normale, con i dubbi e le paure tipici di ogni persona che è passata su questa Terra. Uno sguardo agli errori passati e alle seconde possibilità e poi, quella che è la domanda che mi è ronzata in testa per tutta la lettura: E’ giusto mentire per amore? Certo, non è stato facile per Jenny custodire i suoi segreti così a lungo, sapendo che in un modo o nell’altro avrebbe ferito le persone che più amava, forse avrebbe potuto gestirlo in modo diverso, o forse no. Il punto è che si trattava della sua vita, davvero anche altri dovevano sapere? E poi senza dubbio, alcune rivelazioni, avrebbero creato situazioni non piacevoli che avrebbero procurato la sofferenza di molte persone. Ma ancora una volta ci viene dimostrato che l’amore è in grado di superare ogni cosa, col tempo certo, ma non c’è ostacolo che non possa essere aggirato, basta solo essere capaci di perdonare e ricominciare, forse anche più forti e uniti di prima.
E voi, avete mai mentito per amore? A volte non dire qualcosa, eludere la verità, può aiutare le persone ad accettare meglio una situazione… e allora è così grave? Siete per le bugie bianche o la verità sempre e comunque?
Errori, pensò. Ognuno li fa, anche le persone che pensi non ne fanno mai, e tutti hanno bisogno del perdono. Ognuno ha il potere di perdonare.
June 15, 2016
I am a big Sheila O'Flanagan fan and am rarely disappointed with one of her books. This latest one, although it wasn't a disappointment as such, I just felt it was a little bit 'middle of the road' for my liking. It's a typical family drama and the writing style is no different, there was just something that seemed a wee bit off kilter.
Roisin is the older sister to sister Steffi and brother Davey. When she throws an anniversary surprise party for their parents Jenny and Pascal, Steffi knows full well that this isn't the sort of thing her parents want as they prefer the quieter life, so when her Mother drops a bombshell at the party it gets the book off to a great start. The characters are well fleshed out and you get that real Irish family feel to the story. There are a lot of different personalities and threads which keep you engaged as a reader.
However, unusually for an Sheila O'Flanagan book, it didn't seem to go much further than that for me. It's a solid read but seems to be missing it's usual magic, and the worst part is I can't even tell you why. Yes it was a little predictable, but normally I overlook that as the enjoyment parts are so good. This time around, although I didn't dislike any of the characters, I didn't really care for them either way. Maybe it's a one off, but for me this book felt a little bit too old fashioned and that just isn't the case with this author normally. Here's hoping her next released brings back that little bit of sparkle I felt was missing in this one.
Roisin is the older sister to sister Steffi and brother Davey. When she throws an anniversary surprise party for their parents Jenny and Pascal, Steffi knows full well that this isn't the sort of thing her parents want as they prefer the quieter life, so when her Mother drops a bombshell at the party it gets the book off to a great start. The characters are well fleshed out and you get that real Irish family feel to the story. There are a lot of different personalities and threads which keep you engaged as a reader.
However, unusually for an Sheila O'Flanagan book, it didn't seem to go much further than that for me. It's a solid read but seems to be missing it's usual magic, and the worst part is I can't even tell you why. Yes it was a little predictable, but normally I overlook that as the enjoyment parts are so good. This time around, although I didn't dislike any of the characters, I didn't really care for them either way. Maybe it's a one off, but for me this book felt a little bit too old fashioned and that just isn't the case with this author normally. Here's hoping her next released brings back that little bit of sparkle I felt was missing in this one.
April 12, 2020
Reviews can also be found on my blog Escapades of a Bookworm
So this is another great book from Shelia O’Flanagan, and it is amazing to think that this is her twentieth novel! And as I already love her books this was going to be a winner for me.
I quite liked that the story is set in a short period of time – only a couple of days and then set three months later. But to make up for this there are a lot of characters, all who have their own unique view point and all who have their own problems and secrets to deal with. Basically this party is a simmering pot waiting for the secrets to explode out of it!
Overall it was funny, sad and thought-provoking and makes me entirely grateful that my family parties have never ended like this. If there are any secrets in my family please keep them quiet!
Also it reminds us of a very important lesson – DO NOT LIE – the family will find out and they will get grumpy with you. Well that is to be expected right? But some of the secrets are so big, that the question really becomes whether we can ever really forgive the lie? Is it ever right to keep secrets, and if you have what is the ripple effect of keeping that secret for so long?
A fun pleasing read, with the right amount of tension, a dash of romance and a great read to relax with, what more could you ask for?
So this is another great book from Shelia O’Flanagan, and it is amazing to think that this is her twentieth novel! And as I already love her books this was going to be a winner for me.
I quite liked that the story is set in a short period of time – only a couple of days and then set three months later. But to make up for this there are a lot of characters, all who have their own unique view point and all who have their own problems and secrets to deal with. Basically this party is a simmering pot waiting for the secrets to explode out of it!
Overall it was funny, sad and thought-provoking and makes me entirely grateful that my family parties have never ended like this. If there are any secrets in my family please keep them quiet!
Also it reminds us of a very important lesson – DO NOT LIE – the family will find out and they will get grumpy with you. Well that is to be expected right? But some of the secrets are so big, that the question really becomes whether we can ever really forgive the lie? Is it ever right to keep secrets, and if you have what is the ripple effect of keeping that secret for so long?
A fun pleasing read, with the right amount of tension, a dash of romance and a great read to relax with, what more could you ask for?
July 28, 2018
Sheila decided it was time to fulfil a dream and give writing her own book a go. She sat down, stuck 'Chapter One' at the top of the page, and got started. Sheila is now the author of more than sixteen best selling titles.
Another wonderful tale by Sheila O Flanagan, with a wonderful rich mixture of characters and personalities. Steffie and her sister Roisin and their brother has organized a surprise fortieth wedding anniversary party for their parents at their house while they are returning back from their holiday. Of course a party wouldn't be a party without it being a day to remember and this party is definitely is going to be a day to remember. Nobody takes a magnifying glass looking at relationships. There is shock in store, for all of them and I can declare that there is a secret that someone can't bear to hide any longer. This is woman's fiction royalty.
Another wonderful tale by Sheila O Flanagan, with a wonderful rich mixture of characters and personalities. Steffie and her sister Roisin and their brother has organized a surprise fortieth wedding anniversary party for their parents at their house while they are returning back from their holiday. Of course a party wouldn't be a party without it being a day to remember and this party is definitely is going to be a day to remember. Nobody takes a magnifying glass looking at relationships. There is shock in store, for all of them and I can declare that there is a secret that someone can't bear to hide any longer. This is woman's fiction royalty.
November 6, 2015
Usual great Sheila O'Flanagan book. This one focuses on two sisters, sensible Roisin and unsettled Steffi. Their parent's happy and long lasting marriage is something both girls have always admired, but during a surprise anniversary party, secrets come out and the girls are left questioning everything they believed was true about themselves and their family.
Even when Sheila's books cover not so happy situations, they are always warm and engaging. I like how even characters such as Summer, who you shouldn't really like, is written fairly so you see both sides of the character. Like real people, there is not really good or bad characters in Sheila's novels, just people. Definitely my favourite chick lit author.
Even when Sheila's books cover not so happy situations, they are always warm and engaging. I like how even characters such as Summer, who you shouldn't really like, is written fairly so you see both sides of the character. Like real people, there is not really good or bad characters in Sheila's novels, just people. Definitely my favourite chick lit author.
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