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Changing Places
Anna Gallagher and Liam Harrison are happily married, have successful careers and when Liam's promotion comes through, they plan to start a family. That's until something happens to turn their world upside down.
Anna's sister, Rachel is married to Gary, is a stay-at-home mum to Alex and is expecting her second child. Everyone is delighted with the news except Rachel. The truth is she is horrified at the thought of becoming a mum again.
Jill is the girls' cousin and best friend and knows exactly what makes them both tick. Unfortunately, she can't seem to help them understand each other.
The Gallagher Girls have hard times ahead but when the going gets tough, will blood really prove thicker than water?
Anna's sister, Rachel is married to Gary, is a stay-at-home mum to Alex and is expecting her second child. Everyone is delighted with the news except Rachel. The truth is she is horrified at the thought of becoming a mum again.
Jill is the girls' cousin and best friend and knows exactly what makes them both tick. Unfortunately, she can't seem to help them understand each other.
The Gallagher Girls have hard times ahead but when the going gets tough, will blood really prove thicker than water?
- GenresFiction
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
27 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Colette Caddle
32 books88 followersBorn, bred and still living in Dublin's fair city...
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 28, 2013
This was another first for me after winning this book in a twitter competition. After reading the blurb, I thought this was definitely something I would like and I'm glad that I've been introduced to Colette as an author.
The story is told from the point of views of Anna, Rachel and Jill. Firstly, I really like this as it gives you an insight to the story from more than one character and although there are 3 main characters each of them has their own separate story and personality as well as the story tying them all together. The story is told in the 3rd person, which really lends itself to the story as there is more than one character telling it.
Anna is the oldest sister, in a happy marriage to Liam and forging ahead with her career as an estate agent. She finds herself having to adjust as her plans have to be put on hold and her life takes an unexpected turn. Caught between loyalty and excitement Anna has to make choices which could make or break her relationship and which could completely change her life forever.
Rachel, the younger sister is the stay-at-home mum who is keeping her new pregnancy secret and struggling to come to terms with it. As she struggles daily with the monotony of being a stay-at-home mum and the resentment she is harbouring towards finding herself pregnant again, she must decide to tell her husband and family and also face her fears that her husband might not be as faithful as she once thought.
Jill is the high flying career woman of the three, with no family of her own and no real commitments; she changes her boyfriend as often as she changes her diet (which is often) when they don't meet her expectations. She is the referee between the sisters as the disagree on the way each of them lead their lives and tries to help them both with their individual situations avoiding her own.
I really liked the 3 characters, and immediately felt like I could relate to Jill and her habit of chopping and changing between this diet and that. I thought that her character was like neutral ground between both of the sisters which really tied the story together.
Anna and Rachel's relationship is fractious at the best of times and I think this was displayed quite well. The only thing I wasn't sure about was how quickly their arguments were diffused by one sister acquiescing. Their arguments seemed to be more heat of the moment than lasting disagreements.
At first I wasn't sure if I felt the story was a bit repetitive with both sisters going through similar scenarios in one aspect of their life, however the story twists to the unexpected and I wasn't sure what to expect towards the end. I liked how the story ended, each sister and Jill coming full circle and although I wasn't sure why it was called changing places at first I was sure at the end. Overall I really enjoyed the book and found that I was interested in where the story was going and how the characters were going to end up throughout.
The story is told from the point of views of Anna, Rachel and Jill. Firstly, I really like this as it gives you an insight to the story from more than one character and although there are 3 main characters each of them has their own separate story and personality as well as the story tying them all together. The story is told in the 3rd person, which really lends itself to the story as there is more than one character telling it.
Anna is the oldest sister, in a happy marriage to Liam and forging ahead with her career as an estate agent. She finds herself having to adjust as her plans have to be put on hold and her life takes an unexpected turn. Caught between loyalty and excitement Anna has to make choices which could make or break her relationship and which could completely change her life forever.
Rachel, the younger sister is the stay-at-home mum who is keeping her new pregnancy secret and struggling to come to terms with it. As she struggles daily with the monotony of being a stay-at-home mum and the resentment she is harbouring towards finding herself pregnant again, she must decide to tell her husband and family and also face her fears that her husband might not be as faithful as she once thought.
Jill is the high flying career woman of the three, with no family of her own and no real commitments; she changes her boyfriend as often as she changes her diet (which is often) when they don't meet her expectations. She is the referee between the sisters as the disagree on the way each of them lead their lives and tries to help them both with their individual situations avoiding her own.
I really liked the 3 characters, and immediately felt like I could relate to Jill and her habit of chopping and changing between this diet and that. I thought that her character was like neutral ground between both of the sisters which really tied the story together.
Anna and Rachel's relationship is fractious at the best of times and I think this was displayed quite well. The only thing I wasn't sure about was how quickly their arguments were diffused by one sister acquiescing. Their arguments seemed to be more heat of the moment than lasting disagreements.
At first I wasn't sure if I felt the story was a bit repetitive with both sisters going through similar scenarios in one aspect of their life, however the story twists to the unexpected and I wasn't sure what to expect towards the end. I liked how the story ended, each sister and Jill coming full circle and although I wasn't sure why it was called changing places at first I was sure at the end. Overall I really enjoyed the book and found that I was interested in where the story was going and how the characters were going to end up throughout.
December 10, 2015
‘Changing Places’ is about two sisters, Anna and Rachel; Anna loves her job, Rachel loves her son... and they each think the other has a better life.
There are some good scenarios in this book, and the plot threads run nicely together, showing problems that arise in both marriages, and in their cousin Jill's life too.
Sadly, the characterisation is all rather flat. I had to keep checking who was whom until I started to remember the names. Viewpoints switch regularly with a lot of introspection, with people taking offence or becoming suspicious when a simple question could have sorted things out.
Moreover, while I could somewhat relate to both Anna and Rachel I couldn’t believe in Jill. She’s supposed to be a peacemaker, but her personality doesn’t fit that role. Rachel's young son, too, was hard to believe in; he is horribly materialistic and cares little about his parents.
I also got rather bored with lengthy conversations full of small talk. I found myself skimming regularly when people greeted each other and asked after each other’s families with almost nothing that added to the story or built character.
On the plus side, there’s not much bad language, no violence, and no explicit scenes. I also thought that the ending works well, with one part I hadn’t expected.
Overall, a pleasant and undemanding story, if somewhat flat and uninspiring. Two and a half stars would perhaps be more appropriate.
There are some good scenarios in this book, and the plot threads run nicely together, showing problems that arise in both marriages, and in their cousin Jill's life too.
Sadly, the characterisation is all rather flat. I had to keep checking who was whom until I started to remember the names. Viewpoints switch regularly with a lot of introspection, with people taking offence or becoming suspicious when a simple question could have sorted things out.
Moreover, while I could somewhat relate to both Anna and Rachel I couldn’t believe in Jill. She’s supposed to be a peacemaker, but her personality doesn’t fit that role. Rachel's young son, too, was hard to believe in; he is horribly materialistic and cares little about his parents.
I also got rather bored with lengthy conversations full of small talk. I found myself skimming regularly when people greeted each other and asked after each other’s families with almost nothing that added to the story or built character.
On the plus side, there’s not much bad language, no violence, and no explicit scenes. I also thought that the ending works well, with one part I hadn’t expected.
Overall, a pleasant and undemanding story, if somewhat flat and uninspiring. Two and a half stars would perhaps be more appropriate.
November 4, 2009
A nice light read, think you know how it's going to end but it has a nice suprise to it
August 8, 2019
Fabulous!!
It was like reading a story about my family 😊 The insightful way the book was written, the complexities of life, the characters but most of all, the deep love and regard was what came across. Beautifully written. 🚐💟
It was like reading a story about my family 😊 The insightful way the book was written, the complexities of life, the characters but most of all, the deep love and regard was what came across. Beautifully written. 🚐💟
April 4, 2020
Easy beach read for holidays
April 29, 2021
I don’t know what to say about this book. I enjoyed it to a certain extent, I had been looking for a more light read, which this was. Stories about sisters are fun for me also.
March 24, 2022
Quite enjoyed this book, an easy read, likeable characters.
June 9, 2011
Anna and Rachel are sisters they used to be close but nowadays, Rachel
resents her and makes smart comments about her job or lifestyle.
Anna works for an Estate Agent and is married to Liam they are waiting
for Liam’s promotion then they are going to start a family.
Rachel is married to Gary they have a 5 year old son Alex Gary is a
Sales Director but why is he distracted? They never talk properly just
argue about the chores, Rachel feels a drab housewife at 28, and the
thought that Gary is up to something is always at the back of her mind.
Why is she hiding her pregnancy from Gary?
Jill is there cousin she works for an Advertising Agency and is looking
for Mr Right, she tries to keep the peace between the sisters, even
although she has problems of her own, and she just accepts things and
is very laid back.
Liam loses his job and is depressed, Is Rachel loosing Gary Is he
having an Affair? Can they all support one another through their
problems like a proper family?
I loved this book it was very easy to read, the characters were good, I
did feel sorry for Rachel, I couldn’t put this book down, I would
definitely recommend this book.
resents her and makes smart comments about her job or lifestyle.
Anna works for an Estate Agent and is married to Liam they are waiting
for Liam’s promotion then they are going to start a family.
Rachel is married to Gary they have a 5 year old son Alex Gary is a
Sales Director but why is he distracted? They never talk properly just
argue about the chores, Rachel feels a drab housewife at 28, and the
thought that Gary is up to something is always at the back of her mind.
Why is she hiding her pregnancy from Gary?
Jill is there cousin she works for an Advertising Agency and is looking
for Mr Right, she tries to keep the peace between the sisters, even
although she has problems of her own, and she just accepts things and
is very laid back.
Liam loses his job and is depressed, Is Rachel loosing Gary Is he
having an Affair? Can they all support one another through their
problems like a proper family?
I loved this book it was very easy to read, the characters were good, I
did feel sorry for Rachel, I couldn’t put this book down, I would
definitely recommend this book.
June 22, 2016
It was ok, but really nothing more. The story about Rachel didn't interest me very much, the one with Anna a bit. Jill didn't really have her own story at all, she functions only as a kind of mediator between the two sisters. The title didn't make sense to me until the very end.
October 4, 2014
I've read this book more than I can count this past year. This book really got me thinking about how I'm with my sisters, and it made me think that someday I may end up like one of my sisters. Who knows, anything can happen.
November 28, 2015
Somewhere treading the line between chiclit and women's fiction, Changing Places has interesting characters, is well-written, and has a solid plot and subplots that end convincingly (without becoming the stuff of fairytales)
A good, light read.
A good, light read.
August 27, 2011
throughly enjoyed this book.
August 6, 2011
Very average. Very light. Very Irish.
Read
September 8, 2011great
December 21, 2015
Average women's fiction with no great surprises. The women characters get a little irritating after a while but it's easy reading.
Read
January 6, 2015not sure when I finished reading this, guessing 1990
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews