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Feels Like Maybe
Aoife is 32 and in an on/off relationship with sexy singer Jake. When she finds out she is pregnant, he decides the relationship is most definitely off and leaves her before she has time to say 'Mothercare'.
Desperate to get him back – and convinced she can – Aoife doesn’t tell her family back home in Derry about her impending arrival until she is cradling newborn Maggie in her arms. She then has to return home to face the music – baby in tow and sanity absent without leave.
Meanwhile her best friend has been keeping a secret of her own. Beth and her husband Dan have been trying to get pregnant for the past two years. According to the doctors there is no medical reason for their failure to conceive. And if there is no reason, there can’t be a problem, can there?
Add a gorgeous gardener, an overbearing mother, a perfectly annoying sister-in-law and a well meaning aunt – all with secrets of their own – into the mix and you have 'Feels Like Maybe'.
Desperate to get him back – and convinced she can – Aoife doesn’t tell her family back home in Derry about her impending arrival until she is cradling newborn Maggie in her arms. She then has to return home to face the music – baby in tow and sanity absent without leave.
Meanwhile her best friend has been keeping a secret of her own. Beth and her husband Dan have been trying to get pregnant for the past two years. According to the doctors there is no medical reason for their failure to conceive. And if there is no reason, there can’t be a problem, can there?
Add a gorgeous gardener, an overbearing mother, a perfectly annoying sister-in-law and a well meaning aunt – all with secrets of their own – into the mix and you have 'Feels Like Maybe'.
384 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 28, 2010
Aoife is in an on/off relationship with Jake, but things hit the skids permanently when Aoife finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. Jake doesn’t want to know so she is left to deal with the hormones of pregnancy and shocks of birth all alone. She hasn’t even got her mum because they don’t get on, and they’re back home in Ireland while she’s in London.
On the other hand, her best friend Beth and husband Dan have been secretly trying to get pregnant with no success, and they’re devastated. They put on a brave front to Aoife, but inside they’re falling apart. Why can’t Beth just tell her best friend of her woes? Will Aoife and Jake work it out, or is someone special lurking around the corner?
I’ve not read any of author Claire Allan’s book before, and after reading this debut novel I will definitely be looking out for her work from now on! Unfortunately, she’s published by Poolbeg Press which is an Irish publisher and so the books aren’t readily available in the shops here, although can be found on Poolbeg’s Website and Amazon too. This is Claire Allan’s second novel; her first, Rainy Days and Tuesdays, was a big success in Ireland. This novel tackles hard-hitting issues such as unexpected pregnancy and infertility so it isn’t always an easy read but still a great one.
The book is the tale of 2 best friends, and is told as such as well. The chapters alternate between Aoife’s tale and Beth’s tale, so we get to see the story from each of their perspectives. I enjoyed this way of writing because of the secret element of Beth’s problems, so it was good to read how things seemed for Aoife and then the reality of Beth. Allan has chosen to write in the first person which I don’t always like when there is a multiple person narrative, but it seems to work in this book and I didn’t find it any more of a struggle to read than if it were written in another way!
The characters were both really likeable, and you can relate to them both in different ways. They are very normal women, women you can imagine having a chat with and so you can come to care about their story and how things are going to end up for them. Although things seem like they are going to end with the oh-so-predictable ending, the journey takes a few twists and turns and I enjoyed the tangents the book went off in. It certainly kept my attention and wasn’t a chore to read either – in fact I didn’t want to put it down and finished it in a weekend, no mean feat when you’ve got a mad 3 year old at home!
The issues covered in the book will be all too real for some women, but Claire Allan writes them in a sympathetic and factual way that doesn’t offend the reader and intrigues you to the subject whether it affects you or not. Allan does write in some detail about the less lovely parts of motherhood such as leaky boobs, the havoc birth can inflict on your body and several dozen mentions of the female anatomy but it doesn’t offend and isn’t out of place so isn’t that big an issue to me, but just thought I would put a little warning in case that sort of thing isn’t what you like to read about!
It seems that Irish authors can do no wrong for me at the moment! This was an absolutely joyful read, and I was really sad when it ended because I was desperate to find out more about the lives and loves of both Beth and Aoife. I found the writing style really easy to follow and I didn’t have to concentrate too hard to really enjoy reading this one. The story does cover a big time period but doesn’t seem to move too quickly for the reader, and the journey the characters take is fun to read and is truly heart-warming. Their friendship is lovely to read and the book is a great example of best friends and how important they can be. A lovely book, funny and heart-warming, and highly recommended from me!
On the other hand, her best friend Beth and husband Dan have been secretly trying to get pregnant with no success, and they’re devastated. They put on a brave front to Aoife, but inside they’re falling apart. Why can’t Beth just tell her best friend of her woes? Will Aoife and Jake work it out, or is someone special lurking around the corner?
I’ve not read any of author Claire Allan’s book before, and after reading this debut novel I will definitely be looking out for her work from now on! Unfortunately, she’s published by Poolbeg Press which is an Irish publisher and so the books aren’t readily available in the shops here, although can be found on Poolbeg’s Website and Amazon too. This is Claire Allan’s second novel; her first, Rainy Days and Tuesdays, was a big success in Ireland. This novel tackles hard-hitting issues such as unexpected pregnancy and infertility so it isn’t always an easy read but still a great one.
The book is the tale of 2 best friends, and is told as such as well. The chapters alternate between Aoife’s tale and Beth’s tale, so we get to see the story from each of their perspectives. I enjoyed this way of writing because of the secret element of Beth’s problems, so it was good to read how things seemed for Aoife and then the reality of Beth. Allan has chosen to write in the first person which I don’t always like when there is a multiple person narrative, but it seems to work in this book and I didn’t find it any more of a struggle to read than if it were written in another way!
The characters were both really likeable, and you can relate to them both in different ways. They are very normal women, women you can imagine having a chat with and so you can come to care about their story and how things are going to end up for them. Although things seem like they are going to end with the oh-so-predictable ending, the journey takes a few twists and turns and I enjoyed the tangents the book went off in. It certainly kept my attention and wasn’t a chore to read either – in fact I didn’t want to put it down and finished it in a weekend, no mean feat when you’ve got a mad 3 year old at home!
The issues covered in the book will be all too real for some women, but Claire Allan writes them in a sympathetic and factual way that doesn’t offend the reader and intrigues you to the subject whether it affects you or not. Allan does write in some detail about the less lovely parts of motherhood such as leaky boobs, the havoc birth can inflict on your body and several dozen mentions of the female anatomy but it doesn’t offend and isn’t out of place so isn’t that big an issue to me, but just thought I would put a little warning in case that sort of thing isn’t what you like to read about!
It seems that Irish authors can do no wrong for me at the moment! This was an absolutely joyful read, and I was really sad when it ended because I was desperate to find out more about the lives and loves of both Beth and Aoife. I found the writing style really easy to follow and I didn’t have to concentrate too hard to really enjoy reading this one. The story does cover a big time period but doesn’t seem to move too quickly for the reader, and the journey the characters take is fun to read and is truly heart-warming. Their friendship is lovely to read and the book is a great example of best friends and how important they can be. A lovely book, funny and heart-warming, and highly recommended from me!
July 15, 2018
Fabulous read from an author from home . Aoife pregnant and in her eyes not quite ready for it with her partner walking out when she announced it , Beth , happily married and desperate for a baby to complete her but yet struggling to conceive , both facing life changing circumstances endeavour to overcome their own personal demons and move on with life . Would highly recommend this book !
September 14, 2018
Really enjoyed this light and easy read. Couple of great laugh-out-loud moments and a few tears
December 10, 2018
Oh I just loved this good old Irish chic lit
Loved the characters the story and the wit
Loved the characters the story and the wit
January 13, 2020
A nice weekend read
Although a tad more predictable than Ms Allans usual books, it provided the expected Happy ever after ending we all love!
Although a tad more predictable than Ms Allans usual books, it provided the expected Happy ever after ending we all love!
February 23, 2020
Loved this!
Quite the wee pageturner for a book over 400 pages.
Quite the wee pageturner for a book over 400 pages.
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June 27, 2021An easy read with a happy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2021
Lovely easy read 🥰
March 21, 2024
Enjoyable romcom, but surprising to see so little romance.
August 17, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the get go. Loved all the characters but especially Aoife and Tom.
Enjoyed the Irishness of it, with Aoife obviously being Irish, from Derry. Her mum was a real bitch though and I just wanted Aoife to stand up to her and tell her mum where to go.
Hated Jake with a passion and hated Aoife when she kept giving him a chance, he walked away while she was pregnant,he was a loathsome rat who didn’t deserve another chance.
A kind of predictable read but it’s all the drama getting there that made it an enjoyable read.
Enjoyed the Irishness of it, with Aoife obviously being Irish, from Derry. Her mum was a real bitch though and I just wanted Aoife to stand up to her and tell her mum where to go.
Hated Jake with a passion and hated Aoife when she kept giving him a chance, he walked away while she was pregnant,he was a loathsome rat who didn’t deserve another chance.
A kind of predictable read but it’s all the drama getting there that made it an enjoyable read.
June 3, 2025
"Life is long and full of an infinite number of decisions. I have to think that the small ones don’t matter, that I’ll end up where I need to end up no matter what I do."
Feels Like Maybe is a bit like bumping into an old friend at a café, only to end up diving into the kind of chat that unravels everything: the messy, beautiful, and painful parts of life. Aoife, at 32, is smack in the middle of a rather wobbly, on-again, off-again thing with Jake (musician, of course), until a surprise pregnancy shatters her status quo. Jake? About as helpful as a screen door on a submarine. Enter Aoife’s new, unexpected life as a single mum. And I’ll admit, I was hooked the second the pregnancy reveal hit.
But Aoife’s where the book really finds its pulse. She’s raw, real, and not at all the perfect mum she’s expected to be. I mean, who is? Claire Allan nails the balance between exhaustion, self-doubt, and those tiny victories that keep you going. The exhaustion hits particularly hard: as a mum, I felt every sleepless night, every accidental faceplant into motherhood’s messier moments.
And then there’s Beth, Aoife’s friend. Grieving infertility while holding on to Aoife? This is how you write a layered, complicated friendship—loyal but never glossing over the grit. They’re so refreshingly real together.
Family dynamics? Oh, it’s all there: the love, the chaos, the madness. The whole thing’s grounded in that special brand of real that makes you nod in recognition. It’s not your typical romcom or 'sad-girl spiral.' It’s something smarter, sharper, and better. If you want a book that’s funny, heartfelt, and doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff, this one’s definitely a yes.
January 8, 2018
I really wanted to enjoy this book by the Derry author Claire Allen and in general did find it an easy, holiday type read.
The two main characters are independent women, friends from their college days and now share a business together. One is desperate for a child and the other with no interest in having a child, finds herself pregnant. There is a bit of Bridget Jones about the storyline but an awful lot of crying (it feels like every chapter) that I found became so repetitive it spoiled the overall enjoyment of the book. I did like how Allen captured the spirit and essence of her home town.
The two main characters are independent women, friends from their college days and now share a business together. One is desperate for a child and the other with no interest in having a child, finds herself pregnant. There is a bit of Bridget Jones about the storyline but an awful lot of crying (it feels like every chapter) that I found became so repetitive it spoiled the overall enjoyment of the book. I did like how Allen captured the spirit and essence of her home town.
August 6, 2011
I quite enjoyed this book. It's told as the story of 2 best friends...it starts with 1 giving birth to a baby she didn't want and the 2nd trying to get pregnant but can't..... It goes on from there involving various members of their respective families. it's not a 'laugh out loud' type of book but a nice 'holiday / feel good' book. Worth a read :)
June 30, 2016
It was a cute quick easy read. It was very predictable. Nothing shocking here. Although the book had 2 main characters I feel there was more focus on one more than the other and I actually wanted to hear more from the other characters perspective. It would be nice for the story to have had at least ONE element of surprise in it!
January 29, 2012
A very cute and very easy-read book! I had a really good time reading this, covering with a blanket and drinking a hot cup of tea....though I was never really taken by surprise, but the book is just very sweet and cozy! :)
May 11, 2013
Chick lit and totally uncomplicated reading. Every now and then I need to read something quick and uncomplicated. It doesn't pretend to be high culture, I loved the characters in the novel and I could 'hear' the way they speak, the accent comes across loud and clear.
November 3, 2013
I just finished this today. Only the 2nd I've read of Claire's but definitely looking forward to reading more. Found it such a warm witty read and the characters relatable and very likeable. Was sad for it to come to an end as felt close to Aoife come the end
May 3, 2014
My second book by this author and I'm so hooked, I have been reading her blog the entire day (!). And then I bought another two of her books.
I think I'm just going to have a Claire Allan month and read them all :)
I think I'm just going to have a Claire Allan month and read them all :)
August 26, 2010
Loved this book. Once I started reading I didn't want to stop, a real feel good, curl into the sofa kind of read!
November 17, 2011
Brilliant story. Really enjoyed it. Nice easy reading.
October 30, 2013
More like a 3.5 for me. Very entertaining holiday read.
September 8, 2014
Really Enjoyed this.
August 16, 2021
Amazing book. I could not stop reading it and it had me wondering what was going to happen next when I wasn't reading.
Such a beautiful story.
Such a beautiful story.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews