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Blast from the Past
Praise for Cathy Hopkins:
‘Funny and feelgood’ Good Housekeeping
‘Warm, funny and uplifting’ Reader’s Digest
On a trip of a lifetime to India, Bea is given an unexpected fiftieth birthday present – an hour with a celebrated clairvoyant. Unlucky in love, Bea learns that her true soulmate is still out there ̶ and that he’s someone she knew in a past life.
Returning home, Bea revisits the men in her life and can’t resist looking up a few old lovers – the Good, the Bad and the… well, the others. As Bea connects with the ones that got away, she suspects that her little black book has remained shut for a reason. But one man out there has her in his sights.
They say love is blind and maybe Bea just needs an eye test…
Funny and wise, this is the perfect read for anyone who believes in finding love, no matter what their age.
‘Funny and feelgood’ Good Housekeeping
‘Warm, funny and uplifting’ Reader’s Digest
On a trip of a lifetime to India, Bea is given an unexpected fiftieth birthday present – an hour with a celebrated clairvoyant. Unlucky in love, Bea learns that her true soulmate is still out there ̶ and that he’s someone she knew in a past life.
Returning home, Bea revisits the men in her life and can’t resist looking up a few old lovers – the Good, the Bad and the… well, the others. As Bea connects with the ones that got away, she suspects that her little black book has remained shut for a reason. But one man out there has her in his sights.
They say love is blind and maybe Bea just needs an eye test…
Funny and wise, this is the perfect read for anyone who believes in finding love, no matter what their age.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 21, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 27, 2019
A feelgood story following single lady Bea as she reaches her 50th Birthday. A gift from her friend is a session with a psychic, who informs her that she has already encountered her one true love and he is still out there waiting for her. Bea then begins to revisit her past loves in order to find out just who her soulmate is.
I really loved the premise of the book, and liked Bea and her friends. Overall it is a good read, but slightly marred by the repetitiveness that crept in. The book could probably have had a chapter or two less and been better for it, as I did find myself losing interest in places. The main crux of the story was well written however, and it is definitely worth a read.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I really loved the premise of the book, and liked Bea and her friends. Overall it is a good read, but slightly marred by the repetitiveness that crept in. The book could probably have had a chapter or two less and been better for it, as I did find myself losing interest in places. The main crux of the story was well written however, and it is definitely worth a read.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
March 6, 2019
I loved this story and Bea. Three life long friends had ventured to India all celebrating their fiftieth birthdays. On the last day they all exchange gifts. The gift from her best friend is for them all to visit a clairvoyant while they are in India. Not Bea’s thing at all but she goes along with it. Bea is told that she has to meet her soul mate, who she may already know from her past. They had fallen in love in a previous life but both died too young. Now she had to find him to achieve true happiness. I loved this book already and I had only read a couple of chapters.
What follows is at times hilarious, sad, beautiful and totally swoonable, as Bea makes a list of all her past lovers, crushes and possible matches to try to track down this perfect partner for her. I loved going with her on these dates and discovering her memories of what they were like to who they had now become all these years later. At times it was quite sad at how many dreams and hopes had been crushed. As the list got shorter I had my favourite as to who it could be.
There is also the story running side by side from the past as she was determined to discover if the names of the couple she had been given by the clairvoyant, really had existed. This was a beautiful story in itself. This is an all round totally good feel story that makes me quite fuzzy every time I think of it. Just lovely!
A super ending, loved the concept of it all.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
What follows is at times hilarious, sad, beautiful and totally swoonable, as Bea makes a list of all her past lovers, crushes and possible matches to try to track down this perfect partner for her. I loved going with her on these dates and discovering her memories of what they were like to who they had now become all these years later. At times it was quite sad at how many dreams and hopes had been crushed. As the list got shorter I had my favourite as to who it could be.
There is also the story running side by side from the past as she was determined to discover if the names of the couple she had been given by the clairvoyant, really had existed. This was a beautiful story in itself. This is an all round totally good feel story that makes me quite fuzzy every time I think of it. Just lovely!
A super ending, loved the concept of it all.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
February 25, 2019
To celebrate her 50th birthday, Bea and two of her best friends travel to India. It's not your usual trip, as they usually avoid the touristy places, and enjoy it very much. At the end of the trip the befriended three exchange their birthday presents and one of Bea's is an hour reading with India's most popular and celebrated clairvoyant. To say that she's sceptical would be an understatement but nevertheless she goes there with an open mind and is told that her true soul mate is out there somewhere and she only must find him. Moreover, they have met in the previous life already - the only thing Bea has to do now is to recognise him in her present life.
And here the book takes us on a bitter - sweet, funny and poignant journey as Bea decides to revisit the men that were significant in her life and to reconnect with her past loved ones. Some of them are single, some not, some of them changed, some of them didn't and she's in for all sorts and kinds, and we together with her. What she doesn't know is that there is a man who's desperately in love with her - is it one of the past lovers? The chapters told from Bea's point of view were interspersed with some told by the mystery man, and let me tell you, the author didn't make it too easy for us to guess who it was. There was a character that I wanted Bea to end with together but I couldn't be sure that it's going to happen, and I really liked this feeling of uncertainty and unpredictability.
The retrospections of Bea's previous relationships were so very well written. It was simply like it is in real life, with all the ups and downs and all kind of relationships and how Bea felt about them. It was realistic and genuine and also entertaining - some were truly disastrous, also in a funny way, but also in a more serious way, and I liked how well the author mixed them all together and perfectly balanced humour with sadness and seriousness.
Sadly, this time, the book felt a little too flat for me, and very repetitive. I had a feeling that we're repeating the same thing, over and over again and that we're not moving forward. I liked the idea of reincarnation, it was something totally new and refreshing but I couldn't engage with it somehow and it didn't keep my attention as much as I thought it's going to. It simply felt too slow - but, having said that, I must also admit that this book was full of warmth and brilliant characters and I liked the message that it's never too late to find your true love. What was so exceptionally brilliant and unique in the book was the idea of past life and the way the author explored this topic - even if I couldn't fully get into it. No matter what your thoughts on it, it was written in a special, well - researched way and I had a feeling that Cathy Hopkins isn't trying to convince me there is a past life and it's possible to meet your soul mate again, no, she's giving me a choice to believe in it or not. I'll be honest, I still don't know what to think about it but it was great to read about it, about the possibilities and oh well, there is something in it, right, those feelings of deja vu that we're experiencing, seeing people for the first time in our lives and thinking that we know them for ages.
Altogether, "Blast from the Past" is a book about second chances, about grabbing life by the horns, having fun and about not being afraid to have dreams. It was warm, uplifting and with some sad moments as well, and I'm sure we all be able to find something we can relate to in this story. Even though it may not be my favourite Cathy's novel, I still enjoyed it whole - heartedly, it was refreshing and unique. Recommended!
Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
January 4, 2019
Whoever says and thinks that finding your true love, your soul mate comes with a age limit really needs to read this book. Which will prove to you that no matter your age. It is never too late to find true love.
Bea and two of her best friends are on the trip of a lifetime to India. They have been all over and seen parts of India that most tourists Don’t see. From the slums to the grand palaces. They have seen it all.
The trip is to celebrate their 50th birthdays. Vowing to each other that they will not exchange presents until the end of the trip. Where they are booked into a palace overlooking the river. Finding out that it is a special occasion. Sees the owners of the palace hotel upgrade them to their suites.
One of Beas presents is an hour spent with one of India’s most celebrated clairvoyants. Bea is sceptical to say the least but promises her friend that she will go in with an open mind.
Once in the room Bea is told that the love of her life her one true soul mate is still out there, and it is someone Bea has met in a previous life.
Sceptical but determined to discover if the clairvoyant is telling the truth. Claire decides to revisit the men that she has known in her life. Bea decides to give it a proper go and needs to reconnect with her past lovers that are still single. The good, the bad and everything in between. Leading to some very funny laugh out loud moments.
Bea can’t help thinking that her little ack book bqs stayed well and truely shut in the past for excellent reason, and comes to think that the clairvoyant is just hokum.
However there is one man who has his eyes set on the prize and will do anything in his power to get Bea to give him once last chance.
This book shows that there is no age limitation on having fun, living life to the full, achieving your dreams and finding true love.
As always a warm, funny, feelgood, uplifting book from the very talented Cathy Hopkins. I very much enjoyed it and would highly recommend to all.
Bea and two of her best friends are on the trip of a lifetime to India. They have been all over and seen parts of India that most tourists Don’t see. From the slums to the grand palaces. They have seen it all.
The trip is to celebrate their 50th birthdays. Vowing to each other that they will not exchange presents until the end of the trip. Where they are booked into a palace overlooking the river. Finding out that it is a special occasion. Sees the owners of the palace hotel upgrade them to their suites.
One of Beas presents is an hour spent with one of India’s most celebrated clairvoyants. Bea is sceptical to say the least but promises her friend that she will go in with an open mind.
Once in the room Bea is told that the love of her life her one true soul mate is still out there, and it is someone Bea has met in a previous life.
Sceptical but determined to discover if the clairvoyant is telling the truth. Claire decides to revisit the men that she has known in her life. Bea decides to give it a proper go and needs to reconnect with her past lovers that are still single. The good, the bad and everything in between. Leading to some very funny laugh out loud moments.
Bea can’t help thinking that her little ack book bqs stayed well and truely shut in the past for excellent reason, and comes to think that the clairvoyant is just hokum.
However there is one man who has his eyes set on the prize and will do anything in his power to get Bea to give him once last chance.
This book shows that there is no age limitation on having fun, living life to the full, achieving your dreams and finding true love.
As always a warm, funny, feelgood, uplifting book from the very talented Cathy Hopkins. I very much enjoyed it and would highly recommend to all.
March 15, 2019
Enjoyable, feel good book, light and entertaining. I read this following a knee replacement and I was able to pick it up and carry on reading without having to think too much about the characters or the storyline. Definitely a book to read on holiday by the pool!
January 4, 2024
A nice, easy, quick read. What I would call a palette cleaner. The characters were interesting and I found myself rooting for a particular one from the beginning.
It’s easy to see yourself in the main character. A woman of a certain age, growing older and finding that her life hadn’t gone quite as she’d expected or hoped. That loneliness was a very real thing.
It so easily could be any of us, if life had taken certain turns.
Definitely recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC. Here’s my honest review.
It’s easy to see yourself in the main character. A woman of a certain age, growing older and finding that her life hadn’t gone quite as she’d expected or hoped. That loneliness was a very real thing.
It so easily could be any of us, if life had taken certain turns.
Definitely recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC. Here’s my honest review.
July 9, 2020
I enjoyed this book but it was quite repetitive and I found myself thinking my bookmark had slipped and I had already read the page before.
April 27, 2020
Rating 3.5/5
After having read a few of Cathy Hopkins books I knew that if I wanted something a bit lighter then I was coming to the right place and since I was looking for something that would make me smile after reading the blurb I knew I had found the right book to do it.
I am definitely like Bea, very cynical about clairvoyants and psychics, so I really felt as if I was going through everything with her as she experienced it. It was like meeting someone that you feel like you’ve known for years although you’ve only just met and then getting to experience a crazy adventure with them. The set up of the book was really good for that as well told both in the present and as insights into Bea’s former relationships it gave me a really good idea of how she had evolved throughout the years.
Apart from a similar cynicism, I felt like I could really connect to Bea with certain aspects of her life, feeling alone and not able to find what makes her happy, she was a very accessible character without being overly morose about her situation. I also loved her friendships, there is nothing that puts a smile on my face more than really fun friends in a story and watching them push Bea past her limits and further down the rabbit hole of tracing her past life.
I actually quite enjoyed how different this storyline was, I’m not sure how much credence I would give it in real life, but I was very interested in how they tracked down Grace and Billy and finding out about their story, and the experience of the hypnosis for Bea. I don’t think I was expecting it to go quite into so much detail about it, I thought maybe it would be almost like a starting point for the story and then not really be explored but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked weaved in with the story.
Obviously, there is a lot of fun to be had as Bea delves back into her past relationships trying to figure out if any of them are her soulmate and this had some very comical moments. Although I felt like sometimes there was a lot of overthinking from Bea about this which at times drew the story out a bit too much. There was also a little insert now and again from Bea’s soulmate, meant to tease the reader into wonder at who it is which I also felt I could have used a little less of, although I had kind of figured it out after reading the first one so maybe that’s why I felt that way.
Blast From The Past is a warm and lighthearted book that will lift your spirits and take you on a bit of an adventure.
Originally posted on everywhere and nowhere
After having read a few of Cathy Hopkins books I knew that if I wanted something a bit lighter then I was coming to the right place and since I was looking for something that would make me smile after reading the blurb I knew I had found the right book to do it.
I am definitely like Bea, very cynical about clairvoyants and psychics, so I really felt as if I was going through everything with her as she experienced it. It was like meeting someone that you feel like you’ve known for years although you’ve only just met and then getting to experience a crazy adventure with them. The set up of the book was really good for that as well told both in the present and as insights into Bea’s former relationships it gave me a really good idea of how she had evolved throughout the years.
Apart from a similar cynicism, I felt like I could really connect to Bea with certain aspects of her life, feeling alone and not able to find what makes her happy, she was a very accessible character without being overly morose about her situation. I also loved her friendships, there is nothing that puts a smile on my face more than really fun friends in a story and watching them push Bea past her limits and further down the rabbit hole of tracing her past life.
I actually quite enjoyed how different this storyline was, I’m not sure how much credence I would give it in real life, but I was very interested in how they tracked down Grace and Billy and finding out about their story, and the experience of the hypnosis for Bea. I don’t think I was expecting it to go quite into so much detail about it, I thought maybe it would be almost like a starting point for the story and then not really be explored but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked weaved in with the story.
Obviously, there is a lot of fun to be had as Bea delves back into her past relationships trying to figure out if any of them are her soulmate and this had some very comical moments. Although I felt like sometimes there was a lot of overthinking from Bea about this which at times drew the story out a bit too much. There was also a little insert now and again from Bea’s soulmate, meant to tease the reader into wonder at who it is which I also felt I could have used a little less of, although I had kind of figured it out after reading the first one so maybe that’s why I felt that way.
Blast From The Past is a warm and lighthearted book that will lift your spirits and take you on a bit of an adventure.
Originally posted on everywhere and nowhere
February 17, 2019
An enchanting story,very believable. Bea, owner of a failing business, and her friends Marcia and Pete, Marcia’s husband Pete are on a special holiday in India to celebrate their fiftieth birthdays. In Udaipur, the last stage of their travels they give each other their birthday gifts. Bea had bought fine silk in Jaipur, and in Udaipur had it made into dressing gowns for her friends. Pete gave all of them vouchers for an Ayurvedic massage. Then Marcia hands out her gift, all of them are going to have an hour each with one of India’s top psychics. Bea is very uncomfortable with this, she does not believe in it, but she doesn’t want to let her friends down, so goes along for her hour, intending not to give anything away that would give the psychic any clues about her.
It is a very interesting reading, the psychic tells her that although she has had sadness and no lasting love her soulmate is waiting for her in her future. She and her soulmate have been together in many lives. In her last life she was a dressmaker named Grace Harris, and she was due to marry Billy Jackson, but something happened to prevent it. He had been killed in the Second World War. They are both back in the present time, and she must find him and let love into her life to find lasting happiness. Bea was told that she had already met this man in her present life, but she had to recognise him to find happiness.
Bea regards all of this as rubbish, but cannot help thinking about it, and when they get back to England they all start researching Grace and Billy, and eventually come up with the most likely candidates. They also, at Marcia’s insistence, start checking up on all of Bea’s old boyfriends, if she has already met her soulmate it must be one of them. She had had a few disastrous relationships and only one that wold have led to marriage if he hadn’t died. Meanwhile Bea has other troubles, the owner of the shop she rents is selling the building and she has just three months before she has to leave. The business has been failing for a while, and against the advice of her accountant Stuart she had remortgaged her house to inject cash into her business.
Their research leads Bea into a few scrapes,and she is intrigued by a few gifts that turn up at her house from someone who clearly knows her well. I sort of guessed which man it was going to be before he is revealed, but maybe that was purely because I wanted it to be him! A lovely story, well told and totally believable. I loved the epilogue, I thought it pulled the whole story together. Well worth reading.
It is a very interesting reading, the psychic tells her that although she has had sadness and no lasting love her soulmate is waiting for her in her future. She and her soulmate have been together in many lives. In her last life she was a dressmaker named Grace Harris, and she was due to marry Billy Jackson, but something happened to prevent it. He had been killed in the Second World War. They are both back in the present time, and she must find him and let love into her life to find lasting happiness. Bea was told that she had already met this man in her present life, but she had to recognise him to find happiness.
Bea regards all of this as rubbish, but cannot help thinking about it, and when they get back to England they all start researching Grace and Billy, and eventually come up with the most likely candidates. They also, at Marcia’s insistence, start checking up on all of Bea’s old boyfriends, if she has already met her soulmate it must be one of them. She had had a few disastrous relationships and only one that wold have led to marriage if he hadn’t died. Meanwhile Bea has other troubles, the owner of the shop she rents is selling the building and she has just three months before she has to leave. The business has been failing for a while, and against the advice of her accountant Stuart she had remortgaged her house to inject cash into her business.
Their research leads Bea into a few scrapes,and she is intrigued by a few gifts that turn up at her house from someone who clearly knows her well. I sort of guessed which man it was going to be before he is revealed, but maybe that was purely because I wanted it to be him! A lovely story, well told and totally believable. I loved the epilogue, I thought it pulled the whole story together. Well worth reading.
April 1, 2019
Bea is on a trip to India with some good friends to celebrate her fiftieth birthday. As a present, she is given a visit to a renowned psychic/clairvoyant who informs her that she has already met her soulmate but that it may have been in a past life. She is also informed that she was once a dressmaker called Grace who was about to marry Billy, but the marriage didn’t happen as Billy was killed while fighting in the Second World War. Skeptical and disbelieving, Bea plays along for the sake of her friend Marcia, who is determined that Bea will find her true love. Marcia instigates searches for the Billy and Grace from her previous life as well as all of Bea’s previous boyfriends in order to eliminate the possibility that they have already met and that Bea has missed an opportunity. As Bea learns more about the life of Billy and Grace, she gradually starts to become invested in the search for “The One” and begins to meet some of her exes and evaluate their suitability.
This was a very enjoyable book that was easy to read and did not require a huge amount of brain-power or thought. The characters were well developed and likeable, which always helps and the story moved along at a fast pace. Chapters narrated by Bea were interspersed by chapters written from the point of view of some of the other characters, including a mystery man who the author disguised very well indeed. Meeting the “exes” was a great way to introduce all sorts of weird and wonderful relationships from Bea’s past, some more successful than others. There were a lot of amusing moments as she caught up with them in their present day circumstances and there were poignant moments as she recollected her previous encounters with them. Finally, there was a sense of mystery and intrigue as we were kept guessing until the very last minute who “Mr Right” was going to be.
For me, the spanner in the works was the reincarnation element to the book which was a bit too divorced from reality for me. I appreciate that this is a personal “pet hate” and will probably not impact on other people in the same way.
I would thoroughly recommend this book as it was a very enjoyable read, notwithstanding my prejudices about some of the content.
This was a very enjoyable book that was easy to read and did not require a huge amount of brain-power or thought. The characters were well developed and likeable, which always helps and the story moved along at a fast pace. Chapters narrated by Bea were interspersed by chapters written from the point of view of some of the other characters, including a mystery man who the author disguised very well indeed. Meeting the “exes” was a great way to introduce all sorts of weird and wonderful relationships from Bea’s past, some more successful than others. There were a lot of amusing moments as she caught up with them in their present day circumstances and there were poignant moments as she recollected her previous encounters with them. Finally, there was a sense of mystery and intrigue as we were kept guessing until the very last minute who “Mr Right” was going to be.
For me, the spanner in the works was the reincarnation element to the book which was a bit too divorced from reality for me. I appreciate that this is a personal “pet hate” and will probably not impact on other people in the same way.
I would thoroughly recommend this book as it was a very enjoyable read, notwithstanding my prejudices about some of the content.
November 17, 2022
Bea celebrates her 50th birthday in India with her two friends Pete and Marcia who gift her a clairvoyant as a birthday present.
The clairvoyant SaranyaJi tells Bea that she’s reincarnated from Grace who lived long ago. She also tells her Grace had a soul mate Billy who has also been reincarnated. And maybe in this life Bea needs to find him. There’s also a possibility that he’s met him already.
Bea returns to England and with the help of her two friends who are as enthused as her to find her soul mate she starts the quest for true love.
The story explores the concepts of reincarnation and how practically everyone in England in her book don’t believe in it, the ideas of karma, soul mates, and hypnosis.
I was drawn to the book to read about how a westerner would feel about concepts I talk about regularly with my friends as if they’re a part of our language.
Bea slowly starts believing in them and changes.
And she speaks of all her exes that feel similar to ones I’ve heard about from my friends as well - the player, the controller, the older man, the married man, the addict etc. Borderless categories. lol. And then we wonder why there are so many single women out there!
But Bea finds her “Billy” in a sweet twist that makes one smile in the end.
However the book got repetitive and it felt like the author had run out of things to say or give any STAKES to the character. As a writer it’s the most important aspect to keep the reader hooked. And it was missing here. So about 40-50 pages felt unnecessary.
But overall it was a light breeze read that I finished in two days.
The clairvoyant SaranyaJi tells Bea that she’s reincarnated from Grace who lived long ago. She also tells her Grace had a soul mate Billy who has also been reincarnated. And maybe in this life Bea needs to find him. There’s also a possibility that he’s met him already.
Bea returns to England and with the help of her two friends who are as enthused as her to find her soul mate she starts the quest for true love.
The story explores the concepts of reincarnation and how practically everyone in England in her book don’t believe in it, the ideas of karma, soul mates, and hypnosis.
I was drawn to the book to read about how a westerner would feel about concepts I talk about regularly with my friends as if they’re a part of our language.
Bea slowly starts believing in them and changes.
And she speaks of all her exes that feel similar to ones I’ve heard about from my friends as well - the player, the controller, the older man, the married man, the addict etc. Borderless categories. lol. And then we wonder why there are so many single women out there!
But Bea finds her “Billy” in a sweet twist that makes one smile in the end.
However the book got repetitive and it felt like the author had run out of things to say or give any STAKES to the character. As a writer it’s the most important aspect to keep the reader hooked. And it was missing here. So about 40-50 pages felt unnecessary.
But overall it was a light breeze read that I finished in two days.
July 1, 2019
"Blast from the Past" was an uplifting, warm, feel-good read. I have previously read 'The Kicking the Bucket List' and this book was the same good quality read that I was expecting from Cathy Hopkins.
It was a glorious romantic read that bravely and satisfyingly touched on topics associated with psychics, meditation and life after death. Warm, inspirational and written in the author's familiar friendly and witty style. this novel was full of romantic promise for the older person, but still young at heart. A heartfelt and refreshing read, the characters were well developed and likeable and the story moved along at a good pace. The story was well balanced with many amusing moments as well as poignant ones. In addition, there was a great sense of mystery and intrigue as I was left guessing until the very last minute who 'Mr Perfect' was going to be.
I would thoroughly recommend this book as it was a hugely enjoyable read,
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from HarperCollins UK/ HarperFiction via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
It was a glorious romantic read that bravely and satisfyingly touched on topics associated with psychics, meditation and life after death. Warm, inspirational and written in the author's familiar friendly and witty style. this novel was full of romantic promise for the older person, but still young at heart. A heartfelt and refreshing read, the characters were well developed and likeable and the story moved along at a good pace. The story was well balanced with many amusing moments as well as poignant ones. In addition, there was a great sense of mystery and intrigue as I was left guessing until the very last minute who 'Mr Perfect' was going to be.
I would thoroughly recommend this book as it was a hugely enjoyable read,
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from HarperCollins UK/ HarperFiction via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
July 1, 2019
A feel-good novel about finding love at 50! How unexpected right?
The pacing of the plot was good but halfway through, I kinda felt like "OMG, I want to know so bad who is the reincarnated soulmate of Bea Brooks!"
The story started of with Bea Brooks and her best friend (with husband in tow) celebrating their 50th birthday in colourful India. As a present, Bea got a reading from a guru, Saranji, who claims to be able to foresee her future. She was told that in her past life she was a dressmaker, Grace Harris, who fell in love with a boy who went to fight in the war and never came back. Grace died of a broken heart. According to the guru, her soulmate is back in this life again and if fate permits, they will meet again.
Sounds like a typical plot but it is a good-light read. I couldn't control myself and flipped to the end to see who was her so called mystery soulmate and it was quite unexpected but knowing the ending while reading the novel, there was one very obvious clue that the author gave mid-way through the book so look out for that!
The pacing of the plot was good but halfway through, I kinda felt like "OMG, I want to know so bad who is the reincarnated soulmate of Bea Brooks!"
The story started of with Bea Brooks and her best friend (with husband in tow) celebrating their 50th birthday in colourful India. As a present, Bea got a reading from a guru, Saranji, who claims to be able to foresee her future. She was told that in her past life she was a dressmaker, Grace Harris, who fell in love with a boy who went to fight in the war and never came back. Grace died of a broken heart. According to the guru, her soulmate is back in this life again and if fate permits, they will meet again.
Sounds like a typical plot but it is a good-light read. I couldn't control myself and flipped to the end to see who was her so called mystery soulmate and it was quite unexpected but knowing the ending while reading the novel, there was one very obvious clue that the author gave mid-way through the book so look out for that!
August 23, 2019
My friend knew me well when she gave me this book, being curious about all things to do with reincarnation, family history and past lives presented in a convincing fashion. It was great too to see a central character at the age of 50 being presented in such a refreshingly realistic way and not bumbling about with the interwebby thing, reading Mills and Boon, patting their hair or struggling to set up an account on TwitBook to check what their grandkids are up to. Cathy has done this so well and it’s one of the best things in the book along with realistic dialogue, plot pace and character development. (Though is Bea incapable of saying yes? Her affirmatives are all “I did.” “It does”. “It was”.) Too much of this and you start looking out for the next occurrence and it interferes with the reading experience. But she’d win the yes/no game hands down.
Bea has not been lucky with her relationships. In India with her two best mates Pete and Marcia, all celebrating the big 5-0 at around the same time, she’s surprised when one of her birthday presents turns out to be a clairvoyant reading. Though sceptical, she goes along to be stunned by the revelation that her soulmate is out there and not only that, she has met him before. And in a previous life too. This I could take in, but when the clairvoyant went on to reveal the names of both their previous incarnations, I thought it got a bit daft as I couldn’t believe in anyone having such specific knowledge of detail. Bea managed to suspend her disbelief enough to research the past characters who amazingly actually existed in the Second World War. But the genealogist in me didn’t suspend it enough to believe that she could have got her hands on census documents that didn’t exist or wouldn't be publicly available until 2051!
At the same time Bea is having to make some serious financial changes and takes a long cool look at her jewellery design business, her living arrangements and all her ex boyfriends. This is brilliant! As she goes through her romantic CV with her mates and checks them all out we laugh, cringe and hope along with her as well as appreciate the subtle way Cathy brings all the backstories in without employing annoying flashbacks or plot disruptions. The mystery man figures throughout the book in his own chapters, but the identity is so cleverly hidden it’s impossible to work out which of the guys in Bea’s life he is.
I read this at a very emotional time in my life having lost someone immensely important to me only days before; the tears wouldn’t stop, especially at the characterisation and description of the younger Michael (and the older one too to an extent) – and then I got to the epilogue!
Cathy is a real storytelling talent and I thoroughly recommend this very relatable book. Perfectly up my alley.
4.8 (because my belief was stretched just that bit too much).
Bea has not been lucky with her relationships. In India with her two best mates Pete and Marcia, all celebrating the big 5-0 at around the same time, she’s surprised when one of her birthday presents turns out to be a clairvoyant reading. Though sceptical, she goes along to be stunned by the revelation that her soulmate is out there and not only that, she has met him before. And in a previous life too. This I could take in, but when the clairvoyant went on to reveal the names of both their previous incarnations, I thought it got a bit daft as I couldn’t believe in anyone having such specific knowledge of detail. Bea managed to suspend her disbelief enough to research the past characters who amazingly actually existed in the Second World War. But the genealogist in me didn’t suspend it enough to believe that she could have got her hands on census documents that didn’t exist or wouldn't be publicly available until 2051!
At the same time Bea is having to make some serious financial changes and takes a long cool look at her jewellery design business, her living arrangements and all her ex boyfriends. This is brilliant! As she goes through her romantic CV with her mates and checks them all out we laugh, cringe and hope along with her as well as appreciate the subtle way Cathy brings all the backstories in without employing annoying flashbacks or plot disruptions. The mystery man figures throughout the book in his own chapters, but the identity is so cleverly hidden it’s impossible to work out which of the guys in Bea’s life he is.
I read this at a very emotional time in my life having lost someone immensely important to me only days before; the tears wouldn’t stop, especially at the characterisation and description of the younger Michael (and the older one too to an extent) – and then I got to the epilogue!
Cathy is a real storytelling talent and I thoroughly recommend this very relatable book. Perfectly up my alley.
4.8 (because my belief was stretched just that bit too much).
April 26, 2024
On a trip of a lifetime to India, Bea is given an unexpected fiftieth birthday present – an hour with a celebrated clairvoyant. Unlucky in love, Bea learns that her true soulmate is still out there ̶ and that he’s someone she knew in a past life.
Returning home, Bea revisits the men in her life and can’t resist looking up a few old lovers – the Good, the Bad and the… well, the others. As Bea connects with the ones that got away, she suspects that her little black book has remained shut for a reason. But one man out there has her in his sights.
They say love is blind and maybe Bea just needs an eye test…
Well, I made it to page 159 and gave up. Between Bea's list making of all the men she's ever been with and "mysterious" (not really) thoughts from "the One" who's supposed to be her love from a former life, I just couldn't take any more. The story might have been good if it were half as long as it is but it didn't work for me. It's set in England so that threw me a little off to start with.
I'm sure some people will love it. I'm not one of them.
Returning home, Bea revisits the men in her life and can’t resist looking up a few old lovers – the Good, the Bad and the… well, the others. As Bea connects with the ones that got away, she suspects that her little black book has remained shut for a reason. But one man out there has her in his sights.
They say love is blind and maybe Bea just needs an eye test…
Well, I made it to page 159 and gave up. Between Bea's list making of all the men she's ever been with and "mysterious" (not really) thoughts from "the One" who's supposed to be her love from a former life, I just couldn't take any more. The story might have been good if it were half as long as it is but it didn't work for me. It's set in England so that threw me a little off to start with.
I'm sure some people will love it. I'm not one of them.
March 9, 2019
When Bea goes on a trip to India with her two best friends to celebrate their 50th birthdays she isn't expecting it to change her life. As a birthday present her friends gives her a session with the area's most celebrated clairvoyant, who tells Bea that her soulmate is out there she just has to find him and that they had met in a previous life. Bea then has to go back through her little black book and revisit past conquests in her search........ but who can he be!
A lovely warm book and I loved the concept that there is someone out there for everyone regardless of your age...... there's hope for me yet! I loved the character of Bea and was rooting her to find her man, and we were definitely kept guessing
A lovely warm book and I loved the concept that there is someone out there for everyone regardless of your age...... there's hope for me yet! I loved the character of Bea and was rooting her to find her man, and we were definitely kept guessing
March 18, 2019
Bea & her two best friends go on a trip to India to celebrate their fiftieth birthdays. Bea is also given a reading with a celebrated Indian mystic. Although she has always professed to find this sort of thing a load of rubbish, the revelation that the love of her life is out there. That she has loved & lost him in a previous life & has the chance for this time to make a happy ending.
Her business is about to go under & she will need to rethink where she is going from here. Her mystic meeting preys on her mind. After a hypnotist session she sets out to find out what tragic story is in her past & who is the man of her destiny.
This was a fun read. I'm not a big romance reader but I enjoyed this one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
Her business is about to go under & she will need to rethink where she is going from here. Her mystic meeting preys on her mind. After a hypnotist session she sets out to find out what tragic story is in her past & who is the man of her destiny.
This was a fun read. I'm not a big romance reader but I enjoyed this one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
September 4, 2019
Bea celebrates her fiftieth birthday, with her friends Marcia and Pete, in India. As a gift, Marcia arranges for Bea to meet with a famous clairvoyant and the results of this encounter change Bea's life. During the session with the clairvoyant, Bea learns that she is the reincarnated soul of a deceased woman whose true love died during WWII, but is now reincarnated again as well. She begins her quest to determine if this is in fact true.
This was a wonderful, well written and very entertaining read. I enjoyed the characters, the romantic story line and definitely recommend this.
Thank you very much to Netgalley, the author Cathy Hopkins, and the publisher Harper Collins UK, for the delightful opportunity to read an ARC of this charming novel.
This was a wonderful, well written and very entertaining read. I enjoyed the characters, the romantic story line and definitely recommend this.
Thank you very much to Netgalley, the author Cathy Hopkins, and the publisher Harper Collins UK, for the delightful opportunity to read an ARC of this charming novel.
January 5, 2020
I expect it is what most of us seek in life but not all find, that special connection that makes us feel complete, and this is Bea’s story. By 50 she has long since resigned herself to live a lesser life but a birthday gift of a visit to a clairvoyant inspires her to make one last attempt at finding fulfilment. I’m not a believer in “previous lives” etc. but there is sufficient scepticism to for me to accept this aspect of the story without feeling it jeopardises the plausibility of the plot because it still works and I’m so happy Mr Right was who I hoped it would be.
This is my first by Cathy Hopkins and despite my reservations about the clairvoyant element of the story I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more by this author.
This is my first by Cathy Hopkins and despite my reservations about the clairvoyant element of the story I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more by this author.
June 8, 2022
"Blast from the Past" is a gentle read and an uplifting love story. On a trip to India, the main character, Bea, receives a fiftieth birthday present of an hour with a clairvoyant. The story then takes the reader on a journey of previous lovers, past lives, soul searching, and discovering why Bea hasn't been able (or willing) to find the right man for her. The book is light-hearted and humorous in parts. It's an easy, entertaining read about travel, friendship, life and one woman's quest to deal with her demons and find true love.
January 31, 2019
It's the first book I read written by this author and I'm really happy I requested it.
It was fun to read and entertaining, a very pleasant reading experience.
I loved the plot, full of twists and turns, and I loved the well written characters.
The books is full of emotions and it's surely a page turner.
I look forward to reading other books by this author,
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this ARC
It was fun to read and entertaining, a very pleasant reading experience.
I loved the plot, full of twists and turns, and I loved the well written characters.
The books is full of emotions and it's surely a page turner.
I look forward to reading other books by this author,
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this ARC
March 5, 2019
Bea and two of her best friends travel to India to celebrate their joint 50th birthdays. Bea has been single for most of her life. Her friend buys her a session with an Indian clairvoyant, she tells her her soul mate is out there somewhere and they have met in a previous life and it sets out the basis for the story.
This story was an enjoyable read, with likeable characters and a unique storyline. It was a bit repetitive at times but on the whole I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
This story was an enjoyable read, with likeable characters and a unique storyline. It was a bit repetitive at times but on the whole I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
March 15, 2022
Ok so the India trip and clairvoyant did make me think 'god I am not going to get into this slow burner'. But when she returned home I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, along with its twists and turns. I certainly haven't read anything like it from this chick lit category and hadn't heard of the author before, although I will definitely keep her in mind for future reads!
March 16, 2022
Pretty funny and cute, especially in the beginning, and I liked how we were kept guessing and all the "clues" to who the mysterious other person was, were nullified over and over. I also liked the initial story about Grace and Billy, but towards the end it felt more like any other romance story. I did enjoy the letter at the absolute end tho.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2019
A cute, light read with a unique premise.
April 11, 2020
Gentle feel good romance. An easy read.
December 2, 2023
Loved this story very captivating
June 6, 2025
Excellent book completely different from other reads
October 25, 2019
I absolutely loved every page of Cathy Hopkins latest book Blast from the Past
It’s a love story with a difference, it has twists and turns. There is Genealogy, of which I have studied for over 30 years so my attention was caught straight away. Travel, Fun, Friendships. There are also some past life regression, which has always intrigued me.
A true uplifting read which actually made me shed a tear at the end. I can most definitely recommend this book. It’s a fabulous warm read on a cold winter’s evening
It’s a love story with a difference, it has twists and turns. There is Genealogy, of which I have studied for over 30 years so my attention was caught straight away. Travel, Fun, Friendships. There are also some past life regression, which has always intrigued me.
A true uplifting read which actually made me shed a tear at the end. I can most definitely recommend this book. It’s a fabulous warm read on a cold winter’s evening
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