What do you think?
Rate this book
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan
'I want to be Shirley when I grow up.' RACHAEL JOHNS'Beautiful, breathtaking and heart-wrenching.' AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY'Elderly. Is that how the world sees me? A helpless little old lady? If only they knew. I allow myself a small smirk.'A Daring EscapeWhen Shirley Sullivan signs her 83-year-old husband, Frank, out of the Sunset Lodge Nursing Home, she has no intention of bringing him back.A Lifetime of MemoriesFor fifty-seven years the couple has shared love, happiness and heartbreak. And while Frank may not know who his wife is these days, he knows he wants to go home. Back to the beach where they met in the early 1960s . . .A Final Act of LoveSo Shirley enacts an elaborate plan to evade the authorities – and their furious daughter, Fiona – to give Frank the holiday he’d always dreamed of.And, in doing so, perhaps Shirley can make amends for a lifelong guilty secret . . .------------------------'With both humour and heart, The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan takes the reader on a (literal) journey – in a Kombi van! – following one couple’s unconventional love story, and examining the lengths a person will go to to right the wrongs of a lifetime. This is Lisa Ireland’s breakout novel for sure.' SALLY HEPWORTH'Lisa Ireland’s writing is simply magical, and Shirley’s charming and heartfelt story brought me to tears again and again. The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is one of my favourite books, ever.' KELLY RIMMER'This moving story, celebrating ageing and all types of love, will leave you with a smile on your face and warmth in your heart.' RACHAEL JOHNS
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2020
25 people are currently reading
1565 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Ireland
11 books221 followersLisa Ireland is an Australian writer of contemporary women’s fiction. After working for many years as a primary school teacher, Lisa is a now a full-time writer.
Her novel, Feels Like Home, is an Australian Bestseller. In 2015 Lisa was one of the Top Ten Debut Fiction Authors in Australia. She has five books published to date, and her sixth novel, THE SECRET LIFE OF SHIRLEY SULLIVAN, will be released in MAY 2020.
When she’s not writing, Lisa can be found running (okay, shuffling), drinking coffee at her favourite cafes, or perusing the shelves of her local bookstore.
She loves eating but not cooking, is an Olympic class procrastinator, and (most importantly) minion to a rather large dog.
Her novel, Feels Like Home, is an Australian Bestseller. In 2015 Lisa was one of the Top Ten Debut Fiction Authors in Australia. She has five books published to date, and her sixth novel, THE SECRET LIFE OF SHIRLEY SULLIVAN, will be released in MAY 2020.
When she’s not writing, Lisa can be found running (okay, shuffling), drinking coffee at her favourite cafes, or perusing the shelves of her local bookstore.
She loves eating but not cooking, is an Olympic class procrastinator, and (most importantly) minion to a rather large dog.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
September 4, 2020
LOVED IT ❤️LOVED IT ❤️LOVED IT ❤️
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is not only a brilliantly written story, it’s also a beautiful, heartfelt story with characters you will instantly fall in love with. Following Frank and Shirley’s road trip adventure had me laughing out loud, but then there were times I had tears in my eyes.
This book will take you on a journey unlike any other, but it’s a journey that will stay with you for a long time to come. I absolutely loved this book and I cannot highly recommend it enough to anyone who is looking for their next read. Aussie author Lisa Ireland has done an exceptional job in writing this story and I immediately want to read everything she has written. Highly recommended.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is not only a brilliantly written story, it’s also a beautiful, heartfelt story with characters you will instantly fall in love with. Following Frank and Shirley’s road trip adventure had me laughing out loud, but then there were times I had tears in my eyes.
This book will take you on a journey unlike any other, but it’s a journey that will stay with you for a long time to come. I absolutely loved this book and I cannot highly recommend it enough to anyone who is looking for their next read. Aussie author Lisa Ireland has done an exceptional job in writing this story and I immediately want to read everything she has written. Highly recommended.
July 2, 2020
Sadly I am going to be the odd one out hiding in the corner a bit embarrassed because I found this to be just an okay book.
My issue was that I did not enjoy the back story chapters at all. I was invested in the relationship between Frank and Shirley which leads her to her actions in this book. The other relationship was distracting and for me unnecessary. Nevertheless I enjoyed Frank's story and loved all the people who supported their travels in various ways.
The ending was ambiguous but discussing it would be a big spoiler so you will have to read it for yourselves and see what you think happened next. Don't be put off by my pickiness. There is a lot of goodness in the book and three stars is not a bad rating!
My issue was that I did not enjoy the back story chapters at all. I was invested in the relationship between Frank and Shirley which leads her to her actions in this book. The other relationship was distracting and for me unnecessary. Nevertheless I enjoyed Frank's story and loved all the people who supported their travels in various ways.
The ending was ambiguous but discussing it would be a big spoiler so you will have to read it for yourselves and see what you think happened next. Don't be put off by my pickiness. There is a lot of goodness in the book and three stars is not a bad rating!
June 2, 2020
4.5★s
Shirley and Frank Sullivan had lived in Geelong all their married lives in the home they’d bought when they were first married. Their lives had had the ups and downs of most married couples and their only child, Fiona, was now married with three lovely children. It was while Fiona was visiting from her home in Sydney that she noticed something about Frank, something that wasn’t quite right. When the doctors diagnosed dementia, Shirley and Fiona were devastated. Fiona arranged everything and Shirley and Frank moved to Sydney with her.
Some time later Frank was in Sunset Lodge Nursing Home and he was no longer happy; no longer her Frank. So Shirley devised a plan. She took her beloved Frank out of the nursing home – ostensibly on a family day outing – and they headed off on the road trip of a lifetime. Frank was eighty-three, Shirley seventy-nine and the further they went, the more relaxed and happy Frank became. After almost sixty years together, Shirley was giving her beloved the holiday he’d always wanted – together they would go home…
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan by Aussie author Lisa Ireland is beautiful! I think most of us can associate with our own elderly parents – I know I can – but this heartwarming story, the road trip which took me through areas I’ve been myself, and where my own parents lived, was so incredibly special. Shirley was a wonderful character. Inspirational, stubborn, strong, loving and definitely cluey, I really enjoyed reading her story. That the author took inspiration from her own parents was lovely to learn. Although I was disappointed in the ending, The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is well told, and certainly one I won’t forget in a hurry. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Penguin Random House AU for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
Shirley and Frank Sullivan had lived in Geelong all their married lives in the home they’d bought when they were first married. Their lives had had the ups and downs of most married couples and their only child, Fiona, was now married with three lovely children. It was while Fiona was visiting from her home in Sydney that she noticed something about Frank, something that wasn’t quite right. When the doctors diagnosed dementia, Shirley and Fiona were devastated. Fiona arranged everything and Shirley and Frank moved to Sydney with her.
Some time later Frank was in Sunset Lodge Nursing Home and he was no longer happy; no longer her Frank. So Shirley devised a plan. She took her beloved Frank out of the nursing home – ostensibly on a family day outing – and they headed off on the road trip of a lifetime. Frank was eighty-three, Shirley seventy-nine and the further they went, the more relaxed and happy Frank became. After almost sixty years together, Shirley was giving her beloved the holiday he’d always wanted – together they would go home…
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan by Aussie author Lisa Ireland is beautiful! I think most of us can associate with our own elderly parents – I know I can – but this heartwarming story, the road trip which took me through areas I’ve been myself, and where my own parents lived, was so incredibly special. Shirley was a wonderful character. Inspirational, stubborn, strong, loving and definitely cluey, I really enjoyed reading her story. That the author took inspiration from her own parents was lovely to learn. Although I was disappointed in the ending, The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is well told, and certainly one I won’t forget in a hurry. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Penguin Random House AU for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2020
If you read nothing else this year, read this book!
This is Lisa Ireland’s breakout novel. You will fall in love with Shirley as Ireland takes you on a journey through her life as a young woman, to her life now as an elderly woman, her husband suffering from dementia. It’s a story about the complications of life and love, and the ways we redeem ourselves. A stunning read
This is Lisa Ireland’s breakout novel. You will fall in love with Shirley as Ireland takes you on a journey through her life as a young woman, to her life now as an elderly woman, her husband suffering from dementia. It’s a story about the complications of life and love, and the ways we redeem ourselves. A stunning read
July 31, 2020
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**4.5 stars**
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan by Lisa Ireland. (2020).
When Shirley signs her 83 year old husband Frank out of the nursing home, she has no intention of bringing him back. For 57 years the couple has shared love, happiness and heartbreak. Frank's dementia means he does not always know who Shirley is, but he knows he wants to go home; back to the beach where they met in the early 1960s. So Shirley enacts an elaborate plan to evade the authorities, and their furious daughter Fiona, to give Frank the holiday he'd always dreamed of. And in doing so, perhaps Shirley can make amends for a lifelong guilty secret...
I've read one book by this author previously and loved it (The Shape of Us), then I kept seeing amazing reviews for this one so I was really looking forward to this release. Thankfully it did not disappoint! The plot alternates between now, where Shirley has taken Frank from his nursing home, and the other timeline follows their relationship from their first meeting in the early 1960s. Honestly, my heart breaks any time I read about a character with dementia that can't recognise their family and this was true again in this book. I liked Shirley...but I really liked "elderly" Shirley over younger Shirley; elderly Shirley is a cracker! The ending was slightly ambiguous in that you can guess one of two things that have happened. I have it on very good authority that if you reach out to the author, she will send you an epilogue which satisfy your mind. There's a lot of very emotional concepts in this novel which really tugged at the heartstrings.
I highly recommend this heartwarming and moving novel.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
**4.5 stars**
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan by Lisa Ireland. (2020).
When Shirley signs her 83 year old husband Frank out of the nursing home, she has no intention of bringing him back. For 57 years the couple has shared love, happiness and heartbreak. Frank's dementia means he does not always know who Shirley is, but he knows he wants to go home; back to the beach where they met in the early 1960s. So Shirley enacts an elaborate plan to evade the authorities, and their furious daughter Fiona, to give Frank the holiday he'd always dreamed of. And in doing so, perhaps Shirley can make amends for a lifelong guilty secret...
I've read one book by this author previously and loved it (The Shape of Us), then I kept seeing amazing reviews for this one so I was really looking forward to this release. Thankfully it did not disappoint! The plot alternates between now, where Shirley has taken Frank from his nursing home, and the other timeline follows their relationship from their first meeting in the early 1960s. Honestly, my heart breaks any time I read about a character with dementia that can't recognise their family and this was true again in this book. I liked Shirley...but I really liked "elderly" Shirley over younger Shirley; elderly Shirley is a cracker! The ending was slightly ambiguous in that you can guess one of two things that have happened. I have it on very good authority that if you reach out to the author, she will send you an epilogue which satisfy your mind. There's a lot of very emotional concepts in this novel which really tugged at the heartstrings.
I highly recommend this heartwarming and moving novel.
May 2, 2020
I just finished this book in two sittings, it was very hard to put down and I don’t know where to start, I know I loved it from start to finish, I think Shirley Sullivan is a strong, loving, caring woman who did what she could to make everyone happy, but it meant that she may have left herself off that list here and there. I do know that this is a must read, it is a story that will reach into your heart and pull at your heart-strings.
This is a dual time book set in the beachside suburbs of Victoria in the 1960’s through to the 1980’s and present day, we meet Shirley when she is twenty one and madly wanting to be a bride and mother, we see her meet Frank when he saves her at the beach and marry him and start the life she dreamed of, they have a daughter Fiona, but life throws many hurdles to some people and Shirley has to jump high to get over a few, but she does with help and such determination.
Now in present time Frank has Alzheimer’s and Shirley and Frank’s life has been turned upside down, their daughter has moved them to Sydney and put Frank in a nursing home and Shirley is determined to make Frank’s life better and get him back home to the place he loves the best the beach, she plans to break him out and take a road trip back home, trying to stay off the radar of the authorities and she is hoping to revel a secret that she has kept for many years.
I bow down to you MS Ireland what a story, it is awesome from start to finish, I cried, I cheered Shirley on for her strength and courage and I thoroughly enjoyed this road trip and the story. This story was heart-wrenching at times but so beautifully told, I really wanted to hug Shirley so much. I don’t want to say too much I hope I have done this book justice I do highly recommend it be prepared though when you pick it up because nothing else will get done before it is finished, again I say it is a must read.
This is a dual time book set in the beachside suburbs of Victoria in the 1960’s through to the 1980’s and present day, we meet Shirley when she is twenty one and madly wanting to be a bride and mother, we see her meet Frank when he saves her at the beach and marry him and start the life she dreamed of, they have a daughter Fiona, but life throws many hurdles to some people and Shirley has to jump high to get over a few, but she does with help and such determination.
Now in present time Frank has Alzheimer’s and Shirley and Frank’s life has been turned upside down, their daughter has moved them to Sydney and put Frank in a nursing home and Shirley is determined to make Frank’s life better and get him back home to the place he loves the best the beach, she plans to break him out and take a road trip back home, trying to stay off the radar of the authorities and she is hoping to revel a secret that she has kept for many years.
I bow down to you MS Ireland what a story, it is awesome from start to finish, I cried, I cheered Shirley on for her strength and courage and I thoroughly enjoyed this road trip and the story. This story was heart-wrenching at times but so beautifully told, I really wanted to hug Shirley so much. I don’t want to say too much I hope I have done this book justice I do highly recommend it be prepared though when you pick it up because nothing else will get done before it is finished, again I say it is a must read.
May 23, 2020
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘It’s funny how ageing changes a person’s perspective on life. When you realise there are fewer years in front of you than behind, it becomes easier to filter out all the trivialities and concentrate on what really matters.’
A beautiful and moving tribute to love, family, relationships and ageing is bestowed on the pages of Lisa Ireland’s new novel. The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is equal parts heartwarming, heartbreaking and poignant. What an unforgettable journey this novel presented from start to the finish.
Questions of ageing are placed at the forefront of The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan. The title character, Shirley Sullivan, is an enterprising eighty plus woman. Upset by the current living arrangements of her husband Frank in a nursing home has resulted in a carefully laid out plan to rescue her husband from the clutches of the home. Setting off on a life changing road trip, Shirley recounts her years with Frank. From their first meeting, to their courtship, marriage and life as a family unit, this couple has lived one full life together. Through the ups and downs of life, Shirley and Frank’s love has weathered many storms, the biggest one being Frank’s illness. Shirley knows that she owes it to Frank to make one last trip to a very special place and in doing so, Shirley hopes to makes amends for past mistakes. But with the authorities, nursing home and daughter Fiona hot on their tail, it remains to be seen if this endearing couple can make it to their final holiday destination.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is a road trip book with a difference. It combines an engrossing life story with a social history of Australia’s not too distant past, along with a close look at a long standing marriage. Inspiring, celebratory, moving and meaningful, Lisa Ireland’s latest will be sure to earn her some new fans.
I have to admit that I was having a bad day when I picked up The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan to read. Everything was annoying me and I longed for something that could sweep me away from all the things that were getting under my skin. Lisa Ireland’s latest succeeded in bolstering my spirits. It picked me up when I needed it the most and it improved my mindset. So thank you to Lisa Ireland for this truly heartwarming novel.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is relayed in a dual timeline format. We meet title character Shirley Sullivan in the present day and we are acquainted with her again in the past. We follow Shirley’s life as a single gal, just prior to her fateful first meeting with Frank and we follow along their poignant journey as they move from courtship, to marriage and the years after. Lisa Ireland recounts a full and involving set of events. At many times I felt like an interloper in this relationship. Ireland very delicately backtracks from the past to the present, with careful interchanges. I enjoyed these gentle timeline waves.
Within the back story of Shirley and Frank’s relationship we are presented with a nostalgic picture of Australia’s past. Traversing the 1960s, 1970s and beyond, Ireland does an excellent job of providing the reader with a snapshot of life during these decades in our past. From courting practices, to employment expectations for women, marriage, social expectations, contraception, birth and the rise of the women’s movement, Ireland’s world building was impressive. It was nice to take a trip down memory lane and experience what my mother, as well as grandmother faced. I appreciated the opportunity to link my own family’s experiences to the characters in this book.
In addition, I was also able to reflect on my own family’s experiences with dementia, which recently came to end last year when my grandmother passed away. I was able to directly link Frank Sullivan’s circumstances to the last years of my grandmother’s life. Ireland touches on this topic with insight, sensitivity and grace. Ireland doesn’t shy way from the tough times, which I admired. I could fully understand Shirley’s feelings and why she was so motivated to emancipate Frank from the nursing home.
There is a rather explosive twist and heartbreaking secret that comes to light a fair way into this novel. I was oblivious to this revelation until it hit me, smack bang in the face! It was a shock, but a good one and it helped elevate this novel to another level for me. It represented yet another poignant layer to this beautiful novel. I apologise if I cannot reveal any more to you on the details of this dramatic twist, but I would be sure to deliver a whopping spoiler. Suffice to say, it is well worth your time to pick up this novel.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan features a plethora of themes, topics and thoughts in general that I would be happy to talk about until the cows come home! The strong focus on female relationships and friendships is a dominant theme in this novel. Duty, self-sacrifice, expectation, faith and morality all play a significant role in The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan. Ageing is explored in a way that makes us see that our twilight years can deliver unexpected situations, but also opportunities to take the bull by the horns and experience life. The road trip aspect was a sheer delight and the scenic route covered by the leads cemented my resolve to retrace Shirley and Frank’s footsteps in the future. Finally, the end left me quite bereft. I’m not sure what to make of it and I am unsure if I am ready to say goodbye to dear Shirley and Frank just yet.
In The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan, Lisa Ireland has excelled in bringing her readership a novel that is truly her own. Lisa Ireland she has definitely found her calling in the life lit genre with the help of this superb novel. Passionate, well told, unforgettable and enticing, it made me want a Shirley Sullivan by my side when I retire!
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is book #59 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
‘It’s funny how ageing changes a person’s perspective on life. When you realise there are fewer years in front of you than behind, it becomes easier to filter out all the trivialities and concentrate on what really matters.’
A beautiful and moving tribute to love, family, relationships and ageing is bestowed on the pages of Lisa Ireland’s new novel. The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is equal parts heartwarming, heartbreaking and poignant. What an unforgettable journey this novel presented from start to the finish.
Questions of ageing are placed at the forefront of The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan. The title character, Shirley Sullivan, is an enterprising eighty plus woman. Upset by the current living arrangements of her husband Frank in a nursing home has resulted in a carefully laid out plan to rescue her husband from the clutches of the home. Setting off on a life changing road trip, Shirley recounts her years with Frank. From their first meeting, to their courtship, marriage and life as a family unit, this couple has lived one full life together. Through the ups and downs of life, Shirley and Frank’s love has weathered many storms, the biggest one being Frank’s illness. Shirley knows that she owes it to Frank to make one last trip to a very special place and in doing so, Shirley hopes to makes amends for past mistakes. But with the authorities, nursing home and daughter Fiona hot on their tail, it remains to be seen if this endearing couple can make it to their final holiday destination.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is a road trip book with a difference. It combines an engrossing life story with a social history of Australia’s not too distant past, along with a close look at a long standing marriage. Inspiring, celebratory, moving and meaningful, Lisa Ireland’s latest will be sure to earn her some new fans.
I have to admit that I was having a bad day when I picked up The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan to read. Everything was annoying me and I longed for something that could sweep me away from all the things that were getting under my skin. Lisa Ireland’s latest succeeded in bolstering my spirits. It picked me up when I needed it the most and it improved my mindset. So thank you to Lisa Ireland for this truly heartwarming novel.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is relayed in a dual timeline format. We meet title character Shirley Sullivan in the present day and we are acquainted with her again in the past. We follow Shirley’s life as a single gal, just prior to her fateful first meeting with Frank and we follow along their poignant journey as they move from courtship, to marriage and the years after. Lisa Ireland recounts a full and involving set of events. At many times I felt like an interloper in this relationship. Ireland very delicately backtracks from the past to the present, with careful interchanges. I enjoyed these gentle timeline waves.
Within the back story of Shirley and Frank’s relationship we are presented with a nostalgic picture of Australia’s past. Traversing the 1960s, 1970s and beyond, Ireland does an excellent job of providing the reader with a snapshot of life during these decades in our past. From courting practices, to employment expectations for women, marriage, social expectations, contraception, birth and the rise of the women’s movement, Ireland’s world building was impressive. It was nice to take a trip down memory lane and experience what my mother, as well as grandmother faced. I appreciated the opportunity to link my own family’s experiences to the characters in this book.
In addition, I was also able to reflect on my own family’s experiences with dementia, which recently came to end last year when my grandmother passed away. I was able to directly link Frank Sullivan’s circumstances to the last years of my grandmother’s life. Ireland touches on this topic with insight, sensitivity and grace. Ireland doesn’t shy way from the tough times, which I admired. I could fully understand Shirley’s feelings and why she was so motivated to emancipate Frank from the nursing home.
There is a rather explosive twist and heartbreaking secret that comes to light a fair way into this novel. I was oblivious to this revelation until it hit me, smack bang in the face! It was a shock, but a good one and it helped elevate this novel to another level for me. It represented yet another poignant layer to this beautiful novel. I apologise if I cannot reveal any more to you on the details of this dramatic twist, but I would be sure to deliver a whopping spoiler. Suffice to say, it is well worth your time to pick up this novel.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan features a plethora of themes, topics and thoughts in general that I would be happy to talk about until the cows come home! The strong focus on female relationships and friendships is a dominant theme in this novel. Duty, self-sacrifice, expectation, faith and morality all play a significant role in The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan. Ageing is explored in a way that makes us see that our twilight years can deliver unexpected situations, but also opportunities to take the bull by the horns and experience life. The road trip aspect was a sheer delight and the scenic route covered by the leads cemented my resolve to retrace Shirley and Frank’s footsteps in the future. Finally, the end left me quite bereft. I’m not sure what to make of it and I am unsure if I am ready to say goodbye to dear Shirley and Frank just yet.
In The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan, Lisa Ireland has excelled in bringing her readership a novel that is truly her own. Lisa Ireland she has definitely found her calling in the life lit genre with the help of this superb novel. Passionate, well told, unforgettable and enticing, it made me want a Shirley Sullivan by my side when I retire!
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is book #59 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
September 19, 2020
Seventy nine year old Shirley Sullivan has a plan to get her husband Frank out of Sunset Lodge nursing home. Not just for a day as she has no intention of bringing him back. She has been planning this escape for a while. She knows he would want to go back to his home and the beach where they met back in the early 60s. But it all has to be planned meticulously if she has any hope of carrying it off. That means keeping it all a secret from their daughter Fiona who is officially the one in charge of her father’s care. Shirley and Fiona have a difficult relationship. Can Shirley manage to pull off her plan?
When I started this I was easily drawn into Shirley’s plan. It was easy to empathise with her. I also liked the early pictures of life in the sixties. It’s interesting to read how much life and attitudes have changed since those days. But the longer it went on in the back story the less I liked Shirley. I thought she was selfish and manipulative. Her behaviour showed a lack of regard for those she claimed to love. Her treatment of Frank and Rita always seemed to come second to her own need. Given the way she treated her daughter I wasn’t a bit surprised at the gulf that widened between her and Fiona.
While I enjoyed certain aspects of the story, particularly the plans to evade the police, these other aspects troubled me. I did love the relationship between Shirley and her granddaughter Lou and the way she got on board with helpers for her Nan. As for the ending I didn’t like it.
Given the majority of reviews I had read before buying this book, I ended up disappointed over all. Obviously I never saw in it what others did. Sorry I bought it. Added to that fact the copy I received had a number of pages that had been cut through, which annoyed me for a brand new book.
When I started this I was easily drawn into Shirley’s plan. It was easy to empathise with her. I also liked the early pictures of life in the sixties. It’s interesting to read how much life and attitudes have changed since those days. But the longer it went on in the back story the less I liked Shirley. I thought she was selfish and manipulative. Her behaviour showed a lack of regard for those she claimed to love. Her treatment of Frank and Rita always seemed to come second to her own need. Given the way she treated her daughter I wasn’t a bit surprised at the gulf that widened between her and Fiona.
While I enjoyed certain aspects of the story, particularly the plans to evade the police, these other aspects troubled me. I did love the relationship between Shirley and her granddaughter Lou and the way she got on board with helpers for her Nan. As for the ending I didn’t like it.
Given the majority of reviews I had read before buying this book, I ended up disappointed over all. Obviously I never saw in it what others did. Sorry I bought it. Added to that fact the copy I received had a number of pages that had been cut through, which annoyed me for a brand new book.
June 23, 2020
This was such a wonderful story, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Themes of aged care and the way in which our society equates aged with infirm are deeply explored throughout this latest release by Lisa Ireland. Alongside the contemporary story, we get a glimpse into the way in which the domestic lives of Australian women have changed over the decades since the 1950s. This novel is a must read for anyone with an interest in sociology and contemporary society.
Shirley was a quite a character but I have to admit, I kind of liked 79-year-old Shirley a tiny bit more than younger Shirley. The risk of spoiling a key plot point gags me on elaboration here, but suffice to say, as time went on, her intentions became more selfish and she appeared to me to be benefiting quite a bit at the expense of the people she loved the most. The era certainly made this situation a difficult one to navigate but as time marched into the twenty first century, her actions to me became less about protecting others and more about having it all. One person in particular, who I’ll refrain from naming (#nospoilers), I felt particular empathy for and outrage on their behalf. Frank, on the other hand, was very much a man of his generation and while this frustrated me at times, I also had to concede that he was simply just conforming to what he knew and the way that men were ‘supposed’ to be – particularly church going men. Shirley respected and understood that, but I do think at times that if she’d just pushed him a little harder to challenge the status quo instead of simply stroking his ego with her gratitude, a better life might have been possible for all.
Shirley’s journey from the nursing home to her destination was fraught with stress and at times even disaster, but it was also sprinkled with diamond dust in the form of the occasional lucid moment from Frank. Lisa Ireland really digs deep into Alzheimer’s in this story and she casts a very compassionate and realistic gaze onto the disease. The ‘Sherbies’ were an unexpectedly delightful addition and went a long way in showing that our attitudes towards aged people can sometimes come about as we age ourselves; maybe within that middle life period where we may have children of our own and may feel as though elderly parents and grandparents may be better off in care – because it suits our lifestyles best. I truly loved how Shirley maximised the benefits of the activities on offer at the aged care community centre to equip herself for her grand escape plan. A glorious irony there!
Structurally, this novel unfolds well. The chapters alternate between the Shirley of today and the Shirley of yesterday, spanning from the beginning of her relationship with Frank right up to the incident that results in him being admitted into aged care. There are a lot of issues about marriage and domesticity explored, particularly around a wife’s agency over her own body and reproductive rights. Shirley’s story would be a familiar one for many older women, I’d wager, and it makes me extremely grateful for the movement through the 1970s that saw a change come about for women as the keepers of their own bodies. There’s also an extra issue explored as an offshoot to this: miscarriage and still birth and the way in which our treatment and handling of this has evolved. Shirley really was dealt a poor hand here and her experiences would resonate with many. They’ll also really tug hard on your heartstrings.
There is a lot of ground covered within this novel but Lisa Ireland pulls it all off (and together) with the precision of an experienced novelist. This is a meaningful and heartfelt story that will appeal to people of many generations.
☕☕☕☕+1/2
Thanks is extended to Penguin Random House Australia for providing me with a copy of The Secret Life Of Shirley Sullivan for review.
Shirley was a quite a character but I have to admit, I kind of liked 79-year-old Shirley a tiny bit more than younger Shirley. The risk of spoiling a key plot point gags me on elaboration here, but suffice to say, as time went on, her intentions became more selfish and she appeared to me to be benefiting quite a bit at the expense of the people she loved the most. The era certainly made this situation a difficult one to navigate but as time marched into the twenty first century, her actions to me became less about protecting others and more about having it all. One person in particular, who I’ll refrain from naming (#nospoilers), I felt particular empathy for and outrage on their behalf. Frank, on the other hand, was very much a man of his generation and while this frustrated me at times, I also had to concede that he was simply just conforming to what he knew and the way that men were ‘supposed’ to be – particularly church going men. Shirley respected and understood that, but I do think at times that if she’d just pushed him a little harder to challenge the status quo instead of simply stroking his ego with her gratitude, a better life might have been possible for all.
Shirley’s journey from the nursing home to her destination was fraught with stress and at times even disaster, but it was also sprinkled with diamond dust in the form of the occasional lucid moment from Frank. Lisa Ireland really digs deep into Alzheimer’s in this story and she casts a very compassionate and realistic gaze onto the disease. The ‘Sherbies’ were an unexpectedly delightful addition and went a long way in showing that our attitudes towards aged people can sometimes come about as we age ourselves; maybe within that middle life period where we may have children of our own and may feel as though elderly parents and grandparents may be better off in care – because it suits our lifestyles best. I truly loved how Shirley maximised the benefits of the activities on offer at the aged care community centre to equip herself for her grand escape plan. A glorious irony there!
Structurally, this novel unfolds well. The chapters alternate between the Shirley of today and the Shirley of yesterday, spanning from the beginning of her relationship with Frank right up to the incident that results in him being admitted into aged care. There are a lot of issues about marriage and domesticity explored, particularly around a wife’s agency over her own body and reproductive rights. Shirley’s story would be a familiar one for many older women, I’d wager, and it makes me extremely grateful for the movement through the 1970s that saw a change come about for women as the keepers of their own bodies. There’s also an extra issue explored as an offshoot to this: miscarriage and still birth and the way in which our treatment and handling of this has evolved. Shirley really was dealt a poor hand here and her experiences would resonate with many. They’ll also really tug hard on your heartstrings.
There is a lot of ground covered within this novel but Lisa Ireland pulls it all off (and together) with the precision of an experienced novelist. This is a meaningful and heartfelt story that will appeal to people of many generations.
☕☕☕☕+1/2
Thanks is extended to Penguin Random House Australia for providing me with a copy of The Secret Life Of Shirley Sullivan for review.
October 27, 2024
EXCERPT: Miss Lulu
Monday 3.14 am
HELP NEEDED! **NOT TO BE SHARED OUTSIDE THIS GROUP**
Hi everyone, I'm posting this because I need your help.
Last night my grandfather went missing from his nursing home. You might see a news story about this sometime tomorrow. Or not. Apparently the police told my mother that the case is not high priority. Which is a good thing really, because my grandmother took him.
Papa has dementia. He and my nan came to live with us a while back and then, about a year ago, my mum put him in a home. He hates it there. Every time we go to visit him he begs us to take him home. My mum always changes the subject or pretends not to hear him, but my nan squeezes his hand and tells him one day they'll go home again.
I'm not really sure how they did it but it looks like Nan has made good on her promise. My grandparents (Frank and Shirley) come from Geelong in Victoria and I think that's where they're headed. My nan is a smart woman and she loves Papa. She'll look after him. Obviously they can't stay on the run forever but it would be great if Papa could see his home town again and visit the places he loved so much before his memory completely fails.
So this is where I need your help. If you see them DO NOT report them to the authorities. Give them some local tips about places to stay that might be off the beaten track. Help them to fly under the radar. And please let my nan know that she has my support. PM me if you see them!
Thanks Sherbies!
#FrankandShirley #oldsontherun
ABOUT 'THE SECRET LIFE OF SHIRLEY SULLIVAN': 'Elderly. Is that how the world sees me? A helpless little old lady? If only they knew. I allow myself a small smirk.'
When Shirley Sullivan signs her 83-year-old husband, Frank, out of the Sunset Lodge Nursing Home, she has no intention of bringing him back.
For fifty-seven years the couple has shared love, happiness and heartbreak. And while Frank may not know who his wife is these days, he knows he wants to go home. Back to the beach where they met in the early 1960s . . .
So Shirley enacts an elaborate plan to evade the authorities – and their furious daughter, Fiona – to give Frank the holiday he’d always dreamed of.
And, in doing so, perhaps Shirley can make amends for a lifelong guilty secret . . .
MY THOUGHTS: Prepare to get emotional if you're reading this book. I laughed, I cried. My heart broke for Shirley, even though I didn't always like her.
Life isn't always easy, and it certainly hasn't been for Shirley, although for anyone on the outside looking in it would seem that she has everything: a nice home, a loving husband, a beautiful daughter. It should be enough - at least that's what Shirley keeps telling herself.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is told over two concurrent timelines - the 60s and 70s as Shirley and Frank meet, fall in love and make a life together, and the current time when their lives have been turned upside down and taken out of their control. Frank has dementia and is in a care facility and Shirley is living with her daughter Fiona, much against her will.
I loved the current story of Shirley 'kidnapping' Frank from his care facility and going on the run with him. I didn't enjoy Shirley's early story quite so much but could relate to it. Different times! But I was definitely rooting for Frank and Shirley as they tried to evade capture.
The ending is quite ambiguous and not everyone will like it. Personally, I did.
This was my first read by Lisa Ireland. It won't be my last.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is a book I won't forget in a hurry.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#TheSecretLifeofShirleySullivan @WaitomoDistrictLibrary
MEET THE AUTHOR: After working for many years as a primary school teacher, Lisa is a now a full-time writer. When she’s not writing, Lisa can be found running (okay, shuffling), drinking coffee at her favourite cafes, or perusing the shelves of her local bookstore.
She loves eating but not cooking, is an Olympic class procrastinator, and (most importantly) minion to a rather large dog.
Monday 3.14 am
HELP NEEDED! **NOT TO BE SHARED OUTSIDE THIS GROUP**
Hi everyone, I'm posting this because I need your help.
Last night my grandfather went missing from his nursing home. You might see a news story about this sometime tomorrow. Or not. Apparently the police told my mother that the case is not high priority. Which is a good thing really, because my grandmother took him.
Papa has dementia. He and my nan came to live with us a while back and then, about a year ago, my mum put him in a home. He hates it there. Every time we go to visit him he begs us to take him home. My mum always changes the subject or pretends not to hear him, but my nan squeezes his hand and tells him one day they'll go home again.
I'm not really sure how they did it but it looks like Nan has made good on her promise. My grandparents (Frank and Shirley) come from Geelong in Victoria and I think that's where they're headed. My nan is a smart woman and she loves Papa. She'll look after him. Obviously they can't stay on the run forever but it would be great if Papa could see his home town again and visit the places he loved so much before his memory completely fails.
So this is where I need your help. If you see them DO NOT report them to the authorities. Give them some local tips about places to stay that might be off the beaten track. Help them to fly under the radar. And please let my nan know that she has my support. PM me if you see them!
Thanks Sherbies!
#FrankandShirley #oldsontherun
ABOUT 'THE SECRET LIFE OF SHIRLEY SULLIVAN': 'Elderly. Is that how the world sees me? A helpless little old lady? If only they knew. I allow myself a small smirk.'
When Shirley Sullivan signs her 83-year-old husband, Frank, out of the Sunset Lodge Nursing Home, she has no intention of bringing him back.
For fifty-seven years the couple has shared love, happiness and heartbreak. And while Frank may not know who his wife is these days, he knows he wants to go home. Back to the beach where they met in the early 1960s . . .
So Shirley enacts an elaborate plan to evade the authorities – and their furious daughter, Fiona – to give Frank the holiday he’d always dreamed of.
And, in doing so, perhaps Shirley can make amends for a lifelong guilty secret . . .
MY THOUGHTS: Prepare to get emotional if you're reading this book. I laughed, I cried. My heart broke for Shirley, even though I didn't always like her.
Life isn't always easy, and it certainly hasn't been for Shirley, although for anyone on the outside looking in it would seem that she has everything: a nice home, a loving husband, a beautiful daughter. It should be enough - at least that's what Shirley keeps telling herself.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is told over two concurrent timelines - the 60s and 70s as Shirley and Frank meet, fall in love and make a life together, and the current time when their lives have been turned upside down and taken out of their control. Frank has dementia and is in a care facility and Shirley is living with her daughter Fiona, much against her will.
I loved the current story of Shirley 'kidnapping' Frank from his care facility and going on the run with him. I didn't enjoy Shirley's early story quite so much but could relate to it. Different times! But I was definitely rooting for Frank and Shirley as they tried to evade capture.
The ending is quite ambiguous and not everyone will like it. Personally, I did.
This was my first read by Lisa Ireland. It won't be my last.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is a book I won't forget in a hurry.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#TheSecretLifeofShirleySullivan @WaitomoDistrictLibrary
MEET THE AUTHOR: After working for many years as a primary school teacher, Lisa is a now a full-time writer. When she’s not writing, Lisa can be found running (okay, shuffling), drinking coffee at her favourite cafes, or perusing the shelves of her local bookstore.
She loves eating but not cooking, is an Olympic class procrastinator, and (most importantly) minion to a rather large dog.
April 30, 2020
I adored this book on every level. Shirley Sullivan is smart, funny, flawed, bold and vulnerable. Due to the deft and clever handling of a dual time-line, we’re able to cheer on 79 year-old Shirley as she races against the clock. At the same time, we’re given the opportunity to fall in love with her as the milestone events in her life slowly unfold.
Shirley might be almost eighty, but her story will resonate with anyone, of any age. Many of her struggles are the result of the times in which she lived, but her emotional story is universal.
Lisa Ireland has produced a beautifully constructed, heartfelt and heart-touching story. Shirley and Frank Sullivan will stay with me, long after I’ve put the book down.
Shirley might be almost eighty, but her story will resonate with anyone, of any age. Many of her struggles are the result of the times in which she lived, but her emotional story is universal.
Lisa Ireland has produced a beautifully constructed, heartfelt and heart-touching story. Shirley and Frank Sullivan will stay with me, long after I’ve put the book down.
May 24, 2020
This book was a total reading pleasure, right from page one. I connected with Shirley on several levels and I loved the unfolding tale of her marriage to Frank. Lisa Ireland is an assured story teller. Her portrayal of alzheimers was both poignant and gently humorous and she manages to tease out both the mental, physical and emotional ravages of the illness. I also really enjoyed the depiction of 1960s Australia, with all its innocence and rebelliousness. A total winner.
Read
April 21, 2020Lisa Ireland’s sixth novel - The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan – will be released by Penguin Random House on April 28. The story opens with Shirley Sullivan plotting to ‘rescue’ her husband Frank from an old folk’s home. A dual narrative comes into play, giving readers an insight into the enduring relationship between Shirley and Frank, and the many challenges and heart-aches they faced together, both in the past and in the present.
Lisa tactfully explores themes of ageism, sexuality, women’s rights and the power struggle between parents and their adult children. She also shone the spotlight on dementia, with poignant scenes that tugged at my heart and others that made me giggle. I found myself cheering for the elderly couple throughout the story and I was still thinking about the ending long after I finished. It was a treat to discover in the acknowledgements section that parts of the story were inspired by Lisa’s family, particularly love letters sent between her parents at the start of their relationship.
This novel made me laugh and cry, and it reminded me of the Swedish story The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, as well as Joanna Nell’s two novels The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village and The Last Voyage of Mrs Henry Parker. Thanks to Penguin Random House for the review copy.
Review and interview also featured at https://www.mayalinnell.com/blog
Lisa tactfully explores themes of ageism, sexuality, women’s rights and the power struggle between parents and their adult children. She also shone the spotlight on dementia, with poignant scenes that tugged at my heart and others that made me giggle. I found myself cheering for the elderly couple throughout the story and I was still thinking about the ending long after I finished. It was a treat to discover in the acknowledgements section that parts of the story were inspired by Lisa’s family, particularly love letters sent between her parents at the start of their relationship.
This novel made me laugh and cry, and it reminded me of the Swedish story The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, as well as Joanna Nell’s two novels The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village and The Last Voyage of Mrs Henry Parker. Thanks to Penguin Random House for the review copy.
Review and interview also featured at https://www.mayalinnell.com/blog
February 7, 2020
I was lucky enough to win an ARC of the beautiful book and highly recommend it.
A beautiful story of family, motherhood, marriage and the many complexities that make up a woman, no matter what period of time. I loved Shirley from page one and mean it when I say I couldn't put this book down. I cried. I laughed. I loved.
A beautiful story of family, motherhood, marriage and the many complexities that make up a woman, no matter what period of time. I loved Shirley from page one and mean it when I say I couldn't put this book down. I cried. I laughed. I loved.
May 21, 2020
There is so much I want to say about this novel - too much to pack into a succinct review, but I'll give it a shot.
From the moment I read the first page, I knew I was going to like this book. I just didn't realise how much!
Lisa Ireland has delivered a book that touches all points on the emotion spectrum. I laughed and cried throughout this delightful yet poignant look at life from the point of view of Shirley Sullivan.
Told in dual timelines, we get to see an almost 80-year-old Shirley as she heads off on a road trip adventure to deliver her beloved husband Frank home once and for all. During the journey we see Shirley reflecting on her life - the decisions she's made, and the sacrifices she's had to endure.
The past timeline spans from Shirley as a young woman meeting Frank, the moving through marriage and motherhood. It is here in the past timeline where we get to really know Shirley and understand why this homecoming is so important. Shirley is a fabulously developed character and although there are times when her decisions and actions were questionable, you can't help but be on her side.
The novel attempts to unpack many issues that women have faced - and continue to face - throughout their life, and does so brilliantly. Issues such as societal expectations, feminism, miscarriage, loss, sexuality, aging, as well as fear of judgment, and ultimately failure.
Ireland handles all of these important topics with sensitivity, poignancy, and most of all in a way that asks the reader to examine their own feelings experiences, and opinions. However, the novel is so well written that it doesn't make for a heavy novel. The story sparkles with wit and humour throughout, leaving you with a feeling upon finishing that you have read something very special. It is this delicate balance that makes this novel hard to fault.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is a wonderful story, and is Ireland's best novel to date. This author only gets better with each book, and I can't wait to read her next one.
From the moment I read the first page, I knew I was going to like this book. I just didn't realise how much!
Lisa Ireland has delivered a book that touches all points on the emotion spectrum. I laughed and cried throughout this delightful yet poignant look at life from the point of view of Shirley Sullivan.
Told in dual timelines, we get to see an almost 80-year-old Shirley as she heads off on a road trip adventure to deliver her beloved husband Frank home once and for all. During the journey we see Shirley reflecting on her life - the decisions she's made, and the sacrifices she's had to endure.
The past timeline spans from Shirley as a young woman meeting Frank, the moving through marriage and motherhood. It is here in the past timeline where we get to really know Shirley and understand why this homecoming is so important. Shirley is a fabulously developed character and although there are times when her decisions and actions were questionable, you can't help but be on her side.
The novel attempts to unpack many issues that women have faced - and continue to face - throughout their life, and does so brilliantly. Issues such as societal expectations, feminism, miscarriage, loss, sexuality, aging, as well as fear of judgment, and ultimately failure.
Ireland handles all of these important topics with sensitivity, poignancy, and most of all in a way that asks the reader to examine their own feelings experiences, and opinions. However, the novel is so well written that it doesn't make for a heavy novel. The story sparkles with wit and humour throughout, leaving you with a feeling upon finishing that you have read something very special. It is this delicate balance that makes this novel hard to fault.
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is a wonderful story, and is Ireland's best novel to date. This author only gets better with each book, and I can't wait to read her next one.
June 19, 2020
I loved it! I loved Frank. I loved the escape and the road trip but I also really loved the eating of scones and vanilla slices with the sun warming your back and nowhere to be. For me this is absolutely the definition of life lit. I loved that Shirley and Frank weren’t just oldies, they are the main characters, front and centre; people with personalities and histories. I loved it all so much. The road trip through the south coast was one I’m super familiar with, and the fact that they left from kirrawee was just so cool for me! I loved that you think you are in for a gentle story but that you are left contemplating ageism, women’s rights, dementia and morality and mortality. I loved it all so much.
May 2, 2020
I really enjoyed this story. The characters were beautiful. Her daughter was infuriating but then she was meant to be. If she wasn't this wouldn't be a story. She is the snag.
Makes me realise how far we've come medically too in terms of pre and post natal care. Rita was ahead of her time! And women like her were the reason things managed to change!
The ending intrigued me but I don't want to spoil it by saying anything more.
Makes me realise how far we've come medically too in terms of pre and post natal care. Rita was ahead of her time! And women like her were the reason things managed to change!
The ending intrigued me but I don't want to spoil it by saying anything more.
June 2, 2020
I really enjoyed reading The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan by Lisa Ireland.
It touched on important social issues, some being very sensitive and the importance of love and what matters most.
I love the parts of Australia it was set in, the beaches and landmarks some of us all know.
It was a challenging and exciting adventure in some parts with 'humour' along the way!
Thank you Lisa Ireland for a great story and novel ~ it's sure to 'touch' everyone's hearts.
It touched on important social issues, some being very sensitive and the importance of love and what matters most.
I love the parts of Australia it was set in, the beaches and landmarks some of us all know.
It was a challenging and exciting adventure in some parts with 'humour' along the way!
Thank you Lisa Ireland for a great story and novel ~ it's sure to 'touch' everyone's hearts.
September 13, 2020
Well everyone said I would love it - and I did! From the very first page I was taken in my Shirley and her life and family. Her plan to get her husband Frank out of the nursing home and the road trip were fabulous and I could taste the vanilla slice from the bakery and smell the sea air when they got to the beach where they originally met. Alternating between past and present, each chapter was another step along the way. Highly recommend!
Read
December 15, 2023Endearing, funny, poignant, moving—an all-round wonderful read. This book takes the reader on an incredible journey with Shirley as she navigates the complications life has thrown at her over the course of her life, which makes for not only a heartwarming read, but also a thought-provoking one, perfect for book clubs!
March 8, 2021
A great read - it's both funny and sad, which is a hard mix to get right. I finished it on International Women's Day which is ironic, given some of the themes. Not to mention the recent Aged Care report. Wasn't too sure about the ending but I chose to interpret it my way!
August 19, 2020
When Lisa Ireland began writing this book, The Australian Royal Commission into Aged Care had probably been announced, so aged care was already quite a talking point in the country. However since this book would’ve gone to print, the coronavirus has swept most of the globe and in many places, the elderly in aged care facilities were particularly vulnerable. Here in Melbourne at the moment, aged care is a disaster, responsible for many of the deaths we have experienced in recent times and things have been so bad that private aged care has had to be taken over by government health organisations, at least temporarily. I’ve no doubt there’ll be a lot that comes out of both the Royal Commission and the inquiry into the response to the virus and even though the aged care facility that Frank, Shirley’s husband resides in in this book is neither accused of neglect nor experiencing a pandemic, it’s still very easy to see why Shirley would want to ‘bust’ her husband out.
Frank has dementia – good days and bad, some where he recognises Shirley and some where he doesn’t. This is a death sentence but Shirley doesn’t want Frank to experience his final days in this Sydney aged care centre that their daughter chose. They spent their married lives in Geelong and she wants to take him home, take him back to the places that meant the most to him. She’s constructed a very elaborate plan that will hopefully enable them to get far away from Sydney before it’s even discovered they are missing and from there, she takes further steps to avoid being detected, such as switching cars and changing up the way that they are travelling. Fiona, their daughter, means well but she isn’t listening to Shirley about what is best for Frank, neither does she think that Shirley is capable of making such decisions. And so Shirley feels forced to do things this way. To basically kidnap her own husband and become a fugitive, avoid detection in order to make it some 12 hours south.
Shirley is a force. She’s 79 years old and her whole life has been uprooted in the last couple of years. I’ve done a journey similar to the one she undertakes quite a few times (although I’ve gone a different way) and it’s a tough trip, let alone for a sole driver who is also responsible for another person. Frank is relatively far into his diagnosis and he does require constant care and watching. But Shirley lets nothing stop her, she’s determined to ‘free Frank’ and take him home, so that he might be surrounded by the things that are familiar to him, rather than being locked up in a dementia ward of a relatively soulless aged care facility.
This book is part present day, part historical story where it goes back in time to fill in Frank and Shirley’s backstory – how they met and began dating, the early years of their marriage, the troubles they had having children as well as societal expectations, the wave of feminism and Shirley’s feelings about what she wants vs what is expected of her at the time. Frank and Shirley married in the 1960s – times were changing but slowly. When Shirley makes a friend, a single woman who has carved a career for herself, Frank is suspicious and distrustful of someone not married by choice. This book examines a lot of things, including a particular kind of crippling grief. Shirley is told to basically snap out of it, get back to caring for her husband, home and daughter, rather than dwelling on what has happened. It’s heartbreaking, reading a lot of her struggle and realising how many women had their grief and shock and pain brushed aside during this time. Shirley also has another inner battle, where she cannot confront who she really is and must hide it away for many reasons. It is because of this that she also feels like she might owe Frank as well, that now she must dedicate these waning years to his care, to make him as comfortable as possible surrounded by what is familiar. It’s such a beautiful sentiment and even though it won’t be easy (Frank swings between calm and complicit to often difficult and agitated when things are new or strange to him) and Shirley, although fit and healthy after a medical incident a little while ago, is still an older person where this will certainly be an effort for her.
I’ve been blessed in that I’ve never really had a close family member fall victim to Alzheimers. I’ve had more distant family members have the disease but they were not ones that I spent a lot of time with. However, I feel that Lisa Ireland has done an amazing job with the character of not just Frank here but also Shirley as well. There are some truly beautiful scenes in this book where Frank, unaware of whom he is speaking to, waxes lyrical on his wife and their younger years and how he felt/feels about her. He believes himself to be a much younger man, still in his prime and his thoughts and feelings come to him sometimes, quite powerfully. Other times he’s much different, forgetting things he was told not long prior and requires constant vigilant watching and the ravages of the disease are obvious. It’s obviously very upsetting for Shirley, seeing this happen to him but her plan motivates her and it’s a powerful thing, for someone to have such a determination to accomplish something, giving her focus. Without this, her life in Sydney is not particularly fulfilling – having spent pretty much her whole life in Geelong, it was a huge upheaval to have to move and neither she nor Frank appear to be thriving.
There’s so much available for discussion here, the role that aged care plays and how it might be improved upon is just the beginning. Dementia patients and how they are treated is like a subset of that as well, because keeping them safe in aged care often means keeping them behind locked doors with little to stimulate them mentally or physically and although the staff may be passionate they are often overworked and underpaid with too much to do and not enough time to do it. But there’s also so much about Shirley’s early life as well, that brings up discussions on the role of friendships and how important they are, feelings about children, family, expectations vs societal pressure and how someone can love in different ways and be torn in many directions.
I think this book is brilliant – funny and heartwarming to balance each time it’s also devastatingly sad and thought provoking about women’s issues. Shirley is a beautiful, strong, complex character (my grandmother is also a Shirley, can confirm, they are very headstrong!) and Frank is – well, Frank will win your heart even though you might not love him for his 50s and 60s husband/wife views at some stages in the book. He’s realistic though, and I adored how much I felt connected to the setting of this book as well. I don’t live in the area anymore but when I first moved to Victoria we lived close to Geelong and spent a lot of time there. Everything was familiar to me, I know where the suburb Frank and Shirley bought their house is, where they ate their take away on Eastern Beach shorefront, the streets mentioned, where Frank worked. I felt like I could imagine their lives, even though they were taking place years before I came to the area.
This is one of my favourite books of 2020.
***A copy of this book was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest review***
Frank has dementia – good days and bad, some where he recognises Shirley and some where he doesn’t. This is a death sentence but Shirley doesn’t want Frank to experience his final days in this Sydney aged care centre that their daughter chose. They spent their married lives in Geelong and she wants to take him home, take him back to the places that meant the most to him. She’s constructed a very elaborate plan that will hopefully enable them to get far away from Sydney before it’s even discovered they are missing and from there, she takes further steps to avoid being detected, such as switching cars and changing up the way that they are travelling. Fiona, their daughter, means well but she isn’t listening to Shirley about what is best for Frank, neither does she think that Shirley is capable of making such decisions. And so Shirley feels forced to do things this way. To basically kidnap her own husband and become a fugitive, avoid detection in order to make it some 12 hours south.
Shirley is a force. She’s 79 years old and her whole life has been uprooted in the last couple of years. I’ve done a journey similar to the one she undertakes quite a few times (although I’ve gone a different way) and it’s a tough trip, let alone for a sole driver who is also responsible for another person. Frank is relatively far into his diagnosis and he does require constant care and watching. But Shirley lets nothing stop her, she’s determined to ‘free Frank’ and take him home, so that he might be surrounded by the things that are familiar to him, rather than being locked up in a dementia ward of a relatively soulless aged care facility.
This book is part present day, part historical story where it goes back in time to fill in Frank and Shirley’s backstory – how they met and began dating, the early years of their marriage, the troubles they had having children as well as societal expectations, the wave of feminism and Shirley’s feelings about what she wants vs what is expected of her at the time. Frank and Shirley married in the 1960s – times were changing but slowly. When Shirley makes a friend, a single woman who has carved a career for herself, Frank is suspicious and distrustful of someone not married by choice. This book examines a lot of things, including a particular kind of crippling grief. Shirley is told to basically snap out of it, get back to caring for her husband, home and daughter, rather than dwelling on what has happened. It’s heartbreaking, reading a lot of her struggle and realising how many women had their grief and shock and pain brushed aside during this time. Shirley also has another inner battle, where she cannot confront who she really is and must hide it away for many reasons. It is because of this that she also feels like she might owe Frank as well, that now she must dedicate these waning years to his care, to make him as comfortable as possible surrounded by what is familiar. It’s such a beautiful sentiment and even though it won’t be easy (Frank swings between calm and complicit to often difficult and agitated when things are new or strange to him) and Shirley, although fit and healthy after a medical incident a little while ago, is still an older person where this will certainly be an effort for her.
I’ve been blessed in that I’ve never really had a close family member fall victim to Alzheimers. I’ve had more distant family members have the disease but they were not ones that I spent a lot of time with. However, I feel that Lisa Ireland has done an amazing job with the character of not just Frank here but also Shirley as well. There are some truly beautiful scenes in this book where Frank, unaware of whom he is speaking to, waxes lyrical on his wife and their younger years and how he felt/feels about her. He believes himself to be a much younger man, still in his prime and his thoughts and feelings come to him sometimes, quite powerfully. Other times he’s much different, forgetting things he was told not long prior and requires constant vigilant watching and the ravages of the disease are obvious. It’s obviously very upsetting for Shirley, seeing this happen to him but her plan motivates her and it’s a powerful thing, for someone to have such a determination to accomplish something, giving her focus. Without this, her life in Sydney is not particularly fulfilling – having spent pretty much her whole life in Geelong, it was a huge upheaval to have to move and neither she nor Frank appear to be thriving.
There’s so much available for discussion here, the role that aged care plays and how it might be improved upon is just the beginning. Dementia patients and how they are treated is like a subset of that as well, because keeping them safe in aged care often means keeping them behind locked doors with little to stimulate them mentally or physically and although the staff may be passionate they are often overworked and underpaid with too much to do and not enough time to do it. But there’s also so much about Shirley’s early life as well, that brings up discussions on the role of friendships and how important they are, feelings about children, family, expectations vs societal pressure and how someone can love in different ways and be torn in many directions.
I think this book is brilliant – funny and heartwarming to balance each time it’s also devastatingly sad and thought provoking about women’s issues. Shirley is a beautiful, strong, complex character (my grandmother is also a Shirley, can confirm, they are very headstrong!) and Frank is – well, Frank will win your heart even though you might not love him for his 50s and 60s husband/wife views at some stages in the book. He’s realistic though, and I adored how much I felt connected to the setting of this book as well. I don’t live in the area anymore but when I first moved to Victoria we lived close to Geelong and spent a lot of time there. Everything was familiar to me, I know where the suburb Frank and Shirley bought their house is, where they ate their take away on Eastern Beach shorefront, the streets mentioned, where Frank worked. I felt like I could imagine their lives, even though they were taking place years before I came to the area.
This is one of my favourite books of 2020.
***A copy of this book was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest review***
July 30, 2020
29. The secret life of Shirley Sullivan • Lisa Ireland // such a feel good read with a side dose of.. reality of life is not ever quite as it seems. I LOVE that the book starts and ends in the same place ❤️ 2 lovers, same beach, different time. Reading the last chapter made my heart sing 🎶 this book screams at you to always follow your heart. Shirley was determined in her endeavours but an inspiration in her own rights.. never be fooled by age.. after all it’s just a number! This will make you smile one minute and be pulling your heart strings the next. To follow the expectations of others? Or to succumb to the happiness dependent on your own? absolutely Adored it ❤️ 5/5 ⭐️ #youownbuthaventread
June 2, 2020
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan isn't just romance or just a love story, this is a book that epitomises the very essence of what it means to love and allow yourself to be loved in completeness.
In a time where age and aging are becoming increasingly taboo in society, Ireland shines an indelible light on the topics in a creatively compassionate and warm-hearted manner.
Masterfully written by Lisa Ireland, this is a story that is equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking and shows us that aspects of grief and loss are often the price we pay for enduring love. But even if we knew the cost from the outset would it outweigh the love of a lifetime?
A must-read for readers of life-lit, romance, and love stories.
In a time where age and aging are becoming increasingly taboo in society, Ireland shines an indelible light on the topics in a creatively compassionate and warm-hearted manner.
Masterfully written by Lisa Ireland, this is a story that is equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking and shows us that aspects of grief and loss are often the price we pay for enduring love. But even if we knew the cost from the outset would it outweigh the love of a lifetime?
A must-read for readers of life-lit, romance, and love stories.
September 7, 2024
This is the first book that I have read by Lisa Ireland and I was drawn to it because of the title - my maiden name was Sullivan.
I am so happy that I have found another great author to follow.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it was beautifully written and I am looking forward to reading more of Lisa’s books.
I am so happy that I have found another great author to follow.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it was beautifully written and I am looking forward to reading more of Lisa’s books.
May 11, 2020
The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan is Lisa's newest book. Shirley is 79 years old and has been married to Frank for years. His health had declined in the last couple of years and their daughter Fiona made the decision to put Frank into a nursing home. Shirley is determined to break him out so they can have one last road trip. She does, and what follows is a great story about two people in love! This was a great story which is told in two timelines - when they were first married and the present day. It brought back memories of my own childhood in the 1960's where life was simpler then.
Lisa also tackles some heavy topics as well such as dementia, women's liberation, growing older and feeling the loss of control of your life. The research done around these topics were handled with great care and consideration as well.
It was so refreshing to read a book that featured mature age characters too in such a positive way. This book is highly recommended and I laughed and cried in some parts, but kept turning those pages until the end. Readers of Womens Fiction and family stories will enjoy it I am sure.
Lisa also tackles some heavy topics as well such as dementia, women's liberation, growing older and feeling the loss of control of your life. The research done around these topics were handled with great care and consideration as well.
It was so refreshing to read a book that featured mature age characters too in such a positive way. This book is highly recommended and I laughed and cried in some parts, but kept turning those pages until the end. Readers of Womens Fiction and family stories will enjoy it I am sure.
August 15, 2020
Wonderful
November 30, 2020
I knew I'd like THE SECRET LIFE OF SHIRLEY SULLIVAN (Due to the very real #instacrush I have on its author, @lisairelandbooks) but I was totally unprepared to fall so deeply in love with it.
This story is like a vector image. At first glance it is simple and pleasant but as it progresses, more and more detail comes into focus until the simple story reveals itself to be a rich and nuanced tribute to humanity and love, loyalty and obligation, dignity and sacrifice. At its heart it is a tale of love and atonement.
The format - alternating chapters which take place in the present day and the past (largely the 1960s and 1970s) - provide the curious experience of a story which starts simultaneously at the beginning and at the end, culminating in a bridging of the two and the unearthing of the many teasers planted throughout.
Complex issues are handled with skill and the writing is like slipping into a temperate bath.
This story is like a vector image. At first glance it is simple and pleasant but as it progresses, more and more detail comes into focus until the simple story reveals itself to be a rich and nuanced tribute to humanity and love, loyalty and obligation, dignity and sacrifice. At its heart it is a tale of love and atonement.
The format - alternating chapters which take place in the present day and the past (largely the 1960s and 1970s) - provide the curious experience of a story which starts simultaneously at the beginning and at the end, culminating in a bridging of the two and the unearthing of the many teasers planted throughout.
Complex issues are handled with skill and the writing is like slipping into a temperate bath.
August 7, 2020
Oh wow!!! Literally could not put this down!!! This is a MUST read!!!!
Really really loved it - genuinely beautiful!!!! More like this please LI😘 Thank you for giving me a rest from the shocking world at the moment as this book totally consumed my thoughts for 2 days!!! 💜Mwah
Really really loved it - genuinely beautiful!!!! More like this please LI😘 Thank you for giving me a rest from the shocking world at the moment as this book totally consumed my thoughts for 2 days!!! 💜Mwah
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews