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Saving Grace
When Grace O'Brien wakes up next to Bernard-from-IT, she blames the out-of-date bottle of Baileys for making her cheat on her boyfriend of one year, nine months, three weeks and six days. But then she finds she can't get Bernard - geeky dress sense, red hair and all - out of her mind. It gets worse when Grace's best friend falls in love with a blind date - Bernard. Somehow Grace can't help feeling that she's to blame for all this mess. She usually is, after all...
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
31 people are currently reading
796 people want to read
About the author
Ciara Geraghty
16 books202 followersCiara Geraghty is an Irish bestselling author. She lives in Dublin with one husband and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
November 25, 2009
After her brother, Patrick, dies in a tragic accident, Grace O’Brien finds that her life is spiralling out of control. Things come to a head when, after a night out, Grace wakes up the next morning besides Bernard O’Malley, the newewst member at the firm where Grace works. Matters are made worse because Grace is actually in a long-distance relationship with Shane. As Grace tries to forget about her one-night stand with Bernard, she finds herself more and more attracted to him. Grace also tries to forget about what happened in Spain, can she find the strength to move on?
I’d never really heard of Ciara Geraghty’s debut novel Saving Grace up until a little while ago. All of the book review sites I frequent started raving about this fantastic debut novel and I finally got around to picking up a copy for myself. Once it arrived, courtesy of Amazon, I couldn’t stop looking at the pretty cover. I finally started reading this six days ago and only just finished it today.
The book starts with a prologue telling us exactly what happened in Spain that fateful day in 2004. I knew from reading the blurb on the back of the book that it was something to do with Grace’s brother and we learn early on exactly why she feels so much guilt towards her brothers tragic accident. We then come back to the present, 2005, just as Grace is waking up after a big night out. Turns out she isn’t in bed alone, she’s actually in bed with Bernard O’Malley who has just started working at the firm where Grace works. It’s a very quick opening to the book and I found myself sucked in straight away. The book zips along very well and I really enjoyed getting into Grace’s world.
As Grace deals with her guilt over her brother and her guilt over cheating on her boyfriend, Shane, I felt nothing but sympathy for her. It’s clear that what happened to Patrick affected her deeply and it was as if she was just stuck in a rut. It didn’t help that her mother quite clearly seems to blame her for what happened and her boyfriend, Shane, also avoids any mention of the incident. Jeremy Kyle would wholly recommend they see a counsellor, I’m sure! I could see that Grace wanted to talk about what happened but the people she wanted to talk about it with didn’t want to reciprocate that. It means that when Grace and Bernard end up talking with each other I end up loving the interaction between them as they were both incredibly similar, both having lost someone close to them recently. Their interaction was so easy to read and there seemed to be no embarrassment after the incident right at the beginning of the book.
The characters are all very well thought on in Saving Grace. Grace is a fantastic heroine; she’s hugely flawed and admits that, she loves her food and her guilt is overwhelming, which only endeared her to me more. The book is told entirely from Grace’s perspective so we learn a lot of what she’s thinking as the book progresses. It’s often sad reading but enjoyable all the same if that makes sense. Bernard O’Malley was a fantastic character. I loved the fact he was a nerd and his clothes didn’t seem to fit him properly. He was miles nicer than Shane, Grace’s supposed boyfriend, who throughout the entire book, spent his time putting Grace down and being quite cruel towards her. I hated him the first time he came into the book and just wanted rid of him as soon as possible. Grace’s family were all fantastic, Jane and Clare her sisters seemed incredibly nice and I adored Grace’s granny Mary and would have loved to have seen more of her. Grace’s mother seems very cold towards Grace right up until the end of the book and while I could see why, I could also see how that made Grace feel. Grace’s friend were all fantastic in particular Caroline, who is also Shane’s sister, as well as Ciaran, who Grace sees regularly at work and who spends a lot of time chatting with Grace and making her coffee.
The writing in the book is truly fantastic. Ciara Geraghty definitely has her own unique style in the way she writes. The book, although it dealt with some serious issues, had warmth throughout and it regularly made me smile. Geraghty’s writing style is quite quirky as Grace regularly makes numerous to-do lists and I thought that might hinder the book but it really didn’t, it just made the book more unique. The book also features letters from Patrick which were sent to Grace and it really felt as if Patrick was a real, living character rather than someone who died a year earlier. We also flashback to that fateful holiday as Grace recalls conversations, and moments from that time. My only criticism of the book is that Grace, when talking to her sister Clare, references a conversation she and her mother had in Spain after the accident and we never actually learn what was said during that conversation. It seemed important when Grace mentioned it but obviously not important enough for Geraghty to tell us what was said during that conversation.
Saving Grace is an immensely enjoyable read and I’m sure I would have finished it sooner if I wasn’t so busy this past week. I can absolutely see why everyone is raving about Geraghty and calling her the new Marian Keyes. I don’t actually agree with that sentiment; not because Ciara Geraghty isn’t as good as Marian but because Ciara has her own unique voice and doesn’t really need to be compared to Marian Keyes. I look forward to Ciara Geraghty’s next novel and hope it’s just as fantastic as Saving Grace which I wholly recommend you read if you haven’t already!
I’d never really heard of Ciara Geraghty’s debut novel Saving Grace up until a little while ago. All of the book review sites I frequent started raving about this fantastic debut novel and I finally got around to picking up a copy for myself. Once it arrived, courtesy of Amazon, I couldn’t stop looking at the pretty cover. I finally started reading this six days ago and only just finished it today.
The book starts with a prologue telling us exactly what happened in Spain that fateful day in 2004. I knew from reading the blurb on the back of the book that it was something to do with Grace’s brother and we learn early on exactly why she feels so much guilt towards her brothers tragic accident. We then come back to the present, 2005, just as Grace is waking up after a big night out. Turns out she isn’t in bed alone, she’s actually in bed with Bernard O’Malley who has just started working at the firm where Grace works. It’s a very quick opening to the book and I found myself sucked in straight away. The book zips along very well and I really enjoyed getting into Grace’s world.
As Grace deals with her guilt over her brother and her guilt over cheating on her boyfriend, Shane, I felt nothing but sympathy for her. It’s clear that what happened to Patrick affected her deeply and it was as if she was just stuck in a rut. It didn’t help that her mother quite clearly seems to blame her for what happened and her boyfriend, Shane, also avoids any mention of the incident. Jeremy Kyle would wholly recommend they see a counsellor, I’m sure! I could see that Grace wanted to talk about what happened but the people she wanted to talk about it with didn’t want to reciprocate that. It means that when Grace and Bernard end up talking with each other I end up loving the interaction between them as they were both incredibly similar, both having lost someone close to them recently. Their interaction was so easy to read and there seemed to be no embarrassment after the incident right at the beginning of the book.
The characters are all very well thought on in Saving Grace. Grace is a fantastic heroine; she’s hugely flawed and admits that, she loves her food and her guilt is overwhelming, which only endeared her to me more. The book is told entirely from Grace’s perspective so we learn a lot of what she’s thinking as the book progresses. It’s often sad reading but enjoyable all the same if that makes sense. Bernard O’Malley was a fantastic character. I loved the fact he was a nerd and his clothes didn’t seem to fit him properly. He was miles nicer than Shane, Grace’s supposed boyfriend, who throughout the entire book, spent his time putting Grace down and being quite cruel towards her. I hated him the first time he came into the book and just wanted rid of him as soon as possible. Grace’s family were all fantastic, Jane and Clare her sisters seemed incredibly nice and I adored Grace’s granny Mary and would have loved to have seen more of her. Grace’s mother seems very cold towards Grace right up until the end of the book and while I could see why, I could also see how that made Grace feel. Grace’s friend were all fantastic in particular Caroline, who is also Shane’s sister, as well as Ciaran, who Grace sees regularly at work and who spends a lot of time chatting with Grace and making her coffee.
The writing in the book is truly fantastic. Ciara Geraghty definitely has her own unique style in the way she writes. The book, although it dealt with some serious issues, had warmth throughout and it regularly made me smile. Geraghty’s writing style is quite quirky as Grace regularly makes numerous to-do lists and I thought that might hinder the book but it really didn’t, it just made the book more unique. The book also features letters from Patrick which were sent to Grace and it really felt as if Patrick was a real, living character rather than someone who died a year earlier. We also flashback to that fateful holiday as Grace recalls conversations, and moments from that time. My only criticism of the book is that Grace, when talking to her sister Clare, references a conversation she and her mother had in Spain after the accident and we never actually learn what was said during that conversation. It seemed important when Grace mentioned it but obviously not important enough for Geraghty to tell us what was said during that conversation.
Saving Grace is an immensely enjoyable read and I’m sure I would have finished it sooner if I wasn’t so busy this past week. I can absolutely see why everyone is raving about Geraghty and calling her the new Marian Keyes. I don’t actually agree with that sentiment; not because Ciara Geraghty isn’t as good as Marian but because Ciara has her own unique voice and doesn’t really need to be compared to Marian Keyes. I look forward to Ciara Geraghty’s next novel and hope it’s just as fantastic as Saving Grace which I wholly recommend you read if you haven’t already!
July 17, 2011
After reading rather a lot of heavy stuff, I was in the mood for something light and picked this up in the library. I was expecting your standard chick lit fare - girl in problematic situation with a man who doesn't understand her or no man at all (even more problematic). You know the type. This was cleverer than that, the writing more crisp, more witty, more alive. When reading the book you became surrounded by the piles of clothing in Grace and Caroline's flat when they were getting ready for a night out and felt like offering wardrobe suggestions. You felt irritated by Shane's perpetual hairflicking and eternal self-obsession. You saw bare patch of skin where Bernard's trousers ended abruptly above his ankle and wished he'd buy some longer ones.
This is something I haven't noticed for a while - characters that almost tumble out of the book into your lives, so that it seems you've lost a friend when you finish the book. I have just ordered two other books by Ms Geraghty - oh, and my own copy of Saving Grace so I can give the library their one back.
This is something I haven't noticed for a while - characters that almost tumble out of the book into your lives, so that it seems you've lost a friend when you finish the book. I have just ordered two other books by Ms Geraghty - oh, and my own copy of Saving Grace so I can give the library their one back.
July 23, 2012
Oh my! Saving Grace was fantastic! But its so sad that this book is not really recognized and appreciated by readers around the world. From the story to the writing, everything was perfect. It was just like I am watching a chick flick movie but just in a book.
FILM ATTACK!
Just like Heaven, The Wedding Planner, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Going the Distance, 27 Dresses, Brigit Jones, Bride's maids.
Yupp, this is what I thought while reading this book.
Going on, I would like to divide this book into three sections,
Story, Characters and Writing.
CHARACTERS:
I totally loved Grace. She was so lovely and nice and most importantly, real, someone I can actually relate to since shes the middle child too and shes all like, awkward and funny and weird and you know how girls are. And plus I can totally picture her as Emma Stone.
LMAO, so Grace like! ^
You get this perfect annoying boyfriend Shane, the BFF Caroline, the gay couple Micheal and Ciaran, the office people, Jennifer, Ethan, Peter, etc. The family, Jane, Clare and the most awesome grandma Mary and last by definitely not the least, our hero Bernard.
So its like a combination of everything which in turn makes this book more fun and perfect to read.
WRITING:
OMG, I am like a biggg fan of Ciara right now. She made this book so fun and enjoyable and I felt like I was Grace and I was living with her, which is a really hard thing for an author to do. And I am fifteen and the main character was twenty-nine years old so you can see what am I talking about. It was like I totally understood her and she was funny. Funny people are awesome. So its a book anyone can easily pick and read. Conclusion? Hats off to Ciara. :D
STORY:
The story was absolutely amazing. You get this awkward but funny and warm and someone you can totally relate to, woman who have awkward situations for God know why in her life and in this you also see the sad side and happy side of her and Gosh! the funny parts which will make you crack up after every few minutes and oh Lord, the weird parts where you are "OMG, this is so embarrassing." and you see how she goes through hardships and difficulties and in the end get her very own happy ending, just like in any chick flick movie. :)
Situation (very much me): When you are staring at your crush from a distance and suddenly he look at you and you are like, "SHIT, act cool, act cool! Smile and slowly look away"
Yeah and on the other hand you are all giggling and waving like a retard.
But what I liked the most is that how the character keeps on going and trying to achieve their dreams even when they are mortified, broken down and when I think their lives couldn't get any more worse, they keep their heads up and try to untangle their lives and make everything all right. This book totally tells me that there are people around this world who are like, in waayyy more worse conditions than me and you have to step it up in order to live your life. So in the end it makes me realize that you should live your life to the fullest and make right decisions before its too late. Be happy, be yourself and thats the key to a perfect life.
Ratings: 4.5/5
Loved this book, simply marvelous.
FILM ATTACK!
Just like Heaven, The Wedding Planner, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Going the Distance, 27 Dresses, Brigit Jones, Bride's maids.
Yupp, this is what I thought while reading this book.
Going on, I would like to divide this book into three sections,
Story, Characters and Writing.
CHARACTERS:
I totally loved Grace. She was so lovely and nice and most importantly, real, someone I can actually relate to since shes the middle child too and shes all like, awkward and funny and weird and you know how girls are. And plus I can totally picture her as Emma Stone.
LMAO, so Grace like! ^
You get this perfect annoying boyfriend Shane, the BFF Caroline, the gay couple Micheal and Ciaran, the office people, Jennifer, Ethan, Peter, etc. The family, Jane, Clare and the most awesome grandma Mary and last by definitely not the least, our hero Bernard.
So its like a combination of everything which in turn makes this book more fun and perfect to read.
WRITING:
OMG, I am like a biggg fan of Ciara right now. She made this book so fun and enjoyable and I felt like I was Grace and I was living with her, which is a really hard thing for an author to do. And I am fifteen and the main character was twenty-nine years old so you can see what am I talking about. It was like I totally understood her and she was funny. Funny people are awesome. So its a book anyone can easily pick and read. Conclusion? Hats off to Ciara. :D
STORY:
The story was absolutely amazing. You get this awkward but funny and warm and someone you can totally relate to, woman who have awkward situations for God know why in her life and in this you also see the sad side and happy side of her and Gosh! the funny parts which will make you crack up after every few minutes and oh Lord, the weird parts where you are "OMG, this is so embarrassing." and you see how she goes through hardships and difficulties and in the end get her very own happy ending, just like in any chick flick movie. :)
Situation (very much me): When you are staring at your crush from a distance and suddenly he look at you and you are like, "SHIT, act cool, act cool! Smile and slowly look away"
Yeah and on the other hand you are all giggling and waving like a retard.
But what I liked the most is that how the character keeps on going and trying to achieve their dreams even when they are mortified, broken down and when I think their lives couldn't get any more worse, they keep their heads up and try to untangle their lives and make everything all right. This book totally tells me that there are people around this world who are like, in waayyy more worse conditions than me and you have to step it up in order to live your life. So in the end it makes me realize that you should live your life to the fullest and make right decisions before its too late. Be happy, be yourself and thats the key to a perfect life.
Ratings: 4.5/5
Loved this book, simply marvelous.
April 22, 2011
The combination of having read and really enjoyed Finding Mr. Flood by this author and Ciara Geraghty’s visit to Bailieborough library last Saturday meant that I couldn’t resist buying her first book and reading it immediately.
I’m really happy that I can say that this book didn’t disappoint me. Maybe I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Finding Mr. Flood, but the difference wasn’t big. Saving Grace brings the reader another interesting and fun story. A story that deals with real issues but manages to refrain from becoming either depressing or supervisual.
This is the story of Grace. A year ago, while on holiday in Spain a tragedy occurred. A tragedy which cost Grace’s beloved brother Patrick his life. A tragedy for which Grace blames herself.
Now Grace is in a long term, if long-distance, relationship with Shane but finds herself waking up in a strange bed next to Bernhard, the new computer geek in the insurance company where she works. From that morning on, Grace’s life start changing although it’s not clear to Grace whether those changes are improving things or making everything worse. All she knows that the few things she thought she knew for sure, her love for Shane, her guilt with regard to her brother’s dead and her loyalty towards her best friend Caroline are certainly not so sure anymore. Grace will need to face reality as well as herself and her feelings if she wants to sort her life out and have a chance at happiness.
When we think of coming-of-age stories we think of books centering on teenagers. This book made me wonder if a coming of age story isn’t any story in which a character faces their demons, deals with them and comes out on the other side improved and wider. Even if Grace is in her late twenties, this for me definitely was a coming of age story in which Grace had to grow up, face life and grab her opportunities with both hands. That Geraghty managed to put all these ingredients into a story and still managed to give me several laugh out loud moments as well as lots of time with a smile on my face only proves that she is a good writer. And that of course means that it will only be a matter of time before I go out and get myself the one book by her that I haven’t read yet, Becoming Scarlett.
Finally, two quotes from the book that struck home with me:
p. 7: “Insurance seems to be an industry that people sort of fall into without ever meaning to. Ask any of them.”
p. 42: “…the silence being occasionally broken by the crisp crunch of a choc-ice being demolished – chocolate first, followed by licking – never biting – of ice cream.”
I’m really happy that I can say that this book didn’t disappoint me. Maybe I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as Finding Mr. Flood, but the difference wasn’t big. Saving Grace brings the reader another interesting and fun story. A story that deals with real issues but manages to refrain from becoming either depressing or supervisual.
This is the story of Grace. A year ago, while on holiday in Spain a tragedy occurred. A tragedy which cost Grace’s beloved brother Patrick his life. A tragedy for which Grace blames herself.
Now Grace is in a long term, if long-distance, relationship with Shane but finds herself waking up in a strange bed next to Bernhard, the new computer geek in the insurance company where she works. From that morning on, Grace’s life start changing although it’s not clear to Grace whether those changes are improving things or making everything worse. All she knows that the few things she thought she knew for sure, her love for Shane, her guilt with regard to her brother’s dead and her loyalty towards her best friend Caroline are certainly not so sure anymore. Grace will need to face reality as well as herself and her feelings if she wants to sort her life out and have a chance at happiness.
When we think of coming-of-age stories we think of books centering on teenagers. This book made me wonder if a coming of age story isn’t any story in which a character faces their demons, deals with them and comes out on the other side improved and wider. Even if Grace is in her late twenties, this for me definitely was a coming of age story in which Grace had to grow up, face life and grab her opportunities with both hands. That Geraghty managed to put all these ingredients into a story and still managed to give me several laugh out loud moments as well as lots of time with a smile on my face only proves that she is a good writer. And that of course means that it will only be a matter of time before I go out and get myself the one book by her that I haven’t read yet, Becoming Scarlett.
Finally, two quotes from the book that struck home with me:
p. 7: “Insurance seems to be an industry that people sort of fall into without ever meaning to. Ask any of them.”
p. 42: “…the silence being occasionally broken by the crisp crunch of a choc-ice being demolished – chocolate first, followed by licking – never biting – of ice cream.”
April 22, 2013
this book came to me through a friend and i am glad it did
i enjoyed reading this story. i liked how grace's character evolved throughout the story. her character is very relatable. i laughed st most parts of the story and almost cried at the end. i especially loved Patrick's character though he only came to the story through letters and their memories, he has been the most insightful of everyone i think. anyway i'd definitely recommend this one
i enjoyed reading this story. i liked how grace's character evolved throughout the story. her character is very relatable. i laughed st most parts of the story and almost cried at the end. i especially loved Patrick's character though he only came to the story through letters and their memories, he has been the most insightful of everyone i think. anyway i'd definitely recommend this one
March 15, 2015
the kind of book that is hard to let go once you start on it. Although Grace does not say much of her guilt but reading to the end she definitely made me feel what she felt. beautifully written to the end ;)
May 17, 2015
Irish Charm? = Check
Funny? = check
Wonderful character? = check
Good plot? = check
Beautiful romance? = check
I loved this story, it defeated the clichés of what the standard chick-lit hero is meant to be (hilariously executed). I loved the first scene and the lunch-box comment. It's uproariously funny. There are also tearjerker moments and sizzling romance.
Right from the start it hooks you in with its wit and comedy.
Full of Irish charm, it has the right balance of comedy, emotion, drama and romantic chemistry.
The characters are so far from being the clichéd types that its a joy to read. I loved it.
Funny? = check
Wonderful character? = check
Good plot? = check
Beautiful romance? = check
I loved this story, it defeated the clichés of what the standard chick-lit hero is meant to be (hilariously executed). I loved the first scene and the lunch-box comment. It's uproariously funny. There are also tearjerker moments and sizzling romance.
Right from the start it hooks you in with its wit and comedy.
Full of Irish charm, it has the right balance of comedy, emotion, drama and romantic chemistry.
The characters are so far from being the clichéd types that its a joy to read. I loved it.
August 22, 2022
Ich liebe dieses Buch und ich kann es immer wieder lesen. Obwohl einige Themen dabei sind, die ich eigentlich nicht so an Chick Lit mag, kann ich dieses Buch, wenn ich einmal anfange, gar nicht aus der Hand legen. Grace ist ein unglaublich toller, vielschichtiger Charakter, den man manchmal am liebsten schütteln würde, wenn sie von einem Fettnapf in den nächsten stolpert, mit der man aber auch einfach gern einen gemütlichen DVD-Abend machen und mit ihr über Gott und die Welt plaudern möchte. Auch die anderen Charaktere sind toll gestaltet - und die Geschichte selbst ist einfach mitreißend und berührend. Ich muss sogar jedes Mal ein paar Tränchen vergießen. Absolute Lese-Empfehlung!
January 9, 2013
ummm it's okay....
October 2, 2017
Fun, easy to read, a goodie!
October 14, 2019
Verrassend
December 4, 2016
Wow! This was one of those books I picked off the library shelf, mostly because it was in English, and the back description seemed a fluffy, but I thought maybe it could be a cute, easy romance story.
Well yes? But also so much more?? The voice in this piece is absolutely fantastic. Really authentic... I think that isn't always easy to do. As in: many people aim for it, but so many also fall flat.
"What a bummer. To be beautiful and not even know it... If I were beautiful, I would stay home and gaze at myself in mirrors. I would take pictures of myself and send them to death-row prisoners, to cheer them in the face of their impending deaths."
It was a very clever and likable voice.
Are there a few things I would have changed in the novel... probably.
The set-up of "oh MY her blind date is XYZ?!" didn't fit the rest of the story... it felt so orchestrated as soon as the book seemed to be going out of its way to make him part of the plot without mentioning his name. And the idea that these two people are set up on a date, and it never comes up in conversation that they work in the same industry/worked at the SAME PLACE just at different times... seems unlikely.
While I do BELIEVE love blossomed, I sometimes had trouble believing this. The insistence of love after weeks of kind of avoiding the person and not chatting that much... I could believe it more if this was a teen book but the character is supposed to be 29 or so ? It didn't feel AS real to how someone a tad older than me would talk, more like quite a bit younger
Sometimes the food thing seemed a tad forced. In the beginning of the book it seemed like every single page was spending time describing a lust for crisps or whatever. Just a little overdone. And the ending... I like epilogues because you crave the "what next," but some of it was a little too tidy. I mean making a joke about how the friend should find someone like Bill Gates and the guy is literally a millionaire named Billy Gates or w/e ??
But beyond these hinkydinks it's a really lovely story about growing up and growing into yourself. And I love all the irish lingo! Manky...
Well yes? But also so much more?? The voice in this piece is absolutely fantastic. Really authentic... I think that isn't always easy to do. As in: many people aim for it, but so many also fall flat.
"What a bummer. To be beautiful and not even know it... If I were beautiful, I would stay home and gaze at myself in mirrors. I would take pictures of myself and send them to death-row prisoners, to cheer them in the face of their impending deaths."
It was a very clever and likable voice.
Are there a few things I would have changed in the novel... probably.
The set-up of "oh MY her blind date is XYZ?!" didn't fit the rest of the story... it felt so orchestrated as soon as the book seemed to be going out of its way to make him part of the plot without mentioning his name. And the idea that these two people are set up on a date, and it never comes up in conversation that they work in the same industry/worked at the SAME PLACE just at different times... seems unlikely.
While I do BELIEVE love blossomed, I sometimes had trouble believing this. The insistence of love after weeks of kind of avoiding the person and not chatting that much... I could believe it more if this was a teen book but the character is supposed to be 29 or so ? It didn't feel AS real to how someone a tad older than me would talk, more like quite a bit younger
Sometimes the food thing seemed a tad forced. In the beginning of the book it seemed like every single page was spending time describing a lust for crisps or whatever. Just a little overdone. And the ending... I like epilogues because you crave the "what next," but some of it was a little too tidy. I mean making a joke about how the friend should find someone like Bill Gates and the guy is literally a millionaire named Billy Gates or w/e ??
But beyond these hinkydinks it's a really lovely story about growing up and growing into yourself. And I love all the irish lingo! Manky...
November 6, 2024
A story of loss and forgiveness
After losing her brother in a tragic accident, Grace’s life is spiralling out of control - she can’t forgive herself for her part in that accident and neither, she thinks, can her mother.
Waking up with a hangover next to Bernard from IT, who is definitely not her boyfriend Shane, and realising she is late for a dress fitting, she is overcome with yet more guilt.
As she tries to forget about Bernard she realises she can’t escape him, whilst Shane can’t even keep his commitments to come and visit. But perhaps she needs to forgive herself before she can truly move forward.
...
This was a great story which hooked me straight into Grace’s colourful life. She was flawed and awkward and very likeable. It’s told from her perspective so we get a close-up view of her thoughts and feelings throughout, which takes us along on her rollercoaster.
The writing was clever and visual, the characters felt real and relatable. I like the inclusion of letters and lists within the prose too. It helped to keep the quick pace of the book.
It was sad yet heartwarming, and portrays the power of friendship. I definitely cried a lot at this one and just wanted to give Grace a big hug.
After losing her brother in a tragic accident, Grace’s life is spiralling out of control - she can’t forgive herself for her part in that accident and neither, she thinks, can her mother.
Waking up with a hangover next to Bernard from IT, who is definitely not her boyfriend Shane, and realising she is late for a dress fitting, she is overcome with yet more guilt.
As she tries to forget about Bernard she realises she can’t escape him, whilst Shane can’t even keep his commitments to come and visit. But perhaps she needs to forgive herself before she can truly move forward.
...
This was a great story which hooked me straight into Grace’s colourful life. She was flawed and awkward and very likeable. It’s told from her perspective so we get a close-up view of her thoughts and feelings throughout, which takes us along on her rollercoaster.
The writing was clever and visual, the characters felt real and relatable. I like the inclusion of letters and lists within the prose too. It helped to keep the quick pace of the book.
It was sad yet heartwarming, and portrays the power of friendship. I definitely cried a lot at this one and just wanted to give Grace a big hug.
December 14, 2025
I have a short list of people with whom I would love to chat with over a beer for an hour or two - Ms Ciara Geraghty would be one of those. It would be great craic. Saving Grace is one of her earliest books. Unsurprisingly it doesn't reach the considerable heights of her later works but I enjoyed it well enough. Very chick lit, which I didn't expect (I rarely read blurb or reviews). Grace, the main character and narrator, is a youngish Dublin woman working in an insurance office. The body of the writing consists of a bit of a romp by most of the female characters - colleagues, family, flatmate - concerning various available men. Entertaining but the romping wore a little thin. There are a couple of underlying threads - her brother Patrick's death, her sister's wedding (typical Irish, ending in chaos) - which move the writing on but generally it relies on character interaction. Grace worries continuously - it was a good device towards the end to have her open in writing the things she ought to have said instead of thought. I liked the graveyard scenes towards the end. And a happy ending for Grace brought the whole thing to a nice end.
April 26, 2021
I am on the fence with this one. Not a huge fan of Marian Keyes, so I approached this book with caution, given the spiel on the back cover mentioned that Marian should move over.
The protagonist Grace was a quirky character who drove me mad at times, hence why I can't make up my mind whether I truly liked this book. To be honest, I did skim some pages as the quirkiness was just a tad over the top for me.
One thing I picked up on page 73 was a reference to an ATM machine. That terminology is completely incorrect! ATM stands for Automatic Teller Machine. In effect, calling it an ATM machine is saying Automatic Teller Machine Machine. Just a bugbear of mine. It surprises me when authors and more so editors don't pick up on errors such as this.
Overall I thought the story was an easy read and if you are into romance, comedy, family, relationships, and sadness, this might be the book for you.
3 stars from me.
The protagonist Grace was a quirky character who drove me mad at times, hence why I can't make up my mind whether I truly liked this book. To be honest, I did skim some pages as the quirkiness was just a tad over the top for me.
One thing I picked up on page 73 was a reference to an ATM machine. That terminology is completely incorrect! ATM stands for Automatic Teller Machine. In effect, calling it an ATM machine is saying Automatic Teller Machine Machine. Just a bugbear of mine. It surprises me when authors and more so editors don't pick up on errors such as this.
Overall I thought the story was an easy read and if you are into romance, comedy, family, relationships, and sadness, this might be the book for you.
3 stars from me.
June 22, 2025
Perfect, perfect... perfect.
I was looking for an easy read. A simple chick flick type story.
This was that but also so much more.
Grace is relatable, loveable and real.
She stumbles out of the page with her long red hair and longer legs.
The story took turns I didn't expect and kept me gripped to page.
The family dynamics are easy to relate to. I'm glad about the stories ending, it's exactly as I hoped it would be.
Also the "Irishness" of the whole book was really great, entertaining and enjoyable.
I was looking for an easy read. A simple chick flick type story.
This was that but also so much more.
Grace is relatable, loveable and real.
She stumbles out of the page with her long red hair and longer legs.
The story took turns I didn't expect and kept me gripped to page.
The family dynamics are easy to relate to. I'm glad about the stories ending, it's exactly as I hoped it would be.
Also the "Irishness" of the whole book was really great, entertaining and enjoyable.
February 22, 2019
How to describe this book...I loved it, it was easy to read a family drama in Dublin. Grace who wakes up with more than just a hangover, she is in bed with Bernard (new colleague in IT department). Now this is not going to be easy how she is going to explain this to her boyfriend Shane (good looking) of 2 years. Her brother died in an accident by saving Grace, she feels guilty the book has so many little twist. I loved it.
August 29, 2021
Absolutely loved this book, it is a pleasure to read from start to finish. Thought it might have been chick lit (which I generally don’t like) but it turned out to be so much more: a lovely story about people that you (mostly) care about and a lot of complexity added in. A true depiction of real life. Loved it - or did I say that already!!
November 9, 2021
Heerlijke feelgood roman! Wat heb ik dit boek graag gelezen. Ciara Geraghty heeft een leuke, speelse schrijfstijl. Haar boek bevat veel details, maar het is niet storend. De grappige ondertoon maakt het hele verhaal luchtiger. Ik heb soms echt luidop zitten lachen met sommige zinnen!
June 11, 2023
While I was sure she'd be with who she ended up with. This was a fun read. It made me laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time. I hated Shane with a passion lol and absolutely LOVED Mary! She was a riot and even though a minor character, made me long for a granny like her
July 27, 2024
Das Buch ist leicht zu lesen und die Geschichte ist unterhaltsam, wenn auch nicht überraschend.
Ich habe ca. 250 Seiten überschlagen, weil es mir einfach zu viele Seiten für diese Geschichte waren, habe trotzdem alles verstanden.
Ich habe ca. 250 Seiten überschlagen, weil es mir einfach zu viele Seiten für diese Geschichte waren, habe trotzdem alles verstanden.
August 12, 2024
Ik dacht even het meest luchtige boek van de zomer te gaan lezen maar was best heavy qua onderwerpen. Was prima, niet fantastisch, wel in 1 dag uitgelezen dus dat zegt ook iets? En blijkbaar heb ik na keeping 13 iets met boeken die zich in Ierland afspelen????
March 16, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - Grace is a character that entertains and makes you laugh - at the same time you feel the grief the family is going through with the loss of their beloved Patrick
Loved this book
Loved this book
August 28, 2018
I loved it!
November 29, 2018
I enjoyed this book immensely!
March 27, 2020
Couldn’t finish it - not my type of book
January 23, 2023
Met veel plezier dit boek gelezen. Ik vond het steeds boeiender worden. Karakters worden goed beschreven
July 9, 2024
Couldn't put this one down either 😍
June 29, 2025
Galachen en gehuild. Wat een heerlijk boek
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