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The Season of Change
A holiday in paradise they'll never forget...
Sheila O'Flanagan's THE SEASON OF CHANGE transports her readers to the Caribbean island resort of White Sands, where visitors arrive hoping their dreams will come true - and they sometimes do. Not to be missed by readers of Veronica Henry and Freya North.
The Season of Change was previously published as Connections.
Where do you go to solve all your problems?
Where would you go if you were a singer fed up with the fame you never desired?
Where would you choose to get married if you didn't want a certain high-maintenance, nightmare guest in attendance?
Where would you go to pretend your marriage wasn't the sham you always thought it was?
And if you were a writer looking for a gripping new plot, where could you find it?
At the beautiful White Sands resort the Caribbean sunshine works its magic - just so long as its guests' troubles haven't followed them all the way to paradise...
Praise for Sheila O'Flanagan's bestselling novels:
'Wonderfully escapist...captivating' Daily Express
'A beautiful backdrop to the story of a woman finding acceptance and new beginnings' Woman & Home
'A hugely enjoyable romance, written with pace and heart' Sunday Mirror
'Page-turner' Bella
'I read the book in one sitting as it was so enjoyable, full of romance and kept you riveted until the last page' Woman's Way
Sheila O'Flanagan's THE SEASON OF CHANGE transports her readers to the Caribbean island resort of White Sands, where visitors arrive hoping their dreams will come true - and they sometimes do. Not to be missed by readers of Veronica Henry and Freya North.
The Season of Change was previously published as Connections.
Where do you go to solve all your problems?
Where would you go if you were a singer fed up with the fame you never desired?
Where would you choose to get married if you didn't want a certain high-maintenance, nightmare guest in attendance?
Where would you go to pretend your marriage wasn't the sham you always thought it was?
And if you were a writer looking for a gripping new plot, where could you find it?
At the beautiful White Sands resort the Caribbean sunshine works its magic - just so long as its guests' troubles haven't followed them all the way to paradise...
Praise for Sheila O'Flanagan's bestselling novels:
'Wonderfully escapist...captivating' Daily Express
'A beautiful backdrop to the story of a woman finding acceptance and new beginnings' Woman & Home
'A hugely enjoyable romance, written with pace and heart' Sunday Mirror
'Page-turner' Bella
'I read the book in one sitting as it was so enjoyable, full of romance and kept you riveted until the last page' Woman's Way
320 pages, Paperback
Published May 5, 2020
176 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
Sheila O'Flanagan
95 books1,201 followersAs you can see, a Dubliner all my life. My parents owned a grocery shop in the Iveagh Markets, in the Liberties area of the city and I guess city blood runs through my veins.
As a child I enjoyed reading and telling stories and everyone thought that I end up in a job which had something to do with books and literature. But though I applied for a job in the library all of the job offers I got were in commerce.
I turned down lots of them before my mother accepted one for me (I was on holiday at the time). It was in the Central Bank of Ireland and that’s how my career in financial services began.
I started out in administration and then moved jobs until finally I was working as a dealer in a commercial bank. Eventually I was promoted to Chief Dealer (the first female CD in the country). I traded lots of different things – foreign exchange, swaps, options, bonds…all of the kind of things you read about in the papers and that sound very technical and difficult. Of course once you’re doing it, it’s not half as technical as it sounds.
But I still loved reading and writing (which I did in my spare time) and I desperately wanted to write my own book. I guess I never quite got over the fact that I was never offered the library job! In my thirties I decided that it was now or never and I sat down, stuck Chapter 1 on a page, and started. I wrote the whole thing before sending it off.
I was offered a publishing deal (with no advance) by an Irish company but only if I wrote a different book! So back to the drawing board, I started again. It was another two years before it was published. It wasn’t until I’d written a few books and was offered a contract (this time with an advance!) from another publisher that I felt able to give up my trading job and write full time. So, even though it took a long time, I eventually realised my dream of being a full-time writer.
And now I also write a business column for the Irish Times.
When I’m writing a book I want to do three things:
* Tell a good story
* Make the reader feel like they know the characters
* Make each book better than the last
I don’t write for any particular audience but I suppose I must have people like me in mind – people who have busy lives and who like to escape into someone else’s for a while.
I love writing books. I hope you enjoy reading them.
As a child I enjoyed reading and telling stories and everyone thought that I end up in a job which had something to do with books and literature. But though I applied for a job in the library all of the job offers I got were in commerce.
I turned down lots of them before my mother accepted one for me (I was on holiday at the time). It was in the Central Bank of Ireland and that’s how my career in financial services began.
I started out in administration and then moved jobs until finally I was working as a dealer in a commercial bank. Eventually I was promoted to Chief Dealer (the first female CD in the country). I traded lots of different things – foreign exchange, swaps, options, bonds…all of the kind of things you read about in the papers and that sound very technical and difficult. Of course once you’re doing it, it’s not half as technical as it sounds.
But I still loved reading and writing (which I did in my spare time) and I desperately wanted to write my own book. I guess I never quite got over the fact that I was never offered the library job! In my thirties I decided that it was now or never and I sat down, stuck Chapter 1 on a page, and started. I wrote the whole thing before sending it off.
I was offered a publishing deal (with no advance) by an Irish company but only if I wrote a different book! So back to the drawing board, I started again. It was another two years before it was published. It wasn’t until I’d written a few books and was offered a contract (this time with an advance!) from another publisher that I felt able to give up my trading job and write full time. So, even though it took a long time, I eventually realised my dream of being a full-time writer.
And now I also write a business column for the Irish Times.
When I’m writing a book I want to do three things:
* Tell a good story
* Make the reader feel like they know the characters
* Make each book better than the last
I don’t write for any particular audience but I suppose I must have people like me in mind – people who have busy lives and who like to escape into someone else’s for a while.
I love writing books. I hope you enjoy reading them.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 13, 2025
These stories bring a sense of cheer and belief that things always work out for the protagonist. A light, gentle and fun read. always a great way to escape the world.
January 21, 2025
I selected this book from the library to try and complete one of the Willoughby 2025 challenges and it was classified as short stories. I will try and find a more worthy short story entry. It was truly dreadful, maybe the first one was entertaining but the remaining 11 stories got weaker and weaker. It was a speedy read.
August 31, 2019
These aren't short stories. Even short stories have a beginning, a middle and an end. After only 20 pages, just skipping to a whole other series of characters that happen to stay in the same hotel? Nope, not for me.
I'll stick to reading her full stories.
I'll stick to reading her full stories.
December 1, 2021
The idea of short stories put me off a little bit as I started but as there are little stories some of the characters do interact so it makes it interesting and having everyone in a Carribean hotel with sun sea and sand whilst reading in the beginnings of Winter is lovely.
My go to author :0)
My go to author :0)
April 8, 2024
Easy to read book, with 10 stories of people being in an all inclusive hotel in a paradise island.
I liked it but was sometimes a bit long even if each story was 30 pages…
The place was great so it made me travel and feel like a guest in this amazing place !
I liked it but was sometimes a bit long even if each story was 30 pages…
The place was great so it made me travel and feel like a guest in this amazing place !
July 3, 2025
Dear Sheila,
Next time, stick to writing 6 proper, complete stories — not 12 rushed ones just to fill a book.
Honestly, most of these felt rushed, unfinished, and lacking any real depth. Some were just plain boring. No spark, no spice — nothing to really hook the reader. 😴
Next time, stick to writing 6 proper, complete stories — not 12 rushed ones just to fill a book.
Honestly, most of these felt rushed, unfinished, and lacking any real depth. Some were just plain boring. No spark, no spice — nothing to really hook the reader. 😴
December 11, 2020
Loved it!
April 20, 2021
Not quite the sum of the individual story parts. Thought my Kindle had lost the end of the book.
January 21, 2022
I wasn't excited for this when I read that it's short stories but it was better than expected. Some stories were a bit boring and others I wanted to keep reading on.
March 5, 2023
Enjoyable and easy read. Individual story approach was nice albeit a bit short however this is the perfect sunny summer read!
May 22, 2023
Very refreshing
June 22, 2024
2.5 ⭐️ not sure im a fan of many short stories rolled in to one. Each individual story was a good read but felt just as you were getting in to it, it ended.
September 30, 2025
Really good but I couldn’t really take to the short stories as I wanted to know what happened next!
October 28, 2025
Nicola’s review
It was a very enjoyable collection of short stories to read. Anybody that likes Sheila’s books will like this I’m sure!
It was a very enjoyable collection of short stories to read. Anybody that likes Sheila’s books will like this I’m sure!
November 22, 2019
Short stories are really not my thing and I confess to having bought the book in error.
The time I took to read it is indicative of the lack of hold, short stories have over me.
Overall, the book wasn’t too bad and predictably the last story was the best.
The time I took to read it is indicative of the lack of hold, short stories have over me.
Overall, the book wasn’t too bad and predictably the last story was the best.
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November 16, 2019Eerder verschenen onder de naam Connections
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews