Always and Forever

by Cathy Kelly

When the going gets tough...

In the Irish town of Carrickwell, with its lush, endlessly rolling hills and authentic country tranquility, three women's lives are anything but calm. There's Mel, a compulsively ambitious mother/publicity manager at a high-powered PR firm — living proof that balancing motherhood and a full-time job is no walk in the park. The hot-headed, indomitable Cleo, just out of college with a degree in hotel management, would like nothing better than to modernize and revive her family's dwindling hotel — but faces a constant battle with her old-fashioned parents. And finally, there's the stylish, sweet-tempered Daisy, a self-consciously curvy fashion buyer for an upscale clothing boutique, who has been struggling — and longing — to have a baby with her absolutely perfect boyfriend. Although unconnected, these three women have one thing in common: they all need a break from their stressful lives.

...these tough gals hit the nearest spa!

So each one sets out for a little R & R at the new Clouds Hill spa, built by an American woman with her own secret turmoil. It is there that Mel, Cleo, and Daisy meet — their worlds and troubles colliding — forming an intimate bond that helps them to realize what matters most in life, always and forever.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Ireland, Irish Literature, Novels

454 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2004

About the author

Born in Belfast but raised in Dublin, Cathy initially worked for thirteen years as a newspaper journalist with a national Irish Sunday newspaper, where she worked in news, features, along with spending time as an agony aunt and the paper’s film critic. However, her overwhelming love was always fiction and she published her first international bestseller, Woman To Woman, in 1997. She did not become a full-time writer until she had written another two books (She’s The One and Never Too Late) and finally decided to leave the world of journalism in 2001, moving to HarperCollins Publishers at the same time.

Someone Like You and What She Wants followed in successive years. Her sixth novel, Just Between Us, was her first Sunday Times number one bestseller, while her eighth novel, Always and Forever, topped the UK bestseller lists in October 2005, displacing Dan Brown and J. K. Rowling. In 2007, Past Secrets in was also a number one paperback bestseller.

Lessons in Heartbreak was shortlisted for the Eason Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards in April 2009. In September 2009, Once in a Lifetime topped the UK bestseller lists for three weeks. In March 2011, Homecoming achieved the same feat. Her latest novel is It Started With Paris, published by Orion in 2014.

In Autumn 2011, Cathy headlined a search for a new writer on ITV’s The Alan Titchmarsh Show.

Cathy’s trademark is warm story-telling and she consistently tops the bestseller lists around the world with books which deal with themes ranging from relationships and marriage to depression and loss, but always with an uplifting message and strong female characters at the heart.

Cathy also has a passionate interest in children’s rights and is an ambassador for UNICEF Ireland. Her role for UNICEF is a Global Parent, which means raising funds and awareness for children orphaned by or living with HIV/AIDs.

She lives with her husband, John, their twin sons, Dylan and Murray, and their three dogs in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow.

To contact Cathy email info@cathykelly.com

Reviews

[Razvan Banciu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fairy tale genre, in which you have to suffer first and be rewarded after, if you're patient enough, of course. Both as a character, but also as a potential reader.
The story is slightly too long and sometimes didactic, Leah is such a wonderful person it makes you disbelieving she might exist, but when you empathize with some characters (Mel's girls, of course...) that means you like the book.
So, four stars are just a perfect fit.

[Obsidian · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took to about the 40% mark for the story lines to kind of converge. Had a feeling of being unfinished at the epilogue.

Full review:

So I read this book eons ago and finally picked up it again to just fully go through Kelly's backlist. I do miss Maeve Binchy on days like today. This book feels like three separate stories, and when the three women finally meet up (plus the spa owner) it just does not feel organic or real at all. They have zero things in common and it just felt like it was forced fit. The storyline I cared the most about was Daisy. Cleo's was beyond boring and Mel's did nothing for me either.

There's also some really toxic views about plus sized women in this one and I maybe screamed anytime that was brought up during Daisy's storyline.

[Hollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started off as quite hard work, but I persevered. Read some reviews on it and wondered if I should even bother finishing it as nobody seemed to have much good to say about it.

All I'll say is it was worth carrying on with. There were a few dodgy chapters that I thought about giving up when reading as they seemed a bit pointless, but as you go further through the book it all makes more sense and those chapters are actually there for a reason.

I am really glad I didn't give up on it and worked my way to the end as it was a really good story, just wish it had been finished off a bit better, although you found out what happened to everybody, there just didn't seem to be enough of an ending.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up from the sale shelf at Powell's, and decided to buy it on the strength of two things: first, because it had "the number one bestseller" splashed across the front, and second, because it had a brief endorsement by Rosamunde Pilcher on the back. I adore Rosamunde Pilcher's books, so soothing and satisfying and picturesque. If she likes it, so will I, right?

Wrong. This book has none of Pilcher's charm and lyrical phrasing. Where Pilcher's books make me long to visit Scotland, this book leaves me with the impression that Ireland is entirely populated by neurotics married to emotional mutants. It is trite and full of stereotypes. Working mom with guilt? It's in there. Full-time mom feeling unappreciated? Yep. Cheating husband? Check. Cheating boyfriend, perfect tall-dark-handsome millionaire, loving and supportive husband, check check check. Dedicated career woman, single mother, drinking problem, eating problem, infertility... no female issue is left unturned. It's as though Cathy Kelly trolled the message boards at iVillage and made a top-10 list of things to include in her book.

In a way, she does us all a favor, because the things she writes are TRUE. Absolutely, irrefutably true. The mommy guilt is insane, whether you spend too much time at work and let someone else raise your kids, or you sponge off your husband and will have nothing interesting to say ever again. And we all need to know that other women are feeling the same way, that it's normal, and it's okay, and we're not completely screwing up our children. So if this book makes one person feel better about herself, then it's worth reading. Otherwise, it's just slightly preachy, mediocre writing with a plot that doesn't really go anywhere.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tranquil setting of Carrickwell, Ireland is where Leah has chosen to open her new spa, Cloud's Hill. What she finds after opening, however, is that many women do not have lives that match the tranquil setting.

We meet Mel, who works in PR for Lorimar. She has two beautiful daughters but is torn between trying to stay on top professionally and the guilt that she feels over not being around to nurture her own children.

Cleo has just finished her degree in Hotel Management at the top of her class. She received high marks and is full of ideas for updating and changing her family's small hotel into a modern, thriving business. When her parents resist her ideas she becomes very frustrated and wonders when they will begin to trust her knowledge and allow her to stop being the "baby" of the family.

Daisy, is a buyer and part owner for an upscale boutique in the town. In college, when she was chubby, she met and became a couple with Alex. They have lived together for 14 years and she has adjusted to the fact that Alex is resisting marriage. They have been trying to have a baby and nothing seems to be happening so Daisy makes an appointment at a fertility clinic.

Although these three women have no connections to one another, they all meet at the spa as they try to regain some semblance of calm in their lives. We find that women can be strong with the support of others who care about them and listen to what is on their minds. Between the talks, we gain some of life's truths which in turn could help us as we journey down life's highway.

A nicely written story by Cathy Kelly whose characters come with real life problems and emotions. Her Irish setting is wonderful and sometimes a life lesson or two can be learned.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perfectly decent read. A touch predictable but nice to have a feel good read for a change.

[Sarah Obsesses over Books & Cookies · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am having trouble with this book. I mean it started off well enough, I love Irish and British Girly tales but I think by page 100 the dialogue or the thoughts from the characters get to me like it's too predictable or too laddda laddidaaa. Ugghh so unfortunately I had to put it down and away. I wanted to love it but I found myself just getting annoyed.

[becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book took forever to get going and I kept falling asleep everytime I'd try to plow through it. I think maybe I should have just put the book away and forgotten about it.

I generally like the chick-lit genre, but in my old age am getting fed up with the stories about girls straight out of college who don't know their own minds and act like useless ninnies. Then I heard about Cathy Kelly and what several people described as "chick-lit for those of us in our 30s." In this case, that translates to, "chick-lit for people who are obsessed with babies b/c that's all that matters to a woman in her 30s."

Strangely, the only story in this book about the intersecting lives of several Irish women that I wanted to actually read was about a young woman straight out of college. Sadly, the author viewed this storyline almost as an afterthought and as the book wrapped up, she nearly abandoned the story ... only to add in a couple of pages at the end to tie things all together.

Overall, I'd say this book was probably conceived well but poorly executed on and edited even worse. I'll give Kelly another chance because I'd read another of her books years ago and liked it, but this one was a stinker.

[Sofia Granja · Rating 4 out of 5]

É um livro ligeiro, custou-me no início a ligar-me às personagens, mas com o passar do tempo fui gostando mais. Apesar disso não me arrebatou e não me vou lembrar dele daqui a algum tempo.

[Filipa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Estava um pouco reticente com este livro, pois a autora Cathy Kelly não me tinha convencido com o "Uma vez na vida" que já tinha lido há uns anos e quando um autor não me cativa numa primeira leitura, vou sempre renitente para uma segunda. . .

Ainda bem que dou quase sempre uma segunda oportunidade.
Este livro encheu-me completamente as medidas. Serve o propósito de entreter com as histórias de um grupo de mulheres, sem ser demasiado forçado, ou seja, conseguimos totalmente identificarmo-nos com todas as personagens, ainda que tenham histórias diferentes das nossas mas que ainda assim, nos conseguimos meter na pele e avaliar a nossa reacção se fosse connosco.

Assim, Cathy apresenta-nos: Mel, Daisy e Cleo.
Mel. Uma mulher bem sucedida na carreira que construiu, mas com duas lindas filhotas pequenas e um marido super carinhoso, que tem que fazer malabarismo para conseguir conciliar o trabalho com a maternidade e o ser esposa. Mel que sente remorsos pela vida que leva, que leva reprimendas da chefe por um chegar mais tarde quando uma filha está doente. . .

Daisy. Uma mulher que tem tudo, um namorado que a adora, é chefe de si mesma, tem um apartamento lindo, a única coisa que lhe faz falta é. . . um filho. Tem trinta e poucos anos e sente que chegou realmente a altura. Desta vez vai empenhar-se em atingir esse seu sonho. . .

Cleo. Uma rapariga de vinte e três anos, acabada de sair da faculdade em gestão hoteleira, prontinha a ajudar os pais a gerir o hotel que possuem, com garra e ambição e inteligência para dar e vender. Cheia de ideias e pronta a arrancar com elas. O hotel dos pais está velho e precisa de remodelações. . .

LEAH. . . uma mulher diferente. . . uma mulher que tem o dom da palavra e do altruísmo sem se esforçar. . . com uma história triste por trás. . .

O que mais gostei neste livro foi mesmo irmos acompanhando a cada capítulo cada uma destas mulheres alternadamente mas, no fim, estas mulheres, acabam TODAS por se conhecerem e as suas histórias misturam-se e entrelaçam-se, havendo trocas de experiências de vida e ajudando-se umas às outras pois nem tudo corre como esperado, como tudo na vida. . .

Uma história mesmo muito real, Cathy Kelly consegue emocionar e fazer com que fiquemos a torcer por cada uma destas personagens.
Falando por mim, mal acabava um capítulo sobre a Mel e chegava um sobre a Daisy, já queria saber o que andava a acontecer com a Mel e quando acabava a Daisy e entrava a Cleo, queria andar com a história para saber da Daisy e assim sucessivamente. . .

Um livro leve, claramente para o público feminino, sem pretensões de ser outra coisa a não ser entreter e proporcionar umas boas horas de leitura.

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

""

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first 5 Star read of 2018 and a good one it was.
Cathy Kelly has written a emotional book that has you laughing , outraged on behalf of characters , sad and mesmerised by the story.
She has some strong female characters in Daisy , Mel , Leah and especially hot-headed Cleo ( my fave)
Tyler was dreamy to think about in a infuriating way so he made a marvellous make character . You could feel the flames ignite between him and cleo as they sparked at each other continuously.
The one constant was Clouds Hill spa that brought a calmness to the plot and the ladies together making them realise the truth , their strength and what they can be.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cozy read. Perfect escape from the world. ❤

[foamoftheocean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good for what it serves. Characters all realistic, and the spa served well for symbolism for change and thoughtfulness.

[Jean Overbeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read but likeable characters and interesting story. A good holiday book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't normally so thoroughly enjoy a chick-lit novel and, now that I think about it, the storyline was rather predictable but maybe it's due to my utter, irrevocable and foolish love for novels, movies or anything else set in Ireland (a country that I know very little about, but the aesthetic appeal of which continues to draw my hungry gaze)that I was so drawn into the lives of these women. Strangely, I've realised that part of the reason for my lack of knowledge and inability to sympathise with and understand the daily hassles of the contemporary woman is due to the fact that I've never read a good work of chick-lit. I've always felt somewhat alienated from the rest of contemporary womankind and never felt that there were women out there who thought the same thoughts I did or shared the same fears I do, but by delving into the lives of these three strong and yet strangely fragile women, I have discovered a part of myself in each of these three characters.

Of course, being young and single, the character I found I was able to relate to the most was Cleo, fresh out of college with a degree in Hotel Management and out to conquer the world by creating her own hotel empire but first set on helping her parents renovate and raise the standards at their family hotel, The Willow, in their little hometown in Carrickwell. Ofcourse, all does not go as planned, with The Willow eventually being sold to pay off debts to the bank and Cleo going off in a huff after a huge family row over Cleo's not receiving her due recognition and respect and still being treated like a child by her family and her two elder brothers, who could not care less about the hotel, being included in all important decision-making. Her intelligence, creativity, vibrancy, energy and short temper are characteristics that resonated within me. Her close and conflicted relationship with her parents and deep respect for her father are feelings I can all too clearly identify with. Her fiery and independent nature that does not allow even a powerful and demanding character like Tyler Roth to have his way, is what I found most admirable.

Then there's Mel, the hot-shot career woman trying to juggle motherhood and a career while battling tremendous guilt over neglecting her children. Mel's character and her life initially represented all my hopes and greatest fears for the future. I think at some point every women realises that she can't have it all, but many of us spend most of our lives trying so hard to ignore that fact or to prove it wrong that by the time we decide to stop fighting it and adapt to life's circumstances by striking a compromise, we realise just how much of valuable time and energy was lost in the battle. I was really glad to see everything work out for Mel, but could see how easily Mel's life could have taken the route of Caroline's if her husband hadn't been as understanding and supportive of her decision to give up her career to stay at home with the children.

And ofcourse, there was Daisy (Denise), the once overweight Agorophobic teenager with severe abandonment issues who only attaches any worth or value to her life if she has her man, Alex, in it. Although her character initially disgusted me, as I got to understand the childhood issues she had to deal with, such as her cold and unaffectionate mother, I came to realise that just about any of us could have turned into a Daisy and gone through life disliking every aspect ourselves until some knight in shining armour came along to make us feel special and worthy of love.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Para Sempre, Meu Amor conta-nos a história de três mulheres, muito diferentes entre si, que vivem na vila de Carrickwell: Mel, Daisy e Cleo. Três mulheres bem diferentes, cujas vidas precisam de um rumo de várias mudanças para chegar ao equilíbrio, e que são muito ajudadas por Leah, uma mulher muito sabida mas também muito sofrida, e pelo seu maravilhoso spa (Também quero!).
Mel é uma mulher trabalhadora, casada, mãe de duas meninas, que vive numa correria, sem tempo para nada e que sente uma enorme culpa por não estar a dedicar tempo e atenção às suas filhas como gostaria, ao mesmo tempo que sente uma enorme inveja por aquelas amigas que deixaram de trabalhar para cuidar dos filhos. O início da história começa com esta personagem e devo dizer que fiquei um pouco entediada porque era isto e mais isto. Ora tínhamos Mel na correria, ou a sentir inveja das amigas, o assunto de mães trabalhadoras versus mães domésticas vezes sem conta. Acho que esta parte poderia ser mais resumida e não bater tanto no assunto. Quando Mel decide mudar a sua vida, a sua história começa a ser muito melhor e mais fácil e interessante de ler.
Daisy é uma mulher que trabalha numa loja de roupas da qual é sócia, deseja ser mãe e encontra no seu namorado, Alex, a tampa para todos os seus problemas de auto-estima. E digo tampa, porque quando o Alex mostra quem verdadeiramente é (merecendo nada mais do que muita tareia), Daisy volta ao que era quando o conheceu: insegura, muito insegura e cai na depressão. Felizmente tem amigas espectaculares que a ajudam a ultrapassar tudo isso.
E por fim, temos Cleo, a minha personagem favorita. Sendo a filha mais nova mas mais inteligente de uma família dona de um pequeno hotel, Cleo tirou o curso de hotelaria, ou lá o que é, para poder gerir ou melhorar o hotel que tanto adora. Mas sai-lhe o tiro pela culatra e acaba numa desavença com os pais e irmãos que decidem vender o hotel sem lhe dizer nada, para além que nunca lhe deram ouvidos às sugestões para melhorar o hotel que precisava e muito dessa melhoria. Devo dizer que fiquei do lado dela e não sei se conseguiria agir como ela agiu posteriormente. No entanto, no fim, saiu-lhe a sorte grande em muitos aspectos :)
Leah é aquela senhora que criou um spa, em homenagem a outro que visitou à anos e que a ajudou a recuperar a sanidade e o equilíbrio, após um acontecimento trágico, mas que graças ao que passou tem a palavra certa para aqueles que precisam de ajuda. Um amor de pessoa.
Esta não é uma história só, é um encontrar de várias histórias, de várias mulheres que encontraram os sues finais felizes. É, digamos, um romance, mas bem diferente do que esperava e bem diferente do que tinha lido. Uma experiência que quero repetir.
Só há uma coisa que não entendo: o título. "Para Sempre, Meu Amor" é um título que sinceramente não consigo associar ao livro. Talvez seja referente a Leah, não sei. Outra coisa que também é obrigatório referir é a falta de uma revisão atenta ao livro. É o caso de encontrar "queijo" em vez de queixo - "Acabara de combater três borbulhas enormes aí, bem como uma erupção mais comedida no queijo (...)" -, bem como "há de haver" sem o hífen que é suposto... Enfim, acontece, mas era suposto haver uma revisão mais atenta, não?

Tirando isso, sim, recomendo, é um bom livro para se ler. É grande, podia ser um bocadinho mais resumido, mas é uma boa história para se ler.

[Julie Tombs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable light read by Cathy Kelly. She writes about strong women characters and this book is no exception. A little too predictable for me so a good read but not a great one.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this warm hearted book. Set in an Irish country town, it followed the lives of Mel, stressed out with her efforts to combine a career and motherhood; independent, idealistic Cleo, fresh out of her hotel management course but frustrated in her ambitions to revitalise her parents ailing hotel, and curvy, stylish Daisy, whose relationship is collapsing. Against this background was Cloud's Rest, a newly opened restorative spa, run by American Leah. I Immediately felt involved in the lives of the key characters, though I did find that of Leah a bit too saintly and perfect. My attention dipped slightly in the middle with Cleo's childish efforts to wreak revenge on Tyler, and a rather laborious chapter on Mel's experience of being a stay at home mother. Daisy was my favourite. It was inevitable that the three women would come together, though this happened later than I expected quite far on in the book. The descriptive passages were very evocative, particularly the calming luxury of Cloud's Rest, compared with the run down appearance of Cleo's family hotel. A good book for a discussion group on coping with life's challenges. Although some readers found it rather stereotyped in characters and situations, for me it was a great "curl up on the sofa " book that was hard to put down - in other words "a good read"!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put this one down. It was like several short stories that all tied up neatly into one package. The common thread was how different women often deal with the challenges of life by not putting their own needs first, especially where looking deep within themselves is concerned. This book follows the stories of mainly three women in particular and the owner of a spa retreat who helps them all find their way to peace and hope. She simply does this by being a good, nurturing friend. The stories are simple, yet they speak to every woman in one way or another. I recommend this book. It is like comfort food.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. Fairly routine chick lit with the token working mother guilt, followed by token stay-at-home mommy indignation due to people undervaluing their contributions, which makes me wonder about the mothers of a hundred years ago, who had much more work and no conveniences like washing machines or vacuum cleaners or microwaves, who probably had very little time to bemoan their lot or even think about it. Also a token got-dumped-by-longtime-partner meltdown and token spunky gal who rebuffs then falls into the arms of unbelievably wealthy guy. I'm starting to tire of these navel-gazing women, but still, Cathy Kelly is a better writer than most.

[Laxmi Gayatry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very meaningful and realistic story of 3 women.. The story cites many realties Problems women face in different stages adulthood. Cleo, Leah, Mel and Daisy have their own heart warming and tear pricking stories to tell. Though the book tasked a bit to reach the story it is a book you would not wasnna stop reading.. Tyler seems rough and tough in a lovable way and Adrianis lovable because of the way he loves his wife. Eager to read more books from Cathy Kelly... Though the book was a bit lagging it was a read worthwhile.

[Katie M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give it more stars because I actually enjoyed the storylines of the 3 main women, but the description in the back was a bit misleading to me. It took so long for the women to actually meet and I thought each woman's happy ending would have had help from the other two. The "turmoil" from Cloud's Hill Spa owner also was a bit of a disappointment even though that's a horrible tragedy - I just thought there would be more of an edge to it.

Overall, I would definitely read another book by this author but hope the description is more true to the story.

[♥ Marlene♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
An easy quick read. I liked it. Sometimes it was a bit too much. Like I love you but I pretend to hate you kind of thing which is more something I'd like to find only in a cheap romancy book but all in all it was a good read.
This was my first book by this author and I still have 2 more books to read by her which i borrowed from the library. Must read something with a bit more substance now, then i can read another one. ;)

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this human story of four women dealing with a variety of changes and trials in their lives. The author made me feel deeply for each character and even though Chloe was very different to me, I loved her story and really felt for what she was going through so the author knew how to take me into another mind or heart. A rich and enchanting read that I couldn't put down.

[Monisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about three girls who each have their own problems. One of them is too busy, one too lonely and the other has family problems. One day they meet a lady called Lea who shows them how to cope.
It is quite an inspirational book but can be draggy and a little boring in some chapters.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. It was well-woven together.

[Hayley Town · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite authors, never disappoints.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inhalt:

Cleo, Daisy und Mel sind drei unterschiedliche Frauen die in Carrickwell leben. Alle drei sind in dem Glauben das perfekte Leben zu führen.

Cleos Eltern führen ein wunderschönes Hotel was allerdings in die Jahre gekommen ist und dringend renoviert werden müsste. Cleo träumt davon einmal das Hotel übernehmen zu können und plötzlich kommt alles anders als sie gedacht hat und muss ihr Leben komplett umkrempeln.

Daisy ist eine erfolgreiche Modeexpertin und führ zusammen mit ihrer Freundin eine Boutique. Auch privat könnte es mit ihrem Freund Alex nicht besser laufen. Das einzige was ihr fehlt ist ein Baby. Da es auf dem natürlichen Weg nicht klappen will vereinbart sie einen Termin bei einer Klinik. Das dieser Schritt für immer ihr Leben verändern wird, damit hätte Daisy nicht gerechnet.

Mel ist zweifache Mutter und voll berufstätig. Der Spagat zwischen Job und Familie verlangt ihr alles ab so dass sie ihre Kinder nur Abends und am Wochenende sieht. Als Mel auch noch von ihrer Vorgesetzten angemacht wird da Mel mit ihrer Tochter beim Arzt war, platzt ihr der Kragen.

Meinung

Mir hat das Buch sehr gut gefallen. Alle drei Protagonistinnen waren mit von Anfang an sehr sympathisch. Ich persönlich konnte mich mit jeder von ihnen auf eine Art und Weise identifizieren. Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist auch sehr flüssig und man wird gut unterhalten.


Fazit:

Wer auf der Suche nach einem sehr guten Frauenroman ohne das typische Klischee sucht, wird sich hier sehr gut aufgehoben fühlen

[Lou Grimm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Leah, an enigmatic woman who works to achieve some kind of spiritual awareness in others, rather than the story of the three women around whom most of the story unfolds, and I liked the the way Kelly downplayed her role.

Leah is kept out of most of the story and she's very unsubtle when she does appear. In the meantime, we follow the lives of three other women, whose paths eventually cross, and who seem to have no idea of the transparent, obvious and well-meaning motives of Leah's.

I loved the realism of the characters, with their unrealistic ideas: Mel with her impossible workload, and low self-belief, just waiting to implode; Cleo, full of an intelligence and self-confidence that even her own family finds intimidating; and Daisy. Trusting, happy, centred Daisy. I suffered the most with her, especially during her fog-filled week of self-deluded bliss - it was so perfectly depicted.

Kelly manages to show us these women's journeys from two persepectives - ours, where we know or suspect the truth and foresee the imminent crashes; and theirs, where they are snug and secure, if slightly unbalanced, and have no idea of the disasters unfolding. And she still manages plenty of surprises for the reader.

A beautiful and well-written saga, with no pat answers or resolutions.