She's the One

by Cathy Kelly

Meet Dee - an agony aunt on an Irish newspaper, with more problems than her readers. She's engaged to Gary, but he's far from perfect and his mother is driving her crazy...Now meet Isabel - her husband has just lost everything in a business deal and Isabel has gone home to Dublin with ther two teenage girls. Getting the job as women's editor on the paper would be a dream come true for both of them, but they can't both get what they want...or can they?

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Roman, Womens Fiction

Paperback

First published April 8, 1999

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

[Minty McBunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I was living in England, I bought a gossip magazine that came with a free Cathy Kelly book (Just Between Us). I wasn't expecting much from it, but was pleasantly surprised and became a Cathy Kelly fan. This book is one of her weaker ones, I actually picked it up to re-read because I couldn't remember anything about it. It's entertaining enough, the literary equivalent of potato chips, but if you're looking to read a Cathy Kelly book for the first time, I'd suggest Woman to Woman or Just Between Us.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very long book and it held my interest for most of the time. I agree with another reviewer who said that there was too much emphasis on the fashionable clothes the women wore. I think it would have been better to have ended the book sooner as the things that happened to both heroines in the last 200 pages were quite unbelievable and bordered on the ridiculous! I will not give away anything in case someone else chooses to read the book. I see it was one of Cathy Kelly's earlier books and a critic compared her style to that of Jilly Cooper. Thankfully, Cathy Kelly's writing (and style) has improved over the years and I shall go on reading some of her later works where she is not playing for laughs all the time.

[Lisa van der Burg · Rating 3 out of 5]

In dit boek lopen twee verhaallijnen naast elkaar over twee vrouwen: Isabel en Dee.

Isabel heeft haar man verlaten en is samen met haar twee dochters weer bij haar ouders in huis gaan wonen. Ze reageert op een baan als hoofdredacteur bij een vrouwenblad en krijgt de baan.

Dee werkt al bij de krant en had ook gereageerd op deze hoge functie binnen het bedrijf. De vrouwen worden door hun baas Nigel tegenover elkaar gezet. Dee krijgt niet de baan, maar mag als adjunct-redacteur samenwerken met Isabel. Ze besluit het te doen en Isabel blijkt een goede partner te zijn.

De man van Dee, Gary, is voetbaltrainer en is veel van huis, hij wordt nog steeds verwend door zijn moeder en doet niks in het huishouden. Dit irriteert Dee, maar op een dag besluit ze het over een andere boeg te gooien. Ze wil immers niet eenzaam achterblijven. Wanneer ze dit besluit wordt ze plotseling door haar vriend gedumpt. Hij vindt haar dik en onaantrekkelijk, dit maakt Dee erg onzeker. Ze heeft spijt dat ze niet eerder iets aan haar gewicht heeft gedaan.

Isabel wordt uitgenodigd voor een lunch met de nieuwe baas van hun bedrijf, Jack Carter. De liefde bloeit op en Isabel en Jack hebben er steeds meer moeite mee om de verhouding geheim te houden. Voordat ze het de wereld inbrengen moet Jack eerst zijn relatie met een stinkendrijke, drugsverslaafde vrouw beëindigen.

Ook Dee wordt op een date gevraagd door de knapste fotograaf van de redactie, Kevin Mills. Zij zijn helemaal niet van plan om de relatie geheim te houden. Op de doop van haar peetkind komt ze gary weer tegen. Die heeft spijt en wil haar terug maar Dee heeft ontdekt dat ze beter af is zonder hem. Ze staat sterk in haar schoenen.

Isabel denkt door nieuws over Elizabeth dat Jack naar haar terug zal gaan, maar integendeel. Hij staat met zijn spullen bij haar op de stoep voor een lang leven samen.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story had the potential to be a good one, with two likeable and different main characters who both want the same job as a magazine features editor in Dublin.

But there's far too much detail about clothes, appearance and food, and the story moves to the characters' new romantic interludes. Characters change motivations and even some personality traits with some rapidity. The male characters are mostly caricatured, one-dimensional and unrealistic.

I kept reading, sometimes quite compulsively, but overall it was a disappointing book which, a tad ironically, would have benefited from a lot of editing. Not, in my opinion, one of this author's best.

Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...

[IrishFan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Cathy Kelly books a lot, but they are kind of hard to find. so I was excited to find 2 at a used bookstore. I read this one quickly, even though it was long, because the story was really entertaining (and I was stuck in an airport for 3 hours, ha ha). I really liked Dee and was so worried that she would take Gary back. I was so proud of her for sticking to her guns and finally finding her own self and buying her house, working on losing weight, and just having fun and finally finding a boyfriend who is good for her. I liked Isabel too, maybe slightly less. I am glad it worked out for her with Jack.

[Donna Linton-Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of Cathy Kelly's earlier books and it took me a couple of chapters to get into it but once hooked on the story line of the two main characters, Dee and Isabel, I enjoyed reading this romance story. The strength of both Isabel and Dee comes through, both in the struggles they have in their personal lives and what they need to do professionally to gain confidence and prove their worth. Cathy Kelly had me rooting for both of them to have success and happiness in their professional and personal lives, and the author doesn't let her readers down

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fairly chilled-out read that didn't require much mental work. It was consistently fixated on the wardrobes of its protagonists (love the trouser suits of the 90s era!), their love-lives (or lack thereof) and an over-kill emphasis on body size/shape/weight issues etc

[Kriti Nagori · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very very disappointing book! Had expected it to be a lot more from the summary. There was no story and the characters were not very likable. Very much focused on getting a partner and wearing fashionable clothes. A total waste of time! Would not recommend it at all!

[Angela Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly mindless, quick read. The first half a dozen or so chapters were promising, then the chick lit set in - title should have done it, I like Irish authors though and thought it might have been a winner being recommended and all.

[Helen Magee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, really felt for both the main characters, nice light read!

[Lynne Foster-Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not her best but an OK read.

[queenofassassin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun and entertaining book with two female main characters in different life situations but still finding a friendship. I did enjoy reading this.

[Yana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok escapism but story line a bit thin . 567 pages , perhaps could have been edited down to 300+

[Rosalee 'Leah' Thrum · Rating 2 out of 5]

For me, a bit boring. It was the same feeling as reading a soapie. I prefer books with a little more imagination, and clever story lines.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this one and wasn't ready to give up on the characters story when the book ended. I'd love a sequel! It follows 2 main female characters who want the same editors job on a newspaper. Isabelle and Dee. Isabelle has just split with her husband and Dee is engaged. It follows their new jobs and relationships in the bustle of a busy newspaper setting. I do love losing myself in a Cathy Kelly book.

[Femke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opzij is een boek wat heerlijk wegleest. Het is een boek dat je gewoon wilt lezen omdat het zo leuk is om over de wereld van andere personen te lezen. Je leert de mensen kennen, hun meningen en hun doen en laten. Dit zorgt ervoor dat je helemaal in het verhaal zit en je door blijft lezen. Het is een heerlijk boek om tussendoor te lezen. Cathy Kelly vind ik sowieso een fijne schrijfster, ze schrijft gewoon lekker simpel, leuke verhalen maar wel verhalen die smaakvol zijn. Leuk!

[Dark-Draco · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this up for a bit of light reading between the volumes of a rather intense Sci-Fi trilogy. However, I only managed a handful of chapters. The writing was ok, the characters were a bit run-of-the-mill but likeable and there was nothing I really hated. I just found that when it came to pick it up again, I couldn't summon the enthusiasm. With so many good books out there I haven't read, I decided to put it aside.

[Kristal Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the beginning of this book was a slow read. But the more I read the better it got. This really should have been a series. Some of characters was left hanging. I want to know more or that happy ending. I don't particularly like guessing the test of the story. Reading 567 pages could have been two or three books ending better.

[Suzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book found myself loving the main characters and wanting happy endings for them both. Nice chic lit novel ideal holiday read maybe. First Cathy Kelly book I have read will be keeping my eye out for more x

[Melanie Mole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cathy Kelly writes some really good books. But for some reason I couldn't get into this one and only lasted until page 55. Nothing to do with the quality of the writing at all. Just wasn't really for me.

[Regalladofreasby · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first cathy Kelly novel I have read really enjoyed it an easy read.

[Amanda Patterson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really did not like this. So many have done it better!

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little predictable but entertaining

[Lillian Muzyka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love this Irish author's books. She has a great sense of humor and her characters are colorful and real. Have read all her books and am now waiting for a new one to come out.

[Niké Van den kerckhove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Licht entertainmeny wel :)

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fluffy and feel good (very Marian Keyes)

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favourite book of all time!

[Colemore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining and predictable. Chit.lit but nicely written. A good easy read when you need a break from more intense reading.

[Marjolijn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Een iets te voorspelbaar vrouwenboek/chicklit. Maar fijne lectuur voor een luie (nieuwjaars)dag.

[Gloria]

Not sure when I read this guessing 2013.