What do you think?
Rate this book
Always on my mind
Old flames, new temptations ...With only a few weeks to go until her Dublin wedding, Molly Jackson is happily anticipating married life with Declan, her boyfriend of four years. Her sister Laura has all the arrangements firmly in hand, from the designer dresses to the prestigious venue; and if Molly would have been happier with something a little more low-key, she can hardly complain. She's got everything she ever wanted: her perfect job, as an agony aunt for online magazine Teenage Kix; Declan, the love of her life; and, in Belle, Oliver, Rory and Laura, a loving and warm, if slightly eccentric family. Then Declan drops his bombshell: he has to go abroad, on business. The wedding must be postponed. Hurt, and reeling from the shock, Molly is seeing Declan off at the airport when she bumps into Luke Fortune. Luke, her childhood sweetheart, left the country when they were both eighteen. It's been almost twelve years, and Molly thought she had moved on. But, seeing Luke again, she realises that she has a window of opportunity, while Declan is away, to put a few of the ghosts in her past to rest.
401 pages, Paperback
Published July 7, 2011
6 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Colette Caddle
32 books88 followersBorn, bred and still living in Dublin's fair city...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 21, 2017
Time taken to read - on and off over 7 days
Pages - 401
Publisher - Simon & Schuster
Blurb from Goodreads
Old flames, new temptations ...With only a few weeks to go until her Dublin wedding, Molly Jackson is happily anticipating married life with Declan, her boyfriend of four years. Her sister Laura has all the arrangements firmly in hand, from the designer dresses to the prestigious venue; and if Molly would have been happier with something a little more low-key, she can hardly complain. She's got everything she ever wanted: her perfect job, as an agony aunt for online magazine Teenage Kix; Declan, the love of her life; and, in Belle, Oliver, Rory and Laura, a loving and warm, if slightly eccentric family. Then Declan drops his bombshell: he has to go abroad, on business. The wedding must be postponed. Hurt, and reeling from the shock, Molly is seeing Declan off at the airport when she bumps into Luke Fortune. Luke, her childhood sweetheart, left the country when they were both eighteen. It's been almost twelve years, and Molly thought she had moved on. But, seeing Luke again, she realises that she has a window of opportunity, while Declan is away, to put a few of the ghosts in her past to rest.
My Review
Molly Jackson is setting up to get married, her sister Laura is all over it, preparing the minute details and being a grade A nightmare. Molly is laid back, she just wants to marry Declan and live happy ever after. However the wedding is postponed due to Declan's job and fate steps in giving a chance encounter with her first love Luke. With unresolved emotions and feelings, her wedding postponed Molly can't help but examine her past and present choices which lead to steps that will change her future.
So this book is going to strike chords with many readers, issues such as cheating, infidelity, unresolved feelings, past relationships, chance encounters, motherhood, family are only some of the issues touched on. Infidelity is a huge hot zone for readers, some will love jumping into the fantasy, the what ifs and could have beens for their own lives, others will immediately be affronted at the infidelity.
A story looking at temptation, can you put the past to bed and move on or tangle with temptation and risk everything you have. There is an incident that caused Luke and Molly to part and whilst it is only hinted at for the first part of the story, slowly it is teased out offering another dimension to the story. This was my first time reading this author, I would try her work again. 3/5 for me this time, whilst the story makes you consider your own relationship goals and morals it irked me at different points from a personal perspective but I know other readers will embrace and love it.
Pages - 401
Publisher - Simon & Schuster
Blurb from Goodreads
Old flames, new temptations ...With only a few weeks to go until her Dublin wedding, Molly Jackson is happily anticipating married life with Declan, her boyfriend of four years. Her sister Laura has all the arrangements firmly in hand, from the designer dresses to the prestigious venue; and if Molly would have been happier with something a little more low-key, she can hardly complain. She's got everything she ever wanted: her perfect job, as an agony aunt for online magazine Teenage Kix; Declan, the love of her life; and, in Belle, Oliver, Rory and Laura, a loving and warm, if slightly eccentric family. Then Declan drops his bombshell: he has to go abroad, on business. The wedding must be postponed. Hurt, and reeling from the shock, Molly is seeing Declan off at the airport when she bumps into Luke Fortune. Luke, her childhood sweetheart, left the country when they were both eighteen. It's been almost twelve years, and Molly thought she had moved on. But, seeing Luke again, she realises that she has a window of opportunity, while Declan is away, to put a few of the ghosts in her past to rest.
My Review
Molly Jackson is setting up to get married, her sister Laura is all over it, preparing the minute details and being a grade A nightmare. Molly is laid back, she just wants to marry Declan and live happy ever after. However the wedding is postponed due to Declan's job and fate steps in giving a chance encounter with her first love Luke. With unresolved emotions and feelings, her wedding postponed Molly can't help but examine her past and present choices which lead to steps that will change her future.
So this book is going to strike chords with many readers, issues such as cheating, infidelity, unresolved feelings, past relationships, chance encounters, motherhood, family are only some of the issues touched on. Infidelity is a huge hot zone for readers, some will love jumping into the fantasy, the what ifs and could have beens for their own lives, others will immediately be affronted at the infidelity.
A story looking at temptation, can you put the past to bed and move on or tangle with temptation and risk everything you have. There is an incident that caused Luke and Molly to part and whilst it is only hinted at for the first part of the story, slowly it is teased out offering another dimension to the story. This was my first time reading this author, I would try her work again. 3/5 for me this time, whilst the story makes you consider your own relationship goals and morals it irked me at different points from a personal perspective but I know other readers will embrace and love it.
July 24, 2011
Our journey begins on the way to the airport. Molly is driving Declan, he’s on his way for the interview that will lead him abroad. At the airport, Molly makes eye-contact with childhood sweetheart Luke and so begins her journey of not only healing her heart from a sad loss but to also finding out where her heart truly belongs.
As we get to find out more about Molly, we also get to know the members who make up her family. Her father Oliver is still making the most of exploring life and mother Belle is very perceptive and intuitive about her children. I found the Jackson’s Sunday brunch fascinating – it’s open house and they all get the opportunity to maintain their links. We get to know more about the people through their interactions with each other.
Molly’s older sister Laura and her family also figure quite strongly in the story. Laura fell pregnant at 19 and married, the twins Ashling and Adam are now 14. Life isn’t going exactly in the way she expected. In both families, Laura is well-known for her nagging and always finding something wrong. She has a tendency to act superior and although materialistic, we see a slipping of her mask. We follow Laura as she fights against her feelings, trying to find her way in life. I loved the sibling relationship between Molly and Laura.
I have to say that Colette Caddle portrays the angst of teenage years so well - how Laura’s children interact with her is so spot on! ………….. as the parent you are seen as the enemy and the author captures this brilliantly.
It’s not often I read about the male point of view in a story but the author has included this for Laura’s husband Robert – it made him very real and worked well.
Not only do we get involved in the people’s lives already mentioned but Molly’s best friend Ellen and her life is also another plot running alongside. Ellen is pregnant, the father, Andrew, is not around. The one and only complaint I have in this story is that I would love to know what unfolds for Ellen, I was so hoping we would get to see something more for her!
We don’t see much of Declan (as he’s working abroad). We get to know more about the men in her life from conversations Molly has with the important people around her.
Molly’s career was chosen as a result of the sadness she carries in her heart and even though a family member thinks she’s wasting her skills, it is the role of agony aunt on Teenage Kix that is quite pivotal at one point in the story. Another part of the story that had me gripped!
Not every detail about ‘the ghosts’ in Molly’s past are revealed until we’re near the end. We are told some things as the story progresses. In fact, I thought my guess was accurate but I didn’t foresee the whole of the experience. It had me on the edge of my seat.
Another thing that hooked me in Always on my Mind was that each time something started to settle, another thing happened to rock the boat. This kept me avidly turning the pages, wanting to find out where we were going. I found this quite emotional and admit to tears in places!
I really didn’t know which man Molly would choose – would it be fiancée Declan, childhood sweetheart Luke ……………or ……….. Gareth?
Always on my Mind is a fabulous story of family, love and friendships. I was really involved with the characters and reluctantly turned the pages towards the end, as I didn’t want to say goodbye to the characters and their lives. In my world, there is no higher accolade than that!
I would like to thank the author for choosing me to win this signed copy.
As we get to find out more about Molly, we also get to know the members who make up her family. Her father Oliver is still making the most of exploring life and mother Belle is very perceptive and intuitive about her children. I found the Jackson’s Sunday brunch fascinating – it’s open house and they all get the opportunity to maintain their links. We get to know more about the people through their interactions with each other.
Molly’s older sister Laura and her family also figure quite strongly in the story. Laura fell pregnant at 19 and married, the twins Ashling and Adam are now 14. Life isn’t going exactly in the way she expected. In both families, Laura is well-known for her nagging and always finding something wrong. She has a tendency to act superior and although materialistic, we see a slipping of her mask. We follow Laura as she fights against her feelings, trying to find her way in life. I loved the sibling relationship between Molly and Laura.
I have to say that Colette Caddle portrays the angst of teenage years so well - how Laura’s children interact with her is so spot on! ………….. as the parent you are seen as the enemy and the author captures this brilliantly.
It’s not often I read about the male point of view in a story but the author has included this for Laura’s husband Robert – it made him very real and worked well.
Not only do we get involved in the people’s lives already mentioned but Molly’s best friend Ellen and her life is also another plot running alongside. Ellen is pregnant, the father, Andrew, is not around. The one and only complaint I have in this story is that I would love to know what unfolds for Ellen, I was so hoping we would get to see something more for her!
We don’t see much of Declan (as he’s working abroad). We get to know more about the men in her life from conversations Molly has with the important people around her.
Molly’s career was chosen as a result of the sadness she carries in her heart and even though a family member thinks she’s wasting her skills, it is the role of agony aunt on Teenage Kix that is quite pivotal at one point in the story. Another part of the story that had me gripped!
Not every detail about ‘the ghosts’ in Molly’s past are revealed until we’re near the end. We are told some things as the story progresses. In fact, I thought my guess was accurate but I didn’t foresee the whole of the experience. It had me on the edge of my seat.
Another thing that hooked me in Always on my Mind was that each time something started to settle, another thing happened to rock the boat. This kept me avidly turning the pages, wanting to find out where we were going. I found this quite emotional and admit to tears in places!
I really didn’t know which man Molly would choose – would it be fiancée Declan, childhood sweetheart Luke ……………or ……….. Gareth?
Always on my Mind is a fabulous story of family, love and friendships. I was really involved with the characters and reluctantly turned the pages towards the end, as I didn’t want to say goodbye to the characters and their lives. In my world, there is no higher accolade than that!
I would like to thank the author for choosing me to win this signed copy.
June 18, 2016
I'm sooo happy that at the end she knows who she loves and who loves her more. It's really frustrated to see her confusing and it also makes me angry while reading it, especially the parts where she cheated.
October 1, 2011
First published @ Miss Page-Turner's City of Books ( http://misspageturnerscityofbooks.blo... )
THE REVIEW
Molly is our protagonist and she is a very convenient character to listen to. She wants to help teens with their problems, is always there for her family. And since she’s recently met her first boyfriend Luke her feelings are now torn between her first love and her fiancé Declan.
At the beginning of each- rather short- chapter we are given date and time where the story sets in. They can be helpful to get an overview, but I found them more irritating than necessary.
The story of ALWAYS ON MY MIND consists of several plots. The main focus lies on Molly’s love life and her struggles of finding the way to happiness and making the right choices. The story being told from a 3rd person narrator allows us to read what other characters and people close to Molly are doing and thinking.
Besides Molly, we get to know more about Laura’s life. She’s Molly’s elder and very different to our protagonist. ALWAYS ON MY MIND is all about Molly’s struggles in love, Laura’s way of coping with an unsatisfying marriage and then Molly also gets to solve a case for her job as counsellor that could affect all of them.
Furthermore it is about the different ways love can take in life and the various relationships developing in such a big family like Molly’s. ALWAYS ON MY MIND includes all generations which is a fact I really welcome about this novel. It features the ordinary problems and struggles of people like you and me and doesn’t need to involve extreme or insincere scenes. Its everyday conversations can be a nice change, but can sometimes feel a bit dragging, too.
Usually I don’t mention book covers, but this time I have to say that it has nothing to do with the story.
That the story is set in Ireland made the Ireland fan in me very happy, but we don’t get to experience as much of the country’s rural charm as I hoped. I imagined ALWAYS ON MY MIND to be this turbulent read featuring many romantic and sexy scenes. But unfortunately Colette’s book isn’t that mix of surprising and impulsive feelings I’d hoped for- it’s a bit too ordinary in that department. ALWAYS ON MY MIND is a constant, but not very exciting read. In general plot and characters aren’t overly spectacular. Nonetheless Colette Caddle did a decent job at describing the variety of feelings when it comes to the relationships family, friends and love have to offer.
WE LOVE THIS BOOK BECAUSE...
1) sometimes girls need to go on a journey together
2) of a strong and supportive family
3) it features every day life moments that, in some way, can affect all of us
4) of the various perspectives we get on a family
5) sometimes you need to have a look at the past to appreciate your present
THE VERDICT
2,5/5 **/* ALWAYS ON MY MIND is a solid and well written read about the struggles of people like you and me.
ALWAYS ON MY MIND felt like a new- much more dignified and unspectacular- episode of Desperate Housewives. Colette Caddle fans wouldn’t want to miss this novel.
THE REVIEW
Molly is our protagonist and she is a very convenient character to listen to. She wants to help teens with their problems, is always there for her family. And since she’s recently met her first boyfriend Luke her feelings are now torn between her first love and her fiancé Declan.
At the beginning of each- rather short- chapter we are given date and time where the story sets in. They can be helpful to get an overview, but I found them more irritating than necessary.
The story of ALWAYS ON MY MIND consists of several plots. The main focus lies on Molly’s love life and her struggles of finding the way to happiness and making the right choices. The story being told from a 3rd person narrator allows us to read what other characters and people close to Molly are doing and thinking.
Besides Molly, we get to know more about Laura’s life. She’s Molly’s elder and very different to our protagonist. ALWAYS ON MY MIND is all about Molly’s struggles in love, Laura’s way of coping with an unsatisfying marriage and then Molly also gets to solve a case for her job as counsellor that could affect all of them.
Furthermore it is about the different ways love can take in life and the various relationships developing in such a big family like Molly’s. ALWAYS ON MY MIND includes all generations which is a fact I really welcome about this novel. It features the ordinary problems and struggles of people like you and me and doesn’t need to involve extreme or insincere scenes. Its everyday conversations can be a nice change, but can sometimes feel a bit dragging, too.
Usually I don’t mention book covers, but this time I have to say that it has nothing to do with the story.
That the story is set in Ireland made the Ireland fan in me very happy, but we don’t get to experience as much of the country’s rural charm as I hoped. I imagined ALWAYS ON MY MIND to be this turbulent read featuring many romantic and sexy scenes. But unfortunately Colette’s book isn’t that mix of surprising and impulsive feelings I’d hoped for- it’s a bit too ordinary in that department. ALWAYS ON MY MIND is a constant, but not very exciting read. In general plot and characters aren’t overly spectacular. Nonetheless Colette Caddle did a decent job at describing the variety of feelings when it comes to the relationships family, friends and love have to offer.
WE LOVE THIS BOOK BECAUSE...
1) sometimes girls need to go on a journey together
2) of a strong and supportive family
3) it features every day life moments that, in some way, can affect all of us
4) of the various perspectives we get on a family
5) sometimes you need to have a look at the past to appreciate your present
THE VERDICT
2,5/5 **/* ALWAYS ON MY MIND is a solid and well written read about the struggles of people like you and me.
ALWAYS ON MY MIND felt like a new- much more dignified and unspectacular- episode of Desperate Housewives. Colette Caddle fans wouldn’t want to miss this novel.
April 5, 2015
Molly Jackson has it all: a supportive family, a caring best friend, a responsible job, and a dedicated fiancé. However, when Molly’s fiancé, Declan, announces that he must travel to Japan to train for his new job, Molly is forced to postpone the wedding. After dropping Declan off at the airport, she runs into her childhood sweetheart, and realises that she has so many unanswered questions for her ex, regarding a past tragedy. Molly is left with the opportunity to find answers to her questions, as well as decide whether or not going through with a marriage to Declan is what she really wants. Will she stay with Declan, even though he caused her pain, or will she choose a different path with her ex, Luke Fortune?
Always on my Mind is a contemporary fiction novel about the importance of family, and the risks of re-living the past. The story is under the genre of chick lit, and has traces of romance, mystery and suspense.
As the story progresses, we slowly learn more about Molly, as well as the other characters, including her family, friends and Declan’s brother, Gareth. This is demonstrated through Molly’s thoughts, dialogue, and the different points of view throughout the book.
For my full review, please follow the link: http://thebasicbookworm.blogspot.com/...
Always on my Mind is a contemporary fiction novel about the importance of family, and the risks of re-living the past. The story is under the genre of chick lit, and has traces of romance, mystery and suspense.
As the story progresses, we slowly learn more about Molly, as well as the other characters, including her family, friends and Declan’s brother, Gareth. This is demonstrated through Molly’s thoughts, dialogue, and the different points of view throughout the book.
For my full review, please follow the link: http://thebasicbookworm.blogspot.com/...
October 3, 2011
When Molly drops off her fiancé Declan at the airport in Dublin, she bumps into her old boyfriend, Luke Fortune. They don’t talk, but in the next few days, Molly can’t but think about him.
Molly struggles with her feelings for Declan and Luke, with her (married) sister, who is interested in meeting some new men, her sister’s daughter with teenage problems, her pregnant friend and her mother in hospital. A lot is going on but it all ends well, as it should.
This was a fun book. I wasn’t sure Molly did the right thing to go and find her old flame Luke (but neither was she). There was a lot going on in the book which wasn’t probably not so realistic.
What I liked a lot was the closeness of her family (parents, brother and sister) who helped each other out when necessary. The book had that warm family atmosphere that you can also find in Marian Keyes’ books.
The book has a lot of relationship issues: staying with the fiancé or not, possible adultery, a sister-in-law that no-one approves of, etc.
A fun read for in the sun!
Molly struggles with her feelings for Declan and Luke, with her (married) sister, who is interested in meeting some new men, her sister’s daughter with teenage problems, her pregnant friend and her mother in hospital. A lot is going on but it all ends well, as it should.
This was a fun book. I wasn’t sure Molly did the right thing to go and find her old flame Luke (but neither was she). There was a lot going on in the book which wasn’t probably not so realistic.
What I liked a lot was the closeness of her family (parents, brother and sister) who helped each other out when necessary. The book had that warm family atmosphere that you can also find in Marian Keyes’ books.
The book has a lot of relationship issues: staying with the fiancé or not, possible adultery, a sister-in-law that no-one approves of, etc.
A fun read for in the sun!
March 3, 2011
Molly is engaged to Dylan, and is looking forward to her Wedding; her
sister Laura is planning most of it, although Laura just wants a quiet
wedding.
Molly has a great job as an Agony Aunt and a good loving family.
Declan gets a new job and has to go to Japan for 10 weeks training,
therefore the wedding has to be postponed and after discussions, they
agree to forget about arranging another date until after Declan has
settled into his new job, (much to Laura’s annoyance)
When Molly is at the Airport with Declan she sees her first love Luke,
and it brings back some memories, after a lot of thought about him, she
decides to try and contact him, but will there be a happy ending for
Molly?
I loved this book, I couldn’t put it down, although it has over 400
pages, I
got through the book very quickly, it is easy to read, and I would
definitely recommend this book.
sister Laura is planning most of it, although Laura just wants a quiet
wedding.
Molly has a great job as an Agony Aunt and a good loving family.
Declan gets a new job and has to go to Japan for 10 weeks training,
therefore the wedding has to be postponed and after discussions, they
agree to forget about arranging another date until after Declan has
settled into his new job, (much to Laura’s annoyance)
When Molly is at the Airport with Declan she sees her first love Luke,
and it brings back some memories, after a lot of thought about him, she
decides to try and contact him, but will there be a happy ending for
Molly?
I loved this book, I couldn’t put it down, although it has over 400
pages, I
got through the book very quickly, it is easy to read, and I would
definitely recommend this book.
July 19, 2016
Fantastic summer read . Molly is all set to marry Declan when he announces his new job must take him abroad for ten weeks and the wedding was happening in eight ! Leaving him to the airport a little hurt and rejected , Molly bumps into her old boyfriend and realises there are things she needs to discuss with him . As she sets out to track him down she begins to wonder about her life choices .
An often hilarious read with Molly's parents being such warm and witty characters , sad moments when Molly tells the truth of what happens in her life before Declan and a whole lot of sibling rivalry made this a book I read in a day !
An often hilarious read with Molly's parents being such warm and witty characters , sad moments when Molly tells the truth of what happens in her life before Declan and a whole lot of sibling rivalry made this a book I read in a day !
July 26, 2015
Really liked this book, although the ending was not quite what I expected I think to be. Glad everything ended well, but do feel that some of the story lines were never quite tied up and finished.
Disliked the character of the sister, Laura. My lord, if there was a woman who I wanted to see get her just desserts it was her. Jeez, she gave me the pips from the start. So self absorbed in her own issues it was a wonder that she even acknowledged that she had a family, if not for the fact that she needed to whinge about someone/something and they gave her a reason to moan.
Disliked the character of the sister, Laura. My lord, if there was a woman who I wanted to see get her just desserts it was her. Jeez, she gave me the pips from the start. So self absorbed in her own issues it was a wonder that she even acknowledged that she had a family, if not for the fact that she needed to whinge about someone/something and they gave her a reason to moan.
November 2, 2013
molly is taken aback when her fiancee puts his new job before her so she cancels any ideas of a wedding and instead goes looking for an old flame...the best character by far in this story is laura who is a trapped housewife/mum who needs to break free everyonce in awhile so decides to help her sister molly in her quest...bit slow to start but story gets more intetesting as it goes on...who will molly choose?
August 9, 2011
This is one of those books you don't want to put down. I like the fact that some of the characters are flawed, and yet easy to sympathise with. I particularly like being unsure what will happen until the very end. I am delighted that this author has a lot of other books in print, this is the first I have read, and it definitely won't be the last.
September 23, 2011
i have loved all of colette caddles books but this one was not one of my favouites i found the story a bit weak and a bit samey to other books, just not as good as previous books so a bit disappointed
August 23, 2020
The book was ok. Easy read, partly romantic, had some funny puns and dialogues between characters but mostly full of drama. I liked the ending, although I think it was a bit too fast and everything happened in the few last pages.
June 6, 2024
The story began well with well drawn character arcs, but felt rushed at the end. The author hastily fi.nished it with the heroine getting back with her partner, but why???? It seemed to stick like an extra act not gelling with the overall story
September 1, 2011
At last, popular fiction where it is not all about the guy. Loved this book and the main character, who was trying to find herself and not Mr. Right.
October 24, 2011
Absolutely fantastic loved every bit of it drew me into the book from page one!
September 17, 2012
3.5 stars
December 27, 2012
Always on my Mind is a heart-warming book with real-life characters and an unexpected ending
March 30, 2013
3 and a half :)
August 4, 2013
An easy light summer read.
April 28, 2015
Popsugar Challenge: Book set in a different country
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews