Ailish Ryan, 54 - Newly divorced mum, primary school teacher, recently moved from her family home to a two-bedroom flat where she is supposed to be embracing single life. And she will - just as soon as she works up the motivation to get out of her comfy clothes and Crocs...
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What would you do if you had just twenty-four hours to change your life?
Ailish Ryan has been in hiding since her husband’s affair ended their marriage. But when a friend forces her to face her new reality, will she choose to revisit the past or embrace a brand new future?
Ailish’s daughter, Emmy, thought her boyfriend was nothing like her cheating father, but now she’s not so sure. As the hours pass, she turns detective to find out if she picked the right man, or if history is repeating itself.
Grandmother, Minnie Ryan is on a mission to deliver a very special gift to a lifelong friend. But will grit and a touch of divine intervention be enough to overcome the obstacles that fate is putting in her way?
Dario Moretti has spent his whole life working in the family business, but now it’s in trouble and he’s all out of options. Will he have the strength to let it go, even if it means hurting the people he loves?
The clock is ticking… but will twenty-four hours be long enough to heal four broken hearts?
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This book is set in Scotland during the Hogmanay celebrations. I liked the way the narrative of this novel took place over a 24-hour period. Furthermore, each section is broken down into two hour time periods. This gave the book much immediacy and I enjoyed it very much.
It is a light-hearted, humorous and entertaining read. The chapters are written from the perspective of four of the characters, Ailish, her daughter Emmy, Ailish's ex-mother-in-law Minnie and Dario, an old friend of the family. I enjoyed the way each of the characters moved the story along through their different perspectives.
There was much to like about Ailish, and she was easy to engage with. However, there is a great cast of secondary characters who were equally entertaining. Ailish's friends Rhonda and Gwen were excellent, as were the individual men who revolve around the three women and contribute to the story.
There was much humour included in the story. However, there were also some more serious elements that the author handled well. At no time did this feel heavy. It remained along an upbeat tone and was joyous to read.
I very much liked the way the story covered the 24 hours leading up to the Hogmanay celebrations. The new year is a time to anticipate new beginnings and the author conveyed that very well.
I would say that this book would make for a wonderful read over the New Year period. However, we are now in early September and I doubt that I would want to wait until then. As it is available on Kindle Unlimited at the moment I recommend giving it a read. It would then make for a fantastic Christmas gift in the run up to the New Year celebrations.
ISBN: 978 1835184608
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Formats: e-book, audio, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)
No. of Pages: 304 (paperback)
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