Brilliant !

My second listen of this author. I love it, very romantic and I just adore this narrator.

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Okay, but not the best of Sheila's books

This isn't Sheila O'Flanagan's best work, but its okay.
The first 3 chapters are a drag and I had to really push to get through.... until she runs into Luke, and then it gets interesting.
Carlotta is a successful career woman, happily engaged to be married to Chris who is a kind, dependable & supportive bloke. On a business trip to Spain, Carlotta runs into Luke, her childhood best friend and first love who disappeared mysteriously when she was 15.
Doubts and confusion set in when she spends a platonic evening with Luke in Seville and she practically turns her brain inside out wondering "what if".
At a high level, the story is fine although I found some of Carlotta's interactions and reactions / responses a bit irritating. The way she handled Kieran was weak & pitiful and in stark contrast to the way she handled Dorothea, her future mother in law.
The author has a tendency to ramble and I found myself skipping forward quite frequently.
Aiofe McMahon once again hits a home run with the narration.

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It held so much promise...

Story:
It held so much promise... but it disappoint in the end. I found the story was ok.

A few things that just didn't make this book to 4 stars for me.
1) I can understand that the author wants to keep some kind of suspense and not reveal everything at the start but my god it took forever to actually tell us what happened between Carlotta and Luke all this time ago and there was no reason to keep it from the readers for so long, it didn't bring anything 'wow' into the plot.
2) who in their right mind don't ask someone who disappeared one night, never to be seen, what the heck happened?
3) the female role of Carlotta was not as feminist as she should have been, considering how she was portrayed as a whole. She was weak and stupid. I don't understand the appeal of female characters depicted like that. Why on earth would she not tell her 'best' friend of the chauvinistic colleague of hers at the start of her friends relationship with him. Of course when she did tell him it was too late.

AND what sealed the deal for me was the ending when she has decided her career is more important to her, to drop the important meeting to stay with the 'guy'. DISAPPOINTING. Ideal ending would be to have it all: Fast forward a week, she has gone to the meeting, he has followed her to Dublin and bam! happy ending.
No I don't recommend this book. We can do better female characters authors, please.

Performance:
Aofie is THE BEST narrator ever. *****5 stars easily.

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2 people found this helpful

A little predictable

A little predictable but enjoyable all the same.
Love the narrator Aofia McMahon her voice is mesmerising

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2 people found this helpful

Teenage angst never really leaves us...

The love, heartbreak, determination and endless cycle of trying to find where she fits, lets the lead character get under your skin and allows you to empathise. Totally worth your time to listen.

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1 person found this helpful

Dragged on too long

Took to long to get into the actual story too much past history got boring

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2 people found this helpful