Fabulous reads: Engaging fiction for middle-aged women
Book review - My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes
My Favourite Mistake, Marian Keyes, Penguin Random House, ISBN: 9780241441152
ANNA is leaving behind city life (New York) to go to rural Ireland as she feels it’s time to move on, and her relationship with her boyfriend has come to an end, thankfully in a peaceful way. She leaves her top PR job, hoping that something will come up for her, but no matter what, she refuses to go back.
After a worrying few moments, wondering what she’s going to do with her life, Anna is offered a temporary position to help out some desperate friends who are building a luxury resort in rural Ireland, but the locals are targeting them, obviously not happy about their plans. Anna’s job is to find out why the locals aren’t happy and to build bridges. But she has to work with Joey, and they have a lot of history – a history that gets revealed bit by bit throughout the book. It was not what I expected!
I have never read Marian Keyes before, and I enjoyed her writing style so much. She builds the stakes and feelings a tiny bit at a time until you reach a point where you can’t put it down and you are totally invested. Anna and her friends and family and even the difficult characters are fabulous, and Joey is adorable.
This women’s fiction and romance, written from the point of view of a middle-aged woman who is going through perimenopause, ticks all the boxes – it has a bit of mystery thrown in the mix, and you are always wondering exactly what is going on between Anna and Joey and if Anna will find someone who is right for her – there are some interesting men in town for her. I identified so much with Anna’s perimenopause woes as any middle-aged woman would. Marian has a way of making you feel so close to her characters – you understand what they are thinking and feeling.
Overall, this was a pleasant and heartwarming read and long enough to keep you entertained for a while. – Kathy Bosman – 5/5 stars
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