HOW WILL I KNOW? by SHEILA O'FLANAGAN.
Claire fell for Bill Hudson when she was just five years old. First they were best friends, then lovers, then husband and wife, then parents. But the love affair ended when tragedy struck and Bill was snatched away.
In the three years since, Claire has devoted her life to her daughter Georgia. But what teenager Georgia needs now Claire just can't give her - advice on boys. There's only one solution: Claire's going to have to start dating.
Claire's willing to try anything - from Internet Lonely Hearts to theatre trips with hunky wasp exterminators. What she hasn't reckoned on is that the people she meets will have their own complicated reasons for being there - and that her safe little world might be about to change in the most unexpected ways ...
... From the outer back cover.
FIRST SENTENCE: Claire woke up earlier than usual on the morning Georgia was due to go to summer camp for a month.
MEMORABLE MOMENT: She wasn't quite sure whether her high-heeled shoe caught on something on the glossy floor, or whether it was the way she'd moved towards him. All she knew was that, quite, suddenly, she was shooting forwards, tripping out of her shoe, and shrieking as her full glass of red wine spun out of her hand in an almost perfect arc .........
The main strand of this novel was the story between mother (Claire) and daughter (Georgia) who had one of those relationships where the mother seemed to view herself as more of a friend than a parent - I found both of these characters both bland and irritating in the extreme.
Much more interesting, believable and worthy of the book were grandparents, Eileen and Con, and friends, Eavan and Glenn whose stories also featured quite heavily though not nearly enough for my liking.
Overlong and predictable, with certain elements to the plot that were totally beyond belief and with an ending that, quite frankly, made me want to hold my head in my hands and gr
oan out load, there was still something (what to be honest is anybodies guess) about How Will I Know? that was fairly readable despite all it's many flaws. I don't know perhaps it was just a case of the right book at the right time, my still being fairly poorly at the time of reading and not really able to concentrate. Either way, this is not a book for the shelves, certainly not something I'd read again.
oan out load, there was still something (what to be honest is anybodies guess) about How Will I Know? that was fairly readable despite all it's many flaws. I don't know perhaps it was just a case of the right book at the right time, my still being fairly poorly at the time of reading and not really able to concentrate. Either way, this is not a book for the shelves, certainly not something I'd read again.How Will I know? was purchased at an OXFAM charity shop.
11 comments:
I hope the next book you read will be a lot more enjoyable. And I hope you're feeling well these days!
Good to see your review even if you didn't enjoy it thoroughly. The book kept you engaged and that is it:)
To be fair, these books are just for fun!! Light, pick up, put down, finish or don't finish books!!! A holiday read!! Perfect for me!!
I hope you are getting better!!!
xxxx
Always a bummer when you finish a book and realize it wasn't worth the time spent on it.
Hope the next one is better.
That was a great review :) I'm sorry the book wasn't better,I wish that some books were given better endings...I read a book recently that left me with the impression that the publication deadline was fast approaching and that the author had decided that she had written too many pages,leaving the reader with an ending which was just shoved on to the end,abrupt and unrealistic!!
I find it really disappointing when a book turns out like that..
Lovely review - I'm thinking I might pass on this one. :-)
The synopsis reads more interesting but going by your review, I will pass.
From the title, I thought it was going to be a self-help book!!
And she fell in love with her husband at 5 years old? I sure hope my little one hasn't met his future wife (or husband if the case may be) yet!
So disappointing. There is room for a great plot there--especially for romantic humor. Sorry it fell flat. The title was awful so I probably wouldn't have picked it up do to that.
Tirz
Nice review. This books sounds like an interesting take on things. At times when the parent is more a friend than a needed parent it kind of bothers me, but maybe this book handles it better.
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