BOOK REVIEW: All For You

Title: All For You


Author: Sheila O’Flanagan

Publisher: Headline Fiction

RRP: $39.99

ISBN: 9780755343850

Release Date: June 2011

Pages: 512



Description:

The new fabulously addictive read from the bestselling author of SOMEONE SPECIAL.

As TV's favourite weather forecaster, Lainey is good at making predictions. But what she doesn't foresee is that her own life is about to hit a stormy patch. With a string of failed relationships behind her, surely history isn't about to repeat itself with her beloved Ken? To add fuel to the fire, her estranged mother announces that she's returning to Dublin. Deanna has always been dismissive of Lainey's choices - particularly in men. And Deanna's lectures are the last thing Lainey needs now.

Yet is there more to her mother than she knows... Uncovering some long-concealed family secrets, Lainey begins to reassess her life. Is the happy-ever-after she's always dreamed of really what she wants after all?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sheila O'Flanagan pursued a very successful career in banking, foreign exchange dealing and treasury management before becoming a full-time writer based in Dublin. She also writes a weekly column for the Irish Times and in her spare time plays badminton at competition level.

Review:

All For You is the first book by author Sheila O’Flanagan that I have read so wasn’t sure what the style and pace would be like. However, I did find it enjoyable to read, it did keep my attention and I especially enjoyed the bits about weather, they were an interesting addition to the book and were certainly something different – I can’t say I’ve read a lot about weather in chick lit before!

I liked Lainey, who was well written, and very likeable. Some of the key points about Lainey as her passion for her job and her being unlucky in love. Lainey falls too easily for the wrong men and is slightly obsessed about getting married, something a lot of women might be able to relate to! The relationship she has throughout the book with Ken is awful and you wonder why she can’t see what is happening, but I just think it makes her more normal, that she’s blinded by her lust for him.

I have to say I was surprised by the ending of the book, and I think its great O’Flanagan has done something a bit different to the normal ending that you would expect from a book like this. The book is set in both Ireland, where Lainey lives, and the USA, where Deanna currently resides, so it does move about, and I love O’Flanagan’s descriptions of each place.

Overall, I did enjoy this book but as I say it did seem a little slow in places for me and it didn’t feel like anything huge happened despite the long length of the book. O’Flanagan manages to easily cover three generations in the book, and I think this book will have an appeal across the age ranges, young or old, you can enjoy this tale.