I am a big fan of Irish womens literature, particularly Marian Keyes and Patricia Scanlan. I hadn't read any Cathy Kelly before this one but I will be buying every book of hers now! The story is well constructed, beautifully written, realistic and touching. The characters could be women that you know - best friends, sisters, work colleagues - they are so real. Everything starts out fine for all the characters. They are happy, settled and excited about life. Then a major tragedy occurs and they all realise how precious life is. The way Cathy Kelly writes about such a sensitive issue is incredibly moving and will bring tears to your eyes. The characters in the book are all forced to come to terms with the old cliche "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone" and I did too. The book is very sentimental in places, but it fits and works with the story. A great read.
