This book was published almost 25 years after "Rachel's Holiday," and the action picks up 20 years later, in 2018. Rachel, now in her late 40s, is a counsellor at The Cloisters, the same rehab facility her parents sent her to in "Rachel's Holiday." The only thing she's addicted to these days is online shopping. She owns a house and has a new boyfriend, Quin. She does not have children (Quin does). She has a dog named Crunchie, and her adult niece, Kate, lives with her. Life is good.
And then Luke Costello re-enters her life.
I enjoyed re-visiting Rachel and her family and friends, and finding out what's happened to them over the past 20 years. (The ongoing saga of Mammy Walsh's 80th birthday party was hilarious.) Her clients' stories were interesting too, albeit I sometimes had trouble keeping them all straight, and perhaps they took up a little more of the book than I felt was really necessary. About halfway through the book, there's a plot twist/reveal that, while not completely unexpected, had me reaching for kleenex. Let's just say that while I can't relate to Rachel's addictions, THIS part of her story, I knew and understood all too well... Well done, Marian Keyes!!
It's probably possible to read this book as a standalone, but I would recommend reading "Rachel's Holiday" first, if you can (if not all the other books Keyes has written about the Walsh family)... it will give you a much greater appreciation of who these people are and the background to the story that unfolds here.
I gave "Rachel's Holiday" 4 stars. I decided this one rates 4 stars on Goodreads too. :)
This was Book #28 read to date in 2022 (and Book #3 finished in June), bringing me to 62% of my 2022 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 8 books ahead of schedule. :) You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2022 tagged as "2022 books."
I must read this sequel. Marian Keyes is one of us, and I think she deals really well with some of our issues.
ReplyDeletePS. You should hunt up her autobiography. I listened to it as an audiobook - it's wonderful, and the Irish accent of the narrator is a bonus! I think you'd enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteOoooooh, I did not know there was a sequel! I ran through Marian Keyes like mad (loved "Last Chance Saloon" in particular) and would totally come back for more Rachel. Oooh, I think I will also follow Mali and hunt up her autobiography! One more Ooooooh for good measure... :)
ReplyDelete