Tag: Beth O'Leary

The No-Show by Beth O’Leary

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

2023 is the year that I shop my shelves. I am on a book-buying ban and I will be successful (fingers crossed), and I am determined that I get through some of those titles read on my tbr pile, shelf, trolley and the various other places where I have piles of books.

So, I have kicked the year off by grabbing ‘The No-Show’ from my shelf because, to be honest, it has been sat there for far too long, and it was time that I read it. (I mean, it has been there since ‘The Book Taster Live’ event, so really quite some time). It was also my first choice for ‘The Unread Shelf Project 2023’, as I hoped it would tick the box of a ‘Comfort’ read.

And it was a great way to kick off 2023.

‘The No-Show’ was a return, for me, to everything I love about Beth O’Leary: great characters, a clever plot and a feeling of a joy as you reach the end of the book – but not afraid to tackle some tough subjects. I am absolutely not going to spoil it for anyone, because this is a book that I think you have to read to understand what a well-crafted storyline it is. I did work elements of it out as I read the book, but that actually added to the enjoyment, as I was seeing if I was proved correct as I went.

This is a book that is quite difficult to review, as I want to share everything that I think about the book, but I just know I need to allow others to read it for themselves and make their own decisions. In fact, I would love to know if anybody has read ‘The No-Show’, and what they thought about it, because it is potentially on par with my favourite, ‘The Switch’.

So, shopping my shelves has started well; will the year of reading continue this successfully?

The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Miss W kindly lent me ‘The Road Trip’ by Beth O’Leary to read, and I am ashamed to say that it has been on my shelf since April, which really is not good enough. When I was politely reminded that I had not yet read it, I ensured it became my next read (if only picking my next read was always this easy).

Now, ‘The Flatshare‘ and ‘The Switch‘ were both fun reads. I really enjoyed both of them and their lighthearted but meaningful escapism, with ‘The Switch’ just coming out on top for me.

However, I found ‘The Road Trip’ a little harder to get into when I started it. I liked the idea, people thrown together on a road trip and all that entails, mishaps and more. Yet, this was just a little slow for me (as the rather awkward road trip was for the characters) and the characters were a little harder to engage with than in the previous books. I was not sure I was all that fussed what would happen, or what had happened in the past.

And, then, I suddenly hit a point where the book really picked up. Once you did know what had happened in the past, and why exactly it was as it was between the characters, I started to find it harder to put the book down. ‘The Road Trip’ did go on to handle an incredibly difficult event with sensitivity and heart, and brought to the fore exactly how important consent is, the tragic impact it can have on someone when they feel that it is very nearly taken from them, and how relationships can be changed as a result. Alongside dealing with the subject of the mental health of another character.

This will not go down as one of my favourite books, and maybe it could have been a little slicker, which may have held my attention a little more, as I whizzed through the final third once I felt that I had engaged with the story and the characters. But, it did very nearly become a DNF for me, which would have been a shame as I would have missed the best bit of the book.

The Switch by Beth O’Leary

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Dare I say it? I preferred this to ‘The Flatshare’. Don’t get me wrong, I loved ‘The Flatshare’, but I loved ‘The Switch’ even more. I think possibly because, as a story, it was a little more relatable. This was full of situations and scenarios that many of us may have found ourselves in or at least could relate to from our own experiences.

Also, not only is this a book of strong female characters, but Eileen is an amazing older character. I loved that this book was willing to explore the lives of women of a variety of ages, and wasn’t willing to shy away from romance for the older lady. But, also, it made it clear that age is only a number – Leena certainly benefits from the friendships she develops with her Grandma’s friends when they switch lives – and Eileen is definitely a tour de force for Leena’s friends in London.

This book is just a wonderful, optimisitic read full of hope – especially at the moment. You can imagine hanging out with these characters and being part of their journey of self-discovery – and that goes for all the characters. Amazing how some seemingly small changes can have quite an impact on your life and the path it takes.

I am really looking forward to the other stories Beth O’Leary has to bring us, because they really are an enjoyable piece of escapism.