The Things I Should Have Told You - Carmel Harrington

About the book… 

Every family has a story…But for the Guinness family a happy ending looks out of reach. Olly and Mae's marriage is crumbling, their teenage daughter Evie is on a mission to self-destruct and their beloved Pops is dying of cancer. Their once strong family unit is slowly falling apart.

But Pops has one final gift to offer his beloved family – a ray of hope to cling to. As his life's journey draws to a close, he sends his family on an adventure across Europe in a camper van, guided by his letters, his wisdom and his love.

Because Pops knows that all his family need is time to be together, to find their love for each other and to find their way back home…

‘Carmel Harrington…will make you see life in a different way’ Woman’s Way

Buy Links: 

Amazon UK / Amazon US

About the author… 

Irish Times Bestseller, Carmel Harrington is an award winning author from Co. Wexford, where she lives with her husband and two children, Amelia (6) and Nate (4).

The Things I Should Have Told You (HarperCollins), was published in September 2016. Her page-turning novels are to be published worldwide, translated into eight different languages. 

Carmel is the Chairperson of Wexford Literary Festival, of which she co-founded. She is a regular on Irish TV, as one of the panelists on TV3’s Midday show. She is also a guest panelist and book reviewer for South East Radio’s Morning Mix and writes feature articles for many newspapers and magazines. A popular keynote speaker she has given talks in Ireland, UK & USA.

A stay at home mum, Carmel juggled babies and books to become a success story in the digital publishing world with the digital first imprint Harper Impulse. Every Time A Bell Rings, The Life You Left and Kindle Book of The Year & Romantic eBook of the Year - Beyond Grace’s Rainbow were all eBook bestsellers. 

But her dream to be published traditionally has now come true, with her move to HarperFiction. The Things I Should Have Told You is her first trade paperback and is on sale in bookshops nationwide. It follows in audio format December 2016 and mass paperback in UK & Ireland January 2017. Foreign translations have been sold to Hungary, Finland, Norway and Sweden so far. 

Carmel has been dubbed the Queen of Emotional Writing and has been compared to one of her heroes, Maeve Binchy. She writes with warmth and compassion about characters so believable that they could be sitting beside you.

Contact Links: 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HappyMrsH

Website: http://carmelharrington.com/

My thoughts…

I was given a copy of this book by Jaime Frost at harper Collins in exchange for an honest review, something which I'm more than happy to do.  Carmel Harrington is an author that makes you live inside her books, from the very first page you'll be hooked.

Olly, Mae, Evie and Jamie are a family that are on the brink of totally falling apart.  Nobody is communicating properly with each other all all bar Jamie are so entrenched in their own problems that they shut each other out.  Olly was made redundant and became a house husband, Mae feels redundant as both a wife and mother and daughter Evie has a near death experience which pulls the family up short.  Pops, Ollie's dad lives with them and is terminally ill, watching his family disintegrate before his eyes is just too much for him to bear.  On the day of his funeral they open a letter for him that will change their lives forever. He knows what a lovely, tight knot family they once were and wants to give them the chance to find themselves and each other again - he sends them on an eight week adventure across Europe in 'Nomad' the camper van. To say it's a shock and they're not all happy at the thought of spending eight weeks in a confined space would be an understatement.

This book is magical, it made me cry so many times I lost count, it made me smile continuously and laugh out loud at some of the scenario's they found themselves in.  Carmel has created characters that will pull at your heart strings and she takes us on a journey of discovery both of places and experiences and about the Guinness family too. It is a book that won't fail to make you look at your own life too.

Life is too short, it should be filled with happy memories and talking openly and honestly all the time would alleviate many problems.  Inevitably life takes it's toll on relationships and family but love, laughter and communication is key.  We all take our friends and family and the things they do for us for granted but Carmel Harrington, through The Things I Should Have Told You, highlights the importance of taking the time to say little things that let people know how much you care and appreciate them and the things they do for us and most importantly filling your life with experiences, removing the mental barriers that stop us.

I have a caravan and my husband has often suggested taking it to Europe and I've always got a reason not to.  I so want to go now.  Reading this book and living the Guinness family life was so uplifting. The places that the Guinness family visit and the experiences they have on the way are described in such a way I feel I was there. I've sat on a campsite and people watched, sniggering at the 'newbies, setting up and trying to encourage a sullen, teenager into trying new food - been there, it wasn't a success.  I thought it was just us!  

I highly recommend this book, it is my favourite read of Carmel Harrington's and is a book that you can't fail to fall in love with - from the characters to the journey across Europe - I'm off now to get the maps out and make some plans.

The Girl Before - J P Delaney

About the book...

Enter the world of One Folgate Street and discover perfection . . . but can you pay the price?

For all fans of The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl comes this spellbinding Hitchcockian thriller which takes psychological suspense to the next level

Jane stumbles on the rental opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to live in a beautiful ultra-minimalist house designed by an enigmatic architect, on condition she abides by a long list of exacting rules. After moving in, she discovers that a previous tenant, Emma, met a mysterious death there - and starts to wonder if her own story will be a re-run of the girl before. As twist after twist catches the reader off guard, Emma's past and Jane's present become inexorably entwined in this tense, page-turning portrayal of psychological obsession.

Following in the footsteps of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, The Girl Before is being brought to the big screen. The film is set to be directed by Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard. 

About the author...

The Girl Before is the first psychological thriller from J. P. Delaney, a pseudonym of a writer who has previously published best-selling fiction under other names who is also creative director at major UK advertising agency.. 

Buy Links:

Amazon UK / Amazon US

My thoughts...

Firstly, huge thanks to Alainna at Quercus books for allowing me to be part of the blog tour for this amazing book.

One Folgate Street is a unique house on the books of an estate agent, applications to live there only offered on rare occasions and accepted only after an interview with the architect. The Girl Before follows Jane as she begins her tenancy in the house and discovers The Girl living there Before her Emma died tragically in the house.

The story is told from the lives of both girls Emma-before and Jane-now but is as much about the house and architect Edward Monkton.  Tragedy wraps itself like a blanket around them all, the girls were seeking solace and a reason to escape into the sanctuary that was One Folgate Street. Whilst Edward, who designed the house after tragically losing his wife and son is an enigma.

This was a compelling read that drew me in from the very start, the short snappy chapters and slow build up of the character development added to the mystery.  Jane and Emma so very different in character yet both living mirrored lives.  The concept of living in a house that adapted to moods, time, people was something that both repelled and attracted me.  The house on one hand a sanctuary, on the other a prison was as real as any of the characters and I yo-yoed between liking it and not.  With Edward pulling the strings, using the house to play them both.  He was a character that my opinion is still divided on - his soul guarded by the architecture he designs with it slipping every now and then to reveal a character so complex that I never truly understood. 

J P Delaney played ping pong with my mind, dragging me back and forth between what I view as acceptable behaviour and plain weirdness.  Building the tension like tugging on an elastic band - pulling it tight then letting it go. It is a psychological thriller with a difference, I never felt fear or that heart pounding adrenalin rush - it was more like being slowly mentally drugged until I hadn't a clue, not guessing the real 'villain' of the story until it was played out for real on the pages.  So many times I was sure I knew what was happening only to have my  ideas shattered.  

There isn't many books that I would read for a second time, not because I didn't like them but because time doesn't permit - I feel I want to read this again now I know the outcome - I was going to say full story but I'm not sure I do.  Such an addictive read that I compel others to read - it is a book that will provoke a lot of conversation whether you loved it or hated it - I do believe that you have to suspend reality and buy into a book and The Girl Before is worth doing that for.