Bookaholic

Excellent as excellent can be.

Three good reasons to read it:

1. nice descriptions of inter-familiar relationships, and how one sibling’s strengths end up being taken as the others weakness;

2. only-in-your-dreams Luke, Rachel’s all supportive boyfriend (oh, my, but what a lucky girl!);

3. light though convincing picture of addiction and coming to terms with it.

Definitely worth it if you are looking for a complete and fulfilling read about family relationships, and how apparently normal and ordinary relations can get someone as nice as Rachel in trouble from an early beginning, and out of it when she finally perceives herself as her main North. Well-paced character development, makes you change your mind about all of them as you read along. Great read.

Synopsis

The fast lane is much too slow for Rachel Walsh. And Manhattan is the perfect place for a young Irish female to overdo everything. But Rachel’s love of a good time is about to land her in the emergency room. It will also cost her a job and the boyfriend she adores.

When her loving family hustles her back home and checks her into Ireland’s answer to the Betty Ford Clinic, Rachel is hopeful. Perhaps it will be lovely—spa treatments, celebrities, that kind of thing. Instead, she finds a lot of group therapy, which leads her, against her will, to some important self-knowledge. She will also find something that all women like herself fear: a man who might actually be good for her.

About the Author

Marian Keyes is the author of eight novels and two essay collections. She lives in Ireland with her husband and their two imaginary dogs.