Emma's Review: The Woman on the Bridge by Sheila O'Flanagan

Reviewed by Emma Crowley 

Dublin. The 1920s. As war tears Ireland apart, two young people are caught up in events that will bring love, tragedy - and the hardest of choices.

In a country fighting for freedom, it's hard to live a normal life. Winnie O'Leary supports the cause, but she doesn't go looking for trouble. Then rebel Joseph Burke steps into her workplace. Winnie is furious with him about a broken window. She's not interested in romance. But love comes when you least expect it.

Joseph's family shelter fugitives and smuggle weapons. Joseph would never ask Winnie to join the fight; but his mother and sisters demand commitment. Will Winnie choose Joseph, and put her own loved ones in deadly danger? Or wait for a time of peace that may never come?

Book Links: Kindle or Hardcover

Emma's Review: What Eden Did Next by Sheila O'Flanagan

Reviewed by Emma Crowley 

Five years after the death of her firefighter husband, Eden knows better than anyone that life can change in an instant. Now, instead of the future she had planned with Andy, she has Lila - the daughter he never got the chance to meet. And instead of Andy, she has his family.

Then Eden meets someone. Someone she knew before Andy, before Lila, before the tragedy. Someone who reminds her of how she used to be. But Andy's mother has other plans. And Eden is facing an impossible choice. One that could tear a family apart . . .

Book Links: Kindle or Hardcover

Emma's Review: Three Weddings and a Proposal by Sheila O'Flanagan

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

At the first wedding, there's a shock

The second wedding is unexpected

By the third, Delphie thinks nothing could surprise her. But she's wrong . . .

Delphie is enjoying her brother's wedding. Her surprise last-minute Plus One has stunned her family - and it's also stopped any of them asking again why she's still single. But when she sees all the missed calls that evening, she knows it can't be good news. And she's right.

Delphie has been living her best life, loving her job, her friends, her no-strings relationships and her dream house by the sea. Now she has to question everything she believed about who she is and what she wants. Is her mum right - is it time to settle down? Or does she want to keep on trying to have it all?

Each wedding of a glorious summer brings a new surprise. And as everything Delphie thought she had is threatened, she has the chance to reshape her future . . . 

Book Links: Kindle or Hardcover

Emma's NetGalley Challenge: The Hideaway by Sheila O'Flanagan

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

What would you do if you discovered you were living a lie?

When a shocking news report shatters Juno Ryan's world, she suddenly finds herself without the man she loves - and with no way of getting the answers she needs.

Juno flees to the enchanting Villa Naranja in Spain. The blue skies and orange groves - along with Pep, the local winemaker's handsome son - begin to soothe her broken heart. But just when she begins to feel whole again, another bombshell drops.

Juno might have run away from her secrets, but the past isn't finished with her...

Amazon Affiliate Links: Kindle or Paperback

Cover Reveal: Christmas with You by Sheila O'Flanagan

This lunchtime I'm delighted to be taking part in the cover reveal for Christmas with You by Sheila O'Flanagan which is due to be published on 19th October.  As many of you know I have read most of Sheila's books over the years including this one when it was previously published as A Season to Remember but this has now been updated and new stories added so I know new readers are in for a treat.

So without further ado here is the gorgeous cover for this festive short story collection.

Cover Reveal: What Happened That Night by Sheila O'Flanagan

This afternoon I'm thrilled to have been asked to share with you all the cover for Sheila O'Flanagan's new novel What Happened That Night which is published in eBook and Hardcover formats on 15th June.  I am a huge fan of Sheila's books, and have read them all over the years, although I usually wait until the paperback is published so still have The Missing Wife to read which is out next month.

So without further ado here is the cover for What Happened That Night which certainly teases at the mystery of the story that's told within the pages of this book with its tagline 'In one moment, your life can change for ever...'  

Then: Lola is a young single woman with big dreams. When she catches the eye of wealthy jeweller Philip Warren, she can't resist his charm and confidence. Could life get any better? Then everything changes. And Lola makes some decisions that will have long-term consequences she can't begin to imagine.

Extract: My Mother's Secret by Sheila O'Flanagan

Today it's my pleasure to be taking part in the blog tour celebrating Sheila O'Flanagan's 20th novel My Mother's Secret which is available now in eBook and Hardback formats and will be published as a paperback next year.

When Steffie helps her two siblings organize a surprise wedding anniversary party for their parents her only worry is whether they'll be pleased. What she doesn't know is this is the day that her whole world will be turned upside down.

Jenny wants to be able to celebrate her ruby anniversary with the man she loves, but for forty years she has kept a secret. A secret that she can't bear to hide any longer. But is it ever the right time to hurt the people closest to you?

As the entire family gather to toast the happy couple, they're expecting a day to remember. The trouble is, it's not going to be for the reasons they imagined...

Thanks to Sheila's publisher I have an extract from Chapter 1 for you to read and enjoy...

Chapter 1

A tiny bead of perspiration rolled along Steffie’s eyebrow, gathering momentum as it slid down her cheek before landing with a plop on the enormous cardboard box she was carrying. She used the top of her shoulder to wipe her face as she walked gingerly towards her ancient blue Citroën C3, and sighed with relief as she finally placed the box on the passenger seat. As far as she was concerned, the thirty-second journey from the bakery to her car couldn’t have been more nerve-racking if she’d been carrying a box of gelignite. And the consequences of dropping it would have been equally explosive.

  She pushed a damp wisp of cinnamon-gold hair from her forehead, and shuddered as she imagined Roisin’s reaction to the loss of their parents’ anniversary cake. A missing cake would have been a major disruption to the Master Plan, and Roisin didn’t allow her plans to be disrupted by anyone or anything. Secure in the knowledge that for once she hadn’t fallen short of her older sister’s high expectations, Steffie eased into the driver’s seat and rolled down the car windows. Then she turned the fan up as high as possible in an effort to combat the unexpected end-of-summer heatwave. During the last fortnight the media had happily replaced gloomy reports on the wettest August on record with daily guides to staying cool, as fore-casters pointed out that Dublin, Ireland was currently as warm as Dublin, Ohio, and hotter than Madrid, Paris or Rome. Which would be wonderful, Steffie thought, as a weak stream of tepid air finally began to flow from the vents in front of her, if Irish houses had air conditioning and outdoor swimming pools instead of central heating and double-glazing. 

  A swimming pool in the garden of Aranbeg, her parents’ home in Wexford, would have been something to look forward to this afternoon. But even if they could have afforded it, Pascal and Jenny weren’t the sort of people who’d install something that would be used approximately one summer in five. Steffie, and the rest of the day’s guests, would simply have to cool off with lots of chilled drinks at the fortieth wedding anniversary party instead.

  She exhaled slowly as she thought of the surprise they were about to spring on their parents, who were in blissful igno-rance of the fact that they’d be arriving home to a party later. She still wasn’t entirely convinced that surprising them was a good idea, but Roisin had been adamant and Steffie knew from long experience that when her sister’s mind was made up, changing it was pretty much a lost cause. All the same, she muttered darkly to herself, the next time she rings me with one of her covert plans in which she gives all the instruc-tions and I’m left with the donkey work, I’ll do what I keep promising myself and say that I’m too busy to get involved. I’ll remind her that I keep proper working hours even if my office is Davey’s old bedroom. I’ll take a stand and be strong, firm and businesslike and I won’t allow her to railroad me into anything because she’s twelve years older than me and she thinks that entitles her to boss me around. 

Coming soon from Headline & Tinder Press

This Summer is certainly turning out to be a busy one for book lovers as there are so many fab books being published, today I've decided to feature a few of the books that Headline Review and Tinder Press will be publishing this July and August.  Which ones will you be adding to your wishlist?

Season to Taste or How to Eat Your Husband by Natalie Young (published 3rd July)

Always let the meat rest under foil for at least ten minutes before carving...

Meet Lizzie Prain. Ordinary housewife. Fifty-something. Lives in a cottage in the woods, with her dog Rita. Likes cooking, avoids the neighbours. Runs a little business making cakes.

No one has seen Lizzie's husband, Jacob, for a few days. That's because last Monday, on impulse, Lizzie caved in the back of his head with a spade. And if she's going to embark on the new life she feels she deserves after thirty years in Jacob's shadow, she needs to dispose of his body. Her method appeals to all her practical instincts, though it's not for the faint-hearted. Will Lizzie have the strength to follow it through?

Strange Girls and Ordinary Women by Morgan McCarthy (published 3rd July)

They say you know instinctively who to trust.

Alice is normal; she'd never do anything rash. But when she sees her husband one day with a younger girl, she knows at once that he's having an affair. And it must be stopped.

Vic loves her friend Michael, more than he knows. He wants happiness, and thinks he's found it with the magnetic Estella. But Vic feels sure she can't be trusted - and she needs to make Michael see that too.

They don't know Kaya; her life is tougher than they can imagine. But Kaya's a survivor, and she's determined to find a way out of her miserable world.

Three women, three lives that come crashing together in this dark, lyrical and utterly enthralling story of warped perceptions, female intuition and 'the other woman'.

Books Read: Sheila O'Flanagan - If You Were Me

On a sultry summer evening in Seville, anything can happen...

Carlotta O'Keefe is happily engaged, and the wedding plans are coming together. She's clear about her future path, both personally and in her busy career. Maybe Chris doesn't make her heart race every time she sees him, but you can't have that feeling for ever. Can you?

Then, on a trip to Seville, Carlotta runs into Luke Evans. Luke broke her heart so long ago she'd almost convinced herself she'd forgotten him. Now, he's not that boy any more, but an attractive and intriguing man. And he can explain everything that happened way back when.

Suddenly Carlotta's not so sure of anything any more. Except that what she decides now will shape the rest of her life...

Amazon links: Kindle or Hardback

Books Read: Sheila O'Flanagan - Things We Never Say

The things we never say: 

A daughter doesn't say how she feels about the past...

A husband is afraid to say that selling the house his wife loves is the only option...

A son can't say how useful his ageing father's fortune will be when he's gone...

But if those things were said, the results might be surprising.  As Abbey - and a whole family she knew nothing of - are about to find out. 

 Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback 

Giveaway: Win a copy of Things We Never Say and If You Were Me by Sheila O'Flanagan

Today's Sheila O'Flanagan feature day continues with a fabulous giveaway thanks to the generosity of the lovely Frances at Headline, two lucky readers have the opportunity to win a copy of Things We Never Say AND If You Were Me.

The things we never say: 

A daughter doesn't say how she feels about the past...

A husband is afraid to say that selling the house his wife loves is the only option...

A son can't say how useful his ageing father's fortune will be when he's gone...

But if those things were said, the results might be surprising.  As Abbey - and a whole family she knew nothing of - are about to find out. 

Author Interview: Sheila O'Flanagan

Today on the blog it's Sheila O'Flanagan day so we'll be celebrating the bestselling author with a day full of features including this interview, a fabulous giveaway  plus reviews of both of her latest books Things We Never Say and If You Were Me.

What inspires your writing?
People, generally. I love watching people and wondering about them and sometimes that sets off an idea in my head for a novel. So there are people out there who don’t know that they inspired one of my books!

Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book If You Were Me?
It’s the story of Carlotta, a sharp, sassy woman with a photographic memory, who misses a train in Seville and as a result bumps into her first love - the boy who disappeared when she was 15. Even though Carlotta is now happily engaged, she wants to know why Luke never got in touch with her again. His reappearance in her life makes her wonder what might have been…..It’s a love story with a lot of bumps along the way.

Where did the inspiration come from to set it partly in Seville? 
This one of my more romantic books and Seville is a very romantic and passionate city. The heat of the city reflects the heat of Carlotta’s emotions too! I loved bringing her around the lively bars and stunning scenery of the area and letting her get carried away by the sultry flamenco dancing.

Irish Fiction Month Review: Sheila O'Flanagan - From the Heart

From the Heart reveals the unexpected tales that lie beneath the surface of every-day lives, through a memorable cast of characters all in search of their own happy endings. A hot date gets off to a disastrous start; a young couple long for peace and quiet as they prepare for their first Christmas as parents; two eavesdropping passengers realise they share more in common than they had thought; a couple celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, wondering if it's all a sham; and Isobel from Isobel's Wedding encounters an unexpected reunion in a luxurious Caribbean getaway.

A touching and heart-warming selection of stories taken from Sheila O'Flanagan's bestselling collections Destinations, Connections and A Season to Remember, available together exclusively in this digital-only edition. 

Irish Fiction Month Giveaway: Win a copy of Better Together by Sheila O'Flanagan (UK only)

Today I received a copy of Better Together by Sheila O'Flanagan to review but I actually read and reviewed this book last summer.... so I'm able to offer you the chance to win it to read for yourself.

Sometimes it isn't easy to win your heart's desire.

Journalist Sheridan Grey believes she's going places.  But when she loses her job, her boyfriend and her flat, the only place she's going to is a small-town newspaper - writing horoscopes and reporting on dog shows.

Books Read: Sheila O'Flanagan - Better Together

Source - Received from publisher to review

Sometimes it isn't easy to win your heart's desire.

Journalist Sheridan Grey believes she's going places.  But when she loses her job, her boyfriend and her flat, the only place she's going to is a small-town newspaper - writing horoscopes and reporting on dog shows.

Home-loving Nina Fallon's life is shattered when the exploits of her actor husband become national news.  Now she's avoiding friends as she runs Ardbawn's guest-house on her own.

When Sheridan moves into the guest-house, she realises that Nina holds the key to the story that will make her name as a reporter again.  But Sheridan's desire to  uncover the past puts her on a collision course with the present, and with the man she's come to love.  Suddenly she has more to lose than she ever dreamed possible.

Is she better off going it alone?  Or is love the greatest prize of all?  

Books Read: Sheila O'Flanagan - All for You

Source - Received from publisher to review

Lainey Ryan's life is set to hit a stormy patch.  After a string of failed relationships, is history about to repeat itself with the boyfriend she really thought was The One?

To add fuel to the fire, her estranged mother is returning to Dublin.  A high-profile feminist, Deanna has always been dismissive of Lainey's choices - particularly in men.  Her stern lectures are the last thing Lainey needs now.

There's more to her mother than Lainey knows, however.  As she uncovers long-concealed family secrets, Lainey realises that everyone wants a happy-ever-after.  But sometimes you need to let go of old dreams to find it.

Author Interview: Sheila O'Flanagan

Today I'd like to thank bestselling author Sheila O'Flanagan, whose book All For You is published tomorrow, for agreeing to answer my questions.  As you can see I went a bit OTT with my questionnaire but she was a trooper and answered them all, so over to Sheila...

How long did it take you to get your first book published?

It was accepted fairly quickly by a publisher but it was nearly 2 years later before it actually appeared in print as their list was very full. They were the longest 2 years of my life! 

Do you have a set daily writing routine?

I always try to be at my desk by 9.30, so that I have a working day feel about it. The problem these days is that between the Internet, Facebook, Twitter and email, there’s a lot to distract you once you’re there. Someone once said that being a writer is 1% writing and 99% not letting yourself get distracted by the Internet and they’re absolutely right.