What Eden Did Next by Sheila O’Flanagan

Thank you to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and Headline Review for the invitation to join the blog tour, and for a digital review copy. This is the first book I’ve read by Sheila O’Flanagan.

Synopsis:

The heart-breaking, life-affirming and unforgettable new novel from the author of number one bestsellers including The Women Who Ran Away and The Missing Wife

Eden’s ready for a new start, putting the past behind her. But others have their own ideas of what’s best for her…

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.

Honest and emotionally gripping, What Eden Did Next is a heart-warming, sometimes heart- breaking, yet ultimately joyful novel of love, loss – and finding your own way to happiness.

My thoughts:

Eden has had two tragic events in her life, both of which changed the course of her life, but is now ready to move forward with her own plans. However, her in-laws are struggling to accept that Eden is strong enough to live independently and to step away from her role as ‘widow of Andy’.

This was a thought provoking read, and a reminder that we need to live our own lives, not the one that well-meaning friends and family may prefer us to pick. We also need to be aware that our neighbours may have a WhatsApp group that doesn’t include us.

My favourite character was Elizabeth, who encouraged Eden to find her true self. The book is an excellent mix of happiness and sadness, humour and misunderstanding. The pages flowed and I found myself cheering Eden on.

I’m happy to recommend this book and pleased to have discovered a new author to me, with a huge back catalogue of books to catch up on.

Author Bio:

Sheila O’Flanagan is the author of nearly 30 bestselling novels including Three Weddings and a Proposal, The Women Who Ran Away, Her Husband’s Mistake, The Hideaway, The Missing Wife and All For You (winner of the Irish Independent Popular Fiction Book of the Year Award). She lives in Dublin with her husband.

http://www.sheilaoflanagan.com | @sheilaoflanagan Facebook.com/sheilabooks