How did I not review this last year? I feel like I need to listen to it again as I have profound respect for MK - love her to bits - but I really can't remember this story and it was only less than a few months ago.

I've kept on with the series, but how do I rate 5⭐ and not remember. Arghhhh!

The verdict is not in yet, I may go back and take another squiz. The Walsh family are kind of up there with mine, so they deserve my priority

I'd have to put this book in my list of top-ten favorites of all time! I picked up the book-on-tape version at the library and immediately fell in love with Marian Keyes. I had to get the print version to enjoy the story again, and I am not usually one to re-read books (because there are so many others on my "to-read" list)!

After reading this most engaging novel, I felt compelled to read all of Keyes' other books, most of which were wonderful as well. This one remains my favorite of hers, however. I think it is several steps above the chick-lit category. The story is both hysterically funny and extremely poignant. I loved getting to know the Walsh sisters and bits and pieces of their various stories, so I was delighted to learn that there were other books that had different Walsh sisters as the main character.

I like how Anna's story is revealed a little bit at a time, and the intermittent flashbacks that help us learn about her relationship to Aiden. I fell in love with him right along with her and felt endeared to him throughout the story. I sobbed at the end--it was such a touching and satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed this book so much that I have given it as a gift to several of my friends. *Highly recommended!

You will cry the entire way through, when you’re not laughing your ass off.

Update to post with My Review: March 19th, 2020

For the second time recently, I have chosen to read a novel, that is part of a series, without realising until after I had finished! The first one in the Walsh family series was 'Water Melon' which I read in 1996, cannot recall the content now, neither have I read any of the others. Honestly, I do not feel this matters as it stands alone perfectly. A sad read but Marian Keyes has lifted the story with a lot of humour, so expect tears and laughs. Do not be put off by the nearly 600 pages as it is a very quick read, that will take you out of yourself. Something we all need in these difficult times.

Pre Read Notes: March 12th, 2020
I am going to start this today; I don't think I read the earlier ones in the Walsh family series so hope it doesn't matter?

My intention had been to start Grown Ups but finding this sitting on my TBR shelf, thought I should read this older title first! Originally published in 2006 and republished in 2012, this period was when I was living in Italy and did not get to read any books written by Marian Keyes. In fact, I rediscovered her work in 2017 when I read 'The Break' and reviewed on LindyLouMac's Book Reviews, prior to this I have not read any novels by her since 2001.

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Anna Walsh é a relações públicas da Candy Grrrl, uma empresa de cosméticos sediada em Nova York. Afastada do trabalho devido a um acidente que desfigurou o seu rosto, Anna convalesce na casa dos pais, em Dublin, onde é ajudada pela mãe e pela irmã, uma detetive particular cuja mente fértil a coloca no centro de casos escabrosos envolvendo a máfia irlandesa. Após se recuperar, Anna decide retornar a Nova York, onde pretende retomar o seu emprego e rever os rumos de seu casamento com Aidan, com quem não consegue se comunicar desde o acidente.

Estruturado, de início, em duas linhas narrativas - o cotidiano em Dublin, se recuperando do acidente; e o passado em Nova York, seu emprego e a forma como conheceu Aidan -, o romance padece dos clichês do gênero. Anna é a típica jovem arrojada, mas um tanto atrapalhada, tropeçando com cafés nas esquinas da Big Apple até encontrar Aidan, seu futuro-marido-perfeito-que-agradará-todas-as-suas-amigas, mas que guarda uma bagagem afetiva um tanto pesada de seu passado em Boston.

Ao retornar a Nova York, essas linhas narrativas se fundem e passamos a acompanhar as tentativas de Anna de segurar as rédeas de sua vida particular e amorosa, e o alívio dramático fica a cargo dos e-mails que recebe da mãe e da irmã - que passa a relatar suas perigosas aventuras como detetive em longas e rocambolescas mensagens virtuais.

Perdendo a oportunidade de fazer uma crítica ou, no mínimo, exibir a superficialidade que movimenta as engrenagens da indústria cosmética (Anna várias vezes é desenhada como um Frankenstein dentro dessa indústria feita por mulheres perfeitas e sem cicatrizes no rosto), Marian Keys encaminha o seu romance para a seara mais óbvia: a da relação de Anna e Aidan, modificada de forma drástica pelo acidente que logo assumirá uma importância fundamental na narrativa.

É incrível como as páginas dedicadas a este único evento destoam também drasticamente das demais páginas do romance (e tenhamos em mente, aqui, que estou falando de uma dezena de páginas num calhamaço de quase 600). Esse descompasso só piora quando o romance ganha contornos transcendentais, com as investidas espiritualistas da nova Anna, se esforçando para resolver os problemas da sua relação com a ajuda de um grupo de apoio que passa a frequentar nos intervalos do trabalho.

Um mergulho em águas rasas que durou tempo demais pra mim.

This is one author who ever-so-slowly churns you in into the book and before you realise it you are hooked. At first you might not realise how catchy the story is going to be until you realise you can’t put the book down. Great writing!

This book is one terrible mess, which is surprising because it's written by a "bestselling" author. I mean, the dialogue...does she really think people talk like that? And what was up with all those boring email sections, which did nothing to add to the story. Plus, all the main characters are super annoying, especially the parts concerning the main character's job.

The most obnoxious part of the story is the "plot twist" which happens about 200 pages into the book. I'm fairly certain that everyone must know what the twist is about 50 pages into the story, and the rest of the pages leading up to the "shocking" twist are painful.

Why did I keep reading this book?

Book four in the Walsh family series and this book is all about Anna.

Unputdownable. I am really enjoying all the book in this series.

Five stars.

This was the first book by Marian Keyes that I've read, and it made me see why so many people like her! She does a great job of keeping you guessing what has happened to Anna throughout the first 200 or so pages, until its finally revealed how she got her injuries and what has happened to Aidan. Normally I might say that a book this long was a bit overdone and could've been cut back on, but I loved every page of it. I was crying by the ending. This book really pulled me into the story and made me feel for Anna so much.

Oh dear, think I switched off at the point where she said his jumper didn't smell like his groin did

I love the various Marian Keyes books, especially the ones featuring the individual sisters from the Irish family, the Walshes. Her books are almost standard chick-lit fare, but Keyes's writing and her doses of Irish wickedness make them stand above the crowd.

This book features the fourth Walsh sister, Anna. We've met Anna in the other Walsh sister books, where she's something of a spacey, hippie-ish waif, but here she's been transformed into a savvy New York business woman--a bit of a stretch, I thought, but, hey, I was glad Anna seemed to have pulled herself together. All the other books deal with some type of major upheaval in the heroines' lives, but Anna gets nailed the worst, I think. This one still had funny moments, but really, it was a pretty heavy read.

:( made me sad!!!! Not in a little life way. Just like, sad about the characters.