Amazon UK
Title: Dreaming About Daran
Author: Jessica Redland
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Little Bear Books
Publication Date: 9th January 2017
Rating: 5 Stars
 |
| Amazon UK |
Where do you go when it's your own past you're running from?
Sometimes, you can run from the past, but you can't hide. Since the age of sixteen, Clare O'Connell has lived her life by four strict rules:
1. Don't talk about Ireland
2. Don't think about Ireland
3. Don't go to Ireland
4. Don't let anyone in
And so far, it's worked well. She's got a great career, some amazing friends, and she's really happy. The future's all that counts, isn't it?
When her boss insists she travels to Ireland to repair a damaged relationship with a key client. Clare finds herself drawn back to the village of Ballykielty where she comes face to face with the one person she'd hoped never, ever to see again.
With the door to her past now wide open, the first three rules have gone out of the window. Can Clare stick to rule number four?
Sometimes, you can run from the past, but you can't hide. Since the age of sixteen, Clare O'Connell has lived her life by four strict rules:
1. Don't talk about Ireland
2. Don't think about Ireland
3. Don't go to Ireland
4. Don't let anyone in
And so far, it's worked well. She's got a great career, some amazing friends, and she's really happy. The future's all that counts, isn't it?
When her boss insists she travels to Ireland to repair a damaged relationship with a key client. Clare finds herself drawn back to the village of Ballykielty where she comes face to face with the one person she'd hoped never, ever to see again.
With the door to her past now wide open, the first three rules have gone out of the window. Can Clare stick to rule number four?
In the last year or so since I had visited Whitsborough Bay, I had clearly put aside in my mind just how much I loved this series, and thus I was even more impressed while I was reading Dreaming About Daran to see just how much story, and backstory and all around depth had been jammed into this book.
Early on in the book, I did wonder if I was watching an episode of Neighbours, as I had seen very similar storylines in the soap over the past couple of years, but as I was drawn into what was happening between the pages, I was just absorbed into the story.
For Dreaming About Daran focuses on Claire, the third of the friendship group introduced in Searching for Steven, and I think Claire has definitely got the best of the three books. She has also had the toughest of childhoods and pasts, which shocked me as the truth of her past slowly came out.
Claire doesn't let anyone get close to her, not since she was 16 , where she was forced to leave Ireland and has never been back since, until she is forced to for work, which starts triggering all sorts of memories, flashbacks and a reminder that she perhaps really needs to deal with the past.
Forgive me for being cryptic, but so much of the plot is wrapped is started from that work trip to Ireland, and is written so well in the book, I would make a hash of it by trying to explain.
Not only we learn about Claire's past, but we also catch up with Elise and Sarah, and see just how their stories are progressing. This is the third book in a trilogy and it can easily be read as a standalone. However for fans of the series, this ties up a lot of loose ends, brings the trilogy to a natural close, while still packing in so much in its 330 pages.
Dreaming About Daran was a pleasure to read, and I'm sure some will need a box of tissues to deal with some parts of the book. Of course this does have a romance in it, although I was fairly sure I knew who Claire would end up with, my thoughts on that changed half a a dozen times as more about the characters are revealed.
With a story that takes in Leeds, Whitsborough Bay and also Ireland this is a fabulous story, and is a fitting end to what has been a really enjoyable trilogy. I am really eager to see what Jessica Redland will write next, as if its even half as good as Dreaming About Daran then I'm sure it will be fantastic.
Thank you to Netgalley for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Early on in the book, I did wonder if I was watching an episode of Neighbours, as I had seen very similar storylines in the soap over the past couple of years, but as I was drawn into what was happening between the pages, I was just absorbed into the story.
Claire doesn't let anyone get close to her, not since she was 16 , where she was forced to leave Ireland and has never been back since, until she is forced to for work, which starts triggering all sorts of memories, flashbacks and a reminder that she perhaps really needs to deal with the past.
Forgive me for being cryptic, but so much of the plot is wrapped is started from that work trip to Ireland, and is written so well in the book, I would make a hash of it by trying to explain.
Not only we learn about Claire's past, but we also catch up with Elise and Sarah, and see just how their stories are progressing. This is the third book in a trilogy and it can easily be read as a standalone. However for fans of the series, this ties up a lot of loose ends, brings the trilogy to a natural close, while still packing in so much in its 330 pages.
Dreaming About Daran was a pleasure to read, and I'm sure some will need a box of tissues to deal with some parts of the book. Of course this does have a romance in it, although I was fairly sure I knew who Claire would end up with, my thoughts on that changed half a a dozen times as more about the characters are revealed.
With a story that takes in Leeds, Whitsborough Bay and also Ireland this is a fabulous story, and is a fitting end to what has been a really enjoyable trilogy. I am really eager to see what Jessica Redland will write next, as if its even half as good as Dreaming About Daran then I'm sure it will be fantastic.
Thank you to Netgalley for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Thank you so much for your lovely comments, Rachel. I'm so glad you enjoyed the final book in the trilogy.
ReplyDeleteI laughed at your comment about Neighbours. Gosh, I used to love that programme (and Home and Away) but I don't think I've watched it since graduating from university in 1994 (has it really been 23 years? Eek!) Dying to know what plot lines where similar but I definitely wasn't inspired by Neighbours. I came up with the idea for Daran a decade ago, plotted it out 7 years ago, and wrote it 2 years ago. Perhaps they stole my plot points!!!!
Thanks for not giving away spoilers! It was certainly tough trying to write a blurb and not give anything away.
Thank you so, so much for your support. Really appreciated.
Jessica xx
Argh! Were not where!!!!
ReplyDelete