Book Review - Beyond Graces Rainbow by Carmel Harrington - Harper Impulse Fortnight

Amazon UK

Title: Beyond Graces Rainbow

Author: Carmel Harrington

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Review copy from Carmel

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Publication Date: 12th September 2013

Rating: 5 Stars

Beyond Grace’s Rainbow is the deeply emotional and poignant story of young single mother Grace Devlin.

When Grace is diagnosed with cancer her best chance of survival is to find a bone marrow transplant from a family member. Only Grace is adopted and her one previous attempt to connect with her birth mother resulted in bitter disappointment.

But with her young son, Jack, to think about, and the return of her ex Liam, Jack’s father, reminding her of feelings she’d thought she’d buried long ago, Grace refuses to give up hope just yet. With the help of her friends she bravely embarks on a journey of discovery.

This search will bring her from her home in vibrant Dublin to the unspoilt beauty of Wexford where she must unravel a web of lies and deceit that has spanned over thirty years.

When I was offered a chance to review one of Carmel Harrington's books for Harper Impulse Fortnight, I jumped at the chance. Other book bloggers had been telling me over and over to read Beyond Graces Rainbow, so I took the opportunity when it occurred. I am so glad that I listened, and that I haven't missed out on this fantastic story. 

Carmel herself, showed me the trailer for this book, which I think sums it up perfectly. There are plenty of other reviews out there already for this fabulous book, and I honestly don't know what I can add, but incase you haven't read any of them, I feel like I have to try and say something. 

This is a story about courage, love (both romantic and between friends), and is about Grace Devlin. Grace, as we met her is a single mother to 3 year old Jack (who adds a ray of sunshine to this b0ok), and is struggling to come to grips with her diagnosis of Leukaemia.  She starts to understand that her best chances of survival, comes in the form of of a bone marrow transplant, and that family would be the most likely source of a match.

Grace has to decide whether to try and contact her birth mother, as ten years previously, she rejected a chance to get to know Grace. 

Shortly after the diagnosis, Liam comes back into Graces life, he is 1 year sober, and is Jacks father. Grace has to decide if she can trust Liam. 

Grace has a wonderful group of friends. Tara and Sean who are tying for a baby. Abby the single member of the group, who is looking for love. And then there is Tom and Gerry, who provide some of the light relief moments in this intense story. 

There is a weekend Tom and Gerry spend investigating something that could help Grace, where for those few chapters it felt like I was reading a mystery novel. I love mysteries and although I wasn't completely surprised out the outcome, it does make think that if Carmel ever gets tired of writing romances that pull at the heart strings, then she should try her hand at a mystery!

Beyond Graces Rainbow will make you cry and it will make you smile. It is written in a wonderful way, and it is clear Carmel Harrington must have done loads of research to make the tough topics covered in this book, come out so well. 

The chapters focus on different members of the friendship groups, and I honestly felt that, I was there with all the characters on the incredible journey they are on, and felt something towards all of them. Occasionally there would be a moment when you get to hear Jack's thoughts on everything, and Carmel has pegged the bewilderment of a young child exactly. 

There are really no words to describe how amazing this book is. If you like tender romance, struggles against adversity, and books that make you feel (any emotiion at all), then make sure you take a proper look at Beyond Graces Rainbow.