http://www.beautyandlace.com.au/win-it-happily-ever-afterWin 1 of 10 copies of 'Happily Ever After' books
Author: Benison Anne O’Reilly
Happily Ever After? is written in the first person as a memoir, possibly never destined to be seen by anyone. This is a style of writing I really identify with and it is much easier to get to know the characters.
It’s almost like sitting with a friend to talk over coffee. Or in my case, a few coffees and an entire afternoon. I found once I got involved I didn’t want to put it down so basically read the whole thing in one sitting.
Ellie, our heroine, takes time out of her narrative to give us little snapshot views of her thoughts or things going on around her as she lays bare her soul, and her tale. These little snippets give us a look at the person behind the hands that type the tale. This added touch strikes a chord with me, makes the story seem much more real, much more possible. Having said that, this is a chic lit fiction of the fabulous kind. I laughed, I cried – well I had a momentary welling of tears once or twice, I was shocked and I cheered Ellie on in her journey through life.
Ellie grew up with all the typical teenage dreams, because she went back to tell us about it so we would know from where she’s come, of her Prince Charming, fairytale wedding and happily ever after. And she got it all, or so it seemed until she got to the happily ever after. Attractive, blonde, intelligent and witty Ellie nonetheless spent much of her adolescence outshone by her best friend and that’s a situation I am sure most of us can relate to and have been in once or twice. So when she met her Prince Charming, while standing alongside aforementioned best friend, Ellie was surprised to find herself the one in the spotlight.
That was the beginning of a relationship, strategically planned for slow development to the desired result. Doesn’t sound very romantic, does it – sometimes the romance can be forgone if you know that you are moving towards the fairytale wedding you have always dreamed of. But sometimes you fail to see the cracks because you are overpowered by the imminent realisation of your teenage dreams.
You will find within these covers some very lovable, very easy to relate to characters that you can’t help but compare to the people in your life – that’s how feasible they are. You will also find that they are flawed characters, in ways that will touch to the core of some of us because they are flaws we are faced with in our everyday lives.
I did find a few editing oversights which interrupted the flow. I would be flying through the page and suddenly stop and go… hey what, hang on. And have to go back a couple of lines to re-read and digest what I’d read so I could ignore the extra words. A very minor thing but something I thought you might like to be forewarned about if you end up deciding to devour this book whole, as I unintentionally did.
A thoroughly engaging read that I don’t think anyone would be sorry they made time for. Depending on your own life experiences there are some passages in here that will really touch your heart and have you reaching for the tissues but that’s a part of the healing process also. And that is what Ellie’s memoir was all about, a therapeutic unburdening to aid the healing process. If you come across this pick it up, it’s worth it.
We have 10 copies to give away to Australian readers – for your chance to win one tell us about your idea of “happily ever after”.
Good luck, competition closes 14th October 2010.
Win with Happily Ever After
10 Books to give away! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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