I’ve never read a Cecelia Ahern book before and, to be honest, I struggled with this book. I didn’t particularly like Enya and didn’t like her actions throughout the book.

I’m undecided how I feel about After the Storm.

I have enjoyed the book and found it hard to put down as I was so engrossed in the story. However I feel the story lacked surprise even the though I was often held in suspense waiting on a plot twist to unfold.

The story is beautifully written especially with the relationship between the main character and her mother and how she feels connected through her mother’s literature.

Overall I really enjoyed this read but I was left a little disappointed 3.5 ⭐️

I've read a lot of Cecelia Ahern's books so I was incredibly excited to receive an ARC copy of Into the Storm from Netgalley. However, to say I was disappointed is an understatement to say the least. The premise of the book was a great idea but the execution left something to be desired. I'm not sure if my expectations were too high but I felt that much of the book was confusing and very slow paced. I was left with a feeling that the story wasn't quite finished? Maybe that's what Ahern wanted...I don't know. I do think that Ahern managed to capture the struggles of mental health with a startling clarity which I do think some readers will find triggering or difficult to deal with. Personally, I couldn't connect with the articles written by Enya's mother, I felt like they detracted from the main story, although I am fully aware that might just be me. I did love the inclusion of folklore but I also felt like it didn't quite gel with the rest of the themes within the book. My favourite character had to be Margaret with her sarcasm and humour, I think she was a very relatable character. All in all, this is an okay book and I'm sure that many people will love it. It just was a little disappointing for me.

Overall: 4 ⭐️
Plot: 4💫
Characters : 4💫

I loved the journey Enya Pickering took in this read. From a high powered Dr to a women who’s live is crumbling around her can she fix it or will she let it consume her? I felt like I was inside her mind and really felt the conflict inside her.

Enya finds herself saving a young boys life one stormy night, a boy the same age as her teenage son and this is her breaking point. She decides she needs to make a change because how can she help people like her patients and her own son if she doesn’t fix herself first.

A story full of lies and paranoia.

Cecelia Ahern was one of my favourite authors as I entered adulthood so I was truly blessed to be able to read this as an ARC, thank you @netgalley thank you Cecelia and the publishers. 💖

Into the Storm centres around Enya, a GP whose life spirals after encountering a tragic road accident. The event forces her to confront her fears—particularly the possibility of dying at the same age as her mother.

I found this to be a thought-provoking read, admittedly perhaps the twists weren’t particularly a huge surprise. As always though, I loved her descriptions of Ireland. I can always picture her settings in my mind - it’s like I’m there.

When your mum dies at a relative young age and you're whole life changes. Leaving your home and trying to fit in with dad's second family. Enya and Flora choose very different lives.
An road accident changes everything, bringing out Enyas fear that she will die at the same age as her mum did.
Complex and based in pagan ceremonies that celebrate the earth and nature.
The mind can decieve even the most educated people.

I haven't read a Cecilia Ahern book for a while and this is very different to the previous ones I've read.
The main character, a GP called Enya, comes across an RTA on a dark stormy night in December. A teenage boy is badly injured and she saves his life.
The cause of the accident is a big theme in the book, and various characters are under suspicion. They are all linked with Enya.
I did enjoy this book, but it felt a little all over the place and not a great deal happened.

Thanks for Net Galley and the publishers for this advance copy. I love Cecelia Ahern books and this was very different from any of her other books I have read before. This had more of a dark atmospheric feel to it which I really liked. Into the Storm begins with us meeting Enya the MC who is driving home in a storm when she comes across a taxi driver flagging her down for help. A young boy has been hit by a car and as a Dr she gives him life saving CPR. The book then explores the fall out from this with lies and secrets spiralling out of control. The book also explores Enya's relationships with everyone in her life including her son, late mother and husband. After the accident she takes on a new GP role in rural Ireland where she tries to learn and confront the truth amongst the paranoia that is plaguing her. I enjoyed this book and will be recommending to others

This book had a lot going on. Enya is a GP, as is her husband. They have a 16 year old son and the family is so very dysfunctional. Both Enya and Xander (husband) share a General Practice together. Xander is boisterous outside his family, needing to play the good guy and be loved by all. At home...he is a mean, domineering man. Enya is under his thumb--throughout the book I kept asking myself what a smart woman saw in a man like that and WHY she stayed as long as she did? She is constantly undermined by him and she has no relationship with their son. The book starts out with Enya driving in a terrible storm, thinking deeply depressed thoughts and driving up on an accident. Her 47th birthday upcoming, her moms death when she was 12, the situation at home. The novel has so much going on which in itself should make the story move. It is very slow and Enya is such a tragic persona for the longest time, that I am surprised that I stuck with it. I am rounding up to 3 simply because her other books were wonderful. I am essentially giving her a pass and hoping that the next one will be better.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary digital ARC. While I really hate leaving this review for one of my favorite authors, it is my opinion and my own words.

I struggled with this book - I struggled to like the main character, Enya Pickering and was not sure I believed in her mental health difficulties tied into the death of her mother at 47.

I found the pace of the book quite slow and it was not until I was at least 75% through that I started to want to know how it would unravel.

The book deals with the issues of guilt, dysfunctional families, loss, superstition, making bad choices and dealing with the consequences - eventually in Enya’s case.

A uncomfortable book to read at times but one that left me thinking.

I have read and enjoyed all of the books written by Cecilia Ahern so was really looking forward to this one. Enya is a GP who comes across an accident while driving back from a home visit in a storm. A young lad is badly injured and she saves his life.

Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. I found it repetitive and long winded. Enya makes some odd decisions, including ones made prior to the accident, namely putting up with her truly awful husband. I guessed the ending about 2/3 in.

I liked the character of Margaret, she was the most believable.

I haven't read any books by Cecelia Ahern in a long time, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from Into The Storm. I really liked the folklore aspect of the book, as well as the rural Irish setting and portrayal of small-town life. The articles written by Enya's mother were a nice touch that really pulled the book together for me.
I did think the book was a bit all over the place, ranging from raw portrayals of grief and mental health struggles, to infidelity, deceit, and some quite scary situations. Overall though I would say these were handled well and linked together effectively. I found the twist a bit underwhelming, however I hadn't guessed it so that's something!
I would say my rating is a 3.5, rounded up to 4 stars. Not sure if I'd necessarily recommend the book, but I'm glad I read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for my advance copy - all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book, I love the authors other novels and I thought this was a good one. Not the most memorable and not too much happens in the story but still a lovely read.

I have always enjoyed books by Cecelia Ahern and haven't read one for a while, so was excited to read this new one. Although I did enjoy it - she does have a way of creating some great characters and setting the Irish scene so well - I'm sorry to say that this one didn't really hit the mark for me. I just found it quite repetitive and I don't feel an awful lot happened. What did happen, I did get into - I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be out driving in the storm the author described! - and I fully understood the emotions Enya was feeling with regards to her Mum and her next upcoming birthday - but just not enough really happened for me. Sorry, but just my opinion!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.

I did enjoy this book. It was thoughtfully written and thought provoking too. I felt empathy for most of the characters but not all which was perfect! I did however think it was a little long and drawn out and I did guess the ending about two thirds of the way through.

Read nearly all of Cecelias books and this one is as one of her best. The characters are strong and I found myself identifying with Enya regarding her struggles to fit in and cone yo terms with the difficulties in her life. This book is so good that I read it in one sitting. It evoked memories of my recent trip to Ireland.

Late at night, just days before Christmas, Dr Enya Pickering stumbles across a road accident involving a teenage boy. This accident is the catalyst she needs to appraise her life and make some drastic changes.

I have a few Cecelia Ahern books on my TBR pile but I don't think I've read anything by the author other than her debut novel, the runaway success, P. S. I Love You. With that in mind, Into The Storm wasn't quite what I was expecting. Into The Storm is a very emotional read, it's not likely to bring you to tears but it will make you think about tradition, the cycle of life and the role of women in families.

Enya is married with a teenage son, she is a GP in a successful suburban practice along with her husband. Life would appear to be sorted, but since her 46th birthday in November, she has felt as if she has a ticking time bomb inside her. This stems from the fact that her mother died of a heart attack on her 47th birthday.

On a wet and windy winter's night, driving along twisty country lanes, Enya comes across the scene of an accident. The first person on the scene, a taxi driver, flags her down, asking for help. Enya is initially shocked as the victim reminds her so much of her teenage son, but her professionalism kicks in and she does her best for the boy until the paramedics arrive.

The accident is the impetus needed for Enya to evaluate her life, particularly her marriage, and make some drastic changes. Enya's husband was despicable, I honestly couldn't fathom why she had remained married to him for so long. He's one of those people who puts on a charming front but when there is no one else around he's spiteful and bitchy. Within the marriage Enya has always played the peacekeeper, giving in to her husband's demands.

When Enya walks out on her marriage she also walks out on her job. Luckily, she is offered the role of GP in a rural practice. The change from working in a busy town to life in a rural community is a culture shock. Initially, Enya is treated with some hostility as she doesn't understand the traditions the locals hold dear. Being a doctor, a woman of science, means that Enya is scornful of superstitious beliefs. This attitude is surprising given her childhood, her mother was a firm believer in the healing power of nature.

Enya is slowly accepted into the village, mainly due to the help of Margaret the property manager responsible for Enya's rented accommodation and the doctor's surgery. Margaret is my favourite character, a brusque woman with no filter. Over time we discover the brusqueness is a shield and that Margaret is consumed by guilt. Over the space of ten months the pair support each other, recognising the emotional trauma they are each struggling with. Secrets are gradually revealed, secrets that will have devastating consequences but also offer a chance of rebirth once they have been confronted.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc.

I normally love Cecelia ahern books but this one fell a bit flat for me, I think it was a bit wordy and long but I also didn’t really connect with the main character.

I would still recommend this book because I think many would enjoy it but I just didn’t have much luck with it.

I have read other books by the Author and this was a very well written book.
It didn’t grab my full attention like some books with a urgency to get back to reading or finish the book, however I enjoyed the story and felt it was quite different from some of my recent reads.
It was thought provoking but not in an intense way and I felt the characters were realistic and I was able to build an image of them whilst reading.
I would certainly recommend it but couldn’t describe it as a gripping read

I have read all other Cecelia Ahern books so I was thrilled to be approved for this ARC on netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book, like the author's other work, touches on delicate matters such as the death of a parent and the complexity of the grieving process. Enya is riddled with anxiety about her approaching 47th birthday because this was when her beloved mum died.

Parallel to this is the mystery of the perpetrator of the hit and run where Enya assisted and saved the victim.

This is not the author's usual style and though I enjoyed the book I prefer her other works.