Just a simple twist of fate and then.....
Cecilia Ahearn is a successful author who has written around twenty books. I had not read any of these books, as they are not in the genres that I usually read. I had a go at this one thanks to NetGalley, and I'm glad that I did.
Doctor Enya runs a thriving GP practice with her husband. She is discontented and this situation is worsened because her teenage son is distancing himself from her.. whilst driving her car in a torrential storm, she if flagged down by a taxi driver who has spotted an injured pedestrian. She stops to help and from this simple act her whole life begins to disintegrate.
The story is set in modern day Ireland but there are lots of reflections of the island's pre Christianity Pagan past..
This is an easy to read book that builds steadily in intensity throughout, with many twists and turns. All the main characters have some sort of psychological issues.
The build up culminates in a surprising and shocking conclusion.
It's well worth reading

The characters in this book are so believable, relatable and mostly likeable. Beautifully written, with a smattering of Irish charm.

Dr Enya Pickering is a complex character but I found myself routing for her in many ways.
Really good read and kept me guessing and doubting myself all the way through.

I'm thankful for the access forward the ARC provided by Harper Collins and NetGalley. Cecelia's work is always a favorite of mine, and I can't wait to delve into the story of Dr. Enya Pickering and the stormy night that changes her life. The character development is intriguing, but overall, I'm eager to see if the book exceeds my expectations. I'm sure fans of the author will find this an enjoyable read.

The blurb was really interesting but overall the story felt a bit flat. I didn't manage to get attach to any character and so, I didn't care what happened to any of them in the end. The writing style was good, but the way characters behaved made me lose interest in the story.

3.5

I have a chequered relationship with Cecilia Ahern's novels. Some, like her last, I really enjoyed and while Into The Storm isn't as bad as PS I Love You, it's not her best.

Enya Pickering is a GP, married to Alexander (Xander) and a son, Finn. One night she excuses herself from a dinner party to meet her lover but as she races home after the rendezvous she comes upon the scene of an accident. A young man lies, badly injured, in the road and a cabbie has flagged her down. She saves the boy's life but this episode sets off a chain of events that leads Enya farvfron her home, leaving her husband and son, to take over a practice desperate for a doctor.

But as she settles into her work she is hounded out of a peaceful existence by her own thoughts, the ongoing investigation into the accident, her husband, her lover, the cabbie and the presence of a rag tree in the garden of her rented home. All is certainly not as it seems in Abbeydooley or, indeed, in Enya's life.

The book is an easy enough read but Enya is quite unlikeable as a character. She is narcissistic and, for me, her "woe is me" attitude got on my nerves after a while. In fact the only character I did like was the straightforward Margaret who lives in the flat over the surgery.

There are several twists and turns but it was obvious to me quite early on what had happened. Still it was worth the read even if I did get annoyed with Enya quite a lot.

It does deal with some very weighty subjects including hit and run, drinking and driving, adultery and medical malpractice.

I’m a big fan of Cecilia Ahearn, I find her books so easy to read, well written and always well constructed. Into the storm was no different. Enya is a truly believable character who I felt such empathy with. Lots of twists and an ending that was very satisfactory. Worth a read, and a great holiday or weekend indulgence. Highly recommend.

When I was 16 my Mother, who I understood to be an otherwise fit and healthy 45 year old left one morning to go to work...she never really returned, dying that afternoon of a sudden and unexpected coronary.

Dr Enya Pickering, the lead character in this fabulous novel, was 12 when her mother died suddenly aged 47. I have a lot of resonance with some of author Cecelia Ahern's narrative, having too spent many years convinced that 45 would mark an end point for me...indeed I was almost 50 before I started counselling and realised that it was a number I'd passed, and eighteen years later continue to move away from (as does my elder brother, younger sister and until a few years ago my Father who lasted into his eighties).

Enya, now a married mother and GP had her 46th birthday shortly before the book begins. To say that it was impactful would be an understatement. The novel follows the breakdown of her life, of her social and family links as she relocates to central rural Ireland and tries to begin anew as she comes to terms with what life is providing her, rushing toward the brick wall certain knowledge that her time will soon be up because...yes it's illogical, yes there are no facts to back up the fear, yes it's stupid BUT...BUT...I have been there. I know how it messed with my head for a long time, and not in a positive way...Cecilia Ahern has been releasing novels for over twenty years now (her first PS I Love You was adapted into a movie starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler - not a bad start eh?). On her website she states..."The thread that links my work is in capturing that transitional period in peoples lives. I'm drawn to writing about loss, to characters that have fallen and who feel powerless in their lives"...well halfway in to "Into The Storm" she's succeeding in spades; - there's the social side, the controlling husband, the erratic demanding ex (who wasn't even a) lover, potentially dark secrets from her childhood, paganism, fabulously atmospheric weather, crazed acquaintances who might be friends, out there family members and other features but hey, I want to avoid spoilers, this is an excellent book with twists and turns to the end...get hold of a copy and read it before its coming out of a screen near you as I'd be surprised if it doesn't become a BBC Sunday Night drama, or take over ITV at nine PM for a week because it's that good...

"Into the Storm" is a multi-layered novel set in rural Ireland and focusing on troubled GP Enya Pickering. It includes a mystery, psychological drama, a controlling marriage, the realities of rural life, and so much more. At the heart of the novel there are friendships, family and some of the pagan beliefs followed by Bridget and Flora.

There are some wonderful and complex characters and a plot twist at the end. A really good, engrossing read.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Dr Enya Pickering is a local GP. When one stormy night she is stop by a traumatised Taxi driver on her way home. The man has come across a teenage boy that has been involved in in a hit and run. At first thought that the boy was her own teenage son, as he wears similar clothing. But then realises that he is a boy from her son’s same school. The boy is in a bad way and Enya must perform CPR on him until the Ambulance arrives.
After the event she is not only suffering her own issues, after witnessing that night but she is nearing her 47th Birthday. Her mother at the same age died and Enya worries that something is going to happen to her too. She also has problems with her marriage.
She decides to get away from the reminders and takes a job as a rural GP in the country. But her problems seem to follow her when the Taxi driver ends up in her new practice door. Saying that he is a suspect in the hit in run and can’t understand they are not looking at her too. Little does he know that she is hiding something from that night.
I have been a fan of Cecelia Ahern’s books for several years, so I was looking forward to this one. I found this to be so different from her previous novels. I liked the idea of this story but for me found the storyline to be very slow and the parts regarding Irish folklore didn’t add anything to it for me either to be honest. It is worth the read to see the authors work but not the nest for me. Sorry 3 stars.

I love Cecilia Ahern's books and wasnt let down by this one, Cecilia Ahern manages to draw you in and captivate you from the very begining. Enya was troubled, full on angst but likable and relateable to so many. Into the storm takes you down so many paths and tangles to keep you wanting more, it was so hard to put down and I loved it

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.