All For You by Sheila O'Flanagan

All for You by Sheila O'Flanagan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 512

Publisher - Headline

Source - Gift from a friend

Blurb from Goodreads


As TV's favourite weather forecaster, Lainey is good at making predictions. But what she doesn't foresee is that her own life is about to hit a stormy patch. With a string of failed relationships behind her, surely history isn't about to repeat itself with her beloved Ken? To add fuel to the fire, her estranged mother announces that she's returning to Dublin. Deanna has always been dismissive of Lainey's choices - particularly in men. And Deanna's lectures are the last thing Lainey needs now.


Yet is there more to her mother than she knows? Uncovering some long-concealed family secrets, Lainey begins to reassess her life. Is the happy-ever-after she's always dreamed of really what she wants after all?



My Review

Meet Lainey, beautiful, successful, on tv doing the weather, educated in meteorology she is a really smart lady. Her mother is a feminist, famous and carving out her mark in the world and travelling all over to spread the good word, her and Lainey do not have the easiest of relationships. When it comes to Lainey's love life she has had two broken engagements and frets over her relationship with Ken and where is it going? All Lainey wants is to settle down with the man she loves, surely that isn't too much to ask?

Ok so lets start with what I did like, I love learning stuff in books, wee random snippets of info is always welcomed. Every chapter gives you a word relating to something to do with meteorology and what it means, first time I have had that in a book and I loved it. It isn't a subject I have given much thought to but to be honest, after reading the snippets I think I would pick up a book relating to it to learn a bit more. I liked her parents who although they didn't play a massive centre stage part but when they are in it they are lovely characters who helped shape Lainey.

What I couldn't get on with was Lainey's complete inability to see how fabulous she is on her own right. Every thought focuses on pleasing her other half or if something if blatantly the guys fault she blames herself. I think my problem is I have had personal dealings watching folk go through this type of behaviour and find it really upsetting and frustrating. You just want to reach into the book and wake her up! Reading it was very frustrating although it is testament to to the authors writing ability that she has captured it so well to evoke that response.

Her mother, Deanna, is frustrating for a very different reason, she goes the opposite way and is completely focused on the fight for feminism. Nothing gets in her way, I do mean nothing, and she has no qualms ramming it down folks throats. The two characters are worlds apart and I got annoyed in equal measures for very different attitudes and behaviours by the two. I did like when we flash back to Deanna's past and learn a bit more about her and why she became the way she did.

The writing itself is very easy to get on with, it was the characters traits and actions that I found really wearing. I am sure many people will get on well with this book however it just wasn't for me. This was my first time reading this author and whilst I didn't enjoy this book I would read her again as I think the presented issues was more my problem, 2.5 out of 5 for me.

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