The Women Who Ran Away is a gentle, easy-read book that leaves you feeling empowered to take control of your own life.

A clever narration style introduces two women travelling to France for very different reasons. You know both have had relationship problems, but only as the story unfolds do you discover what these are and how they’ve impacted our heroines. You remain engaged in their story as the truth gradually comes to light and what the trip means to them individually.

Both women are likeable characters. Through a chance meeting, they get to know one another – and the reader is taken along for the ride as they work their way into each other’s confidences, flaws and all. Deira and Grace are dealing with heartbreak in two very different ways, and their spontaneous friendship may be the key for allowing both women to heal and move on.

It’s a road-trip type novel, full of descriptions of places clearly showing O’Flanagan did her research. But it’s also a story of learning to be true to yourself when life throws curveballs your way. It’s about acceptance and moving on, and these themes meant I found it an enjoyable and moving book despite the slow pace.

This isn’t the type of book that you can’t put down, but it is the type you want to pick back up to find where their journey takes them. A heartfelt tale showing the strength of overcoming obstacles when everything has fallen apart. I’d recommend this one!

I love Sheila O’Flanagan’s book and I was not disappointed by her latest books. I loved the plot and the two central characters in the story. I can’t wait to read her next novel!

Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book

Two women are on the same ferry to France and through a set of odd circumstances meet and then continue on the journey together. Both have problems to solve and come to the conclusion that two heads are better than one. It was all a bit cheesy and predictable but the details and descriptions of the places they went to/drove through are worth the stars alone. None of that could be faulted at all, but the women did jar a bit. This is a nice frothy read for anyone in the mood for something lighthearted

The Women Who Ran Away by Sheila O'Flanagan

Two woman who are making a journey for different reasons. Grace is a widow her husband has laid out a treasure hunt. Whereas Deira a very predictable and by the book woman. As she is let down by her cheating ex she decides to go to France on the holiday they talked about on a whim and let what happens happen. This book follows the women who meet quite by chance both are making a journey for different reasons though both want closure from their respective pasts.

I found this book hard to get into unlike some of the previous books I have read by Sheila Flanagan. Fabulous journey and scenery make you think your there.

I still unsure about Deira’s character but loved Grace and both needed the friendship of each other to get to the end.

The conclusion I made was every journey end in hope.

3.5/5

I really enjoyed this book, another great book by Sheila O'flanagan.

This books follows the journey of Grace and Deira, 2 women brought together unexpectedly both fighting their own emotional issues. You see their friendship develop and how they support each other as they get to know each other.
I have to admit, I found Deira quite unlikable at the start and even now I'm not sure quite what I think of her but I loved Grace from the start.

Over all a pretty good book, especially if you are a Sheila O'flanagan fan.

Absolutely wonderful story of friendship, understanding and how complex we humans are, I love Sheila O'Flanagan and her fantastic way of writing that draws you right in! And this is no exception!

The characters Grace and Deira join forces to solve a treasure hunt quest, after circumstances or fate meant their paths crossed.

The book was wonderful and the phrase that resonates the most with me was:

“One thing I’ve learned about life is that no matter how shitty a time you’re having, it does pass, and then you look back and say, that was a terrible week, or month, or year. But you’ve got to remember that it’s only a tiny amount of your whole life. It’s important to put it in perspective”

And that is so true, it reminds me of true friendships and the value of friends.

I started reading Sheila O'Flanagan novels in my early twenties and they were some of my favourite novels. I'd not read one for a number of years before chancing upon The Women Who Ran Away. I was initially sceptical as I didn't identify with the situations of the two main characters, but I needn't have worried.

Like with previous novels, I was sucked into to the story and couldn't wait to read more. It's an unconventional story, of two women from different backgrounds taking a road trip across France and Spain, but there's nothing Thelma and Louise about it. It's about learning about yourself, your strengths, weaknesses and past mistakes.

Who doesn’t love a Sheila Ferguson book.
Another great read
Great Characters
Great story as the two women Deira and Grace travel through Spain and France deciphering Grace’s dead husbands treasure hunt for her.
Thanks NetGalley

Something went wrong with my download, do so only have about 4 chapters. Idjudt got to meet Deira and then zGrace and wanted to be with them much longer

I went into this book having read Sheila's book in the past, so I had naturally high expectations, and I wasn't disappointed. The story flowed, and the characters were well rounded. I hugely enjoyed reading this over the weekend. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgallery for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review

Unable to review as document was not download in time and sent to my kindle.. Really sad as wanted to read, however have added to my wish list!

Thanks for the opportunity and approving me in the first place.

Astute, absorbing and impossible to put down, Sheila O’ Flanagan is sure to delight her legion of readers once again with her latest unputdownable page-turner: The Women Who Ran Away.

Deira has always played by the rules. A woman who believed in routine and regulations, she has never been particularly impulsive or impetuous – until her life changed overnight. Finding herself unexpectedly single and with no plan for the first time in her life, Deira finds herself compelled to steal a car and to drive to France alone. Deira has absolutely no idea what she is going to do once she gets to France, however, it is only by breaking every single rule in the book and by trusting in fate and not overthinking things that she can get the one thing she has always wanted – but only if she has the strength and courage to take a leap of faith and believe.

Grace has spent her entire life doing as she was told – which is why she finds herself reluctantly going on this journey. As always, this trip had been her late husband Ken’s idea and she is obeying his every instruction and doing his bidding – even if he is now dead! Grace would much rather be anywhere else than undertaking this trip, however, she hopes that this journey will help her to forgive him once and for all – and to let him go.

Deira and Grace find themselves being brought together in the most unexpected of circumstances. As a fast friendship is forged between the two of them in the beautiful countryside of Spain and France, Deira and Grace begin to unburden themselves. However, they soon discover that regardless of how far you go, the truth will always find you and force you to face the music – even if it is the last thing you want to do.

The Women Who Ran Away is classic Sheila O’Flanagan. Written with style, compassion and sensitivity, The Women Who Ran Away is a fantastic tale that manages to break your heart and lift your spirits on the very same page. Full of brilliantly drawn characters you cannot help but care about, The Women Who Ran Away is a story of hope, redemption and forgiveness from a master storyteller.

Feel-good, heartfelt and far too good to miss, Sheila O’Flanagan has got another surefire hit on her hands with her latest novel, The Women Who Ran Away.

Love Sheila's books, have read many of them in the past and always look forward to her new releases.

This was no exception. Well written and a love easy read. Would definitely recommend.

Things are not always as they seem. A n amazing story of love and friendship. I’d highly recommend this book perfect cozy night reading.

This was the perfect book to read in the cold, dark winter months. Full of sunshine and beautiful descriptions of France and Spain, intertwined with a lovely story of friendships and relationships and growth. I loved Deira and Grace and the journey they went on, both mentally and physically. The story flowed beautifully and had a satisfying end.
Thanks so much to netgalley, the author and publishers for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Sheila O'Flanagan is one of those authors that regularly appears on my lists of recommended reads. However, sadly I didn't really take to this. The story was interesting, but it was quite repetitive both in terms of the author keep reminding the reader of the back stories and also the plot as each leg of the women's journey was quite similar to the previous chapter/leg. This made it drag at times especially as it was also quite a long book. The theme of the treasure hunt made sense for the story and characters but (probably like Grace) I would have liked something less high brow that I perhaps could have tried to solve along with the characters. Overall it was an easy read just a bit slow paced and underwhelming.

Deira feels stuck in a rut after her ex cheated on her. They were going to go on holiday together, but now he has a different life.

She has to keep herself happy and still needs to find some way to move on. Will she be able to?

Gracie has just lost her husband. He left a treasure hunt for her.

When both women meet by chance on the ferry from Ireland, they share an adventure that neither of them will forget.....

The Women Who Ran Away is my first novel by Sheila O' Flanagan.

I was hooked from the start, absorbed in Deira's life decisions. I cheered her on as she took the decision to use her ex's car as her means of getting to the ferry port and her decision to move on and have a break (literally) made me feel she was going to be a book heroine. The way her thought process played out was incredibly natural.

On the drive to the port, I could not wait to find out what would happen next.

I was glad when she met Gracie and that she would not be alone on this journey although she had set out to go it alone (and I wondered how the book would have differed had she done so). It was exciting getting to know the two women.

The journey to the port and the whole adventure the book entailed made me think back to many a family holiday involving a ferry crossing. The stages of the crossing and the details of the interior of the boat were richly done and I felt as if I were accompanying Deira and Grace.

The book's scenic details become richer still as the pair journey through France and Spain. The sights, sounds and tastes of each country are very vivid. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and it shows that there's strength in friendship and that friendship can be found when you least expect it.

The pace was quick and laid-back yet detailed and the travel experience was immersive.

As the book progressed, it became clear that both Deira and Grace were heroines in their own right, and they had both been through a lot. I felt for them and felt they were brave and determined.

Thanks to Sheila O' Flanagan, Rachel's Random Resouces and Boldwood Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

Perfect escapism!

5 stars

In the same wonderful way as the blurb, the opening of the novel makes some facts very clear, revealing just enough to hook you into the story and wonder what has happened to cause Deira to run away alone. I completely felt sympathy for this character when she said “the last thirteen years of her life had been entirely wasted” as that’s definitely how I felt when my marriage broke down. We are then introduced to Grace, who is also travelling alone, and you can’t help but make comparisons between the two characters. Despite trying to create an uplifting tone to the narrative, with quotes such as a “perfect day to travel”, as a reader I couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding and worry about what lay ahead…

This has been quite a dramatic read. The narrative is driven mainly by the dialogue and interaction between characters, and this is definitely a stand out feature of this book. Through this, Sheila creates tension and drama but also provides a detailed backstory for the two main characters, allowing us as readers to have sympathy for them on some level. I definitely connected with the characters and at the really emotionally charged parts, I could feel myself choking up too. These are complex characters though, and they definitely have their flaws – as we all do!

Another aspect which drives the narrative is the quest to solve the clues and riddles left by Grace’s husband, Ken. This provides another layer of interest and tension to the story as we feel a little in limbo, like I’m sure the characters do due to their circumstances, and we never know which route the story, and their journey, is going to take next.

“You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another.”

This quote from the book seeks to highlight how the women are trying to escape from their previous lives, yes physically in terms of distance and a new setting, but also seeking a mental and emotional refresher too. This is something they really struggle with in the book. Can they work together and support each other to make peace with themselves and their past, in order to move forward into the future?

The book explores lots of important issues, and the characters ask questions of themselves when reacting to these issues, and this in turn makes us question our reactions as readers, too. I particularly liked the exploration of gender roles: these are examined in terms of intelligence, practicality, marriage and parenthood. This definitely provided me with some food for thought.

Overall, this has been an emotional and thought-provoking read, with strong and relatable female characters at the fore. I’ll admit that the ending was so emotionally charged and beautifully written, I ugly cried. This has been a wonderful introduction to Sheila’s writing and I look forward to delving into her extensive back catalogue!

I have been a fan of Sheila O’Flanagan for many years, so when given the opportunity to read and review her latest release I jumped at the chance.

Deira and Grace are separated by a generation in age, yet they find themselves united in their heartache and a shared disappointment in the men they gave their hearts to. Both women are embarking on an adventure, in both the physical and emotional sense, as Deira tries to accept the way in which her long term relationship came to a sudden end, whilst Grace is carrying out the last wishes of her controlling husband Ken who has recently passed away. Although these women are complete strangers to one another, they quickly become confidantes, and pull together in an attempt to solve the mystery left by Ken’s anniversary hunt, and in turn, they help one another heal from their pasts.

This book was an absolute delight to read. Sheila O’Flanagan has such a wonderful writing style, you find yourself well and truly immersed in the story and the characters lives as the story progresses. I loved the way in which both Deira and Grace were given such strong, unique personalities, and how their individual traits impacted on the story. Throughout the book, we get to learn more about both women, and get a deeper insight in to their relationships before they came to an end.

It is clear that the author has put a lot of time into researching the locations in which the characters visit throughout this story, as you really can picture it vividly in your mind and really picture the scene playing out before you.

I also have to add that I loved the fact that the characters were more ‘mature’ women, each with their own life stories to tell and experiences to share. There are certainly feelings that the characters portray, along with some of the situations they find themselves in that, as the reader, you can really relate too, which adds a whole new depth to this wonderful story.

A fascinating story about friendship, hope, and learning to love yourself once again, this is a book I found impossible to part with and will certainly be reading again in the future!.