I have read quite a few of Cecelia Ahern's books but this one.... I'm sorry to say I just could not get into it - I found it very slow and with no defined storyline and I just kept wondering where on earth it was going. Sorry to say I did not finish it :-( My thanks to netgalley an erc of this book in return for my honest opinion!

A gorgeous book. Never have I wanted to give a character a hug so much!

Freckles is everything I wanted in a story right now.

I enjoyed Freckles. Ahern is one of my 'must-read' authors, and so I just had to grab a copy of Ahern's latest when I saw it on NetGalley.

Freckles had an interesting, charming, character driven storyline where most characters all developed and interwove nicely. However, it did leave me with a few unanswered questions! I flew through this story in a couple of days and definitely may have also had a wee cry at the end. It's not perfect, but it is a super easy read for when you need a break from intense novels or real life..

3.5 stars, rounding down on this occasion.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins and Cecelia Ahern for an eArc copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Now I am a HIGE fan of Cecilia Ahern and am proud to say I have read every single book she has published since I was a teenager so it really saddens me to say I just didn't like this one 😣

Whilst I loved the whole idea of the neaurodiversity and socially awkward character... it confused me an awful lot and I struggled with the different writing style that the author used.

Thank you to netgalley and Harper Collins UK for the ARC.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

It is a strange relationship I have with Cecelia Ahern. I do love the stories she creates (PS. I love you, Love, Rosie) but I am not a huge fan of the writing itself. It took me a little too long to get into the story and I was not excited to pick it up every time I had to stop. The story follows Allegra Bird (Freckles) and her very ordinary life which is about to change when she asks herself a question: who makes me who I really am?
It is a great story about friendship and finding yourself but not exactly my cup of tea.

Cecelia Aherne is back with another beautifully crafted novel. I've read a couple of her books and I have to say this one stood up well against the others.

Its set in Ireland as usual and follows the story of Allegra Bird, a girl covered in freckles that she inherited from her Dad. She never knew her Mum and is searching for connections with people, especially as she lives on a small island. It's when she moves to Dublin she finally finds herself through family and friendship. It's a lovely book full of warmth and hope and I definitely recommend it.

Thanks to Cecelia, Hodder and Netgalley for the ARC.

I have read a lot of Cecelia Ahern books in the past but not her most recent works, so to receive this from NetGalley was an absolute treat! When I started the book I couldn't help but notice that this was a complete departure from what I am used to reading by this author and, I will admit, it took me some time to adjust. However, I did really enjoy this book once I was about 50% of the way through (which might be too late for some) I found it thought-provoking and although none of the characters are particularly likeable, they do feel very real. I needed tissues at the end!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Really warm and enjoyable read. I loved the world building and the characters in Aheen’s novel. I’ll definitely look out for more of her work in the future too. I did have some issues with the preview copy as the pages were a bit muddled and duplicated in places which made it hard to read.

Such a heartwarming coming of age story. I absolutely loved Allegra. It took me awhile to get into it but once I did I really enjoyed it. This book hits a soft spot for me I am from Kerry and love seeing depictions it in literature. It's such a beautiful place.

⭐⭐⭐ ✨(3.25/5)

[ad • review copy]
Received via NetGalley.

'You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with'

Allegra, nicknamed Freckles, lives a well-structured life. She knows where she should be at each time of the day, and knows who she will encounter, but one day someone unexpected says a phrase that will lodge itself firmly in her mind. Suddenly, Allegra is thrown off course and becomes determined to find out what this phrase means for her. Along the way, she will learn about herself, the people around her, and will finally have the push to do what she has intended to do since she left her family home.

I have loved Cecelia Ahern novels in the past, so I was really excited for this one, and I was slightly surprised by it. This novel was not exactly what I expected, but it was an enjoyable read. Once I got into it, I liked following Allegra on her journey and rooting for her to find the answers that she needs.

Although the central message is a key element of the novel, I did find that I could predict where we would end up fairly early into the novel. However, this didn't take away from the central message, or particularly from the path of the plot, and I think that this message makes for interesting thought and a wholesome feel.

Allegra herself was a curious character to me. She reminded me a bit if Eleanor Oliphant, and it took me a bit of time to feel like I was understanding her, but like Eleanor, I did feel that she became endeared to me.

Additionally, I loved some of the themes in this novel. In particular, I liked the exploration of social media and its relation to struggles with comparison. This links to some of the characters struggles to have their lives sorted and together, and this was very relatable.

The end of the novel was sweet, and I liked how the threads of plot were tied up. There was one thread that I would like to have seen a bit more of, but we can't follow everything too far.

Overall, I did have some mixed feelings about this novel, but I did like it and it has a strong, central message and explores interesting topics that I liked to see in the plot.

I struggled to get into this book, but persevered and finished it which I’m glad I did. I did enjoy the last 50% of this book but found the main character very chaotic and I couldn’t warm to her at all. I like the idea of the 5 people theory and this book made me think about that.

I loved this, very emotional as I have come to expect from Ahern. This is a writer who's books I just always have to read. A lovely story.

As soon as I saw that Cecilia Ahern had a new book out, I had to get my hands on it. She was one of the first authors who got me into reading as an adult and when I read something of hers, it’s comforting and feels like going home.

Freckles was no different.

Now, it did take me a while to get into this one as I wasn’t quite sure where the story was going or what was going on. But once everything began to fit together, that sense of home and comfort I mentioned earlier washed over me.

Allegra Bird, AKA Freckles, AKA parking warden of gorgeous coastal town Malahide, needs routine, she needs structure oh and she doesn’t do so well socially. One day, she meets someone who completely throws her off her axle when he tells her that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with.

She can’t stop obsessing over this and begins a journey to figure out who her 5 people are.

You can’t really go wrong with a novel by Ahern, so if you’re looking for something heartwarming and comforting, this will do the trick. The characters felt realistic, there were some laugh-out-loud moments and the ending was my absolute favourite part of the whole book.

4.5⭐

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this ARC from NetGalley and Pigeonhole.

This was a lovely read about Allegra and how she gradually finds her place on the world and her people.

I enjoyed this. I’m not the biggest fan of Cecelia normally but loved the contrast of settings in this. I really liked and rooted for Allegra and was pleasantly surprised overall.

Not the kind of book I have come to associate with Cecelia Ahern. I really couldn't connect with the neurotic Irish traffic warden at all. Sorry.

Freckles is the nickname given to Allegra Bird. She is a parking warden who takes her job very seriously, and when she hears the quote, "You are the average of the five people you spend most time with" she decides to revaluate each of her relationships. the consequences of which are detailed in the story. It is both sad and heartwarming, a little slow in parts but I did love it. Thank you to Cecilia Ahern, Net Galley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Allegra is a bit of an odd character, definitely on the spectrum, but it is an interesting story of her trying to find herself. A bit slow to start with but worth persevering with

2.5. I liked the concept of this book, but it didn't really do it for me in the end. You're drawn into Allegra's world and she is entertaining at times. It did remind me a bit of Elemor Oliphant is Completely Fine, but nowhere near as memorable. I seem to have a love hate relationship with Cecelia Ahearn. I've loved a lot of her earlier books but there have been a few that i really didn't rate. Freckles is one that I won't be reaching for again, unfortunately.