Cover Image: Freckles

Freckles

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Member Reviews

Freckles is a book that I finished and couldn't decide if I liked or not. Upon reflection, there are many things to love about this book. The story is told by Allegra, a complex, socially awkward and possibly autistic young woman, searching for the mother who abandoned her at birth. She's a parking warden. And nude life model. Allegra is unintentionally hilarious with her caustic put downs and observations about people.

A yellow Ferrari owning idiot annoys her with his blatant flouting of parking laws. She takes pleasure in ticketing him - repeatedly. But when he (Tristan) angrily confronts her, something he says, makes her world spin on its axis. A business guru says we are influenced by the 5 people we spend most time with. Allegra is stopped in her tracks.

She doesn't have 5 people. She's lonely.

She wants to know more.

Who knew this one sentence would change her world forever.

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There were many reasons this book did not work for me. I have read the author many times in the past few years and usually enjoy her books. There was one surprise, though, I decided to stick with it all the way through to give it justice, and I think it had a very good ending. A learning lesson, if you will.
Freckles(Allegra Bird), as she calls herself, has had a disturbed upbringing; she has always found herself at a distance from those who are considered more mainstream. This has left her feeling like an underachiever, and it was almost painful to see the kind of experiences she puts herself through to reach a truce with herself.
She is leading a remarkably mundane life (or so we assume) when she is proposed an idea about the closest people surrounding a person influencing the way they are. The idea grips her like nothing before, and she sets out trying to make sense of her own list.
It is not a bad book, and her experiences are not to be scoffed at; they sound very realistic. I did not enjoy the reading experience because of all this. The lead character is not likeable, even with all the self-doubt and her growth arc was slow (even if it reached a satisfying conclusion). I have seen quite a few glowing recommendations on the blogosphere to know that I am probably just the wrong kind of audience for a book like this.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

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I love Cecelia Ahern, her books are so easy to get into and this was no exception. She does it again. I would recommend this author time and time again.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

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You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with. Who are your 5? Freckles, really made me stop and think about this. Who are my 5? And who do I want to be my 5?

Freckles, was a bit of a slow burner for me. I found it much more slower paced than Aherns previous works however I loved how it all connected up (much like the freckles) at the end and by then I must admit I shed a little tear. For although the book is slow paced the characters are wholly and wonderfully developed and I felt like I knew them all, even the side characters of the story. And so I truly enjoyed reading Freckles. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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Apologies for the late review, my review must not have saved.
I have enjoyed many Cecelia Ahern’s books but unfortunately this was not among my favourites.
To be honest, it was so slow for the first quarter (or more) that I’d have possibly DNF’d if I wasn’t reading it for Netgalley. The book got better but I never really connected with or cared about the main character.

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I didn't know where this book was going, but I felt oddly compelled to continue. And I am so glad I did. This book has really made me think about how your life is shaped, and how you and your life can be influenced without your realisation/intention. I thought the last few chapters tied everything together beautifully and think that it made some of the earlier struggles worthwhile. The fact that life is unpredictable makes sense when this story was being told, as I couldn't quite work out where the journey was taking us. The last chapter gained this book a star by itself because it was the turning point / stand out moment I'd been waiting for.

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Beautiful, beautiful story!
I’m ve read almost all of the author’s books and always looking forward to what she comes up with next. Freckles didn’t disappoint one second. I loved the interactions so much, the inner dialogue was perfect for a younger adult life Freckles and all her adventurous story to find herself and her life in a world full of strangers but also people close to her.
If you want to get lost in a great story , read this book!

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This was such a slow starter for me, it took me a while to understand where it was going due to lots of information at the start of the book. I also found it difficult to read as there were no speech marks to indicate when characters were talking. It was very refreshing reading a book about someone who has struggles and finds happiness in such an interesting way. It certainly got me thinking about which sum of 5 I would have. Overall, it was a fulfilling and uplifting book, I almost gave up on this one but I am very pleased I didn’t.

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Having enjoyed previous novels by Cecilia Ahern, I desperately wanted to enjoy Freckles. Freckles is the story of Allegra Bird, nicknamed freckles due to the constellations of freckles she traces on her arms. Allegra moves to Dublin to achieve her dream of joining the Garda however ends up becoming the “second best thing”, the local traffic warden. I won’t spoil the ending of the story by poorly retelling what happens or Allegra’s purpose for going to Dublin in my review but essentially, Freckles begins to re-evaluate her close friends and life after being influenced by ‘Rooster’, a youtube star she meets during her job.

Similarly to Cecilia Aherns other novels, Freckles is descriptive and fantastically written exploring identity and the relationship between friends and family. Freckles isn’t a particularly relatable character, she clearly struggles with her relationships and social interactions, she is quirky and different in her own way (aren’t we all!). Whilst this is part of what makes her charming towards the end of the book (which I thoroughly enjoyed) I found I initially really struggled to connect with the characters and engage with the storyline. Unfortunately, Freckles for me started as a “I really should try a bit more” book rather than one I just couldn’t put down. I was in the mood for an easy, effortless read and I think Freckles has a depth you really need to be in the mood for!

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Allegra moves to Dublin to trace her mother who gave her up at birth. She works as a traffic warden and life model. She isn't happy, and when Tristan suggests she finds the 5 people who have formed her life, she wonders if this is the secret to understanding herself.

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Great ending, not always a comfortable read! I spent much of this book feeling uncomfortable, not knowing which characters to like and which to dislike, which turned out to be a clever trick of the writer. No one is quite who they seem and that is part of the story.
The beginning both intrigued and troubled me, and the turning point came somewhere in the middle when the direction of the narrative became clearer.
There were situations and conversations which could have been written lightly and inconsequentially but Ahern does not shy away from the shadows and shame of life.
The final pages were the ending that this book needed, not the easy ending, not the sweet, saccharine expected ending but a triumph, a tying up of ends and a closing of doors.
Having never read Cecelia Ahern before I'm definitely going to explore more of this author.

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OUTSTANDING!
I LOVED this book with a passion.
I adore characters who struggle socially as they tend to be sensitive, clever and capable of teaching me, the reader, so much more about life and myself.
This is a life affirming and inspiring story, a warm embrace, a hand to hold and the resounding chance to join the dots and journey to the stars.
Freckles whose real name is Allegra Bird moved away from her childhood boyfriend, her father and the ferry to live in Dublin for a particular reason. She is searching for a very important person whilst patrolling the streets as a parking warden and sticking rigidly to her daily routine.
The characters sparkle with uniqueness, and their endearing flaws and slowly revealed back stories bring a mix of smiles and tears. I felt wowed and humbled, and basically just wanted to be Allegra's friend.
One person with a flash car gets right under Freckles parking warden skin and poses a question: who are the five in your life? She cannot shake off the growing unease that she cannot answer this question. It is so beautifully written that the reader is drawn into the same quest to reach a level of self belief that allows one to feel comfortable and happy in their own skin. I found myself trying to work out who my five are whilst willing Freckles/Allegra to realise the joy and genuineness of special people right in front of her.
Watered by tears, warmed by sunny smiles and tended to with care and consideration of those around her, Allegra really can blossom into the person she's always wanted to be.
You might have learned all about the constellations in our night sky Freckles, but fir me you were a constellation shining more brightly than any others.

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Freckles - Allegra Bird is defined by her freckles, she embraces them and indeed scratches between them, making star constellations. Her character will stay with you long after you finish the book, as she endeavours to understand her life and how she can progress.

She has been brought up by her dad on a little island off the coast of Ireland; she leaves home to find her mother who left her at birth. Her mother is Spanish and runs a hairdressing salon in the town. Allegra or Freckles works as a Traffic Warden and is very diligent about her job (how many of us dislike Traffic Wardens?); although she did always want to join the Garda.

She has a methodical life, gets up at the same time, gets same breakfast from same café and has the same lunch every day. During her working day, she finds herself constantly issuing tickets to the owner of a bright yellow Ferrari, a young entrepreneur in the gaming business. Whilst trying to placate Freckles, they build up an unlikely friendship, he tells her she is defined by the 5 people around her who influence her. She will be an average of the 5!

She is feeling homesick and worried about her dad, who is staying in his house alone too much and neglecting himself so she is trying to keep an eye from a distance as well as coping with her own problems.

This book was a joy to read, it's been a while since I last read a Cecelia Ahern book and this one did not disappoint. You will love the character that is Allegra Bird, the friendships that she makes and her whole outlook on life. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy.

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This book was all about finding out about yourself and loving yourself. Was hard to get into but I did in the end.

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I managed to get an audio version of this so I could listen to it to and from placement and it was a really nice and easy story to listen to. I haven’t read Ahern’s books in some years and my reading taste has changed a bit but I didn’t think this was as good as the others.

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📚 r e v i e w 📚
Freckles - cecelia ahern
Oh look its another of those books i requested an early copy of, never got to and ended up hiring the finished copy from the library instead. My bad. Only not really because my poor time management means i had the pleasure of experiencing this book on audio and there was something very special about allegra bird being given such a charming and endearing voice thanks to amy mccallister’s incredible narration.
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I’ve long been a fan of cecelia ahern, since a family holiday as a pre teen when one of the adults picked up a copy of where rainbows end at the airport to read by the pool, only i sort of stole it because i finished my own book. There is something very charming about the way she writes and this is no different. The fact that i listened to the audio just meant that charm was even more apparent. The city of dublin sparkled and the way amy mcallister voiced each character and brought our mc allegra to life was incredible.
The cover might make this look like a fluffy easy read but like most of cecelia ahern’s books, it has much more substance lurking under that pretty cover. This is a book about life and mistakes, its very existential. Which is very me.
Though there were times when allegra had me full on cringing and times where i was frustrated by her lack of growth, by the end all i wanted to do was give her a big hug and help her get her shit together. She was a really interesting character with a lot of depth but my god that girl can dig herself into a hole! Despite a few annoyances this was a truly lovely read and i’ll admit that final chapter did get me right in the feels 🥺
⭐️⭐️⭐️
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@netgalley @official_ceceliaahern @harpercollinsuk
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Oh my gosh, I adore Cecelia Ahern and have done since I read her very first book. I am so thrilled to be on the blog tour for this absolutely gorgeous book.

Cecelia writes beautifully and always, this book has completely transported me to the pages. This is a book I have been anticipating since I heard Cecelia talk about it at a Harper Event. I think I’ve sat and stroked it a lot since it arrived because I actually cannot take how gorgeous this one is.

This book has been really thought provoking, I’ve questioned who my five people would be. I’ve also considered how they make me who I am and where I’d be without them. I have adored this book from the very beginning. I have been pulled in and unable to put this one down. I have devoured this in one evening sitting.

This has been a book that I have loved! Cecelia has been on my list of favourites for so long, this is one of my favourite titles yet! This is refreshing and uplifting, added bonus is that it’s set in Ireland. I have loved everything about this book.

I’ve related to this book so much, it’s been refreshing that our main protagonist doesn’t have everything completely figured out! She is a character who doesn’t realise how fantastic she is and definitely one you want to be friends with.

This book is incredible and really special. I’ve been left smiling, this is without a doubt a five star read and one worthy of all the stars. A definite favourite and one I will be recommending to everyone.

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Freckles is a book by an author I haven’t read in a long while, it took me a little time to get into this but when I did I thought it was a decent storyline with an interesting main character.
Allegra Bird or Freckles to people she knows has left her hometown to live in the big city, Dublin. She has taken a job as a traffic warden and this she does well but she’s not there for the job she has a secret mission to complete, something she needs to do for herself but at the moment she hasn’t the courage to carry it out. She constantly tickets a yellow Ferrari and the owner gets a little heated with her and says something that sparks a lot of thought and determination. She lives above a garage and I’ll be honest I didn’t like the owner from the start and was correct not to.
This is an interesting journey you go on with Allegra and it had some good twists with a decent ending.
I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

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Cecelia Ahern is one of my favourite authors, and one of the things I love about her is how different all her books are. This one gave me strong Sally Rooney vibes with its lack of speech marks, and I also enjoyed the fact that the main character Allegra gave me sort of Eleanor Oliphant feelings too. Allegra is a parking warden in a Dublin suburb who, after a chance comment from a disgruntled person she has fined, realises that perhaps she isn’t okay with her life being not as full as it could be. Despite not necessarily having the happy ending you thought, this book made me cry at the end for all the right reasons.

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I absolutely loved this book, I could not put it down!
I felt it wasn't your "typical" book but that's what made it good.

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