There is plenty to like in Cecelia Ahern’s latest novel from its eye-catching cover to the unique heroine that is Allegra Bird. Allegra, a parking warden, is a young woman who shines but who isn’t aware of how beguiling she is. She may not know where she’s going in life but following her journey is an experience to be cherished. Humorous, surprising, and illuminating, this is a novel to treasure. The opening paragraphs are fantastic, providing the reader with a wonderful description of how Allegra has come by the nickname of Freckles. Though she makes some decisions that didn't sit comfortably with me, I still found this a truly remarkable read.

Working in Dublin for Fingal County Council, Allegra is living in Malahide, a suburban village. She rents a studio flat owned by Becky and Donnacha who live in the adjacent mansion, and one day she slaps a parking ticket on a canary yellow Ferrari. The owner who she has encountered many times before returns and cursing, tells her "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." As a result, Allegra reevaluates her relationships and sets out to improve her life.

With its diverse characters and clever execution, Freckles has turned out to be one of my most entertaining and favourite reads of 2021 so far. Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HarperCollins via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

It took me a while to get into this book. The premise was super interesting (you are the average of the 5 People you spend most time with) but the execution didn’t speak to me as much as I thought.

Main character Allegra Bird was an interesting lead - I appreciated that she was on the nerd side and hadn’t got all her life already figured out, but she definitely wasn’t easy to love as MC I didn’t agree with most of her decisions throughout the book and at the end I was literally cringing and just generally a little ball of nerves 👀 The ending was satisfactory, but the journey to it… ugh 😩

‘You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with ‘ - who would be your five?
This refreshing story about human interactions certainly made me think about my connections in a different way. Allegra was such an interesting woman and it was fascinating to follow her on her journey of self discovery- full of self doubt she openly admitted what we all probably think at times, that she didn’t do the human stuff very well. Her relationships were so diverse and the other characters in the story so full of life which complimented/ contradicted Allegra at different stages of her story.

Cecelia Ahern is probably up there as one of the authors I have read the most from and I find her books that centre more on Romance are the ones I really enjoy. This wasn’t a romance one. Which is a completely personal preference but it does always correlate to how much I enjoy the book.

Allegra Bird is an interesting main character, she is not easy to like and she is socially odd. She made terrible decisions through most of the book and it just set my anxiety up to maximum. I couldn’t enjoy it because of the second hand cringe factor.

I didn’t enjoy reading this book. It was a quick read and I liked the way it all ended but the journey getting there was not fun.

An unusual heartwarming story about a young woman trying to trace her mother and all her hopes and fears
Really relatable characters

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

This is an enjoyable story that follows a young woman's mind through her day to day thoughts of how she is trying to find her place in the world. A very easy to read story that is told in a very simple yet intriguing way.

The character of Freckles (Alegra Bird) was probably my most loved aspect of this book. She is real. She is a kind and caring character, but has some unresolved issues deep down. I kind of got vibes of Eleanor Oliphant from Freckles? The story is told through Freckles POV which is always something I love. The lack of speech marks does take some getting used to but didn't bother me at all after the first few chapters.

Overall this was an enjoyable read. It was heartwarming yet emotional in places, and it really gives you food for thought. It is a story of self discovery, growth and the power of relationships.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and Cecelia Ahern for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review!

Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an e-arc of this book. I love Cecilia Ahern and the previous books that she has released however this was one book that i couldnt get into. i Managed 20% before i unfortunately had to DNF. In the future i will definitely try and read it again but at this time i had to put it down.

I struggled with this at the start and found the story hard to understand and get into. I found the characters difficult to read and wondered where the story was going.
As the story progresses I liked the idea of the search for a mum who had abandoned the character Allegra at birth and her search for the five people who make her who she is.
As the story progressed I began to like and understand a little more about Allegra and her circle of friends and enjoyed the last third much more.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ah Freckles – what an absolutely gorgeous story. I had a lump in my throat and damp eyes on more than one occasion yet found it to be a very hopeful and uplifting read. I felt like I could really empathise with Freckles – she was raised by her father, always felt a little off kilter compared to her peers and occasionally feels a bit at sea in her life. When a nasty comment resonates a little too much, she is challenged to think carefully about her life and who she has in it. She is pushed towards unpicking some difficult issues and really think about who she is.

What I liked most about this story was the easy way in which it was told. There were plenty of interesting characters who Freckles encounters in her daily life and who have their own storylines that evolve. Many of them are unpolished and have issues – they are not all glossy hair, perfect jobs and fat wallets. They felt like the sort of people you might encounter walking through a city.

It has been a wee while since I have read a book by Cecelia but Freckles reminded me why I love her writing. It is a story you can dive into with characters who get into your heart and form a connection. There are some high emotion scenes but these fit nicely within the overall story so you feel a rollercoaster of emotions and have a great time doing so. I was a little bit gutted when the book ended! A heartwarming read – highly recommend!

Just finished Freckles by Cecelia Ahern! How gorgeous is the cover! 😻😍❤

The book focuses on Allegra Bird, a parking warden who is on a mission! After meeting a guy called Tristan who is notorious for not paying for his parking she thinks about the 5 people around her who infuences who she to almost find herself.

I did not connect with Allegra and felt distanced from the book as a result. I did read it to the end though and I am so glad I did because it made the whole book worth it! If you need a nice heartwarming read be sure to check this out! Not only will it look beautiful on your bookcase it will make you reflect on those around you and appreciate what we have.

Thank you #NetGalley for an ARC in exchange of an honest review 🙂 xxx

What a read absolutly loved it.
I would recommend to others. I've loved previous books by the same author and this didn't disappoint. I never read the same book twice unless I loved it and I would happily read this one again.

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

this was overall an okay read. not my favourite book by cecelia ahern, even though it was different. the format was jarring but i got used to it. my main complaint is the pacing, the book dragged in parts that were unnecessary and i really wasn't enjoying it at too many parts of the book sadly. still a good read though and fans of cecelia ahern and unconventional formats would like it!

Thank you to Netgalley for my arc of this book!
For years I have loved Cecelia Ahern books so couldn't wait to start reading this but it fell a bit flat for me to be honest.
For most of the book not really much happened and couldn't really tell where some of the characters were going.
I found it hard without any speech marks so didn't realise people were talking at first which also made it hard for the story to flow.
When we got near the end and the characters came through, I really enjoyed it but the 1st three quarters of the book were a bit of a drag for me. Gutted.

Overall an okay read, not my favourite book by this author. Writing style reminds me of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, seems a little different from Cecelia Aherns normal books. Finding it difficult to write a review on this book without giving away any spoilers.

It's a good story and even if the tone is light there's a very sad undercurrent that made me feel for Allegra.
It's a book about discovering who we are and I liked Allegra's evolution and the changes in her life.
Cecelia Ahern is a talented storyteller and this story kept me hooked, I smile and was moved at times.
Good character development, an interesting plot.
I found it a bit slow at the beginning but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

After leaving home, her dad and her ex-partner with dreams of joining the Garda, things didn’t go as planned for Freckles aka Allegra Bird. Her application wasn’t successful so she takes a job that in her mind is the next best thing. A traffic warden.
In a heated exchange with disgruntled Youtuber Rooster, who is a frequent reoffender of not paying for the parking of his flashy yellow Ferrari, he says something to her that sets her on a path of discovery….”You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
Allegra cant get this quote out of her head and obsesses about it constantly. She realises that she doesn’t even have 5 people in her life and thinks that if she can find the perfect people to spend time with, it will solve all of her problems and make her into the best version of herself.
Although it is never referred to in the book, its very clear to me that Allegra is autistic. Cecilia has obviously done a massive amount of research as I recognised so many traits in her that my own son has.
A wonderful read, really heart-warming and emotional. Its very thought provoking…….who are your five?????

I was sent a copy of Freckles by Cecelia Ahern to read and review by NetGalley. This was a very enjoyable novel, with plenty of disparate characters. The protagonist, Allegra – aka Freckles, was at times difficult to like but I found myself compelled to follow her journey. This is a book about trying to find your very best self, aided along the way by the people who are closest to you. Whether you like the characters or not Cecilia Ahern is so adept at drawing out their different personalities and traits they become very believable. A must read for those who enjoy novels about relationships and above all what it takes to be true friends.

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” This is an insult that is thrown at Dublin traffic warden Allegra Bird by a yellow Ferrari owner called Rooster.

For some reason, this gets under her skin, and she spends her time evaluating her life and the people in it.
Growing up without a mother and what appears to be an eccentric father – Allegra, whose nickname is Freckles, goes to boarding school at a young age where each evening after lights out, she scratches Star Constellations on the freckles on her arms.

Leaving school with ideas of becoming a Garda, she fails the entry requirements and instead becomes a Traffic Warden, but always hankers after the law enforcing lifestyle, knowing that this is the closest she’ll get.

Allegra had a warm, but troubled personality, she appeared socially awkward at times along the lines of Eleanor Oliphant there something a bit quirky about her, but I couldn’t exactly put my finger on what it was, but she also drew you in as a character.

The story is told by Allegra, through her own voice which is more of a commentary as there’s no speech punctuation so at times, I found it really difficult to distinguish whether she was thinking something or actually saying it out loud, and then other people’s responses were confusing, but after a time you get used to it so it didn’t distract too much.

The descriptions of Ireland and especially the island in Kerry where Allegra is from was amazing, and I had to google it to see if it was as beautiful as it was described, and it certainly looks that way, that another place which will be added to my long list of destinations to visit in the future!

Thanks to HarperCollins, NetGalley and Cecelia Ahern for the ARC of Freckles.

When a stranger tells Allegra Bird 'You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.' - it hits a nerve. She's a parking attendant in a new city, has left her Dad and ex partner behind - and it makes her realise she doesn't even know who her 5 are, or if she even has a 5 at all!

A story of loneliness and self discovery, Allegra is an endearing and unique character who pulls you in on her journey to finding herself. Not a traditional love story that you may be used to from Ahern, there are some triggering content areas in this book such as self harm and drug abuse.

A different read to my usual but I a great alternative read.

Ahern at her finest. She is a master storyteller, that reels you in from the first page, delicately adding layers of context, subtlety and wisdom. I love her characters, warts and all and the relationship between them. And her stories are always original. Freckles, aka Allegra, is a bit eccentric but perhaps because she desperately wants to belong but cant figure out how. As a parking warden, she gets yelled at regularly and mostly shrugs it off. But this one time, the words get to her. "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." It becomes her mission to figure out who her five people are.

Allegra's journey is one of growth, figuring out who she is and who gives her meaning, but also about the power of relationships. Its clear Allegra is far from perfect, but she has so much charm and innocence and she is trying so damn hard to change. I was part of her emotional journey, from hope, to despair, to resurrection, and I didn't want the story to end. Beautifully written with nuggets of wisdom interspersed - I reserve my five star ratings for books that I will always remember.