This is the first book I have read by Sian O’Gorman, and as soon as I started reading I fell in love with her refreshing writing style.

Olivia is working in London as a PA to a financial genius – however the job is far from straight forward as her boss is temperamental and also seems to have a drink problem. After sticking with the job for the past ten years, Olivia can’t begin to imagine doing anything else with her life, let alone entertain the thought of returning to the village where she grew up.

When her boss is suddenly admitted to rehab, Liv finds herself with an unexpected five week holiday, and it seems to have arrived at the perfect time when her mother is injured and could really benefit from her daughter returning to Ireland to support her whilst she recovers. Liv’s best friend Roberto is constantly telling her that she has to do what makes her happy in life, but she has struggled to see the possibilities until now.

Upon her return home, she is amazed by how easily she manages to fit back into her old life in the tight-knit community, and on top of this, the freedom that her return has provided. She can now wear what she wants, and more importantly, spend time doing what she enjoys. Her return to the village seems to provide her with the push she needs to finally find happiness and to obtain the life she truly deserves.

Liv is one of those characters that you feel a connection to from the start. Despite the difficulties of her work life, she has remained a kind hearted woman who loves those around her dearly. The relationship she shares with her flatmate Roberto, who is also her best friend is heart warming and realistic, exactly what a close friendship should be with both supporting one another through all the obstacles thrown their way. I really enjoyed following Liv’s story as she came out of her shell upon her return to Ireland, I felt that this was truly the moment you got to see who she really was as an individual.

The storyline flowed beautifully from start to finish and was packed with heartwarming moments, alongside those that really tugged at the heart strings at times too. Dealing with some serious issues along the way, the author does a marvellous job and tackles these subjects with understanding and sensitivity. The setting is brought to life wonderfully and allows you to really get a sense as to what life would be like living within the village.

A beautifully written story that captured my heart.

The reader is instantly drawn to Liv, the main protagonist in this heartwarming story of love, life and second chances. Returning to her hometown, Liv finds the sense of community and completeness she's missed. Family secrets, friendship rekindled, and romance are woven into the plot making it an engaging read. It's about finding what makes you happy and being brave enough to follow your dreams.

The setting is intrinsic to the story. It's described with powerful sensory imagery that draws the reader into the world. If you enjoy heartbreak, happiness and soul searching, this story delivers them all beautifully.

I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Olivia is an Irish Woman living and working in London – a long way from her home seaside village. This seemed a poignant fact, when Olivia passes a cherry tree on her way to work and she mentions that it is the the only organic thing she sees on her commute to work! The descriptions of Sandycove were delightful; most appealing, and it was not a surprise for me, as a reader, that Olivia seemed to yearning after her birthplace. I loved the depiction of Sandycove as ‘a long curving line of shops, pubs and cafés’. What more could one want! Serendipitously (you could argue), Olivia ended up going ‘home’ for a month to help out her Mother. Early on, I felt curiously drawn to Olivia, and I also found I had a bit of a soft spot for her friend Roberto, such was the way that he was portrayed.

As Olivia flew into Dublin, I absolutely loved the idea of the piers of Dún Laoghaire ‘hugging’ the boats in the bay. Such understated, yet powerful imagery. As I previously commented, the village of Sandycove sounded lovely; it was described in such a way that it conjured up the most beautiful images in my mind and I felt compelled to google it, to see if it actually exists; I hadn’t even appreciated that Dublin (Sandycove is a suburb of Dublin) was anywhere near the seaside! I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Sandycove does indeed exist, and is a popular seaside resort. I can only comment that the author was nothing but accurate in her representation of this clearly popular retreat and I felt compelled to add it to my mental ‘to be visited’ list.

On arrival at her family home, the author described Olivia’s family home and I felt an immediate empathy for Olivia’s Mother, owing to the fact that there was a monkey puzzle tree in the front garden. I felt genuine monkey puzzle envy, owing to the fact that I love the look of these trees, even if it was actually described as a ‘crazy little tree’. Indeed I have been growing one in my garden (or trying to) for several years, and it seems to grow at a rate of considerably less than 1cm per year! Anyway, enough of my arboreal issues, and back to the book! I do find that empathising with the personalities in a novel correlates directly with your enjoyment of the book in its entirety, owing to the fact that you have a vested interest in the outcome of those characters. I felt confident at this point, so early on in the book, that my affinity to these main characters, augured well for the rest of the story.

Henry, Nell’s(Olivia’s Mother) partner simply exudes charm and sophistication, with a big helping of attentiveness, from the moment he appears in the book, to the extent that I can forgive the prickly handlebar moustache! It doesn’t take a lot to see why Nell appears to be fairly smitten with him! What’s not to like (apart from the prickly appendage)!🥸 When Nell said of Henry, ‘He’s brought a great deal of happiness into my life,’ I sensed such tangible joy, owing, I’m sure, to the intelligence and generosity of the author’s prose.

We initially get hints at first from Nell, about Olivia’s failed business making soaps and the like. It sounds like the kind of business that could thrive, especially in a touristy town, but something clearly went wrong. What is certain, however is that Olivia clearly doesn’t like talking about that time in her life; she immediately clams up when Nell brings the subject up, albeit briefly. Olivia is not alone in the ‘sore subject’ stakes, as Nell almost visibly recoils, when Olivia asks about the identity of her Father. One can’t help but wonder about the mystery shrouding the identity of Olivia’s Father, but that little touch of intrigue merely serves to enhance the reader’s enjoyment of the book as a whole – in my case at any rate!

Bronagh is Olivia’s long time friend. She seems to be almost bursting with ‘joi de vivre’ and as such, comes across as infinitely likeable. I loved the fact that the two women get together having not seen each other for some tiMe, and their friendship has defied time – they are as happy together and familiar with each other as if they had only seen each other yesterday. Their enviable friendship is a veritable tonic to the reader.

The more we see of Olivia, the more we learn about her life and her past. It seems such a shame that her skincare range didn’t turn out well, as the products sounded amazing. Olivia has been unlucky in love recently, but she comes across as such a genuinely ‘nice’ person, one can but hope that situation maybe resolved, but in sleepy Sandycove? I do have a theory about Sandycove. It is narrated in such a way, that one cannot help but be drawn into its inner workings and every day goings on. Similarly I suspect that a character such as Olivia will get inexorably drawn into village life, the longer she spends there away from her bustling norm, to the extent that there will come a time when she cannot bear to leave this new way of life. I loved the phrase about the tentacles of village life pulling Olivia in – this was exactly how her position came across to me, the reader. To be honest, seeing as how she hated her city job, I don’t think that being captured by the tentacles of village life would necessarily be a bad thing for Olivia long term. I did hold out great hopes for Olivia and Will, the village GP – such a catch – and then his ruddy ex wife turned up. I could but hope, as I reached the denouement!

I want a Jessica. I’m just putting it out there…….I did however worry that there was some thing dark going. With her partner – an element of mystery for the story.

Jessica works for Nell in her shop and she comes across as an amazing chameleon type character, who is instantly able to change her mannerisms to suit the ‘needs’ of each individual customer. She comes across as completely organised in her own life, and happy to help others; I need a Jessica in my life!

Fate finds Olivia charged with organising the Midsummer Festival for the village, with just three weeks notice and it is a testimony to her that she seizes the task at hand and throws her all into it.

There is a wonderful sense of community in Sandycove, an example being when James the delicatessen needs to be at home with his dog, and the whole village rallies around to keep the shop open. Such wonderful camaraderie, all to rare nowadays.

The tagline for the book suggest that you need to learn to love yourself first before you can truly love another. I felt that the book owned the statement. This was a wonderful story, built around that line and I find it difficult to come up with the words justified by such a fabulous read. Please read it for yourself, to fully understand what I mean: https://amzn.to/3nQWuJ0.

I really could not praise this book enough, and I struggled to put it down; it was bright star in a stellar library of books, shining out stronger and brighter than all the other novels. I think what may just quell my sadness at coming to the end of this book, would be a sequel, defining the next chapter in Olivia’s life.

#netgalley #boldwoodbooks

Life's What You Make It by Sian O'Gorman

After 10 years living in London, Olivia returns to the coastal village of Sandycove in Ireland to look after her mum for a few weeks. She quickly becomes involved in village life again and starts to have doubts about returning to London and her horrible job, especially when she meets handsome doctor Will.

I loved this story so much - what a fabulous cast of characters and such a brilliant setting. Please can I move to Sandycove?!! The book reminded me of a Maeve Binchy novel - such a warm read of families and friendships in a small community, but dealing with difficult issues too. Very highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel.

Warm, witty and astute, Life’s What You Make It is the absorbing new novel by Sian O’Gorman perfect for fans of Cathy Kelly and Sheila O’Flanagan.

Liv O’Neill had left the picturesque Irish village of Sandycove for a career in the big city. Having spent ten years working hard in a City firm in London, Liv finds herself returning back home to look after her mother who has had a fall. Going back after a decade away from Sandycove gives Liv the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and family. Liv is surprised by how much the village has changed and by the thriving community of artisan shops, delis and cafes that immediately pique her interest. But Sandycove is like any other other place with its own demons and ghosts – as she discovers when she finds herself compelled to confront what had driven her away to London all those years ago…

As the weeks go by and Liv begins to feel more at home, life at Sandycove becomes more and more appealing – especially when she finds herself crossing paths with a handsome young doctor she simply cannot stop herself from thinking about! As her life in London begins to lose its lustre, will Liv’s return home prove to be a permanent arrangement? Will she lay old ghosts to rest and build a new life for herself in Sandycove? Or will the past end up pushing Liv away from Sandycove for good this time?

Sian O’Gorman’s Life’s What You Make of It is a lovely book to lose oneself in. A gripping yarn about finding yourself, going back home and taking charge of your destiny, Life’s What You Make It sparkles with heart, ingenuity and humour and will delight readers of women’s fiction with its beguiling blend of colourful characters, delicious wit believable drama and searing emotion.

A book sure to make readers laugh and cry, Sian O’Gorman’s Life’s What You Make It is an absolute winner that is hard to resist!

This was my first book by Sian O'Gorman and I immediately fell in love with her writing style, the setting (a small villige at the seaside near Dublin) and all the lovely, quirky, big-hearted characters Sian O'Gorman created in her Life's What You Make It.

Olivia O'Neill is working in London as a PA of a highly-strung, overdemanding financial genius with a drink problem. She's been doing it for ten years and cannot imagine going back to the tiny village where she was born and raised by her mum. Then suddenly her boss is sent to a rehab clinic and Liv gets an unexpected five week holiday to go back to Ireland and help out her mum who's had an injury. Liv's flatmate and best friend Roberto keeps telling her that she needs to find what makes her really happy and make her life the life she deserves, but up to now overworked Liv's never had time to see the big picture.

Once she is back home, she is amazed at how easy it is to step back into her lovely, close-knit community and how right it feels to finally allow herself to do what she likes, wear things that she likes, and care for people around her. There's a mystery of her own family to uncover, there are a few adorable pets, the village gossip to catch up on, the best friend to help, a festival to organise, possibly an old business to revive, and …a handsome man tofall in love with. Liv may have lost the sight of her own unique personality and her own dreams, but here she gets a second chance at living the best life possible and finding her happiness.

Liv's a very likeable protagonist. She is sweet and considerate (despite feeling guilty for living too far away from her mum to be able to see and help her often enough). Loved her friends Roberto and Bronagh-so different and so much fun to read about. There is a whole cast of wonderful secondary characters that make you feel welcome in their village. There are also a few bad apples that create the tension and drama, but there is a great sense of confidence that whatever life throws at you, you are not helpless, you can choose how to deal with it.

I really enjoyed the setting- sun, salty air breeze and seagulls, lifelong friendships and family connections, old memories and new experiences that link you together. This was an enjoyable read, sweet, optimistic, heart-warming, and fun, and I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from this talented author.

Olivia has been working in London, in a challenging job, with a challenging boyfriend, but with a brilliant friend and housemate. Her mum needs her at home, to help with her shop, and suddenly she finds herself on a plane back to Dublin and the seaside village she is from. Reconnecting with her past brings many surprises and allows her to create her future.

This is a gorgeous book to read this summer, full of hope, warmth, self recognition and self belief. Sian's writing flows beautifully, the characters easy to relate to, understand and imagine.
Really interested to read more from Sian O'Gorman.
Thank you to NetGalley for the early read.

A nice, quick, easy book, perfect for a relaxing summer read.
Enjoyable characters, beautiful settings, a cozy community (and a cute dog), surely you won't need anything more. Happy reading (I'm sure you will!)!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the perfect summer read ! A wonderful atmospheric setting of Ireland on the coast. The author has captured the culture, people and scenery perfectly to transport you to this wonderful village. Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher for the ARC. My review opinions are my own.

Liv O’Neil returns to her home town of Sandycove to help out her ailing Mother. Liv has a full life in London with a fabulous career, friends and activities . She finds upon returning she is enjoying Sandycove for the small warm welcoming village it is. Lilv finds herself reconnecting with her Mother, childhood friends and soon is making life decisions that offer her a second chance at a happy life.

I loved the charcters, the setting of coastal Ireland and the emphasises on family . This was such a enjoyable relaxing read that I highly recommend for your summer reading. Well done to the author.

This is my first Siân O’Gorman book and I did enjoy her writing style. It is easy to follow along and is well-paced. It's a story of love, friendship, family and hope. It was easy to like the characters and to wish the best for them.
The story is set in London, England and Sandycove, Ireland. The written descriptions of both locations was well done and really provided a real-life feeling. As a reader from the other side of the world I was able to place myself there and see what the characters in the story were seeing.
Unfortunately, I can't give more then 3 stars for this book. I'm happy that so many other people enjoyed it more but it just did not hit the 4 star level for me.

Thank you so much to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving the opportunity to read and review this book!

This is my first book by this author. The cover of the book initially attracted me as it just looked the perfect read for this time of year. The story is based in a little seaside village in Ireland and immediately the location capture the essence of the book. Focusing on Liv O’Neil, she returns to her home town of Sandycove to help out her mother after a fall. Liv obviously has a very stressful job in London, but returning home she realises how much she has missed, not just her friend’s and family, but the more laid back and less stressful life that Sandycove has to offer.

I really liked Liv's character and felt I could relate and connect with her straight away. All the supporting characters were also so likeable and showed how close knit the small communities and villages are. The storyline flowed along nicely, capturing and holding my attention throughout. It’s most definitely a book of new starts, second chances and finding a life which you are happy with. The storyline is emotional but light hearted in equal parts with a strong emphasis on family, friendship and, of course, someone to love. Would definitely recommend!!

A nice easy read set mainly in a small village named Sandycove on the Irish Coast.

Olivia (Liv) lives and works in London. Working as a PA for a far from nice woman her highlight and savior is her gay best friend/ room mate Roberto. He is a delightful character! Their interactions and texts had me smiling and even laughing quite a bit!

When Liv’s mother has an injury and something happens to Liv’s boss this leads to Liv going home to Sandycove to help her mother with her shop. Once there Liv quickly discovers a very different life, slower paced, yet also much fuller as she is suddenly part of a whole community again and there is quite some drama when Liv is not only concerned with her own life.

At home in Sandycove Liv reconnects with her mother and best friend Bronagh and meets lots of other really nice people and starts to enjoy this different type of life and wonder whether she even wants to go back to London.

The highlights of the book:

✅ a very like-able main character

✅ really funny gay best friend

✅ lovely beach town in Ireland

✅ small and tight knit community

✅ friendships

✅ family

✅ romance

✅ cute dogs


This was the first Siân O’Gorman book that I have read but I enjoyed both the story and the writing style so much that I will be reading more.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Liv lives in London with her colourful roommate Roberto while working for an over the top aggressive boss with a drinking problem. When her Mum calls needing help while she recovers from an injury, Liv is lucky enough to have everything about her life in London change, allowing her to go home to Ireland and help her Mum.

The characters in this book are wonderful and you can’t help but like the good guys. Liv’s community is close knit and I truly enjoyed seeing how they get along and pull together when they are needed. I want to live in a place like that, which shows what an excellent job the author did in creating the characters and the setting. There are some heartwarming moments and some funny moments.

This is a warm, beautiful and fun book that makes a great beach read. Many thanks to Boodwood Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC.

I discovered this wonderful author last year when taking part on a blog tour and jumped at the chance to read her next release.

A story set between London & Sandycove in Ireland and once again I loved it, the location was gorgeous and the descriptions really captured the spirit and bought the location to life.

I quickly liked Liv as a main character as she returned for a short break to Ireland to help her Mum run her shop. She was downtrodden when she arrived back home but she was instantly portrayed as kind and caring which just became more evident the more I read.

The essence of the story is about not giving up hope and I loved the different directions lives took as we read and got to know these lovely characters. I loved the romance that jumped from the pages and how a little self belief created such a fire in Liv's belly.

A wonderful story rich in love and friendship and that I loved from cover to cover.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Liv, come home to a Sandycove, lovely village to look after her mother, whose had a accident.

Catching up with her friends and family, she’s surprised by what she sees around her, Sandycove’s thriving community with its shops, delis and cafes. Thinking this is not how it was when I left.

The life in the community seems to be making her question what is what that she had to leave this place.

Will Liv be able to level her past, present and future?

Will she find a place where she’s happy about the life she really wants to lead with the help of a doctor, whose very handsome?

Now, she’s thinking is the life I was living better or does what happened in her family’s past, make her prepare for a new future….

Recommend It.

After Together Forever and Life After You, I was pleased to recieve the ARC of Life's What You Make It.

Liv O' Neil works and lives in London and she has her good friend Roberto but she is stressed.

When her mother has a fall, she finds herself back in the Irish seaside town of Sandycove. The town is quaint and I love how Siân O' Gorman creates it and the characters.

I love the Siân O' Gorman books I have reviewed so far and want to get more books by her.

Thanks to Siân O' Gorman, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4.5 stars.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. An apt title for this book as it is quite appropriate for these troubled times. Great storyline, great characters and basically a really nice read.

I received an advance copy of, Life's What You Make It, by Sian O'Gorman. I love books that are set in Ireland, and this is a good one. I loved the characters, and the setting.

What a wonderful and inspiring book! There are two sentences that absolutely were resounding with me. You choose what makes you happy, change your life and put on your crown. If you don't change your life, circumstances will change your life for you. With the exception of Roberto, Olivia lived a despondent life in London. She went to Sandycove, understood her self worth and became alive again. As a result, she met her true love and fought for what she deserved. Highly recommend.

Liv is stuck in a job she hates, finds out that her fiance has cheated on her, and is wishing she could go home to the lovely village of Sandycove to be with her mother, who has had a fall. With her boss away in rehab, Liv heads home and quickly becomes aware that she has been missing this community, friends and family, and hope for the future.