Another great family drama by this author. She never disappoints.
This is an emotional story about grief and loss. The characterisation is excellent.

Five years have gone by since Eden’s husband died and she’s been left to look after her young daughter aided and abetted by Andy’s rather forceful family. The trouble is Eden would rather like to make her own decisions! This is very similar to others of the same genre: several hiccups, lots of walks up and down and round the garden until finally the predicted ending. All very pleasant but sadly not really the kind of book to linger in your head once finished. The chat/gossip between neighbours wasn’t interesting so I bypassed all that. There were lots of pages where nothing really happened but descriptions of various things which only added to the page count, not the story. Easy, uncomplicated reading and very suitable for a holiday.

"Five years after the death of her firefighter husband, Eden knows better than anyone that life can change in an instant. Now, instead of the future she had planned with Andy, she has Lila - the daughter he never got the chance to meet. And instead of Andy, she has his family.

Then Eden meets someone. Someone she knew before Andy, before Lila, before the tragedy. Someone who reminds her of how she used to be. But Andy's mother has other plans. And Eden is facing an impossible choice. One that could tear a family apart . ."

A brilliant family drama with included tragedy, sorrow, love, friendship and a coming to terms with a new life.
The characters were easy to like and I instantly wanted it all to turn out right for them, despite the hurdles they faced along the way. A beautiful telling of a simple story of finding yourself (and love) again but somehow Sheila O'Flanagan has made this book into so much more than that, and for that I thank her, plenty to think about.

This was my first time reading a book from the author but I am delighted to say I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading more books from the writer in the future!

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

Sheila O never ever ever fails me!

The first book of hers I read was 'Bad Behaviour' and just like this one, I couldn't put it down.

She has a great way of making the reader feel compelled and insensed on behalf of the characters and a way of redeeming even te worst characters in the most realistic ways.

I can't wait for whatever comes next

What Eden Did Next was another lovely book by Sheila O’Flanagan. Great holiday read that hooked me in. Definitely a five star read for me, I loved it. Loved the fact there was a Whats App group for the nosy neighbours of Sycamore Grove, how true to love that is!!

I love picking up anything by Sheila O’Flanagan because it is a guaranteed great read. The storyline will hook you in straight away each and every time. I have been huge fan for the last 20 years so thank you NetGalley and Headline Review for the opportunity to read and enjoy an advanced copy of What Eden Did Next.
This book stayed with me long after I had finished it because of how well the characters are developed throughout. The story was feel good whilst also being gripping. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to get lost in a good plot.

There is a reason that there are so many books written by Sheila O'Flanagan and that is because she is such an incredibly author who has a real skill, talent and expertise when it comes to writing romance fiction. This book is no exception and is a true testament to the writing skills of Sheila.

Been reading Sheila’s books for years
And this one is another great one
You will not want to put it down
Can’t wait for the next one
Thanks NetGalley

What a lovely book by Sheila O'Flanagan, never fails to please. This is the story of Eden whose husband Andy died five years previously and her struggle to carry on with her daughter Lila with the help of her husband's family giving her a reason to live. She takes on a job of caring for the elderly and meets a former childhood friend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the opportunity to read and review this book. Another great book by Sheila O’Flanagan with likeable characters and written In a warm and readable style. The story covers love, loss, family and hope! And it’s very enjoyable.

I'm a avid reader of Sheila's books. And yet again she dint disappoint. Set in Ireland as usual. Sheila's writing of the characters has so much depth and warmth. There is some heart break in there and happy endings. It was a joy to read and I can't wait for the next book.

What Eden Did Next is the 30th novel from Sheila O’Flanagan which is an incredible achievement. So many authors come and go but she has stood the test of time and her books have brought me much enjoyment over the years. I’ve read every single one of her books and whether it be curled up on the couch during winter time or spending an afternoon in the summer sunshine her books have taken me away from the world for several hours and provided much pleasure.This new book tells the story of Eden who has suffered immense tragedy in her life. At a very young age she lost both her parents in a car accident and even as an adult she feels guilt over the circumstances. Subsequently, raised by her Aunt and Uncle life growing up wasn’t all that easy having been taken from her family home and a friendship that meant so much to her.

Eden’s adult life has not been without trauma either as her husband Tony, a firefighter, died in a fire only two weeks after their honeymoon leaving Eden as a single mother to Lila who is now 4. No doubt about it Eden has been through the wringer and deep down although she wishes to move on she finds the past is constantly calling her backwards. She suffers extreme guilt that she is the one to still be alive and bringing up their daughter and she feels she owes so much to Tony’s family who supported her through the darkest of times. The book follows Eden as someone unexpected appears back in her life at a time when perhaps new avenues are tentatively opening up for her. Is she ready to embrace some happiness in her life and take the steps forward that she has been longing to make? Or is she forever bound to try and repay the kindness shown to her by Tony’s family?

Throughout the book, Eden writes letters to Tony and she has done so ever since he passed away. It’s like her coping mechanism to help her through the tough days and difficult and emotional situations that continue to develop. She takes comfort when the letters arrive in the post even though she knows the recipient is no longer there to read them. Her deepest thoughts are expressed in this manner as she feels she has no one around to confined in as to what keeps her awake at night thinking. Yes, she has Tony’s family but she really doesn’t want to admit everything to them. Ever since she was young, Eden had told herself that the only person she could depend upon was herself. She had never wanted to find a soulmate but then Tony entered her life and all that changed. But as with her parent’s life changed in an instant and the one she could depend on was taken from her.

Eden married young and is still young so there is plenty of opportunity to make a new life for herself but she doesn’t want to. To be honest when we first met Eden, I thought she was doing really well for herself. She had her job as a carer and her calligraphy work was also starting to take off. She seemed independent and wanted to make a good life for her daughter. She thinks she relies too much on her mother-in-law Valerie for childminding but who wouldn’t take up the offer when given the chance when she knew Lila would be looked after well. I thought Eden was so down on herself and it really related back to losing her parents and also how she felt when Lila was born. Yes, the death of Tony was horrific but it came across as if she was punishing herself. That she had to remain single and beholden to Valerie and her sisters-in-law. Their grief and control was preventing her from moving on. You could see she wanted to break free but duty and obligation kept her in a firm hold. She had retreated into herself following Tony’s death but you could see the further the story progressed that underneath it all there was a strong woman waiting for the go ahead to emerge and to stand up for herself.

When presented with a choice from Valerie, one which was in theory a great idea but in reality and when you got down to brass tacks it really wouldn’t have worked, well I just wanted Eden to stand firm and say no. But she seemed to hesitate time and time again and not just come out and be firm with regards to her decision. Instead of being pulled back by memories and having Valerie control her, I wanted Eden to move forward in a strong and solid way. That’s not to say she had to forget what Tony meant to her. Some very wise words from her Uncle towards the end of the book were perfectly written, inspiring and well considered and provide plenty of food for thought for both Eden and the reader.

It’s through her work as a carer that Eden is brought firmly back to the past and things in the present start to take a new and dramatic turn which is much welcomed by the reader. Caring for Elizabeth, who is 75 and recovering from a mugging, Eden arrives daily to Sycamore Grove. This street is where everyone knows everyone else’s business and chairperson of the residents association Krystle is at the forefront of it all and along with her fellow women residents they keep the WhatsApp burning at all times with their views on al the movers and shakers. Elizabeth is certainly not part of any of that but yet when someone moves into the house across the road of course her interest is piqued and in turn she gets Eden in on the action with her viewpoints. But for Eden things have got very personal as the new resident is non other than her childhood friend Rafe whom she was taken away from so suddenly.

Rafe is in a similar situation to Eden in that his wife died in tragic circumstances and now is raising Poppy single handedly. Rafe and Eden’s childhood friendship was intense and now in the present he is of the same mind as Eden in that he wishes to no longer get involved with anyone. His sister Petra puts him off at every turn as things start to develop in unexpected ways and similar to Eden’s in-laws, Rafe’s family pile the pressure on. You can tell both family’s are only coming from a place of good but really they should leave both Rafe and Eden forge their own paths be that sole or as a pair. For really, it’s so obvious the two need to be together. That connection that even though they were so young is not gone. It may have been forgotten for awhile but when Eden is with Rafe she is brighter, happier and there is a glow about her. The same can be said for Rafe. Although I do think although Rafe suffered he was more ready and willing to move on than Eden was.

What Eden Did Next is an easy book to read and I flew through it in two sittings. I enjoyed Eden’s story as the author captured perfectly how a mother deals with grief and how she was held back by memories and those that chose to control her. But Eden’s doubt won’t always be there and it was a pleasure to see how she went about instigating the necessary changes in her life in order to try and move forward. OK, this book won’t stay with me forever but I certainly wouldn’t miss out on a book by Sheila O’ Flanagan and I hope she continues to write many many more.

A brilliant read. Great storyline. I keep making comparisons to Maeve Binchy’s. style of writing. A story of lost love due to tragedies and the outcome. I would love to live in Sycamore Grove.

I’m always excited about a new Shiela O’Flanagan book. Even more so when I’m reading it before everyone else.
This is a beautiful story and Eden and her daughter Lila and how they are trying to live their life without Edens husband Andy who died while working as a firefighter before Lila was born.
Eden wants to move on with her life but Andy’s family have taken it upon themselves to try to protect Eden when she meets up with Her childhood friend Rafe.
I loved how this story showed how family’s come together to protect their own even when what they’re doing is really not always best for them.
I loved all the characters and really enjoyed the relationship Eden has with one of her patients Elizabeth, she’s everyone’s favourite pensioner.
A story of lost love and renewed passion, all set in one of my favourite place - Ireland.
Thank you Headline and NetGalley for an ARC another fantastic book.

It took me a little while to get into this book. Plot wise, nothing seemed to be happening. However, what the author was cleverly and carefully doing was laying out the thoughts and feelings of the main character, Eden, and I am so glad that I persevered with it as it is well worth reading.

It is very much a character driven novel and Eden was a delight to read about. She is caring and considerate of others despite having been widowed very young. Eden still chooses to see the best in people and in life in general. As a reader it was impossible not to become engrossed in her character and her circumstances.

Even though Eden is a rounded and well portrayed character, the author portrays the secondary characters with equal diligence and detail. I loved Elizabeth, who Eden is caring for, and Lila and Poppy were delightful children to read of.

Although this novel is about grief and how to move on, it is ultimately a heartwarming and uplifting story that gave me a little satisfied tingle as I read the final page. I absolutely will not be leaving it another decade before I read another book by this very talented author.

I loved this book. Eden is raising Lila alone. Her husband Andy died in a fire at work before Lila was born. Eden will always love Andy, but this is the story of her unexpectedly meeting her male best friend who she last saw when she was 10. Rage is also a single parent; his wife has also passed away. Both their families are against their relationship developing, but sometimes you can’t control who you fall in love with.

Another brilliant masterpiece by Sheila O'Flanagan. A story of loss, grief, love and family. At times sad but the sadness is soon lifted with the amazing writing of Sheila O'Flanagan.

We meet Eden and daughter Lila. Eden's husband and Lila's father died tragically and Eden's life has never been the same. It is fair to say that Andy left a huge hole in Eden and Lila's lives and Eden is still extremely close with his family and they have really been a pillar of support for Eden.

Eden then meets new neighbour Rafe, who is also suffering with personal life tragedies and a single father to his daughter. Eden and Rafe really hit it off but Andy's family are not impressed with this at all.

A very riveting tale that is full of amazing and likeable characters and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thanks to Sheila O'Flanagan, NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I'm a big fan of Sheila O'Flanagan's books and I'm always looking forward to reading her new books.
This book features the themes of loss, grief, families and when to let go of the past. It is a well written and heartwarming book.
I found the first part of the book to be a little slow, but then the pace picked up.
I liked the Characters of Eden and Elizabeth. They were both strong female characters, something that is a feature of Sheila O'Flanagan's books.
This was a very enjoyable read, and I definitely recommend it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.