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This book had a lot going on. Enya is a GP, as is her husband. They have a 16 year old son and the family is so very dysfunctional. Both Enya and Xander (husband) share a General Practice together. Xander is boisterous outside his family, needing to play the good guy and be loved by all. At home...he is a mean, domineering man. Enya is under his thumb--throughout the book I kept asking myself what a smart woman saw in a man like that and WHY she stayed as long as she did? She is constantly undermined by him and she has no relationship with their son. The book starts out with Enya driving in a terrible storm, thinking deeply depressed thoughts and driving up on an accident. Her 47th birthday upcoming, her moms death when she was 12, the situation at home. The novel has so much going on which in itself should make the story move. It is very slow and Enya is such a tragic persona for the longest time, that I am surprised that I stuck with it. I am rounding up to 3 simply because her other books were wonderful. I am essentially giving her a pass and hoping that the next one will be better.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary digital ARC. While I really hate leaving this review for one of my favorite authors, it is my opinion and my own words.

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I struggled with this book - I struggled to like the main character, Enya Pickering and was not sure I believed in her mental health difficulties tied into the death of her mother at 47.

I found the pace of the book quite slow and it was not until I was at least 75% through that I started to want to know how it would unravel.

The book deals with the issues of guilt, dysfunctional families, loss, superstition, making bad choices and dealing with the consequences - eventually in Enya’s case.

A uncomfortable book to read at times but one that left me thinking.

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I have read and enjoyed all of the books written by Cecilia Ahern so was really looking forward to this one. Enya is a GP who comes across an accident while driving back from a home visit in a storm. A young lad is badly injured and she saves his life.

Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. I found it repetitive and long winded. Enya makes some odd decisions, including ones made prior to the accident, namely putting up with her truly awful husband. I guessed the ending about 2/3 in.

I liked the character of Margaret, she was the most believable.

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I haven't read any books by Cecelia Ahern in a long time, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from Into The Storm. I really liked the folklore aspect of the book, as well as the rural Irish setting and portrayal of small-town life. The articles written by Enya's mother were a nice touch that really pulled the book together for me.
I did think the book was a bit all over the place, ranging from raw portrayals of grief and mental health struggles, to infidelity, deceit, and some quite scary situations. Overall though I would say these were handled well and linked together effectively. I found the twist a bit underwhelming, however I hadn't guessed it so that's something!
I would say my rating is a 3.5, rounded up to 4 stars. Not sure if I'd necessarily recommend the book, but I'm glad I read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for my advance copy - all opinions are my own.

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I enjoyed this book, I love the authors other novels and I thought this was a good one. Not the most memorable and not too much happens in the story but still a lovely read.

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I have always enjoyed books by Cecelia Ahern and haven't read one for a while, so was excited to read this new one. Although I did enjoy it - she does have a way of creating some great characters and setting the Irish scene so well - I'm sorry to say that this one didn't really hit the mark for me. I just found it quite repetitive and I don't feel an awful lot happened. What did happen, I did get into - I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be out driving in the storm the author described! - and I fully understood the emotions Enya was feeling with regards to her Mum and her next upcoming birthday - but just not enough really happened for me. Sorry, but just my opinion!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.

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I did enjoy this book. It was thoughtfully written and thought provoking too. I felt empathy for most of the characters but not all which was perfect! I did however think it was a little long and drawn out and I did guess the ending about two thirds of the way through.

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Read nearly all of Cecelias books and this one is as one of her best. The characters are strong and I found myself identifying with Enya regarding her struggles to fit in and cone yo terms with the difficulties in her life. This book is so good that I read it in one sitting. It evoked memories of my recent trip to Ireland.

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Late at night, just days before Christmas, Dr Enya Pickering stumbles across a road accident involving a teenage boy. This accident is the catalyst she needs to appraise her life and make some drastic changes.

I have a few Cecelia Ahern books on my TBR pile but I don't think I've read anything by the author other than her debut novel, the runaway success, P. S. I Love You. With that in mind, Into The Storm wasn't quite what I was expecting. Into The Storm is a very emotional read, it's not likely to bring you to tears but it will make you think about tradition, the cycle of life and the role of women in families.

Enya is married with a teenage son, she is a GP in a successful suburban practice along with her husband. Life would appear to be sorted, but since her 46th birthday in November, she has felt as if she has a ticking time bomb inside her. This stems from the fact that her mother died of a heart attack on her 47th birthday.

On a wet and windy winter's night, driving along twisty country lanes, Enya comes across the scene of an accident. The first person on the scene, a taxi driver, flags her down, asking for help. Enya is initially shocked as the victim reminds her so much of her teenage son, but her professionalism kicks in and she does her best for the boy until the paramedics arrive.

The accident is the impetus needed for Enya to evaluate her life, particularly her marriage, and make some drastic changes. Enya's husband was despicable, I honestly couldn't fathom why she had remained married to him for so long. He's one of those people who puts on a charming front but when there is no one else around he's spiteful and bitchy. Within the marriage Enya has always played the peacekeeper, giving in to her husband's demands.

When Enya walks out on her marriage she also walks out on her job. Luckily, she is offered the role of GP in a rural practice. The change from working in a busy town to life in a rural community is a culture shock. Initially, Enya is treated with some hostility as she doesn't understand the traditions the locals hold dear. Being a doctor, a woman of science, means that Enya is scornful of superstitious beliefs. This attitude is surprising given her childhood, her mother was a firm believer in the healing power of nature.

Enya is slowly accepted into the village, mainly due to the help of Margaret the property manager responsible for Enya's rented accommodation and the doctor's surgery. Margaret is my favourite character, a brusque woman with no filter. Over time we discover the brusqueness is a shield and that Margaret is consumed by guilt. Over the space of ten months the pair support each other, recognising the emotional trauma they are each struggling with. Secrets are gradually revealed, secrets that will have devastating consequences but also offer a chance of rebirth once they have been confronted.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc.

I normally love Cecelia ahern books but this one fell a bit flat for me, I think it was a bit wordy and long but I also didn’t really connect with the main character.

I would still recommend this book because I think many would enjoy it but I just didn’t have much luck with it.

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I have read other books by the Author and this was a very well written book.
It didn’t grab my full attention like some books with a urgency to get back to reading or finish the book, however I enjoyed the story and felt it was quite different from some of my recent reads.
It was thought provoking but not in an intense way and I felt the characters were realistic and I was able to build an image of them whilst reading.
I would certainly recommend it but couldn’t describe it as a gripping read

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I have read all other Cecelia Ahern books so I was thrilled to be approved for this ARC on netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book, like the author's other work, touches on delicate matters such as the death of a parent and the complexity of the grieving process. Enya is riddled with anxiety about her approaching 47th birthday because this was when her beloved mum died.

Parallel to this is the mystery of the perpetrator of the hit and run where Enya assisted and saved the victim.

This is not the author's usual style and though I enjoyed the book I prefer her other works.

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For a long time Cecelia Ahern was an author I purchased without considering the topic of the novel however lately I haven't enjoyed her books as much. Unfortunately this one was of that ilk. I really didn't find the characters likeable. They seemed very selfish and self centred or in some cases totally superfluous. I wanted to shake Enya and do something worse to Xander! I certainly wouldn't want either of them as my GP! The story itself was ok but all seemed a bit over exaggerated. Not one of my favourite reads I'm afraid.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

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I love Cecelia Ahern’s books and thoroughly enjoyed this one. Compared to her previous books it was a lot slower and in places made me a bit sad. I would definitely recommend it though.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reading copy.

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Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC of this book. I don't think I've ever been so conflicted about a book before, I would rate this somewhere between 2.75 and 3 stars.

I can definitely appreciate compelling and thought-provoking writing. I felt the depiction of mental was rather spot on! which I found relatable.

However,

I unfortunately found this to be cripplingly slow-paced. I was a good 65% in before I could say I maybe started to become invested. At some point, it started to feel a little bit repetitive with nothing actually going on and I found the ending rather underwhelming.

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I enjoyed Into The Storm, it had a mystery element to it as well which I liked. There was depth to the story with lots of layers and although there were lots of characters it didn’t feel confusing. I felt there were some twists and turns throughout which kept me interested. I took a real dislike to her husband. It’s amazing that this is Cecelia’s 20th book, what an incredible accomplishment. Into The Storm feels different than a lot of other books of hers, I enjoyed it as I like variety. I think some readers that maybe like to stick to one specific genre may not take to it the same way.

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A devastating read by the Queen of heartfelt fiction. Cecelia Ahern never fails to pull the heartstrings taut. Exceptional writing, stunning story.

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This book left me pretty torn, to be honest. I really liked the concept and it had a very strong start, but it got a little stagnant in the middle and I lost interest.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Into the Storm by Cecelia Ahern

Loved , loved , loved it !

It is a wild night in the middle of December, and GP Enya is crouched over a teenage boy, performing CPR in the rain.
The boy survives, but Enya’s life splinters in two. Trapped in a loveless marriage, the storm propels her to break free.
But even in the remote country town that becomes her sanctuary, Enya is haunted by the night in the rain.

I really felt connected to the character Enya , her character was believable , and I was really taken along with the story.
Another great book by this author.

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It is a wild night in the middle of December, and GP Enya is crouched over a teenage boy, performing CPR in the rain.
This one night is going to change Enya’s life forever, one thing after another !

I have been a huge fan of Cecelia Ahern for many many years. What I love about her books, is that each book has its own story, a story that you never know what direction the genre is going to take.

I genuinely was gripped by this book. Keeps you guessing that for sure! Definitely worth the read.

#netgalley #ceceliaahern #bookreview #arcs

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