The Book of Love

The book Of Love is a wonderfully romantic, absorbing and thought provoking book that I found hard to put down. It is definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time.

What stuck me most whilst reading this was how realistic the story seemed. Yes there are a few sugary sweet moments but they are interwoven with some of the normal highs and lows that any relationship faces. I found it quite emotional to experience everything alongside the couple and to see how love can change over the years.

The Book of love is a very interesting concept and I wonder if it’s one that is advised in marriage counseling or the like as it seemed to be quite effective. Communication can definitely be a problem in marriage and I think it would be a great idea to have somewhere both people could vent. I’m not sure I’d be able to write so succinctly when angry or upset though and would probably end up making the situation worse as a result, though maybe this is part of a learning curve towards better communication.

This book is very absorbing and I found it both fascinating and comforting to read a fly on the wall account of another couples relationship. There are lots of twists that were often surprising and ensured that I was glued to the page. However the charm of this novel is the way the author slowly develops the characters so that the reader gets to know them intimately. I felt truly invested in their relationship and their lives, feeling every high and low alongside them.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I’ll definitely be reading more from her in the future as I thought this book was superb! If you love absorbing, emotional reads then you’ll love this book.

Huge thanks to Harper Collins for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

Erin Fitzgerald and Dominic Carter got married in 1996 - they loved each other unconditionally and they're expecting a baby. Erin's father gives them a leather bond book - The Book of Love - to write down what they can't tell each other face to face. Each letter should end with a message of love. They're sceptical at first but then the book turns out to be pivotal source for their communication, to be a significant part of their lives.

You can't help but immediately fell for the characters, for their fates, for their feelings, emotions and unconditional love, and so, very quickly, you find yourself on incredible roller coaster ride through their lives, through the years they have to learn by themselves what life really is about. I experienced everything with them, I could feel their pain, hurt, uncertainty, love, hope and grief. The book offers us everything, through ups and downs, screw ups, struggles, heartbreaks and changes in relationships. All the characters are so well fleshed out, they're not perfect, they're full of flaws and secrets and they make mistakes but this only make them much more realistic and relatable. They're simply human - and after reading tons of books in my life I've learnt that it doesn't always work out for authors to create their characters this way, which only made me appreciate them even more. Each character in this book, no matter if the main or the background one, was authentic and genuine, in every detail and every gesture. The relationships between them - and there were plenty of them, not only this of marriage, but also of being a parent, sibling, friend - were real.

The story begins in 2017 and takes us back and forth through years, starting in 1996, and all those years are testimony of love. It moves smoothly between the timelines, and with ease, and there was maybe a moment or two when I shortly felt a little confused but quickly I was finding myself again on track. And I love the way it was written, as it really was full of surprises. When I was thinking that I know where I'm standing, where the story is going, then bang, and it was pushed in totally different direction.

The end made me really tearful. Such love, as this of Erin and Dom, it doesn't happen often, I think. You can love but there was such a special bond between them, a bond that was palpable through the pages and that I envied them so much. However, this bond doesn't mean that they didn't have problems communicating, because they did, there were things they couldn't tell each other face to face, and here comes The Book of Love, the gift Erin's father gave them at their wedding. Sometimes it's hard to speak up, to tell what's bothering you for fear what the other half may think of you and so Erin and Dom settled to write their deepest, most intimate thoughts in the book for each other. And it turned out to be a cathartic, emotional experience for both of them, and for us, readers, as well. What makes this book so exceptional is the honesty it's written with. Love is not only bed of roses, love can hurt, love means loss and grief and sadness, and the book mixes those moments perfectly with joy and humour and believe me, no matter how you're going to feel at the end, how much of a snotty mess you're going to be, it'll be an uplifting read that will restore your faith in love and friendship.

Lately we are literally flooded with descriptions of the books that shout "that final twist!" and that usually leave you lukewarm. Probably those that don't need such kind of advertising, that speak for themselves, are the best kind of twists - here, in this gorgeous story, I haven't seen the final twist. It just came and hit me hard on my unexpecting head and left me a) speechless and b) in tears - and this is what I call TWIST.

Fionnuala Kearney can write in such a gorgeous way - her writing style is flawless and effortless, of high quality and so chatty that when you start reading you simply can't put the book away. She captures all the insecurities and fears and the book is going to make you nod with understanding and agreement, to roll your eyes, laugh and cry. She, as not many out there, can describe human nature and the complexity of it with tons of sensitivity and understanding. "The Book of Love" was incredibly beautiful and brutally honest story of love, marriage and family. It has broken my heart, to mend it and to break it again. It was about forgiveness, showing how true love can knit people together in the face of disaster, tragedy but also happiness. Be prepared that you're going to be emotionally invested from the very beginning till the end. It was powerful and moving, uplifting and heart - breaking, mesmerising and enduring and I raced through the pages, though it is this kind of book that you also don't want to end. It was a complex and epic tale full of real people, real stories, real feelings. Deep and intelligent and so cleverly written, for sure my certain contender for the best read in 2019. And after reading it. this is what I call book - hangover. I loved it - mightily.

The Book of Love is such a beautiful love story following Erin and Dom’s romance which is told through alternating chapters which jump back and forth in time, we take a journey with them from when they first met right through their joyous highs and tragic lows. The chapters are told from both of their points of view so we get to build a perfect picture of both characters and their love for each other shines through as well as their insecurities.
I loved reading the notes that both Dom and Erin wrote to each other in their notebook, I did find it a little sad at first thinking that they couldn’t have the bond to be able to say what they needed to say to each other but if I really think about it there are things I hold back from saying for not wanting to upset my partners feelings or not quite knowing how to say it out loud and this is exactly how Erin seemed to feel.
I found this storyline quite emotional at times and the issues that Erin and Dom face over the course of their relationship are all things that unfortunately many couples face day to day in the real world. One particular part of the book concerning their daughter Maisie did bring a lump to my throat.
I was quite content reading this book thinking this is a beautiful storyline well worthy of a 4 star review but then I reached a part in this book that I wasn’t expecting and straight away that 5th star was awarded! I don’t want to say anything else on this part of the book and I really hope other reviewers respect this too and do not give anything away as having the author completely pull the wool over my eyes with not even a small inkling is not something that happens often so I want everyone that reads this book to experience that same shock when they read this part ( YES YOU WILL KNOW WHAT PART!)
This was a touching romance that will take you on a roller-coaster of emotions as you see the struggles that Dom and Erin face and yet their total love and devotion for each other will warm the heart.

So much thanks to Fionnuala Kearney and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read and review this book. I adored it. A book based purely on the act of love. What does love mean, how far can it be tested and survive. Erin and Dom are in love with their whole lives ahead of them until tragedy strikes. Will it bring them together or tear them apart. A tale of twists you won't expect, forgiveness and acceptance.

Fionnuala Kearney writes a mightily superb and moving story of love and marriage that is hugely memorable and profound, a novel that I cannot imagine anyone not loving to bits. A pregnant Erin Fitzgerald and Dom Carter get married in 1996, with hardly anyone expecting this hasty marriage to last. Erin and Dom may be from different ends of the social spectrum, but Erin loves Dom, and Erin is Dom's beloved Tree Girl, they see no obstacles that their love cannot overcome. Erin's father gives them a leather bound book of love, for the two of them to write down what they cannot face telling the other, always reinforced with messages of love to help them address their issues and sustain their marriage. At first, neither sees the need for the book, feeling that there is nothing they cannot tell each other. However, the book is to become a pivotal source for essential communication throughout their marriage.

Erin is anxious as a personality, she is not a woman for surprises, she has religious faith and her friends, Lydia and Hannah, and family are everything. Dom is more assured and confident, more laid back but religion is not for him. Through the years they have to learn to handle tragedy and the kicks in the teeth that life throws at them whilst bringing up their beloved children. There are the almighty screw ups, the changing nature of relationships, such as that between Erin and Sophie, Dom's mother. There are the struggles to forgive in the face of a heart that breaks, and finding the personal resources to endure when the world looks dark and bleak. The narrative begins in 2017 and goes back and forth through the years from 1996, and in those years the book of love is a record of their love, a treasure, charting the ups and downs of their marriage and family. It knits Dom and Erin ever closer in the face of calamitous events and issues, ensuring it is a vital avenue to get through to each other, a tangible record of how precious their marriage is, whilst highlighting how difficult communication can be, even when you have the book of love.

Kearney is a gifted storyteller, her writing has that effortless feel and quality, once you start reading, you will not be able to stop yourself from finishing the book as soon as possible. The characterisation of Erin and Dom is expertly done, they have their flaws, are so very human, and they and the supporting characters are drawn with subtlety and nuance. I emotionally invested in this brilliant and joyful roller coaster of a novel, and I could not help but feel tearful at the ending. Highly recommended and a must read. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.

If you read with your heart, as I always do, this book’s billing as “the emotional epic love story of 2018” might just already have caught your eye. Tag lines can sometimes disappoint – but most certainly not this one. I read this wonderful book in fits and starts to begin with, with all life’s interruptions, struggling just a little with its timelines and relationships between characters – emphatically my fault. But then I had the luxury of a long train journey, and an uninterrupted stretch of time to read the book to its glorious conclusion – and once I’d dried my copious tears and recovered my equilibrium, I really just wanted to return to the beginning and read it all over again, to linger over the parts I’d most enjoyed, to see why the book’s construction had worked so very perfectly.

The Book of Love begins in the 90s, the compelling story of the marriage of Erin and Dom, as life throws everything possible at them, testing both their powers of endurance and the strength of their love. The book of the title is a wedding present from Erin’s father – a notebook where they can record their thoughts for the other to read, whenever talking becomes too difficult. The idea of it is wonderful – the insights into the thoughts and real feelings of its writers immensely emotional, the emotions behind each piece so perfectly expressed in the “voices” of its writers, and as a device within the story (oh, that makes it sound so cold!) it’s absolutely inspired.

One of the author’s greatest strengths is in the creation of her characters – everyone within this book, however small their part in the story, was completely authentic in every detail, real people who behave and react in ways that real people do. The relationships – the marriage at its centre, the relationships with the children, the friendships, the lives of the extended family – were as real to me as my own experiences. Love can hurt, and there’s plenty of aching loss and painful sadness within the book’s pages – but there’s also the sheer joy of being party to this exceptional love story, the moments of ecstasy and humour to be found among the twists and turns of their journey through life, and the whole is an overwhelmingly uplifting experience.

Just a word about that timeline. This isn’t a story told in straight lines – it moves backwards and forwards in time, smoothly and with absolute ease. And I haven’t mentioned the words “gripping” or “absorbing” yet – but it most certainly is. There are points in the present when you think you have a grip on the past, and know where Erin and Dom’s story is going – but then another curve pushes you in an entirely different direction and you realise you’ve lost the path and have to think again. Its construction is incredibly clever, and confidently handled by an author at the height of her powers who holds your hand firmly and leads you every step of the way, and never allows you to stumble.

But that love – that mighty love – will clutch your heart, lift you up, break you, and leave you with a depth of emotion unlike anything else you’ll read. Don’t miss this one, whatever you do – its sheer power was stunning, and it was a totally unforgettable read.

(Review also posted on Amazon UK - link not yet available)

I am writing this immediately after finishing this book and there are tears in my eyes. Really, Fionnuala Kearney's publishers should provide tissues because I think every one of her books has reduced me to a blubbering mess.

The Book of Love is the story of Erin and Dom's life from when they first get married right up until - well, you'll need to read it to see when it ends. One of their wedding gifts is a leather bound gift from Erin's father, a book they call The Book of Love. They write in this book to communicate with each other when they have things they find it hard to talk about and they always end each entry with a reason why they love each other. Like any marriage, Erin and Dom's has its ups and downs and they have perhaps more to deal with than many marriages. Through their letters in the book, we learn just what their life together has been, the highs and the lows. The author cleverly hints at something major which has happened causing a rift between Erin and her sister-in-law and I was stunned when all was finally revealed.

There were so many times when this book emotionally moved me as I imagined how Erin or Dom was feeling. It was so easy to imagine their feelings as Fionnuala Kearnery writes so deftly and with such insight into her characters' emotions. Erin and Dom were characters I took to my heart despite their flaws and they were certainly not perfect. The last line, was so beautiful and so perfect that I think it has broken me, yet simultaneously it was so uplifting.

The Book of Love is a book I devoured in a couple of sittings and I savoured every beautiful word. Yes, even the ones which made me emotional. This is one of my top reads this year and I honestly think it is Fionnuala Kearney's finest book yet. It is insightful, beautifully written and a heart-warming affirmation of love. As Dom would most certainly say, I loved this book mightily.

A rollercoaster read of life and love


A heart warming, and at times sad, story of life and love, through the eyes of Dom and Erin. From when they met, got married and all the ups and downs (some of them dramatic) of everyday life.

This is a book of shocks and surprises as the reader discovers the lives of Dom and Erin, through their eyes, and divided into Then and Now. Dom and Erin are completely believable characters and as their relationship changes over time and with life's events, there is plenty of suspense as to what will happen next. The impact of mistakes they make, secrets they keep and the power of love are fully explored.

The time frame changes were mostly clear and easy to follow. There are some great ideas here about love and communication, and some very hard hitting themes about when life hits its lowest ebb. This is a wonderful book about life and love, not a fluffy romance.

5*s from me for this very strong, and emotional, look at life. I got to the end and gasped; during the book there were tears and smiles. I will definitely be re-reading some/all of this book. Brilliantly written. A story, and characters, that will stay with me for a long time.

There is a Q&A section with the author at the end, plus suggested questions for Book Clubs (contains spoilers).

Erin and Dom use the book of love to record their thoughts.

I'm not sure I can write a review of The Book of Love because I simply do not have the vocabulary to describe what an impact this glorious celebration of love in all its forms has had on me. I feel simultaneously broken, uplifted and so emotional I can hardly see the screen to write through my tears.

I thought all the characters were wonderful but it was Dom who appealed to me most. The intensity of his relationship with Erin, his flawed and realistic nature and his unfailing love meant he infiltrated my thoughts even when I wasn't reading about him. I ended The Book of Love feeling I had known Dom and Erin personally, shared the ups and downs of their lives and I wanted to hold them in my embrace.

The Book of Love is brilliantly plotted by Fionnuala Kearney so that the surprises on the way left me emotionally stunned. There are mysteries that unfold through magnificent storytelling. I genuinely gasped aloud a couple of times and occasionally I so wanted things to be different that my heart shattered. To have such a huge impact on the reader takes consummate skill and Fionnuala Kearney has it at its most wonderful. I can't say too much about the plot because I would hate to spoil the read for others. However, I would say; be prepared to invest all your emotions without your consent because once you're absorbed into The Book of Love your life, your heart and your very soul will not be your own. It's fair to say that Fionnuala Kearney not only understands humanity in its very essence, she knows exactly how to convey that essence on the page in The Book of Love.

I'm not going to say more because I don't feel up to the task of articulating what a wonderful, wonderful book this is. The Book of Love is compassionate, beautiful and raw. It touched me. It broke me and ultimately it left me feeling that, whatever life throws at us, love can and does endure. I completely and utterly adored The Book of Love - mightily!