Book Review - This Charming Man

This Charming Man by Marian Keyes
Released 5th March 2009
Paperback 912 pages
Publisher Penguin
Rating 4/5
Source Borrowed

Summary...

Lola has just found out that her boyfriend - charismatic politician Paddy de Courcy - is getting married. To someone else. Heartbroken, Lola flees the city for a cottage by the sea. But will Lola's retreat prove as idyllic as she hopes?

Journalist Grace wants the inside story on Paddy de Courcy's engagement and thinks Lola holds the key to it. Grace knew Paddy a long time ago. But why can't she forget him?

Grace's sister, Marnie, might have the answer but she also has issues with the past. Her loving loving husband and beautiful daughters are wonderful, but they can't take away memories of her first love: a certain Paddy de Courcy. What will it take for Marnie to be able to move on?

Alicia Thornton is Paddy's wife-to-be. Determined to be the perfect wife, Alicia would do anything for her fiancé. But does she know the real Paddy?

Four very different women. One awfully charming man. And the dark secret that binds them all...

My thoughts...

Marian Keyes is one of best selling female authors and is the person who inspired me to write. I heard her say once "Everyone has it in them to write a least one novel." However, in all these years I had never got around to reading any of her books until a friend let me borrow This Charming Man. 

Given her reputation I expected a classic 'chick lit' story, and I am pleased to say that I wasn't disappointed.

The story focuses around four very different women and their relationships with Paddy de Courcy. Lola, Grace, Marnie and Alicia have all been captured by politician Paddy's charm, only to be tossed aside when he got bored leaving them all scarred and tormented. For each of the women, Marian took on a different writing style, if that is the right way to put it. You could instantly tell which character was currently narrating the story by the way in which it was being written. 

So many different authors tell a story from different character angles, but very few will change the writing style so dramatically. For me, this is a skill that so few have and one that really made this book work.

I will admit, that I did struggle to get into the book at the beginning. I can't quite put my finger on why, it could just have been me, but once I sat down and concentrated I literally couldn't put it down. 

The story has so many twists and turns, that it is impossible to even attempt a guess at how it will end. Anyone who follows me on Twitter will know that even I had it completely wrong as at one point I likened Paddy to Christian Grey from the Fifty Shades trilogy. With his obvious sex appeal, charming mannerisms and interest in kinky sex, how could you not link them? As the story develops there is more to Paddy than meets the eye and I will guarantee that you will be left shocked, and thats without even mentioning the "trannies"!

If you are looking for a page turning chick lit book, then this is for you. I am so pleased that I have been introduced to Marian Keyes and I cannot wait to read more of her books, from what I can see, I have missed a lot.

Until next time, keep reading x

Do books change the way we live?

You hear and read all the time about how television, films, music and video games affect people and they way in which they think and live, but I have never heard that say about books. Why? Book's have just as much power, if not more, over people, so why do we never discourage people from reading a book because it will influence them in some way?

The reason I ask, is because recently a very close friend of mine changed her whole life after reading a book. The book in question... Fifty Shades of Grey. She had her own home, a comfortable job, in a stable relationship and was planning her wedding. She thought her fiance was everything that she wanted in a man and was preparing to settle down with him and spend the rest of their lives together.

Fifty Shades of Grey changed all of that.

Ok, well maybe it wasn't 100 per cent the books fault. But after reading the book, seeds where planted and she found herself with the realisation that she wanted more from life, wanted to travel, move, try a new career and more importantly she wanted to be with a man who wanted to do all of those things with her and more.

The reality was that he didn't want to change any aspect of there lives and he was happy being who he is. Refusing to compromise, she now finds herself as a newly single woman with a stack of CV's ready to send down to London.

Like millions of women around the world she wants to find her Mr Grey. Her's is a  man who will treat her the way that she wants to be treated, will help fulfill her adventurous side and support her in reaching for her dreams.

As a friend, I will support her with all of the decisions that she makes, but deep down I know that Mr Grey doesn't really exist. Just like men and romance in films, the reality is always very different. But, hey, that's life!

I am sure there are women all around the world who have changed there lives after reading a book, but this was my first hand experience that I wanted to share. For me, this story proves how insanely powerful books can be, which is why I love them.

Now back to reading A Charming Man x