Ebook: Also available as a paperback 322 pages.
Genre: Contemporary Womens Fiction.
Publisher: Cupid's Arrow Publishing (24 July 2011).
Source: From the author in return for an unbiased review.
First Sentences: I am officially fat. Rachel Jenkins surveyed her naked body critically in her full-length and rather unforgiving bedroom mirror, and made a silent promise to herself that she would join a gym immediately.
My Opinion: Lyrical enthusiasm for the beauty of Ireland has encouraged me to want to pay a visit.
Earlier this year I read and reviewed Unfaithfully Yours when I ended my review by saying that 'Ms Clancy has more to offer as a writer I feel, so it will be interesting to see how her writing develops.' After reading Unforgettable Embrace I am still of the same opinion. I felt this novel had potential but somehow it just did not work that well for me. Some aspects of the storyline did not go into enough detail and yet other parts of the book were over detailed making it read at times more like a tourist guide.
It is well written and I feel that Joanne Clancy has the
potential to write much better novels than this one. I will read more of her
novels given the opportunity as I will be interested to see if this happens.
The first part of the novel
felt a little unexciting in the way the author described her protagonist’s long
term relationship falling apart, once Rachel got the travel bug it was more interesting. Her restaurant descriptions and lyrical enthusiasm for the
beauty of Ireland has encouraged me to want to pay a visit. However surely that is not the intention for the novel to read a little too much like a travelogue and restaurant guide. I am also wary of the accuracy of the descriptions as I was very disappointed to notice that Newquay in Cornwall was referred to as New Quay, a basic error showing poor research and editing. I think the novel would have worked better for me personally while reading it if the suspense and romance had taken priority.
At nearly thirty years of age the protagonist Rachel and her long term boyfriend decide that they no longer want to be together. It is not as easy as she had hoped to make a fresh start and after a few disasters with dating she decides that more serious action is needed to find herself a new life. She gives up her job and her home and sets off on a tour of Ireland in an old camper van on a voyage of self discovery. The storyline then becomes a little erratic and confused as Rachel seemed to keep changing her mind about what she wanted, or to much travelogue jumped into the plot. Anyway she gets into a tricky situation unbeknown to herself, the suspense is never fully developed but it is eventually resolved. A reasonable quick read if you like romance and some sexy scenes mixed in with travel of course.
Book Trailer - No spoilers
Author Profile
Joanne Clancy is from County Cork, Ireland. She is an avid reader,obsessive writer and a self-confessed Kindle addict who loves tea.
Joanne is the author of The Secrets and Lies Trilogy, The Wedding Day, Unfaithfully Yours, Unforgettable Embrace and My Love.
Information and photo used in this post are with thanks to the following websites.
YouTube Joanne Clancy - Author Blog Facebook Profile Amazon Author Profile Goodreads Profile
I have chosen to read this title as the letter U for The A - Z Book Challenge which I decided to attempt to achieve in alphabetical order. I had a good selection of titles to choose from our bookshelves, so am pleased that it now looks as I have achieved my aim. You can follow my progress here.
