Author: Patricia Scanlan
ISBN: 978-1-47111-077-1
RRP: $24.99
Patricia Scanlan is the author of many Number One bestsellers and this one is sure to join them in that list. I was not familiar with the author or her work before picking up With All My Love and I must say that I’m glad we have had this introduction.
I laughed, I smiled, I cried and I choked back the tears. I was heart broken and I was awash with the warm and fuzzies. This is a book that I wish I could have hidden away from the world with for an afternoon; with a large, hot coffee and a packet of chips. I think I would have devoured it in an afternoon if I had a distractionless one.
Much of the story is told in flash-back and memories of Valerie as we learn of the events leading up to the cataclysmic, and quite possibly catastrophic, discovery of a letter in an old photo album. I did find that the timeline of the story jumped around quite a bit so I had to really immerse myself to be sure I would know exactly where I was.
With All My Love beautifully demonstrates many of the different issues that women face in their role as mother, and the way that things have changed for women through the generations.
I really love the way that Scanlan explores the cyclical nature of history and the effect it has on her characters, and the follow on effects that carry through the generations.
The book begins with Briony and her young daughter Katie adjusting to some fabulous new lifestyle changes that have been thrust upon them due to economic uncertainty. Briony has always been a working career mum so when she is made redundant with a four year old daughter it is cause for many mixed feelings. This enforced unemployment has granted her the blessing of time with her rapidly growing daughter, a blessing that is irreplaceable and priceless – even though it means giving lots of extra analysis to every shopping choice and the placement of every purchase on the priority list.
Briony and Katie are helping Valerie, Briony’s mum, settle in to her villa in Spain when Briony comes across an old letter addressed to her. A letter that is set to change everything, but will it tear the family further asunder or begin to repair some of the cracks…
At this point Valerie loses her battle with the memories of the past and we follow most of the events that brought us to this point through those memories. The timeline shifts from the present rift between Valerie and Briony to the events that brought them to this.
Valerie’s memories transport us back to the early 1980’s in Ireland where it was a very different time, more liberated than the generations preceding Valerie’s but still a far cry from the freedoms we enjoy today. We see a young couple struggle through many of the issues faced by young people still today, but these days they don’t face the added societal pressures that were present in the early 1980’s.
If we didn’t already know a little about how things turn out, there are stages throughout the book that make you think it will all work out and everyone will get their happily ever after. The traditional happily ever after is out of reach but that isn’t to say that these strong yet vulnerable women won’t make a happily ever after all of their own.
Scanlan explores the insecurities and hidden vulnerabilities of these three women beautifully, capturing the beauty in even their brashness. I could look at each woman objectively and come to my own conclusions about their culpability.
Perspective is a beautiful gift and it is often a gift bestowed only in hindsight, as Valerie discovers rather painfully. Every action has consequences and if you don’t consider those consequences when you make your decision it could haunt you for a very long time.
There were times I could not bring myself to agree with the actions of any of the main characters but I could still empathise with them and feel where they were coming from.
Another major aspect of this book is one that my mother would absolutely love, but that isn’t for everyone. Scanlan has not really utilised traditional religion in With All My Love but she certainly addresses a more spiritual side of life. It is not something that is omnipresent throughout the entire novel because much of the story takes place in flash-backs where Valerie and Jeff were together and happily in love even if things weren’t quite perfect.
There is great emphasis placed, in relevant sections, on the fact that we aren’t alone and that those we’ve loved and lost aren’t gone from us forever. They remain around us and we will know they are there if only we pay attention to the signs. I love this way of looking at things but I know that not everyone holds the same opinion.
Immerse yourself in Rockland’s and Dublin, get to know Valerie and Tessa as you follow their trail of heartache and spite all the while cheering them on to what you can’t help but hope will be a happy ending.
I recommend you go out and get yourself a copy of With All My Love, it has so much to offer. The story is an emotional roller coaster with a little bit of intrigue and a lot of heart, it speaks to the protective nature of every mother and those of us who have lost someone close that need a quiet reminder that they are always near.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
With All My Love; Patricia Scanlan.
What a lovely story of friendship, love, loss and family relationships.
This beautifully written story spans three generations of women tied together through the love of one man. Jeff Egan is the son of Tessa, father of Briony and partner but not husband of Valerie.
Tessa is bitter and vindictive not allowing herself to let go of Jeff, even in death. She adores her Granddaughter, Briony, but refuses to accept Valerie, the girl who becomes pregnant with her son’s child.
Valerie carries the stigma of being an unmarried mother throughout her adult life.
The behaviour of Tessa after Jeff’s death, saying unnecessary and unforgiveable things to Valerie leads to Valerie cutting Jeff’s parents out of hers and Briony’s lives.
Briony, with her own daughter, finds a letter from Tessa and so begins the unravelling of a mother/daughter relationship.
The past has to be faced.
I can sympathise with Valerie and the position she took after Jeff’s death. I could not accept under any circumstances, the way Tessa treated Valerie then refused to accept that she had been at fault in any way.
The way the relationship issue is played out and resolved is beautifully written. It is fitting that Tessa’s husband, Lorcan, Briony’s Grandfather and one of the few members of Jeff’s family to accept Valerie isn’t left to grieve what could have been in the later stages of his life.
My only concern with the way the story develops is that it is almost predictable. That said, the way the book is written more than makes up for that possible minor flaw.
The book begins its conclusion with the release of all the bitterness that had caused so much sadness and anxiety, For a book to be so heavy with sadness but also so uplifting is great testiment to the beautifully written text.
I wasn’t familiar with Patricia Scanlan but I will definitely look for other works of hers.
I really am delighted to have been selected to read and review this book and say a sincere Thank You to Beauty and Lace.
Firstly, thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book:D
This is a book that is a bit a tear jerker in places…
so, get the tissues!!! hahaha
It really did hit a nerve. Im sure everyone knows of someone with a similar story to one of these characters. Although in saying that families do seem to keep secrets so, maybe not everybody knows their family secret yet!! 🙂
The woman are all lovely characters and you can relate to them quite easily. At times I didn’t agree with some of the decisions they made but, I understood why they made them.
I did enjoy reading this book and I did find it hard to put down but, I did think it was a little drawn out in some places. You just want to keep reading to find answers to questions that you end up having.
I haven’t read anything by this author before but, I will have a look at one of her previous books….and I do look forward to her next novel.
Thanks Beauty and Lace
and
Patricia Scanlan…. 😀 <3
Take a trip in a time warp as “With all my love” takes you from the present, to the past and back and forth in the perspectives of main characters, Valerie, her partner, Jeff, his mother and father, Tessa and Lorcan and her parents, Carmel and Terrance.
Time heals all wounds, if you would let it, and this story tells of a long time feud between Valerie and Tessa that impacted on Valerie’s daughter Briony, as well as Lorcan.
A child born out of wedlock as an unexpected “blessing” from an unexpected pregnancy found Valerie and Jeff in an a position neither thought would be their fate. The controversy of getting pregnant in the 1980’s, without first having been married, brings about circumstances they could not have foreseen.
Although wanting to do the right thing Jeff and Valerie did not marry before the birth of their daughter, this being at the suggestion of Tessa. Causing the underlying issue between Valerie and Tessa, forcing them both to make bad decisions, compounded by the untimely death of vibrant Jeff and angers and irrationalities surrounding his death. Valerie found the only solution was removal of herself and young daughter, Briony, from the lives of Tessa and Lorcan and the memories of Jeff and the past, causing the deepest rift in a family that should have grieved together.
An unexpected find, Briony learns from a letter that the loss of her grandparents was due to decisions made by her young mother. Angered by this Briony unknowingly almost makes the same bad decision as her mother and sends us into the time warp of the memories flooding by Valerie as she replays her turbulent past. How do you make up for the decisions of the past, especially when these decisions affect those you love in the harshest ways?
Tugging at the heart strings, Patricia Scanlan makes the cases for each of her characters. Brings you close to each and makes you feel their pain, their anger and their desperations. Not all stories have a happy ending, and this is in many ways one of these stories. While the past is forgiven, much was lost between the families that could never be retrieved.
“With all my love” is a good read for a rainy day, curled up with a nice warm drink and food to soothe the soul.
First of all, thank you so much Beauty and Lace for allowing me to review this book. It was a really good read which I would recommend. I did feel it was abit long with 504 pages, it could have been shorter, but it was full of great drama and intrigue.
Initially I thought the book was a little slow to start off, but when it did take off it left me enthralled.
The story revolves mainly around Valerie, Tessa, Jeff and Briony and Lorcan, Lizzie, Carmel and Terence play a significant part.
One thing I don’t particularly like in novels is when it goes from the future and then suddenly flashbacks to the past but the author somehow managed to pull it off overall quite well.
Much of the book sees Valerie and Tessa at each others throats and begins with Briony finding a letter written to her from her grandmother Tessa and that is when all the family issues from the past begin to surface and unravel.
Considering the rocky relationship that existed between Tessa and Valerie, I found their characters very much alike in that they were two Alpha type females, both hotheads and both had the same situations with unexpected pregnancies as well as their unconditional love for Jeff and how their worlds were shattered after his death.
In some instances I did feel sorry for each of them and what they went through, other times the opposite.
I felt for Briony’s character who was kept in the dark by her mother and deprived of knowing her grandparents when she was younger on her father’s side.
I loved Lorcan and Lizzie’s characters who kept an unbiased view on the issues surrounding the family and had everyones best interests at heart and wanting to help in terms of a reconciliation. Carmel was also a very good, kind and loving mother to Valerie and also had a level head and was loyal to her daughter.
Terence really gave Valerie a hard time and I could understand why she didn’t respect him but I got the feeling he did love his daughter deep down. Briony’s daughter Katie was humorous throughout up until the meeting with her great-grandparents.
I really like the idea of signs left by people who have passed. I could relate as I have found the same thing with people close to me who have passed away.
I loved that the main characters made their peace with each other and even Valerie with Terence.
I thought the Prologue and Epilogue were wonderful. The Prologue surrounding itself with the leadup to Jeff’s death and the Prologue focusing on Katie’s newborn baby Jeff and that of his grandfather Jeff and great grandfather Terence who had passed on, that was very touching.
Let me start by saying “Wow” what an amazing book, I laughed I cried and I was shocked. Patricia Scanlan wrote an amazing insight into how a family can get it so wrong. A powerful book that delves into the darkness of death, revenge and peace. I found many parts as a single mother that I could relate to and for someone to be able to capture those feelings and put them into words and build a remarkable story is pure genius. The characters were so real the descriptions so true that you could see it all playing out right in front of you. Patricia Scanlan was able to take each character and give them an identity that suited their part in the story. The way she was able to weave the deceit and lies and final betrayal of the “secret ring” was amazing and then to draw a full circle and use this to mend broken hearts was true delight.
I felt the story line was well paced and each chapter left you wanting to read more. The insight and reflections into the past had the right balance which gave you enough insight into what had happened to appreciate the present day situations being faced by each character. I liked that Patricia did not dwell on Tessa and what was happening in the lost years and made more of the focus on the main characters Valerie and Briony.
I can truly say that this has been only one of a few books that I have read lately that has NOT left me wanting and asking what happened at the end. I was an amazing journey from the first date to the birth of the second child. Pure brilliance.
I have recommended this book to my friends and the wider public it takes on a subject and explores the depths of what a human heart and mind can endure and survive. I will look forward to reading more of Patricia Scanlan’s books.
Thank you for the opportunity to read a novel which will now be added to my favorites list! I loved this book. Patricia Scanlan created such diverse but lovable characters, each with their own past and story. I laughed at times, cried with their heartaches, joys & triumphs. Being a mum, I could relate to all the women and the maternal urge to fight for and protect your child. I think this is a novel that can be enjoyed again and again and will definately re-visit this again. Have already passed on to my mum and then my sisters to read. Highly recommended, a great read.
“With All My Love” written by Patricia Scanlan was a gripping novel right from the very start. I was instantly linked to the characters, with the author transforming me into a world where I felt I knew each one of the characters personally. The novel connected me as the reader as it is based on a need that is inside us all, I want to discover our true roots and family history.
Patricia Scanlan has managed to portray the power of words spoken in anger and the impact they can have on breaking a family apart. The theme of loss is spread across all characters in some form, and the overall direction of the book is towards a families journey to heal.
The book is cleverly intertwined between past and present tense with the story of each character being developed and understanding created for the reader regarding why certain characters feel so strongly regarding a specific opinion.
I enjoyed getting to know each character especially the strong willed female characters of Tessa, Valerie and Briony. I am thankful that I was given the opportunity to add this book to my collection, I will definitely source out other Patricia Scanlan books to read in the future. The warmth of the author shone through this book from start to finish and I found it perfect to read alongside a big mug of tea.
Hi All. I enjoyed reading “With all my love”but I would not say it was my favourite. Cathy Kelly’s quote on the front cover related the book to being enfolded in a hug… sorry I did not feel this. I found it hard to get into and felt the storyline dragged on a little – it took chapters to get a point across, then we went through it all again a few chapters later. I was happy that the final chapters had characters working out their differences, and coming to understanding both their faults and good points. I enjoyed the addition of a prologue and epilogue – helped to bring it all together. Thanks for the opportunity to read ‘With All my Love”.
Thank you Beauty & Lace and Patricia Scanlan for allowing me to read and review this amazing novel and for sharing it’s love with me. <3
I have not read any other books by Patricia Scanlan, but now I will be keeping a keen eye out for other novels by her next time I am on the hunt. 🙂
As I delved deep into the book I found myself looking at the cover from time to time and seeing myself as the woman on the cover as I spend a great deal of the toughest time in my life living near a similar looking beach and escaping there. It bought back some very painful memories. But also a sense of peace at how different my life is now and how I somehow got through it and thank god I didn't give up.
When you find yourself in some way no matter how small relating to the characters, situation, memories and lives it is almost impossible not to get emotionally involved in the story and really feel your own emotions as you read along. As a mother myself and of course many of us are and we all have mothers of our own it is a book most women can easily find some relation to which makes the book all the more enjoyable.
Another sensational book I will be passing on to my sister and mum to have a read. 🙂
With All My Love – Thank you! x
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read All My Love .
This book is about 3 generations of women in the one family , Briony the youngest member of the 3 generations of women finds a long forgotten letter that had been hidden from her by her mother because she did not want her to know what transpired in the relationship between her mother and her grandmother .
What follows is a story that jumps back and forth in time which is sometimes confusing as the reader .
Briony has a 4 year old daughter that she does not wish to be put in the same situation as she herself grew up in .
A very enjoyable read that takes us on an emotional rollercoaster that sometimes takes the reader a little more time to unravel .
I have a feeling I will perhaps read this book over again to to really absorb the feeling and emotional content of the book . Overall an enjoyable book that needs a little concentration to read