THE NO. 1 IRISH BESTSELLER!
‘One of my favourite authors’ Marian Keyes
‘If you’ve had to cancel your holiday plans this summer, don’t worry – this beautiful new novel will transport you to sunnier climes…’ – HEAT‘S READ OF THE WEEK
In Sheila O’Flanagan’s stunning new novel, two women face up to shocking truths about the men they’ve loved – and start to make their own decisions about what to do next…
Deira isn’t the kind of woman to steal a car. Or drive to France alone with no plan. But then, Deira didn’t expect to be single. Or to suddenly realise that the only way she can get the one thing she wants most is to start breaking every rule she lives by.
Grace has been sent on a journey by her late husband, Ken. She doesn’t really want to be on it but she’s following his instructions, as always. She can only hope that the trip will help her to forgive him. And then – finally – she’ll be able to let him go.
Brought together by unexpected circumstances, Grace and Deira find that it’s easier to share secrets with a stranger, especially in the shimmering sunny countryside of Spain and France. But they soon find that there’s no escaping the truth, whether you’re running away from it or racing towards it . . .
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE WOMEN WHO RAN AWAY:
‘Didn’t want it to end‘ *****
‘I would have given this 6 stars if I could‘
‘Within the first chapter, I had left reality and social distancing behind and joined two amazing women on a life-changing adventure’ *****
‘A great summer read‘
‘Five stars all the way!’ *****
‘Sheila O’Flanagan never disappoints‘ *****
‘Fantastic read!’
‘Couldn’t put this book down!’
My Thoughts
I have been a fan of Sheila O’Flanagan for many years, so when given the opportunity to read and review her latest release I jumped at the chance.
Deira and Grace are separated by a generation in age, yet they find themselves united in their heartache and a shared disappointment in the men they gave their hearts to. Both women are embarking on an adventure, in both the physical and emotional sense, as Deira tries to accept the way in which her long term relationship came to a sudden end, whilst Grace is carrying out the last wishes of her controlling husband Ken who has recently passed away. Although these women are complete strangers to one another, they quickly become confidantes, and pull together in an attempt to solve the mystery left by Ken’s anniversary hunt, and in turn, they help one another heal from their pasts.
This book was an absolute delight to read. Sheila O’Flanagan has such a wonderful writing style, you find yourself well and truly immersed in the story and the characters lives as the story progresses. I loved the way in which both Deira and Grace were given such strong, unique personalities, and how their individual traits impacted on the story. Throughout the book, we get to learn more about both women, and get a deeper insight in to their relationships before they came to an end.
It is clear that the author has put a lot of time into researching the locations in which the characters visit throughout this story, as you really can picture it vividly in your mind and really picture the scene playing out before you.
I also have to add that I loved the fact that the characters were more ‘mature’ women, each with their own life stories to tell and experiences to share. There are certainly feelings that the characters portray, along with some of the situations they find themselves in that, as the reader, you can really relate too, which adds a whole new depth to this wonderful story.
A fascinating story about friendship, hope, and learning to love yourself once again, this is a book I found impossible to part with and will certainly be reading again in the future!.
You can purchase a copy of this book by following the links below:
UK : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Women-Who-Ran-Away-bestseller/dp/1472254813/
US: https://www.amazon.com/Women-Who-Ran-Away-bestseller/dp/1472254813/ https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-women-who-ran-away/sheila-oflanagan/9781472254818
*Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources, Headline Books and Sheila O’Flanagan for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for my honest review. All views are entirely my own and not influenced in any way.*
About The Author
Sheila O’Flanagan is the author of bestselling chart-toppers, including Her Husband’s Mistake, The Hideaway, What Happened That Night, The Missing Wife, My Mother’s Secret and All For You (winner of the Irish Independent Popular Fiction Book of the Year Award). After working in banking and finance for a number of years, Sheila’s love for writing blossomed into curating stories about relationships in all their many forms.
Twitter: @sheilaoflanagan / @headlinepg
Victoria Wilks 