Book Review On: Letters To My Daughters by Emma Hannigan
About the author (as seen on Amazon)
Letters to my Daughters is the twelfth novel from beloved and bestselling author Emma Hannigan.
Letters to my Daughters spent four weeks at Number One in the Original Fiction bestseller chart in Ireland on publication in 2018. Emma’s novels The Perfect Gift and The Wedding Promise were also Number One bestsellers in Ireland. The Secrets We Share won the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Epic Romantic Novel award. Emma won Woman of the Year in the literature category of the Irish Tatler Women of the Year awards and was shortlisted twice for an Irish Book award. Emma published her bestselling memoir Talk to the Headscarf in 2011, which was updated and extended in 2017 as All to Live For: Fighting Cancer. Finding Hope and was a top ten bestseller in Ireland.
In 2005, Emma discovered that she had the BRCA1 gene mutation which carries an 85 per cent risk of developing breast cancer and a 50 per cent risk of developing ovarian cancer. In 2007 she was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time and her eleven-year battle with cancer began. As an ambassador for Breast Cancer Ireland Emma worked hard to dispel the fears around cancer and spread hope about new treatments. In February 2018 Emma shared with her readers that her dedicated team of doctors had exhausted all avenues in terms of her treatment. In Emma’s final days, she launched a social media campaign #HelpEmmaHelpOthers to raise €100,000 for Breast Cancer Ireland. Two weeks later, shortly before her death, Emma revealed that her target had been reached.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MsEmmaHannigan
Publication date: 28th June 2018
Publisher: Headline Review
ISBN: Paperback 9781472246493
Ebook 9781472246509
Pages: 464 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Format reading: Proof- paperback
Copy provided by: Publisher- Publicist Becky Hunter
Blurb (as seen on Amazon)
Throughout their lives, the three Brady sisters have always been closer to their nanny May than to their own mother, Martha a busy midwife. May always thought of them as her daughters so when she dies suddenly, the sisters are left devastated — especially when they learn that letters intended for them from May with final words of advice and love have gone missing.
But what words of advice could the sisters need?
Beatrice, owner of exclusive wedding boutiques, is busy and fulfilled. Rose has a beautiful daughter, a luxurious home and a thriving interiors company. And Jeannie, married to a wealthy plastic surgeon in L.A., wants for nothing.
Except that each of the sisters carries a secret …
As they gather for the reading of May’s will in Dublin, they must face some life-changing decisions. Will they ever learn the words of advice May had for them and discover who took the letters?
Letters to my Daughters is the spellbinding story about the complicated bonds between women – daughters, mothers, sisters – and how love and happiness comes in many guises.
My Review
I was truly honoured to be asked by the lovely Becky Hunter from Headline Reviews for sending me a proof copy of Letters to my Daughter by Emma Hannigan plus the out of this world biscuits they were truly delicious. Thank you!!
I totally adore the summery feel to the cover; with the sea out in the distance; with flying seagulls in the pail sky and the golden sandy beach. There are wild flowers and grass creeping at the sides, providing small splashes of colour. A lady is sitting it a blue and white stripy deck chair, with bare feet in the sand and her flip-flops beside her, writing!
The cover looked like it was painted with water colour paints, giving off a really gentle feel. Emma’s name is written in an elegant fashion in a darker blue, cantered at the top of the cover. The title is in a pink, and works well against the sandy beach behind it.
Martha and Jim were incredibly hard-working and were always busy trying to provide for their three daughters; Beatrice, Rose and Jeannie. They hired Nanny May to take care of their girls while they were working. Martha a busy Mid-wife; always shooting off to some expecting mother about to give birth. She was never around for her girls, and seemed to love her job more. Jim ran a very successful furnisher business, he was always busy but always made time; with Nanny May to attend school plays, sports days etc. Nanny May never married or had any children of her own, but look at the girls as if they were her own. Always there when they had a problem, providing them with love, care and attention, to make up for where Martha lacked.
Now the girl’s are all grown up, with their own life’s and suddenly Nanny May passes away. Martha and her granddaughter; Ali find her, after Nanny May failed to turn up to babysit Ali. Martha find’s some letters, addressed to her daughters and one for her husband which had yet to be put in an envelope. Martha takes the unseen letter’s and holds on to them, unbeknown to the rest of her family. Why did Martha take the letters? What did she read in her husband’s letter? The whole family is devastated on hearing the sad news and Martha seems cold about the whole thing. but why? Will she ever pass the letters on to their recipients to be able to read.
Martha and Jim have moved from Pebble Bay to Connemara in Ireland to spend out their retirement. Playing golf and visiting friends is welcomed by Jim, however Martha is struggling, and misses being a mid wife. Jim travels back to Pebble Bay alone to hear Nanny May’s will being read. In this time Martha help’s a expecting mother on the side of the road; in labour and helps deliver her baby. She ends up finding out there is a shortage of mid wife’s in this area and asked if she would consider coming back to help out. Will Martha decide to leave retirement and go back to work? even though Jim would object.
At the will reading Jim, Beatrice, Rose, Jeannie and Ali have all been left something to inherit from Nanny May. They also find out there were letters to Jim, Beatrice, Rose and Jeannie, however they can’t be located. A search takes place at Nanny May’s home to no avail. They have no idea where the letters have gone or what is written.
Beatrice is the eldest of the sisters and runs a string of very successful wedding boutiques. Divorced she now lives above one of her newest shops along her dog. Beatrice has always dreamed of having her very own family, but time is ticking on her biological clock and still no man at her side. She knows she has to make a serous decision about the whole baby thing, but which avenue will she take? Is she truly happy on her own with just her dog for company?
Rose and Jeannie are twins. Rose is married to the reliable Martin and have a daughter Ali. They both run the furnisher business passed to them by Rose’s father; when he retired. Martin seems to be taking more of the rains, going on business trips and meetings, leaving Rose to do the other things. Ali is a stroppy teenager and really clashes with her mother, but has managed to wrap her father round her little finger. This does nothing but adds more strain on Rose and Martin’s marriage. Are Rose and Martin just going through a rough patch or is it something more serious? Is Rose happy in her marriage? Can she find a level with her daughter? Is the business really doing well?
Jeannie is married to adoring Nick a famous LA plastic surgeon and at the top of his game. She lives a life of pure luxury in LA, and Nick makes sure she wants for nothing. He is a bit older than Jeannie but she wanted to have an open relationship. Nick only agrees so her won’t lose her. Jeannie has a shock when she becomes pregnant, only she has known idea who is the father is. She travels back to Ireland to hear Nanny Mays will reading and she realises she misses her family. Will she be able to work out who the father is? What will Nick say? Will they still have a marriage?
I have to say firstly this was a wonderfully written story, it was a bit emotional knowing it was the last book from Emma; who is sadly not with us any more. I have read one other book of Emma’s and I really enjoyed her writing style and story lines.
Letters to my Daughters; is such an utterly beautiful story. I felt the gentle pace was absolutely perfect with this story line making it a joy to read. I really loved Jim’s relationships with his daughters; it’s the kind of relationship fathers and daughters should have. I found Martha character intriguing because she is very off handish with her children and husband yet she is so kind and caring to her expecting mothers. Emma’s writing shows that there is always a reason why people act the way they do because of the past. I liked that aspect of the story it was very, because it’s so true in life! Another thing I loved was the three sisters relationships, and how they really come together and become their for each other.
I adored every single aspect of this beautiful written story. As I said earlier I had read one book before and this really does top that!
Letters to my Daughters by Emma Hannigan is a wonderful Irish delight and a perfect summer read in my eye’s. I highly recommend it!!!!!
Marie’s Book Boutique gives
Letters to my Daughters by Emma Hannigan
A super 5 Sparkly Stars!!!
I would just like to say a massive thank you to Michael Stephenson for getting in touch with me, asking me to read, review and kindly providing me with an ARC Ebook of his book.
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I really like the simplicity of this cover, from the cream backing to the black colour of the title and pale blue of the author’s name. The lady on the sofa, look’s heart-broken in her PJ’s, with tear drenched tissues littering the floor beside a bottle of gin and a tub of ice cream. A missives looking cat sits on the back of the sofa watching his train wreck of an owner.