I received this e-book through Early Reviewers.
After a charming beginning, the storyline becomes more and more incredible, like a romantic American movie with a happy ending.
If it is your genre, the book will certainly delight you. ( )

Both plot and characters were enjoyable except when they were too much. The main character, Finn or Nuala has been downtrodden by her husband, and then her sons - coercive control if the story was more serious - but the last straw - when they all forget or ignore her fortieth birthday - spurs her into action. She resigns from her duties as a wife and mother having realised she was married to a house and tries to please herself. She is from a complex and unusual family background and large numbers of relatives suddenly emerge and, having managed to turf out her dreadful husband, her life is almost taken over again by these. However she manages, with the support and help of other women in a similar situation, and her family to win through. ( )

I began this book with no preconceived notions about story line or with prior reading of titles by this author. While I enjoyed the description of English seaside villages and the travels to various European cities, I found the story difficult to relate to and could not feel empathy for the heroine. A well educated, talented artist who lives a very comfortable life, surrounded by supportive and loving family (more on that later) and friends, but laments her "overwhelming" situation. To me, it was her failure to set boundaries and household rules for her sons that lead to her "misery." Further, it bothered me that there were no strong male role models in the book. The males in the book, excepting her "two fathers," were portrayed as careless and dysfunctional. The agenda being peddled was too distracting to allow for my enjoyment of the story. ( )

I loved the book.
Sure, it was over the top, but sometimes I do not mind.
The friendly Finn, who while decorating the house and loving her family forgot to tell her sons she was not their slave.
Luckily one day she remembers and she goes on strike.
I loved that, very much.
I loved the way she stood up for herself, took care of herself, struggling not to go just back to her old role, wife and mother.
Luckily she won.
I loved the computer system in the house too, certainly after she discovered what was kept hidden from her.

What I did not like were the loose ends.
Gemma Jackson could have done so much more with the things Finn discovered. The author could have played with it during the divorce.
The divorce, another loose end. A pity, because Finn is very good at using anything she finds.

But luckily, we had the terrible husband and the sexy sons, who in the end realise they can miss their mother in stead of missing their coffee.

It was difficult to see in which period the story is set. I only found out halfway the book, when Finn thinks of irish money and french francs. About two third of the book, one person mentions the year he lives in. Far too late in my opinion. Before that time, I kept wondering if people were really like that, in modern day Ireland.

In the end, it did not matter. I enjoyed the book very much. It was so much fun. ( )

What an interesting and captivating book; I read this in 24 hours. On Finn's 40th birthday (which none of her family remembers) she begins to change her life and resigns from being a wife, mother, and house slave. She becomes a person of her own and ceases being a shadow and not noticed. This takes place in Ireland. ( )