Review
Still the Queen Bee of the genre, but even Keyes has trouble following herself, says Claire McDermott.
- This Charming Man
- Michael Joseph
This Charming Man
Lola has just discovered that her boyfriend, charismatic politician Paddy de Courcy, is getting married. Only catch is, it’s not to her. Cue Lola’s flit to a cottage on the other side of the country to mend her broken heart. But hers isn’t the only heart broken at the news of De Courcy’s betrothal.
Journalist Grace and her twin sister Marnie both have a past connection to de Courcy and neither can let go of the memories. Their old friend, Alicia Thornton, is Paddy’s wife-to-be and she is determined to fulfill her wifely duties as best she can. But does she know the real Paddy? Four women, one man and one dirty big secret are a recipe for success in the latest Keyes offering.
Now, I’m a big Marian Keyes fan. Her unique approach to the ‘chick lit’ genre has made her a successful brand in her own right. I have devoured every one of her publications to date. I love, love, LOVE her work. Understandable then, that I had meteoric expectations of This Charming Man. But if I’m being totally honest, I was a wee bit disappointed (but just a wee bit). While I did enjoy the book, I don’t feel it quite lived up to the brilliance of her previous work. However, I think I can let her off with that as some of her earlier books have been very tough acts to follow.
As in her previous books, Keyes tackles hard-hitting topics with sensitivity and humour. The lovable heroines are witty and engaging and had me hoping for the happy ending they all so much deserved. The Keyes humour is definitely there in abundance, it just wasn’t as ‘laugh out loud’ for me as her other work (which is okay as she is dealing with some pretty heavy issues here).
At almost 700 pages, this is a hefty read but it’s worth it. The discovery of the dark secret which links the four women makes it a compelling read. If you are a fan of Marian Keyes, I would totally recommend it.
