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emmacr2024's review against another edition
4.0
It was only late last year that I finally got around to reading a book from Carmel Harrington, I had only ever heard great things about this writer and they all proved true as I adored Every Time a Bell Rings. Now she is back with The Things I should Have Told You following the Guinness family’s adventure around Europe in a modern camper van. But this is not just any old holiday where the reader follows the madcap events that could befall a family abroad and in a confined space instead this is an in-depth, emotional voyage of self discovery, forgiveness and acceptance. An adventure that will see each member undergo a transformation of sorts, be it subtle or major, but all very much needed and all under the guidance of Pops through his inspirational letters which come at just the moment when needed most.
Right from the prologue Carmel’s talent shines through in such beautiful emotive writing that has you reaching for the pen to take note of some quotes as they are so inspirational and meaningful and strike a chord with the reader. ’Our lives are just a series of moments. From the small mundane occasions that we let pass by without notice, to the big showstoppers that make us pause and take note. Then, when you least expect it, a moment so powerful and defining happens that changes everything in a split second. The thing about change is, it’s not always good’. For the Guinness family a combination of events leads to this moment when change occurs and although it is not a happy occasion it may just turn out to be one of the most fruitful, positive experiences they will ever experience.
The Guinness family are at a crossroads each of them, maybe bar youngest son Jamie who just enjoys life and superheroes, has something they are hiding or just feelings they are not willing to let out in the open. Olly is 40 and married to Mae who is a school principal tied to her job and slightly fed up with the way her marriage is going. Olly is a stay at home husband ever since he lost his job. He has given up on finding a new job and resigned himself to staying at home - running the household, taking care of the kids and his ailing father Pops. But now the balance of power has shifted within the marriage Olly can feel Mae slipping away from him. Has she had enough? Is Olly not the man she once married.? Olly has events in the past which still linger long in his mind which affect his everyday thinking. Initially and perhaps for quite a lot of the book I found Mae to be very standoffish. She snapped at Olly and never seemed to agree with him over anything instead creating obstacles or opposition where there was really no need to cause arguments. It was almost like she wanted to create friction with Olly so she had a way out and could give reasons if everything did implode. I know she may have felt like she was surrendering her role but her actions made it difficult for me to warm to her. I felt sorry for Olly that he had to deal with Mae and her changing attitudes and offhand behaviour. He must have been feeling downgraded in way that he had lost his job and had to stay at home. It was like losing some of his masculinity. There is nothing wrong at all being a house husband but the reader senses it hasn’t done any good for the overall sake of the family. Then we have 13 year old Evie who has drunk herself into such a stupor she has ended up in hospital. I found this totally and utterly shocking that someone could so young could be driven to do something destructive but as the reasons became clear my sympathies only grew for Evie.
So the Guinness family are disjointed and lacking unity and the basic family connections that had held them together for so long. In steps the wonderful Pops who sets a plan in motion just before he passes. This is his last gift to the family he can see how things are falling apart and he hates to see the people he loves so dearly and who looked after him so well falling apart at the seams for want of talking and spending time together. Arriving home one day the family find a state of the art camper van parked in the driveway and are more than surprised to discover they are the proud owners of the van and there are letters too. Pops has been hard at work and has arranged a tour of Europe for the family. At certain points they will receive a letter with where to go next and what to do. These letters brought such humour and warmth to story. Pops may have been gone but he shone through in the words he had written. Essential advice alongside the instructions comes at just the time in the adventure when the family need it most and I found myself looking forward to reading the letters to see where would the family visit next and what they would get up to.
The addition of a map at the front outlining the family’s journey was great and I think this piece of advice from Pops is perhaps the most poignant of all considering the fractions within Olly and Mae’s marriage. ‘Life is short. So don’t spend it regretting what you should have said, to those you care about. If you love someone, say so! Not just with words mind but in your actions too. Leaving nothing unsaid’. A trip in camper van for weeks cooped up with my family sounds like an absolute nightmare to me but Carmel makes this work and you find yourself laughing along with the family and enjoying all their exploits as they journey through Europe and with each step further they take away from all their troubles back in Ireland the more they begin to open up and express their feelings, share their issues, insecurities and problems and begin to listen to Pops advice. They slowly start to understand it’s better not to leave things bottled up or unsaid as it will only eat you up and cause conflict.
Carmal Harrington can certainly write an excellent story but where she excels is with her character development. She totally gets inside the heads of each member of the Guinness family and the reader quickly finds themselves absorbed in the story. Focusing on just one family and having a very few minor characters towards the end could have been risky but the Guinness family are quite special. They have their flaws but provide plenty of entertainment and humour as we journey with them. The ending was just beautiful and very apt and the final stop on the holiday I am so glad Carmel included it. It didn’t at all feel contrived instead the story came full circle in an inspiring way.
The Things I Should Have Said was an extremely enjoyable read with plenty of life lessons for all to learn. Anyone who reads this will take so much from it and you will be left with a smile on your face as you close the final page. Hurt, fear, anger, angst all disappear as through the ingenious of Pops' love, strength and firm family bonds emerge. Carmel Harrington has poured her heart and soul into writing this book. It was joy from start to finish balancing the wit nicely alongside some more serious, sad moments. This should be read in as few sittings as possible as the Guinness family will truly steal a piece of your heart.
Right from the prologue Carmel’s talent shines through in such beautiful emotive writing that has you reaching for the pen to take note of some quotes as they are so inspirational and meaningful and strike a chord with the reader. ’Our lives are just a series of moments. From the small mundane occasions that we let pass by without notice, to the big showstoppers that make us pause and take note. Then, when you least expect it, a moment so powerful and defining happens that changes everything in a split second. The thing about change is, it’s not always good’. For the Guinness family a combination of events leads to this moment when change occurs and although it is not a happy occasion it may just turn out to be one of the most fruitful, positive experiences they will ever experience.
The Guinness family are at a crossroads each of them, maybe bar youngest son Jamie who just enjoys life and superheroes, has something they are hiding or just feelings they are not willing to let out in the open. Olly is 40 and married to Mae who is a school principal tied to her job and slightly fed up with the way her marriage is going. Olly is a stay at home husband ever since he lost his job. He has given up on finding a new job and resigned himself to staying at home - running the household, taking care of the kids and his ailing father Pops. But now the balance of power has shifted within the marriage Olly can feel Mae slipping away from him. Has she had enough? Is Olly not the man she once married.? Olly has events in the past which still linger long in his mind which affect his everyday thinking. Initially and perhaps for quite a lot of the book I found Mae to be very standoffish. She snapped at Olly and never seemed to agree with him over anything instead creating obstacles or opposition where there was really no need to cause arguments. It was almost like she wanted to create friction with Olly so she had a way out and could give reasons if everything did implode. I know she may have felt like she was surrendering her role but her actions made it difficult for me to warm to her. I felt sorry for Olly that he had to deal with Mae and her changing attitudes and offhand behaviour. He must have been feeling downgraded in way that he had lost his job and had to stay at home. It was like losing some of his masculinity. There is nothing wrong at all being a house husband but the reader senses it hasn’t done any good for the overall sake of the family. Then we have 13 year old Evie who has drunk herself into such a stupor she has ended up in hospital. I found this totally and utterly shocking that someone could so young could be driven to do something destructive but as the reasons became clear my sympathies only grew for Evie.
So the Guinness family are disjointed and lacking unity and the basic family connections that had held them together for so long. In steps the wonderful Pops who sets a plan in motion just before he passes. This is his last gift to the family he can see how things are falling apart and he hates to see the people he loves so dearly and who looked after him so well falling apart at the seams for want of talking and spending time together. Arriving home one day the family find a state of the art camper van parked in the driveway and are more than surprised to discover they are the proud owners of the van and there are letters too. Pops has been hard at work and has arranged a tour of Europe for the family. At certain points they will receive a letter with where to go next and what to do. These letters brought such humour and warmth to story. Pops may have been gone but he shone through in the words he had written. Essential advice alongside the instructions comes at just the time in the adventure when the family need it most and I found myself looking forward to reading the letters to see where would the family visit next and what they would get up to.
The addition of a map at the front outlining the family’s journey was great and I think this piece of advice from Pops is perhaps the most poignant of all considering the fractions within Olly and Mae’s marriage. ‘Life is short. So don’t spend it regretting what you should have said, to those you care about. If you love someone, say so! Not just with words mind but in your actions too. Leaving nothing unsaid’. A trip in camper van for weeks cooped up with my family sounds like an absolute nightmare to me but Carmel makes this work and you find yourself laughing along with the family and enjoying all their exploits as they journey through Europe and with each step further they take away from all their troubles back in Ireland the more they begin to open up and express their feelings, share their issues, insecurities and problems and begin to listen to Pops advice. They slowly start to understand it’s better not to leave things bottled up or unsaid as it will only eat you up and cause conflict.
Carmal Harrington can certainly write an excellent story but where she excels is with her character development. She totally gets inside the heads of each member of the Guinness family and the reader quickly finds themselves absorbed in the story. Focusing on just one family and having a very few minor characters towards the end could have been risky but the Guinness family are quite special. They have their flaws but provide plenty of entertainment and humour as we journey with them. The ending was just beautiful and very apt and the final stop on the holiday I am so glad Carmel included it. It didn’t at all feel contrived instead the story came full circle in an inspiring way.
The Things I Should Have Said was an extremely enjoyable read with plenty of life lessons for all to learn. Anyone who reads this will take so much from it and you will be left with a smile on your face as you close the final page. Hurt, fear, anger, angst all disappear as through the ingenious of Pops' love, strength and firm family bonds emerge. Carmel Harrington has poured her heart and soul into writing this book. It was joy from start to finish balancing the wit nicely alongside some more serious, sad moments. This should be read in as few sittings as possible as the Guinness family will truly steal a piece of your heart.
seaconcourt's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book!!!! It is about a dysfunctional Irish family on a fun journey as they tour Europe in an RV which was unexpectedly gifted to the family. I found it to be a beautiful story.
portybelle's review against another edition
5.0
Carmel Harrington's Every Time A Bell Rings was one of my top reads of 2015 - yes I'm still going on about it! It was a story I thought was beautifully told and which really touched me. Her latest novel, The Things I Should Have Told You, is just as wonderful and I am sure it will be in my top reads of this year when I come to make up my list.
The Guinness family are in crisis: 13 year old Evie has nearly died following a reckless dare, Pops is dying of cancer and Olly and Mae just don't seem to communicate any more. Young Jamie too can sense the stressful situations all around him. But Pops has a plan to bring his beloved family together and plans an amazing trip round Europe for them to enjoy after he's gone. The family are less than impressed to find out about this when they return from his funeral to find a campervan parked in their driveway!
I just loved following the Guinness family on their adventures, rather reluctantly undertaken at first it has to be said. I think that spending 8 weeks in a campervan would challenge any family, let alone one with their various issues and problems! Although Pops isn't around, he is a huge presence in the story through his letters. Like the family, I looked forward to reading them to see what wise words he would have and where they would be going next. It was such an amazing thing for him to do for his family, to try to make sure they would be a strong supportive unit after he'd gone.
I do think Carmel's books should come with a packet of tissues attached to the front cover because she has an amazing knack of making you feel all the emotions along with her characters! Yes there were tears and a lump in my throat at various points in the book, most notably when the family visit the American War Cemetery in Normandy and when Evie revealed the troubles she had been having a school. I so wanted to give her a hug! But there were so many happy moments too that tissues could be just as handy for wiping away happy tears. Or tears of laughter as the warm Irish humour comes through!
The one thing to take from this book is that it is so important to tell people how you feel and that you love them. Not just because they might not be there one day but just because everyone needs to know they are loved. Communication between family and friends is so important for healthy strong relationships. The Guinness Family House Rules at the end sum up family life - or just life in general - beautifully. I won't quote them all here as some of them are very relevant to the storyline but these in particular sum up the essence of the book for me: [i]"Leave nothing unsaid. If you love someone, tell them. Live your best life."[/i]
So as you've probably gathered, I just adored this book and can't recommend it highly enough. Carmel Harrington is definitely one of my go to authors when I want a story that will me me laugh, cry and smile and leave me with a happy glow. As one of the cover quotes says it's a real [i]'hug of a novel'.[/i]
The Guinness family are in crisis: 13 year old Evie has nearly died following a reckless dare, Pops is dying of cancer and Olly and Mae just don't seem to communicate any more. Young Jamie too can sense the stressful situations all around him. But Pops has a plan to bring his beloved family together and plans an amazing trip round Europe for them to enjoy after he's gone. The family are less than impressed to find out about this when they return from his funeral to find a campervan parked in their driveway!
I just loved following the Guinness family on their adventures, rather reluctantly undertaken at first it has to be said. I think that spending 8 weeks in a campervan would challenge any family, let alone one with their various issues and problems! Although Pops isn't around, he is a huge presence in the story through his letters. Like the family, I looked forward to reading them to see what wise words he would have and where they would be going next. It was such an amazing thing for him to do for his family, to try to make sure they would be a strong supportive unit after he'd gone.
I do think Carmel's books should come with a packet of tissues attached to the front cover because she has an amazing knack of making you feel all the emotions along with her characters! Yes there were tears and a lump in my throat at various points in the book, most notably when the family visit the American War Cemetery in Normandy and when Evie revealed the troubles she had been having a school. I so wanted to give her a hug! But there were so many happy moments too that tissues could be just as handy for wiping away happy tears. Or tears of laughter as the warm Irish humour comes through!
The one thing to take from this book is that it is so important to tell people how you feel and that you love them. Not just because they might not be there one day but just because everyone needs to know they are loved. Communication between family and friends is so important for healthy strong relationships. The Guinness Family House Rules at the end sum up family life - or just life in general - beautifully. I won't quote them all here as some of them are very relevant to the storyline but these in particular sum up the essence of the book for me: [i]"Leave nothing unsaid. If you love someone, tell them. Live your best life."[/i]
So as you've probably gathered, I just adored this book and can't recommend it highly enough. Carmel Harrington is definitely one of my go to authors when I want a story that will me me laugh, cry and smile and leave me with a happy glow. As one of the cover quotes says it's a real [i]'hug of a novel'.[/i]
charl149's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
meg728's review against another edition
4.0
Pops
Pops is a wise man that we all wish , hope or have been lucky into have in our own lives . A wonderful story living normal lives striving to be better and more present in each other’s worlds. Life is not always what you thought it would be sometimes it’s worse but sometimes it is better!
Pops is a wise man that we all wish , hope or have been lucky into have in our own lives . A wonderful story living normal lives striving to be better and more present in each other’s worlds. Life is not always what you thought it would be sometimes it’s worse but sometimes it is better!
abookwormwithwine's review against another edition
5.0
Such an endearing book (can I say that? Haha). To be honest I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading it, but I'm so glad I did. Beautifully written and the story was so touching. Heartbreaking and heart-healing at the same time. I loved the story Carmel told with this book and I sure hope I can find more books by her. Amazing book!
uptoolatereading's review against another edition
4.0
Very Maeve Binchy-esque read. Loved following the family on their travels and where they would go next. Transports you away across Europe without leaving your own garden chair. Perfect summer read.
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