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monicamjw's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
melaniesreads's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Fleeing an upbringing of chaotic trauma, with fighting alcoholic parents and foster children in and out Marianne now lives a life of controlled order. A successful accountant, married, with both not wanting children and living in a new build house in a respectable area.
Then her husband leaves her for another woman going against their plans by having the audacity to have children with her and Marianne’s life falls apart. Mortgaged to the hilt and losing her job due to getting caught shoplifting, it’s being repossessed. So with her meagre possessions she goes back to where she fled from so many years before. Ancaire her crumbling childhood home perched on a cliff edge.
The first page was such a clever insight into Marianne, by using numbers to lay out her life it pulled me in straight away. I wasn’t entirely sure if I liked her but I understood her and her need for order. Her mother Rita however I adored instantly and it was difficult to see how they could possibly be related as they were so very different.
Her mother is now a recovering alcoholic and deciding she didn’t like the AA approach to recovery has set up her own group The Get Well Sooners. They seem to have set up residence and along with Aunt Pearl, Patrick the foster kid who never left and a giant taxi driver called Hugh this colourful cast of characters worm their way into Marianne’s heart as well as the readers.
The setting is so evocative, the coldness and the decaying of the house perfectly represented the mother daughter relationship. Food plays a big part too with Rita using it as a way to approach her daughter and welcome others, so it was really nice to see some recipes added at the end. I will definitely be making Aunt Pearl’s soup.
The author has lightly penned some heavy topics and created a book that manages to bring warmth despite the cold.
Fleeing an upbringing of chaotic trauma, with fighting alcoholic parents and foster children in and out Marianne now lives a life of controlled order. A successful accountant, married, with both not wanting children and living in a new build house in a respectable area.
Then her husband leaves her for another woman going against their plans by having the audacity to have children with her and Marianne’s life falls apart. Mortgaged to the hilt and losing her job due to getting caught shoplifting, it’s being repossessed. So with her meagre possessions she goes back to where she fled from so many years before. Ancaire her crumbling childhood home perched on a cliff edge.
The first page was such a clever insight into Marianne, by using numbers to lay out her life it pulled me in straight away. I wasn’t entirely sure if I liked her but I understood her and her need for order. Her mother Rita however I adored instantly and it was difficult to see how they could possibly be related as they were so very different.
Her mother is now a recovering alcoholic and deciding she didn’t like the AA approach to recovery has set up her own group The Get Well Sooners. They seem to have set up residence and along with Aunt Pearl, Patrick the foster kid who never left and a giant taxi driver called Hugh this colourful cast of characters worm their way into Marianne’s heart as well as the readers.
The setting is so evocative, the coldness and the decaying of the house perfectly represented the mother daughter relationship. Food plays a big part too with Rita using it as a way to approach her daughter and welcome others, so it was really nice to see some recipes added at the end. I will definitely be making Aunt Pearl’s soup.
The author has lightly penned some heavy topics and created a book that manages to bring warmth despite the cold.
stephreads_'s review against another edition
4.0
This was an enjoyable read, Marianne really did remind me of Eleanor Oliphant! She wasn’t much of a people person, her husband left her, she got fired from her job for shop lifting and everything just falls apart.
The thing that was a big high for me on this story was the characters. They were all so lovely and formed such a wonderful community of support. From learning about Marianne’s mother running a self help group called ‘The Get Well Sooners’ - knowing more about the characters and their life and also that self help group definitely impacted on Marianne despite that she wasn’t a part of that group. Seeing her open up from her shell, letting go of the barriers, just becoming herself and accepting herself for who she is was wonderful.
3.5stars rounded up
The thing that was a big high for me on this story was the characters. They were all so lovely and formed such a wonderful community of support. From learning about Marianne’s mother running a self help group called ‘The Get Well Sooners’ - knowing more about the characters and their life and also that self help group definitely impacted on Marianne despite that she wasn’t a part of that group. Seeing her open up from her shell, letting go of the barriers, just becoming herself and accepting herself for who she is was wonderful.
3.5stars rounded up
sarahreads12's review against another edition
3.0
Marianne’s life seems to falling apart, her husband has left her to have babies with another woman, she has been convicted of shoplifting and consequently has had her home repossessed by the bank. So with nowhere else left to go she returns to live with her mother. There is an unfolding story here of loss, - of a sister, of a mother, of self but this a hopeful tale of rebuilt relationships, of learning to live again and of redemption. It took me a while to get my teeth into this book, but I reached the point where I cared about Marianne and her relationship with her mother and was hooked in to this gentle and often funny story. The recipes at the end were a real bonus - I love books that include recipes! Thank you to #netgalley and #Harpercollins for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
mrse2017's review against another edition
4.0
Having read some of Ciara Geraghty’s previous novels I knew I was in for a treat! Make Yourself at Home is full of likeable characters, most of whom we meet as the Get-Well-Sooners and whose individual stories we touch upon as the book progresses. I loved Marianne and was cheering her on from start to finish (she also gave me Eleanor Oliphant vibes, another character I loved)! The descriptions of Ancaire and the surrounding areas are vivid and add to the storytelling throughout. The recipes at the end of the book are a ‘sweet’ (yes, I went there) addition too.
Although a little predictable in places this book covers some tough subjects-grief, heartbreak and addiction to name a few-in a careful and at times humorous way. A feel good read I would happily recommend!
Thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Harper Collins UK and the author Ciara Geraghty for my gifted copy.
Although a little predictable in places this book covers some tough subjects-grief, heartbreak and addiction to name a few-in a careful and at times humorous way. A feel good read I would happily recommend!
Thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Harper Collins UK and the author Ciara Geraghty for my gifted copy.
sams_fireside's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to read and review a copy of Make Yourself at Home by Ciara Geraghty.
Marianne’s life has fallen apart, her husband has left her, she has no home, no job, and nothing to look forward to and she begrudgingly has no choice but to move back in with her Mum. Rita lives in an old, dilapidated house placed precariously on a cliff-top, overlooking the Irish Sea, and lives for her Get-Well-Sooners, a motley bunch of recovering alcoholics who she is intent on helping to regain their lives.
As the story progresses, Marianne transforms from a lonely young woman with no friends and a bleak future, to the heart and soul of Ancaire, the childhood house she used to call home. She forges friendships that will last a lifetime and might even find a little love along the way.
Geraghty has written an awesome story and takes the readers deep into the hearts of her characters, along with some sad memories and traumatic moments comes forgiveness, happiness, and most of all, acceptance. This makes the reader appreciate we should all accept our family and friends for who they are and how they will be influential in helping you become the person you want to be.
For readers who enjoy Sheila O’Flanagan and Marian Keyes, Make Yourself at Home will worm its way into your soul and stay there.
Marianne’s life has fallen apart, her husband has left her, she has no home, no job, and nothing to look forward to and she begrudgingly has no choice but to move back in with her Mum. Rita lives in an old, dilapidated house placed precariously on a cliff-top, overlooking the Irish Sea, and lives for her Get-Well-Sooners, a motley bunch of recovering alcoholics who she is intent on helping to regain their lives.
As the story progresses, Marianne transforms from a lonely young woman with no friends and a bleak future, to the heart and soul of Ancaire, the childhood house she used to call home. She forges friendships that will last a lifetime and might even find a little love along the way.
Geraghty has written an awesome story and takes the readers deep into the hearts of her characters, along with some sad memories and traumatic moments comes forgiveness, happiness, and most of all, acceptance. This makes the reader appreciate we should all accept our family and friends for who they are and how they will be influential in helping you become the person you want to be.
For readers who enjoy Sheila O’Flanagan and Marian Keyes, Make Yourself at Home will worm its way into your soul and stay there.
readingbetweenthenotes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Terminal illness, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
noraborealis's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
wordsofclover's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
I received this book from Harper Collins Ireland in exchange for an honest review.
When Marianne's husband leaves her for another woman, and she ends up shoplifting (she only does it when she's stressed!) which results in her losing her job, she has to move back to her childhood home. Now she's forced to get involved with her mother Rita's wacky antics which include running a group called the Get Well Soon Club (a more eccentric version of AA), and Marianne soon finds herself enjoying her days at home instead of mourning the loss of her old, organised life.
This book was just what I needed this week, and made a bad start to the week into a lovely finish! It felt like a tonic due to the weird and wonderful characters I was introduced to though Marianne's integration into the Get Well Soon Club, and by the end I felt like Ethel, Shirley, Freddy, and Bartholomew were my friends. The book was full of joy and laughter and while there were moments of sadness in there too, it was still tinged with love and warmth.
Marianne was a great character and though she's written as merely socially awkward, I would definitely feel like she would also be on the spectrum. I love how she slowly got involved with the group and warmed up to everyone and how they all loved her and she loved them back.
The way the group interacted, loved and depended on each other reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Really recommend this book!
When Marianne's husband leaves her for another woman, and she ends up shoplifting (she only does it when she's stressed!) which results in her losing her job, she has to move back to her childhood home. Now she's forced to get involved with her mother Rita's wacky antics which include running a group called the Get Well Soon Club (a more eccentric version of AA), and Marianne soon finds herself enjoying her days at home instead of mourning the loss of her old, organised life.
This book was just what I needed this week, and made a bad start to the week into a lovely finish! It felt like a tonic due to the weird and wonderful characters I was introduced to though Marianne's integration into the Get Well Soon Club, and by the end I felt like Ethel, Shirley, Freddy, and Bartholomew were my friends. The book was full of joy and laughter and while there were moments of sadness in there too, it was still tinged with love and warmth.
Marianne was a great character and though she's written as merely socially awkward, I would definitely feel like she would also be on the spectrum. I love how she slowly got involved with the group and warmed up to everyone and how they all loved her and she loved them back.
The way the group interacted, loved and depended on each other reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Really recommend this book!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Child death, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcoholism
emmasbookishcorner's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
I cannot tell you how much I loved this book, I mean I really, really loved this book! Marianne and her mum Rita could not be more different. Marianne is careful, overthinks everything and takes life very seriously. Rita flies through life on a wing and a prayer, her wardrobe is outstandingly glam and she runs a Get Well Soon programme for recuperation from alcoholism (she didn’t think that AA was upbeat enough).
Marianne and Rita are just two characters in a cast of exceptional and wonderful characters. This book features an ensemble of people I grew to love, care about and am now dying to hang out with. It’s rare for me to read a book where I like all the characters, but with this one I truly did. I laughed alongside them (out loud, like a lunatic), I cheered with them (fist bumping the air) and I cried with them (tears dribbling on the pages) I always know a book is special when it can provoke such reactions from me.
Make Yourself at Home will warm the coldest depths of any heart, it’s a great big cuddle in book form. It’s an uplifting, beautiful read and I was bereft when it finished. Ciara Geraghty is a superb writer with a wicked sense of humour and an incredible ability to bring her characters to life. This is a big fat must read!
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