Almost Love

'male chauvinism and female infatuation' - that's not to say that these characteristics are gender-related, but they are what the book explores. After the totally amazing debut of 'Only Ever Yours' and the powerful 'Asking For It', 'Almost Love' feels like more standard-genre, a Fatal Attraction-esque 'behind the scenes' of a toxic relationship where both parties use the other. If you look closely at their affair: is either blameless?At the start, I sympathised with Sarah, the art teacher wooed by a Dad at Parents' Evening, swapping flirty text messages and eventually agreeing to meet. Their relationship, if you can call it that, is one you cry out for Sarah to walk away from. But she doesn't... it's hard to understand what she is getting out of it.While this is going on, we see Sarah again two years on, in another relationship, this time with Oisin (pronounced Ish-een), a decent sort of bloke who is quite clearly perplexed by her deteriorating amiability as she compares him to what has gone before and can't let go of the past.I lost my sympathy for Sarah quite early on - Matthew is slimy, controlling and completely undesirable. After one encounter, I couldn't see what made Sarah return for more. She comes across as incredibly immature and still sees herself as a student rather than in a responsible position as teacher (often hungover and late for work). I wanted her to snap out of her peevishness with Oisin as well.A very different book to O'Neill's others, I was reminded of Elizabeth Haynes' 'Into the Darkest Corner' with the constant back and forth between time periods very close together and the intimate details of a toxic affair. But this isn't crime, and O'Neill she always does, looks at female issues - how men see and treat women, as well as this time what women need from men.This for me doesn't stand out in the way her first, and to some extent, Asking For It, do. I didn't warm to character or plot particularly, and unlike some others, I didn't really care what happened to Sarah at the end. I felt she needed to grow up. A bit cold of me, I know! For a writer to generate a strong feeling of any sort in a writer denote the power of their writing though, and O'Neill does give Sarah a strong (if not likeable) voice.I accessed this as an audiobook, and the Irish-accented narrator was well-chosen: a young and slightly frivolous voice at the start becomes a more consumed and jaded woman later on.This isn't going to be for everyone, and there are some slightly distasteful sexual scenes (though not particularly graphic in content). It is quite dark - not one to take on holiday as a beach read, but it does give a lot of food for thought as to why women (especially) can become 'needy' with partners and how it can affect their lives.With thanks to Nudge Books for the sample reading/listening copy, provided for review purposes.

One of those rare reads you can't stop thinking about.O'Neill's previous two novels - Only Ever Yours and Asking For It - are both pitched as YA and dive right to the heart of the female condition. Their protagonists are flawed and human and the damage unfolds in front of our eyes.But with Sarah Fitzpatrick in Almost Love the damage is already done. This young woman is selfish, demanding, ungrateful, judgemental and throws her self-respect on and off like a cape.The story switches between now and then.Now Sarah's a lucky girl, living with her boyfriend Oisín in a house given them by his mother. She has a good job as an art teacher in Dublin and looks down on her country background and small-town friends. That doesn't stop her despising the glamorous crowd she hangs out with at the same time.Then was different. Then, she met Matthew Brennan, successful estate agent and father to one of her pupils. Flirtation becomes an affair, strictly on his terms, but like any addict, she will sacrifice anything for a summons to that shabby hotel room. Her father, her friends and the man who loves her for who she is, Fionn, are all cast aside in her craving for Matthew's affection. Her betrayals get harsher as her need grows. Simultaneously, a sense of discomfort builds in the reader. It's like watching a car crash in slow-motion in the full knowledge there is nothing you can do.Much has been made of Sarah as an unlikable protagonist, but I think we react against her because she reminds us of ourselves at our worst. Alarming and powerful, this book is a reminder of how your worst enemy might be yourself.

I bought this book on Audible. This was my first book on Audible. I really did not enjoy it. Whilest it was very well read, it was read in such a depressing manner that I actually did not want to listen to it. In fact I can't take any more and I am only two chapters from the end. I struggled to concentrate at times, anything was better than listening to the depressing voice. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read it. I love reading, books, but I don't think listening is for me. . I did not like the main character of Sarah, I found her incredibly selfish, and annoying. I also struggled with the book jumping backwards and forwards in time. Each chapter was prefaced by either the word THEN or NOW. It took me a few chapters to work out what this meant.... However there was time jumping within the chapters which I found very confusing listening to the book. I think I may have a different view of this book if I read it, so that is what I will do.