Into The Storm by Cecelia Ahern

 

Late at night, just days before Christmas, Dr Enya Pickering stumbles across a road accident involving a teenage boy. This accident is the catalyst she needs to appraise her life and make some drastic changes.

I have a few Cecelia Ahern books on my TBR pile but I don't think I've read anything by the author other than her debut novel, the runaway success, P. S. I Love You. With that in mind, Into The Storm wasn't quite what I was expecting. Into The Storm is a very emotional read, it's not likely to bring you to tears but it will make you think about tradition, the cycle of life and the role of women in families.

Enya is married with a teenage son, she is a GP in a successful suburban practice along with her husband. Life would appear to be sorted, but since her 46th birthday in November, she has felt as if she has a ticking time bomb inside her. This stems from the fact that her mother died of a heart attack on her 47th birthday.

On a wet and windy winter's night, driving along twisty country lanes, Enya comes across the scene of an accident. The first person on the scene, a taxi driver, flags her down, asking for help. Enya is initially shocked as the victim reminds her so much of her teenage son, but her professionalism kicks in and she does her best for the boy until the paramedics arrive.

The accident is the impetus needed for Enya to evaluate her life, particularly her marriage, and make some drastic changes. Enya's husband was despicable, I honestly couldn't fathom why she had remained married to him for so long. He's one of those people who puts on a charming front but when there is no one else around he's spiteful and bitchy. Within the marriage Enya has always played the peacekeeper, giving in to her husband's demands.

When Enya walks out on her marriage she also walks out on her job. Luckily, she is offered the role of GP in a rural practice. The change from working in a busy town to life in a rural community is a culture shock. Initially, Enya is treated with some hostility as she doesn't understand the traditions the locals hold dear. Being a doctor, a woman of science, means that Enya is scornful of superstitious beliefs. This attitude is surprising given her childhood, her mother was a firm believer in the healing power of nature.

Enya is slowly accepted into the village, mainly due to the help of Margaret the property manager responsible for Enya's rented accommodation and the doctor's surgery. Margaret is my favourite character, a brusque woman with no filter. Over time we discover the brusqueness is a shield and that Margaret is consumed by guilt. Over the space of ten months the pair support each other, recognising the emotional trauma they are each struggling with. Secrets are gradually revealed, secrets that will have devastating consequences but also offer a chance of rebirth once they have been confronted.

Into The Storm by Cecelia Ahern will be published on 10th October 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for a review copy.

Author Details

Cecelia Ahern was born and grew up in Dublin. Her novels have been translated into thirty-five languages and have sold more than twenty-five million copies in over fifty countries. Two of her books have been adapted as films and she has created several TV series. She and her books have won numerous awards, including the Irish Book Award for Popular Fiction for The Year I Met You. She lives in Dublin with her family.