PS I Love You & Posrcript - Cecelia Ahern

PS I Love You 

Some people wait their whole lives to find their soul mates. But not Holly and Gerry. Childhood sweethearts, they could finish each other's sentences. No one could ever imagine them without each other. 

When Gerry dies, Holly is devastated. But Gerry has left her a bundle of notes, one for each month of her year, each signed 'PS, I love you'.

As the notes are opened, the man who knows Holly better than anyone teachers her that life goes on. With some help from her friends and family, Holly laughs, cries and finds that life is for living - but it helps if there's someone watching over you. 

I first read Cecelia Ahern's  debut novel 'PS I Love You' in 2004 .  The story begins just as her beloved Gerry has passed away. Before he died Gerry had written 10 letters, one to be opened on the first of the month for the next 10 months.  Within his letters he encourages his wife to try new things and to build a new life for herself without him by her side.  Over the next 10 months you share in Holly's grief and follow her on her journey of discovery. Cecelia Ahern's novel is full of  humour and you find yourself immersed in the pages and feel you are part of the chaos that makes up Holly's family and friends. It shows you her courage when faced with adversity and shows you what true friendship is all about. PS, I Love You was also made into a film. Sadly for me the film did not do justice to the book as it was turned into Hollywood rather than keeping it true to the original script.  

When I realised there was to be a sequel to PS, I Love You, aptly named Postcript I knew I needed to dig out my copy of PS I Love You to re aquatint myself  with the characters and where we had left them.  PS I Love You is still one of my all time favourite novels by this author.  There are not many novels that I will read more than once but this is one of them.

Postscript 

It's been seven years since Holly Kennedy's husband died - six since she read his final letter, urging Holly to find the courage to forge a new life. 

She's proud of all the ways in which she has grown and evolved. But when a group inspired by Gerry's letters, calling themselves the PS, I Love You Club, approached Holly asking for help, she finds herself drawn back into a world that she worked so hard to leave behind. 

Reluctantly, Holly begins a relationship with the club, even as their friendship threatens to destroy the peace she believes she has achieved. As each of these people calls upon Holly to help them embark on a remarkable journey - one that will challenge her to ask whether embracing the future means betraying the past, and what it means to love someone forever. 

I am always a little apprehensive about reading a sequel to a book that I have loved. I needn't of worried as it is as if Cecelia Ahern had stopped for a coffee break and then sat back down at her computer and continued with her writing from where she left off.  Obviously in the intervening years things have changed for Holly, her family and her friends.  Marriages have taken place, children have been born. Holly's sister Ciara convinces her to take part in a podcast in which she talks about the letters Gerry left for her and how this helped her to grieve but at the same time encouraged her to move on with her life with the help of her best friends Sharon and Denise and her family.  Little did she know the impact the podcast would have especially on one group of people who have called themselves the 'PS, I Love You Club'.  All the members have a life limiting illness and wish to leave a legacy for their families and wish to enlist the help of Holly to make this a reality.  At first Holly is a little apprehensive about getting involved but eventually decides she cannot refuse.  Little did she know the impact this group of people would have on her.  As with PS, I Love You, Postscript is full of humour but at the same time has tinges of sadness that will have you reaching for the tissues.

Now the nights are drawing in there is nothing better than snuggling up in the warm with a cuppa, a chocolate biscuit or two and a thoroughly good read. If you have never read any of  Cecelia Ahern's novels before I would certainly recommend these two as an introduction to her novels. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Stay safe & warm

Mx