#BookReview of #AWeekToRemember by @rutholearywrite | @PoolbegBooks | @ruthwriter.bsky.social

‘When the path ahead seems unclear, sometimes all you need is a week to remember what truly matters’
– A Week to Remember

[ About A Week to Remember ]

Three strangers, the Camino, one week to change everything.

Paula has an anxiety attack at her 60th birthday party and realises that her life must change. While her friends are settling into retirement, she craves adventure. Then a shock discovery forces her to question everything she thought was sure in her life.

Rachel is about to go into business with boyfriend Craig when he betrays her in the worst way possible. She is desperate to get away and figure out how to move forward. Can she forgive and forget, in order to have everything she has dreamed of?

Cathy’s world is turned upside down by a life-altering event. Struggling with her feelings, she sets out to follow in the footsteps of her favourite film, The Way, hoping to find the courage to plan a new life free from fear. 

As the three women set out on journeys of healing and self-discovery, on the ancient path of the Camino de Santiago, fate causes their paths to cross. 

Will the Camino provide the answers they seek and the strength to pursue the lives they desire?

[ My Review ]

A Week to Remember by Ruth O’Leary published March 4th with Poolbeg Press and is described as ‘a story of healing, betrayal, and finding courage on the Camino’.

Last year I read Ruth O’Leary’s debut The Weekend Break which was an engaging and emotive tale exploring the value of female friendship. In A Week to Remember Ruth O’Leary decided to write about three strangers who cross paths in a setting beyond Ireland, but she didn’t know where. During her research she happened upon walking holidays and her attention was drawn to the Camino. Having never been there herself, her knowledge was scant, so she booked flights to Santiago de Compostella and began a journey that left an indelible mark on her.

Using her first-hand experience she gathered her research and wrote a novel about three women, Paula, Rachel and Cathy, each at different stages in life, yet all on the Camino for a personal reason. As each embark on a solo journey hoping for answers, they soon discover that the answers they were hoping to find might just be in the most unexpected of places.

With great attention to detail Ruth O’Leary takes the reader on a very immersive journey through the sights and sounds of this infamous trail. Starting in Sarria in Northern Spain Paula, Rachel and Cathy put one foot in front of the other, gathering their thoughts and soaking up the silences with the sun on their faces. With early morning starts and long daily walks across varied terrain, these three once strangers become allies and friends.

With every dawn, a new strength is unveiled as they support each other, provide a listening ear and a shoulder when necessary. They may have started this journey alone but as they arrive in the square of the Cathedral in Santiago, their lives are changed and their eyes are opened.

With stunning descriptions of place, Ruth O’Leary’s passion for travel shines through. The Camino is a trip that many, including myself, hope to conquer some day but, while we wait for that day to arrive, A Week to Remember brings us a little bit closer to that bucket list wish. Paula, Rachel and Cathy are three women at very different points in their lives but they are all looking for something similar, they all need something to change. On this journey of self-discovery, they each learn so much about themselves and how they want to now enjoy their lives. They seek answers and hope to heal but can the Camino provide all the answers?

A Week to Remember is another wonderfully engaging novel. The location is magical and the developing relationship between these three strangers is beautifully depicted. There are some difficult themes throughout but Ruth O’Leary handles them with extreme sensitivity. With a gorgeous cast of characters, a stunning setting and a captivating story A Week to Remember is a really beautiful read, perfect for anyone who dreams of an adventure from their sofa (and I expect that travel agents will see a surge in bookings to Santiago de Compostella too!)

*Thank you to Poolbeg Press for a copy of A Week to Remember in exchange for my honest review

[ Bio ]

Ruth O’Leary is an Irish Times Bestseller who lives in Dublin Ireland and works as a freelance movie extra. Her debut novel The Weekend Break was published in March 2024 and spent two weeks in the Bestseller chart.

Ruth writes a monthly blog called Rambling Ruth combining her love of travelling and writing.

X ~ @rutholearywrite