I received a complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
A really cute upbeat read about a woman in the beginning of menopause who makes a huge decision to move back to Ireland after many years of living the life in NYC. I didn't realize this book was part of a series, it could definitely be read as a standalone. The Walsh family is quirky and funny and Anna's return to Ireland brings up lots of old feelings and memories of past experiences. She sees people she hasn't seen in years and also tries to reinvent her career. It was a little long for me but all in all a fun one!

I, being a Southern American, in love with all things Irish started a love affair with the writing of Maeve Binchy late in my teens. Her ability to tell a heart warming story with that wonderful Irish…something was without compare for me. Then one day I picked up a book with a cute cover about 25 years ago called Lucy Sullivan Gets Married by an author named Marian Keyes. Not only did she have the same ability to tell a heartwarming story, along with the same, I don’t know, IRISHNESS, she has also had the most clever way of turning a phrase. That book was a delight, and I was impressed with how fresh and funny Marian Keyes’s voice is, and added her to my list of Irish readers that MUST be read (there are still only two authors on that list, much to my chagrin).
The second book of hers I discovered was Watermelon, in which I was introduced to the incomparable Walsh Family. Ever since then, I’ve read everything she’s ever written, including her newsletter for many years, and now her posts on Instagram. She has always been as open (and clever) with her fans as her characters, and I have gone through the heartbreak of depression with her, and the joy of being better. I root for her with each book she puts out. Having said that, I was vaguely wary of Again, Rachel, which was her last novel that revisited a Walsh family member whose story had already been told in Rachel’s Holiday, and frankly, I couldn’t imagine how it could I’ve been improved on. I should’ve trusted Keyes, because there WAS a lot more story to tell, just like there is more to Anna Walsh’s story. Hers started with Anybody Out There?, and now continues with Marian Keyes’s new release, My Favorite Mistake. Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for a digital advance copy of the book.

Here’s the thing about Marian Keyes books. They have been growing with me for years. I am 46 now, nearly the same age as Anna Walsh herself. When I was in my 20’s, I loved reading about the Walsh sisters shenanigans, but now that I’m in my mid 40s, the anecdotes about doctors that have no ears for female health concerns, bodies that don’t look as they once did, and brains and hearts with ever growing wisdom ring truer than ever. Even amongst the confusion of starting life anew, Anna Walsh (and Marian Keyes) resounds even more with me than she did before. I’m telling you, she is just so real. She is brave and she is flawed. She is someone you desperately wish existed in real life, because you just know you would somehow be the best of friends. You rejoice when Anna starts to make friends in her new town, and we have as much belief in Anna’s ability to do her job as Anna herself does. We feel what she feels as her 40+ years of life cause her great heartache and great wonder.

I loved this book and strongly recommend it to anyone, but ESPECIALLY to those of us in our 40’s. Marian Keyes, thank you for making your characters so relatable in a world where frankly, we women of a certain age may be finding the world not as friendly to us as your books. 💗💗💗

Marian Keyes does not disappoint. Her books are always a good read and this is no different. She developed the characters well and makes you feel like you are friends with these characters.

I almost always like Marian Keyes' books, and this one is no exception. I really enjoyed the story and would have given it 5 stars if it was edited better. There was quite a bit of extraneous verbiage pertaining to nothing at all. There were also far too many characters that were unnecessary to the plot. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

My Favorite Mistake is book number seven in the Walsh family series by Marian Keyes. This book follows Anna who has recently returned to Ireland after living for several years in NYC. She has made several life changes and is now living in a small town and sorting her future out. Her family is along for the ride with plenty of laughs and snarky comments. The small-town residents come to life in this book as you get to know so many of them and their quirky ways. Read and enjoy!

I picked up my first @marian_keyes book during the pandemic and the proceeded to read every book of hers I could get my hands on. And she has been a must read author for me ever since. The latest instalment in the Walsh Family Series is out and I love it.
Anna Walsh has walked a long hard road to get her enviable life. An apartment in NYC, the best job in the world as a PR rep for a major makeup company, and the sweetest boyfriend ever. But during lockdown she comes to the terrifying realization that she doesn’t want any of it anymore. Homesick for Ireland she heads home to reevaluate and start the next chapter of her life. When offered a job helping out a family friend’s new spa/retreat who is having some issues with the local community she takes it despite having to work with the one man she hoped to never see again.
I think one of my favourite things about Keys characters is none of them are saints or villains. She has created a community of characters who are completely three dimensional. And happy ever after into the sunset is not the kind of endings we get, when we check back in on characters down the road real life has kept happening to them and they have done their best to keep going.
Thank you so much to @penguinrandomhouse and @netgalley for letting me have a copy of #myfavouritemistake for review.
#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booklover #bookworm #book #readforfun #walshfamily #irishauthors #readersofinstagram #readersofig #readersofinsta #readerscommunity #readers #readeveryday #readmorebooks #reading #readmore

A spritely story about a woman’s quest to find herself, her calling and her peace, while navigating a mystery and her love life, or lack thereof. Spanning NY to Ireland locales, and over 20 years as well, Anna’s story pulled me in. The characters are refreshing, the dialogue bright, and although it’s not necessarily a peppy story, it does carry a vibe of hope and camaraderie. I enjoyed this one thoroughly.

Marian Keyes always writes enjoyable books. I have read many but didn’t realize this was the 7th in a series! Unfortunately I had trouble keeping up with all the characters- perhaps it would be better for someone who had recently read some of the previous titles. I loved Anna but I think I cared more about her personal relationships than the main storyline of someone trying to sabotage a new resort.
I especially liked the quirky people who lived in town. So definitely not my favorite mistake but still enjoyable.

We all make mistakes. But when do we stop making the same one over and over again?

I just love a chic-lit easy fun read to mix in with the thrillers and serious reads, especially in the summer! I did not know this was #7 in a series until after I started reading it, but you definitely don’t need to have read the previous ones. But the characters are so wonderful that I think it would be worth reading the previous books just so you can enjoy more of the awesome characters! This book focuses on a middle aged woman going through a mid life crisis, while going through menopause, moving from New York back home to Ireland, who gets a new job and a new relationship. The author has a knack for capturing the perfect mix of dialect, jargon, and raw honest truth to make a fun and delightful read! Definitely one to pick up to add to your pile for when you’re craving something light and fun!

#myfavouritemistake #netgalley #bookreview

My first Marian Keyes book was "This Charming Man", which revolved around the bonds formed by several unique women coming to terms with their abuse at the hands of a famous politician. I was thrilled at the chance to read her newest book, but ultimately disappointed by the story.

This started out as a cozy Irish mystery. Anna Walsh is a Mary Sue who leaves her high pressure job in Manhattan to return home after her relationship falls apart. She's hired to investigate some vandalism and soothe any ruffled feathers related to a resort being built by a hometown friend. The kicker? The primary financial backer is a man with whom she has a Mysterious Past.

I enjoyed the first half of the book but was very surprised to find that once the mystery was solved, there was still a lot more of the book left. I HATE stupid romance novels and when Anna started mooning over this guy, I found my interest flagging. I got my hopes up again when it seemed like Joey (yes, a fully grown adult man who goes by Joey) helped reconnect Anna and her long-lost best friend... maybe this wasn't going to be some stupid romance book in disguise after all!

WRONG. At about the 80% point, Anna is leaning into this idea of herself and Joey as Star-Crossed Lovers but they are, in fact, neither star-crossed NOR lovers. They are two people who are mega-horny for each other, and have been for so long that they've convinced themselves that it must mean they're in love. Because they're jerks who secretly want to bone, Anna considers them to have a Complicated History of Hurting Each Other. I mean, I guess? Nothing she described was really hurtful. Or complicated.

THEN, someone literally describes them as "love for the ages", I guess because they finally hooked up? These people don't seem to understand that sex isn't the same as love, like can we please just stop? You got to nail this guy you've fantasized about for a while, good job! Stop acting like it's the fulfillment of a prophesy or a fairy tale brought to life. It hasn't EARNED that kind of reverence. There's no THERE there.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.

When I first agreed to read this for review, I did not know that this was the 7th book in an entire series. It took a good while to figure out who was who and what was even going on. The author certainly jumped into the story in the middle of things and kept going while I almost didn't. However, I did stick it out and I'm glad I did. The "you can't go home again" trope was blown to bits, and it turns out that our main character did go home and did make things work out for the better.

If you want to avoid the confusion I had in the beginning of the book, do yourself a favor and either read the six preceding books or at least their synopses.

I did enjoy this book by the middle, and the end was satisfying.

(side note: It was also fun to see this book on sale in London when I was there, before it was available in the US.)

Perimenopausal Anna Walsh leaves her life in NYC and returns to Ireland with no job, no man and only a big Irish family to surround herself with. She ends up helping friends starting up a yoga retreat. They need her PR expertise to quell the anger of the townspeople who think this gentrification thing is a bad idea. Oh and enter and old flame. She's still hot for him but he is just bad news. They end up having to work together and it's a will they or won't they, is there too much history to make it work this time around?

I was a HUGE fan of Marian Keyes in the early 2000s. "Watermelon?" Loved it. "Rachel's Holiday?" Banger. "My Favourite Mistake?" Not so much. Maybe I don't want to read about people my age. Or maybe this book was just too long with too many characters and side stories that I couldn't focus or even care about anyone. You don't need to know any of her previous books to read this. Even though the Walsh family makes appearances, it's irrelevant to the whole story.

This was a miss for me,

Title: My Favourite Mistake
Author: Marian Keyes
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

Anna has just lost her taste for the big apple . . .

Anna has a life to envy. An apartment in New York. A well-meaning (too well-meaning?) partner. And a high-flying job in beauty PR. Who wouldn't want all that? Anna—it turns out.

Turning a minor mid-life crisis into a major life event she packs it in, heads back to Ireland, and gets a PR job for a super-high-end coastal retreat.

Tougher than it sounds. Newsflash: the locals hate it. So much so, there have been threats—and violence.

Anna, however, worked in the beauty industry. There's no ugliness she hasn't seen. No wrinkle she can't smooth over. Anna's got this.

Until she discovers that leaving New York doesn't mean escaping her mistakes.

Once upon a time she'd had a best friend. Once upon a time she'd loved a man. Now she has neither. And now she has to face them.

We all make mistakes.
But when do we stop making the same one over and over again?

This was the first Marian Keyes novel I’d read, and I was really impressed with the writing—the setting was so well done! I enjoyed Anna’s voice a lot; that was the only reason I kept reading, because she was too whiny for me and spent way too much time feeling sorry for herself. I was happy that Anna managed to grow and change throughout the novel—but I’ll probably not read the rest of these books, as Anna’s drove me up the wall.

Marian Keyes is from Ireland. My Favourite Mistake is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.)

This was so long! Or at least it felt that way. By the time I was halfway through I felt like I had run a marathon. There are a million characters to keep track of and the 48-year-old FMC acts much younger. By the millionth time she fought with Joey I was so over her and almost wish he gave up on her already. And Jacqui is an absolutely terrible friend! This felt like a chore and I will skip Keyes from now on.

Thank you to Random House/Double Day Canada for the ARC of this book. I remember reading a lot of Marian Keyes book in my early 20s and late teens and loving them so I was excited about this one. Unfortunately, it just never really hooked me and I found that I was just very bored. The story line moved super slow for me. Some of the details about the covid pandemic were well done in my opinion and I think the concept of the main character finding herself again at an older age was interesting but I was just never excited to sit down and read it. I do think that this one might be a hit for somebody else but it was not for me. I do appreciate the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

Loved it!! I would give it 4.5 stars. It was nice to reconnect with the crazy Walsh family. I read "Anybody Out There?" back in 2010, so it's been awhile. My mind was a bit foggy about what she went through. Reading about the Walsh family is like coming home and I started remembering Claire, Margaret, Rachel, Anna and Helen and all the crazy stuff they got into. Anna's dad doesn't make much of an appearance, but her mum makes up for it. This book definitely doesn't disappoint. The Walsh girls are still up to their usual shenanigans and have each other's back. Claire is still the most outrageous of the sisters and Helen is still Helen. Jacqui was infuriating. I hated the way she treated Anna and blamed everything on her. Anna was always there at her beck and call. I hated the dynamic of their friendship. The constant mention of Luke's tight pants, most of it coming from mammy Walsh. She's quite hilarious in this stage of her life. Anna's life in Maumtully (M'town) sounded wonderful. I wanted to live in the beach house, shop at all the shops and be friends with everyone there. Narky Joey would be an added bonus. I absolutely LOVE this family.

Definitely recommend the book, especially if you read the previous books. Loved the story, writing style and characters. This book is full of everything- love, friendship, family, forgiveness and so much more. I would love to read more books about the sisters. You never know what's going to happen with them. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Random House Canada through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Marian Keyes ‘ seventh book in the Walsh Family series is My Favorite Mistake. I found it easy to jump into the story without having to read the prior books as each book appears to be a standalone story about the sisters in the Walsh family. The sisters were obviously introduced and developed in prior books, but I appreciated and liked all of those characters.

The story is told from Anna’s POV, and the storyline toggles from present to past and back as Anna’s past relationships and mistakes/regrets are revealed. The jumping back and forth didn't feel fluid as Anna evaluates her midlife crisis in the midst of sussing out a mysterious act of vandalism toward one of her family's friends' hotel/retreat. The local mystery of the vandalism was wrapped up unconvincingly and conveniently, and the antagonists were easy to pick out very early on. For a rather straightforward story, the plot plodded along at a snail's pace. While the denouement is what I had anticipated and hoped for, it took too long to get there.

I truly appreciated a story about a middle-aged woman who was struggling with perimenopause, relationships, family and friend issues. I didn’t appreciate the main character Anna. She was whiny, self-absorbed and judgmental. Her radical transformation by the end of the story didn’t feel organic.

In the end, great plot premise, horrible main character and slow plot. I wanted to like it more than I did, but I am not dissuaded from checking out the previous books in the series, because Anna’s sisters seemed more relatable in My Favorite Mistake.

My favourite mistake is a heartwarming novel that feels like a wonderful conversation with an elder relative. That being said, I am not sure I was meant to pick this one up. I have not read other works of Marian Keyes. Although, I wish I had before reading this (sorry for missing that this was part of a series). There are a lot of characters to track and understand the way they fit in the story that I am sure previous books in this series have clarified. Marian Keyes is a lovely writer and this seems likes a story that might resonate with individuals who have experienced a similar journey to the main character, Anna.

I love the setting of this one, as a sucker for Irish characters and locations in books. I think that the characters are fun and quirky, but it did feel like it jumped around quite a bit, popping into flashbacks frequently. I wish it hadn’t jumped around quite so much, but overall, it was a cute story and I enjoyed it.

My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes was such an enjoyable story!
An engaging read with the best characters.
I can’t wait to read more from Keyes!

Thank You NetGalley and Doubleday Canada for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!