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!

As a middle-aged woman who sometimes feels young & sometimes feels ancient, I related to Anna without having to search my memory bank. This story really kept me reading. I was very curious to know the history between Anna & Joey. & what led to Anna & Jacqui no longer being in touch. Not always a fan of using flashbacks, but it worked here. Anna’s chaotic family life is really funny. No wonder she needed an escape. I thought the butterfly scene in the hotel was a lovely calming moment.
I view this as a story about taking the speed bumps, twists & turns & punches life throws, & using the wisdom gained through experience to help guide the way.
Perimenopause might actually be the biggest villain in this book!
Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy via NetGalley. Now I need to go find previous books about the Walsh family.

I enjoyed reading My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

If I could, I would give 5.5 stars for My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes. Full disclosure: for the first third of the book, I was just putting in time, planning to finish the book but not loving it. I finally had a wake up call and started again at the beginning. I loved every minute of My Favourite Mistake. Anna's journey is thought-provoking and filled with humor, deep introspection; her resiliency is amazing. I enjoyed learning Anna's backstory and appreciated the twist on the not-quite-exes being thrown together.. The supporting characters from the Walsh family did not disappoint.

Anna was at the top of her profession as a PR person in the cosmetics industry in NYC. But she traveled all the time and she was burned out. She is a widow, but she's been in another relationship. But Covid and peri-menopause have helped that relationship to fail.

She travels back home to Ireland to take a breather. She helps friends of hers who are developing a high end resort in a lovely area. It's a small town where rumors and outright falsehoods are running rampant. She also crosses paths with Joey, or Joseph, as he's known now. He's gone from a scrappy survivor to a successful business man. He's the father of her best friend's daughter and they've had an on-again, off-again relationship for years, but they've never been lovers.

Together they work to dispel the rumors and labor issues surrounding the development project. But warnings and danger continue plague the project.

This is an interesting story about relationships, friendships, love, and finding your place in the world that you inhabit.

I so deeply enjoyed the travails and triumphs of the incomparable Anna in Marian Keyes MY FAVORITE MISTAKE. While the story starts in the familiar terrible of indifferent boyfriend, high-pressure and high-stakes job, and a tough city while missing home and family, it quickly takes a fascinating turn when Anna returns to Ireland, to use her hard-won skills and encounter the unique characters and old relationships she long left behind. Yes, there is second chance romance and complications with relationships, but all in all, the book is the relatable and delightful journey of a woman from lost in perimenopause and a life she no longer wants to live to one where she is in charge and contributing and feeling like she is living her own life rather than being shoved around by the glamorous and excruciating life she left in New York City. I laughed, I cheered, I admired the courage and ingenuity and the wonderful writing of this story -- my first Marian Keyes that will not be the last. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

Marian Keyes does it again with a well- written , engaging novel that will appeal t both her long term fans and new readers alike.

I've read several of the books about the Walsh family over the years and was pleased to receive an ARC of My Favourite Mistake from the publisher. You can't go wrong with a Marian Keyes book and this was no exception. Anna Walsh is living in NYC and is miserable. She's in the throes of perimenopause, her relationship with her boyfriend is barely breathing, and her fancy PR job is causing her too much stress. She misses her whole family in Dublin. She moves back to Ireland and struggles to find employment. A family friend is opening up a seaside retreat in a small town and hires Anna to help sort out some issues with the locals who are upset about it.

If you are looking for a book full of fun characters this is the perfect choice! Once Anna arrives in M'town there are many quirky people to meet. Anna also finds herself working with Joe Armstrong, a man she shares a long history with. Joe and Anna have been in each other's lives for around twenty years. To say they have a complicated relationship is an understatement. We get to learn about them through flashbacks to Anna's past. Though this was a bit slow at times I still enjoyed spending time in Ireland with Anna.

I first discovered Marian Keyes thanks to my study abroad roommate who picked up Sushi For Beginners, then passed it on to me, and a love for Marian's writing began. I devoured all of the books that were out at the time as soon as I got back to the US. My Favorite Mistake takes the reader back into the world of the crazy Walsh sisters, this time again focusing on Anna.

Anna has been through some things and at almost 50, she finds herself out of love with her long term boyfriend, out of love with her job, and wanting to be closer to her family back in Ireland. She ends up being hired to assist with a PR nightmare for a resort that is being built, but the catch is that she needs to travel to a SMALL town and work with a guy she has had a complicated past with, and with the locals.

I really enjoyed reading about the Walsh pack again, but this is book 7 in the family, so I would suggest starting with Watermelon (book one). One of the things that I appreciated with Marian's characters, is that Marian writes believable characters who age, and change (maybe not gracefully), but always real and messy because that is who we are. We are imperfect and deserving of love.

Highly recommend for hilarious hijinks, kooky characters, lots of Irishisms, big city girl in a small town, and what may be the longest slow burn I've ever read.

I love the Walsh family and all their crazy antics! This book is Anna's story as she creates a new life when she comes home to Ireland to stay. All of your favorites are back (including my personal favorite couple- Luke and Rachel!). If you are a fan of the Walsh family, this book won't disappoint. Interesting choice for a love interest.... but somehow it works:) Enjoy this fun read!!!

Thank you Netgalley, Marian Keyes and Penguin Random House Canada for the ebook. This was a comical and well written story about letting it all go to start over where your heart has been telling you to go for so long ... home. I loved the contrast from being a big shot in the big city to now virtually no one in small town Ireland. How Anna and her family navigated this change was hilarious and humbling. A great read!

I was so excited to read about the Walsh sisters again. I enjoyed it and laughed out loud in parts, as I often do when reading about the Walsh family. However, I did lose interest three-quarters of the way through. It started to get too predictable. I may pick it up again when the time is right. I still definitely enjoy Marian Keyes, her writing, and sense-of-humor.

Another book about a menopausal woman! I feel seen! The story revolves around Anna Walsh, who breaks up with her long-term boyfriend after COVID-19 takes a toll on their relationship. She decides to leave her stressful job in beauty public relations in NYC and return to her hometown in Ireland. Anna's friend, Rachel, asks her to help with a new retreat project in small Irish town, where Anna discovers that the project manager is her past love, Joey Armstrong. The story is about family, reinvention, and taking chances on new people and places.

We learn about Anna and Joey’s relationship through flashbacks as the two work to save Rachel and her husband’s project. It’s a fun but serious dynamic as we discover how Joey and Anna have grown and changed over 20 years since they first met in their late 20s in NYC and why they have a precarious relationship.

This book was wonderfully written, and the character arcs are poignant and heartfelt. The Walsh family is funny and typical of large families. Many exchanges cracked me up. However, I’m taking away one star because it is almost 600 pages long and could have been tightened up and edited.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.