Just Between Us

by Cathy Kelly

Book Overview

From internationally bestselling author Cathy Kelly comes a heartwarming story of three sisters who are about to discover that--even within a close-knit Irish family--looks can be deceiving. Look at... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743490266
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Gallery Books
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 1.4" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

A FAMILY SAGA -- WHAT LIES BENEATH THE SURFACE

Cathy Kelly's Just Between Us is a richly textured tale of a "perfect" family that begins to slowly reveal itself as one with all the ordinary flaws and foibles that plague most people; it is this probing beneath the surface that yields a peek into the intriguing aspects of each of the primary characters. As the story begins, Rose and Hugh Miller are approaching their fortieth anniversary, and as the celebratory moment nears, we learn more about the two of them; Rose uncovers a secret, and while she's planning the party, she is also considering how to deal with it. Meanwhile, the three adult daughters are each struggling with their own issues. Stella, the eldest, has a successful career as an attorney, and as the single mother to Amelia, believes that her life is just the way it will stay. She expects no romance or any surprises at all. Tara, the middle child, writes for a successful soap opera, and as a newly-wed with a dream husband, she believes that all is just the way it should be. While Holly, the youngest, is plagued by insecurities and longs for a love that seems to never arrive, the other two begin to find that their lives are not what they thought they were. This is the heart of the story, but what sets it apart are the rich details that give us more than a peek into their lives--we almost feel as if we are walking alongside them. As if they are our friends and neighbors, with their struggles part of us. We root for them, and sometimes want to yell at them for making foolish choices or mistakes. A rather long book (530 pages), I kept reading, because I truly wanted to partake of every eventful moment in the lives of the characters. Definitely five stars!

Much better than I was expecting

Upon receiving this book, I recognized about 500 pages and immediately put it off, assuming I had no time to read such a long book. When I finally found the time in my schedule, I was pleasantly surprised. The book was very good and touching, sharing the stories of three Irish women who are facing hidden trials and tribulations for fear of damaging their reputation. When one of them finally makes a stand, the others' lives begin to unravel even faster leaving them all scrambling for the resolutions to their problems. The only problem I had with this book was Kelly's overuse of certain phrases ("solar plexus", "nineteen to the dozen", etc) which began to sound cliche page after page. However, the book is something I would definitely recommend to anyone wishing to look into four seemingly perfect lives to see everyone has imperfections.

GREAT!

I love this book! All of Cathy Kelly's books give the point of view of a few different people and it keeps you so interested. The main characters this time were that of a well known family in a small town. Rose, the matriarch is just approaching her 40th wedding anniversary and has kept the fact that her husband unfaithful to herself for almost all of the 40 years. Her oldest daughter, Stella, is raising her young daughter on her own and is just falling in love for the first time since the birth of her daughter. Rose's middle daughter, Tara, is blissfully newly married, or so she thought. Tara is struggling through her whirlwind marriage and learning her husband has a few secrets of his own. And Rose's poor youngest daughter, Holly, has a lack of self confidence all stemming from Rose's own problems when Holly was a baby. It's such a good book that takes you into the minds of each of the woman and they gain control of their lives.

Wonderful modern family drama

I haven't even finished the book yet but I'm so engrossed in the stories of these four women! I find it so believable and relatable that these women (3 sisters and mother) all see each other's lives as charmed when in fact they all have their own problems. It takes place in Ireland but could just as easily have taken place in my hometown! These women band together to help each other through divorces, single motherhood, adultery, alcoholism, and unrequited love. Their stories are touching and the characters are well-developed. I love Maeve Binchy and I feel this writer is on par with her.

tremendous family drama

In Kinvarra, Ireland, Rose and Hugh Miller are about to celebrate their fortieth wedding anniversary. The parents are especially proud of each of their adult daughters who will join them for a gala to mark the event. Stella, a single mom, is a successful lawyer; Tara has done well as a soap opera writer and recently married; her youngest Holly seems happy with an artistic life. Everything seems perfect for the Miller brood as they prepare for the ruby wedding party. However the matriarch does not see her world through rose colored glasses. She has some doubts about spending her golden years with Hugh. Stella is brilliant at law and even as a mom, but feels lonely as the love of her life has never surfaced; Tara is doing great at the job, but the love of her life appears to be a drunk; Holly may be the envy of everyone due to her free lifestyle, but in reality is bored yet fears making any changes. These four females will bond even more so over the course of the festivities. This is a tremendous family drama as the four females through asides and discussions reveal that they reveal doubts about their so-called perfect worlds. Each feels they suffer from a major failure at something significant yet also knows that they share a sisterly bond (including one with the matriarch) that helps each cope with their personal crisis not solving them only surviving their troubles and misgivings. Readers will find this book a powerful and realistic character study. Harriet Klausner