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kiwialexa's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage and Violence
jaz_styles97's review
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
jodie_books's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
bethalyea's review against another edition
4.0
After a reading drought, Kate Kerrigan brought me back with my favorite kind of book! "It Was Only Ever You" follows a pair of Irish lovers, a Jewish bad ass, a respectable lawyer and their mix of family and friends in Ireland and New York. It is filled with romance, and hence, drama but it is well written. You will fall in live, tears will fall, (Irish) tempers will rise and the reader will be trying to absorb the next step as Kerrigan emerges them in the characters' lives, Topsy-Turvy as they may be! A must-read for fans of Binchy and those who like historical, character based fiction!
scatterbooker's review
5.0
It Was Only Ever You is my first introduction to Kate Kerrigan, but before I even picked up the book I knew that I had been missing out! With comparisons to the great Maeve Binchy and high praise from romance stalwarts, Marian Keyes, Cecelia Ahern, and my good friend, Tess Woods, I knew this would be a great book. And I certainly wasn’t disappointed.
The novel is set in County Mayo and New York in the 1950s and told from multiple points of view. Patrick leaves his sweetheart, Rose, the beautiful doctor’s daughter, behind in Ireland to emigrate to New York and make it big as a rock star. In New York, he meets Ava, a wealthy but shy girl, except for when she is on the dance floor. Holocaust survivor, Sheila, manages to talk her way into becoming Patrick’s manager, despite being on the run from the mob.
I loved the way this story was told. I can definitely see some similarities to Maeve Binchy’s heartfelt romance style Kerrigan captured the mood of old-school Ireland and the 1950s rock and roll scene of New York perfectly. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Sheila watches Bill Haley and his CometsBill Haley and his Comets in one of their earliest performances, especially as Rock Around the Clock was my grandmother’s favourite song!
Originally posted at https://scatterbooker.wordpress.com/2016/12/27/it-was-only-ever-you-by-kate-kerrigan/
The novel is set in County Mayo and New York in the 1950s and told from multiple points of view. Patrick leaves his sweetheart, Rose, the beautiful doctor’s daughter, behind in Ireland to emigrate to New York and make it big as a rock star. In New York, he meets Ava, a wealthy but shy girl, except for when she is on the dance floor. Holocaust survivor, Sheila, manages to talk her way into becoming Patrick’s manager, despite being on the run from the mob.
I loved the way this story was told. I can definitely see some similarities to Maeve Binchy’s heartfelt romance style Kerrigan captured the mood of old-school Ireland and the 1950s rock and roll scene of New York perfectly. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Sheila watches Bill Haley and his CometsBill Haley and his Comets in one of their earliest performances, especially as Rock Around the Clock was my grandmother’s favourite song!
Originally posted at https://scatterbooker.wordpress.com/2016/12/27/it-was-only-ever-you-by-kate-kerrigan/
debrasbookcafe's review
5.0
bethalyea's review
4.0
After a reading drought, Kate Kerrigan brought me back with my favorite kind of book! "It Was Only Ever You" follows a pair of Irish lovers, a Jewish bad ass, a respectable lawyer and their mix of family and friends in Ireland and New York. It is filled with romance, and hence, drama but it is well written. You will fall in live, tears will fall, (Irish) tempers will rise and the reader will be trying to absorb the next step as Kerrigan emerges them in the characters' lives, Topsy-Turvy as they may be! A must-read for fans of Binchy and those who like historical, character based fiction!
shelbycat's review
3.0
Not a bad romance. I liked the feminist elements in this book, and getting to know what this specific area of New York was like during this time period. I loved the ending, it was nice and tidy.
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