Reviews

O Ausente by Beth O'Leary

librarianinperiwinkle's review against another edition

5.0

This is, hands-down, my favorite adult fiction book so far this year, and I've read some excellent ones. I requested the eGalley copy from NetGalley thinking I was getting a rom-com, and while there definitely is romance as well as some humor, this book took me on an emotional journey I was not expecting, and I could not bear to put it down.

The first half of the book is character-driven, focusing on the three women Joseph Carter stands up on Valentine's Day: Siobhan, Miranda, and Jane. We get to know Siobhan's over-scheduled world as a life coach with past relationship grief. We learn about Miranda's life as the only woman on a tree surgeon crew (a.k.a. arborist). And we wonder exactly what trauma caused Jane to flee corporate London for a volunteer job as the youngest member on staff at a charity shop in Winchester. Their lives intersect in only one way: their relationship with the same man.

The second half of the book (or maybe the last 3rd? eGalleys have wonky formatting) is hard to talk about without giving anything away. The pace intensifies, the story taking unexpected twists and turns. I anticipated loathing Joseph, yet he defied all my expectations, and I honestly couldn't decide what outcome I wanted...none of which mattered in the end because O'Leary is a genius.

For readers' advisors: character and story doorways are both VERY strong. The setting is England and Ireland. Some profanity and mild sexual content. One scene with accidental violence. Discussion or mention of grief, death of loved one, depression, dementia, stalking, sexual harassment, self harm, miscarriage, and panic attacks. LGBTQIA+ secondary characters.

littlehappyreads's review against another edition

lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

supersanni's review against another edition

3.0

3,5

cibani's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Car accident, Miscarriage, Dementia, Sexual harassment, Death, Emotional abuse, and Grief

sop17hie's review against another edition

emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I hated joesph so much at the start

ashamai's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

turleyboo37's review against another edition

3.0

i’m conflicted here!!!! i kind of hated the first 2/3. i just couldn’t understand why we were following the story in the way we were, it was boring and annoying and overall pretty boring. and then that last 30% floored me. i LOVE a good plot twist like this one, and it was executed incredibly, but a maybe bit late? i just feel like i spent so long being told and believing one thing, and then i had to completely reevaluate. and that was difficult so far into the book. But i did really enjoy the ending, and i love beth o’learys writing enough that i flew through the first 2/3. so overall a minor success, that could’ve been a favourite book.

carolshuri's review against another edition

3.0

Casi se ha ido al fondo de la estantería con los libros sin terminar. Un libro de 400 páginas en el que no pasa nada hasta la número 300 y que el grandioso plot-twist se ve venir desde bien temprano, lo cual le quita toda la gracia.

Los personajes son bien planos, no he llegado a conectar con ninguno y sobre todo el protagonista, que no tiene ningún tipo de personalidad. Me interesaban más las historias de las chicas que no tenían nada que ver con Carter que lo que pasara con él.

A pesar de todo eso, es fácil de leer y (aunque personalmente se me ha hecho larguísimo) no es demasiado largo. Bien a caballo entre un intento de drama y un intento de romance mal ejecutado. Si no esperas una comedia romántica o romanticismo de cualquier tipo, este libro es para ti.

kaitsteak's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

elle_gallagher's review against another edition

Couldn’t get into it