What Eden Did Next: The moving and uplifting bestseller you'll never forget

Loved it. I felt like I was right there with Eden as she coped with Andy's death, raised her daughter, dealt with her meddling in-laws and reconnected with an old friend. Andy was dead longer than Eden was actually with him. Sycamore Grove sounded like a lovely place to live, the neighbors all looked after each other (maybe a little too much.) Would they women have treated a single mom the same way as they did Rafe? Elizabeth was the sweetest, she actually gave Eden the best advice. I loved the relationship between the two ladies and the conversations that they had. Then there was Rafe. He was perfect for Eden, even if both their families objected to their relationship. Shouldn't they be happy that Rafe and Eden found happiness again??? My least favorite part was the relationship Eden had with Andy's family. From the start it was easy to see how much Eden's in-laws manipulated her. Valerie and Michelle wanted Eden to stay as Andy's wife and couldn't see her as anything else. They also made it seem like she shouldn't be working. Why does Eden have to tell them if she is dating? I wanted Eden to grow a backbone and tell them she appreciated everything they did for her, but that she can make her own choices. The Farellys (mainly Valerie) always had an agenda and constantly used "what Andy would want" as a way to control Eden. I hated the relationship Eden had with Andy's family. Yes, they did a lot for Eden and Lila, but was it out of love? Valerie and Michelle wanted Eden all to themselves and didn't even want her to visit her sick aunt.

Definitely recommend the book. I loved the characters, writing style and story. I was sad to see it end. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hachette Book Group through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A long novel that stalls out several times in the storyline. There is so much aggravating family intrusion and manipulation that is bothersome.
As the story goes, friends until age ten when Eden was uprooted from her home in Galway, she and Mac (Rafe) reconnect twenty years later. Both are widowed with small daughters. They develop a new relationship based on mutual attraction. His family and her in-laws butt in at every chance. Her mother-in-law is especially manipulative and always inserting what Eden’s deceased husband would want. All you want is for Eden to stand up to her and tell her to back off.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What Eden Did Next follows the story of Eden and Rafe who are learning to love again after heartbreak, amongst many other mingling and somewhat-nosy-neighbors and in-laws.

After losing her other half in a tragic accident, Eden is beside herself after just learning she's pregnant with their daughter. Unsure of how to move on and cope with this significant loss, she is aided by her mother-in-law and the rest of the family in caring for her daughter and herself. Fast forward five years and Eden is reunited with her best friend from when she was younger, Rafe, and it seems they have a lot in common when it comes to tragic losses. From when they meet to their satisfying ending, they will each learn how to layer their love for another over what they've lost and how a new beginning is exactly what they're in need of.

rating ♡ 3 stars 🌾🌊🐚

As soon as I'm approved, I love to dive right in to NetGalley reads and abandon all other books for the time being. To start off this review, I have many thoughts. Since it took me a full week to read this book, that is the strongest indicator that I wasn't entranced by it; I usually finish books within three days.

The premise of the story is so strong that I feel as though the repetition of the interference of Eden's mother-in-law overshadowed it in a way. Although I understand that the point of that was to showcase how dramatic/controlling she always was because she saw Eden as a link to her deceased son, I couldn't help but become annoyed with her reactions every single time Eden went around the house. They felt a bit overplayed and definitely caused me to be against her from the start.

Besides that qualm, I enjoyed being able to witness the budding relationship of Eden and Rafe turn into something much more than either expected. I also loved the detail O'Flanagan threw in about the letters Eden wrote to Andy, those were some of my favorite parts to read.

Overall, I would state that this book is a beautiful story of a woman finding herself again amidst all of the tragic and loss she has endured.

Available now 🌿

My sincerest thanks to Hachette Book Group and NetGalley for providing me with this digital reviewers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Families and their dynamics are often complex, and Eden has experienced them first hand. After her parents passed away suddenly while Eden was very young, her aunt and uncle took her in. They had no idea how to raise a child, but tried their best. Eden was taken away from Galway, the home she knew, the best friend she made and brought up in quite a difference atmosphere.

When Eden and Andy married, his large, boisterous family with matriarch Valerie at the helm took her in as one of their own, and she welcomed it. When Andy died, his family supported her and her daughter Lila. Now, 5 years later, Eden is struggling to find herself again, and while she doesn't want to hurt Andy's family, she must break away from them in order to grow into a life of her own choosing.

While this isn't a coming of age novel, there are aspects that are on the same line. To be independent, a person must learn to fly on their own, and their family has to be able to accept it, while remaining a soft place to fall if needed. Hold on too tightly and the bonds will inevitably break. The author captured the struggle perfectly.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

This is my first exposure to this author and I found the storyline interesting and emotionally engaging.

Eden Hall is a professional nurse turned care giver and calligraphy artist. Her career took a dramatic turn when Andy, her firefighter husband, was killed when a building collapsed. Her biggest regret was she never told him she had just discovered she was pregnant with their first child. Now five years later, she is still mourning his death and is raising Lila, her daughter, with the support of Andy’s family.

As the story unfolds, Eden becomes increasingly aware that her in-laws are using her as a way to stay connected to their son/brother, who has now reached heroic proportions in everyone’s eyes. The stakes become higher when Eden reconnects with Rafe, her best friend from childhood, and Andy’s domineering and emotionally manipulative mother attempts to control Eden’s life choices.

The novel explores a variety of significant issues – love, loss, grief, family dynamics, dysfunctional relationships, healing, and reclaiming independence. I found the characters of Eden and Rafe both believable and likable. The mother-in-law’s behavior, while understandable, was outrageous in her selfishness and her willingness to use her granddaughter to emotionally blackmail Eden. Eden’s indecisiveness did get a bit tiring after a while, but I enjoyed her awakening to the limitless nature of love. The heavy story content is balanced with a bit of humor and, overall, this is a feel good, inspiring novel.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

OK

This o e will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next p!us it's a great love story. don't miss it!

Cute story of two people who lost the love of their life. Learning to realize that you can love again and find happiness again without forgetting the love you had before. Cute story

This novel was a big slow in the beginning, but soon became absorbing. The characters were all so real and you felt their emotions. Cheering some on, and becoming annoyed with others.

I hope to to read more by this author and highly recommend this novel to others.