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See the Stars by Eleanor Ray #Review

  See the Stars by Eleanor Ray will be  published on February 5th 2026 by Piatkus .  Do you ever feel that life isn't going to plan?   When Alice Thorington collapses in the street after a particularly hellish day at work, she must finally admit to herself that her outwardly happy life - steady relationship, well-paid job, beautiful flat in the city - isn't everything she'd hoped it would be. Burnt out by long hours and living a life that doesn't fulfil her dreams, Alice returns home to Yorkshire.  Her childhood home brings complicated family dynamics, a rediscovery of her passion for stargazing and two new friends: Berti, a boy who finds it easier to count the stars than interact with people, and Matt, her brother's best friend and Alice's teenage crush. With each of them facing their own struggles, can the stars that meant so much to Alice in her past help them to find their way in the present?  Filled with heart and warmth, this uplifting novel...

What Happened That Night by Sheila O'Flanagan ** Blog Tour Guest Post **

    In celebration of the Hardback publication of What Happened That Night, I'm delighted to welcome Sheila O'Flanagan to Books, Life and Everything to talk about her favourite jewellery. Jewellery is an intrinsic part of the book and integral to how some of the characters act and view themselves and others. Before we hear from Sheila, let's find out a little more about the book.
Can we ever put right the mistakes we made in the past?
One thing's for certain: nothing stays a secret for ever.

Lola Fitzpatrick is bright and ambitious but she's also headstrong and stubborn. When one evening, out of the blue, she has to make a life-changing choice, she decides quickly and rashly. And without a piece of vital information that might have changed everything.

Lola's daughter, Bey has inherited Lola's determined nature. Yet her impulsive reactions place her in danger, leading her to run away from what she wants most. And then, one night, she's standing in front of the man she loves, with her own choice to make...

For both Lola and Bey, everything changes in a moment. But their biggest mistakes might also turn out to be their greatest opportunities...


Without further ado, welcome Sheila to Books, Life and Everything and over to you!



I can’t honestly say that I have a favourite piece of jewellery. Rather like shoes, different pieces work with different outfits and I like to mix and match as much as I can.  I don’t mind whether it’s High Street or something a little more expensive once I like the design. But I do like it to sparkle whenever possible! 

Of course my most sentimental piece of jewellery is my wedding ring. My husband and I married after more than thirty years together, so I wanted my ring to be both a wedding ring and a symbol of our already long relationship. That’s why I actually chose an eternity ring to wear – it seemed like we’d already been together forever! Until I got married I always took off all my jewellery at night and when I was working on the keyboard so wearing a ring all the time has been quite a change for me.

I like chains rather than necklaces and one of my favourites is a little rose-gold flip-flop that I bought in San Francisco. It’s really intricate and cleverly made and every time I wear it I think of walking along Pier 39 with the sun shining and the seals honking in the distance. It’s perfect for wearing in the summer – and in the winter when hot sunny days are a distant memory.

I also have an old ring with a tiny garnet stone that belonged to one of my aunts, and an almost matching pair of garnet earrings that belonged to her sister. Both of these pieces connect me to members of my family who have passed on, and I feel close to both of them whenever I wear them. 

Like Bey, in What Happened That Night, there’s something about the fact that the precious stones were formed millions of years ago that totally fascinates me, and I love to think of jewellery being handed down from generation to generation and forming a part of family history. Since writing the book I have a greater appreciation of the care that went into designing and making them too and so all my jewellery is more precious to me now than it was before.

Thank you so much for this, Sheila.

My Thoughts

I loved the two central characters, Lola and Bey for their independence and determination to forge their own way in life. I also found the dynamics between the other characters interesting and how they related to these two. I particularly liked the way the narrative goes back to different times and you keep meeting the characters at different times in their lives. 

The story carries you along but you know that events in the past will not stay hidden. The consequences of Lola's decisions will have a bearing on her daughter. Secrets will out. 

In short: a page turner romance which keeps you hooked to the end.  
 
About the Author

 Sheila O'Flanagan is the author of many bestselling novels including The Missing Wife, My Mother's Secret, If You Were Me, and Someone Special. She worked in finance for several years, but always dreamed of writing fiction, and she is now a full-time writer, with over twenty bestselling novels published. She lives in Dublin with her husband.

You can connect with Sheila on  Twitter  |  Website |  Facebook    |  Goodreads   |  Pinterest 

You can also read my review of The Missing Wife here.

Thanks to Becky Hunter and the publishers at Headline for a copy of the book via Bookbridgr  and a place on the Blog Tour.

You can follow the rest of the Tour here! 

 

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