Sheila O'Flanagan Dreaming of a Stranger

Having read a lot of Sheila O'Flanagan's books, one I hadn't been able to get my hands on was "Dreaming of a Stranger!"

The story introduces us in first person narrative to Jane an almost 21 year old who lives at home with her parents in Dublin. Jane often lives in Dreamland, dreaming of lovers (hoping it is Mr Right) and romantic scenarios which they may be in. The book is centred on Jane, but also introduces us to her friends with whom she has known since school, Lucy and twins Brenda and Grace

We see Jane suddenly decide at her 21st Birthday that she will leave home to share an apartment with these friends. Having a job in the bank she can do it and also see's a change in her job. This is where she meets Rory McLoughlan who will have a major impact on Jane's life. They get engaged and then it jumps to just after their wedding and their married life. Is everything as happy as Jane hopes for? The book follows through the next few years and all the changes and trials which Jane comes across. Will Jane take control of her life and be as happy in real life as what she dreams off?

I've read all Of Sheila O'Flanagan's books and in a way, I expected this book to be the same as the other ones. Usually the stories which are written by the author are the type which can twist either way and quite often have you not wanting to put the book down. Normally if I have to put a book down, it ponders on my mind about what could happen next.

With Dreaming of a Stranger, I was disappointed at first to not get into the story as much as I normally would. I also sometimes found Jane's Day dreams dull and boring and it made me wonder why I continued to read it. The first part of the book was fairly simple and easy to read, but I did find part of the middle part a bit tedious and kept skipping on to the next chapter at times or having to go back and reread parts of chapters as I just couldn't get into it. But further on in to the book I really found it picked up and really drew my interest in.

I also found that quite often the book would jump forward a few months or years, and sometimes that stumped me trying to figure out how much time had gone by and trying to figure out what had happened in that missed period. I soon caught up though. Each Chapter when it jumped is dated. It also has a hit title and it's place in the charts along with the artist. They are a mixture of UK and US hits.

Towards the end I started to see the style in which O'Flanagan usually writes in starting to come through with the twist and suspense which I am used to. It really did pick up at the end which did please me, but it was still a disappointment, not to get the suspense and excitement throughout the book instead of at the end. It doesn't put me off reading this Author again as I do enjoy her works. Her other books have everything from the start. But I am led to believe that this was her first book, and if that is the case, I am pleased to see that she has improved since then.

This book retails at a RRP £6.99. Tesco had it on Offer for £3.84. If you've not read it either buy it cheaply or borrow from the library rather than paying full price for it.

ISBN 0-7472-6564-x

36 Chapters

630 pages