The Woman Who Stole My Life

I am unable to write a review on this book as I have not finished reading it.
i find that i am struggling with this book and so far i have found it, frustrating, almost annoying to read. perhaps it is just me. i have left this book unread and in the meantime I have read several other books which have been much more to my liking.

What a disappointment. I love the author's work but this was boring to the extreme - found my eyes skiing across the pages just to get to something interesting. None of the Characters were appealing, and, in fact, some were downright annoying. However, Keyes is one of my favorite authors, and we all have days when our soufflés don't rise. Have great hopes for next book!

I'm not quiet sure what to say only I found this torture to read. But I couldn't not finish it I kept hoping it would get better. Sorry Marian I usually love your books but I'm afraid this wasn't for me

I'm quite a keen reader and a fast reader at that, but I've been stuck on the beginning pages of this book for a week now. I'm finding it extremely boring and slow paced. I'll continue in my endevour and write another update if I get any further. Sad - cause Mariam was one of my favourite writers.

I was so excited for a new Marian Keyes book but this one was soo soo disappointing. I kept waiting for something more interesting to happen, or the characters to seem more interesting, but it just didn't happen, and then it just ended.

I cannot go on holidays without a Marian Keyes book and her latest offering lived up to expectations this year. I love the way Marian develops characters that I can associate with/laugh with/at. As ever - great read

Very disappointing and boring. I loved Marians first books - Rachael's holiday, last chance saloon and sushi for beginners but now her books seem to be regurgitating the same themes and ideas for example the book signings are basically straight from her short stories and dusted off. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.

The book is based on the life of a woman diagnosed with Guillan Barre. It is totally unrealistic in terms of the woman's rehabilitation and care. In real life there is no way that a Neurologist would come and do a patient's exercises or speech therapy, it would be done by the physiotherapsit or relevant medical professional therapist. The writer twisted reality to force a story line that is totally predictable and boring. Not worth wasting your time reading.

Stella Sweeney has an average, ordinary life. Recently turned 40, married - if not happily, at least comfortably - with two teenage children and a job working with her sister as a beautician. But when a sudden illness strikes, it marks the start in a chain of events that will dramatically change every aspect of her life. She will go from being somebody average and ordinary to being somebody whose life is not ordinary at all.

When the book opens we learn that Stella is down on her luck, back in Dublin after time in New York and trying to piece herself back together. Then we go back two years, to her life before, and gradually the story of what happened between then and now will be revealed. Marian Keyes' trademark style of weaving between the serious and the laugh out loud works well, and Stella's humor is particularly enjoyable as she narrates the story of her illness (which is revealed as excerpts of the book that she later wrote about it).

I really liked the first half of the book, especially as there is some sense of mystery about what is going to happen and what the book's title will relate to. Somewhere around the halfway mark it starts to become apparent how things will unfold and the pace really needed to speed up at this point - which is doesn't, in fact it does quite the opposite. (Until the ending, which is very quick). The lively, humorous book starts to become a slow, predictable story and the engaging Stella starts to become a bit of a whiner. I'd give the first half of the book four stars, but only two stars for the second half - hence averaging out at three.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC for review.

When I was offered the chance to receive an Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Woman Who Stole My Life from Penguin Canada, I was beyond thrilled. Having not read any of Marian Keyes’s previous books, this was an amazing opportunity for me to discover a new (to me) author. Did I make the right decision accepting? You’re fecking right I did! This book captivated me from the beginning, I fell head first into the story of Stella’s life and I didn’t emerge again until I had consumed every last word. Fate, karma, kismet. These are all factors that I believe play a large role in our lives. The universe can be an unforgiving or generous benefactor. Who decides which hand we are going to be dealt? Karma was the unseen main character in this book, the puppet master for all involved. I thought the plot was brilliant, spanning years and countries - yet always circling back to the main premise of the book.

As a direct result of that very good thing, a very bad thing happened. Then another bad thing. I am currently due an upswing in my karma cycle

Stella Sweeney is a brave, strong female. At 40 years old, her married life while raising two teenager children may not be glamorous, however she is content with what she has. Shortly after we meet her, she goes through a horrifying ordeal. Diagnosed with a very rare neurological disease, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, she becomes a prisoner in her own body. Her muscles have systematically shut down, while her mind is very much alert and aware. As a reader, I thought that the descriptions of everything that Stella goes through while suffering and subsequently recovering from this disease were chillingly accurate. Reduced to communicating through blinks, the feeling of invisibility made my heart break for her. When you can’t speak a word or move a muscle, does anyone really remember that you’re still there? There is one man that is very aware of her presence, and it isn’t her husband. It’s Dr. Mannix Taylor.

I wasn’t sure it was a good thing to have Mannix Taylor as my champion; he seemed to annoy people

What I loved most about this book is the way that all the characters intertwined with each other. Stella’s children with her husband Ryan, were as much a part of the book as her sister and parents were. Over the course of Stella’s illness, we get glimpses of what happened before, what happens during and how things played out after. After her recovery, her life takes a momentous turn. Thanks to Mannix’s sweet attentiveness to her during her hospital stay, she now is the author of an inspirational book. When the book is unexpectedly picked up by a publisher, all of their lives are set on an irrevocable path.

“I can’t sleep without you. I never sleep. Please come back.”

If you are a hopeless romantic, if you love a story filled to the brim with intrigue, a dusting of suspense - this is a book for you. It is a lengthy read, and there were parts of the Irish dialogue that stumbled me up a little bit, but the pages flew by and the words sorted themselves out. Fall into this book, join Stella’s path of discovery and uncover just how far you would go to retrieve a life that was stolen from you.

xo Cassia
deliciouslywickedbooks.com

Stella Sweeney is a beautician with a successful husband, two teenagers, and a pretty ordinary, somewhat satistfying, somewhat uninspiring life - until the morning she wakes up feeling sluggish. By evening (after having to beg her detached husband to take her to the ER), she is near death, having lost all inability to move, even to breathe. She spends the next eight months in the ICU, on a ventilator, unable to do anything except blink her eyes. She feels completely forgotten until Mannix, a neurologist, shows her how to communicate with blinking. With his care, she gradually comes back to life. But everything is different now. Her family has changed without her, drifted apart. Can she rebuild this family unit? Does she want to? And what about her feelings for Mannix?

That's a lot of plot, right? And it's barely scratching the surface. There's a book published about her ordeal that turns her briefly into a celebrity before flaming out and she finds herself back in Ireland, penniless, alone. Now you think I'm giving you a spoiler right? Wrong again! All the plot I've outlined shows up in about the first 30 pages of the novel. And that's kind of the problem. There is a ton of great, juicy, soapy story here, and anyone who has read Marian Keyes KNOWS she can write great, soapy, juicy stuff with humor and insight. But this book felt like an idea that was rushed into print before it was ready. The structure is really hard to read - flashing back and forth between the "present day" when she is back in Ireland as a penniless failed self-help author, and the backstory of her illness. As a result, in the first thirty pages, you get ALL the good stuff, and the rest of the book is filling in what happened. But it doesn't work; since you already know the outcome, there's not much suspense in wondering. Will her marriage survive? Obviously not. Will she recover from the illness? Yes. Then she'll publish a book and go to NYC - cool!! - but it will fail and she'll find herself back home. All the tension is zapped away by the plot device itself. And in a book like this, WHAT happens is more interesting than WHY it happens (her husband is kind of a jerk, that's why the marriage didn't last, etc.).

I felt like this could have been a good book - and Lord knows, Marian Keyes has written some great ones - but the structural flaws, and a kind of overstuffed storyline that jumps around, kept it from working for me. If you feel like some Marian Keyes, might I suggest Rachel's Holiday, Last Chance Saloon, Other Side of the Story...any number of terrific choices. She's great. This one just didn't pan out, for me.

I’ve read most of Marian Keyes’s books (not the last few), and enjoyed them very much. She has a biting sense of humor and a keen eye for the ridiculous. Her female characters are often a bit self-absorbed, even a tad shallow, but this just provides fodder for Keyes’s wicked sense of humor. Take this observation from the novel’s heroine, wistfully recalling the days when she had a personal trainer to keep her fit:

“Between that and the running, it kept me a size eight. A European size eight, I should stress. Not a US size eight, which is really a size twelve and which nobody admires.”

Keyes manages to poke fun at the character and our weight obsessed culture at the same time. Clever. That being said, this was not my favorite Keyes book by a long shot. It had its moments, but overall it missed the mark for me.

As the story opens we meet Stella Sweeney, a 41 year old divorced woman who has just moved back to Dublin along with her surly teen-age son. All we know is that her life is in a shambles, she had obtained –and subsequently lost – some degree of celebrity and now desperately needs to write a book to get herself back on track financially. The story unfolds as Stella thinks back to when she contracted a scary (and very serious) illness several years ago and how that illness served as a catalyst for her to change her life. And so it goes, back and forth between past and present until Stella’s story is revealed.

I didn’t have an issue with the story being told in flashback sequences per se, but I admit that it made it easy for me to put the book down…frequently. I just never got engrossed in the story, and I suspect a lot of that had to do with the disjointed narrative. I also thought the book was too long – there just isn’t enough story here to warrant 400+ pages. Frankly I found some of it boring, even tedious.

While this isn’t a huge departure from the author’s previous works, it lacked something for me, and I think that “something” is a compelling heroine. Stella Sweeney was just too passive and glib for my taste. I’m not sorry I read the book, Keyes is a darned fine writer and she can always wring a laugh out of me, but this isn’t a story that I’ll be thinking about days from now – I’m afraid there was just nothing memorable about it for me.

So I must admit I have had this Marian Keyes book in my Kindle library for some time and keep putting it off reading it. Why? Because I have seen a lot of mixed reviews for 'The Woman who Stole my life', so I apprehensively I started to read it. Well I absolutely loved the first part of the book, mainly for the main background setting scenes. I love Marian Keyes's voice, and her dry wit. The humour runs all the way through...and the best characters are the Irish folk because they have depth and are so very REAL.

It's is based around Stella's contraction of and dealing with a terrible illness, that left her unable to do anything for months. With the aid of a neurologist who works out a way of communicating with her by blinking, they start to have conversations. All the while we get to see inside Stella's head and how she was feeling about being in hospital.

The Majority of the book is flashbacks (which I'm normally not a fan of but it worked in this book) the majority of the flashbacks about Stella's time in the hospital were intriguing and emotional, they really sucked me in. Stella is just an ordinary person however she discovers that her communications have been put together as a book, and from that her life transforms in even more ways. The second half of the book is where I can understand people lost it a bit.

Overall this was a marvellous concept that takes having a crush on your doctor to an entirely new level. I had no idea how the book would end. 4 Stars.

Is it possible to loathe every single character in a book? The entire cast ranges from pathetic to utterly reprehensible (I'm looking at you Jeremy and Besty). It is impossible to fathom why Stella ever married Ryan in the first place, Karen is the worst sister ever and the parents are complete morons. Mannix and Georgie are the only characters with any redeeming qualities, but that's not enough to make me root for them. Stella herself is the biggest culprit, cringingly weak and constantly blaming herself or making excuses for the horrible way her "loved ones" treat her. The best way this could have ended was with everyone getting a massive wakeup call and realizing the best way to fix their problems was to either (1) stop being such a selfish whiner and/or (2) stop being an apologist for the other people in your life being such selfish whiners.

By Melissa Amster

It's been a while since I read this book and I'm just finally getting around to writing a review. What I can tell you is that it's on my 2015 Favorites list at Chick Lit Central. The interesting factor is that a good chunk of the story is narrated in Stella's head, since she can't talk and has to communicate through blinks. What happens next is full of interesting surprises and Stella is in for a wild ride.

The characters are so vivid and there's great dialogue and description throughout. Marian adds a dash of humor and a bit of snark to both Stella's thoughts and words. There are so many twists and turns, so I was constantly surprised. All I know is that I smiled and laughed. A LOT!

This is definitely my favorite non-Walsh sister book of Marian's, going to the top of the list above Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married. I highly recommend it, whether it is your first Marian Keyes book (what are you waiting for?!?) or one you've been eagerly awaiting but haven't managed to pick up yet.

If I could marry a book, this would be it. Charming, heartfelt, and humorous. Marian Keyes at her absolute best!

Dream cast:
Roland: Eric Stonestreet
Mannix: Gerard Butler
Stella: Kate Winslet
Karen: Melissa George
Gilda: Ksenia Solo
Ryan: Colin Farrell
Betsy: Tessa Albertson

I used to love Marian Keyes, but her last few books have left me cold, including this one.

Keyes' gift has always been approaching really difficult subjects - alcoholism, eating disorders, depression, domestic violence - by wrapping them in seemingly lighthearted stories, blending in humor and often flat-out silliness. That's still present here, but it doesn't quite work.

Problem #1 is that the book's structure is confusing. She leaps repeatedly between time periods over the past 4 years. Some of that is handled with a change in font (major pet peeve), but then in the 'present day' font, she often veers into a lengthy flashback that just left me confused as to when we were in the story.

Problem #2 is that the narrator, Stella, is unengaging. She's depressed, which is important to write about, but mostly means she spends a lot of time remembering things and eating her feelings. She didn't have any believable active conflict. The past, even when she's bedridden and (unbelievably) communicating by blinking her eyelids (not a spoiler - this comes out quite early on), is more interesting than the fallout, points about karma aside.

And problem #3 is related - the mystery of how she got to where she is in present-day is thin and dragged out. It's easy to figure out who she thinks is responsible early on, and then the story just meanders around for 450 pages. If I hadn't had to finish this for a review, I would have tossed it after 50 pages.

I feel terrible giving this a negative review, because Marian Keyes has given us lots of great books, but this just felt sloppy. However, I have read some positive reviews (was released already in the UK), so other people might have more fun.

Little did Stella Sweeney imagine, when she became one of the few thousand people affected by the incredibly serious Guillain-Barré syndrome, that the illness would wind up changing her life almost entirely. The condition, which strikes suddenly and causes near-total paralysis, lands Stella in the hospital for several months, unable to feed herself, breathe on her own, or move anything except her eyelashes. But all that time stuck inside her own head gets her thinking --- a lot --- about her life.

Stella, who has been a somewhat incompetent beautician at her sister's rather sketchy salon, has always been more or less satisfied with her life. Sure, she has two teenaged kids who don't give her the time of day, and her husband Ryan, a frustrated artist turned extreme bathroom designer, works way too much. But that's how life works, right? You have a little of the good and a little of the bad, and if you're a good person, things all work out in your favor in the end.

Stella tries hard to keep this sunny disposition while in the hospital, but it becomes increasingly difficult when her kids seem to blame her for her illness and Ryan wants to be treated like a martyr when all he's doing is keeping up with at least some of the million household tasks Stella used to handle alone. The only person who seems invested in really hearing what Stella has to "say" is her neurologist, Mannix Taylor, who uses a system of blinks (inspired by those in THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY) to help her communicate. The two of them develop an intense friendship, but just as Stella begins to recover, Mannix abruptly disappears. Did he fear getting too close to a patient?

When, in the wake of her recovery, a memoir/book of aphorisms that came out of her illness becomes an international bestseller, Stella embarks on a thoroughly unexpected second chapter, moving herself and the kids from Dublin to New York for a series of book tours. All of a sudden, Ryan is accusing her of stealing the artistic fame and fortune he himself never had, her kids hate her more than ever, and she's finding that being a bestselling author is just as hard as being a beautician ever was. Where's her measure of karma now?

Marian Keyes has become known as a writer whose novels effectively balance humor and pathos. THE WOMAN WHO STOLE MY LIFE is perhaps not as dark as some of her earlier work, but it does tackle serious topics in a more lighthearted way. Readers may or may not be surprised by the plot twist that defines the book's final sections, but they are likely to be consistently frustrated, outraged and absorbed by the stories of Stella and the people who surround her.

Reviewed by Norah Piehl

I really enjoyed this book- as I have all of Marian Keyes other novels including Mercy Close. I am horrified by the negative reviews left here and want to say I think it's great that Keyes has been switching it up in recent years and become a bit less predictable. I am a frequent reviewer of products but rarely write reviews for books. This particular one I borrowed from the library, and was so moved at it's conclusion (3.7 minutes ago) that I opened the store to leave a review and was shocked to find such negative comments... I guess to each his own- but read it and decide for yourself.

What would you do if you could not move for a year, only able to communicate by blinking? That is the predicament Stella Sweeney finds herself in, in The Woman Who Stole My Life. Faced with an unexpected illness that shuts down her system, Stella, a woman in her late 30’s, has to rely on her family and doctors to help her get through this difficult situation. How her family reacts, the people she meets, and the fallout of her illness on her life, are the premise of the book. This concept ought to make an excellent book, but Stella's personality (especially in present times) is not always endearing, as she comes across as a martyr and selfish.
Upon recovering, Stella tries to put her life back together, only to discover that she is not the same person she was a year earlier, and neither are her kids or husband. In addition to her life not going according to her anticipated plan, she is thrust into a situation by accident that offers her fame, fortune, and a new lifestyle.
The book opens in present day, with a rather negative outlook from Stella, so we know not all is well. It then flashes back to before she got sick. Chapters continue to alternate until the past meets the present. I found the alternating chapters (past/present) to be ineffective at first, as it took a while, almost to the halfway point, for me to find the book’s rhythm. Once the book just concentrated on the present, the story moved much more fluidly. That said, the parts when Stella is hospitalized are more engrossing and interesting to read.
Stella spends much of the book trying to understand how the events during and after her illness impacted her decision making ability and her actual lifestyle choices. And for those who want to know who stole Stella’s life, Keyes offers three different options at the end of the story, and none involve identity theft.
Fans of Marian Keyes may find aspects of the story reminiscent of earlier books with the family drama and eccentric characters; however, those flowed much better and had somewhat more of a realistic storyline. Suggest getting it from the library v. buying it.

It's not a great sign when you reach the end of a novel and still aren't sure precisely what the title refers to. By the time I finally plodded my way through to the last pages of this overly-long and rambling work by Marian Keyes, I wasn't sure which of the two possible candidates for "the woman who stole my life" the author had in mind; the narrator, the rather ineffective Stella Sweeney, has one candidate for the role in her own life, while her husband clearly believes she has stolen his life.

I have to confess, however, that by the time I had finished the book, I didn't much care. The book is split in half: there's a "before" segment, in which Stella, a working class Irish wife and mother, is struck with a horrible disease that paralyzes and nearly kills her. The efforts of a talented neurologist enable her to communicate; when she recovers, she writes a book about the experience that becomes a breakout bestseller. Flash forward two years, and after a brief sojurn in the spotlight, Stella is back in Ireland, almost penniless and alone. What went wrong? We learn about her misadventures as a self-help writer on the celebrity writer circuit in segments that alternate with her struggles back to health while still in the bosom of her family. The to-ing and fro-ing between these was far too jarring for me, and Stella ends up feeling like someone who is incapable of pulling herself together and figuring out what to do with her life -- the antithesis of the kind of feisty heroines I've found in the handful of Marian Keyes novels I've read previously. Add to that the fact that virtually every member of her extended family is toxic and demanding -- her daughter summons her to her soon-to-be-ex husband's home to do the family laundry, for heaven's sake -- and I rapidly became rather annoyed with the book, and with Stella. When she tries to do something new or different, every member of her family, from parents to sister to husband to children, tell her it can't be done; they don't make an effort to communicate when she's ill, and they're unsupportive or hostile later. Where's the nuance or subtlety, at even a basic level?

This was only moderately entertaining, and my three-star rating is a generous one. It should have been a fast novel to read, but it took me the better part of a week to force myself to finish. Lightweight, yes, but in entirely the wrong way.

I have read several books by Marian Keyes prior to reading "The Woman Who Stole My Life." What I have found with all of these books is that the author has a beautiful way of encasing serious subjects within a humorous story. In "The Woman Whole Stole My Life", the primary subject of the story is Stella Sweeney - a woman who has beaten the odds and recovers from a tremendously serious case of Gullain-Barre Syndrome. The story is told both in the present and in flashbacks to the past. The actual story begins with a flashback to a car accident which deals with Karma. As it turns out, the idea of Karma (or lack thereof) is one that we will read about throughout the book.

Stella is a woman who is 40 and one quarter at the start of this story. She is facing very dramatic life changes, not the least of which was recovery from almost complete paralysis from what turns out to be Gullain-Barre Syndrome. She was hospitalized for months - confined only to her own thoughts until a neurologist realizes that she can communicate by blinking her eyes. From this unlikely beginning, Stella emerges from her illness and with the help of the neurologist, has a book in hand that may become a best-seller. The story follows Stella as she tours across the US promoting the book (past flash backs) and while she struggles almost hopelessly to write a second book in the present.

There are a myriad of other characters who add to the humor and the seriousness of the story, amongst whom are a moody doctor who is almost able to read Stella's mind, a daughter who is trying to find her niche, a son who is simply angry about life in general, a husband who has gone off the deep end, a man-hating best friend, a Pilates pushing personal trainer, and a sister whose business acumen is second to none. The end result of which is a full-bodied story which kept me riveted until I had finished it.

As with the other books I have read by Ms. Keyes, this book made me laugh and it made me cry. I had never given serious thought to what it might be like to be trapped in your own body with no way to communicate and reading this story made it very real to me. There were certainly other facets of Stella's life I could sympathize with, especially insomnia and the dreaded belly. Stella works her way through some of her demons to emerge, by the end of the book, a woman comfortable with her life decisions.

The book is set both in Ireland and in New York City. Because of Ms. Keyes and a few other Irish authors, I've starting seeking out more and more books set in Ireland. While I am part Irish, I cannot claim this has any pertinence in my reading. I think that it is because their works are now being presented to us here in the States and we can welcome a wealth of what seems like new (to us) authors who are really accomplished and experienced authors whose works are interesting, funny and/or informative.

I recommend this book to adult readers, men and women alike, who enjoy reading what I call "a slice of life" story. Because of some of the events and subjects of the story, I don't recommend it to young readers unless they are used to mature situations in books and frankly, because quite a bit of the story is geared to those of us who have experienced a little bit of life. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of Ms. Keyes' back list and future books. She is an author that I have grown to trust and will always be willing to spend some time with.

Marian Keyes never fails. How can she do it? Her characters are realistic (sometimes you love them, sometimes you hate them, but you never not believe they can live down the block), the pain and anguish can be felt and you can relate to the highs and lows everyone speaks of.
The Woman Who Stole My Life is up to par with her previous books. If you love her novels, trust me, you'll like this one.
The past two years of 41 year old Stella's life are revisited through time-jumps (as Marian does) that make you want to know what's going on constantly. The first part of the book was confusing as her novels usually are, but the connection felt with the characters, the laugh-out-loud moments, the need to know how they'd gotten there -- and how they would move on -- kept me going without stop. I work full time. I read the novel in a week, and it's a long one.
There was a bit of a slowing of pace when we revisit Stella's life in NY, but last part... I couldn't put it down.
I love Marian Keyes. I buy her books without reading the cover and I've never regretted it. This time was no exception.

‘The Woman Who Stole My Life’ was the 2014 contemporary novel from bestselling Irish author, Marian Keyes.

Keyes has been a prolific, bestselling author since her 1995 debut – but I’d never read anything of hers before ‘The Woman Who Stole My Life’. I went in not knowing much (that blurb is really quite bare), but I’d been hearing a lot about this book since 2014 so was moved to give her a try.

What the blurb leaves out (one of the many things) is that this is story within a story, sort of – spliced between protagonist Stella Sweeney’s current life predicament, trying (unsuccessfully) to write a follow-up to her bestselling book, having moved home from New York with her tail between her legs after a humiliating event she’d rather not discuss … then we’re privy to small extracts from her book, titled ‘One Blink at a Time’ and the real-life catastrophe that prompted its being written. Because not so long ago Stella – once happily married with two older children – woke up one day dead tired, with tingling in her extremities. Next thing she knew, she’s being rushed to hospital as her body slowly starts shutting down … because Stella has a one-in-a-million disease called Guillain-Barre syndrome, a nerve inflammation that sees her entire body shutting down and effectively keeping her entombed and unable to move.

Stella recounts her time in ICU, only able to blink her eyes (left/right for yes/no) as her form of communication. Her family barely keep it together; her son Jeffrey becomes increasingly angry for her being sick, her daughter Betsy becomes Biblical and her husband Ryan just seems hopeless. The one bright spot in her day become neurologist (and someone Stella’s previously been in a car accident with) a doctor called Mannix Taylor, who devises a system of communication with her through blinks.

So, that’s the basic premise – how a beautician from Dublin found herself with a one in a million syndrome that kept her a prisoner in her own body, went on to become an author sensation, writing about her ordeal and recovery … and then lost it all and found herself divorced, and living back in Dublin.

I initially found a lot of Jojo Moyes and Liane Moriarty to Keyes’ story – not so much in tone or style, but substance (and, yes, the obvious comparison is to Moyes’s ‘Me Before You’ about a quadriplegic – but they’re really vastly different). Rather, I found connection in how Moyes, Moriarty and Keyes all seem to start with this premise of “what would you do?” It’s what grounds even their more outlandish storylines – by having them happen to thoroughly ordinary, relatable women that prompts the reader to wonder, “what would I do in that situation?”

But ‘The Woman Who Stole My Life’ is a 531-page book, and by the midway point I found myself looking around for … substance. By that point in a Moyes or Moriarty book, usually, all cards were being laid on the table and an ominous tumbling towards ending would be underway. Not so with Keyes and this book – by the midway point I was keeping my fingers crossed for more meat and angst, more oomph to the story which to that point had been careening along nicely and keeping me enthralled. But it was also a bit too cutesy. I kept waiting for Stella to really hit her lowest-lows, but it never felt like she quite got there. The Guillain-Barrè syndrome was awful, to be sure, but once I realised it wasn’t the whole basis of the story – that there was supposedly more heartbreak in store for Stella – I kept waiting for it to hit, but it never did for me.

There’s romance here too, but it doesn’t have the edges and depth I was hoping for either. Again – it was cutesy. And I even found myself more interested in how Stella’s (then) husband was coping with her being in ICU, partly because it was funny, but also because it hit more closely to that “what would you do?” launching off point.

I admit; I enjoyed myself while I was reading this (though partly I think because I literally got to halfway through this 531-page book before realising it was veering away from the heft of story I’d been hoping for going in). Keyes’ humour is definitely charming, but I though it sometimes detracted from the real meat of the story and cushioned her opportunities to hit the story a little harder. But that’s obviously Keyes sticking to what her readers expect from one of her books, so I’ll admit this might just be me going in as a newbie.

I would read a Marian Keyes book again, with the right “huh, what would I do?” storyline hook – but for the most part I think I’d prefer to stick with my favourites, Jojo Moyes and Liane Moriarty.

4.5 stars!
Oh my goodness! I have not laughed so hard in a long time. This book was hilarious. I haven't read Marian Keyes in a long time and I have read most of her books. I think this one by far was her best. God, was it funny. I do have to agree with the other reviewer on Goodreads that the trip to the States just kind of drug the story out. There was absolutely nothing funny and it really added nothing to the story. Unless the author wanted to talk about the stress the tour put upon the characters and I seriously think that could have been done in about two or three paragraphs. While Jeremy was a little brat, he did have some pretty good one liners as well.

As for that eejit ex-husband Ryan, OMG, what a waste of oxygen that guy was. Talk about wrapped up in your own frivolous silly little life. I seriously can't believe she let him back in.

I really did want Stella to get that second book published but I guess all our fairy tales can't tales can't come true. Ha!!

Thanks to Penguin Group and Net Galley for providing me with this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. This book was highly entertaining and I definitely and highly recommend it!!!

I really adore Marian Keyes and while this book isn't a total fail it isn't one of my favorites of hers (Anybody Out There still is tops for me).

This book follows Stella whom is back in Ireland after a crazy past two years and is still recovering from everything that happened.

Without spoiling too much, I'll just say that the book bounces all over and back again.  It's SO confusing at times and I don't know if it's just me but when the flashbacks to her time with her illness happened, I thought THAT was the book she wrote. It took me a while to figure out it wasn't but I'm still not sure if that's just a flashback or if it's from her second book that she is writing in the present day.

The sections were divided into sections but it didn't make much sense. At all.

Finally, the heroine herself I kind of wanted to shake so many times and make her wake up and see what was going on. She has no backbone at all and never really gets one.

The novel is written fairly well and I honestly would have LOVED it if it the whole book aspect of the novel was completely eliminated and it was just her illness and recovery. The flashbacks to her illness were SO well written, witty and engaging. I was really sad when that part of the story abruptly ended.

Overall it was an easy read and one that has some great bits that are worth slogging through some of the odd bits for. I think it'd be a good one for the summer and those that are a fan of her work should still enjoy this latest tale.

I feel bad for authors like Marian Keyes: she has legions of fans and each time we pick up a new book, we're ready to be wowed and delighted. Because she's such a great writer with a terrific track record, I know I judge her work more critically than others.

Is this a wonderful book? Yes. Is it perfect? No. It felt unnecessarily long (a debut author wouldn't get away with that), with too much weight on Stella's illness and not enough on after. For much of the book there are 3 timelines in play, so you'll need to pay attention to keep things straight. (I listened to the audiobook so in fairness, I may have missed some cues). Georgie's character seemed particularly bizarre, and Ryan's sub-plot didn't add much either. Plus, the sex scenes in the middle felt forced, almost as if her editor had said "hey, there's this book called Fifty Shades which made a tonne of cash, so would you mind popping some of that in there?". Those parts seemed out of style for Keyes and out of character for the players involved. And, sorry, but when I come across the words "again and again and again" in a bedroom scene, I just roll my eyes.

All that said, Keyes still delivers a fantastic read. The book-within-a-book aspect is clever, the glimpses of the publishing/writing world are funny (and touching) and there are plenty of memorable details. Supporting/minor characters like the yoga-matted son, the light-fingered nun, and the cupcake-catlady agent round out a pleasurable read. Not quite 5 stars, but a strong 4.

I have loved Marian Keyes since her first book, and this one is no exception! It was funny, entertaining, informative, interesting, and awesome! Stella was not a doormat with Mannix at all. Her first husband was a jerk to her, especially after they divorced, but that just makes the story more realistic and believable. Marian, your books are awesome! I have enjoyed every single one and can't wait for the next. Also, they don't get old - I like to read (or listen to) them again. Thank you for being my favorite author! I'm sorry I never thought to give you a review on one of your books before. I'll be sure to now! :)

I've always loved Marian Keyes. I think she's a great Novelist. I really wanted to love "The Woman Who Stole My Life" but it was a miss for me. It took me at least a week to read it and that's a long time for me. I would put it down, read another book, pick it back up and found myself repeating that pattern.

In The Woman Who Stole My Life we get Stella Sweeney in present day, during her illness, and even after which should have tied this story up beautifully. The only problem, at least for me was that I absolutely disliked the way it jumped between all three. It gave away so much of the story much too quick and then I was left with what happened as an "in between". The way the story was told just didn't work for smooth reading for me.

Some of the book was laugh out loud funny. Other parts I watched Stella go through a terrifying time with illness. Still yet, there is a Stella that recovers with the help of her Neurologist. That same doctor helped her learn to communicate through blinking and writes a biography. The biography becomes a self-help hit and then we find Stella going on a book tour. This is very far from the Stella we see working as a Beautician.

I found The Woman Who Stole My Life just okay but, hard to follow and too much of the story told too quickly. If you are a big Keyes fan and haven't missed one yet, you might want to give this one a try. It wasn't what I expected.

Marian Keyes has long been amongst my favorite authors. Her witty, Brit chick lit defined the genre for me, paving the way for the now better known Helen Fielding and Sophia Kinsella.

Some of her books have gotten more serious of late and she's dabbled in other genres (mystery, essay collections, etc.) but THE WOMAN WHO STOLE MY LIFE is back in what I think of Keyes' sweet spot. Back to the funny, lighthearted romantic form of Watermelon and Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married.

Not that it exactly starts out a laugh riot ... 40-year-old Irish mum Stella is, if not ecstatically happy, at least content in her life as a wife and mother. Until she finds herself in the grip of a sudden, and absolutely devastating, medical crisis.

The story flashes back and forth in Stella's life, and the decisions she made, as well as the lucky breaks she had, and the unlucky ones as well, both before and after her rare medical diagnosis and the kind, physician she bonds with during it.

Marriage, family, fame and what's really important are all themes of this fast-paced, time-twisty story. Stella's sarcastic voice and dry wit keep even the sad moments fairly light. It's a quick read that I finished in just over a day, even with a fairly full mom life of my own.

Warm and funny, as well as occasionally touching and poignant, THE WOMAN WHO STOLE MY LIFE is classic Keyes and a great summer beach book.

I am a big fan of Marian Keyes, but have found her later books just haven't quite brought me to that same place as when I started to read her novels. Somehow they were more light hearted, and even when dealing with a darker subject matter she had a sense of humor. This book doesn't quite put her there, but I enjoyed it. I enjoyed reading about Stella Sweeney, who one day finds that she is suddenly becoming paralyzed in very short order and finds herself unable to speak or move due to a rare disease that she acquires. She remains in the hospital for nearly a year and becomes close with her neurologist who helps her to communicate (through blinking....sounds tiring, but ok....). The disease reverses itself but slowly and in the meantime you meet the core of the not-so-supportive family she has. Two teenagers and a very whiny, irritating husband. She takes her experience and writes a book which starts her on her journey to finding her own life and getting over life's speed bumps.

The book isn't extremely fast paced nor does it really have any huge ground breaking moments, but fans of Keyes just may say she is starting to get back into the swing of things again. The ending was satisfying and I pulled for Stella the whole way to gain her life back and be happier.

Overall, I don't think as good as vintage Keyes but definitely a step in the right direction and a pleasant read for those who are fans.

Like many of Keyes' characters, Stella Sweeney is an average woman with an average life. However, one day she is struck with a serious illness that leaves her trapped in her own body. This illness changes her and her family's life forever. She learns that her neurologist has taken her story and has turned it into a successful memoir of his own. She becomes somewhat of a celebrity and goes on a book tour that eventually takes its toll on her family. But this is all flashback, and we begin with a "present day" Stella who is trying to craft a memoir of her own while keeping her rather dysfunctional family together. Confusing? It certainly feels that way in places.

I've read many many Marian Keyes books and always appreciate her heartfelt approach and likable characters. Her characters are frequently going through traumatic or stressful situations. While I liked the "flashback" Stella Sweeney, the present day Stella was just sort of...meh. The plot was just all over the place, and I found myself skimming through the present day parts so that I could get to the flashback chapters. Honestly, the flashback story would have made a great novel all on its own. All in all, I was disappointed with this one. But I'll keep reading Keyes because I have enjoyed so, so many of her other books. This one was just a miss for me.

The Woman Who Stole My Life tells the story of Stella Sweeney through a series of events at different points of her life. There is the Stella who is married, with two children, and relatively content in her life. There is also a Stella who is in Ireland, unhappy and evidently poor, worrying about her son and her ex-husband. There is a very ill Stella, hospitalized for months with paralysis from Guillain-Barre syndrome. Finally, there are glimpses of a different version of Stella, living in New York City and on a book tour across the US.

The story brings us back and forth in Stella's life, using these different phases to explain how she ended up where she is, although it is not clear exactly where that is. Along the way, Stella meets new people and finds friendship and love in unexpected places. The Woman Who Stole My Life is primarily a love story--Stella's love for herself, her family, her friends, and a new romantic interest.

Marian Keyes is one of my favorite authors, and I never miss one of her books. The Woman Who Stole My Life is a good book, but it is slightly too long, and I did become a bit impatient a few times, wishing that it would pick up the pace to the point. Overall, I would recommend the book to fans of Marian Keyes (and similar authors), and think the book will make a good summertime read.

The Writing:

I remember reading her book This Charming Man a long time ago and really enjoying her writing, but I was worried that my taste in literature had changed too much for it to still be a part of my favorite cups of tea. Turned out I was worried for no reason.
Marian Keyes’ writing is so easy going and witty even when they touch on darker and more serious subjects. The dialogue of the characters is done so well and this book had me laughing out loud as well as drying my tears.

The Characters:

Oh Stella, my dear Stella! A character that definitely found her way into a special place in my reading heart!
We had our moments where I was pulling my hair out of frustration caused by her choices and reaction, but all in all I just loved her as a character.
I won’t go too much more into the characters because it could possibly spoil you a bit, but this book definitely has a good assembly of original and lovely characters! Some will warm your heart, others will have you laughing and then there are the few that will make you mad!

The Plot:

I went into this book very much blind. I didn’t really want to know much more than what the synopsis told me and I’m glad that I did.
This turned out to be a very different story than what I thought it would be, in a very positive way!
It took some twists and turns that I really did not see coming and then there were a few that I had a hunch about but I still felt was the right choices for the direction of the story.
This story captured me from the very first page and had me to the very end, something that rarely happens when it comes to me and “chick lit”.
An amazing story with all the right elements of an interesting summer read!

My Thoughts:

This is a book that I would have probably never bought for my self, but I’m so glad that it found its way into my hands because I really enjoyed it!
It was a surprise gift wrapped in another surprise!
A perfect summer read!

Marian Keyes has long been amongst my favorite authors. Her witty, Brit chick lit defined the genre for me, paving the way for the now better known Helen Fielding and Sophia Kinsella.

Some of her books have gotten more serious of late and she's dabbled in other genres (mystery, essay collections, etc.) but THE WOMAN WHO STOLE MY LIFE is back in what I think of Keyes' sweet spot. Back to the funny, lighthearted romantic form of Watermelon and Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married.

Not that it exactly starts out a laugh riot ... 40-year-old Irish mum Stella is, if not ecstatically happy, at least content in her life as a wife and mother. Until she finds herself in the grip of a sudden, and absolutely devastating, medical crisis.

The story flashes back and forth in Stella's life, and the decisions she made, as well as the lucky breaks she had, and the unlucky ones as well, both before and after her rare medical diagnosis and the kind, physician she bonds with during it.

Marriage, family, fame and what's really important are all themes of this fast-paced, time-twisty story. Stella's sarcastic voice and dry wit keep even the sad moments fairly light. It's a quick read that I finished in just over a day, even with a fairly full mom life of my own.

Warm and funny, as well as occasionally touching and poignant, THE WOMAN WHO STOLE MY LIFE is classic Keyes and a great summer beach book.

I am a big fan of Marian Keyes, but have found her later books just haven't quite brought me to that same place as when I started to read her novels. Somehow they were more light hearted, and even when dealing with a darker subject matter she had a sense of humor. This book doesn't quite put her there, but I enjoyed it. I enjoyed reading about Stella Sweeney, who one day finds that she is suddenly becoming paralyzed in very short order and finds herself unable to speak or move due to a rare disease that she acquires. She remains in the hospital for nearly a year and becomes close with her neurologist who helps her to communicate (through blinking....sounds tiring, but ok....). The disease reverses itself but slowly and in the meantime you meet the core of the not-so-supportive family she has. Two teenagers and a very whiny, irritating husband. She takes her experience and writes a book which starts her on her journey to finding her own life and getting over life's speed bumps.

The book isn't extremely fast paced nor does it really have any huge ground breaking moments, but fans of Keyes just may say she is starting to get back into the swing of things again. The ending was satisfying and I pulled for Stella the whole way to gain her life back and be happier.

Overall, I don't think as good as vintage Keyes but definitely a step in the right direction and a pleasant read for those who are fans.

Like many of Keyes' characters, Stella Sweeney is an average woman with an average life. However, one day she is struck with a serious illness that leaves her trapped in her own body. This illness changes her and her family's life forever. She learns that her neurologist has taken her story and has turned it into a successful memoir of his own. She becomes somewhat of a celebrity and goes on a book tour that eventually takes its toll on her family. But this is all flashback, and we begin with a "present day" Stella who is trying to craft a memoir of her own while keeping her rather dysfunctional family together. Confusing? It certainly feels that way in places.

I've read many many Marian Keyes books and always appreciate her heartfelt approach and likable characters. Her characters are frequently going through traumatic or stressful situations. While I liked the "flashback" Stella Sweeney, the present day Stella was just sort of...meh. The plot was just all over the place, and I found myself skimming through the present day parts so that I could get to the flashback chapters. Honestly, the flashback story would have made a great novel all on its own. All in all, I was disappointed with this one. But I'll keep reading Keyes because I have enjoyed so, so many of her other books. This one was just a miss for me.

The Woman Who Stole My Life tells the story of Stella Sweeney through a series of events at different points of her life. There is the Stella who is married, with two children, and relatively content in her life. There is also a Stella who is in Ireland, unhappy and evidently poor, worrying about her son and her ex-husband. There is a very ill Stella, hospitalized for months with paralysis from Guillain-Barre syndrome. Finally, there are glimpses of a different version of Stella, living in New York City and on a book tour across the US.

The story brings us back and forth in Stella's life, using these different phases to explain how she ended up where she is, although it is not clear exactly where that is. Along the way, Stella meets new people and finds friendship and love in unexpected places. The Woman Who Stole My Life is primarily a love story--Stella's love for herself, her family, her friends, and a new romantic interest.

Marian Keyes is one of my favorite authors, and I never miss one of her books. The Woman Who Stole My Life is a good book, but it is slightly too long, and I did become a bit impatient a few times, wishing that it would pick up the pace to the point. Overall, I would recommend the book to fans of Marian Keyes (and similar authors), and think the book will make a good summertime read.

The Writing:

I remember reading her book This Charming Man a long time ago and really enjoying her writing, but I was worried that my taste in literature had changed too much for it to still be a part of my favorite cups of tea. Turned out I was worried for no reason.
Marian Keyes’ writing is so easy going and witty even when they touch on darker and more serious subjects. The dialogue of the characters is done so well and this book had me laughing out loud as well as drying my tears.

The Characters:

Oh Stella, my dear Stella! A character that definitely found her way into a special place in my reading heart!
We had our moments where I was pulling my hair out of frustration caused by her choices and reaction, but all in all I just loved her as a character.
I won’t go too much more into the characters because it could possibly spoil you a bit, but this book definitely has a good assembly of original and lovely characters! Some will warm your heart, others will have you laughing and then there are the few that will make you mad!

The Plot:

I went into this book very much blind. I didn’t really want to know much more than what the synopsis told me and I’m glad that I did.
This turned out to be a very different story than what I thought it would be, in a very positive way!
It took some twists and turns that I really did not see coming and then there were a few that I had a hunch about but I still felt was the right choices for the direction of the story.
This story captured me from the very first page and had me to the very end, something that rarely happens when it comes to me and “chick lit”.
An amazing story with all the right elements of an interesting summer read!

My Thoughts:

This is a book that I would have probably never bought for my self, but I’m so glad that it found its way into my hands because I really enjoyed it!
It was a surprise gift wrapped in another surprise!
A perfect summer read!

So this book is about Stella. She recently turned 40 and has two teenage kids. One of them hates her. Her ex-husband has announced that he's getting rid of all his possessions. He hopes to become famous by doing this. Basically, he's a jerk. Hence why he's Stella's EX-husband.

Then Stella gets sick and is in the hospital for months. Dr. Mannix Taylor is her neurologist. He helps heal her and he's very sweet.

I won't lie though. This was a hard book for me to get through. I love all of Marian Keyes other books and this one didn't seem as funny or flowed as well as the others. While I still liked the book, I didn't like it as much as Watermelon or Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married. I wanted Stella to get better, but I also wanted more wit and...I don't know. It seemed in some parts the book fell flat and I found myself skimming. But would I read Marian's next novel? Of course! I own all her others because I love them so much. There were funny and endearing moments in the book but they were few and far between. Still, if you're looking for a fun read, I'd pick this one up.

I’ve only read two Marian Keyes books, many years ago, but have enjoyed both. This book was just as lovely. I especially enjoyed the slow-burn romance which took an entire book to develop at an incredibly steady pace. There was no insta-love, no swooning, nothing. Just a deep and meaningful romance.

The characters are three-dimensional and built to perfection. They have their flaws and their quirks, and at times they aren’t even that likable. Stella’s moments of weakness and Jeffrey’s defiance and rude behavior invoked some eye-rolling, but it didn’t make me enjoy the story any less.

Overall, if you’re a fan of Marian Keyes, this novel may be a hit or a miss for you. Readers who haven’t read any of her books before will likely find her humor charming (as I did) and the storyline engaging. I felt the epilogue was too tidy, but all in all this was a good read.

By the end I felt like this was a book that stole a bit of my life.

Great concept but a main character in Stella that I felt got grating by the end. A lot of that had more to do with the sense that two thirds in and I felt like nothing more was being told or explored. Rather it was just page filling. Which was frustrating because with about fifty pages trimmed it still would have been a decent length for a novel.

Also a tighter story line would have kept Stella more interesting. Would have kept the premise clearer and would have lent, perhaps, for a stronger and more satisfying ending.

And in a chicken versus egg sort of argument, a tighter story might have helped lend to a main character who was less observational and reactionary and one that at some point becomes more assertive and active within her own story. Or maybe the reverse. Not sure. But it was a weakness in both regards: meandering story two thirds in and a lead character that seemed too much of a passive lump to really root for in the end.

This is Marian Keyes as I best like her - being humorous despite the situations that she's created. In this story, Stella's husband decides to free himself of all material possessions while her son is heavily into yoga. But the most important plot turn is when Stella suddenly becomes completely paralyzed. This is somewhat reminiscent of how she dealt with the plot of her "Last Chance Saloon". I've been disappointed by Keye's "serious" books, such as "This Charming Man", but I love her humorous spins and plot turns. The editing could have been a bit tighter as parts of the story drag a bit, but hang in there are you'll have a great read anyway!

3,5 stars for this one. As I said, the beginning was really slow and the only thrilling pages were the ones where Dr. Taylor (Mr. Range Rover) was present. Also, I would have liked more character from our heroine, Stella. She could be so easily manipulated by the entire family (kids, husband, sister, best friend), even her agent. But then again, the title must have logic..it's really easy to steal from Stella:))) On the second part of the book, things started to move in a thrilling direction, with some twists and it was really enjoyable and suspenseful at the same time. The book ends with an HEA and I think we can safely say that is a funny, dramatical and dark but also hopeful and inspirational book.Enjoy!

Here we go again....I have loved Marian Keyes - Rachel's Holiday and Watermelon are fantastic - fresh and funny. But this book was so utterly predictable, stale, and boring I couldn't be bothered finishing it. All praise to Marian for finding her niche and exploiting the hell out of it, but it's time to find another angle. The narrator is the same unvarying ditzy but feisty voice, the family all mad in the same way but this time so well-worn they just weren't believable as people and neither was the hero neurologist. Unconvincing, unfunny and threadbare. I won't be reading another Marian Keyes.

The Woman who Stole my Life is a novel by one of my favourite Irish authors Marian Keyes, the thing is though, I really haven't read much Marian in the past 5 or so years... Why? I don't know.... I have read the Walsh series of books but I seem to have been distracted by other authors and just wasn't compelled to pick it up. Truth be told, I picked this book up about 6 months ago through Audible, I listened to the first 4 chapters and I just wasn't getting into it, and I stopped listening. Fast forward in time to last week, I had just finished my previous Audio book and I didn't know what to pick up next and the only other unread item was The Luminaries and I am just not ready to go back there yet, so Marian it was.

The story is about Stella Sweeney, she is a mother, wife and a beauty therapist who seems happy with her life. She spends her life chasing after everyone else in her life until tragedy strikes and she becomes gravely ill with a rare condition. The book moves through time quite a bit, you are either in present day or the past, you don't chop around in the past it is a straight line back to the current day as the flash backs work.

You see through the flashbacks that after Stella's recovery her life changes quite drastically, but to be honest it takes such a long time to get to the juicy bit I was starting to get a bit tired of Stella. For me she was a difficult character to warm too, I don't know what it was but she was just a bit odd and not in a great way. Maddox her doctor is an interesting character and for a while it feels like you are really going to get into something there but then he becomes quite predictable. Her husband, don't even get me started on him... Sheesh.

In saying all of this, once I got into it, I can't complain, it was a book I listened to while I was doing other things and I didn't lose anything from it from not being completely focussed on the book.

What makes the book for me are the last 3 chapters, Marian got me back there and she got me good, I loved the last part of the book and it made it worthwhile, overall I gave this book 4 stars and I will go back and read the books I have missed over the next year or so.

I have read several of Marian Keyes' books. This one is not my favorite, but I enjoyed it. Like previous books, this one was funny, despite the terrifying subject matter - for half the book the protagonist has locked in sydrome due to Guillain Barre disease. The novel tells the story of Stella, her life just before, during and after her life-changing disease. There are funny moments (e.g., everyone notices Stella's new chinos, the characters refer to Stella's brother in-law by his full name, first and last) which reminded me of why I like Marian Keyes. I found this novel, though, to be a bit slower. I also didn't really like any of the men and most of the female characters aren't all that likeable either. Stella's ex-husband Ryan is a self-absorbed jerk. Stella's son is also selfish and cruel. Stella's neurologist just seems creepy to me... All in all, decent chick lit, but not the best.

I could not finish this book. The story was interesting for a while but then I started to loathe the main character and her whole family -- once that happens I just did not care what happened to any of them. I kept reading but the irritation levels kept rising so I have to admit that I did something I RARELY do: I just did not finish it. It gets two stars because despite the irritation there were amusing turns of phrase and glimpses of Marian Keyes' great sense of humor. That still wasn't enough to get me to finish it though.

Unlike many other readers. I have not read many of Marian Keyes books, and without going checking my years old archive I could maybe say this is the first one. So with this book I wasn't comparing it to any other work.

I enjoyed the book, it was *different* i found it quite an easy enjoyable read, with the odd giggle and the odd gasp.

The book kept my attention to a certain degree, and overall it was an ok/enjoyable read.

Stella Sweeney is back in Dublin. After living the dream in New York for a year - touring her self-help book, appearing on talk shows all over the USA and living it up in her 10-room duplex on the Upper West Side - she's back to normality with a bang. And she's got writer's block.

Stella wants a clean break as she didn't exactly leave New York on a high. Why is she back in Ireland so soon? Who is it who keeps calling? Stella wants to get back to being the woman she used to be. But can she? And should she?

1.5

I think I’m done with this genre for the time-being. It’s not because of this book, though. Well, partly. Lately, the genre has disappointed, and sometimes I think I’m actually too immature for it because when interactions become too sensual, I start laughing.

Stella Sweeney - love the name, BTW - lives an average life. She has recently returned to her hometown of Dublin after touring her first self-help book in New York. Her marriage is dull. Her children, Jeffrey and Betsy, are the nightmares often seen on shows like Beyond Scared Straight and My Sweet 16. Even though her husband and children treat her like garbage bi-weekly, Stella refuses to relinquish her place as their doormat.

Until she’s struck by illness.

Stella’s illness comes at her fast and it’s kinda terrifying. But I thought it was beyond rude how she was telling her husband about her symptoms over-the-phone and he hung up on her. Before they both know it, she’s bedridden in the local hospital, half-paralyzed, and needing a tube in her throat to breathe.

But when she meets the neurologist, Mannix, she’s soon enamoured by his charm. They use a complicated system of blinks to communicate (?) and are eventually able to hold full, potent conversations through her blinking alone. (Yeah, I know.) Mannix tells her about his wife, Georgie, and how they’ve been struggling with fertility, then Stella learns dirt about Georgie from her sister and hopes to somehow reel Mannix away from his wife. Mind you, she's still bedridden.

Eventually, Mannix quits his job at Georgie’s request and Stella miraculously recovers. Both parties magically divorce and ironically bump into one another at a restaurant. Instalove occurs. Mannix turns out to be a forty-year old nasty. Stella screams and runs for the Hills (i.e. her basic condo).

After avoiding Mannix’s calls for weeks, Stella receives a box in the mail. While opening it, she’s surprised to find an array of gorgeous, glittering books. Who doesn’t like receiving surprise bookmail, right? But Stella sees her name on the cover and realizes she couldn’t have written it. After relocating Mannix for the story, he tells her he recorded their every hospital conversation in a series of notebooks and sent them to a publishing house without her recognition because he thought her story was BEAUTIFUL.

The book is filled with further unnecessary events. Stella is continuously treated like a doormat by her ex-husband, children, and Mannix, then is confused to why that is so. She is almost always berating Mannix yet runs to him whenever he calls. She also asks her children for advice, despite them being only teenagers. And to top it off, she goes to lunch occasionally with Mannix’s ex-wife. Because that’s normal.

Maybe read Watermelon, instead. I personally haven’t read it, but quite a few other reviewers are fond of Marian Keyes’ earlier work.

It was a good beach read like most of this author's books. There is a bit of Lexi Smart from Sophie Kinsella's REMEMBER ME in this main character, Stella Sweeny. A rare disease strikes her. She spend many months in hospital, a number of them completely incommunicado as she is almost completely paralyzed. Her doctor finally realizes she can communicate by blinking her eyes, though he is the only one who really can understand her,

The love story between the doctor, Mannix, and Stella is somewhat predictable, but there are a few twists. Some of the minor characters are very superficially developed. A bit more information about some of them would have been nice. For those of us who have been married for yonks, Stella and Mannix's separate decisions to withdraw and hook up seems a little sudden. No better or worse than in most chick lit however.

I would have liked more scene setting both in New York and Dublin. That part of the book seemed a little sparse.

I must admit, I had never read a novel by this author, but have always heard from friends who loved her writing. With this as a choice to read for the store vines and then review, I figured it was a good time to give the author a try. I don't know, maybe I just picked the wrong book to start with. I looked at other reviews of this book, and notice that longtime readers of Keyes seemed to disappointed with this, so I know it isn't just me.

When Stella, a beautician with two teen aged girls, a handsome and successful husband, and a seemingly comfortable marriage suffers from a serious illness, she ends up spending several months in a hospital. Later, she discovers accidently that her neurologist has written a book about her case and her life. Unfortunately, she finds out about this when she sees a photo that shows the vice president's wife reading the book about her. With her family life in tatters, unsure of who she is anymore and feeling betrayed by the Doctor who wrote the book without her permission, she returns to Dublin to try to make sense of her life. And here's where things really blew off track. The novel was just overstuffed with side stories, too much going on, and nothing really moving forward. I kept waiting for improvement, but never found it. What a disjointed and disappointing read.

Originally posted on Paris Baker's Book Nook.

Thank you to Penguin Books for providing me with a review copy via NetGalley; I could not have been more excited to read this book.

So it’s the new Marian Keyes – practically enough said, right? I was thrilled when I saw this on NetGalley and ecstatic when my request was accepted. Obviously, I had high hopes. She’s a genius, right? But to be fair, books like this have the most potential to be disappointing. I mean, Marian’s books are so amazing, I’m sure I’m not the only one who sets an extremely high bar of expectation. But, my god, the woman just does it time and time and time again. The Woman Who Stole My Life was no exception.

This book is wonderful.

I loved the characters in this book. Well, I mean, I hated some of them – Stella’s ex-husband Ryan needed a good kick in the nasties, but man, I was connected! I adored Stella. She has a fantastic sarcastic wit, which had me giggling throughout the book. My heart ached with her frustration when her family didn’t have the patience to help her or connect with her, and I both jumped with joy at her triumphs and sank with sadness at her disappointments. Jeffrey, her quirky, grumpy, yoga-loving, health-freak son was another fantastic character, along with Stella’s father – just wait for the reading scenes, they’re simply hilarious!

The timeline zig-zags back and forth, which kept me eagerly turning the pages to get more of it, trying to work out the twists and discover the whole story, fitting all the pieces together.

This story gave me all the emotions I love from a book; it was tender, sweet, funny, aggravating, thought-provoking and inspiring. Another masterpiece from Marian Keyes.

I'm a fan of Marian Keyes so I didn't hesitate on buying this book as soon as I found it. The last book she wrote, The Mystery of Mercy Close, was a bit too depressing for me but the theme in itself was depression so it probably makes sense (not one I will read again though). I finished it feeling slightly disappointed: Helen was my favorite of the Walsh sisters. I really wanted to like her book.
This book is not Mercy Close. I'm not a fan of splitting the narrative between present and past and find it jarring most of the time. But, in my opinion, it was masterly done in this book and served the purpose of firing my curiosity: what happened in those five years that made Stella so discouraged?
I will give no more spoilers but I read this book in 2 sittings and that because I started it on a Sunday night at 11pm and had to stop at 4am because I had work on Monday. I consider this book second only to "Anybody out There?" (my favorite Marian Keyes book) and highly recommend it.

One more thing (*spoiler warning*), some reviewers say they don't understand what the author meant with the title. I can't say that I know what's in her mind but I think there is more than one meaning:
1. The most obvious one is Ryan calling Stella "The Woman Who Stole My Life"
2. The other, almost as obvious since she says it plain near the end of the book, is Gilda stealing Stella's life in New York (her book deal, her publisher, her agent and she even implies she'll take her boyfriend!)

I think the author made the 2 mirror each other in a very clever way: Stella steals Ryan's life (he was the one who wanted to be an artist an to be famous) to have it stolen afterwards by Gilda.

Wow, Marian Keyes just went from my favorite writers to definitely one on the bottom of my list after reading this book. What a shame. Her humor and quirkiness in her writing are gone in this book. The story line is very blah. You're waiting for the book to start of, and while the ending is all tied up at the end of the book, you're just left with all these questions of the book not making sense. I never thought I would give Marian Keyes a one star review, but literally thinking back at this book makes me shiver of how bad it was...

For all the writers and would-be published novelists out there, this is an interesting and sometimes hilarious story about the process. It chronicles someone who is basically not a writer, per se, but through unusual circumstances has a book published and then gets swept up in the wild business of book promotion, New York traditional style.
One of my favorite parts is where the main character, Stella, is trying day after day to write a second book and after sitting at her keyboard for long periods of time, can only manage one word, and I can't repeat that here. She deals with many women's issues like, surly teenagers, loser husband who becomes ex-husband, auto accident, terrible illness, blooming romance, bitter girlfriends, financial woes, a weight-loss-resistant belly, and major betrayals. I managed to finish the book in one day of marathon reading, so at no point did the action dip to wanting to set the story aside.
The title is appropriate on several levels, which I won't reveal, but which is one of the many special treats you will discover in reading this book.

Manchmal fällt es mir schwer, zu einem Buch eine Rezension zu schreiben. So auch dieses Mal, denn für mich begann "Mittelgroßes Superglück" (bzw. "The woman who stole my life") mit superglücklicher Begeisterung und endete mit mittelgroßer Enttäuschung.

Auf den ersten Seiten verliebte ich mich schon Hals über Kopf in Stella, die so herrlich normal und kein Stück perfekt zu sein schien, und dabei so rundum liebenswert, dass ich sie einfach ins Herz schließen musste. Mehr als einmal ertappte ich mich bei einem breiten Grinsen oder sogar einem Lachen, und ich fand mich wieder in Stellas halbherzigen (und vergeblichen) Versuchen, mehr Sport zu treiben, weniger Süßes zu essen und fleißig am Computer zu arbeiten, ohne dabei stundenlang auf Twitter oder Facebook zu versumpfen. Mal ehrlich - wer kennt ihn nicht, den Kampf gegen den inneren Schweinehund, in seinen vielfältigen Formen? Marian Keyes beschreibt diesen Kampf hier mit viel humorvollem Augenzwinkern, und ich fand das herrlich. Mein Mann musste sich viele, viele Zitate aus dem Buch anhören, weil ich es so großartig fand, dass ich es einfach mit ihm teilen musste.

Auch Spannung baute sich für mich schnell auf, denn die Erzählung springt munter hin und her zwischen Stellas Gegenwart als ratloser Autorin von Selbsthilferatgebern, der unglaublichen Geschichte, wie es überhaupt dazu kam, und verschiedenen (oft haarsträubenden) Episoden aus der Zeit ihres größten Erfolges. Als Leserin bekommt man hier ein Häppchen serviert, da wird ein Puzzleteilchen enthüllt, und man muss sich selber zusammenreimen, was Stella in den letzten Jahren so alles erlebt hat, wobei sie von himmelhochjauchzend bis zu Tode betrübt alle Emotionen durchlief. Und das ist alles andere als durchschnittlich oder langweilig: Krankheit, Liebe, Freundschaft, Verrat - und natürlich das für eine kleine Kosmetikerin aus einem kleinen Vorort völlig irrsinnige Leben als gefeierte Starautorin, mit persönlicher Trainerin, Köchin und Auftritten in Talkshows.

Ich fand die Geschichte erfrischend originell und konnte das Buch in der ersten Hälfte kaum weglegen, weil ich einfach sofort und direkt wissen wollte, wie es weitergeht mit Stella und den Menschen um sie herum.

Diese werden alle sehr bunt und lebendig von Marian Keyes geschildert, und anfangs hat mich das sehr begeistert. Doch so nach und nach wich diese Begeisterung immer häufiger Ernüchterung. Manchmal war die Autorin vielleicht einfach zu erfolgreich in ihrer Schilderung eines weniger sympathischen Charakters, denn ich fand z.B. Stellas Sohn schlicht unerträglich. Er ist unhöflich, rotzfrech, selbstsüchtig, und er erwartet, dass seine Mutter auf jeden seiner Befehle hin direkt springt. Auch ihren (Ex-)Mann Ryan fand ich immer enervierender: er ist ein egozentrischer Möchtegernkünstler, der sich selber für den Zentrum des Universums hält. Mir war völlig unverständlich, warum Stellas Freunde und Familie ihn über alle Maßen dafür lobten, wie vorbildlich er sich um sie gekümmert hätte, als sie krank war - denn in meinen Augen tat er gerade mal das Nötigste, wenn überhaupt, und machte ihr dann auch noch Vorwürfe, als sei sie absichtlich krank geworden!

Mannix, in gewissem Sinne der karmische Auslöser aller Ereignisse, ist dagegen in meinen Augen ein sehr angenehmer Protagonist, denn er wirkt zwar auf den ersten Blick nicht so, als wäre er ein netter Kerl, aber dahinter verbirgt sich ein sehr sensibler Mensch mit vielen guten Eigenschaften. Auch seinen Bruder Roland fand ich einen richtigen Lichtblick im Dschungel der eher schwierigen Charaktere.

Letztendlich war Stella für mich eine große Enttäuschung. Am Anfang setzte ich große Hoffnungen in ihre persönliche Entwicklung. Durch ihre schwere Krankheit schien sie zu einer Art abgeklärten Weisheit zu finden, zu einem ganz neuen Verständnis für ihre Möglichkeiten und ihre Stärken... Wie eine in tausend Farben schillernde Silvesterrakete zischte diese Entwicklung einem Himmel mit tausend Möglichkeiten entgegen - um dann kläglich abzustürzen.

Oft benahm sich Stella wie ein Bettvorleger und ließ wirklich jeden nach Belieben auf ihr herumtrampeln. Völlig ohne Rückgrat gab sie ihrem Sohn nach, ihrem Ex-Mann, ihren Eltern... Nicht mal, wenn es um ihre große Liebe ging - um den Mann, der wirklich als einziger Mensch in ihrem Leben vor allem an sie dachte! -, brachte sie die Willenskraft auf, sich zu wehren, und das war es, was mir das Buch im Endeffekt verleidete und auch der eigentlich schönen Liebesgeschichte schnell einen bitteren Beigeschmack verlieh.

Am Schluss des Buches kam mir Stellas Reise zu sich selbst dann doch nur wie eine Reise ins Nirgendwo vor.

Den Schreibstil fand ich wunderbar, sehr unterhaltsam und locker zu lesen, mit einem wirklich tollen Humor, aber im Endeffekt war das leider nicht genug, um das Buch mit mehr als mittelgroßer Enttäuschung zuzuschlagen.

Fazit:
Das Buch hat eigentlich unglaublich viel zu bieten: einen tollen Humor, eine originelle Geschichte und eine gute Prise Romantik jenseits kitschiger Klischées. Meine anfängliche Begeisterung wich aber leider immer mehr der Enttäuschung darüber, dass Stella sich benimmt wie ein rückgratloser Bettvorleger mit Märtyrerkomplex. Viel von ihrem Potential verpufft ungenutzt, und das Ende hinterließ einen eher schalen Geschmack in meinem Mund.

I love Marian Keyes but this book was a mess. Keyes has always written her characters as quirky, funny, charming, and strong women. Everyone wants to be friends with the Walsh sisters because they survive life’s disasters and end up thriving. However, in this book I found Stella to be a weak-willed people pleaser. She is so busy trying to please every person in her life that she ends up coming off as a doormat. Her sister bosses her around, she reads books her dad likes to please him, she stays with her total dick of a husband because it's easier than creating a fuss, her teenaged son is constantly angry, etc...Sure this would be OK if Stella grew as a character and ended up a stronger, wiser woman but she doesn't.

This book is long, over 500 pages, and toggles between the past and present. This book could have been so much better with about 100 less pages, a more relatable main character, and a less abrupt ending. I really liked the story when it focused on the time Stella was in the hospital and her connection with Mannix. I found the “present” story unnecessary and way too focused on her jealous ex-husband.

I also found it very hard to relate to Stella when she never took the time to tell Mannix she loved him. I don’t understand how someone who was on the brink of death wouldn’t learn the lesson that life is short and you must let people you love know how much they mean to you.

In all honesty, I would have abandoned this book halfway through if I didn’t feel a loyalty to Keyes to finish it out. I kept hoping the book would even out and hold my interest, but it just didn’t.

This was an impulse buy. I picked it up from a display of paperback books. I loved the cover and the blurb on the back and bought it. I had never heard of Marian Keyes and I have never read anything by her. I LOVED it! So much fun. Great characters. So much going on. I had a hard time putting it down. I read it in a few days and the last day I stayed up til after midnight to finish it! I highly recommend this book!

This was my first Marian Keyes book, I decided to read it after seeing it recommended on a few lists for those who enjoy Liane Moriarty. Maybe it’s because I was expecting it to live up to Moriarty’s amazing writing, but this book just isn’t good. The character development is weak and the main character’s lack of self esteem and is constant jumping to conclusions is annoying. I also found it to be pretty predictable. The book’s only redemption is Keyes’ humor and wit. I’m willing to give Marian Keyes another try but would say if you’ve never read anything she’s written, don’t start with The Woman Who Stole My Life.

At times laugh out loud funny, at times deep and serious,this book has it all. It starts off with the main character in the midst of trying times and we soon travel back in time a couple of years and learn how her troubles began. As Stella explains her illness and the craziness that followed, we being to piece together what has happened.

The story was a bit slow moving at times, but the timely comic relief helped immensely. Quite enjoyed this book overall.

Marian Keyes is one of the more vibrant writers I enjoy so I was surprised to find this book somewhat bland. The characters never seem to become fully alive as I have come to expect from Keyes work. The storyline is just plausible enough to keep you from feeling like you are reading silly chic lit but unrealistic enough to keep you devouring every page like it's a chocolate bon bon. Warning: for haters of timeline jumping, the story unfolds in precisely that manner. I do recommend giving this a read but if you haven't read the rest of Keyes work, my first recommendation is to grab her canon and settle in for several delightful days of reading.

I'm excited to have discovered this author who writes funny, smart chick lit--kind of an Irish Sophie Kinsella. This book had an unusual premise, Stella (wife and mother) comes down with this rare disease that leaves her paralyzed in a hospital bed for almost a year. Her neurologist figures out a way for her to communicate by blinking and when he writes down what she "says" and puts them into a book called "One Blink at a Time" which becomes a mild self-help sensation. The telling of Stella's story alternates all over the place--to her failing marriage, her kids, to her illness, her book tour and what happens afterwards. I just loved Keyes' writing and can't wait to go back and read more of her books.

"The Woman Who Stole My Life: A Novel" by Marian Keyes is another winner written by this author! It's funny, well written with great characters and a difficult book to put down. It's the perfect summer read whether by the pool or at the beach. Actually it's a great read anywhere you can have your feet up and a cool drink at hand to help beat the summer heat.

I really liked this book and hope to read more by Keyes.

I adore Marian Keyes, but this is her weakest book so far. Her writing is as funny as ever, her descriptions of dysfunctional families as delightful as in previous books, and the characters colorful, but the storyline is just so unconvincing. The main character, Stella, makes personal decisions that no woman is real life ever would, she does things that are painfully irritating. I don't think anyone who went through a life threatening illness would behave like her. I know it is chick lit, I know her lover - Mannix (great lover, handsome, great doctor, great literary agent, great brother, great stepfather, great uncle....) is just your typical Prince Charming, but honestly!

Really disappointed as I have loved all her previous books. The characters seemed so one dimensional. The way her husband and son spoke to her where so unrealistic. I'm not sure if it's because she doesn't have children herself but she made all the children in the book vile. Story moved so slowly. Ugh really didn't enjoy this book but battled through. Wish I hadn't wasted my precious time while the baby naps reading such a depressing book.

Terrible. It's not like her previous books at all. It doesn't make you laugh, feel for the characters, its not believable, the love story isn't there,.. It's like it wasn't writen for her at all. I read it till the end in case it got better, but it just didn't. I didn't enjoy it.

Book #46 Read in 2015
The Woman Who Stole My Life by Marian Keyes

Stella is stricken with a disease that leaves her paralyzed within her own body. She is unable to communicate except through blinking. Eventually she recovers and realizes that while she was out of commission, a lot had changed in her marriage, in her relationship with her children and in her other aspects of life. Eventually a book is published about her ordeal and she becomes a public figure of sorts. That is not without its price either. This book was good, Irishchick/women's fiction. Keyes is a foremost writer in this genre. Her characters are flawed, believable and interesting. Readers will fill invested in Stella and want things to work out for her. This book has romance, humor and a plot that is filled with interesting twists. I enjoyed it. I received a copy of this book from the store Vine in exchange for a honest review.

http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com

The first 1/2 of this book was interesting and entertaining. In the second half it suddenly turns into a trashy romance novel with an utterly boring story. It was as if a different author wrote the second part. Even one of the characters seemed to completely change. Don't waste your time!

It's been a long time since I've read a book by Marian Keyes. I always enjoyed her books but found them to be a bit too long with too much description and not enough narrative. I had fun reading The Woman Who Stole My Life but again found it to be too long. It was thoroughly entertaining and I found myself laughing out loud many times but it definitely could've been shorter.

Having not read a Marian Keyes novel since Watermelon in 1995, an opportunity to read this novel was like reconnecting with an old friend. Keyes' writing style is story telling at its best. We meet Stella, a 40 year old, mom of two. We follow her life from the hospital of Dublin where she is a prisoner in her own body, to the streets of New York where she has found fame, and finally back to Dublin. The novel in true Marian Keyes' fashion boasts humor, friendship, and love. The reader is taken full circle as Stella realizes that sometimes our greatest dreams are far simpler than we realize.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

I tried to stick with this book but I just cannot stomach novels where the main character constantly caters to the outrageous people around her. Is being a doormat the contemporary version of humor these days? They are all very unlikeable characters and I found that each time one of Stella's family said something in their usual self-centered and delusional way it got harder to continue reading. Maybe she grows a spine at some point in this book but in the first ~220 pages she and the rest of the characters are ridiculous. Sorry, jokes about diets and losing 10 pounds have been done ad nauseam and rude remarks by snotty kids are also not new. I couldn't keep reading this.

I had enjoyed Marion Keyes other novels, particularly her humour and characters but this novel was a major disappointment. The central character's inability to come up with a sequel to her first book seems to mirror Keyes inability to come up with a story worthy of her past efforts. The central characters are either cliches or caricatures and the plot trite and predictable. There's the usual references to products that must be paying to be included though it would seem Jo Malone has stopped sending Keyes her products this time. A waste of time and money that could be better spent on better books.

Are we sure this is a Keyes novel? If I was to discover this was not Marian's work, I wouldn't be surprised. Where's the Irish humour? Where's the reluctance to put this book down at 3am because I have to know what happens next?
I found the characters dull. The children are insipid, the ex is unbelievably ridiculous & excruciating to read about, Mannix comes aross as needy & weak, & I just want to reach through the page & slap Stella into reality.
The ending seemed rushed, and showed no coherence with the rest of the story.
This book should be based on Karen & her father, as I found them the only interesting ones in the whole story.
Sorry Marian, I am usually a fan but not this time.

I really liked it. Good book, very true to traditional Marian Keyes way of storytelling. There were great moments of humor, heartbreak, and the silliness you'd expect. I was happy to root for Stella even though I thought she was a bit dense at times.

I really enjoyed this fast paced, plot driven novel. The characters, even the smallest, are a complex believable people. I didn't see the end coming, which is a total plus. Thumbs up for Marian Keyes.

Confession: I'm only 100 pages in. I suspect there are some twists, but I haven't yet gotten to them. Some things, though, like the romantic intersests, I can see a mile away.

In the past, I've gotten through Keye's books pretty quickly. But I'm slogging my way through this, which I think says something. If you're looking for a quick beach read, I'd try a different book of hers, definitely not this one. The plot is just moving too slow.

This book was drawn out and not at all funny. I had expected something as enjoyable as 'watermelon' but was sorely disappointed. I have read all of Marian Keyes' books, and almost can't believe this book was written by her. Very very disappointing for a dedicated fan.

As a fan of Marian Keyes I'm happy to say that I think she is back...those of you that read her last novel will know what I mean! This book was written in the style I have come to love from this writer, full of warmth, insight and humour. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Yay for you Marian and your fans.

Boring, banal, rubbish. Bought at the airport to read on holiday. Have read all MK books so persevered with it hoping it was leading somewhere. It wasn't. Not up to her usual standard, humourless and predictable. Would not recommend this book to anybody looking for a good read. Sorry Marian, hope to see your old style and humour return.

As with all of Marian Keyes' books you find yourself in her characters and pulling for them to champion ....her witty dialogue is very real as always and her inclusion of her characters' family always makes her books enjoyable

I am an enthusiastic follower of ms keyes writing, and she hardly ever disappoints me. however, this book is "just" good, not great, i'm missing some of the writers humour and energy. still, i'm glad i read the book and am looking forward to her next one!