My Favourite Mistake anyone else find it repetitive?

[EachandEveryone]

I used to really like Marian Keyes especially on audible but by god this is hard work. Anna is not likeable at all and he is a miserable git. She’s like so many women I used to know back in the day trying to save the bad boy, thinking she knows him better than anyone. I’m three quarters through and I don’t know if I can finish it. I was the same with Grown Ups. And the story of the town I just don’t care about it. I don’t know maybe it’s me that’s outgrown her?

I didn't love it. The ending is quite boring tbh - don't bother if you aren't enjoying it.

I think all her newer books are quite samey. I still love all her old ones and i loved is anyone out there!

It’s not as good as her older books. It is quite repetitive and you can remove about half the characters and no one would miss them. Same really with the town story! However there is some lovely writing and it got me in the feels in some parts.

it was all over the place.

Marian Keyes has really gone off the boil.

I feel like she now spends more time blurbing other women's books (calling them all "wise" and "whip-smart") than she does writing her own.

Tiresome.

I’ve nearly finished it I’m going to lie in bed and get to the end but it’s been an ordeal. Too many peripheral characters who I didn’t care about. A miserable lead man who is “deep” and a woman still clinging to her 20’s at nearly 50. In real life he would’ve been off with a 30 year old so I suppose that’s refreshing.

I got to the end. Would not recommend and I don’t think I’ll bother with any of her new books.

Ah @EachandEveryone so disappointing isn't it? Have you read her old books though? Sushi for beginners, Rachel's holiday etc. are all great!

I know that’s why it’s so disappointing. So stunted emotionally I thought they were. I mean Anna chasing a bloke who’s shagged your sister and best friend? Hardly a catch. And then texting said best friend as soon as he’s shagged you at the age of nearly 50?

I felt no attachment whatsoever to any of them. I’m glad it was on audible as I would never have been able to get through the actual book.

I could go on and on about it so I better move on to my next book😀😀

I found it very tedious.

Oh look at me being totally oblivious that this sexy man is into little old me. Annoying

I did like her books but recent 5 or so have been library borrows and no re-read.

Sorry for being late to the party as I didn't know there was another book about Anna.

I loved the first Anna book so much, and she is my favourite Walsh, but I'm pissed.

She never gave any indication at all that she liked Narky Joey! Ever!

Also, Luke said in Again, Rachel that Narky Joey doesn't really bother with his kids, but it all changed for this story.

Nah. Just nah.

Rachel revisited was almost as good as her old stuff.

Grown ups was the first book I ever started and didn't finish. It was dire.

DH bought me My favourite mistake and I've not started it yet. I can't stand the disappointment if it's another grown ups.

I loved her, and still like her as a person but ye gods. It was terrible.

I find Marian Keyes is sadly not as good as she once was. Although I have yet to read Again Rachael so can’t comment on that.
I wonder what changed her writing? Many readers agree that there was a noticeable downturn.
She seems a lovely person. I wish I still enjoyed her books as much.
The brightest star in the sky and Grown ups were dire imo so I don’t buy her stuff anymore but I do re read old favourites.

I wonder if the first lot of Walsh books were so good they just didn’t need sequels?

I wanted to add in case of the tiny chance that Marian reads MN that I will always thank her for her earlier books and remain in awe of her writing whether I like her newer books or not.
The early books have often given me comfort in re reading them so I felt mean and unfair if I didn’t pop back to this thread to say so.

I don’t know maybe it’s me that’s outgrown her?

Funny that you say that OP as she was my favourite author when I was younger, but I just don't have the same interest in her books as I used to. I didn't enjoy the last one I read, which was possibly around 10 years ago now and haven't bothered with anything since. I had started to feel that the Walsh family was being over-egged in the last book I did read from that series.

She used to be on here but no idea is she still is.

I feel the same as you. I'd hate to upset her. I really want to like her new stuff 🙈

Same.

It's a mark of esteem that I will still pre-order her new books (via the library these days) as I want to love the new ones.

I think that’s it for me.

Rachels Holiday is one of my favourite books, I’ve read it so many times. I enjoyed Again Rachel, but it didn’t need the Cloisters plot, too many people and it didn’t serve the same purpose as in the first one. It was kind of obvious the way it was all going but I don’t mind that.

My Favourite Mistake was oK, but I was surprised that Joey was suddenly a central character. She wasn’t bothered about him at all before. And there were way too many characters in the town, I couldn’t remember who they all were. To be fair to Marian, that’s my menopausal brain rather than her writing skill.

I’ll still love her though.

I don't think the Walsh sequels are a patch on the originals and I don't like how many details are ret-conned to fit the new storylines.
I can understand revisiting the Walsh sisters but they don't seem consistent with their established characters. If she wants to revisit the family why not through the next gen or through other characters from the original book (like Jacqui rather than Anna?)

I was truly disappointed in "My Favourite Mistake". I have loved Marion Keyes for so many years. I was disappointed in Anna and I couldn't get into the eccentric characters I was supposed to be charmed by. I was tired of the same old formula that just no longer worked for me in this novel. I found the story contrived in places. But what really killed me was the exploitation of all the sisters and, in particular, their much loved mother, poor old Mammy Walsh. I have loved every single book about each sister in the past. "Again, Rachel" was a struggle but I got through it. Just. Anna was not the Anna in "Anybody Out There". I'm sorry but this book ruined these characters for me. Exaggeration for humorous effect is a strength of Keyes. But these were cheap shots. I shall tread cautiously from here onwards. But I will still love all of Keyes' earlier novels.

I have been disappointed with the last couple of releases. She doesn’t seem to put in the level of storytelling and realistic dialogue that she did in her earlier work (best for me- Rachel’s Holiday and This Charming Man). I quite liked Grown Ups and The Break, but even there the dialogue was a bit “oh Cara no” repetitive. And the same in Again, Rachel. It’s as if she’s hurrying to get to the end, or something.