Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
1st out of 8 books
—
15 voters
Watch Over Me
Eilidh Lawson’s life has hit crisis point. Years of failed fertility treatments, a cheating husband and an oppressive family have pushed her to the limit. Desperate for relief, Eilidh seeks solace in the only place she’s ever felt at home – a small village in the Scottish Highlands. There, Eilidh slowly begins to mend her broken heart but soon learns she is not the only on...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
November 2011
by Black & White Publishing
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
784)
"If you have something precious and fragile and you keep it locked away like a little plant trying to grow into the darkness, well, it'll die and your secret will turn into regret. Love needs to be in the light of day. A secret love will eat itself and die, or eat your heart and kill you."
This is a story of a 35 year old woman, Eilidh, who's life is torn to pieces. After many attempts to have a baby, she and her husband Tom finally succeeded. She waited for so long to feel that joy, to feel tho...more
This is a story of a 35 year old woman, Eilidh, who's life is torn to pieces. After many attempts to have a baby, she and her husband Tom finally succeeded. She waited for so long to feel that joy, to feel tho...more
Firstly I’d like to thank Black & White Publishing for sending me this book to read and give an honest review. This isn’t the first book I’ve read by this author, I have also read and enjoyed the first two books in The Sarah Midnight Trilogy. I had heard many MANY good things about Watch Over Me so I was very much looking forward to reading it.
Wow, what a powerful prologue! It was thought-provoking, slightly haunting and completely drew me in so that I just had to find out exactly what happe...more
Wow, what a powerful prologue! It was thought-provoking, slightly haunting and completely drew me in so that I just had to find out exactly what happe...more
As I began to read this book, I was completely unaware of how the author was quietly captivating me and drawing me into the story. If you look at the book as a whole, you realise it is a basic love story, yet as you delve into the layers of the story you find it is so much more. There is magic hiding within the chapters.
The little village of Glen Avich, is enchanting. It reminded me of the mythical Scottish town in Brigadoon, one of my favourite musicals ever. It seems like a town that hasn't ag...more
The little village of Glen Avich, is enchanting. It reminded me of the mythical Scottish town in Brigadoon, one of my favourite musicals ever. It seems like a town that hasn't ag...more
This book was rather different to books I've read before, in the sense that the characters lives are somewhat tweaked by the male leads dead mother..sounds odd but it worked. It's about a man and a woman who were childhoods friends and are reunited again. They have both had their struggles in life and you can see them fitting together like two puzzle pieces, as they each has something the other is missing. However, they cannot see/ do not realize that they are perfect for each other, which is wh...more
Read this over 2 days on holiday, nice typical chick lit type of story. As another reader commented, this is quite similar in terms of narration and idea to Her Fearful Symmetry, which I loved, and therefore I was quite excited at the beginning...maybe I got my hopes up too much?
What stopped this from being a great book for me was:
1. The plot - very very predictable. (view spoiler)...more
What stopped this from being a great book for me was:
1. The plot - very very predictable. (view spoiler)...more
As I sit having just finished Watch Over Me, I can’t help but wonder how an author can come up with a debut as incredible as this. This book is honest and raw, it’s heart-wrenching and heart-warming, and it’s beautifully written.
When I first picked it up, I did think that it was going to be a little predictable, all too convenient to be realistic but how wrong I was. It’s subtle, yet magical – there isn’t any of the “girl meets boy, boy goes off with other girl, boy comes back to girl” stuff her...more
When I first picked it up, I did think that it was going to be a little predictable, all too convenient to be realistic but how wrong I was. It’s subtle, yet magical – there isn’t any of the “girl meets boy, boy goes off with other girl, boy comes back to girl” stuff her...more
I got asked to read this book by my boss at work to see if we would stock it (I wish this was my FT job!). So i'm writing this review to try and clarify my thoughts. I was wavering between 3 and 4 stars, but if it was scored out of 10 i think i would give it 7.
I enjoyed the book. I read it in 1 evening, it was easy to read and the characters felt very real. I like the fact it was set in Scotland.
It is about a woman called Eilidh who has miscarried her baby and decides to end her marriage. She i...more
I enjoyed the book. I read it in 1 evening, it was easy to read and the characters felt very real. I like the fact it was set in Scotland.
It is about a woman called Eilidh who has miscarried her baby and decides to end her marriage. She i...more
I must say that I am a bit disappointed.
I started this book expecting to feel some really strong emotions, giving the theme.
After all, Eilidh, our heroine, wants to have children really badly but is not able to do so, which breaks her apart.
Instead, I felt only a mild interest. In some parts, I even felt a little bored.
And may I say the amount of times I rolled my eyes because the word "wee" kept appearing? xD
Moving on - the strongest emotion I felt was irritation because Eilidh's family member...more
I started this book expecting to feel some really strong emotions, giving the theme.
After all, Eilidh, our heroine, wants to have children really badly but is not able to do so, which breaks her apart.
Instead, I felt only a mild interest. In some parts, I even felt a little bored.
And may I say the amount of times I rolled my eyes because the word "wee" kept appearing? xD
Moving on - the strongest emotion I felt was irritation because Eilidh's family member...more
Pleasantly surprised by this. I went with it on the strength of reviews on Amazon UK. As I began, I strongly suspected 'chick lit' which I generally avoid like the plague. I'm glad I got through the first couple of chapters though. What unfolds is a moving and at times, humorous story revealed through the eyes of several different characters, some living, some not. The chapters are short with a smooth narrative throughout and beautifully constructed sentences. The mood and emotional force of the...more
Do you believe in ghosts? In souls ..... rebirth? Even if you don't you will enjoy this book. Following the trials and tribulations of Eilidh, including a broken marriage and fertility issues, and Jamie a single dad. Yes it's a romance, relationship story but it also has something very special.
It's the kind of book that, as you approach the end, you slow down your reading because you don't want to finish it. It's also the kind of book that once you have finished it you have to sit back and take...more
It's the kind of book that, as you approach the end, you slow down your reading because you don't want to finish it. It's also the kind of book that once you have finished it you have to sit back and take...more
Eilidh feels totally miserable because of all the failed fertility treatments, a cheating husband and her family is oppressive and has no tact.
She decides to go back to the village, Glen Avich, where she used to live as a child. There she meets Jamie, an old childhood friend.
He also struggles with life. His wife left him, his mother died a few years ago and he has to raise his daughter, Maisie, alone.
Eilidh turns out to be a great help and things begin to sort out…
It’s a beautiful story about...more
She decides to go back to the village, Glen Avich, where she used to live as a child. There she meets Jamie, an old childhood friend.
He also struggles with life. His wife left him, his mother died a few years ago and he has to raise his daughter, Maisie, alone.
Eilidh turns out to be a great help and things begin to sort out…
It’s a beautiful story about...more
I adored this beautiful, haunting and romantic tale set in the Scottish highlands. Eilidh is heartbroken after losing a baby and ending her marriage and finds solace in the quiet village where she had spent time with her grandmother as a child. Reconnecting with the slower pace of village life and with old friends including single Dad Jamie, Eilidh begins to heal. I loved the idea of the spirit of Jamie’s mother Elizabeth match-making from beyond the grave; it is a unique idea which encapsulates...more
I’ve strayed from the YA path with this one, delving instead into an ethereal romance written for the adult by debut author Daniela Sacerdoti. Watch over me is the heart-rending story of childhood friends Eilidh and Jamie. Adult life until this point has not worked out well for either of them. Jamie has found himself in the role of single father after his partner walks out on both him and their daughter, followed not too long after by the death of his mother. For Eilidh, life has been equally cr...more
Watch Over Me is an incredibly powerful, poignant story that deals with the biggest questions about life and death, love and loss. It follows the journey of Eilidh, who has just lost a very much longed for baby, an event which has led to the realisation that her marriage is over. Barely able to go on, she takes herself to Glen Avich, a village where she stayed as a child, and reconnects with some important characters from her past. The story is about how she finds hope and healing, and learns to...more
The prologue is so beautifully written and hooks the reader in. I wanted to find out the events leading to the spring night in the woods as well as what exactly happened that night – who was narrating? Why were they in the woods?
We begin our journey with Eilidh narrating. We find out the poignant sadness of her infertility, her passion for children, her sense of failure … you feel everything Eilidh feels, really getting under her skin. Not only does she feel a failure in her personal life but sh...more
We begin our journey with Eilidh narrating. We find out the poignant sadness of her infertility, her passion for children, her sense of failure … you feel everything Eilidh feels, really getting under her skin. Not only does she feel a failure in her personal life but sh...more
I absolutely loved this book! I completely loved the main characters Eilidh and Jamie, and the supporting characters were so lovely too, I really felt like I knew them. This book was so beautifully written, I was filling up several times throughout reading! This book has really affected me, I find myself even now thinking of it, thinking about the characters and what they are up to. It is such a feel-good book, it is one of the best books I've read in a while now and I cannot recommend it enough...more
I loved this story, right from the first chapter. It is deeply emotional and sad, but also provides a ray of hope and lets us know that it will get better, all you have to do is keep your spirits up and move along. As I have said in other reviews, I love stories that are told from different perspectives and this book was no different. I enjoyed most of the characters, and I would have to say that Eilidh, Jamie and Elizabeth were by far the best. I won't go into the details of the story, but it w...more
This is a reading copy from the publisher and I've had a phone call from them asking what I thought, so I am currently reading it. I'm actually really enjoying it. I like the cover, the blurbe on the back is promising and so far the writing has been quite lyrical and the themes intoxicating enough to keep me reading late at night, when all I had planned was a quick first chapter skim and then sleep. Not so sure yet about the 'help from extraordinary places', something about that has jarred with...more
http://dustypagesinwonderland.blogspo...
“Beyond the fear and the pain, love is there to catch us when we fall. This is what I learned, one spring night in the woods, and since then, I am not afraid”.
When your mind is crossed by pain, you can find a way to get back on top despite being lost. Even in the darkest moments, a decision can radically change the course of your life. Thus is for Eilidth and Jamie, the main characters of this story, real people who have not lived in an easy life.
Elidth is...more
“Beyond the fear and the pain, love is there to catch us when we fall. This is what I learned, one spring night in the woods, and since then, I am not afraid”.
When your mind is crossed by pain, you can find a way to get back on top despite being lost. Even in the darkest moments, a decision can radically change the course of your life. Thus is for Eilidth and Jamie, the main characters of this story, real people who have not lived in an easy life.
Elidth is...more
“Beyond the fear and the pain, love is there to catch us when we fall. This is what I learned, one spring night in the woods, and since then, I am not afraid”.
When your mind is crossed by the pain, you can find a way to get back on top despite being lost. Even in the darkest moments, a decision can radically change the course of your life. Thus is for Eilidth and Jamie, main characters of this story, real people who have not lived in an easy way: Elidth is torn by attempts to have a baby; Jamie...more
When your mind is crossed by the pain, you can find a way to get back on top despite being lost. Even in the darkest moments, a decision can radically change the course of your life. Thus is for Eilidth and Jamie, main characters of this story, real people who have not lived in an easy way: Elidth is torn by attempts to have a baby; Jamie...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I thought this book was enjoyable but nothing gripping! Not such a fan of Elizabeth's chapters although i understand the context i just couldn't quite grasp it, it felt more like an interruption to the story and the information given during could have been fed into the story in a better way. But that is personal opinion
Nice cosey read, quick read and quite emotive. The start dragged a little, maybe that was getting in to the style of writing, but once into it i did enjoy it.
Nice cosey read, quick read and quite emotive. The start dragged a little, maybe that was getting in to the style of writing, but once into it i did enjoy it.
I was looking forward to reading this book as the blurb got my attention, however there is no way I could of known how much this book would affect me. This story touches every sense the human body has; it’s had me smiling, worrying, holding my breath and literally crying! Not many books touch you so much you never forget them, but this one is right up there ... I certainly won’t forget it and it will be one of those books that get read over and over.
I couldn't put this down. No conspiracy, no mystery, no murder plots and just a little tiny supernatural element.... a ghost, who observes and tells part of the story.
Its a beautifully written story about people, their sadness, their happiness, the twists and turns that life takes and how it effects people. Just regular people, with regular families. Not wealthy, not poor but ordinary with all the complications that occur in every ordinary family.
A breath of fresh air as far as I'm concerned!
Its a beautifully written story about people, their sadness, their happiness, the twists and turns that life takes and how it effects people. Just regular people, with regular families. Not wealthy, not poor but ordinary with all the complications that occur in every ordinary family.
A breath of fresh air as far as I'm concerned!
Really great book, a lot of will they/won't they which at times was a tiny bit frustrating but the relationships between the characters was wonderful. There were a few twists and turns along the way all building up to one night 'in the woods' as is described in the blurb. Really terrific read, the ending had me smiling with tears in my eyes. Would have been 5 stars had the chasing part be a little less! But absolutely worth reading :)
I downloaded this book for free from the Kindle store and approached it with a healthy dose of cynicism: I'm just not a romance kinda gal but am currently in the middle of a book drought. The storyline and writing were actually tolerable, and I found the discussion of Mothers and Mothering refreshing for the genre. A good read if you like this sort of thing and a tolerable one if you don't.
I loved this book. It made me laugh and cry and drew me into feeling as if I was in Glen Avich myself. It reminded me of a People's Friend story in some ways, which made it comforting, but there was more to it than that. A comforting, satisfying read with characters you warm to immediately. I could have been reading about my own family, and the mummy mafia made me laugh!
I really enjoyed this charming story. The opening few chapters were outstanding for me - I thought Daniela set up the story, and portrayed the turmoil of the characters, in an unforgettable and striking way.
There's a small supernatural element that isn't too sensational, it helps the story along - a guiding hand nudging Jamie and Eilidh in the right direction.
The story, after the opening chapters, took a wee while to get going for me. I wondered if it was a bit mild for my tastes after the raw...more
There's a small supernatural element that isn't too sensational, it helps the story along - a guiding hand nudging Jamie and Eilidh in the right direction.
The story, after the opening chapters, took a wee while to get going for me. I wondered if it was a bit mild for my tastes after the raw...more
4.5 but as that not an option I couldn't justify five stars as sometimes the ghost irritated me...... Can't put my finger on it. But maybe her dialect was too matter of fact. However i loved all the other characters and really felt their journey as if it was me walking in their shoes. An easy read. Liked a lot.
After reading this book I was faced with a few deep questions. The book itself had a moving story line however I did feel that the story line was very predictable and I found myself just waiting for it to happen. By the end of the book you have a feel good feeling. Would recommend it as a perfect winter read.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Daniela Sacerdoti is a mother and a writer. Born in Naples, but brought up in a small village in the Italian Alps, she lives near Glasgow with her husband and sons. She steals time to write when everyone has gone to bed, or before they wake up. She’s a Primary teacher, but she chose to be at home with her children. She loves being with her boys, reading anything she can get her hands on and chatti...more
More about Daniela Sacerdoti...
Share This Book
3 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
Dec 01, 2011 12:46pm
Dec 01, 2011 01:11pm