When the Boys are Away

by Sarah Webb

When Meg returns to Dublin after three years trailing Simon around the globe with their toddler, Lily, and Dan, her 11 year old son from a previous relationship in tow, she realises that all her friends have moved on. And now she only has her kooky family, her sex-obsessed sister, Hattie, and Dan’s flaky but dangerously gorgeous father, Sid, to rely on for help and support. Her new neighbour, Tina is in the same boat. Tina’s a work widow - her workaholic husband, Oliver, works in London from Monday to Friday, leaving Tina with only her perma-stressed sister, Gerry, for company during the week. Meg is worried - without Simon’s job to define her, she doesn’t know who she is anymore. But just when she finds a new job and starts to get back on her feet, Simon throws her another curve ball. And Meg finds that having a man around all the time isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And that sometimes living apart is easier than living together. Because when the boys are away . . . the girls can play! Selected Reviews for Sarah ‘A wonderfully enjoyable read - no wonder Irish eyes are smiling’ Heat ‘Chicklit at its best . . . this is one to savour’ Irish Independent

Genres: Chick Lit

464 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2010

About the author

Sarah Webb is an award-winning children’s writer. Her books include Blazing a Trail: Irish Women who Changed the World (illustrated by Lauren O’Neill) and A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea: Favourite Rhymes from an Irish Childhood (illustrated by Steve McCarthy), both winners of Irish Book Awards.

Sarah also runs creative writing clubs for children and teens, reviews children’s books for the Irish Independent, and programmes children’s and family events for book festivals and MoLI (Museum of Literature Ireland). She also works part-time in a children’s bookshop.

Sarah is passionate about bringing children and books together and was awarded the Children’s Books Ireland Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Books in Ireland.
Her latest book, The Little Beekeeper of Henrietta Street (illustrated by Rachel Corcoran) was published in 2021.

www.sarahwebb.ie
Twitter: @sarahwebbishere
Instagram: @sarahwebbwriter

Reviews

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book that was both entertaining and funny.
Full of many different characters and plenty going on.
The thing that sticks out for me though was everyone is so interfering and argumentative it becomes annoying.
I liked Meg to begin with but she has a useless partner in Simon who is never at home n doesn't seem to care about it too much n Meg has every reason to be upset and angry with him so she speaks out and let's him know she's angry and upset and I think good on her but then she goes and starts to feel guilty and is always the first to say sorry and that did my head in.
Simons behaviour was ridiculous for a grown family man..he gets drunk and in nothing but his boxers kisses another woman and again Meg is the one saying sorry...so I began to really dislike Meg for being so pathetic.

Then the relationship she has with her mum,she is never done picking fights with her and unlike her interfering mother in law Maureen I can't see any reason why she is such a bitch to her.
Speaking of Maureen I wish she had the balls to stand up to her and tell her to back the hell off..everytime she started Simon would grip her hand or kick her or anything to get her to remain calm,like f**ks sake allow her to stand up for herself for once.
Or perhaps Simon should have grown a backbone!

Meg's sister Hattie was ok at first but by god she is really interfering,she doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut and sticks her oar in with things that don't concern her,then asks Meg to buy her plane tickets n laughs,she is not funny or cute she's just immature and needs to grow up and shut up.

Never paid much heed to it really till nearer the end but Meg really does overuse Dans help with Lily,he's like her unpaid full time babysitter instead of her 11yr old brother and the amount of times she leaves her and Dan next door with her neighbour and friend Tina. It's not like she worked much but she was always palming her kids off on to someone.

So a great book but on the whole a rather annoying unpleasant bunch of people.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like a much longer read than it actually was but it was so good! I loved every minute of it. It was comforting and emotional and I really liked the characters. The writing was great and there’s something so charming about normal life and family and relationships and all of their ups and downs. Definitely recommend.

[Olive · Rating 1 out of 5]

Isnt Meg always in bad mood or what? Always snappy? Always complaining? About everyone and everything? Yet She does feck all about it?

And then. ..spoiler alert. ..she sees her husband kissing someone else, acting with constant immaturity. ..so then she decides to leave him. ...only to go after him?
He is the one at fault but she still wants to go after him any way? And all the way to San Francisco too? when she has no money of her own to pay for that plane ticket? How immature is this behaviour when you have 2 children?

Worse: she is resolute for him to give up on sailing so he starts being present for his family then eventually completely abandon her own decision, to again let him do whatever he wants to another part of the world? And joining him? When previous expériences has shown her again And again How the world of sailing is savage And superficial for a sensitive soul like hers? And When that very man has lied to her of his past too!
How much abandoning of self value can someone do. ..Just so she saves her relationship apparences? That could have been the title of this book!

Simon is just a nearly inexistent father and husband. And how horrible is Meg Step mum? Super conservative about a woman place in her world.

Meg never seems to see that she is...undermined and mistreated by her husband, all her family in law, step mum, step sister, brother for her decisions and yet should keep having to make peace with all of these People to please her own son? She is constantly self abandonning her values for the sake of others throughout this book:

So Not great feminist messages in this book.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It's laugh out loud funny in places and made me cry in others. It's about a woman called Meg who's partner is a professional sailor. He's away a lot and she becomes friends with her next door neighbour, Tina who's husband works in London during the week, away from his family. My favourite character is Meg's sister, Hattie. Hattie is uber-confident and very, very funny. She's completely fearless and a bit of a messer when it comes to men. But she falls head over heels for a guy who has a secret.
Meanwhile Meg goes on holiday to Cornwell with a pack of what can only be described as 'nasty girls', all designer clothes and botox. She has a huge row with Simon, comes back to Dublin alone and then . . . Well there are two huge twists, which I won't reveal, you just have to read it and find out.

[Aileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg Miller has just moved back to Dublin after spending years traipsing
around the world with Simon her partner. All of her friends have moved
on and Meg is finding things hard, although she does have her family.
Simon is a professional sailor and spends all his time flying all over
the world; they have 2 children Dan and Lilly.
Meg and her Neighbour Tina become friends and they soon begin to enjoy
life, Tina’s husband works away from home too.
Something happens and Meg and Simon separate but with someone from
Simon’s past on the scene is it for good?
I really enjoyed this book, I found it funny a great read definitely
recommend, and I couldn’t put it down.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chick lit - easy read wouldn't rate but another cheap buy at a book sale ands it a book you don't have to think

[Miss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Average. Found the main character really annoying!

[Vanessa]

really good

[Ramona Lazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I read this book at least three times, and I still find it refreshing and funny...

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read chic lit.

[Catherine Falvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book but found the main character was a bit annoying at times. Nice easy read