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The Real Liddy James

Anne-Marie Casey

3.38 · Rating details · 477 ratings · 97 reviews

Forty-four, fit, and fabulous, Liddy James is one of New York’s top divorce attorneys, a bestselling author, and a mother of two. Armed with a ruthless reputation and a capsule wardrobe, she glides through the courtrooms and salons of the Manhattan elite with ease. What’s her secret? Liddy will tell you: “I don’t do guilt!”
This is the last thing literature professor Peter ...more

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Hardcover, 320 pages

Published September 20th 2016 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

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Aug 24, 2016 Lorilin rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction, arc

Liddy James has a lot on her plate. She's a successful divorce attorney, bestselling author, frequent talk show guest, and single mother to two boys. Her schedule is packed, and she barely has time to fit it all in--but, somehow (well, with a lot of hired help...), she does. Lately, things aren't going her way, though. Her roof is leaking, her boss is demanding even more from her at work, and her teenage son is acting out. On top of that, her relationship with her ex-husband is even more tense t Liddy James has a lot on her plate. She's a successful divorce attorney, bestselling author, frequent talk show guest, and single mother to two boys. Her schedule is packed, and she barely has time to fit it all in--but, somehow (well, with a lot of hired help...), she does. Lately, things aren't going her way, though. Her roof is leaking, her boss is demanding even more from her at work, and her teenage son is acting out. On top of that, her relationship with her ex-husband is even more tense than usual, and, though she usually gets along with her husband's partner of many years, suddenly the two of them aren't seeing eye to eye either. Liddy's professional reputation depends upon her looking like she is effortlessly keeping it all together, but she's overwhelmed and having a difficult time hiding it. It's only a matter of time before she cracks--and, unfortunately for her, the unraveling will be televised.

The first 200 pages of this book are so good. Oh my God, I loved the beginning part of the story so much. We're talking 5-star material, without question. Liddy is an engaging character, yes, but I wasn't prepared to be so enamored with her ex-husband, Peter; his long-time girlfriend, Rose; and Liddy's two children, Matty and Cal. I basically fell in love with this family and with their story. Author Casey is so good at weaving backstory in with fun and at least somewhat suspenseful current drama that I had no problem breezing right through these pages.

But then...everything went south. I don't want to give away too much of the book, but let's just say that there is an incident and Liddy ends up going on a trip. That trip is the focus of the last 100 pages of the book, and it has almost nothing to do with the 200-page story that came before it. It was like an entirely different book was tacked on to the end. Gone were the measured tones, thoughtful insights about relationships, and lovingly-developed and complicated interactions between characters--all replaced with cliche romances, random and convoluted plot twists, and a completely, COMPLETELY unrealistic and dissatisfying ending. Casey, what happened?!

I was so ready to give this book five stars, but I just can't believe how bad the last third was. I feel like Casey could have taken this story a million different places from where it ended up, but it all just got away from her somehow. Ugh, it makes me sad to think of what could have been.

ARC provided through Amazon Vine.

See more of my book reviews at www.BugBugBooks.com. ...more

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Sep 18, 2016 emma rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-ya, 4-stars, gorgeous-covers, owned, from-publisher-author, chick-lit, reviewed, couldn-t-wait-to-read, unpopular-opinion, arc

review up NOW at https://emmareadstoomuch.wordpress.co...!! thanks pals! you can also enter for a chance to win one of three copies on my instagram (@emmareadstoomuch)!
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a really fun read! i highly recommend this book for anyone looking to extend their palette past YA. it's a great stepping stone between young adult and general fiction. also, the cover is beautiful.

check out my instagram for a giveaway coming out tomorrow! Putnam was ...more

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Apr 21, 2019 Bibliovoracious rated it really liked it

3.5 I chose this one by the cover and it fooled me. Somehow I thought it was historical. It's not. I was alerted to that by the iPhone use, and it was a bit jolting.

This is the story of a modern power woman, an optimized has-it-all lawyer (again, the cover?), and the divide between her authentic self and the self she has created (hence, "the real" Liddy James). It took forever for me to start caring about the character, because she was rigid, driven (boring). Then she has a bit of an unravel wh ...more

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Sep 19, 2016 Barb (Boxermommyreads) rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016

"The Real Liddy James" is all about a woman who has it all (or at least seems to) and the toll it takes on her life. Liddy is a prominent divorce lawyer in a high profile Manhattan law firm. When she's not working, she's writing how-to books, doing publicity for the law firm, or basically promoting herself in one way or form. Liddy has two children. Matty, a teen, is being primarily raised by her ex-husband Peter and his girlfriend Rose, and Cal is primarily being raised by the nanny. While Lidd "The Real Liddy James" is all about a woman who has it all (or at least seems to) and the toll it takes on her life. Liddy is a prominent divorce lawyer in a high profile Manhattan law firm. When she's not working, she's writing how-to books, doing publicity for the law firm, or basically promoting herself in one way or form. Liddy has two children. Matty, a teen, is being primarily raised by her ex-husband Peter and his girlfriend Rose, and Cal is primarily being raised by the nanny. While Liddy has tons of responsibility ranging from work, paying for Matty's expensive school, paying alimony/child support to Peter, and covering his girlfriend Rose's medical expenses, it all centers around her status and job and has little to do with Liddy - the person. The main problem is that Liddy doesn't know how to take care of herself, let alone her family, and it eventually takes its toll in a very public manner. This leads to Liddy taking a sabbatical and moving with the children to Ireland for the summer with no electronics and no real clue what she is doing.

I found "The Real Liddy James" to be en enjoyable read, but it didn't really stand out for me. Most of the book I didn't even like Liddy and it took something bad happening to her before I really felt much of an attachment to her character at all. I thought I liked Peter and Rose, which made the book somewhat more interesting, but looking back, I don't really think I liked them much either. All of the main characters in the book are either too needy, too self-centered, too whiny or too irritating for my liking. However, I did like Casey's writing style and once I got into the story, it turned out to be a quick read.

I do like the message "The Real Liddy James" sends. Working too hard to "have it all" often comes with a cost, even if it's just to those around us. Liddy, Peter and Rose came across as real life people with real life problems and I didn't find Casey really sugarcoating anything that happened to any of them. However, I found that in the end, I didn't really care what happened to Liddy. I guess I was expecting this book to be a sort of "Bridget Jones" read but it definitely lacked any humor or snark which tends to make contemporaries or chick-lit bearable for me. I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy this book and it wasn't a bad read, I guess I just wasn't in the mood for women's fiction when I read it.

I received this book from the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for an honest review.

...more

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Jul 30, 2016 Brenda rated it it was ok

Shelves: first-to-read

I was completely immersed in this novel until the very last chapter. I accepted each portion of the book as it came, blissfully enjoying watching Liddy go through her midlife crisis. She stumbled and fell, which felt a little too out of left field, but I accepted it and moved on. She spun ruthlessly out of control, then needed to limp into the corner and lick her wounds. I was rooting for her throughout all of it.

Then that last chapter happened. The chapter that changed Liddy's personality entir I was completely immersed in this novel until the very last chapter. I accepted each portion of the book as it came, blissfully enjoying watching Liddy go through her midlife crisis. She stumbled and fell, which felt a little too out of left field, but I accepted it and moved on. She spun ruthlessly out of control, then needed to limp into the corner and lick her wounds. I was rooting for her throughout all of it.

Then that last chapter happened. The chapter that changed Liddy's personality entirely and undermined every single working woman everywhere. Because that final chapter has Liddy realizing that all this time spent on a successful career was worthless. That she was not truly living her life until she decided to quit her high profile job, find a nice Irish boy to settle down with, and live happily ever after in the suburbs.

Most of the time, when a book shoves this line of thinking down my throat they also have some kind of backup. Like her sons turning into self-entitled little monsters who rip into their mother on a regular basis. Or maybe the kid tries to join a gang. It's bad enough when a book does it that way because it just seems so stereotypical. Kids can't possibly survive without their mom being there every waking moment of the day! This was worse, because her kids were perfectly adapted. They were rich kids, sure, but they weren't overly rebellious or too ridiculous. They were just normal boys. But no! Suddenly they can't do ANYTHING without their dear mother being there for them, even though she is already a prominent role in their lives!

It was just irritating. We already have the 1950s housewife trope still being imposed. Women—not men—are the only ones questioned about how they can leave their offspring at home while they go work. This book seemed like it was going to champion the working woman, only to turn around and show us that we all need to stay in our kitchens where we belong and only leave for work as long as it's close to suburbia.

I won't even bother talking about how idiotic Rose was. Vapid woman with no goals in life other than to snag the man. ...more

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Jul 08, 2016 Joodith rated it did not like it

Shelves: did-not-finish

I was ready for a book “whip-smart and crackling with energy” and “wonderfully funny”. Unfortunately this is neither.

Forty-four year old Liddy James, divorced mother of two is the definition of Successful Career Woman. Manhattan's top divorce lawyer she is a force to be reckoned with. Ex-husband Peter and their sullen teenage son, along with Liddy's fatherless six-year old, are now living with Peter's new partner, Rose in the former marital home. All three adults are on friendly terms and get t I was ready for a book “whip-smart and crackling with energy” and “wonderfully funny”. Unfortunately this is neither.

Forty-four year old Liddy James, divorced mother of two is the definition of Successful Career Woman. Manhattan's top divorce lawyer she is a force to be reckoned with. Ex-husband Peter and their sullen teenage son, along with Liddy's fatherless six-year old, are now living with Peter's new partner, Rose in the former marital home. All three adults are on friendly terms and get together on a regular basis, with Rose cooking a meal for them all once a week. Sounds complicated but idyllic, huh?

Things become somewhat pear-shaped when Rose, after two (or was it three) miscarriages, announces an unexpected pregnancy. Then Liddy has a meltdown on live TV so heads off for her native Ireland for some family time.

Although the characters are reasonably well drawn I couldn't like or feel sympathy for any of them; they came across as lacking any real sort of pleasing personality. The humour doesn't work for me:

''.........”Nor me” said Rose, quickly sitting up straight, and in the process feeling the stab from her buttock again. She suppressed a whimper in case Sophia thought she had been spanked.......'' This was during a discussion with her boss – why on earth would Rose imagine that Sophia thought she'd been spanked!

The author's use of very long sentences not only left me breathless, but irritated by this style of writing:

''....He laughed and then got petulant when she wouldn't stop asking and said she wanted to be a grandmother, and it was very awkward and Mr James had to escort her up to bed, saying she can't take three glasses of wine anymore, and when Liddy asked Peter about it afterward – what was wrong with the idea of getting married or having children anyway? -- he flew into a furious tantrum and headed back to the city, leaving Liddy to cook a bleary breakfast for his parents....''

I made it to the first third after which I gave up – this is my general reading guide: if a book doesn't draw me in during that first third, then I won't waste any more time on it. I have no doubt that this will be popular, especially with reading groups, but it's not for me. I just found it all a bit too silly.

My thanks to Amazon who sent me an advanced copy for review

...more

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Feb 13, 2017 Joanne Liddy-mctavish rated it really liked it

Shelves: borrowed, library, indigo-recommendation

I picked it up because of the "name" yet enjoyed the reminisce of my career when my three boys were younger (though NOTHING like hers). The Irish factor was a plus!! ...more

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Sep 16, 2016 Myndi rated it really liked it

Liddy James appears to have it all: a successful and satisfying career, two beautiful boys, and all the perks that come along with privilege. She even seems to have a wonderful relationship with her older son’s quasi-stepmother, both sides working together to co-parent. But, success comes at a cost, and the reality of that cost comes crashing down on Liddy at the worst possible time, leaving her wondering what the right path is for her.
The reviews for this book are all over the place and I think Liddy James appears to have it all: a successful and satisfying career, two beautiful boys, and all the perks that come along with privilege. She even seems to have a wonderful relationship with her older son’s quasi-stepmother, both sides working together to co-parent. But, success comes at a cost, and the reality of that cost comes crashing down on Liddy at the worst possible time, leaving her wondering what the right path is for her.
The reviews for this book are all over the place and I think that has less to do with the quality of the book and more to do with the individual reader’s interpretation of the author’s intent. The writing itself was good. Truth be told, I didn’t like any of the characters. I wouldn’t want to be Liddy’s friend or Rose’s or Peter’s. It isn’t that they are bad people, we just don’t have the same priorities. Which is fine. I don’t have to like them to understand where they are coming from or to have compassion for their circumstances. Is it their own fault they end up where they do? Absolutely. Is that the case for all of us? Usually.
So, I didn’t really like Liddy. This probably has a lot to do with her world view not meshing with mine. She is one of those people who thinks it’s possible to have it all. I’m one of those people who believes you can’t give 100% to any one thing, and when you try to, you always wind up making sacrifices that you might regret later. This is true of ALL people, not just women. I’ve been the successful business woman who worked insane hours while being a single parent, and I am currently the stay at home mom who loves her kids and misses working like crazy. Having had it both ways, I can tell you from experience, for some of us, there is no perfect answer. There is no such thing as giving 110%. You have 100% to give. That is all. And that is pretty much the realization that Liddy comes to. That she has been kidding herself. That there isn’t enough of her to go around and she has to choose. And I think that premise is what makes some people so angry.
But I digress, I didn’t like Liddy at first. But, as she started to embrace reality, she seemed less one-dimensional and more relatable. And the truth is, this book wasn’t just about Liddy, it was about her life and all the people in it. And reflected in those people, you see all the mistakes and worries and self-defeating behaviors so many of us engage in, and the ways in which they not only hurt us, but those we love. And we see that there is almost always time to step back, reevaluate, and make adjustments. Once we realize we don’t have the life we want, we can start taking steps in a new direction.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
...more

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Nov 03, 2016 Tony Parsons rated it it was amazing

Lydia “Liddy” Mary Murphy met Peter James at the Cornelia street café.
It wasn’t long & they fell in love, & got married.
Cal James (oldest son) & Matty James (youngest son) soon came along to liven up the family dynamics.

Mrs. Liddy James (44, mother, Catholic, Irish, narrator, nee Murphy, Stanford, bestselling author) now is a rising star attorney at Oates & Associates.
Curtis Oates (attorney, Oates & Associates) is of course her boss.
Peter James (Liddy’s 1st. husband, PhD), is a professor of Engl ...more

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Oct 02, 2016 Shari Henry rated it it was amazing

I had said another book was my favorite piece of Chick Lit this 2016 Summer but I've changed my mind. The Real Liddy James has it all: career, romance, family, women's issues, family stuff, and so much more, in a fast-paced, mostly believable tale about a 40something NYC power attorney who has it all until she implodes on national television. The awful and feared thing becomes the very thing that saves her.

There's some beautiful writing here, too, and plenty to make the thoughtful reader pause a ...more

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Nov 15, 2016 Rhiannon Johnson rated it liked it

Read my full review here:
http://ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.com/2...

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I received no additional compensation.

My Review:
This jumped on my radar as soon as I saw it. I tried to request a copy and let's just say it was one of the longest, weirdest, and funniest go-rounds I have had in book blogging. Originally, the cover caught my eye (just like The Guineveres) and the topic always intrigues me, "working mothers." I liked tha ...more

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Jan 31, 2017 Victoria rated it it was ok

Shelves: not-for-me, chick-lit, relationships

It's a bit difficult to become engaged with this book from the start. Despite the NYC setting, this book really feels like it is set in the UK. The dialogue and word choices are just not formatted into American English, which makes the book feel a bit off-kilter. I think that this really lies more at the editor's feet, but I find myself consistently having to be reminded that this is all supposedly in New York. Despite the writing style being so discordant with the setting, and the plot being ul ...more

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Jun 26, 2016 CeeMarie rated it it was ok

Shelves: net-galley-arcs-reviewed

This was just an Ok read for me. The writing style was good, interesting, and paced well. The author grabbed my attention and I felt connected to the story and the characters. I felt emotional at times about these fictional people and in a way that I know the writing is good. BUT the story itself, was just OK. I may have felt connected to the characters but I didn't really like most of them. They were cliche and sometimes downright odd. Not odd in supposed to be quirky but odd in "why are they w ...more

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Jul 04, 2016 Jill rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed

It seems as though Liddy has it all, but from the moment she breaks into tears from a fellow lawyer giving a quote from an Edith Warton novel, you know everything isn't as perfect as it seems. It reminded me a bit of 'I Don't Know How She Does It". The idea that you can have it all and be everything and keep all these balls in the air. The stress of maintaining it all to keep her income level steady to support all the people in her life who depend on her is overwhelming and I love the glimpses s ...more

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Oct 10, 2016 Lauren rated it liked it

I always enjoy books with a strong female lead, and this was no exception. What was interesting for me was that I actually loved the supporting character of Rose even more than Liddy herself. Rose is strong and vibrant in a more understated manor than Liddy, but has stepped into Liddy's shoes despite many challenges which made her such an interesting character. If Anne-marie Casey writes another book, I would love for Rose to be the star. I would recommend this book to anyone in need of a remind ...more

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Jul 04, 2016 Leigh rated it really liked it

To be featured in Sept. Women's Fiction Blog at Heroes and Heartbreakers -- This is definitely one of my favorite books of this year! ...more

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Sep 12, 2016 Erin Tuzuner rated it liked it

Shelves: the-city, fiction, xx, suburbia, 2016

It's a rom-tragi-com, the most post of modern day tales. Rich, intelligent people who cannot make love work as they hurl themselves into their professions and the occasional cliche. ...more

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May 04, 2017 Stephanie rated it liked it

Shelves: 2017, chick-lit

Liddy James is a woman who appears to have it all figured out – she successfully co-parents with her ex-husband Peter and his partner Rose, she has a high profile career as a divorce attorney in New York, and she is planning her next best-selling book. At least, that’s her life on paper.

In reality, Liddy is consumed with stress and anxiety, her eldest son resents her, and she has given up on having a meaningful relationship.

Liddy has sacrificed her family life for her career goals, in a way re ...more

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Jul 02, 2019 Crista rated it really liked it

A rarity that I’ll read a paperback and consider shelving it in my permanent collection, but here we are. Work-it-til-you-lose-it Liddy can’t sustain “normal life” (which is a far cry from anyone’s normal in my world, but I’m not rubbing elbows with many NYC divorce lawyers these days) anymore and retreats to Ireland, where she finds the much-needed center of herself as a mom and a human. She doesn’t chose the romance novel ending, neither does she Devil Wears Prada it. It’s an honest, real book ...more

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Oct 25, 2017 Gwen rated it really liked it

An Irish charmer. Liddy James, hard charging divorce attorney with an amicable divorce to her credit, has it all ... aided by her husband's longterm (and newly pregnant) partner, her full time nanny/housekeeper, her driver, her dogwalker. As she's writing a followup to her bestseller, on how to divorce well, she implodes on national television as she realizes no one can actually "have it all." Off to Ireland to find herself, or regroup, or relearn who she is, time and going (almost) home works i ...more

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May 20, 2019 Amara rated it really liked it

I don't know if I would recommend this one to anyone else, it just got to me at a good time. I was already thinking about feminism, and the myth that real women can "do it all", and this portrait of someone there in the thick of everything was fascinating. I really liked the message about how important relationships with your family are. She makes a statement near the end --something like "I want to spend time with people for whom I am not replaceable" that really resonated with me. But. This bo ...more

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Aug 15, 2017 Sandy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2017-reading-challenge

I thought The Real Liddy James was a great book. The main character is a driven divorce lawyer with two sons and a lot of problems, trying to hold her life together in the only way she knows how. She finally loses it and goes in an entirely un"Liddy" direction and finds the life she should have been leading all along. I recommend it highly! ...more

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Dec 27, 2017 Agatha Glowacki rated it it was amazing

Loved this story and the characters. Genuinely good people who grew in maturity and wisdom throughout the book, and ended up making the right choices. Liddy reminded me of myself when I was younger and I could identify with both her fierce ambitious phase, as well as her meltdown and revelation about what was truly important in life. I would love to have them all as friends!

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Jan 06, 2018 Elicia rated it really liked it

"It had been years since she had stayed still and listened to a piece of music for its own sake; now she knew why. Music could awaken feelings that she had put to sleep. She had relegated it to a backdrop for meditation, or a motivational tool for exercise, the relentless reinforcing of the awesomeness of everything."

Light and enjoyable read. ...more

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Apr 08, 2018 Janelle rated it it was amazing

I received this book as an ARC quite a while ago I’m ashamed to say. Now that I finally got around to reading it I’m so glad I didn’t wait any longer. This book was thoroughly enjoyable. She’s tough and tender and learns som valuable life lessons we could all learn from. I would definitely seek out other books by this author.

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Dec 28, 2020 Dani Boren rated it liked it

The "real Liddy James" isn't as exciting as i hoped. Real lack of a love story and more of a self discovery book for Liddy. While I did love her character, I found myself more interested in all the characters that surrounded her life more than herself. ...more

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Dec 31, 2017 Victoria rated it liked it

A good new years day read.

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Mar 03, 2018 Kathleen Harville rated it liked it

Slow to start but I hung in due to the rave reviews. When the story finally gets interesting and you start to actually care for the main character, the books ends abruptly.

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Jun 05, 2019 Kris Bour rated it really liked it

Great summer read.

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Nov 30, 2019 Linene rated it liked it

Good read, liked all the characters, but why does Liddy have to be the one who has to change so drastically? The ending made her weak and less bold.

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About Anne-Marie Casey

Anne-Marie Casey

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Anne-Marie Casey is a novelist, screenwriter, and playwright. Her film and TV scripts have been produced in the UK and Ireland and her theatrical adaptations of Little Women and Wuthering Heights enjoyed sell-out runs at the Gate Theatre in Dublin. No One Could Have Guessed the Weather, her first book, was an international bestseller. She is married to the novelist Joseph O'Connor. They live in Du ...more