Firstly I love books by Cecelia Ahern, each with their own unique, quirky, touching story. Secondly this one really connected with me personally as Enya faces a point in her life that I too have faced and the emotions described were so on point. This is a raw, emotional and captivating story, delving into Irish folklore and traditions, as well as giving the reader a flavour of life in a remote country town in Ireland. I loved the characters, some drew chuckles, some empathy and some total distaste. The settings are gorgeous and clearly portrayed. It is difficult to reveal more without giving any plot spoilers. Simple to say, I loved it and was transported to dwell alongside Enya.

Cecelia Ahern has a unique ability when crafting a story, to delve into your heart with her characters and her stories stay with you. The storyline focuses on Dr Enya Pickering and her family. One night, Enya encounters a hit & run, while driving home during a terrible storm. Ultimately, she saves the victim. But the events prove a catalyst in leading Enya to escape to the village of Abbeydooley. Abbeydooley is the home of a "rag tree", which holds an important place in the hearts of local people and also plays a role in daily lifeAs Enys struggles to settle into her new life, the past continues to haunt her. I raced through Into The Storm in one day, utterly unable to put it aside. I loved it, especially the 'newspaper clippings' from her mother and the details of Irish mythology.

Multifaceted, 'Into the Storm' delves into inner demons and fears - whether real or self-inflicted - and consequences. The cast of characters – even though one or two I struggled with because I didn’t buy into their reactions and dialogue – make for a really good read. The interweaving of folklore and Enya’s mother’s writings lend so much to what might be a sad tale. Enya has much to overcome: fear of death at the same age as her mother, a broken marriage, distance from her son, loss of faith in her ability as a doctor, life in a new small village, overpowering guilt … but she survives, and helps Margaret, also battling with loss and guilt, to survive. Truth will out and Enya faces the consequences of her deceit and silence. Free, she accepts her future with hope. Cecelia Ahern's evocative writing and some delightful Irish humour, the magic Rag Tree, in stormy settings added to my overall enjoyment.

This is a good read and has lots of and turns. I don’t think it’s the best novel I have read from Celia Ahern. It’s a bit darker and addresses stronger issues like mental health, relationships and loss. The book did keep me guessing but I wasn’t a total fan of the end so have rated this four stars.

This is a hard book to review because I can't say that I enjoyed it but it's a good, well-written story with really well fleshed-out characters. It's not quite as amazing as previous Cecelia Ahern books but that's purely a personal opinion as I found the whole book to be rather depressing with the only light coming from some amusing conversations between Enya and Margaret. Enya is fairly unlikeable and is going through a very difficult time coming to terms with her mother's death but some of her choices are questionable to say the least. The story is slow with gradual revelations and some fascinating information about pagan beliefs from pre-Christian times.